It's not very often

[alt_padma]

but sometimes I wish I were in Gryffindor.

Not because I want to be a Gryffindor. But because Parvati and Lavender are there.

Belinda and Morag, of course, they're trying. But it's not quite the same.

So, Finnigan, I know I told you I'd be in the library tonight and we could work on History Club. I guess Troy was a little short with you when you came to Ravenclaw Corner looking for me.

What happened was, Sandoval said the Headmistress wanted to see me. Me and Parvati, in fact.

I didn't know what to expect, so I thought at first maybe we were in some kind of trouble. You know, I think that's what everyone thinks because you never think it's going to be something so

Sorry. It's sort of hard to write it all out.

Um.

Professor McGonagall had an open firechat going and it was our parents. Mum was crying and Dad's voice sounded sort of scratchy.

They said Sanji's missing.

I guess he didn't come home from playing, or something. So when it started to get dark, Mum and Dad got really worried and they called MLE. And they're out looking for him. There's a bulletin or an alert or something going out on the wireless in case anyone's seen anything. And the Aurors are organising a sweep of the parkland.

Including the ponds.

So, they said they'd keep Professor McGonagall informed about it and the Auror in charge of the search will let them know through the night what's going on, if they find any evidence of what happened, or what.

Oh, I didn't say, I guess the neighbourhood kids were all at the park near our house, where we usually play. And they said they saw a man, and then later they found this puppy. It's kind of sad because you know Sanji wanted wants a puppy so badly. They made sure he wasn't transfigured or anything, but it's a real puppy, not Sanji turned into a puppy. So I guess they're also trying to find out whose puppy it is. And who the man was.

But in the meantime Dad said they'd keep the puppy for now. In case Sanji gets back.

So, yeah. I guess I just wish Parvati and me could be together tonight.

Comments

[alt_lana]

Patil. Are you still awake?

[alt_padma]

Yes, I

yes

is it lights out already?

[alt_lana]

No. No worries.

I just wondered how you are. I'm finishing rounds, and I wondered if you'd like to go for a bit of a walk. No one will mind if you're with me.

[alt_padma]

Oh.

Okay.

Should I wait in the common room?

[alt_lana]

Yes. Bring your cloak for outdoors. I need to go check something on my star chart, and I thought maybe if you were with me, I could talk through this problem I'm having such a time working out. I think if I could just explain it all to someone who would understand, it might all click and make sense.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind.

[alt_padma]

All right.

thanks

I'm not really tired, anyway.

Su Li and I were just talking. She says she had a brother who died when he was really really little.

I didn't even know that.

[alt_pansy]

I'm sorry to hear about your brother, Padma.

You and Parvati both.

I know how much he means to you, and that's just awful. I hope they find him, I really do. Really.

I probably don't deserve to say this to you right now, and if you're angry about me saying it I understand, but sometimes things happen that make everything else seem really small and petty, and this is one of those times.

So yeah. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry you're going through this right now, and offer up a truce if you'll take it. Because you have other much more important things going on, and it really is all so silly compared to that.

I hope you know that I really do mean this. All of it.

[alt_padma]

I believe you, Parkin Pansy. Thanks.

Sandoval asked me to come with her to the Astronomy tower, isn't that nift?

And looking at the stars it's really amazing that they're so far away but they're there all the time, and here we are so small compared to them. You know?

Anyway, I think you're right. I'm not even sure what there is to fight about, really. Sandoval says that whatever divides us is far less strong than the blood and magic that binds us. And I think that's true.

So I'm willing to give things another go if you are.

[alt_pansy]

Good. I'm glad that's settled.

[alt_pansy]

The light from a star takes years and years to get to us, you know. So a star could explode tonight, or just disappear, and we'd keep on seeing its light for maybe even hundreds of years.

I like that.

And there's all those Greek stories about the constellations, how the Greek Gods would put people they loved or had wronged up in the sky as stars, so they could be remembered forever.

[alt_padma]

Well, we have our own stories and names for the stars. I've just been telling Sandoval some of them, and she's been telling me the Spanish words.

Like, there's a star out tonight, it's mostly straight up, and we call it Magha, but it's also Mr Black's name. Your Mr Black, I mean. Not the horrid one.

[alt_pansy]

That does sound nift. I'd like to hear those sometime.

[alt_padma]

Oh, and you'll never guess who was up here when we arrived!

[alt_pansy]

Who?

[alt_padma]

Moran!

He said he was working on his assignment, but he didn't have his star chart and it's not his night for rounds and Sandoval teased him about being there to meet a girl and he got all shirty about it with her.

Then he stomped off down the steps.

If you're in your common room, or near it, he'll probably be coming back any second. You should ask him what he was doing and see if he gets all red in the face.

[alt_pansy]

I'm not back there until tomorrow, but I'll be sure to tease him about it later.

[alt_padma]

Oh. That's right. I'd forgot.

Sorry.

I really never would have cast anything that would make you sick like that. To tell the truth it was sort of scary.

[alt_pansy]

I know.

And yeah, it was.

It felt like I was

[alt_pansy]

If Madame Pomphrey sees me writing instead of sleeping, she'll probably be hacked off.

So I'd better put this away before she comes back around and try and get to sleep.

I hope things turn out better for you tomorrow.

Order Only

[alt_molly]

Oh, my. Arthur, have you seen this? The story was on the WWN tonight, too.

Re: Order Only

[alt_sirius]

I saw it too, Molly.

And Reg just


I was actually having a rather good day.


Ever been on a broom that oversets itself midair, and had to execute a starfish and stick to get back on track?

Well, the feeling your stomach makes when you're hanging by one hand and one ankle. That's this.

[alt_percy]

I assume you will keep us posted if the Headmistress informs you of any updates from your parents. Of course one's fears are natural, but in most cases such as these a child will come home safe and sound (and the only dire result is a thundering scold from Mum and Dad).

So keep your hopes up. We will all expect to hear good news soon.

[alt_padma]

Well, it's morning and they haven't told us anything.

I read that this is the sort of thing that used to happen all the time, when muggles were in charge. It must have been awful. Parents probably didn't want to let their children out of the door.

But our way was supposed to stop all that. So why is this happening?

You don't have to answer. I'm just upset and I want my brother back, please, from wherever he's gone to.

[alt_sally_anne]

Sanji will be so excited about that puppy when he gets back. Surely they'll find him, surely? With all of MLE out looking.

I'd have asked Moran what he was up to, to see if he'd blush, but I didn't see this until just now.

I hope you get good news tomorrow. Or before tomorrow, even.

[alt_padma]

Not all of MLE. Mr Crouch said

Well, he probably didn't mean for us to see but I was looking through the journals last night, you know, in case anyone reported anything.

He told Mrs Malfoy that ours wasn't his case, but that he was sure the Auror in charge would find him for us.

I guess you've seen that Parkinson and I, we decided to start over. I want you to know that goes for you, too, if you like. So I don't think you ought to go after Moran on account of he probably wouldn't take it as well if you asked him instead of Pansy. No offence - I mean, really. I'm just saying, you wouldn't want him to get you in trouble if it made him cross enough.

But you should have seen Sandoval asking him questions! That Auror's internship she did over the holidays has really made her good at interrogation. He was actually stammering. Any other time I think I would have burst out laughing - as was, it made me smile, which was worth it.

I mean, there's no other reason for him to be out in the castle when he's not supposed to be taking rounds, is there?

[alt_sally_anne]

That really is funny about Moran and I expect you're right. I can tell you if he's got a girlfriend she's not in Slytherin, though. It's funny he's be so secretive about it though, I mean he's a seventh year. NEWT students are practically required to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend.

I saw what Mr Crouch said but not until morning. It sounds like loads of people are out looking. Let me know if there's anything I can do to take your mind off things.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_sally_anne]

I wonder if Moran is dating a half-blood girl? He'd keep THAT a secret from Slytherin, anyway. His family too, I expect.

[alt_seamus]

Padma I heard from Lavender earlier but I couldn't find my journal until just now.

Thats terrible about your brother. Maybe they'll find him in the morning once its light.

[alt_padma]

Well, it's morning. We still haven't heard anything.

I wonder if Applebee would let us borrow his wireless. But then we'd have to listen to the announcement about Sanji over and over.

Maybe not.

I'm sorry I wasn't there to meet you in the library, Finnigan.

Parvati and Lavender and I are going to go to the Astronomy tower for a bit. If you want, we could talk about History Club for a while.

[alt_seamus]

I'll come find you.

We can talk about History Club if you want. I mean, if it'll

I'll be there soon.

[alt_padma]

Thanks for spending time with me, Finnigan.

I just had a thought, though.

You know how we were talking about how things are for you in Ireland. And people said they saw a man before Sanji disappeared.

You don't think it could be one of the Irish resistance, do you? I mean, they're not cross with me because you're a chum, and you're in Parvati's house?

[alt_seamus]

I hadnt even thought of that. They wouldn They Well if

Its not

If it were the Irish muggles they wouldnt have targeted Sanji because your my mate. It would have been

Surely it wasn

[alt_lavender]

Parvati and I wish you were here too. I waited for her in the common room, and when she came back...Padma, I've never seen her look like that, so pale and greyish and tired-looking. I knew something had to be terribly wrong to make her lose her cheerfulness.

We sat in the common room and just hugged each other for a long time, and wanted you to be with us.

I'm so, so sorry. I hope they find him soon.

[alt_padma]

Professor McGonagall told us to stay where people could find us if there's any news, but honestly I'm getting rather anxious with so many people here wanting to be encouraging.

And I appreciate the encouraging, I really do, but somehow it's making me more nervous instead of less.

Did Parvati eat any breakfast? I could only manage a little toast.

I think I want to go back up to one of the towers - maybe Astronomy or near the owlery. I'd say Divination but somehow that seems like asking for trouble.

Want to meet up at the Astronomy tower steps?

[alt_lavender]

She was really distracted at breakfast; I don't think she slept much.

We'll both be there in a few minutes.

It's funny that you should mention Divination; there's something that I should maybe talk to you about, but I want to wait until I see you in person.

[alt_ernie]

I'm very sorry to hear that your brother's gone missing, Padma. And Parvati too. I hope they find him very soon.

[alt_padma]

Thanks, MacMillan.

You've got a little sister, right? And a brother?

It's funny, Sanji's always pestering us and teasing us and wanting to be included in whatever we do just mostly so he can tell us it's stupid. But I don't want him gone forever, you know?

Well, anyway. Thanks.

[alt_ernie]

I've got two brothers at the moment, but my mum's pregnant with twins so I'll have two more little brothers or sisters soon. One of my brothers is the same age as your brother, I think. They'll be in the same year at Hogwarts anyway.

I know little brothers can be a right pain sometimes, and sometimes you say stuff like "GO AWAY!!", but you don't mean it. Or not forever, anyway. I bet he knows you don't mean it too.

I'm sure you'll hear from your parents soon that they found him and he's fine. He was probably just hiding somewhere or something.

Well, if there's anything any of us in Hufflepuff can do for you or Parvati, just let us know.

[alt_susan]

I agree with Ernie. Everyone who has little brothers and sisters is sharp with them sometimes, no one's perfect, but I'm sure he knows you love him.

[alt_ron]

I hope they found your brother or he came home safe last night. I got lost once when I was small, and Mum went spare, even though she's got this childminder thinger on the wall that tells her whether any of us is in danger at all. But she didn't trust it, I guess, or maybe it said 'LOST' for me, and for her that was as bad as if it said anything worse. Anywiz, I'd just been following a fox I saw when I was out in the orchard; it kept circling back around and winking at me, and then jogging off, and I'd follow. It was fun, you know. Until it got darker, anyway, and I didn't know where I was. I'd never seen that pond before or those woods. And I hadn't had supper, so I was hungry. And I couldn't just go back 'cause I didn't know which way back was, so finally, I just sat down on a big rock and waited. That's what Dad always said you should do if you get lost ever. Sit and wait for them to find you. The fox came back and checked on me two or three times during the night, too, after it was done hunting. And, anyway, Dad and Charlie found me well late into the night. And Mum shouted at me and cried on me and hugged me and shouted some more, but she made me the biggest plate of eggs you've ever seen, and we all had breakfast even though it was still dark out.

I was smaller then than your brother is now, I guess, from what Parvati said. Anywiz, I told her last night, but I wanted to say to you, too, that I'm really sorry this is happening and that it's so worrying. And I hope they've found him already and everything's all right, yeah?

Yeah.

[alt_padma]

Er.

Thank you, Ronald.