alt_draco | Various notes

Current Location: Slytherin common room

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It's been a full week back, that's to be said. Along with all the talk about the Triwizard announcement, a lot of people have been asking me if I can teach them to speak French. All I can say to that is that if I had that kind of free time, I'd be some kind of professor or something. But for those of you that already have SOME kind of conversational knowledge of the language, I was thinking of forming a weekend afternoon group where we can just practise talking to each other while drinking tea or something. I'm a bit rusty myself, but when she was here I spoke to my Aunt Amanda almost entirely in French, so I've already gotten some good practise in in the last few weeks.

Along those lines, me and the lads on the Slytherin quidditch team have agreed that it'll be important to keep up with our flying, even with quidditch cancelled for the year. If any of the other house teams want to arrange some impromptu pick-up matches, talk to me or Harry or anyone else on the Slytherin team.

Has anyone else noticed how much nicer the food is at school, compared to last year? The elves must have stepped up their efforts, now that we'll be hosting guests. Or maybe they're getting better food and ingredients - anyway, something's definitely different.

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I saw the announcement in the papers this morning.

How long have you known? Are you feeling all right about it? In my owl to Father this week I told him you seemed like you were down, but I just assumed it was because of what happened at the cup.

I hope you're all right.

-D

Flying would be wizard, Malfoy, cheers. We'll have to make sure your French club doesn't conflict with our other new little club, eh?

What other club?

Oh, it's just for the boys, you wouldn't know about it.

I heard Derwent saying that they've been forbidden to use that brassicrose stuff this year, that's what's making the food better.

I wish I spoke any French at all, though. It's the sort of thing Mum and Dad never really thought would come in useful.

Not in any ways that won't be interesting, at least.

I thought that brassicrose was supposed to be weirdly tasty and addictive, once you'd had enough of it. Though maybe that's only if you grew up eating pretty poorly by comparison.

I don't see many people all that concerned about learning Bulgarian - but then, where would they learn it? I can't think of a single person I've met who speaks it. I reckon they'd have to buy a book.

The boys are having some boys club and they're being ever so secretive about it. I only figured it out because Draco and some of the others came down before dinner smelling like smoke and brandy, just like they did after Blaise's party that I arranged for him last year.

Don't tell them we're on to them, though! They're so KEEN on themselves about it, it's terribly funny!

Well, Bulgarian just doesn't seem to be all that glamourous, either.

Anyway, I heard that the students from Durmstrang aren't all Bulgarian, so you'd have to learn German, Hungarian, Russian and even maybe Polish to really be sure you could talk to them all. I think it's much more sensible to wait to make someone's acquaintance and then learn a little of whatever they speak at home.

But French is French!

And yes, Brassicrose is supposed to make things taste sort of sweet and more people are saying now that it's addictive too (which is why they're not supposed to use it) but it's not anything like real decent food.

I dunno. Derwent could have been wrong, too.

Oh for Lakshmi's sake! They think they're so clever, don't they?

Well, that explains why Corner was so quick to tell me it was nothing. And why Linus is blushing every time he looks up from his book (which isn't all that often but still).

The worst thing is, we can't even wipe the smug looks off their faces by forming our own girls-only club, because then they'll assume we're doing nothing but talking about them the whole time!

Boys.

Huh?

What've you got in mind, then?

What language do they all speak when they're together at school, you reckon? That must be hard to manage.

French is nice. Mother certainly loves it. Father too, really. I think France itself has a lot to do with it.

Tout y parlerait
À l'âme en secret
Sa douce langue natale.

Whatever the reason, the food's a whole lot nicer, so either way it's good, yeah? So long as no one eats to much of it.

Nothing specific, only there'll be a lot of girls wanting to learn French, I reckon. Which equals all sorts of interesting possibilities.

Well, yeah. That's why we'll have to keep them separate, so there can be both.

For a minute I was thinking you were thinking of inviting some of those Bulgarian Veela to a future meeting of our club.

Now, that would be interesting!

Doesn't matter - they'll be speaking English here, won't they?

But we must indulge them in their delusions, if we're to stay one step ahead!

I think we should form a girls club, yes. And spend every session doing laps, pull-ups, and all the other things we learned in CCF. How baffled they'd be, to see us sweating and fighting while they're all getting together to gossip like old ninnies!

Which isn't to say that we can't talk about them while we're doing laps. Heh.

Maybe. But even so, they have an entirely different attitude towards people who can speak French.

That's a brilliant idea, actually! I've been finding it quite difficult to keep up with all the exercises this week but we really ought not to slip.

Yes, let's! Especially if these teas keep catching on - Tea of the Strange, French Tea, boys' teas - we'll be loads ahead of the others who spend their time just pigging out.

My reach doesn't extend that far, Smith, sorry to say. Not yet, anyway.

Sounds like the sort of thing Daphne would try to arrange for Blaise's birthday, or something, though.

The French? Or the Bulgarians?

We should arrange it so that it's going on at the exact say time as the boys' club, too!

This will be perfectly delightful, I think.

Maybe not, but sounds to me like you're not half planning to have loads of French girls falling at your feet this year, mate.

The French. I couldn't tell you much about Bulgarians beyond quidditch.

Right. You tell yours; I'll tell mine. Parvati can tell the Gryffindors and you can have Milli or Parkinson tell the Hufflepuff girls.

I just found out about it on Thursday.

She sent me an owl.

She's known for weeks.

I'm trying not to seem too put out by it, and I talked to Lucius about it earlier, which helped a little, but I'm still

I don't know how I am.

I can't help feeling like I don't have a family any more.

Our girls are already talking about how they're sure to catch the eye of all the French blokes, you realise. Won't be my fault or doing if all the French girls end up lonely as a result.

It's the shopping, Mum says. Nothing like Paris for fashion. Or food, I guess.

Do you think if someone came to your French tea parties but doesn't already know any, we'd learn?

She owled you about it?

That's rubbish. Flat out rubbish.

Pansy, I'm sorry. I should have asked you if something was going on - I just assumed it was because of everything else that's happened lately.

I'm sure your Mother loves you, because how could she not. But she's always sort of seemed...juvenile, I guess. And when you think about it, that's the sort of thing a little kid would do, wait to send an owl instead of talking face to face.

I think so, if they were clever enough to start with.

Well. I'd believe it if Greengrass or the Patils or Brown caught the French blokes' eyes. But the others?

Not half.

It is rubbish, isn't it?

Like she was afraid of what I'd say.

And don't worry. It's partially my fault. I didn't say anything, after all. I guess I figured you had enough to worry about, and really, compared to what other people were dealing with, my problems seemed really small.

Well those four and Dunstan are the ones who are sure of it - the rest are just hoping.

Teddy reckons it's all a plot to make us ask them out before the French lads show up.

It's not small if it had you upset.

Did you reply to your mother yet? What'd you say to her? What'd my father say?

I sent off an owl on Saturday, and told them all my best and congratulations and all that. I'm actually a little grateful I got to write it down instead of having to say it to her face, because I'm not sure I would've been convincing at all.

He seemed to think it was a normal teenage girl thing, to be at odds with one's mother. And that I ought to be respectful, and not give her reason to distance herself from me. And that it was always best to not let emotions get in the way.

That's sounds about like what I'd expect him to say. It's good advice, really, except not exactly easy. How do you just get rid of your emotions? It's not like a banishing spell would do it.

I've just gotten very good at performing and pretending, myself. My Father is absolutely fine, of course. What of it?

But I'm not sure I could do that all the time if I didn't have someone to talk to about how I really felt. So thanks for being there, with what happened with Father, and for the packages and everything else.

I always want to return the favour but I'm not as good at mind-reading as you.

Yeah, Dunstan's fit as well.

Perks isn't too bad. If she weren't a halfblood she could be one of the best in the year, actually.

Tell you who couldn't get a date to save her life, though: Midgen. I know she's in my own House, but those spots!

Anyway, Capper reckons it doesn't much matter if the French lads ask them all out. They're only here a short while and anyway, they'll all be focused on proving they're not naff at studies, won't they?

Well, you're doing a pretty good job of it right now.

So thank you back.

Are you still in the Common Room? It's been ages since I heard you play your guitar. If you'd be up for it, that is.

And I think that's a good thing to know. That it's easier when you have someone you can talk to. And I have Sally-Anne, of course, and you have Harry, but we also have each other, don't we. And I'll be sure to remember that next time I really need to talk to someone who I know will listen.

Perks, one of the best in the year? Ah, I've never really looked at her at all that way, mate. ~~Not sure anyone else has~~ But she's dead clever, at least.

Capper's got a point. None of us at Hogwarts want to look like idiots by comparison, either.

I'll bring my guitar if you bring yours. It's probably in need of a good tuning, actually...

Harry's good to talk to about some things, but not always as good as you, to be honest.

It's too bad summer's over.

Well, that's just it, isn't it? You can't look seriously because she's just a halfblood. So're Brocklehurst and Fawcett and they're much--er, more mature than Perks.

(I mean, have you seen the way Fawcett's robes are fitting her this year? Hopkins said this afternoon that he reckons her foster family haven't bothered replacing them and they're just unusually tight.)

I know how you mean. Because Sally-Anne is wonderfully sympathetic, but there are some things she just doesn't understand the way that you do.

I'll bring my guitar.

We were both glad to get your owl, dearest, and to hear that while you're busy, you've settled back in to school well, as ever.

You'll be pleased to know your Father has surprised his Healers with his remarkable rate of recovery. The treatments Healer Fletcher authorised have done wonders to get him back to his normal schedule. Of course, I still prefer him to take care not to speak too loudly or too long, just for the next week or two, but he's fully back to himself and in next to no time at all.

I'm glad you're keeping at your languages, as well. You do realise your Auntie Amanda is still quite willing to converse as much as you like? She continues to be such a help, and all while preparing her own household for the rest of the year.

Or maybe they've noticed her face is as plain as parchment and they're just trying to help her along as best they can.

It's a laugh to look and admire (or not), but I don't really have my sights set on anyone in particular ~~that you've mention~~. You?

I'm glad to hear it, Mother, though of course I'd expect nothing less of him.

I didn't want to bother Aunt Amanda, but if she really doesn't mind then I should take advantage of it while she's here in England.

Me? Oh, not really, I guess. Sue's all right, but she's a mate, you know?

Now, fifth-year girls, they're really fit.

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