I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good Private Message to Neville and Evelyn Longbottom

[alt_ron]

Nev, I'm not sure where you are, but when I was coming back up to the tower earlier, Featherstone and Fellsworthy had Evelyn kind of cornered at the top of the stairs outside the portrait hole. They were... not being nice.

I told them off, but I thought you should know. Are you in the library or the greenhouses or somewhere? Guess you'll be on your way back, anywiz, soon, but still.

Evelyn's okay, I think. Only, I knew you'd want to know.

And, Ev. I figured you might as well see what I'm writing.

You're okay, aren't you?

You just lookedYou went upstairs so fast, I didn't have a chance to really ask you.

Comments

[alt_neville]

I was at the greenhouses, but I've just returned. Down in the Common Room now, but I don't see Evelyn. Guess she's gone up to bed.

Thank you, Ron. Thank you.

Evelyn...I'll meet you in the Common Room tomorrow morning and we'll go down to breakfast together. All right?

[alt_ron]

No worries.

No one's going to get away with doing that if I'm there. I promise.

[alt_evelyn]

I'll be fine, Ron.

I'm sure they'll leave off once they get bored.

I'm sorry about this weekend. It all got to be a bit much. I just wish I could turn invisible until Christmas hols.

Thank you.

[alt_evelyn]

All right.

It's okay, P Nev. Honest. They were just talking.

[alt_ron]

Course you will.

And we'll make sure they do.

What are you sorry about? Yeah, it'd be nice to be able to make hols come sooner, wouldn't it? Especially if all the homework we've got between now and then would just magically be done, too. Actually, that's what chess is for. It makes time pass and makes you forget you've got other stuff to do.

See. I'm not forgetting you owe me a match, still.

So there.

[alt_evelyn]

You're right about chess. It has rules. Everything has its proper place, and if you think enough, you can sort out what the person you're playing with will do next.

I guess I'm just sorry about not being up for the play. I know you'll do fine, and get a wonderful part. I'd rather not be the center of anyone's attention, at least not now.

And you're right. I do owe you a match. Be prepared.

[alt_ron]

That's it, exactly.

No worries. Not everyone has to be in it. Sally Anne's working backstage because she really doesn't like being out front, either. And you could do that if you wanted--have a backstage thing to do. Or not. Only, either way, you don't have to feel badly about it. It's just a thing.

You're on. Tomorrow?

[alt_evelyn]

Tomorrow.