Jade and West stood in line for auditions, nervous. They were surrounded by other students, some clutching sheet music, others mouthing the words to their songs. The girl in line before them was currently singing a melody about a voyage at sea in a high, haunting voice.Alana, who had come along for moral support, was enjoying the piece, bobbing her head, and mouthing along to the
chorus, but no one else had the same response. Jade and West were covering their
ears with their robes, and a fourth-year boy named Edward was mouthing the Silencing Charm, ready to use it if necessary. The song came to an end and Jade applauded, beaming.

"Thank you, next," said the bored-looking sixth year witch overseeing the auditions.

Jade stepped up, her whole body shaking, every nerve on fire. She opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again, like a goldfish with nothing to say.

"Name, please," said the witch, rolling her eyes, which were heavily lined with black pencil. Her arms were folded, but Jade could still see her silver and white scarf. A Snowbeak, which maybe explained her sarcasm and ennui.

"J-Jade Pevensie. I-I am g-g-going to be singing a madrigal f-from the seventeenth century," Jade sputtered, blushing. Some people rolled their eyes, dismissing her on the spot. Someone laughed snidely. Jade wanted to shrink to the size of a button and skitter away.

"Begin," said the witch, flicking her dotted scarf over her shoulder and fiddling with her eyebrow piercing.

Jade closed her eyes and eked out the first note. It sounded like a cat when its tail had been trod upon. Someone else laughed. She inhaled until she could not breathe in anymore, and then she exhaled, carrying with the breath out the second note of the song.

What followed next might be labeled by some as beginner's luck, or transcendence, or a fluke. Some might call it pure talent, some might call it an enchantment, or a miracle. But whatever it was, it shook the ground and touched the sky. Jade's voice lifted to the rafters, circling the words of the madrigal and adding its own trills and flourishes.

The sound seemed to dance, looping into circles and shapes, making everyone stand a little straighter and gaze, in wonder, at the light pouring in through the windows. A remarkable changed seemed to have come over Jade herself. She lifted herself up onto her toes and brought her arms back and her face forward. As she hit the final note, her arms reached slowly up and came slightly higher than her shoulders. She closed her mouth and opened her eyes, and looked around.

Everyone was staring at her- and not in a bad way. There were smiles on faces, and admiration in every eye. West was flashing her a thumbs-up and even the jaded Snowbeak girl looked impressed. Impulsively, she took a bow, and everyone cheered.

"Thank you. Results will be up tomorrow at lunch," the sixth year said, tossing her hair. "Next?"

Jade walked over and flopped into a chair. She could hear West's audition piece, but she wasn't really listening. This was the most triumphant she had felt in years. Her heart was still soaring, and her face was warm from the sunlight of the windows. She felt glorious, radiant, happy. No matter what the results were, she was proud of herself.