May 1st, Hogwarts Lawn, around 4:00 in the afternoon.


The sets were complete, the props were ready, and the students were gathered backstage, waiting. In just a few minutes, the Headmaster would introduce their play, and the curtains would open to reveal the first scene.

Fauna stood guard over the table of props, watching them warily. She felt like the second she turned around, something would go missing, and she wasn’t about to let that happen. It was warm in here, in this tent-like structure backstage, and so many people were pressed together trying to stay quiet. Some fidgeted and a few whispered and giggled. They were hushed quickly by a sharp ‘shhhh’ or even a jab to the stomach.

Fauna tiptoed to the side and took a peak out of one of the curtains. She could see the rows of people, most of them sitting in the chairs provided and some spreading out blankets on the edges of the lawn. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to flap more wildly, anxious about the students performing, how the audience would react, and if she’d remember the right time to unleash Nagini. A movement caught her eye and she turned around to the group backstage with a gasp.

“The Headmaster is walking to the stage!” She announced in a whisper. Everything would begin after his introductory speech. Fauna scanned the students quickly.

“We need Voldemort, Tonks, Lupin, Fenrir…”

Another movement caught her eye, right by the props table. “Don’t. Touch. The Sorting Hat, guys! Leave it be!” Fauna frowned, remembering what had happened last rehearsal. The third year boys seemed especially fascinated by plopping the hat on someone’s head, watching it go up in fake flames, and laughing as the person (usually a girl) waved her arms around and shrieked.

Fauna sighed and risked another peak at the stage, where the Headmaster stood waiting for the audience’s voices to die down. She hoped he hadn’t heard her sorting hat comment. He had enough to worry about.

“Places, everyone!” She whispered, clutching the Can of Snakes like her life depended on it.

Since some of his students were participating in the reenactment, Isaac had decided to see how it turned out as a show of support.  He had arrived a few minutes before it was supposed to start, taking a seat near the back.  There were a few faces he knew, some he did not.  He assumed most of those gathered knew those in the cast in some way.

It would be a bit strange to watch the battle unfold in this recreation.  He had not been there, he would have no basis for comparison.  He was sure regardless of what happened all involved would do a stunning job.  It had to be a difficult thing to do...to portray one of the defining moments for their world.

Knox Greyfriar was in full Dolohov garb.  Black cloak, evil mustache, and a silver mask in his hand.  This characature of sinister villins was hard to avoid especially when adapting the Battle of Hogwarts to the stage.  But he felt thankful he wouldn't need to apologize.  This production was a teaching tale, a morality play.  It would not be accurate, it would be at time comical - there was no helping that in a student pantomime. But he hoped that it would be sincere and do honor to the event.

As he walked from back stage up and around the various sets and apparatus and clumps of students, he displayed various "shush now" looks, and "be ready" glances.  But his last act before parting the curtains was to grin devilishly with widened maniacal eyes.  It got a few giggles.

He was illuminated by a handy first year with a good light spell and Knox bowed slightly at the applause that came at his appearance.   He thanked the audience and waited for quiet.

"There is nothing as important as Remembering.  A History professor by heart, our greatest mantra is to learn from the past.  The tale of the Battle of Hogwarts we are going to present is stylized, like anything created at an artists' hands.  But we hope within our lines and movements you will find Truth.  The lessons of this day are invaluable and we hope to help remind you.

"And now, we press on.  Welcome to Hogwarts."

The applause rose again and Knox disappeared backstage.  As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he hoped he'd find the first scene poised to begin.  He retreated to the wings and signaled the lass at the curtain ropes. 

Ava was nervous. Really nervous. It was a good job her parents weren't coming, otherwise she might have fainted with the thought of having to endure their taunts and critical analysis of her performance. Her father wouldn't care about it, and would probably yawn all the way through [quite loudly], making it well known to everyone that he had much better things to do. Her mother would perch on the edge of her seat, looking positively radiant as always, but taking no interest in her daughter up on the stage - she would simply relish in the attention she herself was getting from other people. Then after the performance, her father would pat his daughter on the back, not quite remembering her name, but knowing it begins with an A...Ana? Something like that. Her mother would scowl at her, and say something to the effect of "Why didn't you do this? What was all that about? Honestly, girl - you make a laughing stock of the Grosvenor name!" Ava twisted her mouth at the thought of her parents being there to watch her humiliation, and thanked her lucky stars they weren't going to be there. Finn couldn't be there either, and Ava was equally grateful for that, although she knew he would be supportive of her, and at least compliment her on her bald head.

The headmaster made his way back stage and gave the largest grin Ava had ever seen him give. Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but mirror the toothy grin he presented. It was a bit infectious when nerves were playing a big part. Ava took a deep breath as he made his speech to the crowd, and they cheered. There were a few wolf-whistles that came from the crowd, as some of the seventh year boys jeered at their headmaster. "Come on Knoxy, flash us some flesh!" one of them shouted as he left the stage and came back into the wing. Ava couldn't help but giggle - again, nerves were getting the better of her. It was all she could do to prevent herself from crying.

Fauna looked equally as scared. She was frantically trying to wrestle the sorting hat from a couple of third year boys who thought it would be hilarious to place it on every girl's head as she walked past, and watch her head go up in flames. Ava drew her prop wand and held it up to one of the boy's throats. "Drop the hat, or Voldemort will get you." She said in the most menacing voice she could. The boy dropped the hat into Ava's outstretched hand without a second thought, and looked as though he was going to burst into tears. "Shoo!" The boys ran off as fast as their gangly legs could take them. Ava watched thm go with amusement, then turned to Fauna. "Here." She gave her the hat back. "If you've ever got a problem like that again, don't hesitate to contact Voldemort." She smiled. "I'm so nervous." She confessed. She looked at Fauna and narrowed one eye warily. "Anyway, what are you looking so nervous for? All you've got to do is make sure my pet snake arrives on time! At least you have all your own hair!" Ava ran a hand cautiously over her bald head. Once again, not even a speck of stubble. She groaned slightly and twisted her face.

As nervous and excited as a four-year-old girl about to prance about the stage for her first ballet performance, sans tutu, the Potions Professor found himself fidgeting constantly with his robes and skipping about to try and shake off the jitters.

The older students didn't pay him much attention, but the younger ones couldn't help but stare.  Some of them had their jaws dragging on the floor as they backed away to make sure they weren't swallowed by their teacher's enormous get-up while others, unaware of Gunnar's common antics keeled over with tiny squeaks, as the stage required them to be as quiet as possible, as his Swirly Snape Cape (which he had been calling thusly since he won the audition for the part) whacked them in the face.

Lawdy... Fauna had certainly made quite the costume, and he relished in making the fellow Badger blush whenever he complimented her.  Teehee!

He could not WAIT for his part!  Sure... it was short, but when he heard the true story behind the REAL Potions Master he could not help the pride which filled his chest knowing the understanding he had with the man when it came to their work.

As Knoxxy opened the play he finally stilled himself after being hushed by a chorus of large spiders, "Giants" dragging foam clubs (they really enjoyed the whacking... even a few more seconds after they had been killed off), and various Death Eaters wearing their eerie silver masks... some of which he recalled during the days of the Second War which they were celebrating this week during his days as a renegade Healer of sorts at that time.

Suddenly, from both wings a number of students rushed the stage as one of the Death Eaters bellowed one of his only lines as the curtain was drawn:

"CHAAARRRGGGEEE!"

Inviting a host of sparkly pseudo-wands, clubs, and fuzzy tarantula like legs to the floor whilst wiggling in the air and shouting along the way.  Some of the wizards and witches who had broken their special sticks during rehearsal had been reduced to yelling, "Pew!  Pew!"

"GAH!" the man shouted, his gangly legs tripped up and eventually making him fall like a tree to the ground.  After shaking off the wooziness he noticed his head... was sticking out from the wing... and his greasy wig had fallen off.

"Oh dear!" he exclaimed in a whisper, rolling away and back behind the secured curtains.  With a Muggle curse he reached out beyond the black curtain again and grabbed his naughty wig.

costume

She couldn't deny that she was nervous. Saffron's heart was beating wildly and her pulse had surged to her fingertips, feeling so strong she could hardly hold the slender, brown stick of wood that surged through her fingertips. As she had been in her previous rehearsal, Saffron was dressed in her ridiculous Luna Lovegood costume with its wild, hip-length silver blonde hair and charmed aqua-blue eyes. She hardly could recognize herself in the mirror with the simply ginormous radish earrings she'd had to charm weightless so they wouldn't drag her ears down with their weight, the bottle-cap jewelry, the pink polka dot skirt which in no way matched her blue and white sweater, the rainbow leggings....

It all made her feel like a clown. The vibrantly colored buttons and knickknacks sewn about her costume randomly did nothing to ease the fourth year's fears. Her bare feet only added to the total oddity of her costume. Still, it's only a costume... Saffron told herself, Everyone looks just bizarre. Saffron chewed her bottom lip as she glanced around the backstage. There was Ava in all her bald glory, and plenty of other students who donned costumes Saffron doubted they would ever wear normally.

"CHARGE!"

Screeched a voice and Saffron flinched at the overwhelming loudness of it, dodging hurriedly to get out of the mob of surging students and she scrambled away to safety. It wasn't her turn, yet, was it? Or was it? Saffron scratched her head in confusion. They should have gone over this more. That would have been more helpful and maybe she would know what to do. Saffron glanced around, looking at those still left behind on the back stage. She pressed her fingers to her mouth and tried to suppress the inevitable giggles as Professor Gunnar made a general fool out of himself, as normal.

With a shrug, Saffron threw herself into the scene as well, very delightful in her "Stupefy! Accido! Stupefy!" Why she wasn't supposed to use more deadly curses wasn't immediately clear, but she supposed it was because she was portraying a student. Even so, Saffron hadn't heard anything more dangerous than a "Mordeo!'

 Theobald had taken a position backstage both to help out where needed and to ensure that no conversations backstage would get overly boisterous to the extent they would be heard by the audience. So far no disciplining had been required he was pleased to say. Everyone seemed to be aware of the magnitude of the occasion. Still that likely meant that everyone's nerves were likely on tenderhooks. He had to admit that his own were certainly ajar.

  Despite that he resolved to try to temper his authoritarian streak today. The pupils here had  put themselves forward to take part in the event after all despite the stress it would entail. Minor infringements due to pressure could be overlooked today. Of course serious misdemeanours or those which would harm the good name of the school would still be dealt with harshly. Leniency even in such circumstances had its limits.

  He also pondered what was planned for the cast party. As the pupils had access to Hogsmeade's stores today he strongly suspected that some of the older pupils would attempt to acquire alcohol.  Still that was a worry for after the play.