That may have been

[alt_padma]

the most exciting birthday party ever - even more than Draco's, and that's saying something.

I mean, we knew it was going to be fun. Getting facials and manicures and sleeping over at the Browns', and all - that was bound to be completely stupe. But it was so much more than anyone expected!

For starters, there were fireworks and little celebrations going on all over New London last night. Mr Brown even sent up sparklers from his wand in the garden for us all. And Mrs Brown gave us ice creams even though it was after bedtime. And we listened to the wireless reports and then we started comparing the bracelets my Mum made (oh, you should see them! They're like the ones Sally-Anne made all the Slytherin girls at end of term, only they're pretty and they've got spells on so they can do nift things, as well as useful spells like anti-loss and one type even has a direction charm on it).

Well, the party wasn't all overshadowed by Sirius Black's capture and then the excitement while we were all waiting for him to get caught again and then Mrs Lestrange saying she'd killed him and then looking for his body (which is sort of ghastly if you think about it, but honestly he was a menace, so it's too good for him, in some ways) and all that. I mean, the Browns let us listen to the wireless nearly all night, and we all fell asleep in the sitting room and finally Mr Brown told us all to go on up to bed, but then we sort of all woke back up again and we stayed up telling stories about Mr Macnair and the other escaped convicts (they say Dippet can conjure lethifolds and that's how he gets his victims!). And then we started talking about Mrs Lestrange and how the Auror who was injured was the one who we met - the one who worked on Sanji's kidnapping, I mean - and how we really hoped she'd be okay because she was really nice, and she tried hard to find out what happened even though it turned out...well, the way it did.

Did everyone listen to the Minister's address? My Dad was there when he came to give it, he said it was completely nift. Well, he said it was a huge honour, but that means it was nift. And the Minister even said something to him about Sanji, and he asked how we're getting on (we're fine, is the answer. I mean, it's weird being home and not having him about, but it's not as awful as it was when it first happened).

And now there's more celebrating again tonight. I guess there's a big party going on at Buckingham, because we can see the fireworks from the garden. I wonder if Mrs Lestrange is going to get a medal or anything? She ought, even if she couldn't bring him back alive to stand trial. Though I'm not sure how he could have - I mean, I can't think of anything he could have said that would have possibly made up for all the trouble he caused. And he doesn't seem like the type would would have apologised, even though he was dead wrong about so much.

Anyway, Lavender, even without the news keeping us all glued like a sticking charm, the party was snitch and Parvati and I just wanted to say we love you, and happy birthday, and you know we'll never, ever forget it.

Oh, and I can't wait for the party your parents are going to throw for the YPL trip, but this was really stupe to be just us girls. I mean, I know you and Parvati get to stay up in your dorms all the time, and I can with Belinda and Morag, but this way we were all together. And I'm sure we'll be together for the YPL, too!

Comments

[alt_draco]

So you suppose he ought to be called Mr Macnair now instead of Professor Macnair? Neither of those sound right, so maybe he'll just be Macnair. I don't think Harry was too happy to hear he escaped.

Hydra wrote about how Sirius Black might want to apologise for what he did, but I think you're right, he's not at all the type to do that. He'd just twist everything around and make it seem like everything he did was our fault and not his.

I heard my Mother say that Auror Zuckerman was in stable condition, so I think she'll pull through. And I guess Auntie Bellatrix might get a medal. When she became an Auror they gave her a whole load of them for all of the enemies she killed during the war. I guess she killed more than any man did.

[alt_padma]

I tried to think of him as Macnair and not Mr Macnair, but I couldn't quite get there. But it's not at all right to call him Professor, and anyway he was never our professor, was he? Parvati had him as Head of House, but that's different. But I hope they catch him again, quickly. And Dippet - he's really scary. I don't know anything about the other bloke, whatshisname, Snapp, do you?

Can you imagine Mr Crouch having to defend him, if he had lived? That would have been hard, I bet. I mean, not trying to win, obviously, because how could anyone think he's not guilty, but having to try anyway? It's so much better to be the interrogator. (I mean the Mr Crouch who came to the Wizengamot, not the Auror one.)

And I believe it about your Aunt. She's really impressive! Sandoval is going into the training programme, did you know? And she says that Mrs Lestrange was in a camp once to investigate a disturbance and the muggle she was talking to just died of fright right there on the spot!

[alt_draco]

Macnair didn't seem so scary before he tried to kill Harry. He was just gruff and tall and mostly quiet, but he didn't seem too mad for kids, did he? I think he preferred creatures.

I'm pretty sure the other bloke is Snape, not Snapp. My Uncle Razzer knew him at school, but I gather he thought Snape was a bit of a pillock. I heard him laughing about his escape and he said something to my other Uncle (Rodolphus) about how he probably was able to slide away on account of being so greasy.

Yeah, I reckon it makes things easier for everyone that he died. I suppose he might've known important things, but he might not have known as much as people assume.

Sandoval would probably make a good Auror, then, since plenty of people are afraid of her. In a good way, I mean.

[alt_sally_anne]

Your mum's bracelets sound nift. What does the direction charm do, does it tell you which way is north or does it help you find your way somewhere you've never been? Does she have adverts with pictures of them? If she doesn't mind sending one to the Strettons, I could leave it where Gemma will see. She'll probably ask for one.