I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good

[alt_justin]

Everyone,

Did you hear Professor Dolohov as we were leaving the lesson this morning? We've got to tell him our working groups for the year before Tuesday.

I think though, if we all simply join up in our usual sets, we might give him the confirmation he's been looking for, about the Ministry and such, what? Also, we may all be mates but we're not necessarily all interested in exactly the same sorts of projects.

Has anyone else thought about partners? We might want to strategise so no one's left with a team that's completely incompatible. On the other hand, there might be some--Brocklehurst, Corner, Greengrass and even Moon--who could easily join a team without driving the others round the twist, what.

-F-F

Comments

[alt_sally_anne]

I think we ought to ensure Daphne's surrounded by our lot, if we can. And you have a good point about Brocklehurst and Corner (and Moon). Who's going for the Dark Arts NEWT who has a galleon?

[alt_justin]

Just Corner and Daphne.

I was going to talk to Macmillan about one but he--well, it became clear at the time that it wasn't the right choice, what.

This year might be different, though. He's a good chap, if a bit blinkered. I'd jolly well like to make sure he's not left to fall in with the likes of Patil, what, if possible.

-Justin

[alt_ron]

Well, talk to Sue first. Have they patched it up after all the business with Umbridge?

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, let's see. Of our lot, here's who's in NEWT Dark Arts:

You
Me
Pansy
Ron
Harry
Draco
Susan

If you and Susan work together with Ernie you'll have a little Hufflepuff grouping. Susan could pull in Mandy Brocklehurst because we're in Tea of the Strange together, and that'll keep her out of Patil's shadow.

Harry and Draco can work together and they could pull in Linus and Corner. Everyone will assume they wanted Linus for his cleverness. Corner too, for that matter.

If Pansy and I partner that would be perfectly natural and if we work with Ron everyone will assume it's because he's my boyfriend. (I think.) (I mean, I think that's what they'll assume.) But, if we want to pull in Daphne, that would be awkward. And I DO think she ought to be in a group with some of us.

Hmm.

Private Message to Sally Anne

[alt_ron]

Do you even want to partner with me? I mean, that makes it sound a bit like I'd be the dead wood.

Only, you don't have to.

If

Whatever

Re: Private Message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

No. I DO want to. When Professor Dolohov said that we could work in groups of two, three, or four, I thought, 'well that will work out perfectly, because Pansy and Ron and I can all work together.'

Justin's right though that we should think about ways to group ourselves so that no one ends up partnering with Teddy and Blaise or something horrid like that, and that we should also try to make sure Daphne and Corner don't wind up partnering someone horrid. (I don't think we need to worry that much about Professor Dolohov working out who was in the Department of Mysteries because he already knows who's friends with whom, but just making sure Susan doesn't end up having to work with Patil or anything is complicated enough.)

And of course it's awkward. Because you dated Daphne, and I dated Corner. And there's also Pansy and Draco. Susan didn't ever date Ernie but there's awkwardness because of Umbridge. And so on.

There's probably a way to make it all work out properly. I tore up little bits of parchment with names and I'm moving them around.

Re: Private Message to Sally Anne

[alt_ron]

All right, then.

Finnicky's putting me off, anywiz. So that's probably a No from him.

We could ask Daphne. I mean, you wouldn't have a problem with that, would you? It'd seem normal again pretty soon. I think.

Re: Private Message to Sally Anne

[alt_sally_anne]

I definitely wouldn't have a problem with Daphne but I thought you or she might feel weird about it. I'll ask and see what she says.

Re: Private Message to Sally Anne

[alt_ron]

Me? No. I was thinking you might. But if not, then ask her. I think that would be brilliant. I mean, that'd be me and three people with loads better penmanship!

[alt_ron]

I agree about Daphs.

I've been thinking about seeing if Finnigan wanted to be part of a group, but I think he'd be more likely if that were with Malfoy. Or Harry, maybe. I mean, otherwise, he'll end up with Patil, for sure. Only, I think if she falls in with Zabini (or have they blown up again?) anywiz, if she's with Zabini, I might have a chance to get Finnigan into a group, but I might need one of the others to hook him.

Of course, I could really end up regretting it. I mean, Finnigan and me stuck together for the whole year could turn out to be a right disaster.

[alt_sally_anne]

You and Finnigan. Hmm. I'm sure he'd RATHER be with Patil, but he likes Zabini almost as much as I do.

If Patil has the common sense of a scrambled egg, she won't partner with Zabini. I'm not sure she does, though. And Zabini might ask her -- SHE'D make a much better partner in that class than Teddy Nott.

[alt_sally_anne]

Also -- Linus Moon is dead clever and likes showing off, especially for anyone he's impressed by. If Linus is in a group with, say, Harry and Draco, if there's anything we especially want to learn more about, they'll be in a good position to put him to work, you know?

He's also not very likely to notice that he's being manipulated. But, it definitely needs to be Harry and Draco pulling the strings, because Padma Patil might notice.

[alt_justin]

Yes, he was well useful during the CCF exercises, what.

He can be a bit--overenthusiastic, if you follow me. But one can usually make sure he's staying within limits.

I say, though.... Is he likely to want to include Miss Brown?

-F-F

[alt_sally_anne]

Oh, I think if Harry or Draco tells him that it's an all-boy group because they don't want to be distracted, Linus would eat that up with a spoon.

I mean, they SHOULDN'T let him include Lavender, those two will probably break up and get back together five times before next June, and who needs that sort of extra drama in Dark Arts class, of all places?

Besides, if we're taking Linus, Padma needs SOMEONE to partner with. It can be her and Finnigan and Lavender Brown.

[alt_justin]

From what I've seen of Patil, she shan't want Brown in her group, best friend or no. When it comes to her studies, she's bally well fiercely competitive.

Did you happen to be watching when Professor Slughorn said no one's Draught of Living Death was quite up to snuff? She was jolly cross.

If Sue doesn't wish to work with Macmillan (and I can understand that, Sue, if that's your decision), then I could ask him and Daphne. Sue could work with Brocklehurst and Corner, perhaps, and then you, Ron and Pansy and Harry, Draco and Linus.

Would that leave anyone hanging?

-J

Private message to Pansy

[alt_sally_anne]

I am just taking it for granted that you WANT to partner with me. You do, right? If not I should probably start looking.

Re: Private message to Pansy

[alt_pansy]

Of course I do. And if we decided to split up and be in different groups, even if it was to spread out a bit, like Justin's suggesting, people'd think we were in a spat or something.

[alt_harry]

I think Linus would join my group if I asked. And he could be useful.

[alt_sally_anne]

Ask soon, or Patil's going to get him. Did you see where she asked him to come find her?

[alt_draco]

I don't see how we have any control whatsoever about what conclusions Professor Dolohov draws. He's a shrewd man, not an idiot.

Like it or not, there's going to be times when we're going to have to work with people who aren't one of us, whether that means that they're simply tolerable or utterly unsavoury.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, sure. But that doesn't mean any of us should work with Teddy when we can so easily avoid it.

[alt_draco]

I'll work with Teddy if there's no way around it.

[alt_sally_anne]

Professor Dolohov said to choose our own groups so there IS a way around it, a rather easy one.

[alt_draco]

Fine, I'll be with Harry, Moon, and Corner. Provided, of course, that Moon and Corner haven't already agreed to work with someone else.

Teddy will end up somewhere, though.

[alt_justin]

Malfoy,

I say, there's no need to be cross with one another. I agree we need to be able to work outside our sets, what: That's partly why I suggested we...fan out, as it were. Spread ourselves instead of lumping in cliques, if you follow me.

I'm well aware that Professor Dolohov will conclude what he concludes but that does not mean one must make those conclusions simple to draw, what?

-F-F

[alt_draco]

Who said anyone was cross?

[alt_justin]

Of course, quite right. My mistake, then.

-J