Is everyone else

[alt_padma]

having as much trouble concentrating in lessons as I am? Only it seems like things that are normally terribly interesting, like switching spells and cheering charms and the theory of relative tonality just aren't nearly as fun to think about as the ball.

I've been practising the charms to do up my hair the way I want for next week. Edgecombe, I think I overheard you and Chang in the girls' bathroom this afternoon. It was you two, wasn't it? I wouldn't ask except I thought I heard her say that she thought her eyes were getting puffy from all the crying and I have some of that creme that you borrowed last year after Carmichael. I've also got plenty of clips, if you or she wanted to borrow anything.

I don't think I've ever wanted lessons to be over and done for the term before! I'm sure I'm going to utterly fail every test, I just can't think. Does anyone else need extra revising?

Oh, and CCF, don't forget that we've a meeting this evening, after dinner!

Comments

Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

What's going on with Cho?

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

I don't know if I should tell you if you don't know already.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

Tell me.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

Well, all right. But remember, you asked.

She likes you, Marvolo. But before you asked her to the Ball, she had started dating Cedric Diggory. And she really, really fancies him. And he really fancies her, too, I think.

So when you asked her, she didn't know that you wouldn't be offended if she said no.

It's not your fault. And she knows that, too. But that's why she's been not as excited about the ball as she ought to be.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

Oh.

I didn't know.

So thanks for telling me. I guess.

It's not like I made her say yes.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

I knew you wouldn't like it.

And of course you didn't make her say yes, but what else was she supposed to say?

You could let her dance with Cedric, anyway, as much as she wanted to. That would help. You'd have to dance with his date, though, it's only fair.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

That she was going with someone else.

Who is he taking?

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

He asked Karo Moon, so that neither of them would be without a partner but neither of them had to worry about it being a real date.

Harry, she didn't know she could say no. Don't you understand? She doesn't blame you or anything. She's just upset because you're not Cedric.

It's too late now, anyway.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

No, it isn't. I'll just tell her she can go with Cedric if she'd rather. It's what they both want anyways.

And I'll just take someone else.

There are still people who haven't been asked.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

You could ask Parvati. She's supposed to go with Cormac McLaggan but ever since she said yes he's been acting really creepy.

If you asked her she'd have to tell him there's been a change.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

I don't want her to have to tell someone something.

I don't want anyone to have to go just because I ask.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_padma]

Look, now you're just being disagreeable.

She'd actually really like it if someone gave her the opportunity to ditch him. I told her not to accept in the first place but she's self-conscious about her nose and so she thought maybe no one else would ask and it all got very dramatic and it didn't have to be.

So you'd actually be doing her a favour, dummy. And you'll be doing Cho and Cedric a favour, too.

The only one you won't be doing a favour is Karo Moon but that's okay I don't think she'll mind. Tamblyn says he's pretty sure Baddock's going to surprise her, anyway, by showing up.

Oh, and McLaggen, of course. But he's a git.

Re: Private Message to Padma

[alt_harry]

Fine. Whatever.

If Cho says that's what she wants, I'll ask Parvati.

[alt_hydra]

It is hard to concentrate, and i'm not sure it's fair to give us so much to think about, like dancing and feasts and live music when we still have lessons to study for. Though it helps that I'm the only one in my dorm going to the ball, and when I'm in my room with Norma and Cressida things are the same as always.

From,
Hydra

[alt_padma]

That's right, you're going with Finch-Fletchley. He seems quite nice, I guess.

Other years, it's been like our lessons and exams and things are the good sorts of distraction. You know, they've kept us going and given us reasons not to worry too much about other things--because no matter what sort of plague was happening out there, or Dementors searching for that horrid Snape or whatever, you knew exams were coming like it or not, so it was a way to not have to think about everything else.

But this year I would much rather think about the something else. You know?

[alt_hydra]

He actually is quite nice.

I suppose you're right and this is the first year where there hasn't been anything troubling for everyone to think about. I wonder if all of our marks will get worse because of it, though. That would be an odd and unexpected sort of result, that.

From,
Hydra