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alt_charlieSo, I had a long conversation with Ron last night. Took him out flying right after lessons, then we sat and did some fishing until it got so dark that not even Lumos helped and then went down the pub for supper. Mostly I was trying to be a shoulder, and a listening ear, and let him know he could talk to me and I wasn't going to judge.
The part you should know, Alice, is just how much he wants to do something. He went on for a good five minutes about how utter shite things are right now, and went straight down the list: how Muggleborns are treated, what it's like for halfbloods in fostering, how wrong slavery is, how this whole damn system is set up to "grind Muggles and Muggleborns up into sludge". He was angry -- not just angry, really, but furious -- and he wanted to know why we weren't doing more to change things, and he wanted to know what else they could be doing, not just to help now but to prepare to help in the future.
I told him sometimes I feel like the Order's not doing enough too, but usually only when it all looks hopeless, and we have made progress that isn't just little things. I talked a bit about the logistical challenges we face, like not having enough people who aren't wanted fugitives and who can move around openly and not having good enough communications except among the people on the Order lock. And a bit about how the problem's so huge it has to be done one step at a time, and a bit of hinting that things were more complex than they look on the surface.
I didn't tell him anything that was an Order secret, or anything about the Prophecy. Even though it makes a lot of things make sense.
The other thing I told him, about what they should be doing to prepare for the future, was to talk to you about what he should be learning. And, um, to talk to Snape, too, because Snape's a bastard but he calls it like he sees it and he won't just blow smoke up your arse. I told him the things we probably needed most that play to his strengths are strategists -- like, field strategy, Auror strategy, that kind of thing -- and people who can go places legitimately, tromp all over the country without having to hide and poke their noses into bits, not just the camps but other places as well.
I think that's about it that you need to know.
The part you should know, Alice, is just how much he wants to do something. He went on for a good five minutes about how utter shite things are right now, and went straight down the list: how Muggleborns are treated, what it's like for halfbloods in fostering, how wrong slavery is, how this whole damn system is set up to "grind Muggles and Muggleborns up into sludge". He was angry -- not just angry, really, but furious -- and he wanted to know why we weren't doing more to change things, and he wanted to know what else they could be doing, not just to help now but to prepare to help in the future.
I told him sometimes I feel like the Order's not doing enough too, but usually only when it all looks hopeless, and we have made progress that isn't just little things. I talked a bit about the logistical challenges we face, like not having enough people who aren't wanted fugitives and who can move around openly and not having good enough communications except among the people on the Order lock. And a bit about how the problem's so huge it has to be done one step at a time, and a bit of hinting that things were more complex than they look on the surface.
I didn't tell him anything that was an Order secret, or anything about the Prophecy. Even though it makes a lot of things make sense.
The other thing I told him, about what they should be doing to prepare for the future, was to talk to you about what he should be learning. And, um, to talk to Snape, too, because Snape's a bastard but he calls it like he sees it and he won't just blow smoke up your arse. I told him the things we probably needed most that play to his strengths are strategists -- like, field strategy, Auror strategy, that kind of thing -- and people who can go places legitimately, tromp all over the country without having to hide and poke their noses into bits, not just the camps but other places as well.
I think that's about it that you need to know.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-12 08:52 pm (UTC)He did sit with me a bit this afternoon -- we talked about where he might think about getting work after he leaves school, and he's got a very solid idea of what would best suit his skills and be helpful to the Order. He mentioned surveying and site selection for the Ministry, which would certainly give him a great deal of access to mapping systems and building sites.
I, for one, would be very pleased to continue to work with him in the future.
He's a good, solid sort, Charlie. And he cares very deeply about the future of this country and the people in it. All of the people. And that is a commendable thing.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-12 09:28 pm (UTC)He's trying to figure out how to be his own person, and that's a rough spot. Especially in this family, sometimes. I love Mum, I really do, but sometimes she's very ... Mum.
But I told him, the way they all are together, so determined, so protective of each other, so convinced that they're going to do good in the world -- in this world -- is something I really admire. Because, yeah, they've got Death Eaters' kids standing back to back with Muggleborn. And I'm not sure exactly how they did it, I don't know if even they know how they did it, but -- if we or they can figure it out, we've got a lot we can learn from that.