pursing her lips, dia stared straight ahead into the corridor. she couldn’t blame them for ignoring her. exams were coming up and everyone was stressed. she knew that much. well, this meant it was a good time to skip back to the library and crack open her potions’ textbook. swinging her guitar around so that it now lay pressed against her back, she was just about to turn when she heard loud clapping behind her. she spun on the heel of her foot, completely taken by surprise. eyes wide, she saw a slender asian male, clapping at a steady rhythm. applauding? she raised her eyebrow, then smiled happily at the compliment.
“really?” she chirped, grinning so wide her cheeks started aching. “aw, it’s nothing. you should hear me in a room with better acoustics. at least my voice carries out a little better.” she crossed her skinny arms, giving him a coy look. “you really thought i was good, though?” if there was something she found pride in, it was her voice, her music. that was where her talents lay, not in books. unless, of course, it was musical theory. “most of the time people just tell me to shut up.”
she took a closer look at the boy. he looked familiar, like she had seen him wandering around the commonroom. that should mean he was in ravenclaw. she continued to stare, tilting her head at a ninety degree angle like an owl before straightening up. “you’re in ravenclaw, right? i think i’ve seen you around the common room. really? in ravenclaw and you haven’t heard me singing even in your end?” she grinned. “i must not be singing loud enough.” she curtsied playfully, bouncing back up and smiling happily. “i’m acadia. or, friends can call me dia. who’re you?” she pushed her hand at him, offering to shake.
“really,” he said nodding, advancing a few steps closer to her. he glanced around at the high, vaulted ceilings of the castle hallways. “perhaps, but i think you sounded just fine,” he said with a small smile. “maybe you could treat me to a concert sometime, however.” his suggestion wasn’t disingenuous either — it was rare that someone had a gift like this, and displayed it so flamboyantly, and he was intrigued. he nodded vehemently. “very good. i’ve never been to a concert before, you see, so being treated to a live rendering of a song is quite enjoyable.” he cocked his head to the side, not understanding. “why would they tell you to shut up?” for someone who didn’t quite understand social faux pas and why they existed, this seemed a bit strange and counter-intuitive.
“yes, i am in ravenclaw, though sadly, i am graduating quite soon. well, to be honest, most of the time, i am listening to my own music, with the volume turned on rather high. music helps me study, you see. especially rock-and-roll music, strangely enough. i think it is the steady beat of drums in my ear. i’ve always been told mozart yields higher exam scores, but i’d like to think that i am living proof that that is not always the case.” he nodded once, and accepted her hand to shake. “dia, a pleasure to meet you. my name is benedict chang, but you can just call me benny. president,” he said rather proudly, “of the muggle technology and appreciation society. perhaps you’ve heard of them before?”
