I love astronomy

[alt_padma]

Even though it means we have to stay up so late.

Well, partly I love it because we get to stay up so late, but then I'm ever so tired next morning and I'm late for breakfast.

Linus says he'd rather play that ak thing but now hes all of a mind to practis chess alot and see if it makes him play the other one better. He called it an umpiracle test.

I'm not sure what that is but I think it means he'll see if chess improoves his life like Malfoy's dad's book says it will.

So I hope we're still doing the chess turney, yeah? Becuse we here in Ravenclaw are getting ready for it.

Everyone's still talking about Parkinson and her mum. I think that's one thing about these jornals that's not so good. I mean, if something happened to our mum and dad, or our brothers, I wouldn't want it all over school, I'd want it privat.

I think Professor Carrow's right and it's alot of bother about something really boring. I don't understand the other stuff he said tho

But anyway, Astronomy is wizard. We saw Mars and loads of constillations. Professor Sinistra sais its always been good vewing from Hogwarts, but now its even better becuse theres no Muggle lite pil polusion.

Comments

[alt_draco]

I wonder what light polution looked like? You know, in other parts of the world where there are still muggles, they are going to kill the earth because they use so much of something called resources. And also because they polute, not just with lights but with smoke, from all their machines.

[alt_padma]

I dunno I think it was like everything just looks all washed out and its never really ever dark (except inside with the lamps out). Which maybe would be good because Brocklehurst is afrade of the dark so it would stop her whinging, but then we wouldnt be abel to see so many stars.

And that's not right, that their doing that! Just beacuse they polute and pump nasty smoke and, um, whats that other stuff, yeah smog, that, into the air WE shouldn't have to lose the earth.

Why havent the wizards in other countrys taken over to stop the polution everywhere?

[alt_draco]

Wizards in other countrys don't have someone as clever and powerful as the Lord Protector to help them get the muggles under control.

[alt_padma]

I guess. And I supose as wonderful as the Lord Protector is, I wouldn't want him to take over other countrys, to. My grandmother told me that years ago the British Muggles were in charge of everything in India and it was horrible and thats why her parents came here.

Maybe if wizards were in charge it wouldnt be so bad, but it seems to me that one country ought to be enough for any body.

[alt_sally_anne]

We're definitely still doing the tourney! I think 6 December works for everyone hopefully unless I've forgot something.

[alt_padma]

Well, we haven't discussed rules. Did you say you found a book? I bet there's a book. Or maybe Professor Vector would help if I asked her.

[alt_sally_anne]

I did find a book but it's very complicated. There are single-elimination tournaments where if you lose one game you're out, and there are double-elimination where you have to lose two, and then there's something called Swiss Style that pairs people up based on whether they're brilliant at it or pants at it, and in a round-robin tourney everyone gets to play everyone else and whoever wins the most games is the champion.

I think round-robin would be best but I'm afraid there isn't time, not in one afternoon.

If Professor Vector wanted to help it would be brilliant. I saw you ask Draco about the book, do you want me to send Harry's mudblood over with it? He could bring it to wherever you want him to meet you.

[alt_padma]

Oh, well...if the book has anything and Malfoy's willing to lend it, yeah, that'd be brilliant.

Marvolo's mudblood cant come in our common room, can he? Maybe well okay we'll meet down on the second floor near the Defence corridor. If their's something in the book.

Round robin sounds fine but if they'res nine of us (it is 9 right?) then yeah, we'll have to each play 8 games and that'll take a while.

But if we have a scorkeeper they can track and we can play 4 matches on 6 December and 4 more on the 13th, and then the two with the hiest number of wins can play after supper one night before we all go home for the break.

Will that do?

[alt_pansy]

Just 8. I won't be playing.

[alt_padma]

probably just as well

Oh. Well, seven matches each means we can finish up on the 13th, then, becase the 4th match that day wood be the two high scorers.

[alt_pansy]

I'm sure you'll miss me.

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't think Harry's mudblood can come in your common room, he wouldn't know the password. If you don't want to meet him I could just give it to you tomorrow at breakfast, too. I haven't read Draco's book, the book I have came from the library but it does explain how to do the different sorts of tournaments.

I like your idea of spacing out the matches. That's a good idea. Do you think there's any chance Professor Vector would be willing to do scorekeeping? I've never kept score in a chess game before.

[alt_padma]

Tomorrow at breakfest should work, as its so late now.

I asked Professor Vector and she said it's dead simple to score if all we're doing is counting wins. Anyone could do it (even a Hufflepuff, ha-ha). She drew me a die dya diagram.

You can see it tomorrow, to, if you like.

She said that if were counting the number of peaces and there values that we can still use this scoreboard but theirs more maths (so maybe we need a Ravenclaw. I'll ask Fawcett.)

[alt_megan]

I like staying up late too! Everything's so quiet at midnight, even in the middle of everyone, you can hear the quiet just outside, and the stars are so bright.

[alt_padma]

Well, I didnt mean that, ecsactly. But yes, I know what you mean.

Of coarse, it get's really cold out now, but I owled Mum reminding her to send Parvati and me our winter robes and the extra thick silk so it wont be so bad then.

[alt_megan]

You have silk That sounds really nice! Wool is so scratchy. And itchy. And warming charms turn you red. Or at least, someone said. I haven't tried.