Future Interrogators met

[alt_padma]

for the last time this year. We talked about the Model Wizengamot from last week, what we thought should have happened and whether we would have made different arguments and what the Ministry people said we should have done. (They had a lot to say, too. There were four people who came, by the way: Ms Victoria Vaisey and Mr Lawrence Bletchley, who sit on the Wizengamot, Mr Tertius Rigg, one of the Interrogators, and Mr Crouch, Sr, who works with the defence teams.)

Anyway, we talked about what we want to do next year, and we've all got some ideas about things to read over the summer, and maybe when we go to the Ministry we'll see the real Wizengamot chambers. We talked about process and maybe more cases through the term next year. But I dunno how many people will really do it, especially with our new courses starting.

As it's mine and Parvati's birthday tomorrow, we got parcels from home today, too. Mum said she'll send a cake tomorrow and we can share it out after supper, since I don't think too many people go to the debating society, at least not who would come, anyway. I asked Professor Vector and she said we could play music in one of the attics again, and since OWLs and NEWTs are over, Troy and Dames said they'd be happy to run a round of Mind-Reader. If you've never seen them do it before it's really funny. So that's the plan. Parkinson, I don't know if you'll be in the mood, but it'd be really good if you came, I think.

It's hard to believe that exams are right round the corner, but at least we can have the party before really concentrating on revising.

Comments

[alt_pansy]

Yeah. That does sound nice.

Can Sally-Anne come too? We don't have to eat the cake if there wouldn't be enough to go round.

[alt_padma]

You can bring Perks, it's fine.

[alt_pansy]

Okay then. We'll be there.

[alt_padma]

Good.

It helps to have things to look forward to, you know?

[alt_pansy]

yeah.

[alt_draco]

So I gather that you and Padma have buried the hatchet and are getting on these days?

[alt_pansy]

It seemed like the mature thing to do.

[alt_sally_anne]

It was a very nice party, Padma. Thank you for inviting us.

[alt_ron]

What's Mind Reader?

Have a happy birthday, Patil.

[alt_padma]

It's a nift game, Weasley. You divide into teams and everyone writes down something on a piece of parchment and then everyone puts their parchment into hats. Then the judges (that's Dames and Troy) draw each team's parchments and the other team tries to guess who said each thing. And sometimes there are categories, like you have to write down something funny. There's another piece, but that's much easier to see than to tell about.

[alt_seamus]

Is Mr Crouch Sr the father of the Mr Crouch who works in MLE? I thought you did a great job in the Model Wizengamot, I don't know how you remembered what you were supposed to say when but it was fun to watch.

[alt_padma]

Yes, I'm pretty certain he is. I mean, he's Bartemius Crouch, Sr, and the Auror one is Bartemius Crouch, Jr, isn't he? So they must be.

But it's odd, because everyone else who came knows someone here. I mean, Ms Vaisey is I think Richard Vaisey's aunt and Mr Bletchley is Miles Bletchley's father, and Mr Rigg's daughter is in Hufflepuff. And I think that's why they came up, specifically, because besides being here for the Model Wizengamot, they could all see their families, you know. But Mr Crouch doesn't have anyone here, at least not as far as I could tell. And it doesn't sound like he really knows how to talk to people our age. I mean, sometimes he sounded like he was talking to really little kids, like we were all six or something. And then sometimes he'd start getting really technical and I think then he forgot that we've not been doing this for a long time like he has. I even looked them all up over the weekend, just to find out more about them. Did you know he used to be an Interrogator - Mr Crouch, Sr, I mean? I wonder why he switched to defending? Usually it's the other way 'round, Mr Bletchley said. Like, he started as a defender and then got promoted to Interrogating. (Which mostly proves what I said earlier, about how it's better to be an Interrogator than a defender.)

And thanks, it was sort of fun. I still like Potions more than the Wizengamot, but it's interesting stuff.

Are you coming tomorrow?

[alt_seamus]

Sure, if I'm invited!

[alt_padma]

Of course, you're a mate, aren't you?

[alt_seamus]

It might've been all girls!

[alt_padma]

Troy's not a girl!

[alt_padma]

Why wouldn't I want you at my birthday?

[alt_seamus]

Well it might be just girls or just Ravenclaws, I don't want to assume, you know?

[alt_padma]

I'd like to see you call Troy a girl! He'd probably give you curls and earrings!

[alt_seamus]

Oh TROY right I'm sorry.

I don't know who I was thinking of.

[alt_padma]

And anyway, Parvati and Lavender are coming, of course, so it's at least Ravenclaws and Gryffindors too!

(But in case anyone is wondering, no, it's not just girls and it's not just Ravenclaws, that's why we're doing the *music party* in the upstairs attic again!)

[alt_seamus]

And that's funny about Mr Crouch but maybe he's just very public spirited? I don't know why he'd switch to defending. Maybe he thinks it's more challenging.

[alt_padma]

Maybe. It didn't sound like it, though.

He's very ... stern, too. I mean, his were the harshest comments to everyone. Auror Crouch seems nice, though. I mean, not that I've had any reason to talk to him, but he's certainly very friendly with the Malfoys. And I think he was sort of a good friend to Mr Black, too. Parkinson's Black, that is. Seems like, anyway.

[alt_seamus]

It's true, Mr Crouch seems friendly enough as long as your behaving yourself. What did the other Mr Crouch say about how you did? If you don't mind me asking.

[alt_padma]

Well, he thought we all rambled too much, and that none of us looked very comfortable (though Mr Rigg said he thought that's just because we were nervous about them being there). But he said that I didn't hesitate to, um, 'run roughshod' over my witness and that a lot of times that's a good technique for an Interrogator, because it wears down the witness and sometimes makes them make a mistake. So I guess that was good. Though it didn't sound quite as good the way he said it. Ms Vaisey said that our group had our arguments all thought out but Mr Bletchley said no, there were some holes he thought.

So I guess it was mixed.

[alt_seamus]

Well it sounds like he thought you were tough, good work!

It's never going to be ALL praise, not if they want you to learn, right?

[alt_padma]

Oh, no, we didn't expect them to treat us like babies and tell us we did really well even if we didn't, or anything!

It's just that the way he said it - I mean, I think Interrogators have to be tough, right? And it's obvious Mr Crouch knows how to scare people into saying things they didn't mean to say. But I dunno, it was like he was saying something that's meant to be a good thing, but making it sound bad instead. Does that make sense?

Anyway, our side won, so that's what matters.

[alt_seamus]

I know what you mean but that's odd, why would he try to make it sound like a BAD thing that you were tough on the witness? That's the Interrogator's job isn't it?

[alt_padma]

I dunno. But like I said, I don't think he talks to thirteen-year-olds very much.

[alt_percy]

I thought you did quite an impressive job myself, Patil.