Private Message to Linus

[alt_cedric]

Look. I know you were involved in the recent debacle. But you went to Professor Dolohov, even if it was after it all went bad. I know you've had several lectures at this point. At the danger of taking the sting out of those well deserved reprimands, has anyone told you what was discovered in your notes? Five of the others in your idiotic little club had hidden curse damage not fully reversed. One of them basically owes you and your notes their life, others would have been in and out of St Mungos for the rest of their lives if the lingering effects had not been dealt with right NOW.

All of this is to say that as a prefect you must not take the abuse from other former members that I saw you taking today. You're a prefect. Behave like it. Your job is to enforce the rules or if you can't bring it to Melinda and my attention or an appropriate professor. While the prefects involved are not losing their positions (if there are no further infractions), I will be giving them only the absolute most basic assignments and as few of those as possible. However, for the remainder of the year rather than rotating prefect meeting secretary duties we will put your love of comprehensive notes to a good use and you will be our secretary. Consider it a reward for coming clean and a punishment for being involved in the first place.

Comments

[alt_linus]

While I am immeasurably grateful that the Matron and Professors were able to put right the consequences of our idiocy, I can't claim that any of the good effects of having taken notes owe anything to any conscious decision on my part. In fact, the lack of conscious decision-making is rather a major theme lately from everyone numerous sources. I would be angry about having it pointed out over and over, except that it's quite true, to a shameful degree.

I must learn to think, and I must learn when to take action, and how.

But I'm afraid I'm bereft of ideas about how to deal with the sort of verbal abuse I was getting today, other than to ignore those offering it. Which doesn't precisely work if I'm supposed to be giving them the kind of guidance a Prefect is supposed to offer.

[alt_cedric]

It is difficult to respond to that sort of thing when it's directed at yourself rather than at someone else. When it's someone else you just take house points or threaten to take house points if you see it again. That can look like retaliation if you do it when they've come after you.

For now I would suggest two things, ignoring it and travelling with other prefects when reasonable. The prefects are a team, lean on your teammates. You don't get the quaffle in the goal by yourself, your beaters protect you and your fellow chasers pass responsibly back and forth. Flying high and ignoring it is showing leadership. It's demonstrating that they can't taunt you into rash action, that their attacks are unimportant. Padma shares many of your classes, right? Walk with her and they won't dare hit their bludgers at you. Everyone is tense and tempers are running high right now, if things don't improve by next term we can take steps. It's the sort of thing the probably requires a sneaky plot so if necessary we'll discuss it with Melinda.

When and what sort of action to take is something everyone struggles with. I certainly do. Find a friend to talk to about that sort of thing, just talking through the problem out loud can help. Finding an expert can help as well. Over the last year I've found talking with Professor Siz very helpful on a number of issues.

[alt_linus]

Thank you. I shall definitely take those points under advisement, as they seem very sound.

Learning when to lean on one's teammates, as you say, and when to make a stand to prevent those teammates from being in harm's way.... That is apparently one of the lessons we are here to learn, isn't it? And if I want full marks, I have a great deal of work to do. And it will be work. I can't just cast Reparo on my reputation or my record, or use a Time-Turner like in those storybooks.

I shall talk with Padma straightaway. It will probably help that I am trying to retrieve my reputation and redeem my honour. She is well-regarded as having a sensible head on her shoulders, after all.

Professor Siz will probably indeed be helpful, though it is possible that both she and Professor Dolohov will make their most significant contributions to my future by keeping me in detention so much. After all, detention might not be at all pleasant, but one's schoolmates cannot usually get at one, if one is under the eye of a stern taskmaster. So there is that.

[alt_cedric]

I didn't necessarily mean for you to talk to Professor Siz, just that she was helpful for me and that finding a professor mentor can be very helpful.

If anything comes up come talk to me and Melinda.

Time-Turners sound great, but from what I've read about real ones they just cause chaos and exhaustion.

[alt_linus]

A professor mentor would truly be a great resource. Were I so fortunate as to gain such a thing, I would do my best to live up to such a great gift.

Teaching is actually a noble calling. I hadn't... well, I have recently come to the realisation that I have been remiss in not sufficiently valuing the lessons and overarching guidance that the entire staff strives to impart to us. Sometimes against our strenuous efforts.

[alt_linus]

Oh. And the secretary duties -- thank you, I think. (You're quite right that it's both a punishment and a reward!)

[alt_cedric]

Do you follow Quidditch? Processional would be best, but the House tournament would work.

I know it sounds like a non sequitur but it is relevant.

[alt_linus]

I haven't, much? Well of course I have attended, to show House spirit, but I am afraid I have not made a study of the intricacies of the game.

It's more complex than it appears at first glance, in terms of strategy. And most persons discussing it seem to focus on tactics, at least when speaking of the game they've just seen.

[alt_cedric]

Mendick Hewett is a superstar. Scores lots of goals, fans love him, but the Pride hasn't won a championship while he's been playing for them.

Oliver Wood was perfectly competent Keeper while here at Hogwarts. But his team loved him because he made everyone around him better.

Fans and players argue about why this sort of thing is. Management wants to measure it. Because if they could measure it, they could hire a team of players who make everyone around them better and just fly past every other team.

If you want a huge project to throw your notes, analysis and arithmancy at see if you can figure out how to measure the intangibles of quidditch team dynamics and you'll go down in history as the man who changed the sport.