Private Message to Mum

[alt_ron]

So, um.

I've got this thing I'm supposed to do on Thursday afternoon. With

It's a show. In a gallery.

In New London.

And when I said I'd go, I didn't know about all this revising stuff. Only, I really can't say I can't go now. Cause that would be wrong.

So it's all right if I do go, isn't it?

Thanks, Mum.

Comments

[alt_molly]

Ron,

I am sorry I didn't reply to you about this before, but I simply haven't had a moment to open my journal until now. (And for goodness sakes, why didn't you speak to me about this yourself after dinner last night?)

I am sorry you are disappointed if you had made plans with a friend which must be put aside, but dear, I think we have to give priority at this point to your taking lessons we've set up for you to help you master apparition. You know the risks we are running, and we cannot obtain a portkey for you.

Is there any possibility that you can reschedule plans with your friend for the evenings? I don't know if the gallery is open then, but perhaps you can come up with some alternative to do together?

[alt_ron]

But Mum, I can't tell her I can't go now! Mr Krumgold got us a special invitation. He's doing something for the opening, and you know he was our director and choreographer for the Revue. And I just have to go!

[alt_molly]

Excuse me, young man. You don't 'have' to go. You want to go, I grant you, and I am sorry for your disappointment, because evidently you want to go quite badly.

I thought you wanted to join the Order. You told me that you were old enough and responsible enough to do so. If that is what you want, you have to realise that sometimes we members of the Order are forced to put aside our wishes to do what's best.

We are trying to teach you apparition in case you have to evacuate in an emergency. Can you doubt with that woman now running Hogwarts that the danger is not getting very great? If not for you, for your friends?

[alt_ron]

But Mum!

There's two whole wee-

Okay. Wait. If I learn to Apparate before Thursday, I could go, right?

Thanks, Mum.

[alt_molly]

'Thanks'?! I haven't agreed to any such thing! Even if you manage to apparate by Thursday--which would be very surprising--apparating once or twice isn't enough. You need to be able to do it when moving, or threatened, or tired, or surprised, or even in the midst of doing defensive spells. We also need at least some of you to be able to do side-along apparition, in case you need to evacuate others who can't do it at all, and that will take longer still.

I repeat: you can do your socialising in the evenings. In fact, I prefer that, to you burning through the family's allotment of Floo powder for endless fire chats. Like the one last night.