I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

So, I can't really think of anything to say about it in the open. I mean, anything that wouldn't sound, y'know, arrogant or that wouldn't hack off Patil and Finnigan--which, y'know, I'd love to do ordinarily, but it seems a dumb thing to do tonight when we've got so many days still to go.

Anywiz. I came first!

And after yesterday, when my group did well, too.

Don't think they meant that to happen. Either day.

But, really, today's stuff was pretty much designed for me. Mapping the area, following coordinates to hidden clues, negotiating different terrain challenges. All of it. Even the things with clues you had to work out. Or scenarios you had to work out solutions for and then say what you'd do differently if the weather were rotten or whatever.

I laughed out loud when I got the one that said an enemy of the Protectorate had been tracking me and had just surprised me. That one was hidden in an old wreck of a barn, just at the edge of an overgrown field, so I said I'd drop and roll out of view into the tall grasses. And defend if attacked magically. I said if it was a non-magical enemy and they got close enough, I'd use Petrificus Totalis, but if it was a wizard, I'd try evasive manoeuvres first, moving low through the tall grass until I got to the river, since that runs down to the town and then to the reservoir. I mean, it was just like all the issues of Peter Purefoot or Fearless Flyers or Thundering Broomsticks, y'know: the enemy surprises our hero, but he knows just what to do!

And then we had to find our brooms and race back to base camp? I knew I had a really good chance, even if it was a really crap broom they gave me. Really crap, I'm serious. I thought it was going to go to bits when the wind kicked up, but it was funny, as soon as I hit the ley lines outside Leicester, it straightened up. I think its magic realigned. Surprised me, I'll tell you.

Comments

[alt_sally_anne]

You did brilliantly.

I was doing really well for a while. I'm good at a lot of the outdoors stuff -- I mean, I know some of the things you can eat, in the woods, and I'm not too bad at building a shelter. But then I got the 'enemies of the Protectorate!' task and my mind just went blank. So I lost points there. And I'm just not a very fast flyer, even now. So it was a loooooooooong ride back.

[alt_ron]

Thanks.

Sorry about not answering last night. I fell asleep with my journal open!

[alt_sally_anne]

Yeah, I was really tired, too.

Are you enjoying your morning off from chores? Or was it just physical conditioning they let you out of? Not so bad a prize either way.

[alt_ron]

Ha, yeah. It was both!

Nice, right?

I ended up with a cold shower, though. Let everyone else go first since they had to get out and get moving.

[alt_sally_anne]

Yeah I think I'd take a lie-in and a cold shower over the hot shower. Especially today!

[alt_ron]

Oh? What'd they make you do this morning?

[alt_sally_anne]

The fact that they made us get out of bed wasn't enough? Yesterday was a REALLY LONG DAY.

[alt_pansy]

You ought to be very proud, Ron.

My temporary shelter was very poorly made, but I liked drawing the map quite a bit.

Is anyone from your house acting strangely?

Like they've still got something left to do for their tasks?

[alt_ron]

Thanks, you.

I had it easy. I had loads of trees and brushy stuff in my area, not far from the spot where I was supposed to build the shelter. I didn't use any Muggle building stuff, though, since I figured that's not what they wanted, but there was a village down the south corner of my area and a couple of farmsteads, too, so there were still some actual buildings in there. Just not out in the part where they told me to build the shelter. I actually had a really great little territory: two spinneys with real bramble thickets and a river winding all the way through from southwest up north.

What do you mean about acting strangely? Finnickan's all tense about all of the exercises, but that's not so odd for him.

You mean Malfoy? What's up with him, anyway?

[alt_pansy]

I don't know and he won't say.

Can't say.

I'm not sure which.

I thought maybe he was given something else to do yesterday, but if no-one else is acting odd, then it probably isn't something that was supposed to happen.

[alt_ron]

Maybe someone slipped him something in his supper? I mean, the way he was going on was almost like someone who'd got one of the twins Giddy Gums--back when they first worked out the recipe. They're better now. Funnier and, um, pinker. But when I first tried them, I sounded a lot like that. A bit daft and not able to finish a sentence.

[alt_pansy]

And it sounds lovely. I wish I could've seen it.

[alt_neville]

Congratulations, Ron!

And who knew wizarding comics could come in so handy?

[alt_ron]

Yeah, right?

Thanks, Nev.