Katherine Stella

Edited 13/04

Enjoy the chapter :)

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Jace emerged from Olivander's shop, the darkness of night enveloping the streets. The moon and stars illuminated the sky with their celestial glow. Robert, who had been leaning against a nearby wall, slowly opened his eyes.

"It was about time. Could you explain again what took you so long?" asked Robert, his annoyance evident.

"I don't know. Olivander kept giving me different wands and staves until this one. He said it was good enough and told me to go on my merry way," explained Jace.

Jace's staff was a remarkable sight, crafted from seven silver horned serpents, each with a jewel of a different color nestled in its squirming mouth.

Unaware that the staff wasn't given to Jace by Olivander but instead acquired from Alexander, Robert simply nodded.

"Since there aren't any further complications, all is well. Let's go grab something to eat before we head back," said Robert, his hunger making itself known.

Jace, however, suddenly interrupted with a shout, "Wait!"

Robert looked at him, puzzled.

"How did I miss that before? Is that a violin?" Jace pointed to a nearby shop.

Robert glanced at the shop and nodded. "Yes, it is. In fact, it's a magical violin. What does it have to do with you, though?" he asked, bemused.

"Nothing," replied Jace, his gaze fixed on the shop's name, committing it to memory. He was going to visit it sometime later.

After a few minutes of walking, the duo found themselves outside a bar that exuded warmth and charm. The outer structure of the building was predominantly crafted from hardwood planks adorned with intricate stone carvings, giving it a rustic and inviting appeal. Although the windows were opaque, the lively music and songs emanating from within could be heard from outside.

Stepping through the sturdy hardwood door, Jace and Robert were greeted by a smiling waitress and the cheerful singing of the tavern's patrons. The young bartender, a girl who seemed to be juggling multiple orders, winked at them. Jace suspected that the wink was directed solely at him.

The interior of the tavern was cozy, with square wooden beams supporting the upper floor adorned with torches. The walls were adorned with rows of painted moving portraits, with the bartender herself featured in one of them. It seemed that the other portraits depicted either friends, family, or previous owners of the establishment, adding to the bar's character and history.

The tavern itself was packed. Passing wizards tended to be the primary clientele there. Several long tables were occupied by separate groups. These groups, after having had quite a few drinks, appeared to be trying to prove which group was superior by performing magic spells. The other, smaller tables were also occupied by people who seemed to be enjoying themselves a lot, perhaps too much, if such a thing was possible. Even most of the stools at the bar were occupied, though nobody seemed to mind more company.

Up on the second-floor balcony, a girl was playing on a grand piano, capturing the attention of the tavern with her music. Jace couldn't help but be captivated by her. She was beautiful in a unique way but it was her talent and passion for the piano that truly stood out. Her green eyes sparkled with intensity as she played with fervor, almost as if she was having a battle with the instrument itself.

When Robert left to order food, Jace made his way up to the second floor for a closer look and found himself behind her. The girl was a stunning picture of elegance as she sat at the piano, her fingers dancing effortlessly across the ivory keys. Her jet-black hair was styled in a sophisticated updo, allowing her delicate facial features to be seen.

Despite her short height, she exuded an air of refined grace that commanded attention. She was dressed in a tailored, high-class outfit befitting her exquisite taste. Her purple accessories added a touch of regal flair to her ensemble, with a purple silk scarf draped gracefully around her neck and matching amethyst earrings that glinted in the soft light.

As he stood there, taking in the scene, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the girl's skill and determination. She played with a fiery intensity that demanded respect, and he couldn't help but be intrigued by her.

Jace recognized the piece the girl was playing immediately. It was "The Carnival of Venice," a violin composition by Paganini, his favorite composer. He stood there, entranced by her performance, enjoying the familiar melody.

"You played a wrong note," Jace suddenly spoke up, causing the girl to jump and turn towards him with surprise and annoyance.

"EEK! Don't you know it's not cool to creep up on people?" she snapped, her eyes flashing with anger and embarrassment.

Jace scratched his head sheepishly. "Haha, sorry about that. I just didn't want to disturb your playing."

"Well, you did anyway," she retorted. "And what did you mean by 'wrong note'? I didn't play anything wrong. If you had let me play the next part, you would have realized that I'm playing a variation of the Carnival of Venice, not the original piece," she explained matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I didn't think about that. I'm sorry," Jace quickly apologized. "What's your name?"

The girl introduced herself as Katerina Stella, though her friends called her Katie. Jace smiled and introduced himself as Jace Adler.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Katherine," he said politely.

"Likewise. By the way, it seems like you know the piece. I can't imagine you know it so well without playing any instrument, so what do you play?" Katie inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"The instrument on which the piece should be played," Jace replied cheekily, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Ohh, are you a violinist?" Katie asked, her eyes widening in surprise, to which Jace simply nodded.

"If I knew I'd meet a fellow musician, I would have brought my violin with me. Never mind that, I didn't have the chance anyway. Robert just teleported me here without notice," Jace said with a slightly dejected tone.

"I hate it when people do that. Who's the jerk?" Katie asked, showing compassion for Jace's unexpected situation.

"Robert McGonagall, the deputy headmaster of Hogwarts. He's helping me buy the stuff for school," Jace explained.

"Robert McGonagall? That guy is a legend. Does that mean you're a Muggleborn?" Katie inquired, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"A what?" Jace asked, puzzled by the term.

"Of course, you wouldn't know. Sorry, it was stupid of me to ask. Muggleborn is the term given to a witch or wizard who is born to two non-magical parents. But don't worry, their magical abilities are not compromised by their Muggle parentage," Katie explained, providing Jace with some insight.

"I suppose. My parents never showed any magical abilities or talked to me about magic before they died," Jace shared, feeling a pang of sadness.

"Oh, I'm sorry about your parents. Actually, I'm an orphan as well. So, you're probably a Muggleborn. Say, you mentioned that Mr. McGonagall is helping you buy stuff, so does that mean you're also a first-year?" Katie asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, in fact, I just learned about magic yesterday," Jace revealed.

"Oh, wow. I'll have to bring you up to speed then. However, I'll have to play a few pieces first, unless you want to get me kicked out of my job," Katie said with a playful smile before picking up where she left off on the piano.

"Sure, I'll be downstairs with Robert. I'll ask him if we can stay here for a bit so we can talk," Jace said, heading downstairs.

As he was heading towards Robert, the older man saw him. "Where have you been?"

"I was talking with the girl who's playing the piano," Jace replied.

"The Stella girl?" Robert asked, his face flashing disgust which he promptly covered. Jace had caught it though.

"Yeah, what's the problem?" Jace inquired, curious about Robert's reaction. He tended to overreact after all.

"A few months ago, her house along with her family just disappeared. There were no ruins or bodies. It was like they never existed at all. No one knows what happened. The rumors say that the girl performed a dark ritual and somehow erased her entire household from the world," Robert answered, playing with his fork.

"Just some rumors? So, I take it you won't let me talk to her after our dinner?" asked Jace, not giving much thought to the rumors.

"Nope. We spend enough time as it is, and I want to go home to my little Minnie," said Robert.

"Who?" asked a bemused Jace.

"My sweet daughter, of course," answered Robert flashing a smile.

And with that, they both started eating their dishes while Jace enjoyed the music played by Katherine. Despite the rumors, Jace couldn't help but be drawn to the beautiful melodies flowing from the piano. He found himself captivated by Katherine's talent and felt that the rumors were likely false, as he hadn't gotten any negative vibes from her during their earlier conversation. Lost in the enchanting tunes, Jace savored the moment as he dined with Robert.

After finishing his meal, Jace excused himself from the table, informing Robert that he needed to use the restroom. However, instead of heading toward the toilet wherever it was, he changed direction and made his way toward the stairs leading to the second floor. He didn't want to leave Katherine just like that since they were supposed to talk.

Jace quickly explained to Katherine that he had to leave, which made her look dejected. "I see. I guess I'll see you at school then," she said, her tone slightly disappointed.

"It was nice getting to know you, Katherine," Jace said, pausing to appreciate her piano playing.

"You too, Jace," Katherine replied with a smile before he quickly took his leave.

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