I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good Private Message to Sally Anne Perks and Pansy Parkinson

[alt_ron]

So I started looking at that application during History of Magic, and I think I've got my answer to the question about the two paths.

But, um. I wondered if you'd look and say whether I'd better write something different instead.

First, I'd get out my Locator stone and fix my position. And I'd start off going towards the forest, to explore and map it, because I'd be curious about what's in there. And that's what I'd do unless I heard sounds from the castle like a tournament. You know, trumpets flourishing and bells ringing out. And swords and lances clashing against shields. If I heard that, I'd leave the forest path and use my navigational skills to find my way through the forest to the castle, and when I'd got there, I'd make my way to the tournament grounds to the horse stalls and broom sheds. And I'd challenge the squires to a throw at gobstones to let me enter the competition in their place. I wouldn't even care if I didn't win, though I bet I might, just on pluck and starter's luck!

Comments

[alt_pansy]

I like how it's like a story.

I think if you're interested in the forest, you ought to go into a little more detail about why it's interesting and all, because otherwise, it seems a lot more like you'd just prefer the castle.

It's good how you talk about some things that we'd learned in the YPL like the navigating, and how it would be okay if you didn't win all the time, that it's trying that's the fun part. I think they'd like that. It's very much like you.

[alt_ron]

Um. D'you think I should talk about wanting to see if there'd be abandoned houses or smugglers' caves in the forest? Or, um. Does that sound too much like looting and plundering and probably not good? Or even, maybe, too interested in old muggle stuff? I dunno.

Maybe I should say I'd be interested in creatures. In there in the forest.

[alt_sally_anne]

Go with creatures. Or maybe interesting plants but Nev's about the only person I know who really CARES about Herbology.

[alt_sally_anne]

Who'd you put down for the three historical people you'd like to have lunch with? I said Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff. I figure I'm clever enough that if I leave out Rowena Ravenclaw no one's going to think I'm an utter pillock.

On the other hand, 'three of the four founders!' has got to be the most boring answer to that question ever. (It's true, though. Except I don't care that much about Helga Hufflepuff. I'd LOVE to hear whether it's true that Gryffindor and Slytherin were best mates, though. Maybe it would be more interesting if I said I wanted to have lunch with Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons.)

[alt_sally_anne]

Every question makes me think about the WORST POSSIBLE ANSWER I could give.

'Who'd you like to have lunch with and why?' 'How about Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, and the Lord Protector? MAY THE BEST MAN WIN!'

'If you saw a man being robbed, would you intervene?' 'No. A proper wizard ought to be able to look out for himself. If he's so weak he's falling victim to robbers, we're all better off without him.'

'You come to a fork in the road. One path leads to the woods, one to the castle. Which do you choose, and why?' 'Neither. I return the way I came, because it's lunchtime.'

'If you were a turnip and we transfigured you into another food, what would you taste best as?' 'I could not possibly be a turnip; the turnips all get Sorted into Hufflepuff.'

[alt_pansy]

Hah! I think their heads would explode.

Or we could get extra silly.

"I would rob the robber and sell the goods back to the person he robbed at a profit."

"I would pick up the fork and put it in my pocket, as it might prove useful."

"I would transfigure myself into something that I wouldn't want to eat, because I wouldn't want to be tempted."

[alt_pansy]

I think you ought to talk about finding out if they were friends, because you have friends who are both, and I think they'd like that sort of thing.

I still haven't settled on mine yet. It's hard!

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh, that's a really good idea! Because the YPL always puts us up in groups that sort of break up our Houses a bit, and I could talk about what I like about the people from other Houses and how valuable it is to work together (because bringing a Gryffindor always means you have someone to hide behind! er, I mean, because just as no one wizard is an island, no one House is perfect and we all need each other blah blah blah etc.)

[alt_sally_anne]

That last answer isn't bad. 'I should prefer to be transfigured into mutton liver so that no one will eat me unless they're doing it under dire threat.'

[alt_ron]

That may be the absolutely most Slytherin thing you've ever said.

[alt_ron]

D'you think it's a trick question? Like, if you answer with people who weren't alive at the same time, they'll think you're dim and mark you down for it?

[alt_pansy]

Now that's saying something.

[alt_pansy]

See, now, I think that because it's all of history, it could be anyone, so I'd want to have different sorts of people to see what they'd all think of one another too.

I guess it depends on how you explain it in terms of whether they'd think you were really dim.

[alt_ron]

I mean, I was thinking, I might say I wanted to have lunch with some of the best cooks ever. Only I don't really know any famous cooks from history.

But that'd be clever, wouldn't it?

Or. Well, I'd really like to meet Percy Fawcett, the explorer, and Bowman Wright, y'know, the bloke who invented the snitch, but I'm not sure who else, really. I was thinking maybe Wronski, but I expect they're meant to be British wizards, yeah?

[alt_pansy]

Not necessarily. I mean, we've had our international visitors all year, so getting on with witches and wizards from other countries is something they might think is important.

[alt_sally_anne]

I think Helga Hufflepuff is supposed to have been a really good cook, actually. It's why Hufflepuff House is near the kitchen.

[alt_sally_anne]

It couldn't possibly.