Slytherins, Kisses and Other Disasters
Copyright© 2026 by Caroline Stanton
Chapter 55: Lady Writer
Adrian Selwyn had discovered that there was a considerable difference between listening to Mark Knopfler play the guitar and attempting to do the same thing himself. The difference, as far as he could tell, was approximately a thousand hours of practice. Possibly two thousand.
He sat on a low stone wall near the edge of the Hogwarts grounds, his electric guitar resting across his lap. A small amplifier stood beside him, powered by the same sort of enchantment that allowed his CD player to function inside the castle. The afternoon was cool but sunny, and the grounds were relatively quiet. Adrian examined the position of his fingers. Then he tried the opening notes of Dire Straits’ Lady Writer.
The first three sounded promising. The fourth was wrong. The fifth sounded as though someone had stepped on a kneazle. Adrian stopped.
“Wonderful.”
He adjusted his fingers and tried again. This time he managed five notes before losing the rhythm completely.
“Progress,” he muttered. “Of a sort.”
A voice behind him said, “I thought someone was strangling a musical instrument.” Adrian turned. Georgina Goyle stood a few paces away, her long brown hair moving gently in the breeze. He smiled.
“Hello, Georgie.”
She approached, examining the guitar.
“Was that supposed to be a song?”
“Eventually.”
“Which one?”
“Lady Writer. Dire Straits.”
Georgina sat beside him.
“Play it again.”
Adrian gave her a suspicious look.
“Why?”
“Because I want to hear it.”
“You just heard it.”
“I heard something.”
“Very encouraging.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek.
“Come on.”
Adrian sighed and positioned his fingers. He tried again. The opening notes emerged slowly, unevenly, and with a unfortunate buzzing sound halfway through. Georgina listened attentively. When he stopped, she nodded.
“That was better.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I’m not being nice. Well, I am being nice, but it was better.”
“The difficult part is getting my fingers to move quickly enough. Knopfler makes it sound effortless.”
“Who’s Knopfler?”
“Mark Knopfler. The guitarist. He also sings.”
“Is he good?”
Adrian stared at her.
“Georgie, he’s extraordinary.”
“Then play me the proper version.”
Adrian reached into his bag and took out a compact disc. A few moments later, the opening guitar of Lady Writer floated from the speakers. Georgina listened. Then her eyebrows rose.
“Oh.”
Adrian nodded.
“Exactly.”
“That’s fast.”
“Very.”
“And he’s playing all those notes?”
“Yes.”
“With his fingers?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Adrian’s left hand. Then at the guitar.
“How many fingers does he have?”
Adrian laughed.
“The usual number.”
“Are you certain?”
“Reasonably.”
Georgina listened for another moment.
“I like it.”
“I thought you might.”
She tilted her head.
“It’s different from Nirvana.”
“Quite.”
“And Green Day.”
“Very.”
“It’s almost as though the guitar is talking.”
Adrian looked at her.
“That’s actually a rather good description.”
She smiled, pleased. They listened together until the song ended. Then Adrian picked up his guitar again.
“Now you understand what I’m trying to do.”
Georgina nodded solemnly.
“Yes.”
“And?”
She considered.
“You have a long way to go.”
Adrian groaned. Georgina laughed.
“But you’re learning!”
He practised for another twenty minutes. Sometimes he managed the first few notes cleanly. Sometimes his fingers stumbled over the strings. Once, he played the entire opening phrase at half speed, only to ruin the last note by pressing the wrong fret. Georgina applauded anyway.
“That was nearly it!”
“Nearly,” Adrian agreed.
“Try again.”
He looked at her.
“You’re not bored?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because you’ve been sitting here listening to me play the same few notes over and over.”
“I like watching you.”
Adrian paused. Then smiled.
“That’s a very dangerous thing to say to a musician.”
“Why?”
“It’ll encourage me.”
“Good.”
She leaned against his shoulder.
“Then I’ll keep saying it.”
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