This is the first fic for Cult Inkons_Glow, a collaboration between sasori (Mindo), Evil Spirit of the Ring (Minty), and their normal friend Alice (Alice). What can I (sasori) say? I love the movie "My Fair Lady" and forced ESoR to watch it with me. We're gonna team up on Alice too, sometime soon, but for now, she's beta-ing.

Yippee! We got ourselves a beta! Finally!

  ESoR: Hey all! This is the second of the two Mindy's writing this crazy fic. Since Mindo's probably covering everything else, I have three words: READ AND REVIEW! Thankies ^^

                Sasori: yeah…what she said…

                Anyhoo…

Here goes!

Disclaimer: it would be an absolute DREAM to own Harry Potter and My Fair Lady, but as I said, it's a DREAM….sigh…

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It was about half past noon when Remus Lupin, resident werewolf, ex-DADA teacher at

Hogwarts, and current "Muggle" professor left the small Muggle cafe at the edge of town. The clouds were quite large and white, puffy and billowing in the pristine, clear blue sky, with an occasional bird streaking a black line across it. The professor, however, was not fooled by this deceptive appearance. Indeed, he had

already begun taking out his worn-out, abominably plaid umbrella

No sooner had he shaken out the numerous creases in his umbrella, a sudden fat drop of water landed smack dab on the tip of his thin bladed nose. Hurriedly, he put up his umbrella, pulled his coat tighter around himself, and started walking quickly. 

The rain spattered mercilessly above his head, and had he not been a wizard, the

water would have long ago beaten the old cloth above him to mere red and green fringes. He was sadly reminding himself that he seriously needed to find a better job, when he first heard it. Initially, he couldn't quite place the sound, and he rather thought it might have been a sick donkey with asthma. Puzzled, he

paused a moment before continuing towards his destination, determined to ignore the sound

'Heavens above. I've GOT to stop listening to Sirius' old Guns and Roses CDs...' he thought tiredly as he rounded a corner...and promptly flew forward as his foot connected with a rather large millstone with red hair.

The millstone paid no attention to him, and kept doggedly wheezing on the harmonica

that Lupin had finally identified. Remus angrily wondered what kind of sick twisted idiot would play

such blasted noise on a street corner and turned around to give that person a piece of his mind. He

got up, brushing himself off quickly with an inconspicuous magic spell and fixed a 'professor' stare at the red head.

And gasped. Or not gasped, as Remus was not a gasping person. He simply did not

see the logic in imitating fish, brainless chunks of white meat they were. Rather, he more or less took a

sharp intake of breath and stared.

"You...you...'

The young woman looked up wearily. "I'm sorry. I hope you're alright,' she said rather

automatically, as if people falling on her head happened all the time. She turned back to blowing on her

harmonica again listlessly. Remus gaped. A Muggle walked by and dropped a coin in the harmonica

case before he realized what was going on.

                "Ginny Weasley!"

The mentioned girl didn't look up at Lupin but nodded, harmonica still moving randomly against her lips. Remus clapped his hands over his ears, failing miserably to block out the harsh tones while watching in shocked wonder as more Muggles passed by, tossing more coins into the case.

"Miss Weasley!" He shouted as loud as he could over the raucous noise. He released his ears when he noticed that he'd caught Ginny's attention and sighed in relief. "Miss Weasley, why on earth are you here? Playing...er, quite uniquely on a street curb?"

She shrugged indifferently, shifting a finger through the coins in the case as she counted the Muggle money. "Hard times, you know. With my harmonica, I play for my day's earning." She scooped the coins from the case, dropping them into the large pocket in her coat. Lupin grimaced slightly, trying to imagine how anybody could stand her music, let alone enjoy it.

"Er, Miss Weasley, no insult intended, but can the Muggles enjoy such...such..." He motioned towards her harmonica with his finger, unable to place a word for the hellish melody he'd heard.

Ginny smiled mischievously, fiddling with the worn instrument in her hands. "Well...with the help of magic, all Muggles can enjoy the music I bring into the world! But -" She looked up at Lupin. "The magic only affects Muggles, so I can't help you there."

Suddenly realizing that this total stranger had known her name, she snapped her attention to the man next to her.

"Wait...how did you know my name?"

Lupin mentally slapped himself at the girl's slow reactions, but was more taken aback as Ginny's face donned another "realization" expression. "And...you're not a Muggle, are you?"

Remus shook his head to the latter's question. "No, I'm magical, just like you are. I go by Remus Lupin."

Ginny slowly let the information sink in, before smiling. "Oh yes. You were the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts one year. "Everybody considered you one of the best DADA teacher ever." She nodded before looking up at her ex-professor curiously. "What are YOU doing here, Professor?"

Lupin cleared his throat nervously. "Well...uh, I came looking for someone, but I'm not sure whether...he's...here."

Ginny eyed the professor warily before putting the harmonica once more to her lips. On cue, Lupin covered his ears just as the horrible melody (if you can call it a melody) tumbled out of the instrument.

Ginny puffed heartily into the little silver contraption, and Lupin could not see how

Muggles could so easily toss coins and stare at her with admiration. In fact, they stared at him,

hands clapped over the side of his head as if he was crazy. Remus only winced, and wondered how

long it would be before the discordant strains would drive him to suicide.

Just when the poor werewolf was about to start crying hysterically and beg the girl to

stop (in fact, he was already asking her with a slight note of panic in his voice to please bring to a halt your playing, and let's go have a cup of tea, shall we?) when a bored and slightly irritated voice cut through the horrid screeching and moaning.

"Oh for the good Lord's Sake will you stop that infernal NOISE?!"

Ginny and the professor looked around, astonished. There, just a few feet away, stood

a tall, well-dressed man. His silver hair was covered by a felt brim hat, and his dark glare was

directed at the Weasley.

"I was playing my harmonica, that I was, sir." Ginny responded bleakly after getting over

the initial shock of being interrupted twice in less than half an hour. Somewhat indignantly, she began blowing- if possibly- even louder and the sound was- again, if possible- twice as grating as before.  Remus was feeling close to tears again, when the man strode over, took the harmonica, and tossed it across the street.

"You call that playing? Miss, I'm sorry to tell you, but you can't play worth SHIT."

Ginny glared at him. "...My harmonica..."

"That was a harmonica? It sounded like a wretched ass with a bad case of

pneumonia." The stranger said disdainfully. Repressing a snort, Remus nevertheless tried to defend the girl, gentleman as he was.

"Nonsense, young sir. I think she plays...absolutely...spiffy..."

The man snorted. "Spiffy indeed. Oh, she plays beautifully alright. For a deaf, one eyed, tongue less old cow with laryngitis."

"...Hey. My harmonica. I want my harmonica back." Ginny suddenly clambered to her feet and started glaring in righteous indignation at the perpetrator. "How rude! You may not like my harmonica or me, but throwing my poor harmonica into the gutter?! That was absolutely uncalled for! I demand a new one!"

The man snorted. "So you can what? Drive more hoards of people insane with your devilish, pathetic attempts at music?"

                "Only the Magic-folk." Ginny tossed her head. "I need money. What's it to you if I trick a few Muggles?"

                The man rolled his eyes and told her sharply, "Money? With that playing? You must be joking! Without your magic, you wouldn't be able to earn a shilling!"

"That's precisely why  I use my magic to my advantage. That's what my brothers always told me. 'Listen here, Gin' they say, 'Mum and Dad may not like it, but sometimes, you've got to think and work for yourself.'"

"And that's what you're doing?" He asked sarcastically.

"And that's what I'm doing." Ginny nodded firmly. "Earning a living with my harmonica. Now give me a new one!"

The tall man snorted and tossed her a Knut. "Gladly, child. But I can tell you one thing. You give me sixth months, and I can you playing any instrument of your choice at Carnegie Hall, Paris Opera House, whatever place you choose." He strode off across the street, leaving Ginny blinking and slowly pondering what had just been told to her.

                "Well, that certainly would be considerably nicer than playing at the corner of Westham and Mimosa…"

                Lupin shook his head. "Ginny, I don't think he was serious."

                "Oh, perfectly!" was the airy answer from half a street away. Remus spotted the spark of gears turning rustily in his companions brain, and hurried after the stranger before Ginny could take him seriously.

"Now hold on a minute. You aren't serious? Let me tell you, I think she might be seriously considering your offer. Who are you?"

                The man stopped suddenly, and Remus quickly also quit his steps. Shrewd gray eyes studied from under the brim of the hat.  "Draco Malfoy, music professor at Julliard's, in New York."

"Wha...?" Ginny, who'd run up behind them now stared at Malfoy, not in awe, as someone else might, but rather, in confusion. Remus looked positively surprised and delighted however.

                 "Malfoy! How are you? I was just on my way to meet you!" Remus said in surprise

                 "Whatever for?" Malfoy said carelessly, not quite surprised anybody would want to see him

                "I'm Remus Lupin. Literature professor at Oxford."

                Malfoy looked stunned, then smiled widely. "Professor Lupin! I was on my way to see YOU! How have you been? How do you like Oxford?" The two men, oblivious to the shell-shocked woman behind them, started walking, chatting amiably with each other.

                Ginny blinked again. How strange. She could have sworn that the man had said he was Draco Malfoy. And he was a music professor at Julliard. Malfoy? Malfoy… well, no matter. There were probably many Malfoys in the world, and he really was a music teacher! So maybe she really could play at Car-Cer- the Sydney Opera House or whatever. Tossing her thick red hair behind a shoulder, she ran after the two.

                "Hey, Hey! Wait a minute! Hold on!"

                Malfoy turned around and regarded her with a slight sneer. "Do you have a problem?" Ginny, gasping for breath, didn't answer and just shook her head. He sighed. "Look, if you really

want your harmonica back...here" He took out a billfold and peeled a couple of pounds and hands them to her. "If you change the Knut into Muggle currency, you might be able to buy yourself those really big ones." Draco said sarcastically.

Ginny pushed the outstretched hand back. "No….nononono…you...you said you could teach me in six months...to be a real musician...I'd like that!"

Malfoy quirks an eyebrow. "Did I say that?"

"Yes you did!"

                He glanced at Lupin. "DID I say that?"

"I'm afraid you did, my dear Malfoy

The younger man sighed in annoyance, running a hand through his hair and knocking his hat off during the process. Ginny immediately snatched the object from the ground and held it away from the owner.

"I shan't give you your hat back until you agree to teach me," she taunted, flapping the hat in front of his face.

Malfoy smirked. "I can get more of those. I needn't help a vermin like you," he replied, turning a deaf ear to Ginny's shrieks as he continued to walk down the streets. Lupin stopped Malfoy, stepping in front of him and blocking his way. A small smile of amusement played on his lips.

"I don't know, Malfoy. You DID say that you can help the girl. Besides, if you turn this down, I'll believe that you aren't THE Great Malfoy."

 Malfoy frowned at this thought, musing. "Quite right…quite right... that may be a

problem." He suddenly whirled around, his trench coat flaring out behind him and began running his eyes

judgmentally over Ginny, who continued to stare defiant.

"Professor, you're absolutely correct," he finally said with conviction. "I'll do it. It might

prove a bit of a challenge, though God knows that wouldn't hurt."

"Marvelous." Remus replied, smiling.

Draco looked at Ginny again, eyes narrowed.

"Are you willing to commit yourself? Seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day? An instrument can't be played by magic. Magic isn't anything musical." He told her. Ginny flushed a bit.

"I can do it."

"You'll have to work hard, you know. And I'm not the best-tempered of teachers." He warned again. Ginny nodded. "Give me a chance!"

Draco nodded slowly. "Very well." His mouth suddenly quirked into a smirk. "Just you watch, little girl. In six months, I swear to you that I'll have you playing in Carnegie Hall right up there next to the greatest musicians of all time."

~~~~~~~

what can I (sasori) say? we like quick beginnings, I guess… =^^= I was going to rant about me other two cowriters…but they threatened me with infinitely painful tickling if I did…so oh well.

Nt much else to say, 'cept….do review! And if you must criticize, do so constructively. We (specially me) have a problem with reviews that go 'this is stupid' and with no reason why. So yes! anyhoo….thanks a bunch!