Like Nobody Was Watching (Senium and Humphrey)

Senium walked out towards the lake, she smiled when she saw how beautiful the day was and she hoped that she would not have one of her attacks today, the warmth should keep her from freezing up too badly, it was often the cold that did that to her.

Placing her bag on the floor, Senium found a place under a Willow tree that seemed empty and began to test her dancing again, it had been a while since she was able to dance, but she found herself quickly regaining her confidence and she was piroetting with her old ease.

Unable to knock the smile from her face she continued to dance like nobody was watching.

Humphrey decided on a whim to visit the Willow Lake today for some reason. He had never been there before and heard it was a beautiful place. The sun was shining, and as he walked down to the lake he felt wonderful. Surprisingly, underneath a willow tree by the lake, a girl was dancing. Nobody else was there, she was just dancing by herself.

Slowly, he approached her, trying not to disturb her dance. She was excellent, but he didn't recognize her. Once he was fairly close he said, "Hello. Who are you? Your dancing is really beautiful, but I was wondering why you are dancing by yourself?" he asked her.

Senium was so lost in her dancing that she hardly noticed it when someone came up to her and managed to spot her, she jumped a little and immedietly stopped dancing, placing both feet on the floor and a large blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Uhm hello," she said queitly "My name is Senium Nex, who are you?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

This boy seemed nice, but he looked a lot older than she was, but she had not seen him in Hogwarts, could he be from another country or something? Wondering for a moment Senium blushed again;

"I dance because I don't think I'm good enough yet for anyone to see, and I get embarrassed when people watch me."

The girl stopped dancing and a blush spread across her face. Clearly, she wasn't comfortable with other people seeing her dance yet. "Humphrey Williams. Senium Nex, I must say, you are an excellent dancer. I am in Gryffindor, a third year student." he told her.

"I understand. Sorry for intruding on you, I was just walking towards the lake and noticed you. Thought I should say hi since I was here anyways. One of the things I like to do is paint, but I hardly ever show anybody my paintings. Only two people I have let look at them, because I don't think mine are any good either. But, I assure you, that your dancing is beautiful." Humphrey told her.

"You look a little younger than me. Are you a first year at Hogwarts?" he asked her politely.

Senium smiled shyly when the boy introduced himself to her, she was still very nervous around new people, and this time was no exception, in fact, it was even worse because he was a boy, she had not had any brothers, and she only knew how to behave formally with her Grandpapa.

When he said he was a third year student however, Senium blinked and smiled again; "It's nice to meet you Humphrey, I haven't seen you in school, maybe because we're in seperate years or something?"

Hearing that he too felt the same about another area of the arts Senium became a little more relaxed around him, and she clasped her hands in front of her body, seeing the boy Humphrey was so open, it made her feel more at ease.

"Thank you very much, I try to practice as often as I can, and feared I would have to work hard after not dancing for so long before today," Senium grinned "I would like to see some of your work, if you wish I shall dance for you in return."

When he asked if she was in first year, Senium nodded; "Uh-huh! I'm a first year Ravenclaw."

"Nice to meet you too. There is a good reason why you haven't seen me before, I am a third year Gryffindor. But, for the past year and a half I have been living at home with my aunt and uncle. My uncle was diagnosed with cancer beginning of last year. He died after fighting it for a year and undergoing treatment. I had to help my aunt Julia grieve for him and recover. As well as take care of the chores and things around the house. But, just this week my aunt told me I could come back. So here I am." Humphrey explained to her.

"Your welcome, you deserve a compliment if that is how you normally dance." he said, smiling at her. "Really? You would do a dance for me in exchange for looking at my artwork? Hmmm, I think I'll take you up on that offer. Deal."

"I have some of my paintings set up in the abandoned tower. You can come see them whenever you want. I don't mind showing them to you. And besides, it is an even trade. So, what kind of dance am I about to see Senium?" he asked her.

Senium blinked a little, she was surprised that the boy Humphrey had told her so much about himself already, however there was something that she liked about people being so open, it made her want to be the same in return, but she had already told too many people about herself.

She would need to be careful that she didn't tell the wrong people about her gifts, or about what was wrong with her.

"Oh dear, I see." she said quietly, twiddling with her ring "Well I hope that you are much better now, and you will be in the company of friends, they shall help you forget."

Nodding her head Senium smiled happily; "Of course, fair is fair, I can perform anything you wish to see Humphrey, although my best for of dance by far is ballet." she grinned, glad to have someone to show what she had been practicing, and who would appreciate it unlike her Grandpapa.

"I am doing a lot better now, thanks for asking. Hogwarts has always felt like a home to me. So, being here with my friends to support me is already starting to make me feel loads better. Forgetting isn't my goal though, the goal is coming to terms with the loss." Humphrey told Senium. This first year was very friendly, and talented too.

"Alright, let's see your ballet then Senium. Don't hold anything back either, show me the best you got." he told her. Then he settled down on the ground comfortably. "Start whenever you're ready."

Senium nodded her head, she had managed to make a very good friend in Hogwarts and she was glad that she might be able to make another in Humphrey even though she was going to be very lonely as all her friends seemed to be in third year.

"I'm very glad of it, I am sure that by the end of the year you will be back to feeling on top of the world once more, it's the power of friendship that does it." she smiled broadly.

Settling herself into her beginning dancing pose, Humphrey would hopefully like her dance, but she wasn't sure. Biting her lip Senium ignored the strain in her muscles and stood on tip toe, beginning to move and dip with a silent melody.

Piroetting a few times around the area of the lake, Senium bent down to almost scoop at the floor while her other leg extended far up into the air, swiftly she jumped into the inverse of this position the other leg now up in the air.

Then to finish the breif routine she ended up in the splits, her arms above her head in a circle.

It was nice talking to Senium. She was the only first year that he had really talked to. Humphrey decided that next year he would make sure to welcome the first years and try to talk to them more. Then he smiled at Senium. "Of course I'm going to be feeling on top of the world by the year's end Senium. I just made friends with an awesome dancer, how can I be upset with my life. Especially since my old friends in third year are talking to me and welcomed me back. My best friend is a third year Ravenclaw, Keiba Namid. I almost got sorted into Ravenclaw too, the sorting hat asked me which I prefer. I chose Gryffindor though." he told her.

He watched her take an upright position. Then she began to dance, and he saw her tense up before she started. Senium was clearly dancing to some kind of melody as she moved, she must have been picturing it in her mind. She moved with a graceful, rhythmic precision. Not a single movement was wasted, each one added to the dance.

As she did her leg extensions and then did the splits he realized that she must be stronger than she looked. From playing sports, he knew that people who were that flexible were much stronger than they looked. It was also incredible how easily she was able to keep her balance on the pirouettes and when she did the leg extension and then switched legs.

He clapped after she finished. "Wow, that was awesome Senium! Really, great job. You must work really hard at your dancing. Could you teach me sometime maybe? I could teach you how to draw or paint if you teach me some basic dancing." Humphrey said. If she taught him that would be so cool.

Senium smiled lightly, she was glad that he had so many friends, but she was aware that she did not have very many at all, she was quite lonley when she thought of it herself and she did not yet have someone she could call a best friend.

"I'm glad you have so many friends, after all having good friends is lovely, I don't really have many though...I suppose that my Master and Professor Smith are my best friends if I had to pick." she smiled.

When he commented on her dancing and said that it looked amazing, Senium got up from her splits and knew she would be feeling the pain from this later, but did not mind if it made her look so beautiful and graceful.

"You would like to be taught how to dance?" she asked with a large smile "I'm sure I could help you learn some styles, what are you interested in? Oh...it's alright, I have another form of art I'd like to keep to, if it's all the same."

"Well I was the same way when I was first here. It takes a while to get a group of friends around you, but I guarantee you if more people see you dance they will jump at the opportunity to get to know you. Trust me, if somebody sees what I just did, they will see you expressing yourself, and in a beautiful way. Just try and be friendly, and I will try and help you make some friends. I'll introduce you to some of mine if you want, I think you would really like Keiba. She is a Ravenclaw too." Humphrey told her. "She's my bestie, and the first friend I made here."

"I've always been an athlete, and I would love to learn how to dance. I absolutely love music, I play guitar, bass guitar, sing, and play piano as well as paint. But, nobody has ever heard any of my songs before. One person has read one of my books, but my songs are really emotional for me. I love them though." he said. "Any and all forms of dance you know, I would love to learn! What other form of art do you do Senium?" he asked her.

"I hope you're right Humphrey but I don't think I'd be comfortable letting too many others watch me dance. But I'm glad you think people would be willing to be my friends." she blushed slightly before smiling, "I'd love to meet some of your friends Humphrey."

"I just like dancing, I'm not one for other sports really. And I like to listen to music but I'm not talented enough to make any music myself I don't think, you must be very talented." she told him with a smile before it widened, "I consider puppetry an art and I love that."

"Well, I am a little older than you; so, hopefully, that means I know a teensy bit more about how to fit in. I know when my friends saw my art they really liked it, and I think they respect that I am dedicated to something like that. It shows a lot about your personality, also the paintings themselves show the artist's emotions. Your dancing is like that too. The songs, well they need a bit more work, but I am creative enough for it. Want to find a girl who can sing harmonies or melodies for me so bad. Because some of my songs are meant for a boy/girl duet, and some for couples." Humphrey told her. This what his experience with showing his work had been.

"Alright cool, umm, talk to Charlotte Smith, she is a third year Slytherin with hair that changes colors, but it is blonde most of the time. Sometimes a straight white, or pink if she is with her boyfriend Airen. Tell her that Humphrey sent you, and ask about a spying society, if nobody else is there. Maybe you can join up, she is in charge of it. Don't tell anybody else though, and if she says you can't be in then it may just be because you are still a first year. But, I have a feeling that she would love to hang out with you even if she doesn't want somebody in first year in the spying society. If you don't get in, next year she'd probably let you, at least that is my guess. But yea, say Humphrey said to show you around and introduce you to our group of friends. We are pretty close, well more than pretty close, we almost dated and are best friends." Humphrey smiled a very sad smile when he thought of her. He missed her, but he knew he needed time to fall out of love with her. It hurt so much though, not talking to her every day.

"That is perfectly awesome Senium! Really, don't worry about only liking one sport. Get good at the one you like, well you are good, get fantastic. Wait you're already that too, become a prodigy, there we go. That is the goal we need to set. Shoot for the stars, and I am not that talented. Just a creative, very driven person. As Albert Einstein once said, "Ninety-nine percent perspiration, one percent inspiration." That is my favorite quote, well, definitely top three at least. It applies to all aspects of life. Come on, I will go introduce you to the infamous Charlotte Smith. Once we get there, I'll let you two girls hang for a while." he said, offering her his arm so he could escort her into the castle.

Senium smiled lightly and she listened to Humphrey when he told her that he was able to be able to let his emotions out through his painting, she was able to do the same when she carved her puppets, so she understood completely, it looked as if they were both the same when it came to their emotions.

"I can't really sing that well, but if you would like me to I could try and sing for you, I am afraid that my accent comes out a little bit when I sing, I hope that I don't end up ruining your song if you want me to help you."

Blinking slightly, Senium thought that she had seen the girl around but she had never talked ot her, just because she was not in her year and she was not in her house either, so what would she have been able to talk to her in? After all they didn't share classes and she blushed lightly when she said that she might be able to be in this new spying society;

"Ah no, I don't think that it would be a good idea for me to be in this society, I am sorry, I think that I am more suited to keeping myself nice and safe after all there is so much danger and I need to make sure that I am alright, besides, my Grandpapa would never allow me to join."

Senium bit her lip and she shook her head, she did not want to go back to the castle, she wanted to be able to stay here outside and dance, she did not really want to leave Humphrey however, but she lingered under the tree nervously;

"I would rather stay here, I don't really want to go back to the castle just yet." she said with a small smile "But I will practice as often as I can do, to make sure that I be the best I can, although I'm not sure my dancing will gain me any more or any less friends...it's the type of person you are I suppose that helps most with that."

Humphrey could tell by the look in Senium's eyes that she felt the same. She did the same thing with her styles of art, and expressing is key to good art, music, dancing, any form of creativity really. "No, that would be great actually. I can teach you how to do the proper vowel sounds, but a little bit of an accent is fine. Sometimes helps make it unique, and stand out a little bit. Thanks, really. You don't have to be perfect to start out. Practice makes perfect." he said, smiling at her. Senium and him would be good friends, he could tell already.


"That is perfectly fine. Just wanted to let you know it was a possibility. But I will still introduce you to Charlotte. She was my first crush, she is...amazing." he said, staring off dreamily. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "So, let's head to the student common area, and I will go grab my guitar and meet you down there. Then we can hit the abandoned tower after and I can show you my paintings and drawings." Humphrey said excitedly. This was a good day, and going to be getting better."

"Alright, we can wait a little bit. Definitely I can help you with that. Once you start showing one or two friends, it is easier to show others after that. It gets easier with time, like most things." he said.

"Okay, I am going to sing a Muggle song called Sweet Caroline, and you can do some dance moves to it. That sound good?" he asked her. He thought it would be good for both of them.

Senium, although she did have an accent, did not really want to be taught how she should speak to lose it, it was part of herself and she really didn't want to have to leave it behind, it was the only part of her that reminded her of her childhood with her parents.

"Well if I have to stop having my accent I would really rather not sing then, I'm sorry but it's the only reminder I have of my homeland, and I don't want to lose it." she said with a small smile

When he seemed like he wanted to get started on singing right away Senium was a little bit flustered and she didn't know if she was ready to be thrust into the deep end just yet. Biting her lip she didn't say that however and she wanted to be able to make sure she was good enough.

"It must be nice to have a crush, I have one too...but I haven't seen him in so long, I don't know if he's even still interested in me, he used to be but, it's okay if he's not you know, I just want to know."

Blinking a little bit, Senium smiled lightly and got into her dancing stance again, she hoped she would be able to dance properly as she could feel her muscles tensing.

"No, you didn't hear me properly. I said an accent is actually good, it gives you your own unique style. Just have to change vowel sounds, but accents still come out in song. That is actually sometimes improving the quality, and originality of a musician's work." Humphrey told her, trying to explain it more clearly this time. He smiled at her, and tried to get her to understand.

"I understand completely, and it is. Well, at times, when she is still trying to decide if she wants to date you, a lot of anxiety about will she date me or not. But, overall, it is a good feeling." Humphrey told her.

"Alright, I'll sing a song while you dance. This is called "What You Know" by the Muggle band Two Door Cinema Club. Do-do-do-do, do-do-do. Do-do-do-do-do-do. Ah-ah." That was what the intro sounded like to him. It started off in a tenor voice, with a guitar lyric, so he tried to hit the notes and sound effect at the end with his voice.

Songwriters: Kevin Baird, Matthew Halliday, Alexander Trimble

"In a few weeks, I will get time
To realize it's right before my eyes
And I can take it, if it's what I want to do

I am leaving, this is starting
To feel like it's right before my eyes
And I can taste it, it's my sweet beginning

And I can tell just what you want
You don't want to be alone
You don't want to be alone

And I can't say it's what you know
But you've known it the whole time
Yeah, you've known it the whole time

Maybe next year I'll have no time
To think about the questions to address
[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/t/two-door-cinema-club-lyrics/what-you-know-lyrics.html ]
Am I the one to try to stop the fire?

I wouldn't test you
I'm not the best you could have attained
Why try anything?
I will get there, just remember I know

And I can tell just what you want
You don't want to be alone
You don't want to be alone

And I can't say it's what you know
But you've known it the whole time
Yeah, you've known it the whole time

And I can tell just what you want
You don't want to be alone
You don't want to be alone

And I can't say it's what you know
But you've known it the whole time
Yeah, you've known it the whole time"

Humphrey's voice was a baritone, so he could sing bass, baritone and second tenor comfortably. But once he neared the end of the second tenor towards first tenor he had to switch to falsetto, which he had been trained to do. Not fantastic, but not a bad singer either in his own opinion.

"I like having my own style but it is more the style of my country isn't it? Also, I thought an accent was defined by how you hit vowels...?" she was mildly confused but not offended at all.

"Overall it is a good feeling most of the time." she agreed before looking down, "Other times it doesn't feel good at all. Some times it makes your heart hurt though doesn't it?"

"Alright then I'll give it a try..." she said nervously, she'd never heard of the song so she'd have to try and guess the way it went so that she didn't commit to movements that didn't fit the song, "Ready."

Letting the words guide her movements, Senium flowed through her movements as if her joints were fluid as water. In the dance all else was forgotten as she danced her emotions out happily. When the singing stopped it took her a moment to fully bring herself back to reality and had to blink a few times. She blushed a little bit,

"You have a lovely voice."

"Well yes, but you have to round them a bit. Your accent will still show, but you have to learn to keep your mouth in a certain shape. it will take a while to learn, but it is well worth the time and effort." Humphrey said, smiling at her. Hopefully that would clear it up.

"Your accent will still show, but it won't be; well, pretend you are australian. Now, the australian accent is strong, and some of the vowels are lazy, and your mouth goes east to west. You always want your mouth to be opened north to south, and while it might be a little east to west because of how you speak, it evens it out. And keeps you on pitch and all that type of thing. Resonance is another thing that keeping your mouth stretched, like you are biting into an apple, will help with. Focus your air towards your teeth, and let the vocal chords vibrate with as little hindrance as possible." Maybe that in depth explanation would help her.

"Awesome, you will do great." Then he sang, and he watched her dance to the rhythm of the music. It was beautiful, and when he sang out the parts with emotion color his tone, her dancing matched, and also complimented the melody. When it was sad, her movements were, and happy, her face shone, and the movements were quicker, more upbeat.

"Thanks, but it pales in comparison to those dance moves Senium. I may have a decent voice, but you are an attractive girl, who is extremely flexible, and gifted with dancing. Everybody who you show that to, is going to fall madly in love with you. I can almost guarantee it; if you wanted to be a heartbreaker, you could be." Humphrey said, sharing his opinion.

"I would like to just keep my accent even if I sing so that means I would not need to move my mouth the way that you move yours." she smiled a little bit, "But I shall try it and hope that it works."

"Perhaps the Austrailians' accent is the one with the correct vowels though?" she put forward innocently before smiling, "Well I shall try it but I'm still not much of a singer."

"Thank you." she blushed a little bit at his praise, her face growing redder and redder with each word of praise, "Stop Humphrey, I'm not that great. And all this praise... if I go any redder I might become a tomato with some accidental magic!"

"Well, these are just suggestions. True artists, look at the suggestions, and then decide what they want to do for themselves. That is what makes each musician, artist, and singer unique. Even dancers like you, they are all different. That is why I love expressions of art so much, it contributes all good things to a society, a culture." Humphrey said, smiling. It was good to meet somebody who understood the sentiment.

Laughing, he stuck his tongue out at her, "Well the English invented the English language. So, I think they got dibs on the way it is supposed to sound. Queen's English is what I will teach you. If you don't like it, then just stick with your Aussified accent." he said, winking at her. She was so, shy, and innocent, it was refreshing to meet somebody so genuinely nice.

"Your welcome." Humphrey said, enjoying the sight of a pretty girl blushing. "Well, Senium, you are even prettier when you blush, all girls are." he admitted. It was a truth he had found out a long time ago. If you consider his first year here a long time, that is. For a kid, it was.

You are pretty great, get over it." he said, sticking his tongue out at her. But, when she said that, he started blushing as well.

"I try not to think about how my dancing might reflect or help the culture of society. It's not exactly dancing when no one's watching if you pretend that all of society is watching you..." she replied before nodding, "But other people, people who show people their art, they make society. They make culture."

"If I was to have any other accented english other than my own I would actually like to speak with an Irish accent for a day or too..." she mused with a smile, "You know... like professor Smith. Although his is too light..."

"Stop Humphrey..." she complained jokingly, blushing more and slapping him lightly on the arm, "I don't like blushing too much... sometimes it makes people think I'm strange..."

"Well yea, I mean on an individual level that isn't really important. Unless you are like a prodigy, or something like that, and your nation is trying to show you off to everybody else. So, I take it you don't want to become a professional dancer then? If you don't want to dance with anybody watching?" Humphrey asked her. "Oh, they definitely make a culture, and society. The arts are part of what has slowly been disappearing in recent years."

"You don't have to have an accent other than your own, Senium. That isn't what I meant. If you want to learn an Irish accent though, that is fine. The Irish accent is pretty great, my favorite is the Scottish accent. Especially on girls, it is just so...sexy in a dreamy kind of way. Don't know how to describe it..." Humphrey said, his thoughts trailing off to best left unspoken places.

"I will not, making girls blush is part of the fun of life. Besides, I won't be able to when I have a girlfriend. If I get a girlfriend, so I am enjoying my bachelor's freedom while I still can." Humphrey said, laughing with her. "Besides, sometimes coming off strange is alright. Everybody thinks I'm strange, but I'm still here." he told her, winking in a sly way.

Senium decided that she was going to try and keep in touch with Humphrey when she was going to go back to Hogwarts, she did not know if she was going to have very many friends left when she got back, it was a horrible thought but the war had killed so many people.

"I would like to be a professional dancer, but...I have this little silly idea that I am not quite sure will work, but its a sort of modern concept of art that I would like to do..." she smiled gently "But thats a dream for years to come."

Unable to stop a small giggle when Humphrey went off on a tangent about what accent he found attractive, wiping at her eyes to move some of the tears of laughter Senium shook her head;

"Many people find my accent to be attractive, I dont know why though." she mused

It was such an odd expression to hear from someone so young, but she wasn't going to judge Humphrey on calling himself a batchelor; "You have lots of time to get a girlfriend Humphrey, you're only 14 start worrying when you're about 30 and you're still girlfriendless."