I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

So the tea was very good today but I have to admit I find it frustrating when we have to actually stay at Doughty Conduit and appreciate tea, instead of going back to 12GP.

Justin, did Remy and Alfie seem to have a good time? Because if so, we should try to be more boring the next time they come.

Admittedly my RAT stowed away in my bag so I'm hardly in a position to point fingers at people who bring along the uninvited. I let him have a biscuit, too, which may have been a tactical error. Sebastian is less of a problem along than Remy, though!

Comments

[alt_justin]

Hullo, Sally-Anne,

Yes, I'm quite sorry, again, everyone, that they had to come along. I say, Mrs Jugson does have bally well peculiar ideas about what we're meant to be doing 'as a family.' I believe I mentioned that last night we weren't to use our journals at all but instead had an evening of parlour games and entertaining each other, what.

I believe I've made an arrangement with Remy, now, so that next time he and Alfie may go on their own into New London and leave us to it. (I don't think Alfie's at all keen on the ambience at Doughty Conduit, what. And Remy did enjoy himself but not nearly so much as he might like paying a call on, say, Finnigan.)

I say, the well awkward moment for me was when Alfie made that remark about how he'd better things to do than watch all of us 'snog our girlfriends,' or however he put it. Ron, I can only assume he meant you and me, old man!

-Justin

Private message to Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

I was hoping he'd have that reaction.

I mean, we decided snogging in front of Remy and Alfie might be a public service! (If it made them think, 'next time let's find somewhere else to go.')

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_justin]

I say, you're a credit to the Institute, sacrificing yourselves that way!

-Justin

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

Exactly!

I mean we don't HAVE to snog in front of people so usually we don't. The Strettons don't care where I go or what I get up to.

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_justin]

It rather makes me wonder just what Mr Jugson has in mind for when I turn 17 in October. They've been trying so bally well hard to make me feel part of the family I'm not sure whether it's so I shall stay or merely so I shan't feel ill-used when he tells me I shall be on my own.

Either way, what, I don't well relish offending them if I tell them I've no intention of burdening them further. I say, I think they've enjoyed the attention of fostering a notorious defector, if you follow me.

-Justin

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh, I'm sure they have.

Are you thinking you'll move out? To a flat of your own, or what?

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_justin]

I'm not well certain, just yet. Something I shall need to work out with the Jugsons, I expect. And Sirius.

I've time to decide, though, what!

I say, it's too bad we couldn't all take a house together. Then no one would think much about who comes or goes.

Well, I suppose we ought to get some sleep. Mrs Jugson told us she'd like us to go shopping with her tomorrow morning. One can only imagine what she has in mind.

Good night!

-Justin

Re: Private message to Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

A house for all of us would be BRILLIANT.

Maybe we could find one that no one cared about, something old and creaky and not in New London. So it wouldn't cost I suppose I'd need to be able to apparate to live there, though.

[alt_ron]

That rat is a menace, really. He bit me today. I mean, I was only reaching in to see if you had a quill with you, and he bloody bit me! Couldn't make a scene about it either, could I? Because nobody wants to find out there's a rat in a cafe, do they?

At least Remy and Alfie keep their teeth to themselves!

Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

I've been talking to Daphne - mostly about Avery's social, which I'm escorting her to tomorrow - but somehow in the middle of things, this came out:

I know a little bit about what you all do. I mean, not really, but I know you do something. And I haven't asked because I'm not sure I want the details. Sally Anne knows that she can ask me for help, if it's needed, and that I won't ever ask for the details. I think we should probably keep it that way.

What's she mean by that? Does she know as much as she thinks she knows? I don't want to think she's trying to fish around for dirt, because it didn't seem as if she was, but she is noted for her acting abilities.

And then she said that she was lonely.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, all the galleon-holders were in on what happened with Fawcett -- until they weren't anymore. Obviously we got her somewhere safe, but we didn't tell them how, or where, or who, and Daphne isn't thick. She had a pretty good idea that some of us were in on details she wasn't.

We talked about it, once. She also noticed that people disappeared from Siz and Raz's wedding. She doesn't -- I mean, I didn't think she wanted to know too many details.

I didn't know she was lonely.

Maybe she should come appreciate tea.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

I'm not sure she wants to know, either.

She also said something about how she knew I wouldn't ever hurt a girl, or anyone else who's weaker than me. I'm not sure if there was something implied there or not.

I could ask her about tea tomorrow, if you like. Oh, but she was concerned with Pansy thinking that she and I were dating, so, if Pansy hears that we are, or any other nonsense like that, would you mind setting it straight?

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

I can tell her, yeah.

I think saying 'you wouldn't ever hurt a girl,' that's probably her thinking about Bole -- that you're not like him.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

Ta, I appreciate it.

Bole's a piece of filth.

Blaise might be, too - just not in the same way. I wonder if she knows that.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

I would love to see Bole run afoul of the wrong person. And I expect he will, eventually. But at least Daphne's shed of him.

As for Zabini -- mostly I just try to stay clear of him. He thinks I'm below contempt and unworthy of our House because I'm not a pureblood. I'm rather curious what he's done to make you wary of him, though? Surely he's always tried to stay on your good side.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

Since when do people like Bole run afoul of the wrong person? Far as I can tell, they're the types who end up in charge.

Blaise is a complete Slytherin so I expect that when it comes right down to it, he'll bend where the wind goes. I also expect that he has no interest in joining the council. But he's never going to think of people like you and Hermione with anything less than contempt.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

Bole could date a girl with a father like Hydra's. You'd think he'd have more sense, but I think he likes to run risks, to some extent. Daphne wasn't exactly powerless. He could have found himself a fostered half-blood if he'd wanted someone with no defenders and he didn't do that -- the game, for him, was convincing someone like Daphne that she had no more power than someone's muggleborn servant.

So yeah. I think he could get himself in trouble sometime. Real trouble.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

Let's hope so.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

And about Zabini.

It's really odd to hear you talk this way because it wasn't that long ago I'd have said the same about you. Or almost. I might have said that you'd always been kind to me, but that I didn't think you'd ever see Hermione as someone with a right to carry her own wand.

And I was wrong. I didn't know you nearly as well as I thought.

When did you change?

I don't think Zabini has unknown depths here, though. I think he really is just a snob.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

You thought I had unknown depths, did you?

I didn't. Not until Dennis was killed - I think that's when it first started, whether I knew it or not.

So maybe there's hope for Blaise yet, and my others, besides. But I'm inclined to think your assessment of Blaise is correct.

I'm not saying it's been easy, or that there's not certain feel ideas I don't occasionally struggle with. But once you've seen enough, you can't deny how meaningless it all is - not unless you're an idiot. Or blind.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

There are people who aren't idiots and who aren't blind, but who decide to close their eyes because it's easier. Or safer. Or because it's too frightening to think about what it means to have been wrong all this time.

But you're right. That there are people you wouldn't expect. And hope for people others might give up on.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

But -- I mean, maybe you don't like Daphne that way? But I don't know why you WOULDN'T date her. She's pretty, she's fun, she's a nice person. Pansy wouldn't

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

Sure, I know she's all of those things, but that doesn't mean I want to date her.

I don't think she's going to try to steal Ron back, if that's what you're worried about.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh, I'm not worried about that.

I'd just like her to be happy.

You, too, for that matter.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

Who says I'm not happy? I wake up singing every day.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

Well you seemed utterly miserable at Hydra's party.

But maybe you had a headache that day?

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_draco]

First Hermione gives me a hard time, now you, too?

I just feel odd there sometimes, that's all. Look, it's like I said above, there's still certain things that are a struggle. Pretending to find Black's jokes hilarious is one of them.

Re: Private message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give you a hard time about it.

It's a shame Mr Snape couldn't come to the party. He doesn't find Sirius Black the least bit funny; I think he's rather in perfect sympathy with you, actually.