Neville

[alt_ron]

So, yeah.

Many happy returns, mate.

I hope today's better than yesterday. And, I dunno, I guess this year was pretty good, but I hope next year's better.

I sent you an owl to your Gran's cause Mum thought it was better to do it that way. Anywiz. I hope they let you do something snitch today, even if it keeps chucking it down outside.

Comments

[alt_neville]

I got all my lines done last night, so they let me join the group again today. I did the St Mungo's tour. Corner and Hopkins thought I was balmy for deciding to do that instead of the museum, but I wanted to see the greenhouses at St Mungo's. They're supposed to be legendary, and they were. Saw all sorts of plants they use in potions I'd never seen before, really rare ones, too.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

The twins say they think that the two groups got treated differently on purpose. Not just on account of all the rain. They were talking at lunch about what Mr Malfoy wrote.

What do you think?

Anywiz, I'm glad you got to see what you wanted at St Mungo's. Too bad about the Ministry, though. And having to do lines.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Huh.

Maybe, but then why did they send you with us, Ron, instead of with Neville? It's not as if you're usually high on their list of people they'd like to give extra privileges to.

And for that matter why did they send Vince and Greg -- well, actually, that makes some sense. They probably thought they were too stupid to know the difference.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Yeah, well. I bet that next year I'm in the dud group.

Now that MLE have it in their files that I'm not on the Approved List.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Did you see what Mr Malfoy just said? Percy's going to be Head Boy next year.

That's just --

Well, not THAT surprising, I suppose. But what do you suppose he's going to be like?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Well, that doesn't take a Slytherin to guess.

What do you suppose he's going to be like?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

He's not an evil git like Sandoval. I don't think he'd cast the cruciatus curse for the fun of it.

But he really likes being the one in charge. REALLY likes it. And he'd lie as fast as Ptolemy Baddock if he thought someone in power wanted him to -- well, actually, that's probably not fair. I don't know if he'd outright lie. But he wouldn't go out of his way to establish the truth, if he thought the lie was better.

I wonder if Siobhan will be Head Girl, or Electra Bobolis? Probably Siobhan. She's not so bad. I mean, as Prefects go.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh, also, Percy cares a lot about blood purity. More than Siobhan, in some ways, which is funny. But first year, when he caught me hexing Padma and wanted a Slytherin prefect he made a big deal out of the fact that I was a HALFBLOOD who'd hexed a PUREBLOOD.

You know, I really think he'd have turned out better in Slytherin. He would feel like he had less to prove to the rest of the world, and more to prove to your parents. That might have been good for him.

Ravenclaw would've been worse, though. Imagine Percy as part of Ravenclaw Corner, ugh.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

You're not really making me feel better about the idea of Percy as Head Prat, y'know?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Well I don't imagine you'd prefer Baddock. Not that he'd have got it anyway, he's only been Prefect a few months.

Imagine if it were Ollivander. Does that make you feel any better?

Here's the thing Ron. As hard as it is for you and Fred and George, if you TELL HIM you're so glad he's going to be Head Boy because he's fair and trustworthy and will never side with someone JUST because they're a pureblood, he's more likely to act fair and trustworthy and the rest. This is one of the easiest ways to get someone to act the way you want them to, usually they don't even realise you're doing it to manipulate them. It's how Miss Winchers got Mrs Stretton to buy me the things I needed, she told her that of COURSE she was going to do it because she was a good foster mum! And then Mrs Stretton felt like she had to.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Yeah, we told him we're happy for him.

Doesn't mean we won't tease him silly about it, though. Like the twins said at supper, 'When you act daft, it's our job to point that out so you know. If you can't trust your brothers to tell you the truth, who can you trust?'

But, yeah. Okay. I'll try to say something about how I'm sure he'll be fair and that I know he'll better than Moran was about sticking up for people and not just pushing them around.

I mean, that's pretty much what Mum said--what you did, I mean--only you both said it better, and I think he'll believe it more from her than from me, 'cause, y'know, I don't usually say stuff like that. Especially to Percy.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Well that's a good point. He'd probably die of shock if you and the twins quit taking the mickey all the time.