The mudblood and mud

[alt_terry]

The Headmistress has said that she doesn't need to have boot underfoot so much during the summertime. The Headmistress is busy and important and so must catch up with her meetings and correspondence. So she is assigning boot to do chores for some of the other professors. boot mucks out the cages of some the creatures used in Care of Magical Creatures classes for Professor Brutka. Shoveling muck is the sort of thing that mudbloods should do. boot will help Madam Pomfrey do the summer inventory in the Hospital Wing later this summer. boot also helps Professor Sprout do things like turn the compost pile and prune plants in the greenhouse. Professor Sprout says boot is better than she is at dodging when the venomous tentacula gets fiesty.

Sometimes boot is so tired at the end of the day that he barely manages to eat his dinner before falling asleep. The days go quickly.

Comments

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good

[alt_terry]

This summer so far has been brilliant.

The Headmistress wants me to learn magic. I'm sure of it. It's just not something that's ever said out loud. I've not let her see my wand, of course.

She's arranged it so that I'm working with several different professors, all the nicest ones, during the mornings. Professor Sprout, and Professor Brutka. And Madam Pomfrey. Supposedly, I'm doing chores for them, and I'm always am careful to make myself look as dirty and tired as possible whenever Master's about to see. I don't know what she's told the Professors, but they are continually dropping tidbits of information that have to be lessons. Professor Sprout spent this morning teaching me about the difference between acidic and alkali soils, and the effect that different soil types have on various magical plants. All of it casually said, as if she was making idle chit-chat, while I was turning the compost pile. Professor Brutka tells me about the different creatures and makes sure I know why they eat the diets they do when he has me feed them. Madam Pomfrey is having me brew simple potions, all stuff that she says is for the Hospital Wing.

In the afternoons, I sometimes help Madam Pince shelve books and sometimes I work in our secret classroom, Hermione, practicing charms and transfiguration wand exercises. I'm getting better with my wand, although I still have a long way to go.

In the evenings, I read aloud to the Headmistress. She has me read texts on Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy and Arithmancy. I'm learning so much. It's wonderful.

The only thing that makes me nervous is the way Master watches me. All the time. He tried to head me off once when I was on my way to the greenhouses, telling me I had to go with him to rearrange the shelves in the Transformation classroom cupboard. Grinning, like. I was so scared, because I didn't dare tell him 'no.' But I'd only gone about ten steps with him when the Headmistress suddenly appeared. She told Master curtly that I didn't have time to help him, and she immediately sent me off on another errand to the opposite end of the castle. I wonder if she's put a charm on me or something, so she's warned when Master tries to get close to me? Anyway, Master hasn't tried since.

It's too much to hope that he's given up. I think he's just biding his time.

[alt_amycus]

Tidbit had better not forget who his proper Master is.

Bats are blind during the day.