alt_ginny | Luna?

How are things going for you? I hope life at the Brown's is a bit more pleasant than it is around here at the moment.

I wish we were old enough that we could just get away for a day on our own. The tension around here is driving me mad. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to anger any one, but something is going on between Dad and Percy. I am not sure what it is, and I wont snoop, but it has us all at wits end. Plus We have to be with Percy all next week during our YPL trip, and I have a favour to ask of him myself, I want to stay on his good side.

And this is Percy we are talking about. What could he have done that would have been so wrong?

Luna, I just want my Best Friend. I just want to get away.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_percy

I'm sure I don't know what you're referring to. I haven't done anything wrong. Everything is fine. Just fine.

I'm quite looking forward to the YPL trip next week, too. And yes, it will be rather nice to get away.

From:

alt_percy

What favour are you talking about? We can talk about it at dinner.

From:

alt_ginny

Sure thats fine, Its just something that I want you to do for me as a birthday present. And it wont cost a thing, and its rather private.

From:

alt_molly

Oh, Percy.

From:

alt_bill

Did Dad talk to him last night? How did it go?

From:

alt_molly

Not very well, I'm afraid. Arthur couldn't come right out and ask. I think Percy is halfway between being puzzled at what Arthur was getting at, and defiant, all the while insisting that everything is fine. His job is going swimmingly, and Lucius Malfoy is just splendid and Mr Crispin couldn't be nicer.

Oh, I knew that internship was a mistake!

From:

alt_bill

Well...even if I'm right and Crispin's doing it, that doesn't necessarily mean Percy will do it too, Mum.

From:

alt_molly

It's just little steps, Bill. One tiny step after another, with Lucius Malfoy right there at his elbow praising him for his cleverness all the way! And he won't even see the danger he's in until it's too late!

I thought we had sorted this all out last summer when he made that promise to your Dad.

From:

alt_sally_anne

I just saw what Mr Malfoy wrote in his journal, Weasley. Congratulations!

From:

alt_sally_anne

And if the rest of you want to call him a prat, do it somewhere else, alright? If you want him to be a decent Head Boy and not an awful one, start by pretending you expect he'll be really good at it.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Do you know what she's talking about, Ron? It's probably none of my business but I'm curious anyway.

From:

alt_ron

Well.

Mum and Dad seem upset about something. I don't know if Percy said something or if it's just what it's been all summer. I mean, he's completely full of himself about working for Mr Malfoy, and he's always letting on that he thinks we're not as good as the Malfoys. He doesn't think Dad's job is very important, and he doesn't think Dad's really tried to make anything of himself, and he's always hinting that he's going to do better and be more important. And he doesn't even try to hide that he's embarrassed by Mum and Dad. He'll have lunch with Bill, sure, but I think he pretends not to see Dad if they're both in the Ministry at the same time.

I'm not sure about that, but I heard Dad say something, and I think

I dunno.

Percy's getting everyone's back up right now. ~~And he was a totally prick about~~

So, yeah.

From:

alt_sally_anne

It doesn't sound like Mr Malfoy thought much of Percy. The nicest thing he said was that he was 'acceptable' and he was glad to be rid of him during the camping trip.

From:

alt_ron

Yeah, well.

I'm sure Percy will think that was really a compliment in disguise.

From:

alt_sally_anne

You should start telling Percy how acceptable he is. After all, if it's a compliment, it's a compliment, right?

From:

alt_gredforge

'Acceptable' means being a right berk in Lucius Malfoy-speak.

From:

alt_gredforge

Well, he's not the only one making everyone walk around like they're waiting for something to blow up (usually that's our department).

All right there, Ron? We heard you, er, chuntering away to yourself in the chicken coop this morning when you were gathering the eggs.

From:

alt_gredforge

About that MLE visit. Yeah?

From:

alt_ron

. . .

From:

alt_lee

You know we're all dying to know here.

From:

alt_gredforge

Well, from what we overheard Ron airing to himself, they asked him all about why it is Harry Marvolo always seems to be around when Ron gets into trouble. And why he likes shabby nobodies like Perks or blood traitor riffraff like Longbottom or weirdos like Parkinson--sorry, everyone. And why he can't get along with shining paragons of the realm like Patil, Finnegin, Malfoy and Thomas.

Charlie used to do that, too, you know, Ron. Talk it all out to himself aloud when he's real upset about something. Well, they may have asked a bunch of uncomfortable questions, but it doesn't sound like you did too badly. And given what they asked, we can see why you didn't want to talk about it.

So we very helpfully talked about it for you. Consider it a public service. You can thank us at dinner. Or by mucking out the goatshed for us.

From:

alt_sally_anne

I expect Ron would also like to know why it is that he and Harry, when placed within six paces of each other, attract trouble like moths to a lit wand. I mean, I know I would. It's uncanny. But if they're worried, why'd they send him off with our group instead of putting him with Neville's group?

Did MLE really call Pansy a weirdo? And I should think it would be obvious why Ron likes hanging about with shabby nobodies (and Neville's his housemate!)

From:

alt_ron

So you're calling me a shabby nobody now, too?

Nice.

But, yeah.

They wanted to know why bad stuff happens to Harry when I'm around like it's my fault. And they wanted to know if I'm so matey with Harry--that's what that Gupta bloke said: 'so matey'-- then how come I'm not on the list of people Buckingham lets him get owls and packages from, and how come I'm not on the list of people he's asked to his party.

So, yeah.

I don't guess there's anything really you can say to that. Except the obvious.

I guess we're not as good mates as I thought. Sir.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Well, better to say that you're not as good mates you thought than, 'well, his father apparently doesn't like me much...'

You know it's a surprise party, right? Harry didn't get to decide who to invite.

I have no idea why anyone at Buckingham invited a shabby nobody like me, though...

From:

alt_pansy

Like she said.

And he probably doesn't come up with the approved list or whatever anyways.

And even though it might have hurt to say, you're right, it was what they needed to hear. I've had to do that before. And it doesn't feel good at all.

So I'm sorry.

From:

alt_ron

I didn't say it because I thought it was smart.

I said it because it's true.

From:

alt_pansy

I'm sorry, Ron.

From:

alt_gredforge

We Weasleys wear our shabby nobodyness with pride, you know. We recommend that you should, too.

Well, obviously when everyone jumps out and yells 'Surprise!' at Marvolo, he'll look around and say, 'Where's my mate Ronald Weasley? Well, if he's not here THE PARTY'S OVER. EVERYONE GO HOME.'

Oh, except you, Perks. You'll get to stay and open all the presents. And Marvolo will send you home with about half of them, just to make Mrs Stretton figure out she needs to treat you right.

From:

alt_sally_anne

That would be brilliant! At least if I got to take cake home, too. And I want him to let Pansy stay, too, it won't be any fun without her.

From:

alt_pansy

Well, I am weird.

From:

alt_ron

You are, but not like they meant it.

You're a better sort of weird than they were talking about.

From:

alt_pansy

Well.

Thanks for that.

Just think! When I grow up, I can switch from weird to eccentric.

They do sound like they were awful, though.

From:

alt_sally_anne

You'll make an excellent eccentric adult.

From:

alt_pansy

Oh, I'm planning on it.

From:

alt_ron

If you were just skulking around behind the chicken coop, you could have come in and helped out, y'know, rather than just snooping. What were you doing out there, anyway?

And they didn't say 'shabby nobodies' or 'riffraff' or 'weirdos'.

Exactly.

But it's pretty much what they meant, yeah.

I dunno.

It wasn't nice. Okay.

So, yeah.

From:

alt_luna

I asked Mrs Brown if I could invite you over here, but she said 'No.' I'm ever so sorry. But we'll still see each other on the camping trip. It's coming up very fast.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Luna, before you go back to school, if you can persuade Mrs Brown to stop at Miss Winchers' Compleat Clothery in Diagon Alley to buy any clothes you need, Miss Winchers is really good at making sure ~~she~~ you don't forget any of the things you might need. And her clothing is less expensive than a lot of shops. She doesn't sell school robes but she sells all the things that aren't necessarily on the list from the Ministry but you still need, like socks and gloves, you know?

(Mrs Stretton and I went shopping yesterday, that's why I'm thinking about it.)