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The Day Before Ernie’s Lesson—
“Noden, I say, “ Lad, tomorrow will be the day. I’m going to tell Susan who I am.”
Never thought I’d be jealous of an owl. I was reading in a owl care book that Long-Ears mate for life. Either both of us will be happy or Noden will because I’ve seen him eyeing Harmony. I don’t doubt there will be chicks in their future soon. So Susan may end up owning both; but I can’t think like that. You will be successful Ernie.
“Up for one more visit with Harmony, Noden?” I ask. As I say the name Harmony, I can see his head perk up. I see him fly over and nudge the box as if saying, “You mentioned Harmony, and you aren’t ready to send it off yet?”
I load the box with Bobby Darin’s single, “Dream Lover” with piano music and lyrics. A top the record, I placed the badger toy I enchanted to speak; he has his claymore in a hanger down his back and a copy of my own wand at his belt, I just wonder if she’d remember I have a hazel wand.
Now I pick up the fountain pen she gave me to write the note and send another love struck lad on his way to his lady fair.
Beautiful Susan,
I was out in Muggle London a while back and saw this toy. When I picked him up and felt his softness, I knew he was for you. I spent a hour or more in a pub having luncheon, and I heard this music wafting to my ears and I saw your face. Please tap the toy with your wand and say hello. Then give it a hug.
Till I gaze into your eyes with my own,
Noden’s Wizard
“Noden, I say, “ Lad, tomorrow will be the day. I’m going to tell Susan who I am.”
Never thought I’d be jealous of an owl. I was reading in a owl care book that Long-Ears mate for life. Either both of us will be happy or Noden will because I’ve seen him eyeing Harmony. I don’t doubt there will be chicks in their future soon. So Susan may end up owning both; but I can’t think like that. You will be successful Ernie.
“Up for one more visit with Harmony, Noden?” I ask. As I say the name Harmony, I can see his head perk up. I see him fly over and nudge the box as if saying, “You mentioned Harmony, and you aren’t ready to send it off yet?”
I load the box with Bobby Darin’s single, “Dream Lover” with piano music and lyrics. A top the record, I placed the badger toy I enchanted to speak; he has his claymore in a hanger down his back and a copy of my own wand at his belt, I just wonder if she’d remember I have a hazel wand.
Now I pick up the fountain pen she gave me to write the note and send another love struck lad on his way to his lady fair.
Beautiful Susan,
I was out in Muggle London a while back and saw this toy. When I picked him up and felt his softness, I knew he was for you. I spent a hour or more in a pub having luncheon, and I heard this music wafting to my ears and I saw your face. Please tap the toy with your wand and say hello. Then give it a hug.
Till I gaze into your eyes with my own,
Noden’s Wizard
Tossing him a couple of owl treats, I say, "Harmony's in the Owlery. I think you know the way." He's gone in two flaps and I hear him hooting all the way to the Owlery. Harmony, of course, answers just as enthusiastically, making me smile at the sounds of owlish courtship.
Speaking of courtship, I'm beginning to feel very courted by my Mystery Wizard. I think I know who is behind all those wonderful gifts and letters that make my head spin happily every time Noden shows up. I sincerely hope it's Ernie MacMillan.
I turn to the box and open it eagerly to find the most adorable plush badger inside. A note with a list of instructions falls out. I read it eagerly, hugging my new Mage-Knight Errant. "I have to name you?" I squeak finally, gazing at him in wonder. My mind is completely blank of any name but Sir Galahad, but I don't like that one. I begin searching my memory for the first names of my favourite composers and finally settle on one.
"You look like a 'Sir Edward' to me," I tell him, thinking of his namesake, Sir Edward Elgar. I look over the instructions for naming the badger and follow them, then ask his name.
The deep, gravelly voice answers, "I’m Sir Edward, Mage Knight in the service of the Lady Susan." I hug him so me, my heart melting with happiness.
Suddenly a deep voice says, “Now I know how it is to dance with an angel.” I nearly drop the badger in my surprise, then try the hug again. This time I’m ready for it and even giggle a little when Sir Edward repeats the phrase. I hug him once more expecting the adorable toy to sound the same way; instead, I’m treated to the biggest clue to my Mystery Wizard’s identity that I’ve ever received… Ernie’s voice repeating the phrase!
I apparate to Diagon Alley, duck into a shadowed area and take my Practice Chanter out and begin to play near her shop.
“Every night I hope and pray; A dream lover will come my way.
“A girl to hold in my arms, to know the magic of her charms.
“Because, I want a girl to call my own; I want a dream lover, so I don’t have to dream alone.
Merlin’s Beard! Here she comes, now if I could just get through this last few notes and all will be good.
“Dream lover, where are you? With a love oh so true.
“. And a hand that I could hold, to feel you near as I grow old.
After two choruses, I watched the door to the Musical Notebook and then apparated home.
-The Piano Lesson-
Now if I can just control my voice and not sweat out of my outfit, all will be wonderful. There is Susan’s owl, Harmony, a dignified Long-eared like my own.
Harmony hs been especially affectionate ever since I gave her smoked salmon. She flew off of her perch and attracted Susan’s attention and flew back and landed on my shoulder.
“ Hi Susan, I’m here for my lesson, remember be kind, I’ve never even sat at a piano before,” I call out.
Harmony meets me half-way down the hall and together we go out to greet Ernie. I laugh at his last comment and pointing to my two pianos I say, "Welcome, Ernie. Please come meet them. Have a seat and put your book on the music stand." (I hope Ernie chooses the piano I've put Sir Edward on. I want him to know how much I've enjoyed the comments from my students; they like my new badger just as much as I do. Someday, I'll have to ask Ernie how to add a comment that reacts to the sentence, "Well done!" or "Good job!" because my students want Sir Edward to say something personal to them, too.) He looks up at the badger and says, "Wish me luck, Hufflepuff's luck. Today I may need it."
Like most of my first-time adult students, I see a mixture of excitement, apprehension and doubt in his face. I'm not surprised, though. Most adults want to tackle this first lesson head-on, but are dubious of their abilities and thoroughly afraid of making fools of themselves. Ernie sits down at my Kohler and Campbell and scrubs his palms on the knees of his robes.
Smiling, I ask, "Ernie, do you like to fly?"
"Yes, as transportation, not sport."
"That's good. We'll get to the broom in a moment. First, where on the piano do you think high sounds are located?" Tentatively, he touches one of the white keys to his right. He jumps when the piano responds with a rather loud note. I can't help but smile. This wizard really is jumpy! I don't remember Ernie being this jumpy when we were learning new things at Hogwarts, but maybe his hearing is a little on the sensitive side.
I try again. "You're right about that location. Try not to poke the key so hard, though. Now show me where you might find the lowest sound on the piano." He's more successful this time and a melodious note comes out of the instrument.
"Like this Miss Bones? I do want to learn properly," he says with a cocky attitude that tells me he's teasing me.
"Yes," I tell him. We go through a few more easy location questions, then I open the book to the page where we start talking about the finger numbers. "Have you ever played 'Simon Says'?"
“I haven't played in a long time, but I know how to. Let me see, you don't do something without Simon's permission, right?”
Yes. Erm, well, let's play 'Simon Says Move Finger Number…'" I say smiling. I can't help it, this children's game always makes me blush in front of my adult students. We play, with me tricking him occasionally, until I'm satisfied that he's got the idea of which number goes with which digit. He really is a quick study, I decide.
Now comes the part that makes me uncomfortable; at the first lesson, a lot of adults are very stiff and they approach the piano with locked fingers and very tight wrists. I'm hoping that Ernie isn't one of them.
I turn the page in the book to the one showing hand position and begin explaining what I want. "If you want to eventually play rapidly, you're going to need to be very relaxed. Curve your fingers like you would hold a broom handle." He turns stiffly on the bench and I watch as his entire torso tenses; his shoulders rise toward his ears and his fingers become claw-like. "Ernie," I say, "you're not trying to race Harry Potter for the Snitch. You need a relaxed grip."
Ernie's hands unclench, but not enough, and I know I'm going to have to bounce his wrists. "May I touch your wrists?" I ask. He only nods and I lightly place my finger tips on his right wrist, trying to make it bounce up and down.
“Curve my fingers? I am not sure if I understand Susan. Do I strike the key with the pad or the tips of my fingers?” I ask. "The tips. But go ahead and try it. You need to get the feel of the wrong verses the right hand position," she tells me.
She lightly touches my wrist and makes it bounce up and down. Merlin bless me! Her touch has such power it just makes my whole wrist tingle! I hope she does that again! I give her a look of anticipation.
I lightly tap the keys using the pads of the fingers. I can’t seem to have any rhythm at all and can’t reach the required areas. But by curving my fingers, I can reach more of the keyboard easier.
“I can see why the curved fingers are better, you can reach the different keys easier.” I said.
“Exactly. You also have more control over how fast you play as well," she tells me. She walks behind me and I hear her tut-tutting about something. Finally, she says, "Ernie, your shoulders must be relaxed and not shooting toward your ears. If you sit like that you're going to be sore after only a few minutes." She places her hands on my shoulders and presses down gently.
The scent of lavender and her natural pheromones are wafting to my nostrils. I feel my temperature begin to rise and my whole body just begins to tense up. Can I hear what she is saying now or will it just be my blood pounding in my ears? My grandfather told me that gentlemen don’t sweat, they perspire; my grandmother told me ladies don’t perspire they glow. All I know is that I feel beads of perspiration begin to form all over my face.
I try to relax and lower my arms. I lift my hands from the keyboard and give my arms a shake from the shoulders down to the finger tips and replace them on the board. “Like this Susan? What is next?”
She smiles and says, "Yes, like that." She turns the page to the first piece and asks me to find the right sets of two black keys with my right and left hands. She reminds me of the finger numbers I'm supposed to use and then tells me to try playing it.” Did I ever tell you that the stars pale in comparison to her smile?
Playing the exercise is tougher than I thought it would be. I stumble over the piece many times. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I normally learn things quickly…but then again I just want to be near her, maybe that is it.
The Slytherin in my soul (everyone has one) says deliberately tense up, maybe she will touch your shoulders again. But I’ll try to fight this impulse, but it will be difficult.
Since I seem to be doing a satisfactory job of hiding my feelings and actually making the instrument make music, Susan has me play six more songs before she says, "I think that's enough for this week, Ernie. You have a lot to remember about posture and finger curvature as well as coordinating your hands to play these pieces. I'd like you to try to practice at least four times this week, a minimum of three repetitions of each piece. Will you make the effort?"
I told her I would make the effort. I then realized one thing. Oh no, I didn't think about homework! Where am I going to find a piano I can use? Grandmother wouldn't let me touch hers. Maybe I can rent one somewhere.
"Not one that's really accessible to me," he says looking away. "Not to worry, Ernie," I say. I get up from my chair. "I know exactly what you can practice on." I excuse myself and go to my office. I pick up a small box and take it back to the piano. "Ernie, this is a practice keyboard. It's been enchanted so that only you can hear it. Touch the keyboard like you would any other real keyboard and you'll get the sensation of the keys being depressed under your touch. Take this with you and use it as your practice aide."
His relieved smile is all the answer I need. I know by the look on his face that he will practice this week. He takes the box with the keyboard**** in it and we walk to the door.
His relieved smile is all the answer I need. I know by the look on his face that he will practice this week. He takes the box with the keyboard in it and we walk to the door.
"I'll see you next week, then?" I ask, opening the door.
Ernie smiles slightly and asks, "Same time?"
I nod and tell him, "Half past five is your time slot. No one else has a lesson at that time and I won't use that time for make-ups unless you either quit or cancel your lesson."
He looks pleased as he steps out the door. "Good bye, Susan," he says.
I close the door and turn to back down to my office. I'm more than a little famished and think happily, "It's time to go home."
As she walks down the hall, I admire the view. My inner dialog says, Get a hold of yourself MacMillan, it’s now or never.” I reach into my robes and pull my Practice Chanter out of my pocket and begin to play…
“Every night I hope and pray; A dream lover will come my way.
“A girl to hold in my arms, to know the magic of her charms.
“Because, I want a girl to call my own; I want a dream lover, so I don’t have to dream alone.
Merlin’s Beard! Here she comes, now if I could just get through this last few notes and all will be good.
“Dream lover, where are you? With a love oh so true.
“. And a hand that I could hold, to feel you near as I grow old.
As I see her get closer than ever, I take the mouthpiece from my mouth. I hold out my hand and say shyly, “Hullo, Miss Bones, I’m Noden’s Wizard.”
"My wonderful Mystery Wizard?" I squeak, just to confirm what I've suspected the last few weeks.
"The one and only," he says, suddenly looking only at the floor.
I come around the counter and stand in front of him, feeling a little awkward. Finally, I gesture to my parents chairs and as we sit down, I lock the door and draw the curtains with my wand. I pocket it and stare at my hands, gathering my thoughts. Finally I say, "Ernie, do you know how happy you've made me the last few months? I've never felt so special." I reach out and take one of his hands in mine, forcing him to look at me. "Suddenly, there was someone who thought I was the one for him: I've been so jealous of Megan or Hannah the last few years watching them start to go out with their special wizards. When your first letter and package came I couldn't believe that someone wanted me to be his special witch and I lay awake many nights imagining who this wonderful and shy wizard was. I must confess that I was disappointed when Noden and Harmony stopped going back and forth for that six weeks, but I realized that my Mystery Wizard was a professional something and may have needed to be out of the country, so I waited patiently and my patience has paid off." I squeeze Ernie's hand as I say, "Thank you for being my champion."
Ernie's ears have suddenly turned red and he sputters, "Over the last few weeks, the thoughts of what I were to say to you, kept me sane. Your replies made my life worth living. Beautiful Susan, will you allow me to court you openly for the world to know?" He whispers "I've often dreamed of walking under the stars with you holding my hand. Susan. Will you make that dream come true?"
Looking deeply into Ernie's eyes I answer breathlessly, "I would love to, Ernie."
"It maybe strange after all we have said to each other, but now that I'm here looking at you, I'm tongue tied. There is so much I want to say, I just don't know where to start. I've known you for years, yet it is as I'm meeting you for the first time. I just don't know where to begin." I say.
Susan gently disentangles one of her hands and reaches up to cup my cheek. "Then let's begin at the beginning," she suggests. "I'll start: Hi... I'm Susan. What's your name?"
"Hi Susan, I'm Ernie." Pointing up at the Badger, "Does your friend have a name yet? And have you found my surprise in the toy?"
Grinning, Susan picks up the Badger. "Ernie, I'm pleased to introduce Sir Edward. Sir Edward, meet Healer Ernest MacMillan. Healer MacMillan, meet Sir Edward," she says, trying to keep a straight face. She finally gives up and disolves into a fit of giggles.
Smiling, I say, "Glad to meet you Sir Edward. Would you please tell me about Hogwarts?"
Sir Edward intones, "It has oft been said, Hufflepuff took the rest and taught them what she knew. Let me tell you the truth, for my mum told me straight and true. Hufflepuff took the BEST before the others knew."
Susan beams and nods her approval.
"I'm glad you have enjoyed his company. I enjoyed myself for many hours picturing your face as I was enchanting him." I say.
"Ernie, I think this is the best gift you've given me. You've taken a bit of yourself and put your heart into all Sir Edward's sayings. However, as nice as the plush badger it, I really do prefer my real Knight Errant," she says, turning a pretty shade of pink.
I wonder if 'Professor Bones' has read any Cervantes? I take a knee and take her hand kissing it. "Fair Susan, send me on a quest, let your Knight prove himself on a quest to show his worth. Whether it be giants or trolls, I know I will succeed because you will be in my heart protecting me." I say as I feel my cheeks redden.
"Oh, brave knight, my quest for you is simple... practice your piano lesson and come back to me with beautiful music flying from your fingertips!" Susan requests gravely. However, the mood is spoilt by the fact that she's still bursting with giggles.
I laugh delightedly, "A fair challenge, know this my heart will sing in anticipation for each time we meet." I kiss her hand again and sit in my chair.
"I'm so glad this day has finally come, to know that we 'officially' know the beginnings of the feelings we have for each other. I'm looking forward to hearing the music of your voice as often as we can get together. I'm just enjoying this time we are spending now. I want it to go on forever."
Suddenly shy, Susan glances down at the antique watchpin she's wearing. "The time has slipped away from me, Ernie," she says a little sadly. "Mum and Dad are expecting me for dinner and I must close up before I leave. Will you forgive me for ending our time together so soon? I really wish I had more time for you between now and noon tomorrow," she adds. She walks me to the door and hands me my things.
With a smirk, I say, "The cold cruel world disrupts our Eden here. Lunch tomorrow will be wonderful. Where would you like to have lunch? I'm glad I'm off so we can go someplace else than the Tea Shop at St. Mungo's. The menu there is very limited.
"Oh yes, I do have one final gift, though it may be a little scary for you to use. My floo address is Schloss MacMillan. You maybe involuntarily introduced to my folks." I say.
Susan looks surprised. "Are you inviting me to your home for lunch?" she asks. "With your parents? I was hoping it would be just the two of us!"
"No, I had planned a beautiful restraunt of your choice. I just thought you might like to floo call me occasionally. But if you want lunch there, I will ask Paul to cook your favorites." I say with a blush.
"Anything your heart desires. I know I'll need help chosing a restraunt. When I eat in muggle London, I've tried McDonalds and Burger King. They are tasty, but not exactly the place I'd want to take you to."
"Do you mind if I send Justin an owl?"
"Please do, I know he has spent more time in Muggle London than I have."
"Until tomorrow then?" she asks opening the door. She hesitates, then squeezes my arm. "Thank you, Ernie, for making me feel so... desired. I'm very lucky to have you as my friend, Mystery Wizard and now Knight-Errant." She raises her arm and calls both owls. They soar over to her and she says to them, "You'll see each other later tonight. Good bye, Noden." Noden hops onto my shoulder as Harmony twitters her response.
I have to do this before we say goodbye. I lean over and thank her for the lesson and say, "I'm looking forward to the next lesson." I give her a buss on the cheek and quickly walk out of the shop. All I can think of as I leave, BY MERLIN'S BEARD, I KISSED HER!
Just before I Apparate away, I see Susan waving at me from her studio window. She blows me a kiss and instinctively I 'catch' it. I'm really glad I finally found the courage to tell her I am her Mystery Wizard. This first quick kiss felt so right and after her reaction I know there are many more we can explore.