Chapter 5. The First Sectional
Harry Potter woke up at 7:30 and made a bulletin for all band members in the Gryffindor house. At a quarter to 8 harry started walking to the great hall with his trumpet and his music. All four of the captains were there getting everything ready. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lupin came in and made an announcement.
"Are all of my captains here?" Asked Professor Dumbledore
The four of them nodded.
"Good, I have decided to have the band members where going to be having breakfast at 9 and then we will be moving to the Divination room for rehearsal at 10:00." Professor Lupin said.
It was finally 9 and every band member walked in. There were at least 250 students. They all had their instruments with them. Ron and Hermione came and sat next to Harry.
"Good Morning Hermione. Good Morning Ron" Harry said cheerfully.
"Good Morning Harry" they both responded.
"There are so many people here we are going to be huge." said Hermione.
Dumbledore stood up.
"Good morning Students I have a couple of announcements, first of all I would like to introduce our four Section Leaders who have been Chosen for Drum Major, Horn Line and Drum line Captain, and Guard Captain. If those students would please stand up as I say their name." Dumbledore announced. "For our Drum Major we have Cedric Diggory."
The band cheered as he stood up and did his salute.
"For Guard captain we have Parvati Patil" Professor Dumbledore continued.
The band cheered as she stood up and waved.
"For Drum line Captain we have Lee Jordan"
The band cheered he stood up and made a bow.
"And for our Horn line captain who also is our assistant Drum Major and is our trumpet section leader…Mr. Harry Potter." announced Professor Dumbledore.
At that the whole great hall screamed and gave a standing ovation as Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory stood up and walked up to the Podium and did the Salute together. Harry swore he saw Draco Malfoy hit the table with his fist with his peripheral vision. They sat back down so Professor Dumbledore could continue with the announcements.
"Thank you, now for my second announcement I have decided along with a Marching band I have decided to add a concert band as well." Professor Dumbledore said.
The band cheered. Then the head master continued.
"All of the students who are in marching band are also in concert band I have decided to let the younger students join the concert band. We do how ever need instruments like oboes, bassoons and Bass clarinets. Section Leaders will keep there positions in concert band I am sure you all will be very pleased that Professor Lupin has agreed to come back and teach Concert and marching band." Professor Dumbledore said.
The band clapped as Professor Lupin stood up. He put his hand up to add an announcement.
"Thank you, as a concert band we are going on a spring trip, we are going to New York City in March." Professor Lupin added.
The band cheered and Remus sat down.
"Okay it is now 9:25." Professor Dumbledore said as he looked at his watch. "Please clean up and be in the Divination room by 9:55 rehearsal will start at 10:00."
The band cleaned up and headed down to the Divination Room which is the new band room.
15 Minutes Later.
Every one got to the band room by 9:35 and rehearsal doesn't start for another 25 minutes.
"Harry, you looked professional up there as you did the salute." Ron said "you will definitely get a chick this year mate."
"Thanks Ron" Harry said as he put his trumpet together. Then he saw that people were talking instead of setting up. So he decided to redirect every one. "GUYS PUT YOUR INSTRUMENTS TOGETHER WE NEED TO BE IN OUR SEATS BY 10. TRUMPETS IF YOU'RE NOT SET UP BY 9:45 GIVE ME 10 PUSH UPS." Harry said in a voice that was perfect for a Drum Major and surprisingly every one listened and every one had there instruments set up by 10:00.
Professor Lupin walked in and got started. "Now Cedric is going to teach every one the attention Command." Professor Lupin said. Cedric got up and faced the band.
"The Attention Command is when you are basically still as a statue. When you hear me say BAND ATTEN-HUT you are suppose to say the audible HUT." Cedric explained.
"Let's try it now. Section Leaders first." Professor Lupin said. "Cedric"
Cedric Started clapping a steady 4/4 and Shouted "BAND ATTEN-HUT!!" The section leaders waited one beat and then said "HUT!"
"Very good" said Professor Lupin. "Let's give everybody a try now. and then we will move to sectionals."
"BAND ATTEN-HUT!!"
"HUT!" shouted the full marching band.
"Great. Now let's get started on sectionals. Harry can you take the trumpets in the hallway?" asked professor Lupin.
"Yes sir" He said then turned to the trumpet section "Right guys follow me." They followed.
"Okay" Harry said "First we are going to go around and introduce ourselves. Name and House please. I'll start, I am obviously Harry Potter and I am in Gryffindor."
Once every one introduced themselves they started the sectional. "Okay, I have something to hand out to you all."
He handed everyone a trumpet method book.
"Potter, what are we suppose to do with this?" Asked Malfoy rudely. "I already know the basics."
"First of all, to you its Harry so show some respect, and next the rest of the section are beginners so they need to learn how to play. Have patience with them. "said Harry. "Now see the inside there is a fingering chart for all the notes. Let's start"
"HARRY! Voldemort's coming!" said Draco. The trumpets started laughing hysterically.
"MALFOY 20 PUSH UPS…GO" Shouted Harry
"I…but…damn" stuttered Draco as he put his trumpet down to do 20 push ups.
"Hold on guys I need a podium" said Harry he pointed his wand at the stage. WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA! The podium levitated over to Harry. "Okay NOW let's get started." Harry said. "Now how many of you know how to make a buzz?" asked Harry. Draco raised his hand.
"Okay Draco demonstrate on just the mouth piece. Please?"
Draco took his mouthpiece out of the trumpet and buzzed into it.
Harry sighed "Malfoy what size mouth piece do you play on?" he asked.
"Uh…7C."
"How long have you been playing?"
"3 years"
"Ok next time we go to Hogsmead by a 3C mouth piece." said Harry.
"Okay every one, take out their mouth piece and do what Draco just did." Harry instructed. Harry did it first and the rest of the section followed but it was forced. "Hey guys that's pretty good for a first time." Harry said as he smiled.
"Let's try it again but not so forced this time…relax" said Harry. "Always use defeat as a motivation and opportunity to improve."
The trumpets buzzed again a little more relaxed this time.
"Good, let's try to play a middle G which is open."
Harry played a G and the rest of the trumpets played a low C.
"Close guys you played a low C try to put more air behind it." said Harry
They did it again and a few of them started to play a G but a few of them were still on a low C. Harry can see that they were beginning to get frustrated.
"Okay guys lets try this for the third time." said Harry
The whole section played a G.
"Good job. Now let's try articulation exercises." Harry said.
"How long are we supposed to be out here?" asked Draco.
"Until Cedric calls us back in." said Harry "Articulation exercises."
The trumpets played the exercise. The articulation was pretty good for beginners.
"Good. But you're tonguing too hard. I feel...violated by it. Stop violating me with your tongues." Harry said.
The trumpet Section roared with laughter.
Yeah yeah I know your minds just perceived that the wrong way. Shuuuttt uuupppp. Harry said.
After awhile the trumpets got better Harry taught them the whole C scale. They started working on playing D with the triggers out.
"Alright guys play your low D and kick out your third valve sides as far as you think they should go out, and I'll tell you if you're in tune." Harry said.
"My third valve slide is stuck." Draco said with an attitude.
"Play it anyways."
Draco plays the note and Harry looked at his tuner.
"It's 50 cents sharp. Either get it unstuck or never play a D again in your life." Harry said.
"OOOOOOooouch" said the rest of the trumpet section.
The Trumpets finally rehearsed the Hogwarts March by Patrick Doyle
"Trumpets, Its time to come back in." Cedric called.
The trumpets came back in and sat down in their chairs.
"So I am hoping that you all learned the march?" Professor Lupin asked.
The band nodded
"Alright lets take it out and look through it then we will be done for the day." said Professor Lupin.
The band played it pretty well for the first time. There was just a little too much bass drum.
"Drum line, you're still too loud." said Professor Lupin
Then some one talked back. Typical drum line behavior.
"Or maybe the band is just too SOFT! I mean, I can't hear the flags at all!" said George Weasley.
"That's because guard is a visual ensemble." Parvati said.
The band was laughing at the argument.
Then lupin whispered something to Cedric and he said "BAND…PACK UP THEN YOU'RE DISMISSED."
"Same time, same place tomorrow." Professor Lupin added.
The full band packed up and headed back up to their common rooms.
(A/n. End of chapter 5. Just so you know some of these quotes are from my band director. The next chapter is the band learning how to march.)