alt_draco | Entries tagged with ypl

...and a more full schedule than ever. Revue rehearsal tonight, Prefects meeting and Revue rehearsal on Wednesday, YPL Thursday, Quidditch Friday, more YPL and rehearsal on Saturday, and so on.

Fortunately, my journal has additional charms to mind my schedule well. And, as a YPL counsellor, I am well aware of how it behooves oneself to keep busy in the service of the school and the Protectorate. Those of you who find it to be overwhelming at times ought to try on this trick for size: sing or hum the YPL anthem to yourself as you go about your day. All those tow row row row's really pick up the pace and make the various tasks go along speedily, and the lyrics bolster the spirit, reminding us of precisely who it is we serve, and why.

See you all around the castle.

Bit of a quiet weekend 'round Slytherin - socially, I mean. Always plenty of homework to be had. I suppose it's owing to that Thursday night party that there were no other parties going on. Cheers for that, Hydra - a good time was had by all. And many happy returns again, Finch-Fletchley.

Say, has anyone had time to write an essay for that YPL contest? You know, the one on the topic of the Lord Protector's Greatest Achievement. I've been so focused on managing quidditch, homework, and Prefect duties that I almost forgot about it entirely. It's a shame, really, because I reckon I'd do a spiff-up job on it if I put quill to parchment. There's so much to say about the Lord Protector's greatness that it's hard to know where to begin, and how to keep it to the length-limit. And then there's the question of just how to put all my thoughts into words... still, I might give it a go if I can make time this week.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a quiet spot, anyway. Some of the NEWT-level students must have found a new place to practise spells and revise, because the group staking out the far end of the common room (like they usually do on Sunday nights) was a bit thinner than usual. Just Samantha and some of the other girls, talking about Charms theory.

Oh, and Teds - you really planning to go 'round with your sleeves hacked off like that? If so, you might want to use a severing charm to get rid of those bits of ragged fabric on the edges. It doesn't really look like a fashion statement so much as the work of a rebel house elf at large in the laundry.

Right then. Who's going to be next to be rid of sleeves?

Current Location: The Great Hall

Good show, all of you. Fifth years, there really was an enormous difference between last summer and this one - in most cases it was pretty clear that people kept up a fitness regimen during the school year, in addition to paying attention in Defence class and duelling club.

Congratulations to everyone who got special awards this year, too. They did that bit a little differently than they did last year, if I recall correctly.

And after all of that... I, for one, definitely need a holiday.

Quite sorry to hear you'll be leaving the YPL programme, Professor Sinistra, though of course we'll still be seeing you in Astronomy lessons. And perhaps elsewhere, as well.

Today was something, wasn't it? I mean, it was all a bit mad. It was really... just.

I just really have a lot of things to say about what went on today. And I'm so knackered, but I know there's absolutely no way I'll be able to sleep. There's so much I've got to do. And it's all just so, so...

Does anyone know what I mean? Even a little?

I really ought to stop writing. But I can't. I really can't do that right now. I've really got to try to keep on.

Bloody nightshade, what a day.

Since you don't keep your pranks or grudges private, I won't make this private, either:

The next time you decide you want to make Weasley look like a fool or enact some kind of revenge, you'd better not do it in any way that makes me look bad, too - or the team you're working with, for that matter.

Although I think we all know who came out of this one looking the fool.

Good show, Weasley. Especially given the circumstances.

Went for a fly this morning for the first time in some weeks. I must say that while this year has been packed with new and interesting activities, I really do miss quidditch. I especially feel for the 7th years who were looking forward to playing out their final season, only to discover that they'd already played it back in 6th year. Bit rubbish, that. But I suppose it can't be helped.

Seems a few folks are still feeling a bit low that they've not been invited to that Beauxbatons soiree. All I can say to that is: really? It's just a bit of faculty-supervised tea and mingling, not the second coming of the Yule Ball. I can't speak for other Houses, but there's usually more interesting things than that going on in the Slytherin common room on Saturday nights. Dancing in the music alcove, or even just listening to the wireless, along with snap and portkey at the game tables. So if you're feeling left out, just grab a mate and make something happen.

Off to the YPL/CCF Planning meeting in a bit. See the rest of you lot there.

Current Location: en route to Lunch

As I flip through the pages of my book for the last day or so, it's interesting to note that the majority of other people's entries (and my own) consist of Private Messages. As much as I use and value the PM system, I have to admit that I do miss the days when people would simply log their schedules, comment on recent events, or just say something utterly daft and laughable. People still do that, mind; just seems as if it all gets overwhelmed by the surplus of PMs.

So, in light of this observation, I am planning a return to more public postings, and I hope that some of you lot reading will do the same.

Getting closer to the end of the term is always an odd time. Everyone can feel the hols building in the air, and that, along with the pleasant weather, makes it really tempting to just faff about and play portkey, or go for a fly around the lake. But then there's all this building pressure too, with more revising, upcoming exams, and the summer YPL stuff.

So, if anyone wants to come to a combined study-and-games/music-after session, let me know and I'll see if I can organise something snitch.

Mother: I hope you received my package and that it found you in good spirits.

Crabbe: Where's my France-Bulgaria quidditch programme? If you've sopped up your juice with it or something then we will have problems, you and I. I hope you're not hanging onto it because you're actually trying to read it, because it's written in French, genius. Goyle was convinced for a while that it was just really strange handwriting.

Harry: Has your Father said yet what you'll be doing this summer? You'll get to stay with us for a while, right?

Current Location: the great hall

Dear Father,

As part of the process of applying for the YPL combined cadet force programme, I write to you to express my interest in a number of professional fields which you yourself have experience in, be it limited or expansive. These fields include professional quidditch, music production and promotion, MLE consultation and advising, foreign relations, and others. I am certain that as I grow older, the profession(s) I am most suited to will be revealed to me by the proper parties; for now I only hope to best prepare myself for all those that I am interested in, and may one day find myself called to.

All best,
Draco

Current Location: leaving class

I haven't decided if I like camping or not. For one the tent is pretty cramped and I think we have more people in our tent than anyone else for some reason. The tent also smells a little off and isn't very nice, but we've really only been in it at night, so I guess it doesn't matter that much. I rather wish I'd been able to bring one of Father's tents, though. They're really posh, with full kitchens inside and everything.

Teddy definitely seems to know the most about being outdoors, probably since he's from Wales. He shared his insect-repelling potion with me yesterday, since the bugs were really bad and kept biting me more than anyone else, even though I was using the charm they showed us on Tuesday. I counted later and I have over thirty bug bites, ugh!

Seeing the Falcons again was pretty wiz-nift. Auggie Orville remembered me from Harry's birthday last year, and asked what position I play at Hogwarts. I told him I'll probably go for chaser. He has the same broom as I do, ha! He seemed surprised that I'd got mine before he even got his.

I tried to talk with Harry about what happened on his Birthday and how I was sorry I had to miss it, and then I asked him why he never writes in his book anymore, either. I'm not sure he was listening to me very closely, though. He didn't say much about it.

Did anyone else hear anything dodgy last night? We all heard something tromping about in the underbrush. Percy Weasley told us it was probably just an animal that was further away than it sounded, and reminded us that there were likely wards cast around the campsite. Still, we all heard it. Vince was so petrified I think he might've been crying! Whatever it was, it made noise for about twenty minutes between midnight and one, and then it stopped.