I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

One last outing before we all go back to school, right? Anyone coming? I should warn you that Jeremy's coming with me. He stopped pouting about not getting a quidditch day at the Burrow when I pointed out that Mrs Weasley is BEREAVED and perhaps doesn't feel like hosting yet this summer. (He wanted to organise one here but Mrs Stretton said no.) But he really wanted to come flying with us, at least.

(And one last posting before our year starts dropping off this lock. Who all has a birthday in the autumn? Hermione, yours is in September, isn't it?)

Comments

[alt_hermione]

Yes, mine's the 19^th. I'm really glad everyone joined the Order before turning 17, though.

[alt_sally_anne]

Yeah, I agree. I'm going to miss having this to ourselves though.

[alt_sally_anne]

I mean I can use a PM on the Order lock and talk to just Ron and Pansy. Or just Justin and Hydra. Or just you (and Harry).

But I can't use a PM on the Order lock and talk to you lot, without the grownups, and sometimes I don't WANT Mrs Weasley Bill Weasley all the grownups putting in their knut, you know?

[alt_hermione]

I know what you mean.

Maybe we should ask them to ignore certain messages, you know, the way Harry ignores a private message to me if it's to me and says '(and Harry Marvolo)'--I mean, he could technically still read it but he never does.

It's not quite the same as really private, of course, but it might be good enough.

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't know. I think some of them might be able to ignore messages they could see, but I'm not sure Sirius Black is one of them.

[alt_hermione]

What makes you say that? I think Sirius is one of the ones who's more likely to respect our wanting a little privacy.

[alt_sally_anne]

Because I think if anyone ever made him take an Unbreakable Vow not to put his oar in, he'd be dead in a week?

But you know him better than I do.

[alt_hermione]

Well, he can't help that he's bored most of the time. So's Mr Snape, if you ask me. But he's good at respecting boundaries when people tell him they're there.

And he knows it's important to be able to complain now and then, I mean, have you ever listened to those things his mother's portrait says? I think he really understands what it's like to be in a place where the people who're supposed to be your parents don't love you--don't even like you--and things like that.

Have you ever just talked to him? Or have you mostly tried to impress him by proving you know what you're talking about?

Anyway, I know he can be brash and if you listen to Mr Snape he's sometimes more like a six-year-old than a thirty-six-year-old (but then Mr Snape can be awfully immature sometimes, too, have you noticed? Mostly when he's talking about Sirius, I think that goes way back to when they were at school) but I also know he cares about all of us. And Mr Lupin loves him so he can't be all bad. If I had to choose parents He could be loads worse.

[alt_hermione]

And honestly, if you're going by what Mr Snape says, it's not really an indication at all. They just dislike each other. Intensely, I suppose.

It's really pretty amazing that they've even been working on that potion together.

[alt_sally_anne]

When would I have ever just talked to him? He'd need to want to talk to me, and I don't think he does. I mean I stayed at his house for a few days over Christmas hols with my mum but he kept his distance except that one utterly awkward night when we all had dinner together and he was only there for about five minutes before Bea threw a fit and he took her off to her room.

I just

Yes, I know that he and Mr Snape don't get on and it's not all Sirius's fault, they're both gits to each other constantly, they're worse than Draco and Ron used to be before they finally decided to tolerate each other.

[alt_sally_anne]

I mean it's not as if I can say 'hey Sirius, let's go grab a pint sometime.'

You know them all, I mean, you've KNOWN them all so much longer than I have sometimes it's like you're just one of the grownups, but I'm not, you know, I don't even know how to talk to him. Calling him Mr Black feels wrong because that's what I called his br but calling a grownup 'Sirius' also feels wrong.

[alt_hermione]

It was a little awkward at first because I didn't know him, either. But of all of the--all of the real adults, that is, not Bill or Charlie, and obviously not the twins or Lee Jordan--he's the only one I do call by his name, and not 'Mr Black'. Well, and Tonks, of course, but that's also because she's told us to call her that.

Anyway. I don't think it's because I've known them longer. I've known Professor McGonagall the longest but I'd never call her anything else, I don't think. But I know that when Harry Justin other people have had things they want to talk to him about, he listens. And he doesn't judge, either, not like Mrs We Mrs Lo Madam some of the others.

I mean, it's sort of like he has the least ability to judge us, in a way, because he's the first one to say he's not a good role model. Or a hero.

But I don't--I mean, it's not like I fancy him or anything. I just think he's one of the nicest members, so it's a shame you don't get on.

[alt_sally_anne]

It's not that we don't get on, it's just --

well, anyway. Let's say you're right about Sirius. What do you think the odds are Mrs Weasley wouldn't read those posts?

[alt_hermione]

Honestly, not very good (sorry, Ron). But we could ask Charlie to make sure she doesn't, maybe.

Or maybe the twins could think of a way to create a lock for more than two people.

[alt_justin]

Sally-Anne,

I say, I'd love to go but of course, it's not possible.

Oh, and my birthday's in October, what. I believe Mr Jugson means to have a talk with me about what that will mean to my lodging status. Have the Strettons said anything about the end of your fostering?

-Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh.

Yeah.

My father got wind of what happened with the people who broke into the Stretton farm and the MLE finding Diviner's Mint and all the rest. I don't know how, because it wans't in the papers. I got a letter from him that he also sent to Half-Blood Affairs questioning the character of my foster family and saying that I ought to come to him for Christmas hols, instead of them.

And Mrs Stretton pulled me into her office a few days later -- she had this tone like she was doing me a huge favour -- to say that of course once I turn 17 I have every right to spend my holidays wherever I like, and of course the Office of Half-Blood Affairs can send me packing to my father's hovel (that was her word, hovel) for Christmas if they choose but once I turn 17 I'll be able to choose where I live and then she offered me a job. More or less. As an overseer on their estates. She said that she knew I was hard-working and honest and that since I'm a half-blood no one will want to hire me. I said I wanted to be a Healer and she laughed and said that naturally I should complete my NEWTs and apply to the training programme and see what happens, but there will be a job waiting for me when they inevitably turn me down.

Oh and she said that I also had the option of living off Pansy's charity. (That's how she put it.) At least until Pansy got tired of having me around.

Anyway. That was while you were all at CCF and I didn't post about it because I was too cross to write about it and so I decided to wait until I could tell people in person. Only then when you were back from camp I just didn't feel like talking about it, and now I'm not cross anymore exactly just ... tired of the Strettons. Tired of Mr and Mrs Stretton, anyway. Jeremy's not awful, Phillip's not awful, Gemma's not awful. Even the twins aren't awful (they were pretty awful babies but they're better now that they're older.)

Sometimes I think this would all be easier if they were ALL JUST TOTALLY AWFUL. Their offer isn't really terrible. She told me what the salary would be and it's decent, better than what a lot of fostered half-bloods wind up with after they leave school. If they'd had Megan as a foster daughter just think how pleased she'd be by that? They'd have got on well with Megan, I think. Instead, Megan had that old lady...

Yeah.

Anyway.

What do you think the Jugsons want you to do?

[alt_justin]

Oh, I say, I'm sorry you had to bear that without the rest of us round to support, what.

And yes, I do understand. Tonks had the advantage that the Crouches were bally well hateful--I mean to say, not that one would wish her abused but that it made her decision to leave unquestionable.

There are moments I feel the Jugsons aren't bad sorts, either. At least I do believe they've tried, what. I've a notion Mr Jugson might like me to stay on, particularly if they believe I've a chance to marry Hydra. I'm well certain I'd rather not, what, but it's a question of what alternatives one has.

-Justin

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, if you've got other alternatives you could tell them 'I'll live with you if you stop doing the following annoying things' (like grounding you) and see what they say.

[alt_pansy]

What? She

What?

Oh, Sally-Anne. How horrid. Honestly. And it's even worse because from their point of view, they're trying to be reasonable. I still want to slap her, though,

[alt_sally_anne]

Yes, she absolutely thinks she's being reasonable.

And in a lot of ways she is.

I've been thinking about it and wondering if I should recommend Megan Jones to them. Jones isn't very well connected, especially with Dolores Umbridge inside a plate. And she'd be competent enough at the sort of things they want from their staff.

[alt_pansy]

True. She did get through her OWLs. And you're right that she doesn't have much else in terms of connections. Harry'd probably know more. They talk sometimes. Or Justin or Sue, of course.

[alt_susan]

That's...a pretty good idea, really. I'd never have thought of the Strettons, but it makes a lot of sense.

[alt_ron]

It totally reeks.

I hope I don't have to try to make nice to Mrs Stretton anytime soon. Because I want to tell her what I think of all that.

[alt_pansy]

I'll be there!

[alt_susan]

I do wish I could come & get one last flight in before term starts, but no such luck.

I can't really complain though--Great-Aunt Mina pretty much saved the day when it came to my Apparition fine. Apparently they need some extra help at the Owl Emporium to cover the pre-Hogwarts rush, and she sort of volunteered me.

I'll be cleaning owl cages until we get on the train, but that plus my counselor money will cover most of my fine, and Great-Aunt Mina said she'd get the rest since I'll be helping out her friend.

Mum's still cross though.

[alt_ron]

Ugh. I'm sorry. I mean, I can see Mum's point that if I was going to pay any fine it should be mine first. Only. You wouldn't've got in trouble if it hadn't been for me,

Maybe it's as well you weren't out with us today, though. I mean, your mum might not have been too keen on how it turned out.

Not that we were ever in any danger, but still.