(no subject)

[alt_pansy]

That really was a wonderful brunch. Thanks again, Director Selwyn! It was rather lovely, especially the... oh... what do you call what we had to drink? I didn't catch it, but it was nice. As were the pastries.

It was so kind of you to go out of your way to recognise all the people in our year who helped at the World Cup because I know you must have just such a busy schedule, and I know that the only reason I was there was because Sally-Anne was so wonderfully brave, and learning about mediwizardry too, that helped. I don't want to go into it for a living, of course, but you know, it really is very useful to learn, and I'm glad we'll be learning more about it this term, and I'm ever so glad that your Arista had Ron taking care of her during all the chaos because she really is wonderfully sweet, and I remember how much fun we had together at the Easter party last spring. It's a pity I'll have left Hogwarts by the time she gets old enough to come here, but I'm just sure she'll do marvellously.

I really enjoyed our chat, and that you took the time to get to know each one of us a little better, and I hope all of us didn't bore you too terribly with our goings-on here at Hogwarts. It was very kind of you.

I ought to get back to waiting for people to come by my orienting station in case anyone needs help, but I just wanted to write you and let you know how much I appreciated your well-wishes.

And Daphne! I absolutely adore the dress robes you wore to brunch. I didn't get a chance to tell you as we were all chatting away about one thing or another and you know how that sort of thing goes, but I wanted to let you know that those colours looked particularly wonderful on you.

Comments

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good

[alt_neville]

I must say that was a decent thing for him to do. You all do deserve some recognition.

What's he like, really? The Director?

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

[alt_pansy]

He was actually very kind. I mean, in the journals when he's writing, he usually seems so stern and serious, but he was very warm and smiled a lot, and in a nice way. And he didn't mind at all when we were chatty, but I think that's because he has children of his own, you know.

And he said the most wonderful things about Ron. Who completely earned every bit of it, but you know how sometimes people don't give people credit even though they ought, and I'm glad Ron got his credit. And Sally-Anne, too. Especially from someone as highly placed as Director Selwyn.

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

[alt_ron]

Thanks, Fisheye.

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

[alt_pansy]

You deserve it, tuna brain.

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

[alt_ron]

Yeah, well, Director Selwyn's mostly nice enough. Today he was really great.

He's good at talking to people like us. I dunno, he's not like loads of grownups who don't seem to ever know what to say to kids. So today he was asking us all about the visitors and what we're learning from them. How we're doing with the different languages and all.

He seemed pretty interested about that really amazing French girl, Delacourt or whatever her name is and how everyone thinks she's part-Veela on account of how good-looking she is. And everyone told him about Viktor Krum and how all the girls are mad for him, poor bloke.

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

[alt_pansy]

I really do feel sorry for him.

I mean, Sally-Anne and me don't bother him, of course, and other Slytherin girls have been mostly decent, because otherwise he'd never get any time alone or to be with his friends and just be himself while in our Common Room. But he gets all these letters every day -- it's like Harry was at Valentine's Day during first year, except for it's like that all the time.

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

[alt_ron]

I mean, honestly. He's a great Quidditch player, but it's not like he's really amazing to look at.

Oh, hang on. I've got another group coming up for the chess. It took Davies' group forever to figure it out. Oi. You should've heard him arguing with that Durmstrang girl with the really, really long black hair. What's her name? She was right, too, but he wouldn't listen to her.

[alt_daphne]

Oh, thank you! They're from a little shop in Chelsea called Hex-Kiss. I have their catalogue, if you'd like to have a look at their Winter collection.

The drink was "sunrise cordial." Mother often serves it when she has her friends over for Sunday tea, but there's never been any left over for me to taste, so I never knew how very nice it was until now. It was ever so thoughtful of Director Selwyn to invite us out, wasn't it?

Oh, but I'm still reeling from what he revealed about my mother and Professor Lestrange. I never had the slightest idea!

[alt_pansy]

I know! Isn't it odd? I mean, and sort of brilliant too.

And I'd love to look at the catalogue after we get done today. Oooh, I almost forgot, we get tea when we're done! Thank goodness for that, because it certainly is brisk outside. I'm glad the sun is out, though. I'm sure the people running all over the grounds are getting plenty of exercise and aren't feeling that wind at all.

We shall have to make that sunrise cordial again sometime, I think. It would be lovely at a picnic, wouldn't it?

[alt_daphne]

I'm just itching to write to Mother and scold her for having kept such a secret. I always knew that her youth was far more exciting than Father's, but really...who could imagine!

Oh, you poor dear. Do you think we're allowed to trade stations? I'm in the... well, maybe I shouldn't say, in case someone participating is reading... but I'm indoors, anyway.

I agree about the cordial, but won't be picnic-weather for a while, I fear!

[alt_pansy]

Oh! I don't mind terribly. Just be sure to save some sandwiches for me at tea. It'll only be for another hour or so anyways.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, think about it: you could be Professor Raz's daughter! Only he doesn't seem much like anyone's father, does he?!

They're called sunrise cordials? I didn't hear what they were. But you're right, they were nice.

[alt_daphne]

Oooooh. I'm so cross with Mother right now!

Only it would be terribly awkward to find your own father fanciable, so perhaps I shouldn't be.

Sunrise cordials. They sort of matched your hair...

[alt_ron]

Heh.

Um, yeah. That'd be awkward. And also sorta, yeah. Not good.

Yeah, it's a great colour, don't you think?

[alt_daphne]

Despite the public's tendency to disparage gingers, I do think it can be a great hair colour, depending on whom it's bestowed.

It is definitely a great colour for a drink. Brighter and sunnier than pumpkin juice, which has that thick, muddy tone to it.

[alt_ron]

Cheers, Greengrass!

[alt_rabastan]

Who could what now?

[alt_pansy]

Oh, it's nothing, sir.

Director Selwyn was just telling us stories and all, and he mentioned that Daphne's mum and you were sweethearts for a little. That's all.

[alt_ron]

Oh, hello, sir!

I was just saying how you could've been Daphne's dad if you'd married her mother. Director Selwyn said that you and Mrs Greengrass dated each other a longtime ago. Before she was Mrs Greengrass, I guess. Anywiz, that's all.

[alt_rabastan]

Oh he shared that, did he.

Dominic I will

[alt_daphne]

I mean, I understand entirely why you didn't, of course. You wanted to be a quidditch star, and my mother wanted to marry and start having babies right away. Only it might've been more interesting had it been you she married and not my father. Even though Father's very well respected, he's just a bit boring. And he has that awful moustache that I know even Mother doesn't like. And he was a Hufflepuff, besides! Even Grandmother agrees that he's not like a Greengrass at all!

[alt_rabastan]

Hey, hufflepuffs are cool.

[alt_daphne]

Oh, that's true, sir. Some of them are very cool, and a few are even quite fetching.

Only Father's not really one of them. He's a lovely man, but definitely NOT cool.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, it was wizard, wasn't it.

Thank you again, sir, if you're reading this. I've never been to such a nice place as that, and I hope we used the right forks and all. I was glad there weren't as many to keep straight as there were at the World Cup.

[alt_ron]

Hey, Pans. Did you try the pastries with the porphyry fruit filling? Director Selwyn told me what was in them, and the serving witch said it's really, really special. I'd never tasted any before, but it was the most delicious stuff ever!

[alt_pansy]

Oooh! I think I did -- was it the ones that were purple, or the ones that were orange? Because both of them were really excellent.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, the purple ones!

[alt_pansy]

I remember those! That's such an odd name. You'll have to say it out loud next time we see one another so I'll know how to pronounce it properly.

[alt_ron]

Heh. Yeah. Porphyry are in one of the Brotherhood of the Bat stories. Somebody gets poisoned with them because they eat way too many and can't stop since they taste so good. I think maybe that's not really true that you could get poisoned to death by them, but I can sure see how you might want to keep eating those pastries!

[alt_pansy]

Death by porphyry. Well, at least it would be a delicious way to go, right?

[alt_ron]

Yeah, it'd be sort of awesome, I think. As much as anything killing you would be.

[alt_draco]

Sally Anne's well brave, but I'm not so bad, either. I utterly rescued Mrs Zabini from a massive pile of burning rubble, you know.

That was a brill morning, though. Good to know you can get reasonably nice food in Hogsmeade, too. Paramount service, as well.

[alt_ron]

Malfoy. What you said about Professor Brutka's teaching? That's really true. Hadn't thought about it before, but you're right.

And that was a snitch lesson when he told us about the squid! Makes a brilliant story, too, the way you told it.

[alt_draco]

Well I still stand by my assertion that the squid is female. If it had one of those hectocotyluses, someone would have seen it by now.

To give credit where it's due, I quite agree with what you said about Acton. Underneath all that syrup she definitely knows charms.

[alt_ron]

Can't argue there: I mean, I don't fancy getting that personal with the squid, so I'm not going to try to find out!

Yeah, well, it may be like Li said. Acton's not sweet on us Gryffindors! Not like she is with you and Harry, y'know?

[alt_draco]

Yeah, it's either gobs of syrup or loads of salt with Acton. And too much of either can absolutely ruin a meal.

Speaking of, for some reason Li dumped at least 6 cubes of sugar into my tea when I asked her to pass the bowl over. Nice of her to be helpful, but it ruined my cuppa. Good thing those pitchers of sunrise cordial kept refilling.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, y'know the really great thing about that stuff was that it wasn't too sweet. It was, well, a grown up thing, wasn't it?

That's the thing about Director Selwyn. He treats us like we're worth spending time with and listening to. Not like grown ups, exactly, but like we we're on our way to that.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good

[alt_neville]

You maybe better be careful with him, Ron. The Director, I mean.

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

[alt_ron]

Yeah, that's what I was saying before. He's nice enough, mostly. But I know to watch out.

I told you about my meeting with him this summer. Not going to tell Malfoy about that, though, am I?

Actually. Not sure how I got talking to Malfoy, at all.

Huh.

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

[alt_neville]

Weird, yeah. I noticed that: people who went to that brunch came back awfully chatty. Guess everyone had a good time.

But I'm glad you realise the danger. Guess if he wants to find out stuff about our families, he knows he's more likely to get the information out of a kid who he thinks wouldn't know any better.

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

[alt_ron]

Yeah, I think that's sorta true.

Anywiz, all we talked about today was the pastries, which were amazing, and about that French Veela girl, and Krum, and, oh! Someone told him about Professor Raz and Professor Sinistra, how, er. Um. Yeah, I can't believe anyone actually said it. Oh, well.

Y'know. I think there might've been something in the stuff they gave us to drink! I mean, people said some kind of- interesting stuff.

Nothing bad, though. Just, y'know, stuff you wouldn't normally say. Like, um. I sang him some of the songs Arista and I sang when I went to find her that night at the World Cup.

I can't believe I did that. Oh, well.

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

[alt_ron]

Oh and, heh. Greengrass asked him about Auror Crouch. She was all sort of googly about it, too.

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

[alt_pansy]

She did, didn't she? I mean, she practically started crying at the table while she was talking about how glad she was that he wasn't really dead.

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

[alt_ron]

Yeah, well, and then she told me she likes ginger hair. Did you see that?

I think she was pretty embarrassed later that she'd said it!

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

[alt_pansy]

Ooooh. I didn't do anything too embarrassing, did I?

I mean, I guess I did go on a bit much about you and Sally-Anne and all, and I probably shouldn't have said anything when he started talking about the Professor Carrows, but practically everyone else said things too, so it wasn't like I was the only one.

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

[alt_ron]

Nah, I didn't hear you say anything mad. But I didn't hear what you or Sally Anne said to him when you were talking over by the windows.

That was a really nice restaurant, wasn't it? I've never heard anyone talk about it. Though I reckon none of us go any place like that on Hogsmeade days!

[alt_padma]

Modest, too.