I can finish now. Some of these people aren't in the challenge anymore, but I supposed it might still be useful to know. I'll start with the people who are still in, though.
When I spoke with each person, the conversation was short. I made ordinary chit-chat but then asked how they were feeling now that we were coming to the end of the competition. And then I asked, in a confiding way, if they felt they had any secrets that made them ineligible for the council. I got some funny looks for that, I think some of them knew what I was trying to do. But it worked, for the most part.
Blaise Zabini
He never really thought much about being on the council, but now that he's being challenged he won't run away from it. He doesn't want to pretend to be something he's not, though, and only wants to be selected for his own qualifications. So he's been careful not to misrepresent his abilities, and to look no more willing to put his neck on the line than he actually is. The image he has of himself is loyal but not zealous, and with a big bank account and the proper world view. If the council doesn't want that he's fine fading into the sidelines where he can be comfortable. Oh, and married to Daphne. She was in a wedding veil.
Zach Smith
It's odd, but his inner thoughts were precisely the same as what came out of his mouth, only his head was a split-second ahead. He just said he fine but busy, and that of course he didn't have any secrets. Why, had I heard something?
Alfred Montague
He was thinking about his brother, and how he wants to keep up and hold his own. There's both competition and pride there, a desire to meet family expectation. He sees his brother as a rising star in the MLE and would hate to be thought of as any less important. He didn't seem to be thinking about the council directly, it seemed more abstract, just an extension of his brother's success. Oh, and he also thought about me and Justin. He's worried that it was a bad idea to cross us, but then again, he figures it must have impressed the sponsors so he isn't opposed to doing it in the future if he has to.
When he started to walk away from me I said to him "you're right, though. It was a bad idea."
Richard Vaisey
Richard was worried about Lizzie and something happening to her. He kept thinking about a baby, so he's worried about that, too. The idea of being on the council is appealing in its way, but he just wasn't expecting it now, and always assumed it would be something he would get a choice about, maybe later in life when he was more settled in. He isn't sure he's ruthless enough to be on the council, but he thinks he has other qualities that they might find useful. But then he was thinking about Lizzie again, and really, it seems like it's a massive distraction for him. Maybe now that she's been dropped by Crispin he'll be more competitive, though.
Padma Patil
You already know she was thinking about Dean. When I asked if she had any secrets, though, I saw the real Pure Victory book in her hands, so she must own it and think that it's wrong to.
Lares Tamblyn
He kept thinking about Padma, which was annoying. I think he had just seen her. Anyway, he cares about her but thinks she's childish and too hung up on her parents' old-fashioned ideas. Also, he wishes she'd stop pushing herself long enough to think about her own wants. He thinks he might like boys as well as girls, so now that Seamus is out as gay he wonders if he and Padma might be able to give it a go again.
Teddy Nott
Teddy was hard. He answered my questions but was thinking about other things, mostly. Like how convenient it is that I'm suddenly dating Harry. There was jealousy there, too. And he also had one of those grotesque images of vivisected cats. This time there were two, one was a brownish colour, and the other a silvery-grey. The last time he thought of a cat it was meant to be Hermione, but I don't know what these are. Jack is a grey cat, but this one didn't look like Jack. But before I could really get a good look at it he was thinking about his Father, yelling and cursing him to do better.
Seamus Finnigan
Was thinking about his mother's death. Her murder. Which I knew about but it was strange to see it, with Uncle Lucius there, and Professor Dolohov, and so many others. He didn't think about it for long and for that I'm glad. He thought about Mr Rosier next, and a fishing trip he took with him last Spring, and then that turned into a very old memory of another little boy - a relative, I think - making fun of Seamus for having a muggle father. He knows his real father is probably still alive and living in Ireland. I think those images might mean that he thinks of Mr Rosier as his real father. He wants to stay in the boat with him.
Lizzie Stevens
She doesn't really want to be a council member. She thinks it's unbecoming work for a woman, except maybe someone like me. She also thinks it's not proper for a mother, unless that mother is someone like my mother. She really doesn't want to seem disloyal, and yet she's still upset about what happened to Sam and is angry that the council challenge got her hurt.
Linus Moon
Moon cheated at gobstones once, but he doesn't think that makes him unworthy for the council. Mostly, though, he just wants to make Professor Dolohov happy and he takes all his cues from him. He also seems to have thought this competition was all for the junior council members amusement until Professor Dolohov made it clear to him that they weren't just having a lark.
Katie Bell
She's upset that as soon as Harry broke up with her, she was given a task that involved seducing a council member. She's not sorry she did it, though, and is even strangely happy that she was able to do it and not make a complete fool of herself in the process. Cal Pummel also sent her flowers and they've been writing to each other. But she really doesn't want to be shoved around by anyone, anymore.
Heph Bobolis
He's proud of his family, and of his own skill, but he isn't sure that he rises to the level of council member. Some of the challenges made him uncomfortable, like the one where he had to denounce his uncle. Also, he really wishes he could find a girlfriend who will have a cuddle with him. Maybe even a shag.
Greg and Vince
They were thinking about lunch. Really. Greg wanted sandwiches and Vince was hoping for soup. And Greg's bum had an itch that was distracting him.
Cormac McLaggen
I've saved him for last because he's the one who caught me by surprise. First, he could occlude. Not completely, but I could feel him trying and it did make things patchy. He thought he was doing it well enough, though, and I let him believe that.
He works for Dogstar. Or he's connected to them somehow. But we all know that he's horrid, too. So what do we do now that we know?
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