Order Only

[alt_neville]

I was stupid and left Professor Desai's assignment until tonight because I just wasn't sure who to pick. Or how much to reveal.

My goal is to keep her underestimating me as much as possible. For myself, I'll say that since I haven't been in CCF, I'm behind in knowing as many defensive spells as the rest of you lot (I don't intend to let on about the old school auror stuff I've been learning from Dad and Kingsley).

Ron, I'm going to name you as the friend, and do what I can to make you look good.

Justin--maybe this is a little weird, but I'm going to name you as a rival. If I do this right, maybe I can give her the impression that I'm the odd man out in our dorm room; that Ron and I aren't really as close as I'd like because you're better friends with him than me. After all, you two PM each other a fair bit, and not all of it is under the Order lock. I'm hoping maybe she'll pick up the idea that I'm jealous about it.

I'm going to have Evelyn look over what I've written, to see if I'm shading the hints just right.

Comments

[alt_ron]

Yeah, alright. Anything you need to ask about it, I'm in the common room playing chess with firsties.

[alt_justin]

Neville,

Yes, of course, old man. Whatever you think best for yourself.

-Finch-Fletchley

[alt_luna]

You did the Devil's Snare in your first class operating under Salazar's Rules, didn't you?

Sally-Anne is right; Professor Desai is clever. Perhaps it's not so much that you need to convince her that you're pants at Defence. If she talks with the other Professors (such as Professor Sprout) she might discover that you're really brilliant at Herbology, so she might wonder why you can't do well in her class. But you might be able to play it as if you really are obsessed with Herbology, so you stick to Herbology-based defences.

Of course, you can't conjure mandrakes and lob them at your classmates. Madam Pomfrey would be very upset, wouldn't she? But there are other aggressive plants you could conjure, like venomous tentacula. Or you could try the Sleeping Beauty spell.