XXIV.

[alt_lana]

I'm sure each of you joins me in expressing what a deep honour it was today to welcome Our Lord to Hogwarts. It is a testament to the unparalleled quality of our library that He should require its resources. We have materials available nowhere else in the world, and our library is undeniably the finest and most ancient collection of its kind.

I for one will never enter the library again without thinking what a privilege it is to attend this school which Our Lord Himself attended, an institution unrivaled anywhere.

Comments

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

The Lord Protector is a WANKER and YOU are a pompous nitwit. And I hope you both choke yourselves to death on book dust.








Merlin, I love being able to say things like that.

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

[alt_neville]

It sure is useful, isn't it?

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

[alt_ron]

Heh.

You hardly ever say anything, y'know, risky here.

You ought to do. It really does feel good!

Like this: Padma Patil is a complete pustule.

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

[alt_neville]

If you'd been raised by my Gran, you'd understand why it's not easy for me to say things like that. Even if it's only with people who are safe.

[alt_padma]

Dunstan and Moon and I went up to the central corridor to see if we could see the Lord Protector's party on their way out. Not to disturb them, of course! But only because it's so exciting. I've seen Him up close a handful of times, I mean, but still, it's ever so impressive to think that He would come here just to do research in our library. Just like anyone, really! I wonder what books He needed. Imagine what it would be like to look in the very same book.

Professor Acton says sometimes the presence of a really powerful mage can linger long afterward, like the ripples in a pool after a stone is dropped into it. I wonder if you'd feel the aftereffects if you touched the page He touched, or anything like that?

Anyway, I hope it's quieter in the common room tonight. We made sure to remind everyone in first-year (and some of the second-years and even a few third) that it's within your power to tell them they've got to take their business to the dormitories if they're not respectful. Although everyone's really looking forward to maybe getting care packages once owls are allowed again. Do you think we could tell them that if they're all really, really careful not to disturb everyone revising in the common room, we could have a big Ravenclaws-only party after OWLs are over? I'm sure we'll have parcels again by then, don't you think?

And it would give everyone something to plan for - and us something to disallow if they don't behave.

What do you think?

[alt_lana]

Actually, that's an excellent idea about a House party after OWLs and NEWTs--if they all tow the line between now and then.

I like how you think, Patil: you'll make an excellent Prefect one day.

As for Our Lord, I suspect we would not have occasion to touch the texts He was consulting. For myself, I shouldn't presume to think that my knowledge or interests approach His own. On the other hand, I do imagine we'll feel the profound effects of His Presence lingering in the library for many days to come.

[alt_padma]

Cheers, Sandoval!

And no, of course I don't mean that He'd be looking for anything as...as elementary as something we'd be doing in lessons, or anything like that! I mean, obviously if He's coming here it's for something really, really important that He couldn't get anywhere else.

But on the other hand, He was a student, too, wasn't He? I mean, when He was our age (it's really amazing to even think He was ever our age!). So He must have used the library then, too, right? Which means that some of the books there, maybe even a lot of them, must have been books He read. So I wonder if you could tell, just by touching one, that He'd ever used it?

I can't believe I never even thought of that until now! To think, all this time we've been using the library, and His Presence has been there all along.

How old is Ravenclaw Corner? You don't think it might have been a place where He used to go, back in the day?

Gosh, that's an exciting thought.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

I wonder if there IS any way of knowing who touched which books? I mean, that's actually sort of an interesting question. I bet there's a rune, actually, I mean I wouldn't expect to be able to use a rune on a book and know which people had touched it in the last 200 years, but maybe there's a rune that if you put it there, you'd know later who'd touched something.

Of course, if Madam Pince caught you writing a rune on a library book she'd make you WISH you'd just been caught by Carrow stealing his rats...

P.S. The Lord Protector was a SLYTHERIN and not a RAVENCLAW you self-satisfied little prig.

P.P.S. But you can have him if you want, as far as I'm concerned.

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

[alt_ron]

I hope there's not a Rune for that. I mean, it sounds like the sort of thing that could get us in trouble someday. A way for the Headmistress to catch you if you do something, y'know. Or Madam Pince.

And, yeah, she'd have your head if she caught you writing something in one of the books. You're right, it'd almost be better

well, no, actually

I can't think of anything as bad as getting caught by Carrow

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

[alt_sally_anne]

No, you're right, I was joking. I'd face Madam Pince a dozen times before breakfast before I'd take on Carrow, given the choice.

[alt_seamus]

The Lord Protector wasn't in Ravenclaw though. He was in Slytherin. Are Slytherins ever allowed to revise in Ravenclaw Corner?

[alt_padma]

Of course, I know He was in Slytherin, Finnigan! That's what I was asking - whether Ravenclaw Corner was ever possibly Slytherin Corner, you know?

Because it's the very best spot in the library, so I'm sure when He was here He would have wanted the best. So it's possible, if Ravenclaw Corner hasn't been in that very spot forever and always, that at one time there were Slytherins who used it. And maybe the Lord Protector was one of them!

(It was certainly never Hufflepuff Corner or Gryffindor Corner, but Slytherin Corner? Maybe!)

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Oi!

What does Finnigan even see in her? I mean, she's always on about how Gryffindor's a nothing House, and yet here he is, always answering everything she says.

D'you think she Confunded him? I dunno, back before Christmas hols, maybe.

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

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, there's a lot of different ways to be a halfblood.

One of them is to pretend really hard that you're not.

There are some advantages to that approach but the problem is, you have to twist yourself in knots to live that way. He can't stick up for his House because his housemates would accept him for who he really is, and that's not alright because HE doesn't accept himself for who he really is.

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

[alt_ron]

Huh?

That doesn't even make sense.

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

[alt_sally_anne]

You're a pureblood. I don't expect you'd understand.

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

[alt_neville]

Well, I understand it. And I'm a pureblood.

(Not that I think it makes any difference, really.)

[alt_seamus]

Oh, I see what your saying now.

[alt_padma]

I mean not that all Gryffindors are bad (you, for example), but they're not really much for staking out a place for revising, are they?

Anyway, I wonder what He was looking for. I'm sure it was something really incredible and advanced. Maybe it was a way to keep anyone from ever getting sick again, like with Black's Paralysis?

Of course, that would mean St Mungo's could basically close, which would be bad for Haruman. But good for everyone else!

[alt_seamus]

Gryffindor House is not known for being where the swots go. I'll give you that!

I'm sure whatever the Lord Protector was looking for was really important. Maybe its a kind of magic that will find Black once and for all? And everyone who sympathises with him?

[alt_padma]

Well, we don't all have castles and servants, you know! Some of us have to work hard to get ahead.

But yeah, you're probably right! Did you see what Mr Crouch told Mr Malfoy? Oh, that would be wonderful, if they could catch him! We'd all sleep a little safer, I expect.

But we probably shouldn't talk about it in case he sees and takes measures to get away. You wouldn't want to be responsible for that!

[alt_seamus]

You don't really think

I reckon your right, we shouldn't say anything else.

[alt_percy]

I certainly agree, Sandoval.

One thing I suggested was that a place in the library might be set aside for His exclusive use: a particularly nice study table in an alcove off the Restricted Section, perhaps with a special plaque, etcetera. Madam Pince seemed quite taken with the idea.

[alt_lana]

That is a very fine suggestion, Weasley. I thought you presented it well at our meeting last night. I hope you weren't disappointed when the Headmistress said it would require approval from the Board. I can't imagine they'll be anything but supportive of your initiative.

[alt_percy]

Thank for that, and for your support on the proposal.