Happy birthday, Ron!

[alt_molly]

It's an important date in a young man's life. I certainly wish that I could be there with you (as well as your father), but we'll have a proper belated celebration the next time the train brings you home.

(Do let me know if this morning's owl arrives safely, won't you? You won't recognise it--I hired one at the public owl office that specialises in delivering packages that are fragile. I trust I wrapped it well enough, too.)

Comments

Re: Order Only

[alt_bill]

Yes, it's the top professional grade, that you can procure within the Protectorate, at any rate. I'll feel better having you have it, especially given the competition. I'd certainly keep both it and the book out of the view of the casual passers by--that's what the pouch is for--but certainly share the book with the rest of your friends who are in the Order.

How are the lessons with Dumbledore coming? I think my Occlumency is finally beginning to settle in, although I'm in no hurry to play Poker with Hydra's Mum yet. But at least I've reached the stage where Snape says 'it's not entirely execrable anymore.' High praise from him.

Re: Order Only

[alt_ron]

Yeah. Congratulations on that. I'm just lucky it's not Snape who's teaching me, I guess.

Re: Order Only

[alt_bill]

It took me a long time, and I'll admit I wasn't serious about it at first. Snape made an acid comment about the shoddiness of my Occlumency, given my position, and I dunno, it made me buckle down and get serious about it for the first time, really. Doing the exercises every night, and not just occasionally.

Getting the position under Mulciber was an incentive, too. Because I figured the way he ran the Division, sooner or later I'd be questioned officially about something.

I know it's hard, and I'm sorry about that. I hope Dumbledore can help you get a handle on it, soon.

Re: Order Only

[alt_ron]

Yeah. I don't think I could be any more serious. About either thing, now. Occlumency or the animagus transformation.

With Occlumency, maybe I'm sort of blocked now because it's so frustrating. But the animagus lessons... Dumbledore says it's going really well. Only, I've got nothing to show for it.

I dunno.

Re: Order Only

[alt_bill]

Yeah, it seems like a sort of strange double-cross to pull on your own mind, doesn't it? You want it so badly that you have to throw your mind into...convincing yourself you don't want it. Which can make you crazy.

I'd take heart, anyway, at Dumbledore's encouragement. If he says you're on the right track, well, he should certainly know what he's talking about after teaching for so long.

Another person who might consider talking with, if you ever have a chance on a school holiday, is Fu Lee, oddly enough. Even if he isn't a wizard, he has studied a lot of the roots of Eastern mysticism, since a lot of THAT underlies Eastern martial/fighting techniques. You'll find some intriguing overlaps with some of the exercises Dumbledore is having you do.

I don't mean this to be one more thing to overload your plate if you're overwhelmed already. But he might offer something unexpected which makes everthing click into place for you, if you're really stuck. He has been a very helpful person for me to speak with about contending with the aftereffects of some of the dark curses Mulciber has forced me to do.

As for the Animagus lessons, no wonder your frustrated. But having nothing to show doesn't mean it can't happen. Both Terry and Sirius spoke about praticising for a long time before they had had any hint that they had a chance of mastering the transformation at all.

I have a huge amount of respect for you for trying it, anyway.