Mummy is Wiz-Nift!

[alt_lavender]

As everyone can see I have Finally got my journal back!

It's got rather tiresome always having to write in Parvati's and put "This is Lavender" at the bottom of every note. Parvati has been a terrifically sweet friend to let me do it though.

Merci, merci, mon ami! (See Mummy, I am Practising my French!)

Anyhow, I was sitting in our room braiding Parvati's hair when one of the school elves popped in (and Startled me, too!) and said 'Professor Lockhart is wanting Miss Brown to come to his rooms immediately.' Of course I was terribly excited and tried to get the elf to tell me what it was all about but all it would say is 'Professor Lockhart is not telling Saffy his business.' I was hoping that he might want to commend me for my Transfiguration work, because I have been working Very Hard at my revision lately, but it was even better!

I went into his rooms and Mummy was in the fire! She had firecalled him to ask if he would like to read at some sort of charity thing she is organising; it's not until summer hols but she believes in planning ahead. And while they were chatting she mentioned that Whiffy our house elf had found my journal and asked if she could give it to me. So Professor Lockhart called me to get it, and he let me talk to Mummy for quite a long time too, which was wizard of him.

The journal was under my bed the whole time! I must have dropped it while I was packing to come back to school. Of course, Mummy being Mummy, she had to lecture me just a bit on how a Proper Lady would keep her room neat. I said that I didn't mean to be disrespectful but I didn't see how it was so important when we have house elves to help with that. She said that that is not the point; the point is that a neat and orderly Home is a sign of a neat and orderly Mind. But she smiled so I know she wasn't truly cross with me.

I do want to be a Proper Lady, but that part of it still sounds tiresome to me. I think some people are naturally neat and orderly, so that it isn't work for them at all--Padma is like that--and other people are more like me and Parvati. It's nice to have a roommate who is just the same as me in that way. I adore Padma but I think we might get cross with each other if we had to share a room every day.

Comments

[alt_percy]

Lavender, I'm not sure this was at all a good idea. As packages from home via owl have been banned, it would stand to reason that it is not at all wise to pass objects back and forth via fire chat either. Remember, we are attempting to keep Hogwarts isolated and therefore safe.

[alt_lavender]

Oh, Mummy wouldn't do anything that wasn't safe. Professor Lockhart did approve it after all, and he is our Head of House.

Don't you think he knows Best?

[alt_lana]

There's no reason for hysteria, Weasley. Brown's journal was in her home, a pureblood home where there can be no question of infection. It was handed through the fire by her mother directly to her.

Honestly, it's the same as if it had come to school with her in her trunk at the start of term.

[alt_percy]

No question of infection, is it? And yet packages via owl posts have been forbidden, even for pureblood families. Aren't you being inconsistent, here?

[alt_lavender]

There's no rule against firecalling people, is there? I mean, not if you're pure?

I promise it was perfectly Safe--the journal was under my bed the whole time and no one else has touched except for Mummy (and Whiffy of course, but I don't think house elves really count).

[alt_percy]

I wonder if we shouldn't check with Madam Pomfrey. She's probably most aware of the particular restrictions that St Mungo's has declared--just to keep everyone safe, you understand.

I do not know what St Mungo's has said about whether house elves have been entirely ruled out as possible vectors of infection. Sandoval, do you know, per chance?

[alt_lavender]

Do we really need to bother her about it when Professor Lockhart already said it was perfectly all right?

I'm sure she's ever so Busy.

[alt_percy]

I'm sure that Madam Pomfrey would say she's never too busy to answer questions when it concerns the health of students at this school.

[alt_lana]

Do, by all means, consult with Madam Pomfrey.

And be certain to ask her whether Professor Lockhart has acted outside the protocols established for staff. That's your point, isn't it? To challenge his judgement?

What is it with you Weasleys and your Head of House? Is it common in wherever you were raised to defy and mock those in authority?

[alt_percy]

How about authority such as the Headmistress?

She just announced that firechats are now closed. Vindicating my point.

[alt_lana]

I hardly think the Headmistress is acting to undermine the authority of a member of her staff, Weasely. She is clearly responding to the situation as it develops, as we all must do.

And it is hardly a matter for triumphalism, is it, that the disease has reached a stage where we need be concerned about firechats between pureblood parents and their children?

We will obviously follow the new guidelines. I'm sure you join me in expressing gratitude to Director Selwyn and the Headmistress for their unflagging efforts to keep us all safe.

I solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good

[alt_neville]

Yeah, the Headmistress' and Director Selwyn's efforts, as opposed to Percy's, I guess.

[alt_lana]

It's not for me to say, Weasley. Not when Brown's Head of House is the one who made the judgement call.

Given that Professor Lockhart was there and approved it, however, it is not the place of a Prefect to incite anxiety over the safety of the transaction.

[alt_lavender]

Thanks ever so much, Sandoval. I really do appreciate it!

[alt_lana]

Cheers, Brown.

[alt_percy]

Oh, so when I lent an owl to allow someone to send a letter to St Mungo's, I'm 'reckless.' But when I take you at your word that we must think twice about communications to and from Hogwarts and object to Brown passing something through the Floo, now you tell me I'm being 'hysterical.'

Really, make up your mind, Sandoval. You can't have it both ways.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_neville]

You know, he has a point. The Head Girl is being sort of two-faced, isn't she?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

I'm just shocked, aren't you?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_neville]

I'm surprised she doesn't give herself whip-lash.

[alt_lana]

Are you really this thick, Weasley? Sending an owl on a round trip to St Mungo's, where they treat diseased people, is entirely different than Mrs Brown handing a journal through her own fire to her daughter in her Head of House's rooms.

That journal has never been exposed to anyone remotely in danger of infection.

[alt_draco]

Je peux na sais que tu parlais français sa très bien. I usually practise by writing to my relatives, but maybe I should go practise my accent by speaking with Professor Brutka. I met him in France, you know.

[alt_lavender]

It's tres kind of you to say that, Draco! You are so lucky to have relatives who live in France.

Is Professor Brutka French then? 'Brutka doesn't seem like a very French name; I always assumed he was from somewhere else on the Continent.

[alt_draco]

No, I don't think he's French, but he did live there for a time. My Mother is probably the best non-native speaker of French that I've ever heard, though.

[alt_lavender]

Your mother is very elegant; it makes sense that she would speak French well.

Did she ever visit Beauxbatons? I wish we could have an student exchange; I would so love to visit there.

[alt_draco]

Oh, we all paid a visit to Beauxbatons last summer. I'll have to tell you about it sometime.

[alt_lavender]

That's right; I remember you mentioned it then. I'd like to hear more about it. I don't suppose you noticed the styles the witches over there were wearing?

[alt_draco]

I didn't really notice, no. But even if I had, they'd probably be out of style and out of season by now, anyway.

[alt_lavender]

Out of season, certainly. But it's always interesting to see what's in fashion in other places.

[alt_luna]

I think you should use 'm'amie' if you're speaking of your roommate. Otherwise, you're saying you're rooming with a boy.

[alt_lavender]

Don't be silly, everyone knows that Parvati is a girl's name!

[alt_luna]

Oh, of course. But French is one of the languages where the words change, like friend, in this case, depending on weather you're speaking of a boy or a girl.

[alt_neville]

How do you know that?

[alt_luna]

Oh, because my Daddy has a book that tells you how to say a few simple phrases in sixty different languages, like 'Hello,' and 'let's be friends,' and 'can you tell me the way to the wizarding embassy.' Daddy always says it's polite to at least try to speak to other people, and to creatures, too, in their own language. Besides French and Spanish and Urdu, it has the phrases in Mermish, and several different Hag dialects.

The one I liked best was unicorn, but human throats can't make the sounds very well.

[alt_lavender]

I am not sure I would trust a book that has Mermish and Hag in it; that sounds quite appalling.

[alt_lavender]

I know that, I was just excited about getting my journal back and forgot to put the 'e' in.

I suppose I must be more careful of my 'e's, as it would not be proper for anyone to think I lived with a boy.

[alt_padma]

She doesn't need advice from you, Loony.

[alt_lavender]

The first years are all quite cheeky this year! We weren't that cheeky, were we Padma?

[alt_padma]

Of Course Not!

[alt_luna]

Oh, so you and your friends don't mind then if Lavender refers to your sister as if she were a boy?

Thanks, I'll remember that.

[alt_padma]

I never said that. You really are quite deranged, aren't you?

Don't bother to answer.

[alt_padma]

Oh, but if you were tidy, you'd never have lost your book! Anyway, you know Parvati and I share a room at home, and we get on fine, but then, it's a big room. And it sort of divides itself naturally so that she can keep all her things on her side, too, very easily.

But I'm glad you finally got your journal back, and don't pay any mind to Weasley, he's a fine one to talk after he gave Loony that owl!

[alt_lavender]

That's true! And I've certainly missed my journal. But I'm not sure a person can become tidy just by deciding they ought to be.

And I've noticed that you and Parvati never seem to argue about things like that, so perhaps you and I wouldn't either. Maybe when we're frightfully old and finished with school we could get a flat together in New London and find out!

[alt_padma]

I think if we all three got a flat together, it would be utterly nift. We should really get a suite - I think that would be really fancy. And then we'd each have our very own rooms, and maybe even our own baths. That way we're really only have to worry about the sitting room and such, so there really wouldn't be anything to row about.

But then it'll be sad when we get married, because, well, we'll be moving out. Don't you think? Not that we'll be sad to get married, but to move out?

Oh, maybe we could all live in the same building, but with our own flats right next to one another. Wouldn't that be smashing?

[alt_lavender]

A suite would be utterly wiz-nift!

Mummy and I were looking at the pictures in the Home and Garden section of the Prophet of some of the new buildings that are going up, and they are simply beautiful.

Oh, we won't get married right away! We have to have time to go to parties and be Ornaments to Society first.

[alt_padma]

I think it would be elegant and ever so glamourous.

Did you see January's Londinarium? I dunno if Parvati told you, but I asked Mum if we could get a subscription and she said that she's buying it for the shop, but to 'wait and see' about becoming subscribers. I guess she wants to make sure Mr Bobolis can stay in business long enough to make it worthwhile. But there were beautiful pictures of Dulwich and even a few of the St Mungo's gala. But I think he's going to do a piece soon on the luxury flats available in New London.

[alt_lavender]

I haven't seen it yet! Mummy said she was going to send me her copy when she was finished, but that was before the owl-post restrictions.

I'm sure the pictures of the St. Mungo's gala were lovely.