XXXVI.

[alt_lana]

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?

Comments

Private message to Barty Crouch Jr.

[alt_bellatrix]

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

Re: Private message to Barty Crouch Jr.

[alt_crouch_jr]

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.

Re: Private message to Barty Crouch Jr.

[alt_bellatrix]

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."

Re: Private message to Barty Crouch Jr.

[alt_crouch_jr]

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.