(no subject)

[alt_sally_anne]

I got an owl this morning with a letter about my new foster family. They're just taking me for the summer since it's a bit urgent I have somewhere to go. Anyway I'm going to live with another Quidditch player but this time it's Oliver Wood's family, you know the Gryffindor Quidditch captain. He must have heard this morning too because I saw Ron talking to him and pointing at me when we were sitting down for lunch just now.

So anyway that's settled. I hope the Woods let me go visit Pansy over the summer. The letter didn't say much about them, just that they live in Wales and have been confirmed as a suitable placement, they checked the geneological registry and I guess they inspected too.

I think I did alright on the History of Magic exam this morning but who knows. Astronomy this afternoon. Transfiguration tomorrow, I wonder what Professor Carrow will ask this time? And then Potions on Friday and I have my detention Friday night with Professor Slughorn.

Comments

[alt_ron]

Yeah, Wood wanted to know if you were an all right sort. I told him you're wizard. Then he asked how you are on a broom. I said you'd passed flying like all the firsties. I didn't say any more than that, but thought you might want to know. Wood's a bit, well, focused on Quidditch, I guess you could say.

Who knows about History of Magic, really. I mean the Goblin rebellion of 498 vs. the Great Rising of 1102: comment on the differences in strategy employed blah blah blah? I thought time would never be up this morning. Seriously.

I'm kind of looking forward to Astronomy, though. I actually liked it, and I think I remember a lot of what she told us. I actually had quite a lot of notes when I looked them over last night.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well if he's focused like Jeremy was I probably won't see him much.

Wait, are you thinking he'd want me to practice Quidditch with him? THAT would be hilarious. I mean I'm better on a broom than Longbottom but that's about all you can say.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, that's what I thought, too! I bet he does want you to play Quidditch with him. He wants to go professional, y'know.

Oooh! Maybe you and Wood can come visit us sometime, and we could get up a game. The twins can usually find some people to play and if Bill and Charlie were home, we'd almost have full sides!

[alt_sally_anne]

Are you mad? I can't play Quidditch!

If you actually talk Wood into it and round up your brothers you'll need to get Longbottom over for a visit to and we can each play as a Chaser so both teams will have a pillock to work around!

[alt_ron]

That would just be cruel to Neville! And you'd do all right, I bet.

I just figured I'd make sure you were on the other side from me!

[alt_neville]

I can stay on the ground and cheer, can't I? At least I'm good at that!

It'd be fun to see both of you over the summer. Well, before the camping trip, anyway.

[alt_ron]

It'd be great if you could come. D'you think your gran will let you? We totally won't make you play Quidditch, though we could go flying so you can practice if you wanted. We could tell Mum that you have to show Madam Hooch that you've improved over the summer--and then she has to let us fly and won't tell us to de-gnome the garden or something instead!

[alt_neville]

I'm sure Gran would let me come. I'd invite you to visit, too, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be nearly as much fun. I mean, Gran means well, and I'm sure she'd want to welcome my friends, but she's sort of, uh, bossy about how she likes things at home. Not too much noise you know, and she fusses a lot about running or too much noise or about things she's afraid could ruin the furniture.

It's the kind of house where you always feel you sort have to tiptoe around. Pots of African violets everywhere, all the little lace doily
what-do-you-call 'em on the backs of the chairs and sofas. Um, antimacassars. That sort of thing.

[alt_ron]

Whoa. Auntywotsits? I'm pretty sure we don't have any of those at our house! Though Mum's got fussy things she makes and puts on shelves and tables, and there are those seat covers she made for the lounge to keep us from ruining all the furniture.

My Mum yells a lot about how we gallop about the place, too. It's just that we have her outnumbered, y'know, so there's not much she can do to really stop it. I mean, you've seen the twins!

I don't think your Gran could be any worse than my Mum, really, so if you wanted, I think it would be great to see where you live. But I could see how your Gran might not want more boys underfoot, so if that's the case, then you should just come to our house for longer!

[alt_neville]

Well, I'll ask her, anyhow. It'd be really wizard if you could come over to my place, too, sometime, even if it's just for an overnight visit.

I can't imagine my Gran yelling. I've never her heard her do it, not once! She's the sort of lady who doesn't need to yell, cause she's got a way of speaking that makes it real clear that you'd better listen to her without interrupting. If you know what's good for you. Not that she's mean or anything--she isn't.

Just sort of--commanding, like.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well you were right. Wood does want me to play Quidditch with him. When he came over after dinner he said that there aren't any kids his age close by and everyone in his family finds it a little strange he's so mad about a game, and so he doesn't have anyone to practice with in the summer. I told him I'd only just learned to fly this year and he acted like I must have been slacking off not to have ridden on a broom before starting Hogwarts.

And then he started talking about making up a practice schedule and he said it's alright if I'm not very good, he just wants me to lob quaffles at him so he can practise keeping, and telling me that it's going to be a great summer and I'll have MUCH better broom skills by fall.

It made me a little dizzy. It's lucky for Longbottom he isn't a half-blood can you imagine what it would be like for him if he went to live with Wood? I rather like flying on a broom I'm just not very good at it.

[alt_ron]

Sounds a bit like you're going to conditioning camp. I wonder if he'll have you running laps and doing duck and roll drills?

I hear that the Cannons spend thirty minutes every day hanging upside down by their knees doing passing drills with the bludgers bashing about and trying to knock them silly. Their coaches say it trains them to react calmly even in the worst moments of a game. There was just an article in Quidditch World about it last month.

[alt_harry]

Sally-Anne you don't mean Wood's going to train you!? Only hes a great flyer, really he is, and I hear hes good at teaching people too. Maybe when you come back you can play for Slytherin! It'd be wizard to have someone else from our year on the team, dont you think? If you like beating you could take over from Cal Crockford only I think you might be too small for Beating.

[alt_harry]

And then you could beat Wood at his own game! Snakes assendent!!

[alt_sally_anne]

Well that would be wizard but don't hold your breath Harry! Anyway he wants me to get better at flying so I can help him practise, not so he can help me practise. I mean I guess I should be worried that I'll help his get so good his team will beat ours but it's Gryffindor we're talking about so I don't think we have to worry much.

[alt_ron]

Oi!

[alt_neville]

Wood's a decent bloke, Sally-Anne, really. I've heard him talk about his family, and they seem nice, too. I bet you'll have a good summer with him, better than you would have with those Strettons.

[alt_sally_anne]

Wood came over to say hello after dinner and he seemed friendly enough. I think it'll be better than the Strettons would've been.

[alt_sally_anne]

Also I think his family will let me visit friends this summer.

If Wood is willing to let me out of my schedule of flying practise anyway.