friends {sulu}

[merlin2]

Sulu couldn't tell one type of paint from the next but knew that Prudence could no doubt tell him not only the type of paints but the color as well. She was very skilled when it came to art and Sulu felt humbled that she would allow him to see her work. To him art seemed like a visual diary. He was sure that he was over thinking things and doubted Prudence thought much about letting him into this room but at the mention of her mothers painting Sulu still felt like he was almost intruding. More like he was seeing a secret part of Prudence that she didn't allow out while she was at school for example.

"Your mother was very skilled," Sulu said kindly. He knew what it was like to lose a parent and doubted that time would help ease the pain of that loss. Sulu was not quit sure when Prudence had lost her mother though and looked down at the painting in thought. Prudence was a very skilled artist but Sulu could not remember her ever mentioning if she wished to become a professional some time in her future and sell her pieces of art or if it was just a hobby of hers. She seemed to enjoy art a great deal so it was easy for Sulu to assume that Prudence would wish to find a job that would incorporate that love into her work.

"I don't think I've ever asked this but have you ever thought of opening up your own shop and selling your paintings one day?" Sulu asked as he voiced his earlier thoughts. He slowly moved away from her mothers painting to look at a few of Prudence'.

[prudence]

Prudence smiled a bit, it had been a long while since she had looked at the painting for any real stretch of time. It had always hung in that prized spot on the wall, neatly framed, though she didn't always take the time to specifically look at it. Prudence found that she rather liked it there, like having a piece of her mother in her favourite room of the house. She hoped that she was not boring Sulu with the art room- he had never expressed any particular interest in things like painting to her before. But he did not appear to be growing tired of it.

The idea of someone else in her art room was a new concept for Prudence, probably because she hadn't ever invited a friend to her house before. Her father hadn't set foot in the room since her mother died, leaving it a place of solitude for her. It was a different sort of feeling to say the least. Not bad, just foreign. "She was," Prudence said softly, though smiled all the same, briefly reflecting on her childhood memories painting alongside her mother. She hadn't been older than three or four, her mother had praised her for the smeared colours and globs of paint she had spread on a child-sized canvas.

Prudence blushed slightly when Sulu asked if she ever thought of selling her paintings, she hadn't honestly felt she was that good. Her work she thought was presentable, but not anything people might pay money for. "Not really," said Prudence, "it's more of a hobby than anything else." She did want to pursue a career in photography, though saw herself following in her father's footsteps like he wanted her to do.

[merlin2]

Sulu glanced at Prudence in surprise before turning back to look at a few of the other paintings. Sulu was no judge of art but even his unskilled eyes could see the talent it would need to create these pieces. Why Prudence would not want to pursue her love of art in a career Sulu could not understand. On the walls there were both paintings and photographs, both of which were amazing. Sulu had no doubt in his mind that if Prudence wanted to she could have any job in the art world she wanted. She could work for a newspaper and go some exotic place to take a photo or even work closer at home at Hogwarts to help maintain the paintings and perhaps even add a few of her own. However it did not seem like that was what Prudence wanted...

"I think if you wanted to you could become great with your pictures," Sulu spoke softly, feeling embarrassed about voicing his thoughts. Feeling nervous Sulu took a step deeper into the room and slightly farther away from Prudence. This brought him closer to a wonderful scenic picture that truly took his breath away. It wasn't much, just a green hill with a tree at the top but Sulu could not help but stare at it. The sky looked only slightly overcast that most people would have probably made bright and clear. The tree bent slightly as if by the wind as well as the textured grass. This was a truly beautiful picture in all of it's simplicity.

[prudence]

Prudence did not miss the look of surprise that Sulu gave her, in all honesty she would love to go into a career a bit more creative than filling out paperwork- but she was afraid of disappointing her father. She had always been the perfect daughter, doing what she had been told regardless of whether or not she wanted to. But to Prudence it seemed him selecting her career was going way over the line. There wasn't anything wrong with photography, it was an honest living, albeit not one that provided loads of money, but that wasn't what concerned Prudence. Perhaps she might find room for freelance work after she had settled into the ministry like her father wanted...

Prudence found herself blushing again as Sulu complimented her, it wasn't often that she got praise like that. Though she did suppose that her art was mostly concealed- she didn't usually show any of it off. Not that she didn't think that she was good, or didn't take pride in what she had made, but Prudence preferred to keep her interest mostly to herself, she didn't need another reason for her peers to ridicule her. "Thanks," said Prudence, a hint of pink still in her cheeks.

[merlin2]

"Can you play as well as you paint?" Sulu asked as he noted the piano and violin. He had known that Prudence played the violin but the piano was new. It seemed like just coming to her house was teaching Sulu more about his friend then he had ever learned whilst at the school. It was nice actually, seeing Prudence in this environment. She seemed more relaxed here and open. By far less stressed then she was when she was at hogwarts.

[prudence]

Prudence's gaze flickered to the piano and her violin as Sulu asked if she played as well as she painted. This too was unfamiliar territory, she hadn't played for anyone but her father and a few of his coworkers he had invited over for the occasional small-scale dinner party. "Maybe," said Prudence, half-smiling as she lifted the cover on the piano keys. It was only a basic upright, but it served its purpose. She hadn't actually played in a long while, though piano was something she never forgot. Prudence pressed a couple of keys and flinched a bit. "Needs tuning," Prudence explained, blushing a little because of her strong reaction, the notes hadn't sounded quite right.

[merlin2]

Sulu smiled as Prudence made her way over to the piano. He had no doubt that she could play just as well as she could paint, the real question was whether or not she was better at piano or not. When she hit a few keys and flinched Sulu wasn't sure what was wrong. Hearing that the piano was just out of tune made Sulu laugh.

"Sorry," Sulu apologized immediately. He had not intended to laugh but he couldn't hear anything wrong with the few keys Prudence had hit yet she could tell right away that they were out of tune. Just showed how skillful she was already without her ever needing to really play anything. "So how do you 'tune' a piano?" Sulu asked. Looking at the large instrument he had a feeling that some 'professional' would need to come in to do the job.

[prudence]

Prudence blushed a little more when Sulu laughed, though couldn't help but chuckle a little bit herself. She had probably over-reacted. She waved her hand when he apologized however, she supposed that it probably had been funny. "It's all right," said Prudence, lifting the back cover to look down at the inner-workings of the piano. Usually a quick spell sorted out the tuning, although she wasn't technically allowed to use magic during the summer. She looked up at Sulu when he asked how tuning was done on the piano, thinking a moment, as she had never done it by hand before.

"Muggles have people come over to tune them," Prudence said thoughtfully, "though there is a charm I could use, if you promise that you won't tell, it would take only a moment." The idea of using a charm illegally was almost frightening to Prudence, way more rebellious than anything else she would do. But she had read in magical households it was impossible to tell who specifically had performed a spell, even for the ministry, so Prudence assumed that she would be safe.

[merlin2]

Sulu was rather surprised when Prudence suggested that she simply use a charm to tune the instrument. Sulu would have never thought that Prudence would be willing to do such a thing. Using magic was illegal for them still since they were under age. Still since this was a wizarding home they shouldn't be caught because of it...

"If you are willing to take the risk then I won't say a word," Sulu promised. He wanted to hear Prudence play and he doubted he'd get another chance like this in a long while. He had known her for at least a year now and had yet to hear her play. Sulu knew how important music and art were to Prudence and felt that by seeing her work he was gaining a better understanding of her.

[prudence]

Prudence half-smiled in a way that seemed out of place on her lips- it had a glint of mischief to it, something that she never had before. "Not a word," Prudence agreed, pulling out her wand and reflecting a moment on what specific charm she was supposed to use. She performed the charm quickly, muttering the incantation, and watched as the strings inside of the piano adjusted themselves. Prudence pressed a few keys and smiled lightly, content with her spell work, before sliding her wand back up her sleeve. She swept up the sheet music that had been carelessly strewn atop the bench and put it in a neat stack on a nearby table before she sat down at the keys.

It had been a long time since she had played for anyone, though oddly she was not nervous. Perhaps it was because Prudence knew Sulu, he wasn't one of the strangers her father brought over from work for her to play for. She positioned her hands appropriately, and once she had gotten to the proper posture she began to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, one of the pieces she had memorized by heart, it had been her mother's favourite piece.