I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Listen. Thanks, Pans. For what you did. Writing in public about us.

That was-

yeah.

And I know I wasn't making sense earlier when we were talking about it. It's just-

I don't know what I think. I don't know-
 
 
 
See, the thing is, I don't understand this Dogstar lot.

Oh, I get that they didn't do all the bollocks the Prophet says they did or planned to do--I mean, starting another epidemic? or somehow making all the dragons break out and attack us? probably not--but they did some of it, for dead sure. And some of it looks like stuff they really might try to do. Like bomb the Third Task. Or put poison in pumpkin juice. I mean, how can you tell what they'd do or wouldn't.

Pansy's right. They bombed the World Cup. And they hurt loads and loads of people. And they've done other stuff, too, that hurt just as many regular people as camp enforcers or Ministry people or whoever they were meant to be targeting.

And I don't understand what they mean to do. Do they want to make things better for the Muggles? or for us? or just make things a mess so the Ministry look like fools?

Because, have they done any of that very well? I mean, MLE don't look very foolish today. And the Ministry can tell the Prophet to print whatever it wants, yeah? Like that rubbish about Neville's parents.

Or that business about Mrs Brownmiller at the Ministry. You know, I met her when I went to work with my dad that time. They're on committees together, I think, and he's a liaison to her department. And she was really nice. I know dad likes her. Only, see. What they said- what Mr Deverill said about always thinking she was a bloodtraitor and too soft on muggles and all. He could be saying the same about my dad.

I bet he has done. Told MLE, I mean, that my dad's soft on muggles and muggleborns. And what happened to her? Could happen to my dad. It really could, I think. I mean, I know he's careful. I know he is. But.

And I know he'd never be part of Dogstar, only what do the wand smugglers actually do? You know? I keep thinking-

What would they be willing to do? How different are they? And-

What if they actually are part of Dogstar, y'know? How do I really know they're not? I don't, do I?

Comments

[alt_terry]

Ron, I honestly don't think they are. I know I can't prove it, but...

Look. Hermione knows Sirius Black. So he's with the wand smugglers. And Hermione is, too. Sirius Black has always warned about methods. Didn't he? I've never seen him raving about killing anyone, unlike that journal that was Dog Star's. And I just...I just don't think that the people who gave me a wand, so I could survive being assigned to someone as cruel as the git, would go around blowing up bridges and plotting to poison water sources and murdering people. I just don't.

[alt_pansy]

I'll hear about it one way or the other.

But if it means a little more attention is on me and less on him, that's okay. And I can handle a bit of attention.

You're right, though. You don't know. And I think that's a good thing. Because if you did? That would just... I don't even know what that'd be like. It'd be awful. For lots of reasons. I bet you'd feel a bit like Ne

I guess it'd be better to know for sure that they weren't for sure, but you don't.

And normal people can do bad things. Awful terrible horrific things. Things you'd never think they could do. Things that make you sick and sad and

I'm sorry.

I think your parents are lovely. I wish my mum was more like yours. And I wish you knew for sure that they weren't.

And as far as what they wanted to do? The Dogstar people?I have no idea. It doesn't make any sense to me at all. What Terry said about the wands... that makes much more sense.

[alt_luna]

I agree. About the Weasleys, at least. They wouldn't ever be party to doing anything cruel. We don't even know they are involved with anything, anyway.

But I'm afraid that doesn't necessarily mean that some people at the Ministry won't look suspiciously at Mr Weasley. Precisely because he IS so kind.

[alt_justin]

Hullo, Ron.

It's well shocking, isn't it? Though outside of the Protectorate, people--Muggles, I mean to say--blow each other up all the time. Not that that's not bally well shocking, as well, what, only--well. I mean to say, it's not that much safer, really.

But as I told Neville, I don't think Black condoned anything the DogStar did. Did you see, even the last post, the one that the gossip magazines are saying was actually MLE--he simply made a joke about it, but if you knew him, you'd know it's because he was probably well upset by all their threats.

I think the smugglers are trying to change people's minds, what, more like...one at a time. Or a few at a time.

I say, do you think your father's one of them? The smugglers, I mean?

-Justin

[alt_ron]

Well obviously I don't think they are, either. But that's the point. I can't prove they're not, and you'd never have thought it of Mrs Brownmiller. And she was a friend of my dad's. Or, well. I don't know that friend is right. I mean, my parents don't really have that sort of friends. Neighbours, yeah, but it's not like we have loads of people come for parties or supper or anything. Ever.

Which-

Nevermind.

But the thing is, once you start thinking about it, all the things you think you know go pear-shaped.

What do you think Sirius Black would've done to get you your wand? Or to help you if he thought he could? Would he kill Carrow? Would he hurt other people if it would help people who need his help?

[alt_ron]

Yeah, I know. And Nev'll know, too. I know he'll appreciate you doing it.

And, yeah. It's just the not knowing.

And then stuff like this happens, and you know it could happen to them. To Mum and Dad. And the papers would say stuff about them, and probably it would all be lies. I mean, it could totally all be lies. Or not.

I don't know.

I know I sound mental.

I mean, I want to think that Sirius Black and whoever's part of it with him would only do good things. Only, I wonder sometimes what they might have to do in order to get anything good done, y'know?

[alt_pansy]

You don't sound mental.

There's a lot we don't know.

And there's a lot that people lie about.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, yeah. 'Muggles blow each other up, too.' They say that to us all the time here. That's why they had to put them all in camps because they were horrible and violent and did awful things to people. But then the Ministry does the same stuff. And not just to the Muggles.

I think you're right about Sirius Black. He didn't like the Dogstar business. And he was trying to tell people not to support that.

And I like that, yeah, that the smugglers are trying to change people's minds. Or anywiz, that's what Black's been doing in those Grim Truths of his.

I dunno about my dad. I guess I sometimes like to think maybe he and mum are part of it. I mean, they're probably not. They're not the heroic type, y'know, at all. Just regular parents, who have to work really hard and can be a bit mental sometimes.

It's just I think they'd support Sirius Black if they could. And they'd agree with the things he says.