We got owls

[alt_padma]

about the CCF.

I was accepted! But Parvati wasn't.

I don't think she's too upset, except that we won't be together for the whole summer.

The letter says I have to report on the 4th - is that what they told everyone? Or are we split up into groups like last summer?

Who else made it?

Comments

[alt_zacharias]

I'm in. And my letter says the same thing about the 4th.

Did you notice that's just a week, though? I thought we were supposed to spend three weeks, training and such.

[alt_padma]

You didn't read the whole thing, then, did you? Because it says we'll go back in August after this week.

I bet we'll get assigned to different projects in the meantime, the way the Auror trainees do. Sandoval said that by the time she finishes her training she'll have had intensives in all the major areas. So I reckon they might split us so that some of us do orienteering first while others do their survival skills, or something like that, anyway.

[alt_zacharias]

Oh, yeah. I did see that, of course. But I thought it was three weeks in a row.

Maybe you're right and there's going to be more they didn't tell us about.

[alt_daphne]

I can't imagine that they'd make the actual programme any easier or less tricky than the trials themselves.

[alt_ron]

Mine says the 4th.

Shame about Parvati, then.

[alt_padma]

You were accepted?

Oh.

Congratulations.

Parvati's okay - she's just glad she can spend her summer free from mosquitoes and spiders and other creeping crawlies.

[alt_pansy]

Nicely done, Weasley!

[alt_ron]

Thanks, Parks.

Private Message to Padma Patil

[alt_linus]

Padma -

First off, I was hoping we would both get in!!! I'm sorry about Parvati, though, and I hope she's not too upset. It's just one youth programme, after all, and she's really clever, she'll have lots of opportunities.

I actually wanted to talk about why I got in. I think it was that test with the Cardinals. Even though I studied I was utter crap at duelling and the physical tests, you remember, and those were the ones where they seemed to pay most attention. But then it seemed like they were letting more things go after I ... with the ... I was thinking about Crabbe and Goyle, you see, and those sixth-formers who just won't let up, and it just happened.

I can't tell Mum. Or Dad. I can't concentrate on my lessons. And I feel awful even petting Miss Precious, knowing I can do that to something. I know the Heroes use them for heroic work, but it's only when it's really necessary, and I don't think it was necessary when I did it. Does that make me a bad person?

Re: Private Message to Padma Patil

[alt_padma]

I really don't think she's too broken up. She said that at least she doesn't have to go camping in muck again! And I think she plans to help Mum in the shop, anyway. Lav didn't make it, either - she already Flooed us - so I think she'd've been more upset but they're out together.

Anyway, Lines, I shouldn't worry about being able to cast the Cardinals, if that's what impressed them. Maybe you should use them on Goyle or Crabbe anyway, so they'd let you alone! Only don't do it to those 6th-years. You know Weasley almost got in trouble for casting the Imperius on Professor Carrow? Because he wasn't licenced.

So it's a valuable skill to have, don't you see? And you can always threaten them - I doubt Crabbe's clever enough to know you need a licence.

Or you could let me talk to Malfoy and Marvolo. They can stop anyone doing anything they don't fancy.

Re: Private Message to Padma Patil

[alt_linus]

I suppose it could be a good thing. It's been hard to stop thinking about the sounds it made, but you're right about Crab and Boil. I'm a terrible bluffer, though, so I'll have to work on that. You remember, I only had one half-eyebrow left after the most recent game of Exploding Snap. No fear about the sixth-years. They already shave, for goodness sakes.

And you know I can't let Malfoy or Marvolo know. It'll get me trounced even worse, that's the way it works with boys. I don't know about girls, but if you're a tattletale, you're pretty much dead.

I knew talking to you was the right thing. Mum says hello and congratulations, by the way, and says to say hello to your mum.

Re: Private Message to Padma Patil

[alt_padma]

But you wouldn't be grassing, silly. And Malfoy has ways with Crab and Boil that don't involve saying so, either.

I won't tell if you still don't want me to. Only if those 6th-years come after you next year, you should go straight to the Corner. You're protected there - plus it's the library so Madam Pince would murder chuck them out if they made any fuss.

That's why it's good you know you can cast Cardinals, if you need to. You don't have to - you shouldn't have to use them, ever, especially if you still want to write history. I mean, what kind of historian or author needs to cast Imperius, right? But you know you can and that's got to be comforting. Of course you wouldn't want to hurt anyone nice, or a pet or anything!

Tell your mum thanks - and tell her my mum says she's got more of those scarves she likes. She should come round the shop and see.

[alt_michael]

Well, you know I didn't!

[alt_padma]

You don't have to be so maudlin about it, Corner. Parvati didn't either, nor Lav. There were loads of people cut from the programme during the week.

There were only spots for about half the class, so you've got good company.

[alt_daphne]

I got in, too! And I called Blaise up on the fire right away and he's been accepted as well, of course.

I really want to hear from Sally Anne and Pansy, to see if what they said about one of us not making it was really true or not. Though it's certainly not true in the case of the boys, because Blaise is in and Harry and Draco surely are, too.

[alt_pansy]

Oh, I got in too. I just haven't opened my journal til just now.

So I guess I'll see you on the fourth.

[alt_padma]

Cheers to all of you!

What about Perks? I haven't seen her say anything about it.

[alt_pansy]

I haven't heard anything from her since she got to the Stretton's. I'm betting she's still settling in.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

Have you even had an owl from her?

I mean to say, it's probably just the Strettons again, innit? Taking her book away for something Jeremy's done to cheese them off. But still.

She's okay, right?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_pansy]

I haven't, but yeah, I figure it's like last summer. I'm sure she's just fine.

I've sent her the Owl, so she'll have something to use to send off letters if she can't write in her journal.

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_ron]

You don't think they'd take that away from her, do you?

I guess she's smart enough not to keep it around where they'd see it. Probably sent it off right away. But then maybe you'd have heard back. I mean, it's been almost all week now.

It'd be really squib if they took it from her. The owl, I mean. D'you think it's big enough to carry parcels full of jam?

Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_pansy]

It's really titchy, so it might be able to manage one jam jar, but not anything heavier.

[alt_padma]

Well done, then, Greengrass!

[alt_lavender]

Well, Parvati and I will have a lot of shopping to do since I didn't get in either!

It won't be the same without you, though.

But I'm glad you got in and are going to go off and learn a load of really nift things!