Order Only: Private message to Ron

[alt_selwyn]

Hey Ron.

Did you hear Mr and Mrs Longbottom are adopting Terry? (You know Terry, right? I think everyone, but me, knows Terry.)

So he'll be Terry Longbottom and Neville and Evelyn will be his brother and sister.

Are you coming on Sunday? Do you know if

Comments

[alt_ron]

Hullo, you.

I, uh, yeah. I do know Terry.

I'm not sure whether I'm coming, actually. I mean, well, this week's a bit mad. At work. And I haven't really had time to think about it, and I haven't even heard if they're going to expect me to work that day. I mean, I don't usually, but this week's different and I don't know.

I'd see you if I came, though, huh? That's a good reason to see if I can work it out.

How are you? Everything all right with you and Hector?

[alt_selwyn]

Yeah Hector and I are okay. Draco came and gave us flying lessons and now Mrs Longbottom is less worried I'm going to fall off if she lets me take a broom out.

I think everyone here is going.

What happened to Terry's parents?

[alt_ron]

I think Terry's parents died in the camps in an epidemic when loads of people got sick. But Terry'd already been taken away from them before that. Because he's a Muggleborn and the Ministry don't let Muggleborns stay with their parents.

I'm sorry. It's not nice what happened to him. And when they took him away he had to work for someone who was horrible to him. Mr Professor Carrow. I don't know if you'd have met him, but he was a Councilwizard like your dad. Only he wasn't like your dad, either, he was really... cruel.

Anywiz, Terry lived with him for a long time, and when he got free, well, Mr and Mrs Longbottom let him live at the Sanctuary. Like you do.

I don't know if I should have told you all that, but I don't think it does any good not to tell you what happened to people.

You alright with it?

[alt_selwyn]

Ron, do you think anyone will ever want to adopt m

That makes sense I guess.

[alt_selwyn]

I know my parents were bad people but I miss them.

And I miss living in a big house and having toys I didn't have to share even with Hector.

I guess that makes me selfish. The toys, I mean, no one would say I shouldn't miss my parents because they were always nice to me.

[alt_selwyn]

Why does Mrs Longbottom like Terry so much more than she likes Lisa Turpin? Or Hermione or Portia? None of them have parents either.

[alt_ron]

Uh.

Wow, Arista. I dunno.

I don't think you're selfish. I mean, if I'd ever had my own things, I'd've liked it a lot. I always wanted that. Y'know, things that didn't belong to all my brothers first and still belonged to them even when I got to play with them.

I'd've thought it was brilliant to have my own. That's not selfish. Totally normal.

Promise.

[alt_selwyn]

Really it's not that bad, sharing.

Mostly I just wish I still had my own broom. We have to take turns.

[alt_ron]

About the Longbottoms... I don't know why.

I mean, they couldn't adopt Hermione, since her mum's alive.

[alt_selwyn]

Oh she IS?

Well that's good. Sarah thought Hermione's mum was dead, like hers.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. Her mum lives in one of the werewolf enclaves. I'm not sure where it is. Her father died a while ago, though.

[alt_selwyn]

OH.

Her mum's a werewolf?

So is Mr Lupin, do they know each other?

[alt_ron]

I'm pretty sure they've met, yeah.

Not sure how well they know each other, though. Mr Lupin doesn't really talk about it. Being a werewolf, I mean.

[alt_ron]

Erm.

I'm sorry.

I mean, I know you miss your parents--

the same way I miss Dad

I reckon thinking about Terry and the Longbottoms makes you think about your parents, too, yeah?

[alt_selwyn]

Yeah.

That's kind of it.

The kids who came here as babies never knew their parents BUT their parents are still alive and they have pictures.

I had my parents for ten whole years and I knew them really well BUT they're dead now. So some of the other kids feel sorry for me and some of them think I was lucky and I'm not sure what I think.

I guess I'm lucky because I wouldn't trade, I guess.

Most of the time no one talks about it but in the last day people have talked about it a LOT. At least the other girls have. Portia's parents might actually be alive, even. She doesn't know because no one knows what her last name is and she doesn't remember them at all, because they didn't take her when she was a baby, she was in service for years and then escaped after the bombing and came to Moddey but she doesn't have a picture of her parents. I remember the bombing, too, it's funny but I don't remember it being scary even though I couldn't find my mum and dad because you kept making me laugh.

[alt_ron]

I thought you were making me laugh.

That's how I remember it, anywiz.

[alt_selwyn]

Also Felicia Saint's father is still alive but everyone else died.

She doesn't really remember any of them, though, she just has a picture.

And Rory's mum is dead but his dad lives in Sherwood. And Dudley's mum is alive and in a camp but his dad's dead, and Maureen remembers her parents really well but doesn't have any idea what happened to them, and Sarah Little says both her parents are alive and she has their pictures.

I wish I had a picture of my parents. I could probably have one, couldn't I? Because their pictures were in the paper a few times. People might not like it if I did though.

[alt_ron]

I could look and see if I can find one. If you want.

[alt_selwyn]

Oh yes please.

I can always keep it in my private box.