Helpful things for our guests to know

[alt_luna]

The pumpkin juice is reliably quite good. On the other hand, there are prunes hidden in the cock-a-leekie soup. Just so you know.

Chocolate caramel ice cream always runs out before any other flavour, whenever it is served at the feasts.

The soldier with the golden ruff in the portrait just to the left of the charms classroom will often offer to help you if you look lost, but he delights in sending people in the wrong direction.

Peeves will usually give you much less trouble if you don't seem to be in a hurry but instead act as if you are happy to stop to chat with him. The conversations you might have with him, however, are usually rather bewildering and often repetitive. And they involve rude noises.

The view from the steps of the owlry at sunset is really worth seeing. And at sunrise, too, if there's hoarfrost.

No matter what the Slytherins have told you, the squid hasn't ever been known to snatch anyone off the shore and drag them under the surface of the lake.

Comments

[alt_draco]

So what it is you've got against Slytherins, Lovegood?

[alt_luna]

Me? Nothing in particular. But I've heard what some of the visitors have said that Slytherins have told them. About the squid.

I suppose that they might not have known they were being teased. Or perhaps in some cases it might be a translation problem?

[alt_draco]

Only this is the second time in as many days that you've implied that Slytherins are lying and deceitful.

Just so you know, not all Slytherins are liars, and if it turns out that they do have to lie for some reason, they might not enjoy it at all.

And I can't think of a single person in Slytherin who would say such ridiculous things about the squid, except maybe a firstie, and everyone knows better than to listen to them, I should hope.

[alt_luna]

In the case of the Herbology textbook, I believe the word I was used was 'sneaky.' I meant it rather admiringly, almost, because it was quite a clever thing to do, really, wasn't it? Of course, perhaps it was a Ravenclaw who thought up that trick.

I certainly agree with you that people who think they have to lie might not enjoy it.

I am rather curious: what do you think is the difference between being cunning and being deceitful? I suppose it might be like the distinction between being courageous and being reckless for a Gryffindor, or being loyal or being insular for a Hufflepuff. (Or being witty or being coldly cutting for a Ravenclaw, for that matter.) Do you think there is any point to making generalisations about the Houses? Or are we doomed to turn the generalisations into weapons we use to badger and condemn each other?

[alt_draco]

It's just a matter of connotation, isn't it?

Generalisations are all well and good when they suit, but it seemed as if you were going rather farther than necessary bring those generalisations associated with Slytherin to light. I wouldn't say that "sneaky" has a particularly positive connotation.

I've never noticed you do anything like that before, but some of the girls are trying quite hard to get the attention of visiting students, and in quite inventive ways.

Private message to Draco Malfoy

[alt_luna]

Connotations can be tricky, certainly. But I might also point out that you seem to be highly suspicious of my motivations. Can't you see that what I wrote tonight was an attempt to help other people? I certainly can't help it if the person who told me about the rumour about the squid said that a Slytherin told her that. Perhaps she is gullible...but there is no point in getting angry at me for saying the person who told it to her wasn't telling her the truth. I suppose it might have been different if she had said 'a left-handed person told me this' or 'a person with curly hair told me this.' But we tend to lump people in groups in our minds using the Houses, rather than other characteristics, and the Houses seem more personal, somehow.

I do think using the journals sometimes makes some conversations difficult, too, because you can't see tone of voice or facial expression in the written word, and so things may sound more hurtful or sarcastic in a way the person truly didn't mean.

I think I know what you mean, about some people trying to get the visitors' attention. I am not sure whether their attempts are working very well, however.

Re: Private message to Draco Malfoy

[alt_draco]

If I'm suspicious it is because, like I said, I've never noticed you saying anything about Slytherins before now. It just seems rather sudden and ill-timed, doesn't it? Given that we're all trying to present our best selves to our visitors.

I don't think it would have been so much trouble to have said "Despite what you may have been told about the squid" instead of "No matter what the Slytherins told you" - as if we're all sitting round, cackling at the thought of French and Eastern European people being drowned in the lake.

I mean, I suppose that you didn't mean it like that exactly, but like you yourself said, things in the journals can be mis-read, if one isn't careful about how they write.

Re: Private message to Draco Malfoy

[alt_luna]

I suppose we've both had that conversation with our fathers, haven't we? About the power of the written word. Since they were both involved with the press.

If it helps any, I will try to be mindful about not being sloppy about making blanket statements. And I think we should both try to be mindful about not imputing suspicious or malignant intent to other people.

Most people mean to be good, I think. If they are given the choice, and the opportunity.

Private Message to Draco Malfoy

[alt_padma]

Are you surprised?

Honestly. Loony's as big a disgrace to Ravenclaw as Clearwater.

[alt_justin]

Come along, Malfoy, Luna's all right. I'm sure she didn't mean anything insulting, what?

[alt_draco]

I'd say it's a matter between Hogwarts students, and as she and I already sorted it out through private message, there's really no need to drag it on.

[alt_neville]

Prunes? Really? Ugh. You can't tell.

[alt_justin]

Cheers, Luna, that's quite helpful, indeed!

I say, are you going down to the lake for the event Patil just mentioned? It sounds like a jolly time. I've never seen a Hindu festival before. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever had a proper curry, what!

-Justin

[alt_luna]

I think I will. It does sound lovely.

[alt_justin]

Brilliant. Perhaps I'll see you, then.

Everything else all right?

[alt_luna]

Oh, well enough, thank you. See you at the gathering.

Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_lavender]

Could you just stop talking??

Re: Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_luna]

Why?

Re: Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_luna]

Do you have a headache? I could bring you some of my special tea.

Re: Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_lavender]

Because you're embarrassing yourself, is why!

Re: Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_luna]

How odd. Thank you for your concern, but I am really quite unembarrassed myself. I think the person who is embarrassed is actually you.

Re: Private Message to Luna Lovegood

[alt_luna]

And I cannot think why.

The festival was quite nice, wasn't it? It was really lovely of Padma and Pavarti to share it with us.