Padma Patil

Lav,

So far we've got Dunstan, you, Su Li and Parkinson (I know, but mum sort of insisted). And Parkinson's asking Perks, which I said she could do because I knew she'd get shirty if I said it wouldn't be, but she doesn't think Perks will be able to come.

And I've asked Greengrass, too, but then there's the question of whether she'll want Bulstrode along. I suppose if Perks doesn't come, Bulstrode could. But then we can't ask Morag and you know she gets sulky when she's left out of things. Why does everything have to be difficult? We only wanted to have a fun day in town without Dementors floating everywhere.

I really wish Finnigan could come along, he's always good for laughs, but as it's all girls that would just be torturous for him!

Anyway, so Thursday. And you're coming over to stay tomorrow night, still, right?

It was snitch of you to have the bunch of us over yesterday. Thank Mr Rosier again, will you?

I do wish the Hogwarts crew had been able to come as well. You would have liked the game we played, Malfoy especially, I think. Hooper brought it. It's called Illusionary. Have you heard of it? Well, you divide into teams and there's a stack of cards with words on, like 'muggle camp' and 'transfiguration' and 'London' and 'snake' and all sorts of things. And there are some props you can use, but you don't have to use them if you don't want to do. Well, each person on your team takes it in turns being the one to get the others to guess what your word is. But you have to make an illusion that illustrates your word to get them to guess, and you can't talk, of course. It was great fun. Thomas was the best at sketching the illusions in the air, of course, but Page was really good at making the props into whatever he wanted.

Well, anyway, then Thomas wanted to go skating, so we did that before tea, which was really not tea at all, but chocolate! But the game had been so much fun that we kept casting spells out on Mr Rosier's duck pond. Oh, and Hooper taught us this completely nift charm he knew, to make illusions and shapes and such out of his breath when it fogged up in the air. He must have pracised forever to be able to do things like that unicorn he made for Parvati. We all tried, but it's difficult to make the shapes quickly enough. I think Lav was getting the hang of it, though!

I think Page really enjoyed getting to speak with Mr Rosier in the library while we were off touring the house again. I know I've been before but we've still not seen the whole place! It just keeps going. I can't believe you said it's smaller than your family's main castle in Ireland, though, Finnigan. I dunno what I'd do with so many rooms! But I knew we'd lose Page in the library. It's quite my favourite room of Mr Rosier's, too. I know it's not quite as large as Hogwarts' library but then, Mr Rosier doesn't need multiple copies of things or quite so many books that no one ever wants to read, does he? It was really kind of him to loan Page that copy of Command of Thought, as well. I'm sure it'll be really helpful for his Dark Arts unit on Curses.

Mr Rosier was right about getting to know some of the others better. I never knew Robins was so witty! Or that Cuthbert and Page would bore us all with broom care as Quidditch strategy, ha-ha! It was loads of fun and now it won't seem like so long before we're all on the train back to school.

There's something I've been wanting to tell you. But I had to get permission from Lav and Parvati and Belinda and Su before I did. And I was going to tell you in person on the train tomorrow, but Page asked if I'd sit with him and I said I would - most of the way, anyway.

But - well, you may have already figured this out, but we all worked on that quiz. It wasn't finished yet. It fell out of Dunstan's bag and she didn't notice. I was going to tell you about it before we shared it round, see, and we were only going to share it with people who would have found it amusing. I mean, at least parts of it.

And it was Page's idea to put you in the girls' blouse box. He said you and Hooper would think it was funny, I dunno why. Anyway. And that's why the other one - we were putting some things in to try to keep people from knowing who wrote it, right, and like I said we weren't done. But I would have told you ahead of time.

Anyway. It didn't go over as well as it was supposed to do - because it wasn't done right, mostly - but it didn't feel right not telling you the truth. Especially since, we talked about it last night, me and Lav and Parvati and we want to see if the six of us can meet up in New London or somewhere over the hols.

Parvati and I are going to stay with Lav for a few days after Christmas, and we thought that'd be a good time to get out and away from Loony and because her parents aren't as strict as ours about going out, you know. And that way I could give you and Page your Christmas presents (which I haven't got yet but I will once we're home). What do you think? Are you and Hooper up for it? Would Mr Rosier let you go? I think we could really reasonably split off this time, not like in Hogsmeade, if you liked, because no one will know any different.

Well, let me know. That is, if you're not going to tell me to get stuffed because of the other thing.

I've been thinking some more about what Sandoval told me, you know, and I'm going to tell Page that if he wants to go on we'll have to have other mates along - at least for a little while. I want to be sure that no one thinks we've been snogging non-stop for the last two weeks when we haven't even tried it once!

Anyway, I think if it's going to work like Sandoval says it should then I have to have other mates to ask along. I mean, Page is welcome in Ravenclaw Corner, but I don't exactly want to be with him only with Ravenclaw Corner folks about! And I think it would work better with not just a single chaperone, either. I mean, if Seamus and Page and I were together, then it could turn into someone saying that I was snogging both of you. And if Lavender were along but no one else, then people could think we're both snogging Page!

But then I had a brilliant idea, which is that if we pretended to double-date it would take care of everything. No one would think it untoward and no one would be able to make up stories, I wouldn't be embarrassed in front of Ravenclaw Corner and Page wouldn't feel like I'm putting him off. And you two aren't about to start snogging each other, so no one would think that you're just coming along so we can all mess about. And Finnigan, you could ask Hooper if you wanted and then you could revise as well.

You don't mind, do you? I mean, not all the time, because there's Parvati and Corner and others to come along, too, but once in a while?

interesting party. Thanks for inviting us. I was a little surprised when so many grown-ups showed up, though. Especially Mrs Lestrange I guess that's sort of like Harry's party was, too.

The band was really good, anyway. I love that it's possible to dance kathak to 'Our Borders Are Strong' - it was fun teaching everyone some of the moves.

I hope you like the gloves. Mum says they're good for touring flights, they'll keep your hands warm if you're in the air a long time. Parvati put in the owl treats and the book on owl care because we know you just got an owl too. Anyway, I hope they'll be useful.

We'd been staying with Lavender for a few days, but we went home after the party. Haruman's taking us for our books on Wednesday, though, and Lav will come too so we'll see her again. Plus Sandoval invited me over on Thursday to see the photos from her party. So I think the week will go pretty quickly. And then only a couple more weeks left before school starts. I certainly hope this year will be quieter than last!

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!

Could...Could you meet us at the bottom of the astronomy tower?

Lavender ran off and we're not sure where.


Oh.


Parvati thinks she hears her. We might need a little help, though. Something's not quite right.

my other pair of barrettes? I can't find them on my nightstand and I think maybe you've packed them already. And I think you have my gold spiral earrings, too?

Also, I found another copy of the last issue of Witch Weekly - is it yours, Lavender? Or Daphne's? There's one last unopened Robe Pet. Does anyone want it for the train?

Today I asked Professor Lockhart how soon he thinks they'll catch that horrible Black fellow who keeps invaiding our journals.

He said they were sure to find him and if he was posting to say that they haven't yet, it must be because they came close. He said that if he weren't teaching, he was sure he'd be able to discover Black's hiding place in a trice.

But my brother says Black's a dangerous criminel and he wants to kill the Lord Protector. Professor Lockhart must be very brave if he would go after someone like that single-handed! But then I guess he's done so many brilliant things that catching Black seems like its not much of a task.

I dont know why everyone is so worried about Potions when weve also got Charms and Transfiguration and Herbology to get through, too. I mean, Potions is basically following recipies, but Charms and Transfiguration really take concintration.

Morag and Belinda are getting much more excited about Christmas than their exams. I'm just looking forward to going home for a bit, even if Haruman will probably call me 'Parvati' just to be annoying and Sanji will not want to let me or Parvati out of his sight.

Lavender, did your mum talk to you about maybe sleeping over during the holidays? Mum mentioned that you might want to and that it would be okay with her.