[TBAY] My DH predictions

[or.phan_ann]

No: HPFGUIDX 171923

'Let's crank her up, Fred!' orders Ann, and leaps to the main winch of
the S.I.E.G.E. C.A.T.A.P.U.L.T., causing the N.O.S.T.A.L.G.I.A. to
list alarmingly. Faith and George move to the other side to balance
her, and make a swift escape if the worse happens.

'So, do you like her?' Ann calls to them.

Faith coughs. 'She's very, er, unique,' she begins, but Ann's
attention is on the winch. 'Avery, get over here and help us with
this! It's stuck... what were you saying?'

'We think it's very brave to set out right now, so soon before
Hurricane Jo hits,' says George. 'But we're afraid that your ship's a
little, well, unusual. It doesn't seem to have much holding it
together, for one thing...'

'Oh, that's the catapult's job,' says Ann breezily. 'The supports go
straight down into the keels; there aren't any proper connections,
just securing lines.' She points at one nearby. 'For instance, that
one's All the Books Start With the Dursleys. And there's Harry Always
Ignores the Plot, joining the catapult and this hull.' She reaches out
to point to it.

'Look!' cries Faith, 'There's someone on the shore! It's Mooseming, we
haven't seen *her* in a while!' Everyone turns round to see a listie
standing on the harbourside, apparently checking something on she ship
against a thick handbook. 

'Why's she pointing at me?' asks Ann, who leans on the Harry Always
Ignores the Plot hawser to get a better look. 'Woah!' She falls face
down into the bottom of the hull, slack rope in her hand. Faith, well
versed in the sinkings of ships, leaps ashore with the agility of a
smug gazelle. But she is disappointed, for the humble
N.O.S.T.A.L.G.I.A. does absolutely nothing.

Ann climbs to her feet. 'That's odd,' she says, sounding disappointed
not to find herself on the bottom of the Bay. She climbs up to check
the part of the catapult the rope was attached to.

'Aren't you going to sink?' asks George. 

'I don't think so,' she says, scratching her head. 'I've no idea where
I went wrong.'

'You've attached a useless rope,' says the woman on the pier. 'Look,
it attaches there to there - look, it's pulling against the rest of
the ship.' 

'So it is!' Ann cries delightedly, and unties the two.

'You're lucky I noticed,' says Mooseming. 'If you had put any tension
on it, it would have snapped that support...'

'Well, it's not important,' says Ann. 'Plenty more where that came
from.' She unties the other end and begins to coil it up.

'You can have this back if you like,' she offers to Faith. 'Should
make up for me not sinking. Thanks for the heads up, Mooseming. I
appreciate it... been a while since I checked my canon. Want to go for
a drink in the George?'

'The bits you haven't destroyed,' mutters its landlord.

Ann, who's been away from the computer lately and hopes Mooseming
doesn't mind such a late reply