Twin Dilemma

The following characters are based on some similar characters by the wonderful JKRowling who owns them and was looking the other way when I snagged them. I will put them back when I am finished. No money has been exchanged.


Chapter 4: Illusionist Painter Extraordinaire

Fred followed Chloe into a room off from the main studio. It was a fair sized room with tall windows that in the day provided ample natural lighting and at night allowed the moon and starlight to wash over the room. There were also many types of candles floating in the air. In one corner was a raised dais covered in fabrics of varying textures and colors, fresh flowers and plants. In front of this was a paint-splattered easel on which an uncompleted painting was resting. Fred could see the partially painted torsos of three young women and one man. The women were wearing muggle ballet dance clothing. The half formed man was nude.
The women were gathered in a corner of the dais, giggling and whispering to each other while surreptitiously glancing at the 1/2 nude’s torso. The male tried to cover up with the fabric from the dais but his hands weren’t completed so he was unsuccessful. This caused more tittering from the ballerinas. Fred found the scenario quite funny. He walked around and spied other canvases against the wall or on top of the table or chests surrounding the floor. Most of the pictures depicted scenes that struck Fred as funny or witty takes on more serious paintings. Then he looked at the parchments and scrolls on the large drawing table. Here he could see various progressions of the illusions.
“Wow!” said Fred, “These remind me of something I’ve seen before but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Well, it sort of reminds me of a muggle art form called cartooning or animation. Only when a muggle artist makes a drawing, they have to make a drawing for every part of the motion that the eye sees per frame. A wizard painter only has to make a few drawing studies and then through charms, enchantments and transfiguration the rest of the movement is captured. Of course the studies have to be well done or the finished illusion reflects this.”
“What do mean by per frame?” Fred asked.
Chloe replied, “The muggle method is very complicated. I studied it in my art history class. You make a drawing of, say, someone standing, then you want that person to walk across the room so you have to do a drawing of the person getting ready to move, a drawing of them beginning to move, several drawings of moving, getting across the room, getting ready to stop, stopping and then following through with any additional movement of hair, clothing etc. The frame is the way the artist captures the image. A single piece of parchment can be a frame. A painting can be a frame. The muggle artists take hundreds, even thousands of drawings to do their movements and then they film each one in a camera or into a computer. Then they play back the images through a machine to get a moving picture. It’s really, really complicated. I think it’s why most paintings and drawings you see in Muggle museums don’t move. Have you ever been to a muggle movie or watched a muggle cartoon?
“No I haven’t but Harry and Hermione have talked about them. You need electricity for it, don’t you? I bet my dad would like it. He loves muggle stuff.”
“Maybe I could take you to see one next week if you’re interested?” suggested Chloe.
“Sure that would be really great,” beamed Fred. “Can you show me how you make a drawing?”
“Ok,” said Chloe. “Go sit up on that platform.” She walked to her drawing table and grabbed a drawing board with a piece of parchment pre-stretched on it. She grabbed a quill and dipped it into a bottle of ink. Then she walked over a stool in front of the platform and sat down, propping the board up on her knees. She looked up at Fred with an appraising eye and said, “Ok, love, drop ‘em.”
Fred’s mouth dropped open and he turned beat red.
Chloe burst out in a bawdy laugh, “Ha! I got you Weasley! Just sit down and get comfortable. I’ll save the nude drawing for Malfoy.”
Fred scowled down at her as he plopped down grumpily.
“Just funning with you Weasley. Get over yourself.”
Fred watched as she took out her wand and tapped her quill. Next she bent over her drawing and then raised her eyes and looked him over then back down to her drawing where he heard the skritch scratch of her quill as she made many strokes while quietly uttering spells and tapping her board with her wand. Fred could see that the quill drawing on its own as Chloe directed it with her wand and her spell casting. After about 20 minutes Chloe started grinning and chuckled.
“Now what?” asked a worried Fred. Chloe tucked her wand down her skirt and hopped off her stool. She walked over to Fred and held up her drawing. It was a fast but accurate drawing of Fred with his mouth opening, then blushing and then scowling as he sat down like a sack of potatoes on the dais, muttering hmmphf! Fred had to laugh at himself. She had managed to capture him quite accurately. It was like watching his twin! Fred also noticed that from his vantage point on the dais he had a marvelous view down the front of Chloe’s top. He could see her bra and the top of her breasts peeking over. His mouth got dry and he swallowed loudly.
“See something you like Weasley?” Chloe asked cocking her head and staring up at him.
“Uh, yes, I like your drawing but I don’t think you made me handsome enough.” he drawled in his best Malfoy imitation.
Chloe laughed. She handed him her drawing and then headed back out to the main studio space. Fred followed her to the bar and they had another drink and they talked about art, school and the people dancing. Fred told her a bit about himself, only touching briefly on his family and about his penchant for gags. Fred found himself very comfortable in Chloe’s presence, almost as if they had been childhood friends. Except that he very much wanted to snog this “friend”. And soon.

****************************

Thanks Sam for your review. I\'m glad to hear you laughed out loud. I haven\'t seen that movie. I always meant to so now I will definitely check it out.