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[alt_mcgonagall]

Poppy says that the Boot boy is healing well and will be able to go back to work to-day. She still refuses a journal, of course, though I've tried to tell her how useful they can be: 'I'm here, aren't I?' she says, 'you can surely relay any messages, Minerva.' She has too much faith in the idea that I will always be here, that I will never be suspected or removed.

This weekend has been a Hell of convincing Amycus not to kill the Boot boy and to allow him to keep the journal. Miss Granger, you must impress upon the boy that the Carrow creature means his threats. I've thwarted him this time, but next time Boot won't be so lucky, I have no doubt. As for Longbottom, he is safe from lasting harm, but I exhausted my diplomacy on Boot and must allow Amycus some freedom with Longbottom so that he doesn't suspect me. That is to say, Longbottom has the short end of the stick this time, I fear.

Then, of course, the Marvolo child. Pomona reports that he gets along well with members of other Houses, despite the inevitable occasional flare-ups, and I am astonished to see his attempts to rationalise the Lord Protector's edicts - astonished, because I would have thought he would simply accept them. I hardly know whether to think that he and young Malfoy will lead Weasley Sextus and Longbottom into bigotry, or whether Weasley Sextus and Longbottom will have the upper hand. There is nothing to do but wait, of course, and eleven-year-old boys are difficult to predict.

Now: the Quidditch rosters and Rolanda's tentative game schedule need my attention.

Comments

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[alt_molly]

Perhaps you and Hermione can find a secure place where Terry Boot might be able to squirrel away some books, where Amycus cannot ever find them? The boy does seem to have a thirst to study, which would be a pity to let go to waste, and if he can snatch a few moments to do so when Amycus is in class, it would make him happier. If Amycus never finds any more books, it will in turn make him satisfied that he has cowed Boot entirely, wouldn't it? He might even treat the boy a little easier.

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[alt_molly]

As for Ron--it's a bit difficult to know what to do about that situation. I certainly hope he'll be able to enlarge Harry's thinking (and how it would have pained James and Lily to hear their son attempting a defence of such horrible reasoning). Ron certainly seems to be labouring to do so. But I don't want him to get into trouble for sedition himself. I hesitate to write anything particularly explicit to him to advise him, for fear a letter might get misdirected or fall into the wrong hands.

We will certainly talk with Ron about it when he is home for Christmas.