Ron Weasley

I don't know if either of you'll see Ev, but if you do, would you tell her I'm not cross?

Only, it's bloody awkward.

You've no idea how badly I want to hex Smith right now.

 
 
 
 
What colour red did I turn?

Ugh.

So the twins are back from the Dragon Reserve. They've got some hilarious stories to tell on Charlie, too, and how he's got all old on us and couldn't keep awake as long as they could, and told them it was 'half past dead o'clock' and they needed to knock off.

Anywiz. They wanted me to write some stuff here that they've been thinking--about the lock and all. They said I should just copy it out, and I think I will do, even though that's a complete pain because they have loads to say. You'd think some teacher'd said they had to write twelve inches or something.

We know we made this lock originally so we could talk to the Professor. But we're not dim enough to think that its first purpose should be its ONLY purpose.

We understand that people are worried about all the possible 'what ifs.' What if we tell her and it all goes plow-into-the-ground, like a Wronski Feint gone horribly wrong?

When we made the Lock, we did a lot of research and we tested it first before we started using it. It looks to us that you've done the same thing with this decision about adding Hydra Lestrange: you gathered information about her from the people in the group who know her best, namely Justin and Hermione and Sally-Anne and Pansy. Then you tested: Justin told her his secret about being Muggleborn, and when it was clear she was okay with that, he tested her again by telling her about Sirius Black. And she passed that test, too.

Look, the reason that things have gone for shite in the Protectorate is that the Ministry has slowly been tightening the screws on all of us. For years now. Used to be someone like Hermione and Terry could go into a shop and buy a wand, and no one would bat an eye. But once the Lord Protector took power, they started changing the rules and clamping down and people went along with it. You know why? Because the Ministry kept raising the stakes, making it less scary to go along than it was to take the risk of saying 'No.' And that made it easier the next time for the Ministry to do things more awful still. Until we're at this point, where people like Hermione and Terry risk death if they pick up a wand.

Nothing's going to change unless minds are changed. And maybe that means using the Lock by adding people to it who maybe are willing to have their minds opened a little. IF we take that risk and give them the chance to rethink things. A person like Hydra Lestrange, coming from the family she comes from, is going to be groomed to move into power. To help run things someday. Wouldn't it be a good idea to move people into running things who actually agree with us? Except we shouldn't think of it only like 'how can we use her?' It's more like 'doesn't she deserve the chance to show us what she can do, if we appeal to the best in her, instead of the worst?'

Don't all of us deserve that? Doesn't the Protectorate deserve that--or whatever this land will be when the Lord Protector is gone?

It IS a risk. And taking risks can be dead scary. But Sirius Black already said it: the Ministry is counting on keeping things the way they are because they're willing to MAKE it scary if we question and challenge the way things are.

So, yeah. That's their vote. That we should do it. I'm not sure why they thought they had to go on and on, since it's not like we don't all agree about what's going on in the Protectorate. But, yeah. Do we agree Hydra's in? Or does someone have something else to say about it? Hermione: are you all right with it, then?

So, I don't know about you lot, but I've been thinking about who else we should add. And I think Ken Towler and Bundy and Sue Bones. Oh, and Bell and Johnson, too. Who else?

Thanks for the birthday parcel. The biscuits are great. Actually, they're pretty much gone already. And I had some of the jam for breakfast and it was really it tasted like home, Mum. So, yeah, thanks.

Um. We're looking forward to being home for hols soon. Did George or Fred already ask if we could have friends over for one of the days? We were thinking maybe Quidditch, but maybe a broom trip to keep up our skills for CCF--well, for my lot, but G&F said that'd be fun for them, too. If it's all right with you, we'll start asking people now, so they can get permission and make plans and all.

That was wizard fun yesterday! (Except for the part that wasn't, but that didn't change that the whole thing was brilliant.)

The part I liked best was finding our bearings in the snow, because, yeah, that changes everything, but I knew the direction-finding charm to use and worked just like it was supposed to, and that was awesome.

So. What did you do best? Or what was most fun in your group? Aside from WINNING the whole game, before you say that, Perks!!!

I was thinking of going out this afternoon and trying that melting spell to make a long sluice down the sledging hill, but I'm stuck here waiting to talk to Madam Hooch. The twins and Towler said she might know something that could be done about my broom, but she's off to Hogsmeade or something today. I dunno. I want to talk to her, though, while there's still a chance because I think it's just getting worse and worse. I don't really think she'll be able to do anything, but I've got to try, y'know?

So, yeah.

I thought it was really stupe this morning when we got the owl with the tickets and all. And Dad read the whole article out to us about the Cup.

But, d'you know what? Our seats are in level nine and a half. Like what's that even about? And then we've been reading where everyone else'll be sitting. And it turns out we're a half level above Corner's family, and the twins reckon that means we're in this section that's half a level below the main section for purebloods and half a level above the top of the section that's for halfbloods. Like it's the worst seats they could give Dad and not stick him with the halfbloods.

I mean, sorry, Sally Anne, but y'know what I mean.

And Dad. He seems really, I dunno. Not upset. He wouldn't let us see that if he was. But, well. I think he's worried what it means. Anywiz, he had to go in to work today, and he said he's going to be working loads of extra hours straight up to the Cup because there're work crews that his Department has to process, who're doing last minute stuff at the stadium. And that's why he's been so tired and busy since I've been home. I mean, I've hardly seen him at all, and I guess he's known about the Cup a long time, only he couldn't say anything because it was super secret and all.

But wouldn't you think that people who work at the Ministry and are making it all happen behind the scenes would get decent seats?

I mean, I knew we wouldn't have anything like the seats Harry and you'll have, Sally Anne. And Pans, you'll have good seats, too, I reckon. Cause you will.

But section nine and a half?

That's just-

It's just wrong.

For Oliver Wood!!!

Awesome Keeper! Best Captain Ever!

Good show, mate!

And, um. Well done, Gryffindor.

The Prophet sent someone out to talk to us this afternoon. And take pictures. Mine and Malfoy's.

He spent the whole time looking like he'd just stepped in something foul. I'm sure the picture will be hilarious--both of us trying to get out of the frame so we don't have to stand by the other git.

I think they might've said it'd be in tomorrow. I'm not sure. I think they were talking to Professor Brutka, too. Anzywiz, they were asking him if they could get pictures of the hippogriff. He didn't seem too happy about that. But maybe he's worried they're trying to get him sacked?

So what is it with girls and flowers?

All the girls in Gryffindor are all gooey today about Zabini sending Greengrass those roses this morning.

Honestly? Who cares if Zabini's got more galleons than sense?


I guess Frobisher's probably glad they've all got something to talk about other than just her, though. Not that she seems to notice. Anything, really.

Oi, Stretton!

I hear you forgot Sally Anne's birthday was today. (It was Pansy that said, not her, so don't get cheesed off at her.) Anywiz, it's not so hard to send a school owl, or, y'know, walk up to someone and say 'Many Happy Returns', is it?

I mean, I know you're not her brother or anything, but it would've been a decent thing to do.

Yeah. So that was dumb.

Mum went on about it at breakfast, and I was all confused.

And then I had to say I must've just gone to sleep last night and dreamed I wrote! And you should've heard the ribbing the twins gave me about that. 'Cause they were looking hexes at me while Mum was going on.

And, yeah. And then Sally Anne piled on in the journals.

So I messed up.

But it's okay. Mum didn't know what'd happened. She believed me that I'd dreamed writing you.

So, anywiz. Thanks for a great time the other day.

Did Errol get there yet with the letter for your gran?

Uh.

Fred? or George?

Are you at Quidditch or the library or somewhere?

If you're coming back to the tower soon, I could use your help with something.

This parchment for Divination is driving me mad. I mean to say, Palmistry? Complete bollocks.

For the first project after hols, we had to use palmistry to read our own futures in the short term, and she made us come up with three things we were going to follow between then and the end of February. So I decided to look into how much I'd grow, and whether I'd end up in the hospital wing at all, and whether my fantasy Quidditch side would improve its win-loss percentage. And my readings came out that I wouldn't grow at all, that I'd have to see Madam Pomfrey three times, and that my Quidditch side was going to have nothing but wins for the whole two months.

Obviously palmistry's bollocks. I've grown at least four inches, haven't got hurt at all, and my Hogsmeade Harriers lost both matches they've played since Hewett got hexed in that duel. If he's not back on his broom for next week's matches, I'm done for. We'll be bottom of the league for sure.

I don't know what I'm supposed to write about it now. Professor Carpenter'll just say I did the readings wrong in the first place and give me low marks for the whole project.

Potions was rubbish today, too. In case you were wondering. I mixed up when I was supposed to add the newt tails, and I had to throw the whole thing out. Another zero for me. Hoo-bloody-ray.

And I heard somebody say it's supposed to rain tonight--that'll make Astronomy just so much fun.

At least we've got Creatures tomorrow. It was dead hilarious yesterday when the Niffler went for Parvati's necklace. And after all the times he's told us not to wear anything shiny! So what does she say to Brown? 'I thought he just meant rings.' How daft can you be?

NO!

Hey Fisheye, Perks. How was the party last night? The little people want to know.

Are we meeting up tonight or what? When? Where?

So is it dead awesome to be fourteen or what?

There's lots of stuff to tell you about.

But first, I wanted to say thanks for pressies.

Nev, the chocs were great. We ate them up right away before Mum could tell us not to. Heh!
The Cannons mittens are nift, Perks. And Mum really liked the wrist warmers you knitted her, too. She spent a long time looking at how you'd done the design, so I guess you did pretty well! And I've got the picture from one of my Cannons posters on that picture thinger you gave me. Mum said I should have a picture of all the family, but, y'know. I'll maybe do that if we take a picture with Charlie while we're visiting, but right now it's really nift because the picture I've got is Wintringham making this amazing save with two bludgers coming at him from opposite directions!
Parks, you're the best, getting me that book on broom charms. It's the same one you checked out from the library in London over the summer, yeah? But it's got an extra chapter on modern innovations, which is aweome. I keep working on the Silver Arrow, and she's getting better all the time. The broom kit's got really great twig clips, too, and they're supposed to be charmed to always stay sharp, so that's nifter than wiznift!
Hey, Terry. That box you carved is really dead amazing. And the lion on top looks really good. I don't know how you do that.
I'm really sorry all I could do for you lot was crackers again. I'm dead hopeless at making stuff. I mean, really. Anywiz, I liked it all a lot. So, thanks!

There's other stuff I wanted to tell you, too. Like about some stuff I've talked about with Mum and Dad--well, mostly Dad, actually. Some of it was about that hex of Percy's. They were really cross about that. But it was interesting, too, because I got to ask Dad some questions I've been meaning to about Dark Magic. Well, because he was trying to say that I should think about the things I do to get back at people sometimes, because putting a mean hex on someone that embarrasses them or whatever is a bit like using a hex that makes them do stuff they don't want to, and he said it was all a matter of degrees.

Anywiz, he says Dark Arts are always about either hurting people or making stuff happen against someone's will. Like the Imperius curse or the hex Percy put on me are both bad because I didn't get to decide for myself what I'd say to people. I had to do just what Percy wanted. And it felt really, really wrong. But really Dark spells use stuff like blood in order to do really big stuff that no other magic can make happen. Like he said that Dark sorcerers sometimes do spells that start with killing someone in order to make the wizard's power greater or make him live longer or heal someone who's about to die. So it's not always something horrible that you want to do, but it takes doing something really awful like killing a person or a unicorn or something in order to do it. Like the Death Eaters. That's why they're called that, I think. Because they do Dark stuff that takes lifeblood for the spells or potions or whatever.

But I wanted to tell you, too, about something else interesting that's happened. On Wednesday we went off on our brooms, exploring. I mean, it was really getting dull being cooped up inside, and when Percy was around--did I tell you what we did to Percy?--it was terrible, so Mum said we could go off with Mr Diggory and Cedric to go scavenging a bit in some of the old muggle towns around here. There are loads of them, y'know. Little places tucked up in the woods and round the coastline and in the hills. Hamlets, Mr Diggory calls them. Not even proper villages, some of them. Like they'd have a pub but no owl post office, or a church but no grocery or pub. Anywiz, the big seaside towns have been pretty well picked over by teams from the Ministry, but some of the little places haven't been touched. Mr Diggory says that at first people were too sensitive to, y'know, take stuff that belonged to the people who used to live there, but now it's clear they're never coming back, and if it's stuff that could be useful, then it's better it's put to use than just left to the vines and rust and rats and all.

Anywiz, we went first to a little tiny hamlet called Hand and Pen where Mr Diggory had seen a bunch of yarn in a house one time, and he said Mrs Diggory'd been after him for yonks to go back and collect it for her. So we did that and found some jars and stuff in an old canning cellar, so we packed that up, too. And we had a big sort of sling, like a hammock, that the twins strung up between their brooms, and they went and took that stuff back to the Diggories' while the rest of us went on to a place called Slewton Combe that's not much bigger than a knut and wasn't worth that much. So we didn't stay long. Just kind of looked in windows and poked about in a couple of sheds. And then we got to a place called Whimple that's quite a bit bigger than the others--I mean, it has a square and there's a church and a school building and there used to be two pubs and a big place called Whiteways that made cider and stuff out of apples and pears. Mr Diggory thought there might be some things there that people on the barter network could use, and he found loads of stuff that he got us to shift out of the barns and buildings. And then Mr Woodhayes turned up and said a couple of the other men from the network were on their way, too. And about then the twins came back, so Mr Diggory said we could go off on our own if we wanted and do some proper exploring.

So we flew off, the three of us plus Cedric, and we went poking about the countryside and ended up in a place called Newton Poppleford, and it was full of mad muggle stuff. Like when we flew into town, and just as we crossed the river at the bridge where the main muggle road goes into town, there was this house that had sort of statues in the front that were of bears wearing clothes and posed like they're waving at you. Totally mad. There must've been a dozen of them, those bears! We decided we should go in one of the pubs because its sign says it has a skittles alley, but when we went in, it smelt as if something'd died in there, so we left right quick. Phoah! Cedric said it smelt the way you'd think that Mr Black's corpse probably smells if it weren't sealed up in that box. He's been to see it, and he said it was really decayed. Said it was pretty interesting to see what happens to a body. He was telling us that one of the cheeks had sort of caved into the mouth and the lip on the other side looked like it had sort of slid down his chin or summat. Anywiz, I don't know if we'll get to go now that we're going to Stornoway. Which is, y'know, probably good, 'cause if it's as awful as Cedric said, I can't imagine Mum letting us look at it. She'd have kittens about Ginny seeing it, for sure.

Anywiz, Newton Poppleford was pretty interesting. We went in some houses and they were pretty much just like the Muggles had left them. Only one of them'd had a leak in the thatch and stuff that'd got ruined inside.

Oh, and we went in the village hall and there was this picture display up.--Did you know Muggle pictures don't move? That was queer.--Anywiz, it showed pictures of people sledging in the winter, and there were some of people in fancy dress for some carnival they had there, and some were of kids running about in the schoolyard, and some were ladies in hats and odd-looking clothes standing about by the church. And then there were a whole load of pictures that showed blokes playing something that uses bludger bats but on the ground and has funny-looking masks and big padded kit.

And then there was this one picture of a lady who looked a bit like Mum, and she was holding a big bunch of flowers and smiling like she was really happy. And, I dunno. It made me wonder if we'd been into her house at all, and y'know, where she is now. It was odd.

But we found some nift stuff. Cedric found one of those bludger bats, and the twins found some tools and a really enormous cauldron in the school kitchen that they figured was for making soup, but they've got other ideas for it, and I just picked up some little stuff--a ball that bounces all ways you wouldn't expect, and a pipe that's carved with a bloke's head, and some sweets called sherbet lemons that fizz in your mouth, and I was going to bring a load of muggle blowing gum from the shop there, but we tried it and it'd gone off. It was just all hard and nasty. Oh, and I got a pocket watch that you have to wind up, but it keeps good time. I gave it to Dad because I knew he'd think it was really nift, and he really does.

For Christmas!

And Mum's cooking. I mean, here at school you don't ever wake up because you're smelling breakfast cooking, do you? Or know it's time to come in for lunch because you can hear Mum banging pots about in the kitchen. And you don't start thinking about supper at half-four because you can already smell the roast cooking.

And none of it will be transfigured!

It's been a while since I've been home for Christmas, too. So I can't wait to see all the decorations: the garland and the candles, and Mum sticks cloves into apples--and oranges, too, if she can get any--and that makes everything smell great!

I hope they haven't brought in the pine boughs yet for over the doors. I remember going with Bill and Charlie when I was still pretty small and helping them pull the branches back home.

And Mum'll be humming carols all the time. And there'll be sweets for tea time.

I don't know how much snow there's been at home, but one year we got great gobs of it over the hols, and when Charlie came home from school, we made a giant snow fortress, and the twins made a cannon and shot snow balls at Percy and Ginny when they came out to see what we were up to!!!

And there'll be pie. And Mum's jam. And toast soldiers with our eggs.

So, yeah. I can't even wait!

Uh.

Parks?

Are you all right?

Hey, Perks. What are you writing Mrs Malfoy about? Are you having another meeting of that club thinger she started?

Or

You're not in some kind of trouble are you? I mean, everything's all right, isn't it?

Hey, Pansy, Sally Anne.

What are you doing after Potions today? Or, y'know, before Astronomy tonight? Besides eating supper.

That switching spell we did today in Transfiguration? It was kind of a mess over at my table. I mean, I got it. Mostly. But I couldn't explain it to Bundy, and she was just a menace. I got spiked twice, and she just missed her own face with one of them. None of them went where they were supposed to go, and the best of it was that most of them didn't shift at all.

We've got double Transfig again tomorrow morning, so it would be really, really nift if she'd got it before then because we won't have Goyle spraying them all over the room to keep Carrow from noticing us. I think it's something she's doing wrong with her wand, but maybe it's how she's setting up the hedgehog by the gourd. Or maybe it was just that the people behind us were making nasty remarks all the time and making her nervous.

Anywiz, you made it work, right? D'you think you could show Bundy how it's done? If I can get her to meet somewhere this afternoon?

Nev, what about you? I didn't see how you were getting on. I was too busy trying to keep Bundy from putting an eye out--mine.

Blackpool was sorcerous, mate! Thank your gran for letting you invite us!

I really liked the diving with dolphins pool--it was amazing when they cast the Bubblehead charm on everybody! I've never seen Fred and George look so funny! (Too bad Percy was off with his girlfriend--his head's big like that all the time, so he'd have been a natural.)

Anyway, I liked the games and the promenade, too, and all the buskers. I mean, some of the stuff was too wizard for Weymouth.

Too bad about Evelyn's friend and that fortune-telling stall, though. She looked white as a sheet after that! Almost as pale as Perks after that last rollercoaster ride, except hers was a kind of green-colour, wasn't it?

The twins said they're going to try making some enchanted hats like those jester ones we saw--and I bet they totally do it. And those single-seater flying carpets? They could probably make some of those, too. I bet they could move to Blackpool and make a million galleons!

Anyway, the games were wicked, too. I thought Wood was for sure going to win that ginormous stuffed dragon in the Catch the Quaffle stall. If he'd just had a bit more time, he'd have done it, too. Of course, the erumpent he did win was big enough. I thought Ginny's eyes would pop out of her head when she saw it! I wonder if they got that back through the Floo with them!!

So, yeah, it was an awesome day. My Mum says I should save something to say in my thank you note to your gran, but tell her thanks now, too, yeah? A dead wicked day!!