Private message to Ron and Ginny Weasley

[alt_bill]

Hello to both of you,

I hope the new school year has started off well (and you are happy with the return of Professor McGonagall--but how could you not be happy with such a vast improvement?).

I saw out of the corner of my eye while glancing through the journals that there were at least some Quidditch tryouts going on this weekend. You're both back on the team, right? What's the line up look like this year? Boy, it'll be hard to imagine Gryffindor taking the field without Fred and George as Beaters. It looks like Luna Lovegood even tried out as a Beater for Ravenclaw, but I get the impression she wasn't chosen, right?

Which House are you up against for your first match?

Ginny, how are the new Prefect duties shaping up for you? Do you like the other Gryffindor Prefects? In my day, they tended to pair off the firsties (especially the ones who tended to get homesick the most) with the youngest Prefects; do they still do that now? I guess the reasoning was that the younger Prefects weren't quite as intimidating for firsties to approach as the lordly Seventh Years.

Mum, Fred and George have all been busier than you can imagine. Mum's wrapping up the summer canning but starting the cider season and the root vegetables. The boys have decided to move into their workspace, so they've been sorting out what the take and what to leave and popping back and forth between the Burrow and WWW with lists and charts and boxes of exotic ingredients. They have purple shadows on their eyes from lack of sleep, but they seem ecstatically happy. I think they hope to have their packaging finalised in time to have some free samples to place in the Common Rooms the weekend before the first Hogsmeade weekend, since they've snagged some shelf space in Zonko's. The hope is that they'll whet the kids' appetites so the students will trot into town to come clean out the shelves. Eventually, owl order will be added as an option, too. Ginny, I'm letting you know this in case it's an issue for the Prefects: don't want you to get in trouble because of your brothers' marketing efforts. On the other hand, if you know of any loophole they can use, if there's any issue about getting their samples into the Common Rooms, let them know. If it helps, they don't intend to charge for the samples. They're just hoping to drum up some pre-product release excitement. They do so want to make this whole thing a success, not the least because they're hoping they can help chip in some with Mum's support.

Ron, how are NEWT classes going? I'm particularly curious to hear what Professor Dolohov's classes are like, since Noble Arts wasn't around when I was going through NEWTs. (It would also be kind if you could relieve Mum's mind, too. You know she isn't exactly neutral about the whole thing).

Haven't heard much from Percy, lately. He's been skipping Sunday dinners home more and more. Charlie's well and sends his love. The baby dragons keep him extra busy. He never fails to tell me that Art (the one named after Dad) is thriving the best of all.

Have a good week. Would love to hear from you once you can tear your attention away from essays, tests, Quidditch, and/or Prefect rounds,

Bill

Comments

Order Only: Private messate to Ron Weasley

[alt_bill]

Ron, I was at Moddey Dhoo this weekend. Tell Sally-Anne that I saw Maureen there, and she wanted to pass along a 'hello' to Sally-Anne. She particularly wants Sally-Anne to know how grateful she is that you brought her to the Order's attention.

Alice said she's settling in about as can be expected, meaning she's quiet and is obviously nervous and feels she must be busy all the time, keeps asking for things to do. They do not give newly freed muggleborns many chores at the sanctuary, just to get them accustomed to the idea that they don't have to justify their food or bed by working all the time. It's as if the concept of 'freedom' takes quite a while to sink in. Alice assured me that they've seen this sort of behaviour before, with the group that were freed at the Quidditch World Cup, but she expects Maureen will be less uptight with more time on the island.

Private message to Bill

[alt_ginny]

Thanks for writing, Bill. Being a prefect feels rather odd because sometimes people will stop talking when I come in now and I know it's because they're getting up to some sort of mischief. Only half the time it's something I'd just ignore anyway and it bothers me a bit.

Being one of the ones looking out for firsties is harder than I thought it would be. Some of them are terribly homesick BUT they don't want to admit it because they think it will make them bad Gryffindors. Edward Bones (the other Prefect) says to just leave them alone to figure it out but I don't like that idea, especially with the ones who've been crying themselves to sleep every night! One of the criers has also been wetting the bed at night and I sent her to Madam Pomfrey because I know she's got potions for that but I don't think she has a potion for homesickness.

And of course in addition to all that I have loads of homework because we're getting ready for OWLs. It's a good thing I gave up modeling.

As far as the other prefects go, McLaggen is a bit of a git but the rest are all right. Our Head Boy and Girl this year are Lares Tamblyn (he's from Ravenclaw) and Elsie Urquhart (she's from Slytherin). Elsie's wound a little tight, I'm a bit worried she'll be fast with the curses now she's allowed to cast them. (THAT wouldn't do any favours for those of us trying to get the firsties to settle in!) Lares is an excellent student who's going for NEWTs in practically every subject, he's good at setting an example but not really much for 'leadership' unless you mean 'lead us to the library.'

Tell me what things were like when you were a fifth year? I suppose Percy's memories would be fresher. Perhaps I should ask him, too.

[alt_ron]

Oh, say.

I didn't see this at all until Ginny told me you'd written. Busy weekend, I guess.

We're both back on the side for Gryffindor, yeah. I think Bell's a bit nervous about how we're going to fit together, all of us, and it's a sure thing Finnigan and Archer won't replace the twins. And putting a beater bat in Finnigan's hands makes me nervous. I may be keeping quaffles out of our goal hoops while dodging bludgers from my own side! (Kidding.)

And lessons are lessons. With added heaps of homework.

So, yeah. We've got plenty to be going on with here.

Re: Order Only: Private messate to Ron Weasley

[alt_ron]

I'll tell her, thanks. She's been wondering how it's been for Maureen. She'll be glad to know.

[alt_ginny]

Fortunately I think Finnigan wants to win even when he's on the outs with you.

[alt_ginny]

The real question is whether he and Archer will be able to work out how to coordinate. I think we're all rather used to the Twins, who as everyone knows share a brain!

[alt_ron]

True. And we're still holding to our truce, Finnicky and I. We might do all right.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. And they don't even need to be looking at each other to keep in step or in formation. We'll miss that for sure.

Re: Private message to Bill

[alt_bill]

Well, the makeup of the staff was a bit different, of course. We had Sluggy, and Sprout and Vector (and Binns, but then we've ALWAYS had Binns). On the other hand, Alcor Bobbin was teaching Astronomy, and Kettleburn had COMC. Savitha Desai was teaching Defence, and Able Gander taught Transfiguration. That was the first year Acton started Charms. I really regretted it when her predecessor, Filius Flitwick stopped teaching. Couldn't be helped, considering the laws being passed and what his bloodline was, but he was a wonderful teacher.

The Prefects were a good group, the year I started with them. Didn't seem to be so much of an emphasis on 'it'll-look-good-on-your-job-applications,' more about 'we-deeply-appreciate-your-service-to-the-school.' I think the professors leaned on us quite a bit more about, uh, breaking up romantic clinches in dark corners and the Astronomy Tower. There wasn't quite so much of a separation between the Head Boy and Head Girl as I think there is nowadays, or at least that's the impression I have? Perhaps the fact that they're authorised to do the Cardinals sets them a bit more apart.

I'm glad you're willing to be kind to the homesick firsties. Don't tell Mum or my brothers because it wouldn't do much for my reputation, but I was a very homesick firstie myself. I was always grateful that Perseus Levingworth was willing to talk to me on my worst nights, and never made fun at me. I've never forgotten that.

You'll make an excellent Prefect, Gin, I've no doubt.

[alt_bill]

It would be strange to see Gryffindor without the twins. Hope their successors can come up to the mark quickly.

On the home front tonight, Mum seems to be cooking up a storm. I should think you can expect an owl delivery of biscuits and the like. She's something on her mind, and you know how that translates to an endless stream of things coming out of the oven. Merlin knows I can't eat all of it myself, or I'd be rolling to the office instead of apparating.

Miss you two. Not the least because now that Fred and George are moving out, I'm stuck with the bulk of the chicken and goat chores.

Re: Private message to Bill

[alt_bill]

Oh, meant to tell you, too: smoked the hives and did an inventory. The queens are all there and healthy, and the workers have laid in a good supply of wax and honey. You did a great job of taking care of them this summer, Gin. Mum says it's about the best harvest we've had yet.