[ttd] Street music (Linnet)

Deirdre was still pretty new at the detective agency. Ms Robbins had talked to her in London, and had offered her a side job that Deirdre had gladly taken. However, the older woman seemed to be reluctant to let her take cases alone. She had taken her along for the first two cases, had explained everything to her and then had sent her with other detectives. Deirdre wondered if the woman didn’t really trust her, after all.

The assignment for a lovely sunny Saturday was with an odd girl Deirdre vaguely remembered from Hogwarts. Linnet had been in Hufflepuff, was a muggleborn, and, to shorten things, - she was the exact opposite of Deirdre or so she thought.

Ms Robbins had had the silly idea that the two young witches should act as street musicians in front of a café where a client’s husband was supposed to show up with his affair. Deirdre found it quite appalling to be standing here Linnet’s guitar case in front of them to collect money from passers-by - muggle passers-by.

They played some classical pieces on the guitar and the violin, but, while Linnet could easily pass as a stress musician, Deirdre struggled with her part. She hadn’t played her violin in years and it showed. She felt awkward all of a sudden. While she had at first believed that she was superior to Linnet in every way, she was now realising that this wasn’t really the case.

When they finished another piece, Deirdre lowered her violin and shook her head. “It’s been a while since I last played,” she explained. “I guess I’ll get better the longer we’ll have to be here.”

Then a man passed them and entered not the café they were watching but a place a little further down the street and Deirdre poked Linnet with her violin bow. “Isn’t that him?” she asked, ready to give up their position to move to the other location.

@Linnet Willowsong

"This one's literally just A, E and D chords. Follow my lead and you can do a solo after the second chorus if you feel like it" Linnet smiled her most professional smile at her fellow rookie detective as she adjusted the position of her guitar and started to play.

Really, she didn't understand why they were here together, True, Deirdre was just as new to the agency as she was, but Linnet felt that she was already begining to prove herself. She was observant, she had a good memory, and she was more than usually capable of remaining still and quiet for long periods while staking out a property. Even today, she could easily have played the part of a street busker alone, she thought as she began the second verse. After all, that was precisely what she had been doing when she had first met Ms Robbins. But no, apparently it would look better if they appeared to be two students earning a little cash, and now she had to work with the other girl, younger even than Linnet herself but who quite clearly believed that even breathing the same air as the elemental was beneath her.

She came to the close of the second chorus but instead of the instrumental received a poke in the ribs with the violin bow. Linnet flinched slightly but didn't outwardly react, instead glancing serenely in the direction Deirdre was indicating. A couple of young teens stopped in front of them and she continued the solo for a little longer as she first smiled directly at them and then peered round to watch the man who was heading down the street.

"Perhaps" she said quietly "Keep watching...if he stays in that barbers for a haircut he'll be some time and we'll be better off here, otherwise if he steps out we'll cut this one short and move" She had leaned closer to the other girl so she could speak a few inches from her ear without their small audience hearing. Then she began to sing again, nodding in acknowledgement as an elderly witch dropped several sickles into her open guitar case. Even if they didn't collect the necessary evidence today they would at last be able to afford a coffee, she though. Though hopefully Deirdre would at least to pretend to play again sometime soon.

Deirdre looked at Linnet, trying to keep her expression neutral but she could tell that her eyebrows had shot upwards anyway. She should do a solo? That would likely be quite embarrassing.

When she had been younger her grandparents had paid for a music teacher and she had been a decent violinist then. However, with the lack of practice she felt that nothing was really sounding quite as charming as it should. Maybe she should take lessons again. After all, she had once quite enjoyed making music. Now, however, at Linnet’s side, she felt like she was inferior to the Hufflepuff graduate and that didn’t go down well with her.

Linnet’s response to her spotting their target was vague. Deirdre had been ready to leave their place already but the other detective didn’t seem eager to move and kept playing. Deirdre felt slightly disgruntled. Ms Robbins had assigned this job to them together and had made unmistakably clear to her that Linnet was in charge of the operation and that she’d have to follow her lead.

Okay, Linnet was a little older than she was. She was also a little longer with Ms Robbins’ detective agency, but she was hardly a leader. Anyway, Deirdre joined in again and tried to play the song on her violin whilst looking out for the man who had just disappeared into the barber’s shop.

She turned her gaze again abruptly when a flashlight blended her. “What the…?” she exclaimed but was interrupted by the excited chatter of some teens.

’I assure you it’s them. They are the Nocturnal Nymph Duo!’

“Keep your distance,” Deirdre snarled She had, once again, put down her bow and was now trying to get into the song again. How could anyone mistake them for professional musicians when she hardly managed to play more than a few beats was beyond her.

Linnet smiled at a small boy who had paused to watch. Little kids were always the easiest to perform to, they just responded to music, not caring what the song was about. They just liked hearing the sounds and automatically stopped. His mother tried a failed to distract him, eventually giving him a sickle to drop into the guitar case before he would continue down the street. Linnet nodded her thanks, thinking privately that this was the best job she'd had with the agency so far. She literally just had to be herself. Her eyes drifted further down the street to the barbers's shop. The man hadn't emerged yet, so she didn't need to worry about charging off down the street to follow to gather evidence.

Unless...what was the other woman's occupation? Linnet realised that they didn't know and had a sudden concern that perhaps she worked as a hairdresser. Deirdre was right, they probably needed to check it out. She was coming to the end of the song and was planning to suggest they do what the younger girl had wanted and move position, when suddenly a group of kids, presumably homeschooled given the time of year, surged up to them. She grinned at the mistaken identity, but clearly her companion was less amused.

Oh, for goodness sakes! She barely managed to keep the smile as she nudged Deirdre (hopefully into better behaviour that didn't blow their cover) and thought quickly. The last thing they needed was undue attention OR a group of kids surrounding them to block their view. As quickly as she could, Linnet finished the song and grinned widely, turning to Deirdre and hoping she would play along.

"See? I told you we could convince people!" she said, turning back to the kids "Thank you SO much! We were hoping to form a cover band, but my friend didn't think we were good enough! She's got go agree with me now, right?" she said, glancing at Deirdre and widening her eyes, willing her to go along with the idea. The teens looked slightly disappointed but were sporting enough to agree that they looked just right, and one of them was good enough to chuck a couple of knuts into the guitar case before they dispersed. Okay, that was... wait. Who was that woman walking into the hairdressers? Could she be..?

"Deirdre. Over there, where you noticed before. Have you got the miniature camera?" she asked quietly. If the younger girl was able to slip down the street and gather the necessary evidence, Linnet would be able to pack away and they could be gone before anyone ever realised why they were really there.

Deirdre felt uncomfortable in her role and she couldn’t even say why. She had no problem playing with people, pretending things and yet, being here with Linnet was different. Maybe it was because she felt that she wasn’t in control but Linnet was the one in charge here.

She looked at Linnet as though she had just lost her mind when the slightly older witch seemed to play some sort of role. Did she go to these impro theatres where people had to react to everything with acceptance and add more silly things? It would suit her somehow.

“Yes,” Deirdre said, offering a fake smile, “you were so right.” She didn’t know the band the kids had been talking about. Therefore, she had no idea if they were credible at all. Surely if they were mistaken for this duo that meant that either the Nocturnal Nymphs were actually quite bad or the kids were pretty deaf, after all Deirdre had hardly played at all.

The kids left them alone and Deirdre rolled her eyes, but refrained from commenting. Fortunately Linnet changed the subject soon enough and Deirdre nodded. “Of course I do,” she said. “Can you pack up?” Deirdre didn’t wait for a reply and just hurried down the street to the barber’s shop.

Stopping in front of the window she looked inside and frowned. Quickly she pulled out a photo of the man they were supposed to be watching and compared it to the man who was sitting inside the shop. They looked similar but were clearly two different people. She felt how all colour vanished from her face. They had been so busy keeping an eye on the barber’s shop that they might have missed their actual target. Ms Robbins wouldn’t be satisfied with them if they failed. Deirdre spun around frantically looking around for the man from the photograph. He had to be here somewhere. She saw a couple holding hands at a distance and gestured to Linnet that she’d follow them.

[out]

If Deirdre was serious about this she really needed to get good at dealing with sudden changes of plan, Linnet thought as the younger girl hurried off down the street. Maybe she was being unfair, having only recently rediscovered her childhood deceitful streak, but if a group of kids mistake you for some random band while you're staking out a cafe, you say whatever you need in order to get them to shut up and go away. She slipped the guitar strap from her neck and knelt down, scooping the handful of coins into a charmed compartment in the case where they wouldn't knock against the guitar once she put it away. There was probably a galleon or so there, not bad for an hour's work. This time last year she would have been taking her gains to the nearest shop and buying that day's food. Funny how quickly things changed.

Guitar safely stowed, she quickly repeated the action with Deirdre's violin, then picked up the cases and looked around. She expected to see Deirdre outside the barbers' but instead she was gesturing at another couple further down the street. Oh, no! They couldn't mess this up...

Linnet nodded at the younger girl and began to walk, weaving expertly in and out of shoppers and sightseers as she tried to keep her gaze fixed on both Deirdre and the couple. The man was the right height, his hair the right colour, he was wearing the trousers a couple of inches too short that their target was said to prefer... She quickened her pace, now imagining herself to be a music student hurrying to get to an important lesson, or perhaps a recital. Please let me pass, her expression said, and she offered breathless, grateful thanks whenever anyone stepped out of her way.

She was gaining now, but it was going to look ridiculous if she tried to catch up. They just needed the couple to stop for a few seconds so Deridre could check they had the correct target, snap a photo and then stroll away. Abruptly, Linnet veered off to the side of the street and put the cases down, surreptitiously raising her hand.

The grass and mosses that grew between the cobblestones were so tiny they weren't normally noticed, but with Linnet's whispered encouragement they grew ten- twentyfold and more in the space of a couple of seconds, certainly enough that the woman of the couple tripped and stumbled to one knee. Naturally the man turned to ask if she was alright, glancing nervously over his shoulder as he did so...just as if he shouldn't really have been there, but then embracing the woman as he helped her to her feet. Linnet breathed a sigh of relief. She was sure Deirdre was close enough that she could have got a photo of the couple now, the evidence they needed.

Mission accomplished!

[out]