"Do you guys know what's going on with Ivory?" Sirius asked the other Marauders.

James shook his head. "Why?"

"She's acting odd. She's not getting enough sleep because of her "studies," but I know it's more than that."

"Are you saying that she's hiding something from us?" Remus asked. "She would never."

Remus knew exactly why because he was a teacher's aid for Professor Nui.

"I think she would," James peeped out. "I mean, she's not exactly the most innocent girl on the planet. She hangs out with us for Godric's sake."

Peter nodded in acknowledgment.

"Tonight. Let's follow her. Bring your invisibility cloak, Prongs," Sirius told James.

Remus knew nothing good would come from following her.

•

One hour before curfew, Ivory gently took out the note from the band of her skirt and unfolded it.

The border of the Forbidden Forest tonight at half past curfew. You have an audience tonight.

-Professor Nui

Ivory checked the time and it was four minutes until curfew. She got dressed in black leggings, but kept on her Hogwarts shirt and threw on her Gryffindor cloak.

She passed by the Gryffindor common room, passing by Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius who were hidden beneath the cloak. How the cloak even fit four grown boys would be a true mystery. The boys followed Ivory quietly, occasionally stepping on each other. She walked to Professor Nui's music classroom to pick up her violin. She passed by Pringle on the way and greeted him.

Pringle scowled at her. "Lousy student, getting permission from the Headmaster to roam free," he muttered.

"Nice talking to you too, Pringle!" she shouted down the hall.

"LOUSY STUDENT!" he rumbled back.

Ivory sighed and shook her head, continuing on her journey to the classroom. She successfully picked up her violin and looked at the clock on the wall. It was a quarter to half. She picked up her pace and hurriedly walked through the grass to the border of the Forbidden Forest.

"Are you ready, Conver?" Professor Nui asked once he spotted her.

Ivory breathlessly nodded as she took off the enchantment on her case and opened it. "Who is my audience?" she asked as she rosined her bow furiously.

"Centaurs."

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Centaurs. They've agreed to listen to you and give you feedback," Professor Nui said.

Ivory nodded. "Sounds great, sir."

The Centaurs showed up at the edge of the border and watched as Ivory set up. She cleaned her instrument with a cloth and wiped her hands on her leggings, ridding of any leftover rosin and sweat.

Ivory set the instrument on her collarbone and set her chin down on the chin rest. She breathed out one time to calm her nerves. Professor Nui raised his wand up as a conducting stick. He waved four out four, sixth beats. She breathed on the second first beat and began to play.

She started off with a soft legato that developed into a louder note at the tip of the bow with a staccato. Her fingers moved gracefully, rarely making mistakes. It was a long piece that had multiple movements. The piece would start off slow and peaceful, then develop into a fast paced song, similar to a march.

The song developed into a furious and emotional song. Ivory's bow bounced on the strings, rosin flying into the air. Her bow bounced with rage and her face contorted into that of rage and expressiveness until she finished her last note.

The boys from under the cloak were too shocked to do anything. Sirius speechlessly stepped out from under the cloak.

"Ivory?"

Ivory gasped. "Sirius?"

"Is this what you've been doing at night?"

"I..." She looked at Professor Nui with uncertainty.

"We are not allowed to discuss this. You must ask the headmaster. Now, if you don't mind, I must ask you to leave here and go back to your dorm."

"No," Sirius growled. "She is my girlfriend and I care for her health. You are ruining her health by making her stay up late."

Professor Nui stepped closer to Sirius. "I don't think you understand, Black. She is my pupil. She is under my rule for as long as she remains to play. This is her choice and if she wants to leave, she can leave."

"Sirius," Remus called out as he stepped out from under the cloak. "Leave it. Let's go."

Sirius snarled at Professor Nui. "Fine." He looked at Ivory. "We're having a talk tomorrow," he softly whispered to her.

Ivory nodded.