Check It Out!

[alt_ron]

Hey, you lot! If you're in Hogsmeade, you should come up the top of the road, past the Broomsticks and have a look at the handcarts and buskers up here.

That bloke's back with his flying carpets, and they're charmed for stunts. Jordan and Towler're up on 'em now, doing mad loops and zooming about.

There's a witch, who's doing something with a sieve and water and says you can see the future in it. I dunno, but there are a whole pile of people seeing what she's on about.

There's a bloke selling the snitchest looking hats and trick spectacles and stuff.

And there's a cart with Quidditch stuff--team banners and badges and picture cards and all.

Another one's got dancing rats. I don't even know. You have to see it, though. They're all in costumes and hats. Some of them are even in tap shoes, I think, or maybe it's just a charm that makes it sound that way.

And then there's this chap, called Tom Foolery, and he's got all sorts of musical thingers--mouth harps and foot stompers and pit squawkers that you play under your arm, and zingers and horns and hooters and drumsticks and ting-a-lings--and he's letting everyone try stuff out. Really mad fun.

Comments

[alt_justin]

Hullo, Ron!

I say, those spectacles that made everything look all stretched out were well amusing! Did you try on one of the stovepipe hats? They actually gave off steam, what!

It was a smashing day, wasn't it?

-Justin

[alt_ron]

It was awesome.

And almost warm out, too. Most of the day.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_justin]

None of them were that Wagstaff bloke, though. I wonder if he's been captured after that last bit of 'advice' he gave?

-Justin

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

[alt_ron]

Yeah. You're right about that. I thought about it, too, though--whether he might be there. When I saw all those buskers and pedlar-types.

I wouldn't be surprised if he did get arrested. I looked in the Prophet today, actually, but I didn't see anything about it. Hard to know, though. I wonder if they always put a story in when people get arrested. I mean, sometimes it seems MLE wants everybody to know, but other times you sort of hear rumours about people getting arrested, but then people talk about how it won't ever get printed.

Luna's dad had a paper, y'know, and sometimes it had stuff in that the Ministry got cross about or that couldn't get written about in the Prophet.

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

[alt_justin]

I don't think it means anything, necessarily, if there isn't a story in the papers, what? I mean to say, in the Muggle world the papers are so full that there are loads of things they leave out, all the time. One has to choose which stories are noteworthy, if you follow me. And I should think, even if loads of people read his journal or write to him for advice, that the Prophet wouldn't find arresting or detaining someone like Wagstaff would be all that interesting to most people, do you?

If he were someone important or turned out to be some sort of DogStar person, then perhaps, because that would be a chance to show how clever they are for catching him, what?

I did know that about Luna, in fact. She told everyone about the printing plates for her father's press. I wonder what would happen if someone started another paper full of the things the Ministry don't want people to know.

-Justin

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

[alt_ron]

You're probably right. I mean, I guess that Wagstaff bloke's been writing for along time, but I don't know who really reads him. I mean, I looked at some of what he's written and I'm sure I never saw it when it was first in the books. The journals are funny that way, yeah? I mean, you kind of only see stuff you're going to be interested in. Or hacked off by, I guess. But somehow they know what you'd want to know about. And other stuff you just don't ever see. Unless you go looking for it. I mean, sometimes I tell my book I want to see stuff about um, well, like stuff about some Quidditch player, and then it shows me stuff people I don't even know have been saying about the Broadmoors or whatever. Or sometimes I get interested in other kinds of stuff. And the journals are totally full of mad stuff that people from all over are writing about just every kind of mad thing.

Anywiz.

Yeah, but if anyone tried writing stuff the Ministry don't want people to know, they'd have to watch their backs, yeah. I mean, look what they've tried to do to Sirius Black, right? Or that Charlotte Watshername that writes stuff for DogStar.

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

[alt_ron]

Say. This is a different thing, but did you see Krum at all while we were in Hogsmeade? I figured he'd gone with Sally Anne and Pansy again, but I don't think so now. I mean, when I was coming out of Honeydukes, I thought I saw him ducking down one of the alleys like he was following someone.

It was sort of queer, if you know what I mean.

[alt_gredforge]

There was some wizard stuff there, definitely. We had a long talk with the chap selling the trick spectacles and hats, asking him all about his merchandise. Gave us some ideas we can definitely use.

[alt_ron]

Heh.

I thought you were so busy with Potions revision you couldn't do anything else.

Should've known better, though.

[alt_harry]

Did you buy any of the music things?

It was brill, wasn't it.

[alt_ron]

Nah, I'd already spent all my money up at Honeydukes, but it was snitch he was letting us play everything.

I liked Bobolis's idea of having a parade, but I guess Edgecomb was right that somebody would've needed to actually buy all the instruments before we marched off with them. Shame Bobolis didn't want to put up the dosh! Maybe that bloke'll be there next Hogsmeade day and we can do it then.

I still think you should've got that hedgepig hat. It was dead hilarious some of the stuff it said to people!

[alt_harry]

If he's here next time, we might have to. And yeah, it was funny enough, but I figured my housemates would get tired of it after a while, and people don't take to being insulted very well at Buckingham.

Still. It was good for a laugh, wasn't it?

And I really want a flying carpet. It's not as good as a broom, of course, but it looked dead fun. Especially if you put a whole lot of people on it at once.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, I reckon that's true about Buckingham. Grown ups don't much like things that take the mickey, do they?

And, yeah, it was. Seems like everybody needs some laughs these days. When are NEWTs over? I mean, really, right?

Oooh. That's what we should do next time--see how many people you can squash onto a carpet and still get it off the ground!

Ha.

[alt_harry]

It's too bad they don't let the firsties come to Hogsmeade. I bet ten of them would fit on one easy.

I bet Crabbe and Goyle would break it if they tried. It'd just give up or tear or something.

And yeah, not many grown ups have a really good sense of humour, do they? I mean, it's like they forget how to have fun or something. I hope that never happens to me.

[alt_ron]

Say, did you see Professor Siz put up the list of YPL counsellors? Congratulations, mate.

[alt_harry]

You too!

I mean. You got in too, didn't you?

[alt_harry]

Yeah. You did. I just read again.

Congratulations!

This summer is going to be ace.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. I did. Thanks.

Thought I didn't at first, actually. I mean, I'm last on the list. But, yeah, I got it, and it's going to be strictly wiz!

[alt_zacharias]

You're last on the list because they're in alphabetical order. You'd think someone with 'Weasley' for a surname would start from the bottom as a rule, and work your way up.

Private Message to Zach

[alt_padma]

Isn't that what he is doing, though? Starting from the bottom and working his way up?

I guess it's not too hard to figure out how Professor Siz makes some of her decisions. Sorry you weren't selected, Smith.

But you probably ought to be more careful what you say, you know? In public, anyways. I told Lines that no one likes a sore loser. It's not well snitch.