Dean Thomas

So we're going to see a movie in the near future, and it's not going to be a soppy romance so that's cool. Not that there's anything wrong with soppy romantic movies, but there's only so much a man can take. And plus, I've got photos to show. Seamus' got some too, so he'd better come. Hear that, Finnigan? You'd better come to the movies or else. You can apparate here first if you need to. Here being my house, where I am currently residing in my disturbingly clean room. All thanks to Lachie and his fear of The Wand, he's such a brilliant little brother.

Anyway, so we're seeing some science fiction movie with all the special effects and things that just shout muggle brilliance. Of course, we could probably get them by saying one word, whereas they need all the little gizmos and things, but still. Special effects are always good, no matter how many times you see them. I'll steal Dad's paper later and have a look at what's on, I hope there's something good. But we can't go this weekend, alright? West Ham play Reading, and Dad's said he'll take the three of us to watch.

Oh, and Switzerland was good - have I said that already? Because I've annoyed the parents plenty with that phrase. Our sure fire plan to get money worked brilliantly. It involved chalk and pavement, and not a humanoid shape so don't worry. It was Seamus' idea about the easel that made it happen.

I've got to go and remove the brats from in front of the TV now, before it's too late and I'm forced to watch one of those shows that they like.

Right. So I'm getting the Prophet myself from now on, because... yeah. Thanks, Seamus, for letting me know what's going on. It's not fair. In fact, I'd say it sucks a whole lot. I thought we were good, and just because I went to Switzerland without telling doesn't mean people can just run off and kiss other people, even if they've liked the other people since forever. I apologised about Switzerland, what else am I supposed to do? Grovel? Because that's seriously not going to happen. I didn't do anything wrong, I didn't run off kissing other people, even if they might be more famous and acceptable to family than little old Deanie who lives in West Ham and plays football not Quidditch and has friends who she doesn't like.

It's not fair.

Suppose it proves she's not an angry lesbian though. Funny, I wanted to defend that and everything, but then I saw the paper.

So we've seen Switzerland, and it's nice. I'm not sure how long we're staying, but probably not long it'll be long enough, I reckon. See the sights, do a bit of sight-seeing, have a good look around... I've said the same thing three times now, haven't I? Experience the culture. That's a new one.

Of course, experiencing the culture might be easier if we had some funds to experience with. So far, we've experienced the culture of eating beans from a can, and really you can experience that anywhere. They might be special beans from Switzerland, but I'm fairly sure Seamus got them out of his bag, so I have my doubts on that one.

On the bright side, we're somewhere I've never been before, and we got there really easily! Which means that we should be able to get home just as quickly should the need arise. But we won't need to do that for a while. Mum and Dad said that I wouldn't last a week on my own, so we've at least got to prove them wrong. And when that week is up - we'll see. Course, we've got to consider what type of week they were thinking about. I vote for a 5 day week, like the working week.

Anyone fancy dropping by? We're on page 5 of some travel book of Switzerland, should be easy enough to work out. On the odd chance that anyone feels the need for some Switzerland air, d'you reckon you could bring us some biscuits? Or anything, really - we'd probably even accept fruit.

As a change from the last two three bugger this few weeks of holidays, I got up early today. I've already been up for - get this - an hour. Why? I have no idea. If somebody knows of a reason that doesn't involve watching the sun come up, let me know and I'll be glad to adopt it.

So far this holidays I've got my apparating license, and been to see a couple of football matches. Not proper ones, because they're no fun on your own. Dad's busy, and apparently I'm not responsible enough to take Jas and Lachie on their own. I'm going to see if he can be not busy by August, because West Ham are playing Reading on the 10th at home, and I reckon it'd be a good game to see. I'd go sooner, but me and Seamus are going to Switzerland.

Lavender, muggleborns can get the Prophet. I just don't. Honestly, I'm going to show you how to use a telephone. There's only so many times my mum can cope with people appearing in the living room. At least we didn't have soup around, like with that Smith bloke.

Hey Gin, how about meeting at Fortescue's on Saturday? Reckon your mum will let you get out then? My shout.

I just woke up. Brilliant.

There's no time better than holidays to do nothing. I mean, I've got stuff planned to do later in the holidays and all, but as for right now - I'm good. My official holiday plan starts with getting my apparation license, which should work out. Then I plan to do lots of popping around. That's about as detailed as my plans are right now. I'm sure Mum wants lots of help in the shop, and Dad'll be after me to help convince Jas to rejoin her soccer club, and Lachie'll be wanting me to turn stuff into frogs (especially Jas). Mum looked a bit uncertain when I told her that I'm allowed to do magic now. I don't know why, what does she think I've been learning for the past six years? Honestly.

First thing I'm going to do is clean my room. Are you shocked? Because I am. Seriously though, I don't know what Lachie's been getting up to - and I don't want to know either - but the room's a pigsty. It's disgusting. I don't mind a bit of mess, but yuk. I don't think he's cleaned since I've been home last, and I haven't been home since... YUK. That's disgusting. I reckon I'll need to have a chat with him about cleaning the bloody room in my absence. I can make wild pointy movements, that will be effective.

Can we all ignore the fact that I forgot my birthday? It's not that big a deal. It's just a day, I mean really, no different to any other. The parents remembered, and I got cake, so everything is fine. I also got this cool new paints set from Jas and Lachie, and a shiny pen from the Mum and Dad. They obviously don't know that I use shiny pens to copy shiny signatures. I don't plan on telling them.

Hope everyone else got in alright, and I'll see you over the holidays. Not all of you, obviously. Just the nice ones.

Oh right, and I didn't win at gobstones, but it's cool because Lynn Graves has some talent. Entwhistle, on the other hand, is a lucky hack.

I'm really stupid sometimes. I mean, I always knew that I'm not smart, but sometimes I'm just really, really stupid. I should just shut up, before I make a fool of myself. It was meant to be complimentary, but when I think back, it was kind of dumb. I think I should maybe get some flowers... I don't know. And right before the holidays, too, which is really bad because I (hopefully) get to Apparate around these holidays, which should have been cool.

OK, so it'll still be cool. But not as. I'll still be able to Apparate over to Seamus' and confuse my mother. Lachie will still be insanely jealous, Jas will think it's cool, dad will ignore it and want me to help coach the footy. But now I can just say nope, and disappear with a crack. It'll be fun. I can picture dad's face now. I rekcon I'll have to apparate into the next room just so that I can see it, at least once.

Anyway, the planning for the gobstones championship is well underway, and we're probably going to have it in the Room of Requirement so that everyone can come, but we're not sure yet. So really, I guess it's not all that well underway, but Lavender's been going on about some Celestina Warbeck night thing she's supposed to be planning with that Ravenclaw girl, so I'm supposed to organise it by myself, and I'm not good at that. Really all I've got organised so far is the sets we'll use, and I've employed Neville to make sure no one loses any pieces from them. I should probably work on it some more. But first, flowers of some kind.

Right, first up:

I solemnly swear that I'm not selling any powdered dragon's claw, or whatever it was that Loony Luna said. Honest. Would this face lie? No really, would it? You know it wouldn't. Anyone who says otherwise is obviously lying. There's no way I'd have anything to do with selling that stuff, not even if someone paid me. Well, maybe if they paid me a couple of thousand Galleons, but that's different. And I still wouldn't lie about it, I'd be sure to say: "This stuff won't really help you learn at all - unless you believe in the placebo effect". Not after last year's encounter with Madam Lockley's Locked-In-Your-Head Potion, or whatever it was. Didn't work, that's for sure.

Second: It's not my fault that Ron screwed up, I tried. It was awkward and weird, as predicted, but I tried. If we really really need me to go through it again, I can, but think of it this way:

When someone's trying to explain something to you, and the person that someone's been doing the explained thing with just happens to be your little sister...

Weird and awkward? Yeah. Still if needs be, I'll give it another shot. I might have to Obliviate the conversation afterwards, but it's for a bloody good cause.

Ron, mate, you don't want to know. Stop saying you do, because if you did then you'd probably just be, I don't know, annoyed. In general, and also that you know. 'Course, you're already pretty peeved that you don't know when other people do, so maybe it wouldn't change anything. And you can stop with the look, because it's pointless. I wouldn't tell you before because I didn't know, and I won't tell you now because, well, Gin's a lot more frightening than you when she's mad. I'm just lucky she's not mad at be that often. Haven't even had my head dunked in a sink yet, which is pretty cool.

Seriously, Ron, stop with the look.

The Gobstones Championship is being organised as I type. Well, not really, because Lav's off at an exam and I'm the one typing, but I'm sure we're both thinking about organising it. Which is a little bad, really, as I should be thinking about the bloody Ancient Runes exam tomorrow. I should have thought about it before now. It's one of those things that creeps up on you, I reckon. One minute I was talking to Ginny about that thing I'm not telling Ron, the next minute I see this Runes book staring at me. It's a bit rude of whoever put it there. Anyway, anyone needs me, I'll probably be studying.

That wasn't a joke, Finnigan. Kindly stop laughing.

I am studying. Just not as actively as some people are. C'mon guys, these exams aren't even worth that much! I don't have one 'til Thursday, and it's a little dull when no one wants to do anything but stare at books all the time. And Seamus doesn't even want to play gobstones anymore, probably because I've been training Lav up to absolutely shatter him.

'Course, this might have something to with the great Gryffindor sit in that's going on. I'm not sure if it's over not, but surely it couldn't take that long to get McGonagall to do something that the team really really wants. Though I guess you never know with Professor McGonagall. Oh, and the banner has been disposed of. I didn't want to completely get rid of it, so it's been placed in an appropriate area. I'm still sending that picture to Lachie though, because it's a pretty cool picture. He doesn't care who wins stuff, as long as the little brooms are moving around.

So it looks like I get the best group for the dancing club, which is cool. We'll have a great time, and as long as some people don't do things that some other people might not like then everything'll work out fine.

Fine, I'll open the stupid Charms book. May as well, I've got nothing else to do.

The masterpiece is complete. I'll stick a copy up in the common room - with Hermione's permission, of course. It's not crude or anything this time, it's just a realistic representation of what went on pretty much every day we spent in the Eyrie. Complete with voice bubbles and all. I'm definitely using those again, they really enhance the, um, atmosphere of the piece. I think.

I keep hearing people talking about exams, so I guess they're soon. There's too much stuff on right now though, and they can't be too soon - Hermione usually starts freaking out right before them. She hasn't reached peak hysteria yet, so I reckon we've got at least a month or so before I need to open my books properly.

Meanwhile, I've got a banner to perfect. The one for the last match was cool, but this one has got to be the best yet. It's for a final, so of course it needs to be even flashier than any other. That, and the old one got something on it at the celebratory gathering. I'm not sure what it is, anyone game to find out? Not me.

Go Gryffindor!

Yeah, I didn't have much to say except that. Oh, and I had some completely potion free chocolate sent in from home, for anyone who wants some. I asked for excess, and I got it. Lots of it. Mum really outdid herself this time, there's biscuits, toffees, slices, cream fillings, and of course your basic slab of chocolate. And that's not including all the non-chocolate items too, like these new funny looking things that taste nice. All Thomas finest of course, just line up if you want some. There's no way I can eat it all myself, so there's plenty to go around.

Lach has demanded that I send him a new photo of a Quidditch match, because he lost the other one. Reckon I'll go and see Colin about it later, he takes a good picture. Hopefully we can get a really cool one of Gin catching the snitch in the final. Meanwhile, I'm working on a new cartoon sketch, commemorating the time we spent in the Eyrie. I'm trying to fit everyone in, so it's pretty big, but it's turning out pretty well. And I've tried a few of the charms I found, so I've managed to get Entwhistle's lips to move while he yells at everyone to get off the couch.

Why I am I not surprised to see, right up there at the top of my friends list thing, that it's all Malfoy's fault? Pretty much the first thing I saw this morning, even. I might be a little late for Charms, but it's worth it to check this thing. I seem to be behind on the news since Lavender started, er, Seeing things. Which was Malfoy's fault. Hope he gets what he deserves, and fast.

See, everyone, that's what you get for eating chocolate that wasn't made by my Mum!

I'm glad I never ate that stuff. Especially since Malfoy had something to do with it... he might even have touched it, and that would be just disgusting. Rule number one: Never eat anything that Malfoy's touched.

I'm glad Gin didn't have any too. I might see if she wants to go visit the Gryffs who are up there... Lily, Ron, Lavender, Sirius... should have been obvious that it was a Slytherin who did it. Anyway, Pomfrey should let us up again now that she knows the problem.

Slytherin lost. It was a joyous occasion. My highlight of the week, even. That and the dust fight - I don't reckon I've ever had that much fun during detention before. Filch wasn't pleased, but we cleaned it all up. The room was just as dusty as when we left it! I personally don't think it's possible for any room in this castle to be dust free, but Filch would appear to disagree.

I also went to the library this week. I thought I'd developed an allergy to the place, but I was wrong. It took courage, but hey - Gryffindor. It was a necessary act, everyone says so. Well, they would if they knew what it was anyway. Madam Pince was watching me the whole time. I think she's installed some kind of chocolate sensor as well, it wouldn't surprise me. The woman is scary. They're just books! Although at some point she must have realised that I wasn't threatening her precious collections anymore, and actually told me that I'd done a good job. So cheers to me, then. The Ravenclaws should feel proud that a Pince-validated individual has organised their shelving.

Gobstones is still going well. I hate to say it, but it's getting just that little bit boring, playing gobstones all the time. It even forced me to get a couple of books out of the perfectly arranged shelves up in the Eyrie. New stuff to do with paintings and hexes charms, that kind of thing. There's some really good stuff, I reckon I might try a couple.

Right, so everyone conveniently forgot to tell me about the Herbology assignment. I should have known, though, because Seamus was being stressed and all that, the way he gets when there's anything related to Herbology going on. And the prodigal Herbology son is not in our house at the moment, so we really had no hope.

I mean, I knew there was an assignment, I just forgot that it was due today, is all. Luckily I was able to come up with a spectacular story about having a note - which, for the record, is actually true... it's just not a note for this year. Easy fixed though, really. It's done now, the assignment, and I'll be handing it in first thing next class. Still, would've been nice if somebody had pointed it out to me before this morning, you know. Courtesy, and all that.

Hopkins is alright at gobstones. He's not brilliant, but there's potential. And, unlike a certain Miss Lavender Brown, he concentrates that little bit more. Although Lav's been telling me all these cool things about Palfoy (Parkinson and Malfoy, for those not in the know - also referred to as Malkinson). Oh, and something about this other thing which I'm not supposed to talk about, which I don't really understand anyway. I think it has something to do with Divination. Of course, I'm imformed about the whole Pomfrey thing too. Which is kind of cool. In a weird, she's-almost-a-teacher kind of way.

Anyway, detention calls. Fun times. Well, at least there's good company.

I've hardly been in Ravenclaw for 48 hours and I've already learnt a new word. "Obnoxious". I reckon that word'll come in quite handy in the future; I can think of a couple of people who it might be applied to. Who knows, I might learn a new word each day. Mum'll be impressed, for sure.

My bed's quite comfortable too - whoever normally has the bed with the little Nimbus broomstick carved into the bed end, your bed's cool. It's actually got me wondering about whoever got my bed, back in Gryffindor... or Gin's bed, for that matter. McGonagall was supposed to be removing all the cool stuff we'd set up, but I don't know how successful she would have been. For one thing, Neville created a brilliant distraction just before she started checking our dorm. Seems as if he hadn't quite fixed his bed-deterrance spells properly, so they weren't excluding him from their effects. He approached his bed, and fell over. Then he couldn't stand back up again without falling over, and McGonagall had to help him to the Hospital Wing, because the rest of us were all so busy with our packing. Pretty decent of Neville really, taking one for the team like that... though he probably didn't mean to. Anyway, I don't know if McGonagall every got around to finishing her check.

For another thing, McGonagall might miss that special little spell I set up for me and Gin. It's not that obvious, really, but it's cool. Yeah, so anyone in that dorm might just want to keep away from our beds for a while.

Gin, I'm sending you some excess chocolate I've got lying around, you'll probably need it more than I will.

... they were talking about me, right now, at this very moment in time. And quite a few hours before this very moment as well.

Right, I don't get mad very often, but I'm mad right now.

Gryffindors, please come and marvel at my new creation. I call it What Happens To People Who Insult My Girlfriend, but it has many other titles as well. One of my current favourites is Sirius Black and the Canary Cream of Doom. Please everyone, feel free to make up your own. I whipped it up just last night, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Enjoy.

Gin, you're brilliant, and anything that Black says about you should just get ignored completely... unless he comes to his senses and says that you're positively the most wonderful person that he knows.

Besides which, I'm getting out the gobstones set. Feeling brave, Finnigan? I'm running out of things to do on these holidays, and I reckon I'm up to regaining my title. That is, of course, if you're not too chicken to challenge me again...

Right, so I've worked out a way to keep strange non-Gryffindor people out of my personal bed. I'm almost hoping someone tries - Macmillan, maybe - because then Harry'll get to laugh a lot, although I'll miss it. Gin, I'm sorry I can't fix one up for you - can't get into the girls' dorms - but I can tell what to do if you want. I actually think the House Swap idea is kind of cool, in a weird and crazy sort of way. I would have preferred a different house - say, Hufflepuff, for obvious reasons - but Ravenclaw's better than some. Plus, both Seamus and Lav are coming too, so we'll be able to liven things up nicely. It'll be like a little holiday, 'cept not. If Gryffindor is supposed to be my home away from home, I guess this will be my home away from home away from home.

I have just completed my latest masterpiece - not one of my best, but still pretty cool. I'm taking down the mural for the duration of the House Swap and locking it in my trunk, which is under the bed and hence covered by the little gizmo I've set up. So Hermione won't have to worry about bad impressions and stuff, I figure she's got enough to worry about. Anyway, latest masterpiece is sort of like an illustration to Lily's 'As Hogwarts Turns' thing on the Evil Denizens. Sort of cartoonish, but I feel it really captures the mood.

I actually asked Neville what was up yesterday. He said he was fine, but he's faking. Well, I've done my bit. Anyone else who wants to have a go, it's your turn. You can stop throwing it off to me now, because I tried.

I, Dean Thomas, solemnly swear to never, ever read the paper. Or my friends page, for that matter. Expect me to be most uncommunicative for the next few days, perhaps longer.

It's not bloody fair. Here was I, completely oblivious to anything due to my recent decision to not read the bloody paper, and I log onto this thing only to find everything staring at me in the face. So, if you don't mind, I'm just going to be staying in my dorm and not coming out ever again. Guys, I'd appreciate it if you did not mention anything bad around me. I'm concentrating very hard on not knowing. Classes are really overrated, I can skip some.

I guess this means I have to write to Mum and Dad now. I really don't want to. They'll be totally freaked out. I hope they don't tell Jas and Lachie, because... well, Jas would probably be alright with it because she's cool with stuff, but Lachie's still so little - hell, he's still... bloody hell. That's not... nah, it's not possible. It's not. Still... I'm writing a letter. I just need to find some parchment... people, I need parchment NOW.

Idiot Boy/Irish Berk/IB doesn't get it, but I didn't really expect him to anyway.

The Ginster is still in the Infirmary, and I've been booted out several times. I found out that Madam Pomfrey has no capacity to give detentions, unlike Pince. Either that or she's just way more nice. Speaking of detentions, the library shelves are so organised right now that I can't bare to see people touch the books. I even left spaces for Hermione's piles, which I think was very considerate of me. Anyway, I never have to return to the library to do the shelves again; apparently I've learnt my lesson. Paper cuts are not good, books are heavy, some can bite, and food in the library is not allowed. Sounds learnt to me.

The common room seems a lot quieter lately, I don't know why. Something's missing. Maybe it's just quieter when Gin's not around, although she doesn't make that much noise. She makes some, but not heaps. Nah, there's something else, can't quite place it. Anyway, it's weird. Too much quiet is not a good thing, it shows boredom, and Gryffindors are not allowed to be bored. Lucky thing we've got so many birthdays coming up, that should cure the quiet.

I haven't been maimed for a while in CoMC, I think that's a good sign for the future. Although, we're doing these really cool creatures at the moment... they don't have claws or anything, so they don't leave scars. I think they might be poisonous though, or I'm just getting them confused with something else. Though I don't know what I could confuse them with, most of the things we "care for" are a bit dangerous, and these things aren't. Er, not that I have anything against our normal creatures, but they're just a little worrying sometimes. Wouldn't want to spend much time around them, is all. Seamus reckons they're cool, but I disagree. He's hoping that the Careers day thing has loads of stalls about working with dangerous creatures, just so he can see more. I think that's a bit nuts, myself. Why would you want to work all the time with things that can main, burn, injure or eat you?

Right. So I've remembered why I don't like reading the newspaper. It's because all news tends to be horrible and bad, and I'm really better off not knowing. I'm trying to decide whether to follow my usual plan of not telling mum, dad and the brats, or whether it's better to let them know this time. I mean, it's different to the last thing. Way different. So I just don't know... maybe it's better that they're not worried about anything?

I think that I'm not going to think about it right now. What's that story where you have to think happy thoughts? I'm going to do that for a bit.

Ginny's way happier at the moment, what with normal coloured hair and all. I didn't end up beating the hell out of James for her because I was restrained by a rather frantic Hermione who insisted that, had I done so, there woulod have been "dire consequences". Sorry, Gin. I did, however, find another way of getting you a little revenge. Come and consult with me, we shall add some finishing touches and find a way to use it to the best effect. Seriously, it's pretty cool. And I sent off an order to mum yesterday as well, so expect delicious chocolate in the near future.

Seamus and I have a game of gobstones planned for later today. We're thinking of starting a mini-tournament. This is mainly because Seamus has boasted his ability to beat all contenders with the greatest of ease. I was telling him about Superman at the time, and he nicked the phrase. I reckon he's just being smart about it. Bloody Irish.