Charlie had been a sourpuss lately; that much was for certain. Nothing was going as planned, and beyond that, he was upset because of school. The finale of another year, his marks on exams, and his still unfulfilled love life; there was a lot going on. There was only one cure for such summertime blues: singing.

He wasn’t exactly good at it; actually, to tell the truth, he sucked. It didn’t matter though, because it was something the Charlie loved to do, and he would do it no matter what. It was just a lot easier when there was a secret room to hide in and sing your little heart out. See, throughout Charlie’s schooldays, he explored the castle, finding secret passages, rooms that only opened for those special enough to find their tricks. Charlie had his favorite, and one that he knew NO ONE else knew about. He called it the Secret room of Singing. He named it that because every time he entered the room it was the same: a huge amphitheatre with a live microphone.

All he needed to do was think of a song, and the instrumental version would start playing, leaving Charlie to be the lead singer of his own life. Today he was dressed in a bright yellow tee, dark denim jeans and a nice yellow argyle fedora. It was an ensemble made especially for a singing sensation.

It never mattered how loud he sang, his out-of-tune notes never carried beyond the four walls of the secret room. So Charlie would sing at the top of his lungs, dancing to his heart’s content. A wide grin spread across his face. Finally, something that no one could take away from him: his privacy at doing something totally embarrassing and stupid.

Trent Travis was walking the empty hallways, looking for love in all the wrong places for something to do. He was munching on a large piece of cake that he stole from someone's birthday cake. They weren't paying attention, anyways. It wasn't normal for Trent to be wandering the halls, bored out of his mind. He usually didn't feel like walking... But he had to run after stealing the delicious slice of cake and he had gotten pretty far away from the victim. That's what they get for being naive, anyways.

After passing by the same wall multiple times, Trent noticed something... A door had appeared out of no where! Trent stopped and watched the door, puzzled. "W- What?" He had never found the room of requirement, so he was strangely excited. He whipped his free hand off on his pants and opened the door, only to be welcomed by someone... Singing? Tiptoeing in, Trent closed the door quietly behind him. So he had cake AND a show. Trent's day was just getting better and better today.

Then he realized... It was Charlie Robards. Trent suppressed a laugh and continued to eat his cake. This was oddly amusing. Charlie was singing so badly and dancing like the biggest fool Trent had ever seen. Trent wanted to say something... But instead... He just stood there and watched. The cake he was eating was very good... Mmm... Trent's shoulders shook up and down as he continued to hold back laughter. Crumbs were falling everywhere as he shook his head and smiled. This was much better than roaming the hallways.

Charlie may not have been blessed with the best vocals, and his dancing my have been atrocious, but at least he had soul, a passion for his art. That was something no one could duplicate, no one could take away or destroy. At least that’s what he’d have everyone to believe. Really, deep down Charlie was ashamed of his singing, or the fact that he loved to do it, because he wasn’t very good. Perhaps that’s why he chose to sing in the Room of Requirement, instead of the showers or the common room or his dorms.

He would absolutely die if anyone saw him, if anyone knew what he was doing. It didn’t matter though, because he was safe and sound in his secret room. The room no one else knew about, the room where he could be a superstar if he wanted to, and no one else would care. No one else COULD care, because no one would ever know. No one had any right to know, it was his own little secret.

It was in the middle of a three-sixty twist during the intermission of “Love’s not Made with Wands” that Charlie saw him. OH CRAP! What the heck? No one; NO ONE knew about this place, how could anyone have possibly gotten in there? It just wasn’t possible. It wasn’t even comprehensible.

Out of nowhere, the music came to an abrupt halt. Charlie’s last off-tuned note still rang in his ears as the blood boiled to the surface of his face. Charlie was blushing, and it wasn’t a good blush. “I…” What the heck was he supposed to say? “I… I… I didn’t see you come in,” He finally managed, sending his fingers through his hair, a move he only did when nervous or embarrassed.

Leaving his platform, he walked a little closer, finally noticing the face. OH NO, it was Trent. If anyone was going to give him grief about his talentless ‘art’ it would be him. Charlie was hoping for someone he didn’t know, or someone he could intimidate not to tell, but it wasn’t looking that way.

Trent grinned, smugly, as Charlie explained himself... Well, sort of. It was rather pathetic and he really just didn't care. "You can continue if you want." Trent said, taking a step towards his friend, "It's not like I'd... Laugh... Or anything." He lied, his cheesy smile was covered with chocolate crumbs and icing. He wasn't really a site to see, either. Especially since he hadn't showered for a few days. "Okay. I would." He finally admitted. Like Charlie would believe him if he said otherwise. Trent hated art and he thought everything was bullocks about it. Ironically, Trent was big on photography and writing. He would deny it if anyone asked.

"You looked foolish." Trent wiped his mouth off using his sleeve, "Did you really expect no one to find you?" He then let out a small laugh. "Well, maybe... But why would you hide this?" His creepy grin fell into place, "I could of taken pictures, you know. I could have spread this out to the whole world." Trent couldn't pass up poking at the poor boy. Charlie just wasn't the type of person Trent would leave alone after walking in on this. It was like walking in on Jasper playing the trumpet... Oh wait. "But..." Trent's eyes narrowed, maliciously, "I'm just SUCH a good friend, I would never do such a thing." Plus, he had forgotten his camera.

With a wink, Trent sat down in a random chair and grinned up at his friend, "Please continue. I enjoy a good show." He took another bite of his cake and chewed it obnoxiously at Charlie, "I'm serious." He most certainly was, too. It was watching a freak show in his eyes.

"Yeah right!" Charlie said, nose wrinkling at the poor boy's appearance. "I know you too well for that! As soon as you leave here, you're going to run off and tell all your little Slyther-snakes that a dorky little huffler was pouring his heart and soul into some dorky song and he really had no talent and your only regret was that you didn't get a shot at me with your camera!" Charlie said, rambling on and on because of his embarassment. "And you have something on your face. Plus you reek. Go bathe."

"Please continue. I enjoy a good show. I'm serious."

That's exactly what the Hufflepuff was afraid of. An idiotic remark like that didn't even need a smart remark, so Charlie just rolled his eyes. Pulling up a chair in front of Trent, Charlie sat, facing the Slytherin boy. "And seriously. If I hear one word of you telling people about this, I'll get Myrtle to haunt you for the rest of your life. Don't think I can't manage it, she's quite a fancy with the Slytherin boys, or so I hear." Charlie smirked, the color finally starting to fade from his cheeks.

At least it was only Trent, someone he was rather close with, rather than someone like... well any other Slytherin student. At least he could trust Trent to not tell... hopefully.

Trent shook his head, "I won't tell anyone." Lie, he'd tell his dorm mates, "Charlie, who do you think I am? Gavin Snark?" Whom was one of the people he would be telling. He let out a faint chuckle and took the last big bite of his cake. He was a bit depressed now that he had nothing to eat... And Charlie wasn't performing in front of him. "Singing is bullocks, anyways... And why would you think I would call you a 'dorky little Huffler'?" Trent wiped his face once more, "I love Hufflepuffs," They had the most lovely woman, "I would have called you a 'dorky little Charlie'." Cue his creepy smile, covered in chocolate and icing. What Charlie said was true... Trent regretted not taking his picture.

"And you have something on your face. Plus you reek. Go bathe."

"I resent that. I smell way better than you." Trent scowled, since he smelt of Lilacs and berries today, "You smell like sweat and dirt, since you're a Badger, after all, and I smell fantastic..." He paused, "And like cake." He sniffed his shirt and shrugged. Never did Trent ever let anyone smell his true boy stench. It was nasty and gross and no girl would ever want to date him if he smelt sweaty. Or, so he thought.

"And seriously. If I hear one word of you telling people about this, I'll get Myrtle to haunt you for the rest of your life. Don't think I can't manage it, she's quite a fancy with the Slytherin boys, or so I hear."

Trent raised an eyebrow at this, "Right. You try that." He didn't really care. It's not like Myrtle could even stand to be around Trent for the rest of his life, by the second hour she'd wish she was dead. Oh-ho. Trent laughed at this thought, out loud. But it was all true, anyways. What girl would ever stand him for that long? Ollie Foley, he hoped.