Monday is a very long day

[alt_sally_anne]

I suppose I'm rested up from the weekend so it's not too hard staying up late for Astronomy observation, but we also have double Defense and then Transfiguration on Mondays. Anyway the year isn't going too badly so far. Muggle Studies is usually interesting. Professor Brutka seems like a better teacher than Macnair, which is good as I want to take Care of Magical Creatures next year.

In Charms we've been learning about repairing things. My father fixes things, that's usually how he brought in money. But of course I didn't have a wand yet when I was little so I could only watch, and it's quite a bit harder than it looks. Sometimes when something knits itself back together it goes too far the other way and you get a big ugly thick place. But then there are times when it all goes together perfectly and it's almost like petting a cat and feeling it purr under your hand.

Thomas is in my Transfiguration class on Mondays even though he's a Gryffindor. He has a bad time of it in class. Sometimes things work but half the time things turn to go to pieces on him. Neville says it's just as bad when he's in with the Gryffindors on Thursday. I told him to tell Thomas there's nothing for it but to put his head down and keep at it. He's doing alright outside of class so he's learning, even if his marks in Transfiguration will be dreadful. What really matters is your OWL score anyway and it's not the professor who tests you. Which isn't much consolation to Neville since he's pants outside of class too.

For Muggle Studies next week we have to think of twenty ways that wizarding lights are better than muggle lights (candles or the lectric things they used to use) which shouldn't be too difficult. Someone did ask Miss Professor Carrow if she could tell us how muggle aeroplanes worked and she got cross and said that was none of our concern. Blaise said later that maybe they stole wizarding magic to make them work, like perhaps there was always a flying carpet hidden inside and that kept them up. Pansy said they were enormous though, much bigger than any flying carpet she's ever seen. So then Blaise said maybe they put in four or five carpets per aeroplane. Pansy said that can't be right because flying carpets are expensive and there used to be lots of them. Still are I suppose, outside the Protectorate. Draco did you see any while you were in France?

Comments

[alt_neville]

I really don't get why Dean's having so much trouble in Transfiguration class. He can do the spells just fine in the common room.

[alt_sally_anne]

Some people find it much harder to do anything when Mr Professor Carrow is watching them.

[alt_pansy]

Maybe we should have a regular study group sort of thing. Where we can all practise. I know you and Neville had an informal study group, but it might be fun to do it all together, maybe?

If you lot think Thomas would be up for it, that is.

[alt_sally_anne]

I suppose but I wouldn't want him to think I wasn't 'minding a girl's business' or whatever it was he said to Padma.

Besides, Neville says he does fine outside of class so I'm not sure extra revision will help.

[alt_pansy]

Good point.

[alt_neville]

I told Dean you've helped me a lot (and you have, no matter what my marks look like). And he didn't make any remarks about girls and what their business is supposed to be when I told him that, either.

Look, would it be all right if I talked to him, asked him if he might want to revise with us? I think he's sorry he got off on the wrong foot with some people. But he's okay, honest.

[alt_sally_anne]

If he wants to tag along with you I suppose it would be alright. Let me know at dinner if you want to meet this evening, I have an idea of how I could explain last week's lesson.

[alt_draco]

Why is it that you and Sally Anne always want to study and revise with the most hopeless students in our year? And in different houses, at that. You ought to throw in your lot with me, Teddy, Blaise, and Harry. Vince and Greg were in with us last year, but we've banned them this time, because we were spending so much time trying to catch them up that we never got ahead ourselves.

[alt_pansy]

Well, for me at least, it helps me learn something better when I have to explain it to someone else, and I usually end up learning even more about it if I have to come up with better or different ways to show how something works.

But I suppose it would be nice to study with you sometimes, too, if you're offering.

[alt_draco]

You're welcome to join if you ever want to.

[alt_sally_anne]

Trying to explain things to Longbottom means I have to understand them really, really well because he's so dense I have to explain them five different ways. You don't need me to explain Transfiguration to you. And neither do Teddy, Blaise, or Harry. And Vince and Greg don't care enough to listen.

But it would be fun to revise with you lot even if you don't need me explaining anything to you. Especially if you'll help me with Potions, Draco. You and Teddy may fight for the top scores but you're much better at explaining things than Teddy is.

[alt_padma]

Oh. Well, MacDougal and Moon said you could revise with them sometimes, if you like.

Parkinson, too, I guess. And Malfoy and Nott, too, obviously.

[alt_sally_anne]

That might be fun. Where are MacDougal and Moon meeting to revise these days, the library or the Great Hall or somewhere else?

[alt_padma]

When the weather's nice, there's a classroom on the fourth floor they've been using that's not too far from the library. I can show you after supper.

I think they'll be moving to the library once things get chillier. The Great Hall is too hot if you're right by a fire and too cold if you're not lucky enough to get a fireside spot.

[alt_padma]

I was thinking the same thing. Morag and Linus even said that Perks could join our revising group, but not Longbottom. Thomas could have done but then he got so shirty and no one wants to help him now.

I've been revising with the big kids in Ravenclaw Corner, too, and that's wizard. Do Moran or any of the other older ones ever let you sit with them?

[alt_sally_anne]

Well I can ask for their help if I need it. Our prefects are all excellent students.

If they want to invite a younger student somewhere they don't say 'come revise with us' though, that's more a Ravenclaw thing. Some of the upper class girls in Slytherin hold teas each week. There's also a group that holds a private dueling practise. Things like that. We don't have our own corner of the library like you lot.

[alt_padma]

Oh, but revising with them is utterly nift! It's not all quills to the parchment all the time. We talk about the YPL and this weekend Johns brought her combs and let the other girls have a go with them. They twist your hair into the most impossible hairdos! And when we knock off, Sandoval usually has the elves bring something to the common room, like persimmon cakes.

I think Greengrass has been to one or two of the Slytherin teas, but I don't think they've had persimmon cakes.

And of course anyone can ask prefects for help. But it's different if they're the ones who invite you, isn't it?

[alt_sally_anne]

Your revising group sound lovely. Quite like the teas actually.

[alt_neville]

Don't I know it.

[alt_amycus]

I'm surprised you think you know anything, Longbottom.

[alt_amycus]

Perhaps there are some people Mr Professor Carrow needs to watch particularly closely.

[alt_sally_anne]

Hello, sir. I didn't know you read It's an honour to have a professor taking the time to respond in my journal.