I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

Pansy, I'm sorry I haven't written since I left, pretty much as soon as I walked in the Strettons handed me a gift basket of jam to deliver and that's what I've been doing since. Delivering jam by floo. I told Mrs Stretton that if I didn't get to sit down with my feet up for at least an hour I thought I was going to vom all over the next gift basket, so I'm having a break at the moment but ugh. Anyway I expect they'll have me rushing around with parcels until sometime late Christmas Eve but I will come to your house as soon as I'm done. Did you ever manage to do your shopping? The Strettons are still taking orders if you're desperate!

Have you heard anything more about the thing we heard people talking about in the garden? Tonton Dean? I made a delivery today to someone at St Mungo's and I heard someone say that people had gone to St Mungo's with spell damage. I think whatever happened must have involved muggleborn wizards.

Comments

[alt_pansy]

No, not really. When Lucius took me over to sign the papers and things, he was dead tired looking though. I mean, he didn't look his usual self at all. I figure he was helping with the whole mess, but he's not the sort of person to just up and talk about it, you know? And of course mum and Prospero are too wrapped up in one another to even bother about any gossip.

I'm sorry Mrs Stretton has kept you so busy. It sounds like an awful drag, and not much of a break at all. We will spend all Christmas day in our pyjamas and will even sleep in ridiculously late if you are tired.

[alt_ron]

So is it better at all now they're married?

At least your Mum won't be planning it any more.

[alt_pansy]

I don't know.

I mean, yeah, the wedding's done, and there's no more fussing and planning and dresses to bug Patil about. But now she's a Campbell and she's not a Parkinson any more. And since she's signed all the paperwork and all, it's like

well, in a weird sort of way it's like she's not my mum anymore.

I don't know. This is her house now, hers and Prospero's, and I'm just visiting. I miss my flat in London. And it's not like it's ever going to be the way it used to be. But I miss that too.

[alt_ron]

Oh. That sounds

well

not brilliant, that's for dead sure.

Yeah.

[alt_sally_anne]

Christmas will be brilliant!

Anyway I'm off for the day. They don't want me making deliveries past a certain hour for fear I'll be mistaken for a burglar and hexed.

[alt_pansy]

That would be no good at all! Although you would be an awfully short burglar.

[alt_ron]

Hey.

Sorry the Strettons are being so crap to you. I guess I wouldn't want to have to Floo all over taking stuff to people, but I kind of wish I had an excuse to get away from here for a while. Things are, well, not great.

When we first got home, Mum and Dad asked me loads of questions about what happened that day I got crossways with Malfoy and Marvolo in my journal and Percy hexed me. They didn't much like what I told them. And then they had sort of a row with Percy, I think. I mean, they went in the lounge and closed the door, but no one was really saying much after, and Percy's been shirty with everyone. Except when Mum's around, and then he just glares at us and goes to his room.

And if that's not enough, Dad got called to work in the middle of the night Monday. Or Tuesday morning. Whatever. And it has to do with that camp business. I don't know much, but Mum was really worried about it. Not sure why, really. I mean it's not like Dad had to go to the camp himself or anything. But she's been really upset about it. And when he's home, Dad spends loads of time talking to her about it off where we won't hear what they're saying.

The twins have been working on spells that would let us listen in, but they haven't found any that really work yet. I mean, they said all they could hear was Percy muttering to himself in his room, and we could kind of hear that without any kind of spell.

Anywiz. I'm not sure whether Dad's going to get to be home much, or whether Bill will even be able to come at all, and that's pretty rotten. So we're playing gobstones and chess and trying to keep out of Mum's way.

Yeah.

[alt_sally_anne]

I guess I'm not surprised your parents had a row with Percy over what he did.

[alt_ron]

Too right.