Order Only - Private message to Justin

[alt_hydra]

Bad news, I'm afraid. Crouch wants me to put the first Hogsmeade Saturday aside for training. As soon as he beckoned me over last night and indicated I was to sit with him, I had an inkling what I was in for. Also, I saw him thinking about how I was going to forget everything he taught me if I didn't get a refresher, and soon.

Did you enjoy the lecture? I knew Daddy would be part of the lecture series, but I didn't realise he'd be the first invited.

Astoria Greengrass was very disappointed that she didn't manage to secure a seat closer to you, by the way. And she found the back of your neck far more fascinating than Daddy's dark artefacts.

No, I don't normally dig around in Daphne's sister's thoughts, but in this case she was rather loudly projecting your name, so I couldn't help but investigate.

Comments

[alt_justin]

Dux,

Dash it, that's well inconvenient, isn't it? But I suppose it's not terribly surprising. Professor Dolohov hasn't indicated he expects anything of me, yet, but I suspect it would be easy enough to wrangle an invitation to practise with him. And if not, I've asked him if Ron and I could arrange a place to work with one another, keep our skills honed, if you follow me. He's agreed it's a good idea but hasn't told us yet where. So perhaps he and I and some of the others could go there rather than down to the village, at least for part of the day. Or I might just invite Harry, if you're unavailable anyway.

I almost asked you if you'd known, but I knew you'd have warned me if you'd had advance notice he was coming. He was in our lesson today, what. Dashed nerve-wracking, especially when Professor Dolohov is prompting one to describe one's analysis of dark artefacts in front of him. Though it was well satisfying to occasionally think, 'You've no idea I'm your son-in-law' and wonder what shade of green he would turn if he knew. I hope I impressed him, at least a little.

And I wouldn't worry about Daphne's sister. She's quite affable but I'm sure she shares Daphs' desire for a wide range of friends. Besides, it's not as if I'm going to encourage her. I'm a married man!

I'm more interested in why your father had you introduce him to Daphne afterward. Is he simply trying to check on who your friends are?

-J

[alt_hydra]

Thoroughly unavailable, looks like. I wasn't even given the option to turn him down.

I suppose Daddy doesn't alert me to little things like that anymore, or perhaps he himself didn't know the date he'd be coming until just before. I'm sure you impressed him at least a little, but you'll never hear him admit it. Nor will I likely ever hear him think it. He occludes around me almost all the time now, possibly because he doesn't want me to know that he's having an affair with Lana Sandoval (I got that from her mind, not his).

So I can't say why he wanted me to introduce him to Daphne, except that he was quite keen on it. He didn't ask one thing about Moon or any of the other students, so it's peculiar, really. I think Daphne was surprised as well.

Justin, really, girls who are just looking for a friend don't stare at the back of that potential friend's neck and imagine running their fingers through his hair. And Astoria doesn't know you're married, silly. She thinks you're nursing a broken heart and are just waiting for the right sort of girl to come along and mend it.

[alt_justin]

I know. And I know it oughtn't matter that he'll never contravene your mother's decision about us. I don't know why I care, apart from the fact that I know you still care about him--and his opinion of you.

I say, Professor Sandoval was rather attentive, wasn't she? Funny, I wonder who else noticed? I always thought your aunt fancied him a bit, too, but Draco seems to have it on good authority that it's Auror Crouch she's been seeing romantically, not your father. I say, if infidelity is a side-effect of using Dark Arts, I suppose we'd better be extra careful!

Assuming not, however, Astoria will jolly well have to learn to live with her disappointment, what. Unless you think I ought to pretend to be grateful for a sympathetic shoulder and spend all my time moaning to her about how bally well unfair it is that we can't be together? I could whinge endlessly and see how long she fancies me then.

-J

[alt_hydra]

I can't help that I do. He's still my father. But you don't need to care just because I do.

I don't think infidelity is a side-effect of using the Dark Arts, exactly, but I suppose that if one becomes accepting of some questionably moral things, then they might become accepting of other questionably moral things, if you see what I mean. I'm quite sure that Daddy was faithful to Mummy for many years, though, and even if Aunt Narcissa fancied him I don't think she'd act on it. I suppose anything is possible, though.

Anyway, I'm not at all worried about you stepping out on me, or me stepping out on you. But I do think Astoria might jump at the chance to spend any sort of time with you at all, even if you're moaning about me, so that plan may not be best. She's very pretty, though. Maybe someone else might ask her out, if one of us gives them a nudge.

[alt_justin]

I don't think I care simply because you do, love. But--well, I suppose one wants to feel as if there's a hope of acceptance, even if it's based on lies. More to the point, I bally well want him to approve of you and your choices--at least, so far as realising that you are the only person who can decide who you love.

Which I suppose could be said for Astoria, as well, what. Although, it did work remarkably well to nudge Remy in Finnigan's direction, didn't it. Perhaps that would do. Did you happen to sense who else she might fancy?

And did you see? Tosh Professor Dolohov's just posted about a practice salle. It could be worse but on the whole I think the secret room remains our best option for training everyone. Of course, there was always the risk he would decide to make it 'fair' for anyone who might wish to use it. We were hoping at the most he'd open it up to you, Finnigan and Patil. Dash it.

-J

[alt_hydra]

I only got a rather large sense of why she fancied you, and it's because you're ever so gentlemanly, but she also likes that you're so capable.

I'd suggest Neville, because he seems quite gentlemanly, but I'm not sure that Astoria would find him capable. He goes to great lengths to seem thoroughly unremarkable, after all.

So who else is gentlemanly and capable?

Odd that she used to see Smith, if that's what she fancies.

[alt_justin]

Perhaps it's akin to why Brown still fancies Moon, what, because she likes the idea of being soppy and romantic and demonstrative.

I think she and Smith snogged specifically to twit Daphne. At least that's what I gathered from him at the time. But that said, he does have a jolly good record of getting round, more than he lets on. I don't think she'd find him gentlemanly, though he certainly can be capable if he puts his mind to it. Pity he rarely chooses to apply himself, what.

I could ask him who he thinks would suit her, if you like.

Er, after I finish reading this book to help Harry. Oh, I forgot to tell you: Professor Dolohov assigned him an essay on how halfbloods are generally inferior to purebloods. He wants to write a subtly defiant retort, what, and Sally-Anne and I are helping him, so we took copies out from the library to talk about it with him.

(I say, I was a bit worried they might decide that without Draco or Hermione around, you'd be their next target. I know you could withstand whatever punishment anyone decided appropriate but I'm just as happy you don't have to worry about it--this time.)

In any case, it's the sort of book one can only read a little at a time or one grows far too cross. But it has to be done.

-J

[alt_hydra]

Yes, Harry was worried I'd be targeted, too. But there's a reason they always threatened to punish Draco, and then later Hermione - it was because it always worked and made Harry back down. They don't know if that will be the case with me but I suppose at some point they might try to find out. The Lord Protector might order Mummy to cruciate me again, but that could happen at any time for any reason, so I'm done worrying about it.

Talk to Zach if you're able, and I'll try to think further on other gentlemanly, capable blokes who might fancy Astoria.

Good luck helping Harry with his essay. I think I'll go to sleep (Jack's down here tonight, if you were waiting up for him).

I love you. Goodnight!

[alt_justin]

Quite right, too. I think any of us should expect to be a target and none of us must give in. That would just give Voldemort the leverage he wants.

I say, that's all right about Jack. I haven't really needed him to sleep since--well, since we got married, what! Though it is nice to have him here, from time to time.

Sweet dreams, Mrs Finch-Fletchley. I love you, too.

Your

-J