Not So Quiet In The Library

[sandburg_zone]

The library wasn't as quiet as it could have been. There was the undercurrent thumping of drums coming from within the librarian's office. And with it, male voices chanting in latin, and with that the cat wail sounds of some eye-liner wearing lead singer that Blair Sandburg, current librarian at Hogwarts, had never heard of, but which he was

Comments

[average_adam]

Picking up the sounds of music coming from the library, Adam went in to investigate. He'd been meaning to see the librarian anyway and now seemed as good a time as any if he were in.

Sticking his head around the door, Adam grinned and said, "Hullo!"

[sandburg_zone]

Head bopping to the music and a ready smile on his face, Blair turned in his chair as someone spoke. His grin got wider. "Hey, hi. A real live student. Come in, come in."

He reached over to lower the volume.

[average_adam]

"Yup!" agreed Adam. "Thanks. You haven't had too many visitors yet today, huh? Don't worry. You'll have plenty."

[sandburg_zone]

"You're my first official visitor ever, man. Other than Professor Crowley. So welcome, welcome and more welcome. Now, how can I help, man. Besides providing beverages and sustenance ?"

[profmoony]

Coming to the library to look for a book on nixies, Remus raised an eyebrow at the mix of sounds emanating from the library office. This librarian was certainly a different sort than the snarky Bernard Black (of whom Remus had been rather fond). What was this bloke's name... Sandburg? Yes. And he'd had a very interesting conversation with the fellow at his Sorting.

He wanted to talk to Sandburg some more about that, and about the music he was listening to, and also wanted to know if he was going to be punished somehow for the overdue genetics textbook he'd loaned to Stephen. Black probably would've suggested castration or branding; hopefully Sandburg would be a little more laid-back.

He knocked lightly on the office door. "Hello? Am I interrupting anything?"

[sandburg_zone]

There were piles of magical recordings on Blair's desk, but he wasn't so wrapped up in what he was doing he couldn't look up and smile at a new arrival. This time, however, it wasn't a student but a fellow member of the staff.

"Lupin. Good to see you. No, come in, interrupt away, man."

[profmoony]

Remus leaned against the doorjamb and surveyed Sandburg's office. "I just thought I'd re-introduce myself, since it's been a while since your Sorting. And I was curious about the music you're listening to." He frowned. "Do you have three records going at once? How very Steve Reich."

[sandburg_zone]

"Drumming!" Blair said, mentioning the 90 minute piece. "Y'know, Mom said she met Reich one time. But I just like noting how the ancient rythmns never really went away. I did a combination once showing how the war chant of the Yanomamo headhunters could be found in the cellars and garages of Seattle and Cascade. Ancient rythmns in modern compositions - made the first row of my anthropology class wake up and pay attention for five minutes."

[keygirl_dawn]

After the bizarre fiasco that was Ancient Runes class, Dawn wanted to check out some other resources for self-study. As she'd quickly learned among the Watchers, if you couldn't find someone to teach you, the most logical thing is to teach yourself.

When she reached the library, there was some fairly odd, but rather catchy, music playing. She found what appeared to be the reference desk and waited for the librarian.

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura was wandering the stacks, a few books balanced in the crook of her arm, when she heard the music start.

So we do have a librarian these days, she thought. Maybe he'll have some idea if this place has anything on American Indian shamans.

[sandburg_zone]

His door was still open from the last person to stop in, cracked enough that the music seeped out, but Blair didn't notice. He did, however, notice when a House Elf, his House Elf, one Tally with startling yellow-green eyes appeared without even a puff of displaced air.

"Pardoning, sir." There was a look in the eyes, that wouldn't have been out of place behind a prim demeanour and pince-nez. "But there's another student in the stacks who seems to be lost. Shall I direct her here?"

"If that's where she wants to be man, sure."

The House Elf gave Blair another look, which might have been fond, or exasperated. Blair was good with books and good with organization, no matter what his quirks and on top of it all, he taught and liked teaching. Tally appeared before Laura.

"Please Miss, if you'll be coming this way to the librarian. You should not be mindless in the stacks."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura nodded and followed the elf to the librarian's office.

"Um, hi. I wasn't actually lost, exactly. More like looking for something that doesn't want to be found."

She grinned. "God, that sounds ridiculous. Are you the new librarian? I'm Laura."

[sandburg_zone]

"Looking for something that doesn't want to be found." He looked serious a moment, musing. "Sounds more like a person than a thing. But then again, I'm not as familiar with magic as you may be, Miss....?"

Blair motioned for her to sit, knowing that taking her seriously and not bringing up that she didn't sound ridiculous would do more than actually saying it.

"Tea? Juice? Cookie ?"

[estebanmd]

Stephen had been haunting the library, mainly the Restricted Section, off and on (between bouts of drunken debauchery and evil clown hunting). He had generally tried to avoid the librarian, not out of any dislike -- in fact he had gotten on quite well with Sandburg at the latter's Sorting -- but simply because he had not been in much of a mood to make small talk with anyone, and had not wanted to reveal to the librarian the research problems he was trying to investigate. However, the music coming from behind the door was unfamiliar enough to pique Stephen's curiosity.

He poked his head in the door of the librarian's office. "May I come in?"

[sandburg_zone]

"Hey." Blair paused a moment. It had been a fairly eventful day. But then again, that was the way things seemed to go for him. Some days were humdrum and normal and he caught three naps when no one was looking. And other days, there were hostage situations, chemical warfare and he had papers due to be returned and a meeting with the Dean. Apparently his luck had followed him here and now, when it rained, it poured with visitors.

"I've got sherry and whiskey and some cookies left. Been a busy day, Dr. Maturin." The name he wanted had finally come to mind. Blair gestured for the man to take a seat.

[estebanmd]

Stephen pulled up a chair and closed the door most of the way, leaving it ajar in case other visitors might have need of the librarian. He helped himself to a cookie. "I must say you run a rather more hospitable library than your predecessor, though he was not without his charms. Tell me, what is that music I hear? I am something of an amateur musician myself; that is to say, I play the 'cello indifferent well; the music of this century is quite new and foreign to me, which is not to say I dislike it, but I find myself in need of an education."

[sandburg_zone]

It took Blair a moment to remember from the speech that Stephen was from an earlier time, if what he'd learnt of the school so far was true.

"It's a recording of a Peruvian tribe I spent time with briefly. Very briefly. And I'm mixing it with Gregorian Monk Chants and this wizarding band I found in the music stacks."

Blair shrugged. "Sometimes I like my music more complex than what comes straight from the industry. It's all well and good and popular, no doubt man. But not everyone minds the challenge of a difficult composition. Besides, I dig ancient rhythms."

He snagged a cookie for himself.