(no subject)

[alt_pansy]

I’m at St James, staying in my usual room, and I’m having ever so much fun. Lucius’s off having tea with Mr Baddock like he usually does on Tuesdays, so I’m trying not to be too much of a bother to Crispin and Percy Weasley while they get all their work done. I did manage to drag away Percy for some tea earlier, and he seems to really like his new job a lot, and I hope he does well, because it really would help him get a job when he leaves school. And I bugged him about you, Ron, and he said you were doing just fine, and I’ve written you a letter just so you know to expect one, and I hope you’ll write back!!

I’ve only been here for two days, but it seems like we’ve done ever so much since I got here. I was sorry to have missed Draco – he’d already gone over to stay with Harry at Buckingham by the time I got in, but we’re seeing the opera together later, so I’ll get to see him and Aunt Narcissa then. Right now, though, it’s just me and Lucius. And Crispin and Percy during the day, of course, and Hildy, who has been spoiling me like crazy. But it’s been nice, not lonely at all, and I’ve been keeping busy. I brought some of the books I’ve been sorting through to read while Lucius was working, and last night we stayed up late talking about what I’d been reading up on with Darby Parkinson’s papers, and he had some good ideas for where to look in the law books in Prospero’s library when I go back.

And we also talked a lot about my dad, and that was nift too. See, when I was looking through the Parkinson family papers, I found a bunch of articles he published on potions theory, for the British National Society for Potioneering, and I’ve been reading them. I knew he kept a laboratory space in our flat, he called it his “puttering room,” and I’d known he was a member of something with potions, but I didn’t know he’d written such an awful lot. One that I just started reading yesterday was a paper he wrote on stirring techniques and how they should be different based on the types of ingredients you’re trying to add and how quickly they need to be integrated in, and I don’t understand all of it, but it was interesting to read how he set up the comparison samples and really tested everything thoroughly, and I think it was really brilliant of him, and I was so proud that was my dad, who wrote that, and that he was clever enough to come up with it in the first place. So we had a good time just sort of sitting around and drinking cocoa (well I had cocoa) and talking about all sorts of interesting things. It was almost like talking with

Today, we got to actually go to the meeting headquarters for the Society for Potioneering, and it was so utterly cool – I mean, they have this enormous meeting room with these carved chairs where all the fellows sit for their monthly meetings, and a room that’s full from floor to ceiling with little bottles that hold samples of every potion that’s ever been invented, and a special garden and greenhouse out back with all sorts of rare plants and things. And current members can apply to get their own potions laboratories right there in the building where they get access to all the best ingredients and special equipment. I got to see the space my dad used to have when he was a fellow, and talk to the lady who was currently using the room. And she’d read some of my dad’s stuff, and she told me about what she was working on, and she was just really brill and nice. And I saw the door to Professor Slughorn’s room too – he’s a “distinguished fellow,” which means he has the room for as long as he’s alive. And then we met the editor for the journal, Mr Fredrickson, I think I’m spelling it wrong, but anyways, he totally remembered my dad, and he shook my hand, and showed me a picture of my dad when he served on the Board of Fellows, and while we were touring around, he tracked down a box of his things that’d been in storage for ages and ages, and gave it to me before we left. I’m planning on going through it thoroughly tonight.

And we also got to go to the New London Art Gallery, and the British Wizarding History Museum. I hadn’t been to the art gallery in ages. They had this really wizard photography exhibit that was funny and very modern –- random people jumping up and down in slow-motion in with all these bright colours swirling around behind them. And I got to see the newest exhibits in the History Museum too, and they had this nift part about ancient Potions, and I also got to see Slytherin’s suit of mail. It really was beautiful, and so smooth – all the plates were tiny, like scales on a snake, and were jointed so they would shift around and bend and not have any openings at all. I wonder if Regulus got a chance to see it at all. It’s something he would’ve liked, I think. Well, I always have to twist mum’s arm off to go to museums, because she’d rather go shopping and she wouldn’t ever let me go on my own, so it was really nice for Lucius to take me.

Tomorrow we’re off to the Baddocks, and I’m going to meet with Mr Baddock to fill out all the paperwork that needs to be filed once mum gets married to Prospero. Because she won’t be a Parkinson any more, and even if she and Prospero have kids, they’ll be Campbells, not Parkinsons. So the vault and the flat and other family things will go to me once I come of age, and mum gets a monthly income from Gringotts that will go to me instead once she gets married. I finally got mum to give me our vault key, because she wasn’t going to give it to me at first, she thought I’d lose it, and they aren’t getting married till Christmas so she wanted to hold off, but it’s ever so much easier to fill out all the paperwork right now instead of making a special trip in addition to the wedding AND hols, and Mr Baddock probably would want to spend Christmas with his family, not working on my paperwork.

After I’m done meeting with Mr Baddock, I’ll get to spend time with Lucy and Antonia and Natalie, and Malcolm too. Lucy heard how keen I was on museums, so I guess we’re all going to the Children’s Museum of London History (which is their favourite), and then to the park.

And that’s all that I can think of for now. Sally-Anne, I found some really beautiful post-cards at the Art Gallery, and I’m sending you one tomorrow. So it's all been really great so far, and I can't wait for the rest of it.

Comments

[alt_padma]

I didn't know your dad had been a Potioneer, that's snitch. I want to be one too, when I grow up, I mean.

Only Professor Slughorn said something about how you have to prepare the five most complicated potions on something like four occasions, with everyone watching you, to qualify as a Master Potioner. He said it's nothing like lessons, either. Was anyone trying to qualify while you were there?

What was her name, the lady who uses your dad's laboratory now?

Oh, and are the books you were talking about the ones for our project? Because if you tell me what they are (you can owl if you like), I can look them up as well.

[alt_pansy]

I forgot to mention that part. Yeah, they had a gallery and all, where you had to do it under observation with everyone watching. There wasn't anyone there when we visited, but Ms Pintel, she was the Potioneer in my dad's old room, she said she'd already done one round of it and was getting ready for her second.

And I'll owl you some of the names of the law books I've been digging through -- you might be able to get them at the library. And there's some others I've been trying to find on time travel -- one of the ones I have keeps mentioning "Paradoxes and Enigmas of Space-Time" by Emile Laurent. It'd be ace if you could track it down. I bet they have it at Hogwarts, but you might be able to find it at a library by you or something. I've got a few other things on my list, I'll owl you.

[alt_padma]

Okay, that'd be nift. I've been looking for some light reading, so that's good. Though I'm not sure how soon I'd be able to get them. Mum's been at the studio nearly all the time and Dad's not much for taking us places, but maybe I can get Haruman to take me up to the big Wizard Law library near Leeds. They certainly won't let us go anywhere alone, not with Mr Macnair and that other prisoner still on the loose!

Well, send the list, that's the first step. It seems like it's a good summer to keep my head in my studies, anyway.

Have you got your marks yet?

[alt_pansy]

I know, right? That'd be awful scary. I mean, Mr Macnair was our teacher and all, so he knows us and everything.

Prospero has all sorts of law books, but I'd bet the one at Leeds'd have a proper cataloging system and possibly even someone that'd help you track down things. I've got to muddle through on my own, and it's organized all funny at his place. That would really be ace. Or you could always see if you could get them to send you things through the post -- sometimes if you become a member, or your parents are members, they'll make copies of things you need, or let you borrow things through owl.

I haven't gotten my marks yet. It's probably because I've been travelling around and all. But I'm not going to expect anything stellar -- I mean, especially that last month or two and all. I bet you did just fine though, because you're much more organised and you're probably better about keeping up on studying. But that's okay, next year I can really start working up to OWLs, which is more important anyways.

[alt_padma]

Oh, and I meant to ask, if it's not too personal: What do you mean about your mum's income won't go to her anymore? Does that mean you'll start getting a huge load of pocket money every month? Or what? What happens to your house and all that, then?

[alt_pansy]

Well, I don't understand all of it. But yeah, when mum marries Prospero, she won't be a Parkinson any more, right? So the Parkinson stuff will go to me instead. Not all of it right away, though. I won't get most of it until I'm of age. Like the flat. That'll be mine when I turn seventeen, and she'll hold onto it in the mean time.

[alt_padma]

Oh.

But if she weren't getting married, then it'd all still be hers?

[alt_pansy]

I honestly don't know. I guess I'd get just half instead.

[alt_padma]

Oh.

Well....

Hm.

I suppose it's not really surprising she didn't want to give you the vault key, then, is it? I mean, I'm sure she really cares about your Mr Campbell, but anyone would feel sort of...conflicted, wouldn't they? About having to let go to all of that stuff - I mean, it's her home, too, innit? So it must feel like she's losing it much earlier than she planned, even if you're not really taking it away right now, but still.

I mean, I'm sure it's not like that at all, only that if she wasn't expecting to handle it all right away, it was probably a shock. Don't you think?

[alt_pansy]

Well, yeah. But it's not like I'm some distant relation and she'll never see Parkinson House again, because she's my mum, you know? And besides, she's got a new house and a new husband to keep her busy, and he has plenty of money for the two of them. And she's got her dowry and stuff from the Smythe side too.

I think she's more mad she can't ask Lucius for money anymore anyways.

I also think she sorts of forgets that it'll only be a few more years til I come of age, and she still treats me like a really little kid sometimes. Which is frustrating. But you know how mums get.

[alt_padma]

Right, well, that's what I mean, too - it's not like you'd chuck her out just because it'll be your house! But do you think you'd still live there? I mean, would you still live there all together, part of the time, anyway? Because I dunno if I'd want to live somewhere that's not London.

And yeah, mums can be sort of mad sometimes. Our Mum has been almost living at her studio. I guess she's been working really hard on the new bracelets and other things, and of course her project with Mrs Malfoy. Their first meeting is this Thursday, did you know? So I suppose she's been really nervous about having enough to show Mrs Malfoy when she sees her.

Haruman says she's working too hard, but she just tells him that it's fine as long as we're all home for supper. (That's supposed to be funny, but I'm not sure it is, really.)

[alt_pansy]

It is in London, in walking distance from Kensington, and I love it there, so I'll probably live there forever. Well, if I get married, I might only live there part of the time. But it'll still be my own place that I can do what I want with, which will be nice.

I totally know what you mean. My mum's been "wedding this" and "wedding that" and getting fitted for her robes and looking over all these colours and it just never seems to end. Honestly. She's already had one. You'd think the second time around would be less of a bother.

At least you've got Parvati and Haruman around, though. There's no people even close to my age at Gloss House, at least no real people.

[alt_sally_anne]

If you married Teddy he might want you to go live in Wales with him.

[alt_pansy]

First of all, eeeeew, Teddy?
Secondly, eeeew, Wales?

[alt_draco]

Too right about Wales! Teddy's clever and all, though. You could do worse.

[alt_padma]

We could do better, too.

[alt_pansy]

Well, he's clever, I'll give him that. I'm just fooling is all. And it's just funny to think about marrying anyone right now.

[alt_pansy]

How is Buckingham? Are you and Harry having loads and loads of fun?

[alt_draco]

Yeah it's been good. You know, lots of exploring, and talking about things. None of it about weddings, though.

[alt_pansy]

Ugh. I'm so glad I was able to get away from all that nonsense for a little while. I can definitely see the sense in eloping, just to get it all over and done with. Much less fuss.

[alt_draco]

You'll probably want a lot of fuss when it comes time for your own wedding. . .

To Teddy, hah.

[alt_pansy]

Oh, you know me so well, Draco.

After all, I am a girl.

And as you know, all girls just love enormous floofy lacy flowery things with bows, and spending hours choosing random things like centerpieces and what colour the champagne is going to be.

Vom.

[alt_draco]

I think there's more to fussing about it than just lace and bows. If I was getting married I might even get into it a bit, and I'm not a girl. Maybe a quidditch wedding, where my bride and I will get married on broomsticks. Or just a really stupe party on a beach in Spain or something, if we can travel to there by that time.

[alt_pansy]

See, I'm fine with a bang up party or something. That's just fun. I wouldn't mind that at all.

I guess it's different when it's your own and all, but I just don't see the point in obsessing over which precise shade of blue the napkins should be so they'll perfectly match the stripe in the Campbell tartan.

Because no-one will ever care if it is or not, except my mum.

[alt_draco]

Isn't blue...blue?

Nevermind, I don't want to know.

You have my sympathies.

[alt_pansy]

I know. Argh.

[alt_padma]

But hang on, isn't your aunt getting married soon? The one in France, I mean?

You're not going back to France this summer again, are you?

[alt_draco]

She is getting married, yes. My Father is the only one going though, unfortunately.

[alt_pansy]

It really is a shame you won't be able to go. I know how much you enjoyed France last summer.

[alt_draco]

Yeah, except for all the muggles it was brill. And even that, seeing muggles living out in the real world, was interesting. Up until I saw one of them wee right out in the open, that is.

[alt_pansy]

Really? How vulgar. I'm not a bit surprised, though. He was probably pissed or a vagrant or something.

I can't imagine what London used to be like. I mean, what it was really like, with all the crowds and the petrolmobiles and areoplanes and things. I'd bet it was at least a little like Paris. It must've been really loud.

[alt_sally_anne]

I can't wait to get your postcard, and how utterly nift about the Society for Potioneering. Were the sample potions labeled? Did they have them all in one sort of bottle so they matched? How do they manage the potions where if you put it in a bottle with a stopper it'll explode after a few days? Do they have spells to manage it or do they have someone make up a new sample every day for the display?

That wizard that Mr Malfoy is taking you round to museums, especially the one that had Salazar Slytherin's mail! I wish I could see. What colour was it?

Things are about the same here. This week Mrs Stretton is taking Jeremy and I out and around to all the estates. Today we went to the one where they raise sheep, spin thread, weave it into cloth, dye the cloth, and make clothing. Jeremy was disgusted, he'd have much rather been out on his broom.

[alt_pansy]

Well, the potions were all spelled to keep them preserved, and the room had all sorts of special charms on it so nothing would dry out, and each bottle had a temperature control on the side too. And some of the more explodey ones were in special holding bottles that one of the Master Fellows invented so they wouldn't make a mess. The tops released built up pressure a little bit at a time, and if you leaned in careful, you could hear some of them hissing. And one of the bottles was made out of a hollowed-out diamond, because the potion they put into it would melt anything else.

And the mail was sort of black, but real shiny, with silver markings all over. And his crest was on the breastplate. And he had a matching mace and chain, and if you looked really careful, it still twitched every now and then -- the card next to the display said it worked sort of like a bludger, and once, someone fell against the case, and it came smashing out. So they had to secure it with these huge straps.

The cloth place sound okay. Did you find anything interesting for your crafts? I'd bet balls of cotton wool would make fun fake pygmy puffs. They're just fluff that snuggles with you and and purrs anyways, I bet you could charm a cotton ball to do that.

[alt_sally_anne]

Ooooh, a fake pygmy puff would be fun, I bet Gemma would love something like that.

The cloth they make comes in loads of colours and I wound up bringing home a huge bag of all sorts of scraps. I haven't sorted through everything yet. Mrs Weasley sent me a book last winter (when I was doing loads of cooking) with recipes but also a lot of other useful household spells; I need to get that out and see if it has a sewing charm.

[alt_pansy]

I bet you could make bits of patchwork and all sort of things. That was really nice of Mrs Weasley, too. She's really thoughtful like that, isn't she?

[alt_sally_anne]

Mrs Weasley is extremely thoughtful.

And I was thinking I might try patchwork, I've seen some lovely pictures of patterns people have made. I tried it tonight though (there was a sewing charm in the book, though it's really meant for mending things) and it is harder than it looks to get everything lined up properly. Also the charm is tricky, if you have the wrong touch it bunches everything up.

[alt_pansy]

Well, yeah, I'd bet it'd take loads of practice to get it right. But if there's anyone I know besides Mrs Weasley that could sort it out, it'd be you!

And I'd bet Ms Macalister would be able to help when you come and visit too -- she's the housekeeper at Gloss house, and she's very handy with fixing things up. She's really nice too, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well I worked out how to do the sewing charm right but I still can't get the edges to match up like I thought they would. I'm going to bed, maybe I'll be able to do it right in the morning.

[alt_percy]

Thanks for the chat over tea. It was rather a switch for a Prefect to be receiving advice rather than giving it, but I found your insights helpful.

I see from the calendar that Mr Malfoy has a treat for you in store on Thursday. I won't spoil the surprise, but hope to hear all about how you enjoyed it afterwards.

[alt_pansy]

Thanks, Percy.

And I. Cannot. Wait!!!!

[alt_ron]

Hey.

The twins charmed my journal shut Sunday afternoon, and I only just got it to open up. Gits.

That's really brilliant about your dad and getting to see where he worked and all. What was in the box of his things they gave you? Anything nift?

From the way he talks when he's home, it sounds like Percy's making a perfect tit of himself at work. It must've been just jolly having tea with him. I mean, I can't imagine why you'd've wanted to do that. All he ever talks about is himself and how important everything he's doing is and how everyone tells him how promising he is. Just ugh.

Anywiz, I got your owl, but since I hadn't read this first, I didn't know she was coming, so I just wrote something really quick to send back with her. I mean, I guess there's not much to tell. It's not like I'm going to any museums here, unless you count old Mrs Merriwynch's house as one. I had to go help Mum clean it out because she's a neighbour and she's getting really ancient and can't do very strong cleaning spells any more. And Mum thought she needed company, too, so she made Ginny go along and talk to her while I had to clean cupboards and hang out washing and scrub between floor boards and sort through all kinds of stuff in drawers while Mrs Merriwynch said what to do with it.

But she let me have a really classic Silver Arrow that I guess was her son's when he was in school, except I guess he doesn't come home anymore so she decided there wasn't any point keeping it for him. Mum looked like she was going to say I couldn't have it, but then she changed her mind and didn't say anything. Anywiz, the flying charm's pretty weak, but I'm going to work on it and see if I can't get her into trim. It's really nift because Ginny's always banging on about how we don't have enough brooms when she wants to fly, so that won't be a problem if I can get this one going again.

So, yeah. That's about all of it, I guess.

[alt_pansy]

Oh, it's not that bad and all. He's been awful quiet at St James, actually, which is funny, because I'm used to him making all sorts of announcements at school. And I thought it'd be nice to have tea, because he is your brother and all.

I think it's really decent of you to help out your neighbour like that. Even though cleaning isn't any fun. I mean, that's why your mum's so ace with the bartering network she's set up and all, because she's such a good neighbour! And the Silver Arrow sounds snitch. I'm right down the street from the library, if you need me to look up any books about fixing up brooms, just let me know!

If there are Quidditch tryouts next term, do you think you'll go for it? I know your brothers are really good beaters, and I heard your older brother was really good too, and I'd bet you could get in a lot of practice this summer if you wanted.

How is Ginny? Is she feeling better? It's awful sweet of you to fix up a broom for her like that.

[alt_ron]

Well, actually. If I get this Silver Arrow going, it's mine. Gin can have the old one I'm always having to use. That's the way it works, y'know, when you have loads of older brothers. You get what's left. And if you whinge about it, they hex your journal shut or summat.

Um. I dunno about Quidditch. I don't think Gryffindor's going to have tryouts; there aren't any open slots, and I don't think anyone's going to get plonked off the team. I mean, it's not like we did great, but that wasn't because anyone's wretched. It's up to Wood, I guess, but I don't think he'll make any changes.

[alt_pansy]

Well, then, all the more reason to get it going, right?

Sometimes, I really wish I had loads of brothers and sisters. But I guess it's not all that all the time, huh?

Well, if there are tryouts, I think you'd be good at it.

[alt_ron]

And, yeah. Gin's fine. She only acts queer if someone asks her how she's feeling or wants to make her talk about stuff that happened at school last year.

She's back to just being her old, annoying self.

[alt_pansy]

Good. I'm glad.

[alt_ron]

Oh, hey. If you are at the library and see something about charming brooms, that'd be nift. I mean, now I've got a proper wand, I think I could really do something with it if I can just work out what charms to use. I'd ask the twins, but they'd tell me something that would make it fly backwards upside down.

[alt_pansy]

I'm headed over there after dinner for a little, while Lucius finishes up some work, so I'll see what I can dig up.