alt_lana | XXXVI.

XXXVI.

It's really odd now that Orion and Honoria have gone off to school, and I'm still here in New London. So different from last year! Now I'm pretty much at the bottom of my cohort. Or I feel that way. I've got so much to learn. And sometimes it seems I'll never get there.

Oh, I'm not hopeless, I guess. And it's not like I don't understand what we're meant to do. It's just that I'm so slow and not at all as certain as I thought I'd be.

Anywiz, Mr Crouch said it's mostly a matter of drilling, and he said that's what training's for. And then he hexed me halfway across the sparring dungeon. Ha! Luckily, Ms Forney gave us a list of the best bruise salves and headache powders for this sort of thing, and she taught us some good basic triage spells to use on ourselves, so I'm not faring too badly.

I've lost a load of weight, though. I hadn't really noticed, but they weighed us today, and I've lost a stone without trying to at all. It's a good thing I don't have to wear any of my dress robes soon. I tried on the ones from my presentation, and they just hung off me. Not in a good way, either.

I plan to stuff myself tonight, though. Yaxley, have you decided whether you're able to come along for dinner? We're meeting at Bubble and Squeak at half-seven, but if you can't make that, just come along to Highgate. It's going to be awesome. I hear Burdett-Coutts has got the Dead Ringers playing tonight. I've never heard them, but Pennifold says Curtis has an awesome voice that's only got better since he came back a ghost. I can't wait. So. We'll see you one place or the other, right?

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If you've lost that much, you must be skin and bones. I thought you were well thin enough before. I mean, it's not like you needed to drop a stone or two like Green. I guess it's not too surprising, if you think about it. I mean, I've seen photographs of the Auror squads and of course we met a few of them. And they all look well fit.

But if you're really going to keep the weight off I'm sure Mum can take them in for you.

Things here are going all right, so far, anyway. We thought we might have to switch History Club round, but Orion told me that Young Interrogators will be meeting on Mondays, so there's no trouble after all.

And Professor Lestrange is really impressive. We had our first Defence lesson today and he talked about dark creatures and so on. And Arithmancy is going to be every bit as nift as I hoped, I think.

Oh, I'm doing fine. The weight's not important: it's just because I'm working hard at it all. I really do want to do well, and I've never had to try so hard at anything before. I didn't realise it, but we were all just very soft, living at school. It's been such a change to start training properly!

I'm glad your lessons seem promising. I'm sorry not to have had Professor Lestrange. I'm certain he'll be ever so ~~much better~~ different than Professor Lockhart. And watch out for Professor Vector: she likes to surprise you with little tests whenever she thinks the group is getting overconfident. Or when she suspects you're paying more mind to other things than her lessons! Especially just before Quidditch matches. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Oh, I'd expect that of Professor Vector, she's ever so sharp that way. It's no different to House meetings, really. Just when you think she's not watching, that's when she'll call on you.

And I asked Haruman about losing weight like that, and he said that once it turns to muscle you'll be twice as fit, so that'll be nift.

Was the concert loads of fun? I guess our little music parties here don't really compare to going out nights and dressing up and all. I suppose there are lots of older people there, as well. Did you meet anyone exciting?

Well. Do you know Melania Featherstone? She flies for the Wanderers, but she was in town and turned up last evening with Dymphna Calhoun. You know, the actress. I guess they're mates. Anyway, they brought a flock of photographers with them. Burdett-Coutts must've been chuffed about the publicity.

Cilla Hewett was there, too, but I didn't see her husband. I guess the Pride had a match. Or that's what Pennifold said. Pity. Mendick Hewett's well fit. Did you see he was on the cover of Whirl sometime in July, I think. There must've been ten pages of pictures--all his greatest plays, plus pictures of him out and about at the clubs or at ribbon cuttings and visits to kids at St Mungo's.

But last night was mostly just a great lot of people getting out after the working week, you know. Just people like us. But it was dead amazing music and really great to wander around Highgate. It's like a city for ghosts, you know. And they were out in force, dancing with us and showing us around the avenues and into the crypts. You just didn't want to go in the places where they were offering drinks or food.

Well, I've heard of them, certainly. I think Mrs Hewett comes in Mum's shop sometimes.

It's so strange, really, to think of people like that - like just other people you could dance next to or whatever. Like how so many people are saying they 'know' Cal Crockford, now that he's playing professionally. I suppose we'll do the same once we've left and we're all doing amazing and important things, too. Sort of makes me wish I were already done with school.

Except that we're not done learning yet.

It sounds as if you're enjoying yourself very much, Miss Sandoval.

We had a very good time last evening, thank you.

You're not hopeless, no.

In fact, I'd say that what you have in your favour is a brain and a solid sense of your own deficiencies. Some of your cohort strike me as lacking in one or both of those areas.

I suspect you could do with less socialising at the weekends, but at least you have more sense than McLaggen. If he turns up hung over this Monday morning, he's out.

Highgate Cemetery, is it? I trust we'll hear no complaints tonight. I'm on duty.

Is this the first time that they've been spoken to about their socialising?

For Sandoval, yes. So far as I'm aware. There was nothing disciplinary in Forney's notes when I took over the programme this week. I have them next week, as well.

McLaggen's another story. Arrogant. Confident on absolutely no grounds whatsoever. Convinced the females in the group are starry-eyed at his (supposed) magnificence.

I made certain he lost face as often as I could arrange it. Not that it seemed to make much impression. I'd say there's little hope for his making anything more than a low-end camp enforcer.

And even for that, you need to turn up sober on Monday mornings.

McLaggen's a lost cause. It's Sandoval I'm interested in. She's in the programme with my backing; she interned with me and everyone knows it. You know as well, Barty, how few of these hopefuls I attach my name to. And how am I paid in return? "Not faring too badly" is not what I'm looking for. Nor are updates about Bubble and Squeak, singing ghosts, or cemetery dance-orgies.

If she's not standing out as the very best, and if she's not giving more than her all, then she's taken my association and flushed it down the loo.

Don't say a word, Barty, but I'll be dropping by for sparring next week. No special preparations, nothing beyond what's already planned. I'm sure that Miss Sandoval will find it simply "awesome."

Of course, you're welcome to come; I won't breathe a word of warning.

I think you'll be more gratified with what you see than with what you've read. Sandoval's got definite potential. But a lesson from you at this juncture may be the best thing that could happen to her. Sharpen her up a bit.

Her peers, too. They could all stand to have the fear of Echidna lit in them.

Thank you for saying so, Mr Crouch.

I hope to earn your respect.

My advice to you, then, is that you sharpen up and redouble your efforts.

Oh.

Of course, I mean to work harder each day than the previous. And I've been practicing that wand flick you suggested, but I keep catching it on my sleeve. Perhaps there's still something I'm doing wrong. Holding it incorrectly. Or a spell to keep my sleeve from interfering? I've been trying to think more consciously about reducing all unnecessary movement. Just aim and cast. Aim and cast.

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