= Wands High =

Chapter 8 - 10 May 1998, Sunday

- Thanks for the book you recommended, Ri, it really was of use. Hey, what are you doing today? The weather is too good to stay indoors all day. With the task force people patrolling the grounds all the time, I think it's safe to catch some sun or something, what do you say? – her classmate Rachel asked, one of her few close friends in the school.

- Can't say yet – I have band practice in an hour. I was thinking of watching the quidditch tryouts in the afternoon but who knows, I may join you – Orianna shrugged and struck a chord to make sure the guitar was properly tuned. Unlike Daynen, she didn't carry her bass around all the time, but despite all the "dark and gloomy lover of the night" goth jokes that her looks provoked anywhere she went, she actually loved spending time outside. So the perfect Saturday weather was a great opportunity for some musical warm-up in the sun before the actual practice. And also a much-needed preparation to bear with her bandmates until the end of it.

- Sometimes I wonder how come you don't play since you like quidditch so much that you'd even watch the tryouts – Rachel laughed.

- Pretty easy – music would suffer a great loss – Orianna winked at her. – But the truth is I suck at flying. I mean, I can get from point A to point B on a broom in one piece but I could never pull the air acrobatics required for quidditch. I'm good enough shouting for my team from the tribunes.

- Fair enough. I'll leave you to your music, if you decide to join later, we'll probably be somewhere in the park behind the greenhouse. Bye.

- Okay. Bye, Rach.

Orianna shuffled a little to make herself more comfortable on the old curved tree trunk she was using as a bench, then started playing a simple melody to work up her fingers. After a few minutes it melted into one of her favorite songs and, feeling pretty comfortable with the complete lack of audience nearby, she started singing quietly:

They all say I've lost my mind*
But I'm just tryin' to find a better way
Cause somewhere in this sea of fools
The real truth is they're scared because you're brave

You'll be ok if you be yourself for no one else
They'll hate you cause you're beautiful
So blaze the trail that no one can
Cause they'll never understand

That we live in a bad girls' world, bad girls' world, bad girls'
We're runnin' a bad girls' world, bad girls' world, bad girls' world, bad girls'

All you rebel babies
And you pretty thing with the dirty mouth
Tell 'em times are changing
And we will never back down
This is our house now...

Her voice was a little lower than the original vocals; Orianna loved singing but didn't really like the way she sounded. Before the second chorus, she drifted away in a little improvisation and played with the melody for some time with her eyes wandering aimlessly through the grass and the tiny field flowers around. So when someone's shadow crept in her field of vision she almost startled and lifted her eyes abruptly.

- Hey, Flamey – a familiar voice said cheerfully. – Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your practice. Mind if I sit with you for a minute?

- Hi, Griff – Orianna smiled and lowered her guitar between her legs. – You're not interrupting anything. You on duty?

- Yeah, today it's my turn to patrol around the castle checking the posts. I'll just sit for a few minutes, then I'll let you play – Griffin leaned against the trunk and lifted his face to the sun with a pleased sigh.

- It's okay, I have band practice soon anyway so I'll get my daily dose of playing.

- Cool. How are things with the band?