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Oct. 10th, 2010 08:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_poppyI wonder sometimes whether more than one or two parents these days tell their children anything at all about maturing bodies and matters of intimate health. I've spent a great many hours this week educating and reassuring children about the behaviours which might put them at risk of a social disease--and those which will not.
It's well that I do not melt when wet: I've been veritably drenched with tears this week as I've advised the young ladies compromised by contact with our resident Lothario. There are, it would seem, three cases of magnitude: one suffering unpleasant symptoms of the mouth and throat, the others experiencing no outward signs, but infected nonetheless. The only silver lining for one of those young witches was confirmation that she is not, as she had convinced herself, expecting.
But, of course, there has been a heavy additional toll in the form of contagious rumour and rampant misinformation. I have seen dozens of students of all stripes, worried quite sick that they might suffer dire consequences from having snogged someone who snogged someone who snogged someone who might have shared a pumpkin juice with a certain Person of Interest. And it's not just excitable females. Yesterday I reassured a young man concerned that he might have been infected by sharing a toilet with his now-infamous yearmate, only to have him back in my examining room today certain that he was suffering symptoms as a result of having stepped barefooted into the shower shortly after the young man in question had exited. I assured him that his 'symptoms' were a matter of thinking very much too much about the matter in question.
Meanwhile, we seem to be having rather a rash of hex injuries requiring my attention. Not a few of them related to this other business.
I have high hopes that with a new week we'll all move on to new matters here at Hogwarts. I hope that all of you are looking forward with hope to the week ahead.
Cheers.
It's well that I do not melt when wet: I've been veritably drenched with tears this week as I've advised the young ladies compromised by contact with our resident Lothario. There are, it would seem, three cases of magnitude: one suffering unpleasant symptoms of the mouth and throat, the others experiencing no outward signs, but infected nonetheless. The only silver lining for one of those young witches was confirmation that she is not, as she had convinced herself, expecting.
But, of course, there has been a heavy additional toll in the form of contagious rumour and rampant misinformation. I have seen dozens of students of all stripes, worried quite sick that they might suffer dire consequences from having snogged someone who snogged someone who snogged someone who might have shared a pumpkin juice with a certain Person of Interest. And it's not just excitable females. Yesterday I reassured a young man concerned that he might have been infected by sharing a toilet with his now-infamous yearmate, only to have him back in my examining room today certain that he was suffering symptoms as a result of having stepped barefooted into the shower shortly after the young man in question had exited. I assured him that his 'symptoms' were a matter of thinking very much too much about the matter in question.
Meanwhile, we seem to be having rather a rash of hex injuries requiring my attention. Not a few of them related to this other business.
I have high hopes that with a new week we'll all move on to new matters here at Hogwarts. I hope that all of you are looking forward with hope to the week ahead.
Cheers.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 02:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 02:25 pm (UTC)The trouble is that at fifteen, sixteen, seventeen impulses quite outweigh reason (let alone knowledge). And at that age, there simply isn't enough maturity to cope with the consequences, social and personal.
Imagine if you had pursued such experience as a student: MLE would be quite overwhelmed with the burden of checking all possible leads on your potential offspring. Rumour has it that they've committed quite a lot of resources to that project as it is!
no subject
Date: 2010-10-11 02:45 pm (UTC)As for sprogs, I find the whole prospect of MLE tracking down my every liaison to be a marvellous waste of their time. But then I didn't know the house would seal itself and I daresay that's thrown a spanner into their midst. They're so desperate for an explanation other than the obvious that they'll go to any length to prove there are still Blacks in the direct line!