Private Message to Perks and Parkinson

[alt_padma]

Look. I know you lot in Slytherin like to take care of your own, right? But I'm worried about Daphne.

I asked Zabini about it earlier and he gave me a brush-off. And then I heard that she didn't go to his party last night (which he'd said he wasn't even going to have a party, which now I think he'd decided so it wouldn't put her in an odd position with Bole, but obviously that didn't work the way he planned). So I thought--well, I figured I'd ask someone with half a hope of being honest about what's going on with her.

Is there something we can do? Not gang up on her, obviously, she'll just insist that there's nothing wrong. But something.

Maybe get someone to tell Bole to leave her alone? I dunno, but I just hate seeing her looking so stressed.

Or maybe this needs to come from someone outside her House, so she'll take it seriously? I dunno.

Parkinson, what do you think?

Comments

[alt_pansy]

I've been talking with Sally-Anne about just that while we've both been working on our applications.

We're going to try to talk to Milicent about it, to see what she can tell us, because Daphne talks to her the most out of all of us. Because Daphne's really been giving most everyone the run-around about what exactly has been going on, including Sally-Anne and me. But we know what you do -- that she looks miserable, and hasn't been doing as well in her classes, and that Bole's most likely at the bottom of it. Maybe she's just hoping to wait out the term and then break it off this summer after he's left school. Or maybe she doesn't want to break it off. But Milli would know. I think.

And I don't really know what to do either though, and neither does Sally-Anne. I mean, I don't want to make Bole angry, because he might get angry with her, and you're right, she's not likely to listen if we just sort of bring it up.

But if we were all telling her about it, all the girls in our year, that'd be sort of hard to ignore, wouldn't it? It'd be embarrassing for her, even if we promised we wouldn't tell other people. But I think it'd be a way for her to see that we all care about her, and are worried about her, and want to help her out as best as we can. Even if it means... I don't know... all ganging up on Bole and hexing his bits off. Or walking her to and from classes. But he's a nasty piece of work and I hate seeing her like this, I really do.

We'll talk to Milli, see what she says.

[alt_padma]

All right. Let me know what you find out. Because yeah, that's exactly it.

I dunno why so many of us girls all seem to fall for boys who are such wankers. I mean, is it just that all boys really are wankers, underneath? That would well bludge, wouldn't it? But that's what they're always telling us, isn't it, that they're just interested in one thing and they're selfish berks who'll either say anything to get it or they'll just take it even when you say No.

It kinda makes all those 'It's patriotic and proper to get married and have kids' programmes the Ministry runs make more sense, doesn't it? I mean, who would ever put up with boys if there weren't a good reason for it. Even if they are fit. There's a reason I've decided not to bother with Quidditchers anymore.

Well, anyway. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know, okay? I think it's high time we all showed Daphne that we're her friends and it's important for us all to stick together when it comes to not letting that sort of thing happen to each other.

[alt_pansy]

I agree that it's important to let her know that this sort of thing isn't all right, and that she deserves far better. We all do.

And if we don't do something about it, it's like we're saying that we're okay if it happens to us too. And I'm not. At all.

And the boys in our year, and even the older boys, they need to learn that it's not something we'd just put up with, either. Because they might think that's the way things ought to be.

Not all boys are like that, though. Thank Merlin. Otherwise, you're right, why would anyone bother? Draco isn't like that at all, for one. I mean, I know we've only been seeing one another since this term, but so far he's really respectful, and I know he'd never take advantage or try to push me to do something I wasn't willing to do because he respects me. And if he didn't, I don't think I'd like him nearly so much.

[alt_padma]

Oh.

Well, yeah. I mean, obviously there have to be exceptions. And I'm sure even the beastly ones start off all charming and gallant, or else how would any witch let themselves get so attached?

I mean, Page was really nice until he turned into a berk because I wouldn't snog him. And Davies was well attentive but then he up and asked Delacour to the Ball without even thinking about it (although honestly, that probably had more to do with Delacour being part Veela than anything. But he's still snogging her and probably more than that, which is fine, I'm not interested in going as far as that yet, thanks).

Finch-Fletchley seems like he's well chivalrous. He's always walking Hydra to her lessons and carrying her bag. What does she think about him, do you know? It's odd, though, because Uloshenko--do you know Evgeni? He and Finnigan have become good mates this year, so I've spent more time with him than most of the Durmstrang boys--well, he and Seamus decided to find out more about F-F when we were at the museum over hols, and Evgeni thought that F-F was a shirt-lifter. I don't think he was offended about it, though, only bemused.

Perks has become sort of friends with him, haven't you, Perks? F-F, I mean, not Uloshenko. And he's also very thoughtful toward Lovegood, isn't he. I think he finds her sort of funny.

[alt_pansy]

If he's a shirt lifter, he's awfully good at pretending he isn't. He's bally well sweet on Hydra, what? At least from what I've seen.

I think she likes him well enough. Hydra's not one to go on and on, you know.

Delacour's got no sense of humour. And she's been fairly useless at the Tournament, hasn't she? If she wasn't part Veela, I'd bet she'd have a hard enough time getting boys to like her, even if she was pretty.