I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good--that's no lie. I totally do not understand this Runes stuff, and my parchment is complete rubbish from the start, and I've only got four inches.

Someone tell me the term's over and this is just a nightmare that I've still got to write this rotten essay.

Please?

Comments

[alt_pansy]

Well, what do you have done so far? I've been writing on the difference between Ehwaz and Mannaz, and how if you get them mixed up in a standard runic incantation, it can really make things messy. Like give people horse's feet by accident.

I'd pinch you so you'd know it's not a nightmare, but I'm not in your room. Neville, would you do the honours?

[alt_neville]

I did. He whapped me on the head for it!

[alt_pansy]

Sorry! Well, at least he knows he's not dreaming.

[alt_sally_anne]

You know, that's a good idea, Ron. Write about everything that could go HORRIBLY wrong if you muck up your runes. Professor Babbling likes it when we take her dire warnings seriously, she'd probably give you extra points just for that.

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh and I'll tell you what NOT to write about.

DO NOT write about how to use runes to cause lice and bedbugs and every horrid crawly creature you can think of to descend on Ravenclaw!

Because that might make her suspicious.

[alt_pansy]

But you CAN write about how sometimes runes get out of hand and are very difficult to stop, because you've had some experience on that count!

[alt_neville]

Sorry, I'm not taking Runes, so I can't help.

I bet Percy would help you, but I also bet you don't really like to ask him.

[alt_sally_anne]

You should definitely ask Percy.

1. He'd know the answer.
2. He could probably explain it to you.
3. He'd be SO CHUFFED that you actually ASKED HIM FOR HELP (and thanked him properly after) that he'd probably be nice to you for the rest of term.

[alt_neville]

He really IS helpful when you ask him for revising help. I've had him look over a couple of my potions essays. And yeah, he's nice about it.

[alt_gredforge]

1. True
2. Maybe. Depends on whether he's hacked off with Ron about anything at the moment.
3. Also probably true. But the disadvantage is that he'd probably be even more an insufferably Big Head Boy about it than ever.

[alt_sally_anne]

He will be insufferable regardless. It's just a matter of him being insufferably nice to you, or insufferably nasty!

[alt_pansy]

Any progress, Ron?

[alt_ron]

I'll have you know that while you lot were going on about what I should write and what I shouldn't write and whether I should ask Percy and otherwise taking the piss, I've written sixteen inches on how Charlie and all the dragon handlers have the Tiwaz rune branded on all their kit, because it's the victory rune that the Valkyrie, Sigrdrífa, gave Sigurd to use after he'd killed the dragon. She gave him the secret of the runes because he set her free from captivity. And they use it, too, because it's the rune of Tyr, the god who sacrificed his hand to Fenrir in order to bind him, so the god's could capture him. So the handlers use the rune of the one-armed god to show the dragons that they're fearless. And whenever a dragon handler loses an arm--or, y'know, part of one--they call him Tyr and say he's dragon's-leavings, and if he survives the wound, they think he'll be impossible for any dragon to kill after that. And I guess there's never been a Tyr that's been killed by a dragon. That's what they say, anywiz.

When I first saw that rune it was on Charlie's gloves, and I thought it was funny that they'd put an arrow on them like you couldn't figure out which way to stick your hand in if they didn't! But that's why, really: because it's a protection rune that's special to them.

[alt_pansy]

Well, that's excellent!

D'you mind if I read it at breakfast before you turn it in? Because that actually sounds pretty nift.

[alt_ron]

D'you really think she'll mind that I wrote so big? I wasn't sure I had enough to say.

Now you've gone and got me worried.

Thanks loads, fisheye.

[alt_pansy]

I was just teasing you! I'm sure it's fine.