Cold Beboots was cold

[beboots]

The final evening at Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton! It ended up being like -27C in the river valley... The poor draft horses had frost all over their coats, and were brought into the stables (switched out for tractors AKA "mechanical horses" ;) ) halfway through the evening. I took a shower right before I left for work, and I put my hair in braids while wet. So after I lit the bonfires, and I realized about an hour into my shift that my braids had frozen. SOLID. Like, icicle cores. D: 

CHECK IT OUT



PIPI LONGSTOCKING COSPLAYS = NOW RIDICULOUSLY EASY. 

And for comparison purposes, here is what it looks like defrosted. SO FLOPPY



Here is a shot of the glorious bonfire I made yesterday, to warm you up wherever you are. :)

Comments

[kuiskata]

Nu kan du bli Pippi Långstrump!

(I figure Swedish book characters call for Swedish, yes? XD)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

I've frozen my hair solid before! Mine wasn't in braids at the time, though, so it didn't look nearly as impressive. It was still a little curly, so it mostly looked like I'd overdone the hairspray.

The coldest that I've been was when my band marched Detroit's Thanksgiving Parade. The mellophone section alternated songs-- two of us played, two kept our hands balled up inside the gloves. Our fingers would freeze by the end of the song, making it possible to play only through lucky twitching of mostly-solid fingers.

I'm pretty sure all of us would have made the "my braids have frozen solid" expression if we'd been given the chance. It's the correct response.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

We Canadians enjoy bragging about the miserable conditions we get every winter (or every year, in our long-stretched out winter season), but I think we wouldn't have it any other way. It is frequently said that Canada doesn't have four seasons, but two: winter and construction. In Edmonton, it is often said that we've had snow in every month except August (although we've had it on like September 4th while I'm here), although, granted, that's not as bad as it sounds because it mostly doesn't stick in May, June and July, or even September. ;) Also, two years ago, during a cold spell, at 5:00 in the morning a weather station at the international airport apparently registered, briefly, -50C. (For context, I think it's -43 where Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same.)

We like to brag. ;)

I think that icicle ringlettes would still look cool! ;) But oh man, playing instruments out in the winter? Hardcore. You have a later Thanksgiving than us, too, right? Daaamn... D:

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

You're talking to somebody from Michigan. My hometown likes to brag that we drive south to get to Canada, AND that our weather is crap. "Michigan doesn't have weather, it has moods." We do get a summer, but we also have a winter that can go on into May, and perpetual construction that doesn't get an off season.

That particular Thanksgiving was way, WAY too cold for that many people to be outside. Third Thursday in November, and I think that had to be my sophomore or junior year, so it was 2003 or 2004. Everybody's fingers were frozen into whatever position they'd been using, and some absolute idiot of a band parent made the woodwinds cut the fingers off their gloves.

It's currently way too cold outside, but I'm slightly insane and don't get that many chances to dress up all pretty. I'm wearing a dress to Christmas mass, but I'm bringing the heels with me. I'm wearing boots into/out of church, I do believe, because I like my toes to stay attached.

I live in the wrong climate. I have terrible peripheral circulation, so my hands are cold when it's 50 Fahrenheight (10 degrees Celsius). My toes are cold sitting in my heated house. I still can't picture myself moving away from all of this nonsense.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I think that we generally see Michigan as the exception to the rule, in a country - or even world - that seems to shut down at the sight of half an inch of snow. ;)

Oh man, I've had my hands grow stiff and unwieldy before... NOT a fun experience if you have to do anything with your hands. Even the simplest things, like picking out the right key on a keychain, become ridiculously tricky.

Anyway, Merry Christmas! :D

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Several of the states along the northern border of the main chunk of the US know how to deal with snow. Minnesota has snow more often than not, it seems, but Michigan has the special beastie called lake effect snow. My friends that went to college in the upper peninsula measure snow in feet, in the middle of the state you need fourteen inches overnight with ice before schools are cancelled.

Once you get south of Ohio, say... they freak out. Oh hell there's white stuff falling from the sky what do we DO?!?!? My friend was in Arizona and had a snow day because there were flurries. Nothing even stuck on the grass, but there was snow somewhere so people were asking her about snow tires and chains.

Merry Christmas to you, too! I just got back from midnight mass, and the family just finished negotiating when we're going to start on presents tomorrow morning.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

My parents and I are just chillin', drinking tea and having breakfast (watching a cute baby elephant rescue TV show in the background) while waiting for my sister and brother to wake up. We'll be opening presents, then making our turkey lunch/dinner, then heading off to Jasper in the Rockies for skiing fo rthe next few days. :) The mountains are an excellent place to enjoy winter. :)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

My parents and brother and I were all on vacation, and I ended up going over a week without internet. I'm too cheap to pay oodles of money to get online, but it took us this long to find a restaurant that offers wifi. We had no idea that the dine-in place would give you internet, but hey.

We did the opposite approach for enjoying winter and went to Orlando. I convinced my parents we needed to go to the Harry Potter theme park. It was fun, even if it's really more "the squished little Harry Potter-themed corner of a larger crowded theme park."

Since being a writer does strange, strange things with your head, I spent a good chunk of the vacation plotting out my problem stories and getting ahead on a story that I had been neglecting. I'm also doing more horrible things to Zuko in the future. I finally finished the rest of my casting for the Firefly/Avatar cross-monster that's turned from an interesting little one-shot to a long series of stories. It's not remotely a happy scene, but it suits the characters, pushes plot AND character arcs forward, and combines a Firefly episode with both Boiling Rock (Toph-style) and Southern Raiders. So Zuko gets whumped on again, but the cavalry is rather incredible?

The rest of my big attention-drain was a Tamora Pierce AU. I finally figured out how to get all the little details in order for the climactic set of chapters.

How was skiing? I've liked it the few times that I've gone, but I still don't think I have the coordination to make it work.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

You went to the Harry Potter theme park? Neat! I'm curious about it, but I'm afraid to go for fear of being disappointed. >_>

I love hurt-comfort stuff with Zuko. He gets whumped so badly all the time in fic, but hey, if it all turns out well in the end for him, then I look forward to reading it. ;)

Skiing went well! There were lots of bare patches on the hill, though, because Jasper hadn't gotten much snow in the past few weeks. It could have used an extra half meter or more of snow to really cover everything. :P Still, super fun! I will write a post about it, probably tomorrow. :) I do love skiing. I used to go cross-country skiing with my father and siblings when I was younger, but once I started downhill skiing... there was no turning back. You go so much faster downhill! ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

(New comment because the other is way, way far right on my screen right now)

"That is very true, isn't it? Interesting! I have to wonder... do you remember if the Gaang ever found out Zuko's backstory with his father on-screen in canon?"

I don't remember it ever coming up. I've tried writing it out, because it matters like almost nothing else, but... he never talks about it. He mentions his mother obliquely with Katara, they know about Azula, he doesn't talk about Ozai (or Azulon).

""in your travels, have you encountered any other firebenders with a burn scar?" Ooh... I really, really like that line. It has a lot of impact."

It's the way that I've always thought about it. I asked my friends, and none of them can name a firebender with a burn scar. Jet sees it and instantly assumes that Lee hates the Fire Nation. Even past his father doing it--one firebender scarring another (with a clean edge, with a defined shape that looks like a hand if you pay attention-- right handed abuser, check the left side of the victim's face), permanent sign of weakness.

Personally, I like Zuko growing up with it and turning it into something that helps him politically. No one dares dispute his points about Ozai, and Katara can tease that it's the only reason he can lie properly. (How to tell you're a really, really good friend-- you can mention it at all, let alone make a joke)

I can't find the link for my season-one fic with Zuko, as I mentioned, but I'm writing one? Zuko gets it right the first time (and the universe somehow stays intact). He catches the Avatar, he's furious that Aang tried to break his promise, and he sails for home. A week before they get there, he lets Aang go, because it wouldn't be honorable to put a child into Ozai's custody. Zuko saves Aang from Pohuai, again, and this time Aang doesn't make the friends offer. He promises that when he has learned all the elements (Zuko's decision on when it's honorable to catch the Avatar), he'll come find Zuko himself so they can fight.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

(We could theoretically do PMs? But I think this works, and there's no danger of the comments being deleted...)

I think it makes loads of sense for Zuko to just not talk about it, especially with people he doesn't quite trust. I mean, it's got to be one big ball of mental trauma, and you probably don't want to get into it... or at least, not without a fight.

"Personally, I like Zuko growing up with it and turning it into something that helps him politically. No one dares dispute his points about Ozai." I love this point; it's forever physical proof that Ozai, at the very least, was evil enough to scar children for little reason. I remember reading someone's meta about the imagery/symbolism of Zuko being scarred... Hold on, I'll see if I can find it... HERE IT IS: http://quigonejinn.livejournal.com/190239.html

I'm intrigued by this new fanfic idea as well. :3 I look forward to reading it! (Also, if you ever need a beta reader...)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

(PMs or e-mails would work, too, but this seems to be doing just fine)

I don't think Zuko likes thinking about it, even, let alone opening up about one of the most horrible things that has ever happened to him and giving the chance for people to really hurt him again. What if they think he deserved it? What if it's worse than what they imagined?

Also on the scar: I just figured out my approach, for the much happier story where Katara has her extra four minutes to convert Zuko to Team Avatar. She's about to heal it, he pushes her hand back, and I know why. It's not that he doesn't think he deserves it (even if that could be a side point) or that he really wants her to save the water for the Avatar, or someone that's really badly hurt. ""It was supposed to be a mark of shame-- dishonor. If I let you take it away, then I'll just prove him right" I might make it a little cleaner, but he's not going to let Ozai rule his life anymore, and it lets him talk about the scar in a detached way. "He's not important anymore." If she realizes something they really should have minded ("but you're the Fire Lord's son"-- who can banish the prince, hm?), then they have a convenient interruption and later he doesn't like talking about it.

"I love this point; it's forever physical proof that Ozai, at the very least, was evil enough to scar children for little reason. I remember reading someone's meta about the imagery/symbolism of Zuko being scarred... Hold on, I'll see if I can find it... HERE IT IS: http://quigonejinn.livejournal.com/190239.html"

I'll check the symbolism link in a minute, but I have enough on my own, just about. Odin plucked out his left eye for wisdom, and that's the very heart of any injury to the left part of the face there. Zuko even does manage to gain wisdom from this, eventually, but there was a price that no sane person would want to pay.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"What if they think he deserved it?" Daaamn... ;_; I'm sure that at times Zuko does believe he deserved it. I'm sure that Iroh tries to disabuse him of this notion whenever he can.

Ooh... I like that line, that justification for stopping Katara. :)

Also, P.S.: I was wondering if I could ask you a favour. I've been working on a Harry Potter fic, and I was wondering if I could get you to take a look at it? You don't have to if you're not interested, but I thought that at the very least you like Harry Potter, as you've been to that theme park and all... ;)
The summary is as follows: "Draco may be an arrogant, selfish little git, but even he has principles. When Voldemort kills his parents, well, he’s going to do something about it. Timetravel fic."

I've got about four chapters written out completely, and I would really love to have a few people take a look at it, see if my ideas are coming through, etc., etc. I enjoy bouncing ideas off of you. :)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

I think Zuko's alternative is even scarier. It's depressing to think that he deserved it, and it hurts like hell, but what if he didn't deserve it? What if his father was wrong, and the past three YEARS of his life (that's a fifth of it, and a quarter of what he can remember) are useless, and he can never go home because his father hates him and was horrible enough to hurt his own son? It's easier to take the blame onto himself and focus on the escape clause, because then everything can be the way it was, but better.

Harry Potter!!! Send away-- and the premise is so, SO much badass. I love giving the "unredeemable" characters a second chance, and "obnoxious with principles"/"anti-villain" are classics.

I haven't had nearly enough time to read the books later, but my parents almost named me Hermione, and the name would completely have fit. I have a freak memory for detail. Occasionally. I can forget the most obvious things at times, but then I can quote you a spell that was used once in the fourth book for this purpose.

(Plus, you understand grammar and spelling and use them well. I adore my friend that I beta for right now, but she can't even follow the prompts from her spell-checker, and then she gets offended when other people can't spell things. She's a native English speaker, so I'm still puzzled.)

I have no idea how to work the messages part of this site yet (/is very new), but we're definitely at the point where e-mail or IM might be the more sensible option. I'm probably going to start sending you all the Avatar ideas that you brought back to life, and I think the "Katara gets four minutes. Aang gets a firebending sifu before the end of season two" story is a go. (/along with the sci-fi story that nobody reviews (on ff.net) and the V crossover because I watched the movie and Sokka and Zuko are awesome and... whatever, my muse is back and on top of this)

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"It's easier to take the blame onto himself and focus on the escape clause, because then everything can be the way it was, but better." ;_; Trufax.

YAAAAY! <3 Send me your e-mail address in a PM (scroll your cursor over my avatar and there should be a "send message" button?), and I'll send what I have to you as a word document. :) I like using the "comment" option on that program the best when I do beta-ing. :3

I would totally be up for checking out your ideas... but only if I can send you some of mine too. :D I have quite a few sitting on my harddrive that only my sister and one of my RL fannish friends sees. ;) But the Harry Potter fic is a priority, I think, because it's much more polished than the other stuff I have written down, which are mostly plot outlines. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to post my little two-page snippet. I'm very fond of it, and it has three of my favorite characters all being cute-- "When Nymphadora met Remus." Really, she's wandering through the house to find her cousin, but Remus is there, and she has the least-concerned "and you're a werewolf" reaction ever.

My other Harry Potter ideas are a way-too-long thing where /Remus/ was the one to end up in Azkaban, and Sirius adopts Harry when the kid is nine-ish. (My favorite scene is when Sirius finds the cupboard. He wants to lose his temper, but Harry's there and looks nervous... so Sirius whips out his wand and starts casting charms and transfigurations and he turns that cupboard into a perfect bedroom with windows that all look at different places. The Dursleys can accept a magical room in the house, or they can give Harry the guest bedroom. Harry is not taking the little closet that doubles for their son's second room when he can have a full bedroom only occasionally used by Aunt Marge. Just to really make you want to hit something, the Dursley house has four bedrooms. Four. That's canon.)

The other is a really easy premise that changes way, way too much-- Sirius Black is a Slytherin. Severus Snape is a Gryffindor (because he SO has the right characteristics to do it, and he can stay very close friends with Lily while laughing and James' attempts to woo her.) Really, it goes that way because Sirius is the most awesome double-agent Death Eater ever. He uses the charm to keep people off guard, all the girls have crushes on him, and Lockhart is lucky to get a single Witches Weekly (whatever it is) Best Smile Award.

So Harry Potter? Way, way too fun a world to not play with.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"(My favorite scene is when Sirius finds the cupboard. He wants to lose his temper, but Harry's there and looks nervous... so Sirius whips out his wand and starts casting charms and transfigurations and he turns that cupboard into a perfect bedroom with windows that all look at different places. The Dursleys can accept a magical room in the house, or they can give Harry the guest bedroom. Harry is not taking the little closet that doubles for their son's second room when he can have a full bedroom only occasionally used by Aunt Marge. Just to really make you want to hit something, the Dursley house has four bedrooms. Four. That's canon.)" I DEFINITELY want to read that scene. :) I think that one of the things that was really left unresolved in the series was Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys. I think it goes beyond the "Cinderalla complex" kind of idea: he was systematically devalued as a person and as a member of the family. That HAS to have a lasting effect on him. I've read fics before where the authors try to address this, in that Harry would have significant trouble valuing himself.

"Really, it goes that way because Sirius is the most awesome double-agent Death Eater ever." That would be super-awesome. I mean, he's a Black, and he's a Slytherin, so there's NO WAY he could be anything but loyal to the cause of the Dark Lord... ;)

I love playing in JKR's sandbox. :D

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

I really don't think it'll be muggleborn dilution. Muggleborns often have very, VERY strong children (typically when marrying wizards), and the most powerful wizards in Harry Potter 'verse-- I'll go with Harry Potter, Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape as examples of having loads of power. (Snape can fly, in the books.) Of those men, Dumbledore is the only one that's probably a pureblood. Voldie was half-Muggle, not even muggleborn, Hermione's the brightest witch in her year. There's no data within the series to suggest it is more than a "those new folks are stealing our livelihoods and corrupting our way of life." I do understand that it's fun to do alternate verses, but my favorite is one where the Death Eaters won, the muggleborns are gone and promised to not return... and inbreeding makes the magic die out. Nobody will trade with them after they kidnap some muggleborn women as breeders, and Potter and the rest just need to wait for Malfoy's crowd to die.

Dark/creepy/medically realistic and the tone of it is just awesome. That's another one I need to find again, I keep forgetting where I find that link.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Summertime will be a time of frank discussions... ;)

Ooh... desecrating library books as a cry for help? I LIKE IT. And then she could be both indignant and kind of sad that nobody realized that she totally wouldn't ever do something like that under normal circumstances, EVAR, so why didn't you guys figure it out? Maybe Snape and Draco investigate the book together; perhaps they'll piece together the whole story in one of their talks right before shit goes down? (Comparing notes with each other on these things = SUCH A USEFUL WAY TO GET THE PLOT GOING)

Perhaps Snape leaves to go retrieve Dumbledore, and Draco's like "f- this, I know what I'm doing, I'll go rescue her instead of waiting". With rooster in hand, of course. ;) Oh wait... will Lucius be involved this time around in trying to get Dumbledore removed from his post? Hmm... maybe the petrified students are just an excuse: he's really angry about Dumbledore preventing him from speaking with his son?

"Yeah. Better to lash out and not think about it in company." Exactly. :3 I really should send you a second copy of what I have written since I sent you that earlier version of the document...

Yeah, and it's not like the Death Eaters have to have a LOGICAL philosophy... ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Ooh... desecrating library books as a cry for help? I LIKE IT. And then she could be both indignant and kind of sad that nobody realized that she totally wouldn't ever do something like that under normal circumstances, EVAR, so why didn't you guys figure it out?" And when nobody responds right away, except Madam Pince looking puzzled and giving a little lighter detention than she usually might when Hermione promises to not do it again, Tom can use that and take off running.

"Maybe Snape and Draco investigate the book together; perhaps they'll piece together the whole story in one of their talks right before shit goes down? (Comparing notes with each other on these things = SUCH A USEFUL WAY TO GET THE PLOT GOING)" Comparing notes is an AWESOME plot strategy. They're talking, of course this isn't a ginormous block of exposition so I can catch you up with the main plot, guys. (Plus, if Snape and Draco are together and there's writing on the wall... Snape vs. Tom Riddle Jr. would be kind of epic. I do think Snape would have the presence of mind to conjure a chicken and somehow coerce it into crowing, and then it's goodbye basilisk. Plus, if you wanted Fawkes... Snape is Dumbledore's man. It does make much more sense for Snape to get Dumbles, if Dumbledore is allowed to stay in the school. That was the problem in second year, he got kicked out.)

"Perhaps Snape leaves to go retrieve Dumbledore, and Draco's like "f- this, I know what I'm doing, I'll go rescue her instead of waiting". With rooster in hand, of course. ;) Oh wait... will Lucius be involved this time around in trying to get Dumbledore removed from his post? Hmm... maybe the petrified students are just an excuse: he's really angry about Dumbledore preventing him from speaking with his son?" Pretty much. Dumbledore is being a meddling old fool, so Lucius can remove him (and make sure the diary can go to full effect). Draco has his rooster, so he'll be set, and he just might need Potter. If Potter and Weasley are there and somehow had the dim idea to bring Lockhart along, Draco might just deal with Lockhart. "Expelliarmus" and "stupefy" would be enough, especially followed with "obliviate," and I think Draco can manage all of those very handily. He might need to bring Potter along for the Parseltongue, and then Weasley won't leave Potter alone with the Slytherin?

"Exactly. :3 I really should send you a second copy of what I have written since I sent you that earlier version of the document..." I'm still writing comments occasionally, but mostly I'm looking from physiology notes to faster things like messages/comments.

"Yeah, and it's not like the Death Eaters have to have a LOGICAL philosophy... ;)" Much to some Death Eaters' surprise, I'd think. "Wait. This actually is kind of batshit insane."

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Plus, if Snape and Draco are together and there's writing on the wall... Snape vs. Tom Riddle Jr. would be kind of epic." That would be kind of epic. I still want to have Ron and Harry with them, though, so they can learn to trust Draco's awesomeness more... plus, they're Gryffindors and if there's rescuing to be done, you can't leave them out. Also, they kind of need Harry to get down there in the first place: parseltongue password, remember? ;)

"Pretty much. Dumbledore is being a meddling old fool, so Lucius can remove him (and make sure the diary can go to full effect)." Yep. So Lucius will still be a dick, just for slightly different reasons. ;)

"He might need to bring Potter along for the Parseltongue, and then Weasley won't leave Potter alone with the Slytherin?" Precisely! Oh man, it only just occurred to me that I'm going to have to write about Lockhart... I figure that Draco has no patience for him this time around and mostly just tries to stay quiet in those classes and ignore the man. I figure that Lockhart was publicly discredited after his accident the first time around, so Draco knows he's a big fat liar, and even though he tells Dumbledore and Snape this (only increasing Snape's lack of respect for the man), they can't do anything because it's a magical employment contract, or something? ;) I dunno. Or it's difficult to prove.

"Much to some Death Eaters' surprise, I'd think. "Wait. This actually is kind of batshit insane."" Oh, like most wizarding philosophies aren't. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"That would be kind of epic. I still want to have Ron and Harry with them, though, so they can learn to trust Draco's awesomeness more... plus, they're Gryffindors and if there's rescuing to be done, you can't leave them out. Also, they kind of need Harry to get down there in the first place: parseltongue password, remember? ;)" You can definitely convince Snape, I'd think. They need Harry for all of the parseltongue, and it's not worth the effort of leaving Weasley behind. (Meaning that Snape doesn't want to deal with Potter after stunning Weasley in cold blood.) Snape and Draco would both have the idea about bringing a rooster. Snape might actually figure out the scar faster, if just being around a shade of Voldemort leaves Harry with the scar hurting (pretty sure that caused scar-burn, too). I don't think book-Snape realized that Harry's link to Voldemort actually can't be blocked. It's not like Snape's occlumency, which was probably equal parts stubbornness and skill.

"Yep. So Lucius will still be a dick, just for slightly different reasons. ;)" Draco can bitch about it with Snape, too, because Snape actually realizes that Draco is older than twelve (and might just start grading Draco's work appropriately).

"Precisely! Oh man, it only just occurred to me that I'm going to have to write about Lockhart... I figure that Draco has no patience for him this time around and mostly just tries to stay quiet in those classes and ignore the man. I figure that Lockhart was publicly discredited after his accident the first time around, so Draco knows he's a big fat liar, and even though he tells Dumbledore and Snape this (only increasing Snape's lack of respect for the man), they can't do anything because it's a magical employment contract, or something? ;) I dunno. Or it's difficult to prove." It's also deucedly hard to fill that position at all, since people think it's cursed and past history tends to support that position. Draco might have some influence on third year, too. There was something about Snape telling everybody about Lupin (oops, won't look too good here), but Draco might just have heard that Lupin resigned before the entire school knew what he was.

Draco would be able to remember that Weird Shit was happening. Something about the damn hippogriff escaping and Sirius Black escaping and Lupin being a werewolf and Snape being right pissed, and Weasley had a broken limb of some kind? And loads of dementors.

" Oh, like most wizarding philosophies aren't. ;)" Most philosophies are. I have a LOT of fun with people that hold with Kant.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Snape and Draco would both have the idea about bringing a rooster. Snape might actually figure out the scar faster, if just being around a shade of Voldemort leaves Harry with the scar hurting (pretty sure that caused scar-burn, too). I don't think book-Snape realized that Harry's link to Voldemort actually can't be blocked. It's not like Snape's occlumency, which was probably equal parts stubbornness and skill." Definitely. Now I'm just going to have to figure out how to frame the scenes so they don't always end with "OMG WE HAVE TO-'" and then running off either to find Hermione, then Potter (and Weasley), then this, then that... Granted, they've got to do a certain amount of dashing about, but... ;)

"Draco can bitch about it with Snape, too, because Snape actually realizes that Draco is older than twelve (and might just start grading Draco's work appropriately)." Lol so Draco get separate essay topics, perhaps. ;) No more slacking off in Potions class, at least... ;)

"It's also deucedly hard to fill that position at all, since people think it's cursed and past history tends to support that position." Yeah. Maybe Dumbledore is of the mind that at least they'll learn SOMETHING in Lockhart's class, even if it's not the actual curriculum... As for Lupin... Hmm... Draco still probably has that anti-werewolf prejudice, but even he can probably acknowledge that they actually learned something in DADA that year, so if he accidentally lets that slip then Dumbledore will hire him anyway, despite werewolf concerns? ;)

"Draco would be able to remember that Weird Shit was happening. Something about the damn hippogriff escaping and Sirius Black escaping and Lupin being a werewolf and Snape being right pissed, and Weasley had a broken limb of some kind? And loads of dementors." "Yeah, all of that stuff happened so quickly towards the end, professors! And nobody. Told. Us. Anything. Least of all the headmaster." :\

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Definitely. Now I'm just going to have to figure out how to frame the scenes so they don't always end with "OMG WE HAVE TO-'" and then running off either to find Hermione, then Potter (and Weasley), then this, then that... Granted, they've got to do a certain amount of dashing about, but... ;)"

But they have Snape. "Cease this ridiculous darting about or I will Petrify you both, blind you, and leave you in the corridor." He might be able to keep the Gryffindor tendencies of select members of the rescuing party to a minimum. He's probably in a high temper if one of his students is in danger of... whatever else there is besides a basilisk. Bet that Snape can recognize Riddle right off, even if sixteen-year-old Voldie has no idea who Snape is (besides actually good at Occlumency). (Snape protected the Trio in the third book. He stands between them and a werewolf. He will save a Gryffindor from Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.)

"Lol so Draco get separate essay topics, perhaps. ;) No more slacking off in Potions class, at least... ;)" He might prefer a class that's actually challenging. As long as it's one he's actually very good with.

"Yeah. Maybe Dumbledore is of the mind that at least they'll learn SOMETHING in Lockhart's class, even if it's not the actual curriculum..." Acting skills? He does make them act out his books.

"As for Lupin... Hmm... Draco still probably has that anti-werewolf prejudice, but even he can probably acknowledge that they actually learned something in DADA that year, so if he accidentally lets that slip then Dumbledore will hire him anyway, despite werewolf concerns? ;)" He can say that Lupin was the best DADA prof they had until Snape got the job. The Carrows rather sucked, I imagine that still happened in Draco's universe. Not that it says much about Lupin, mind, since Dumbledore hired some insane escapee-from-Azkaban (no, not Black, the other one) hiding in Alastor Moody's body and then a Ministry toady. And the other comparisons are a fraud and Quirrelmort. But Lupin was still a good teacher, long as he's on his potion. (Also, Lupin ran off before the potion came. Snape grabbed the MAP but didn't bring the potion with him, so... not blaming Snape, precisely, but he forgot just as quickly.)

"Yeah, all of that stuff happened so quickly towards the end, professors! And nobody. Told. Us. Anything. Least of all the headmaster." :\ Serves you right, Albus! You kept all your secrets so close that YOU can't get to them.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"But they have Snape. "Cease this ridiculous darting about or I will Petrify you both, blind you, and leave you in the corridor." He might be able to keep the Gryffindor tendencies of select members of the rescuing party to a minimum." OMG so true SNAPE AS THE MENACING VOICE OF REASON. "(Snape protected the Trio in the third book. He stands between them and a werewolf. He will save a Gryffindor from Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.)" YES YES AND YES. Snape and Draco teamwork, too, y/y? LEAVE THE RESCUING TO THE SLYTHERINS FOR ONCE they will not let you down.

"He might prefer a class that's actually challenging. As long as it's one he's actually very good with." Good point. He'll sulk for a bit and complain a lot (he wouldn't be Malfoy, otherwise) but then get over it.

"Acting skills? He does make them act out his books." Lol true. I forgot about that! ;)

"He can say that Lupin was the best DADA prof they had until Snape got the job. The Carrows rather sucked, I imagine that still happened in Draco's universe." Good point about Lupin. I don't think that Draco would have completed his seventh year, though. Even if Voldemort is in charge of the ministry I'm pretty sure even Draco couldn't get away with knocking off the Headmaster and coming back to school the next year. Tongues would still wag. I'm not sure that Draco would even WANT to come back to Hogwarts after that. I'm sure that he would have heard horror stories from his acquaintances that were still in Slytherin, though. ;)

"Dumbledore hired some insane escapee-from-Azkaban (no, not Black, the other one) hiding in Alastor Moody's body" He could even phrase it like that too, and it could take him a minute to figure out "Barty Crouch."

Oh, and Umbridge... well, I won't write until fifth year, but I could perhaps include her somehow... Ministry inspections courtesy of Malfoy Sr.? Because everyone loves to hate Umbridge. It could be a new experience for Draco, because he's so used to being on her good side... and now that he's on the receiving end of her bullshit...

"Serves you right, Albus! You kept all your secrets so close that YOU can't get to them." XD Snape needs to have an "I told you so" moment. ;)