Private Message to Draco Malfoy and Harry Marvolo

[alt_blaise]

So. Do either of you know what's happened with Greg?

It's his book, obviously. Leave it to Goyle to leave something like that where someone could take it. That's what happened, isn't it?

He hasn't been kidnapped, right? Or Imperiused?

I wouldn't want to be him today, and that's the truth.

Comments

[alt_draco]

I don't know much, but from what I've heard people saying, he could be in a mad load of trouble. It's not his fault if someone knicked the journal from him at the train station, obviously, but I've been thinking about it and I can't remember the last time I saw Greg with his journal, can you? He never really wrote in it, but the last few times I saw him reading one he had borrowed Vince's.

That Grim Truth was truly odd this time, too.

[alt_harry]

Well I just heard from someone that they think that SNAPE is the person who has the journal. From when he broke in. I don't remember Gregs stuff being more messy than usual. When the break in happened I mean. But I suppose it must have been.

[alt_blaise]

Exactly. It's not as if either of them reads anything very often, but there was that time--back in January, wasn't it?--when Pucey tipped everyone off to that bloke who was drawing those 'anatomical illustrations'. I know they were both reading Vince's, then. Could've been that that's the only one they could find between the two of them. Or just that Vince dug his out first.

Can you imagine trying to learn spells from just a couple of pages of instructions?

I tell you what, though. My stepfather used to tell tales about inspecting camps--this was Enfield, you know, and that was his brief, inspecting for disciplinary rigour at the camps--and he could tell you amazing stories about wild magic breaking out in the mudblood units.

A real problem, I guess. The tighter they'd turn the screws, the worse it would get. Blowing out windows, cracking doors into kindling, that sort of thing. One bloke managed to knock out all the teeth of the enforcer who was disciplining him.

He said even Petrificus totalis is useless on the really dangerous ones. You have to hit them with Imperius right away, or Cruciatus if you don't get the upper hand from the start.

[alt_draco]

Wait, the castle break in was AGES ago. If Greg's journal has been missing for that long and he never told anyone...well, he might really be in trouble, then.

[alt_draco]

I almost thought it was meant to play a good trick on the mudbloods and get their hopes up, a bit like what Smith thought, except it was well detailed, wasn't it? More than anything I've ever read about wandless magic, which isn't much, mind.

Accidental magic increasing while under stress makes sense, yeah. I remember reading those Sammy Super Squib comics when I was little, about the kid who could only make magic when he was dangling from a rooftop and such. They were rubbish but the basic premise was sound.

[alt_blaise]

Hang on, then.

Do you mean he was in our dormitory?!

Not creepy at all, that.

[alt_blaise]

It was well detailed. Seemed solid as far as I could tell. So if it was a trick, it was a high-galleon one. And I can't spot the trick in it, unless it's that bit at the end about trying to time your spells during a hot duel. Honestly? Sure. Wait until no one's about to cast anything and your goose will be well cooked before you cast anything at all!

I guess it could be meant to test the mudbloods: any that would try to use it could be identified as rabid and put down.

[alt_draco]

The Raz said someone tried to get into the common room, but wasn't able to. I don't think he'd be wrong about that. Maybe Greg left his journal lying about somewhere else in the castle, then?

[alt_harry]

I know.

I just hope Father doesn't put more Dementors at the school. I don't know if there even are more Dementors in the world.

[alt_blaise]

Well. That assumes he was carrying it around. Have you ever seen him do that?

Must have, though. Must have thought it was some other book.

Which, if you think about it, stands to reason. To Greg, one book's probably pretty much the same as any other.

[alt_blaise]

Is it worse or better with fewer people about?

I think Professor Raz said they are drawn by crowds, but I'd think that maybe having loads of there might dilute their effect a bit or absorb it somewhat. I don't know.

[alt_harry]

It's worse with more people.

Then you can't hide