Maybe in light of Hydra's message I shouldn't be doing this, but if anyone wants to see what I've written, they're welcome to do. Anyway, I've got used to that over the last few months, and from what I hear, I reckon you'll get used to it, too.

I was sorry to hear about Ned, but it sounds like you didn't care much, anyway.

And I heard your sister was killed on Thursday, but the gossip is that you actually arranged that. That you asked Professor Dolohov to do it, and he did. So I'm sure you don't care that she's dead, now.

They told me you had a baby with Rodolphus Lestrange. That Hydra took her away before you'd even seen her.

The thing is, I've been thinking a lot--I had nothing but time to think, really--and I wonder if you care about that, either.

I wonder if you care about anything, besides yourself.

I got to spend time with Seamus recently, and we talked and talked about how all the things we did, we were convinced were necessary, and how we twisted ourselves into knots trying to justify killing children because their parents were traitors, if they even were. Seamus killed his mother but it was only because they told him he had to do it, that the safety and security of the realm depended on it.

All I ever did, to join the Council, to be part of things, I did because I wanted to please you. To impress you. And once you had what you wanted, you couldn't have cared less about me.

You deserve to be in jail. Way more than I ever did. You deserve to spend the rest of your life in a tiny room with a bucket for a washbasin and chamberpot, and people watching you every minute. You deserve to never hold a wand again.

But if you're a very good girl, Lana, they might let you out someday.

They let me and Seamus out.

But then again, we had people to speak for us.

Have you anyone left to speak for you?

Your friend,

Padma Patil

I'm sorry, Lines. About your family. And Lav, too.

She says you've been working hard. That's good, I think. It's good to keep busy. And you're planning to go to Oxford? Are you even sure they'll reopen it? Well, I guess they're sure to rebuild some places, and that's bound to be one of them.

I've moved in with Inderpal and Pavs. Mum's got a shop going, now, and she'll be designing all new uniforms for Hogwarts, for the Albion Ministries--for a load of different places, I guess. I've been thinking and even though I wasn't involved in it for a long time, I'd like to work on the Sleeper revival project, if they'll have me. Maybe see if someone will take me as a Potions Apprentice. I like the idea of working with things, better than people.

I would have written a while ago, only, there was a long time I didn't really want to see or talk to anyone. But Seamus and I got to spend an afternoon together recently, and that was--it was good, you know? Knowing that we can still be best mates, that we don't even hate each other after everything that went wrong.

Anyway.

Did you see the fool Blaise Zabini made of himself last night? Honestly, he's such a pillock. I don't know what I was ever thinking!


-Padma

I suppose you've heard, too. About Seamus?

I asked if I could write to you. It's completely unfair that he's walking round Hogwarts free as anything and I'm in here. You know the kind of things he did? Compared to me?

Just because he's had the good luck to be sleeping with someone who was spying on the Council for a few weeks, he gets to get away with everything?

And now he's writing to me, too, like he expects everything to be all right.

You HAVE to talk to them. It's not as if I'm going to hurt anyone. Not like I'd kill Mum, or anything, not like they'd even expect me to do something like that.

To the one who now calls himself Harry Potter:

You belong to me, and always have. This has always been your purpose. This has always been your destiny. Accept it - embrace it.

Come to me and you need never know pain or fear again. Come to me willingly, and you can end this pointless conflict now and forever. Come to me before midnight in two days' time, and no one else need die because of your cowardice. Submit to my will, and understand. It's time, Harry.

Your schoolmates' lives depend on you obeying my command.


Who said Finch-Fletchley gets to go wherever he wants in the castle?

Healer Patil will be visiting each common room this evening to distribute appropriate remedies for anyone who might need them.

Please remain in your common rooms and do not come to the Hospital Wing unless it is an emergency or he refers you after he has called.

Thank you.

I bet you're happier as a Healer now than working as an Auror, with everyone dropping all over the Ministry. Is it true someone said they found a human foot in Scunthorpe that they think belonged to Minister Fudge? I know, he's supposed to have had an 'illness' but honestly, who believes that? And then there's Auror Hopkirk and what happened to her. I bet Mum's already Flooed you twice this week to tell you how much better off you are here at Hogwarts.

Have you heard from Pavs lately? She sent an owl and I can barely understand it. Something about Inderpal and how things are since Dover disappeared. Well, you know he used to send her all over for goods. And she's said more than once that the places she used to go have been either put under Fidelius or just plain razed by Our Lord's forces. So I don't blame her for feeling a little worried he's had some shady business practices, but honestly, it can't be anything more serious than that, can it?

Maybe if you're not busy tonight I'll bring her letter and show it to you and you can make sense of it. I swear if I didn't know better I'd say she thinks he's a smuggler or something, and she's afraid to say it out loud.

Honestly, like her own family would turn her in? She hasn't done anything! And even if he did have some contacts with smugglers, maybe now that Dover's cut off they'll lift some restrictions just so we can get fresh supplies. He might be in a good position to profit, even.

Anyway. You know she's never been particularly clever but this letter, you just have to read it for yourself.

to have a lesson out-of-doors today! Professor Desai, that was really loads of fun and educational, too, I'm sure. But mostly it was such a treat to be able to enjoy some of that wonderful sunshine. It feels like it's been winter for ages.

I hope everyone's voices are back to normal. I'm fairly certain honey's available from the house-elves if you need any in your tea. (Belinda, Zach, let that be a lesson to you about just diving in to spells without reading them all the way through, first.)

certainly challenging this term--but in a really good way, I think! It's been quite interesting to see everyone go a bit further in their studies. I'm sure Professor Glozeman is pushing us in ways we'd never have been exposed to with a less skilled professor in the post.

Jones, I think yours gets props for one of the funniest effects. Or perhaps it was just funny because of its victim. Not exactly a look they prize in MLE, eh, Weasley?

Thank you so much for your advice this afternoon. I really appreciate it.

In fact, I'm already putting it into practice, as Morwenna Mullet will be able to attest.

She was disrespectful of Our Lord and of our work at Ollerton, so I Cruciated her very briefly, with a promise that I could have been much more severe with her had I seen fit.

I think her mates will probably take her to the Hospital Wing, even though I really only held the spell on her for about three seconds. But I know the Headmaster wanted us to report disciplinary actions, so I am reporting it to you.

If you have any questions about what happened, or if the Headmaster would like a more complete report, I'll be happy to provide it.

Thank you again. Your years of experience as a Councilwitch really are the best guide I could ask for.

-Padma

How is your leg?

Haruman was right there to help heal my arm, only we decided to leave the scar since it will help make me look more fierce. It's not on my face, after all!

But it wouldn't have happened at all if we'd known ahead of time that we'd be doing anything like that! That's the trouble with this sort of thing, I think: I was wearing entirely the wrong outfit. At least I thought to put an anti-blistering spell on my shoes, but they weren't meant for anything like fighting a...a zombie!

(Where did they all come from, anyway? I mean, we're not going to have a problem with villages getting overrun by the walking undead, are we--not when we still have traitors running round the country, too?)

Our Lord's message, though. At the end. What did you--well, nevermind. If you're able to have visitors, I'll come over and we can tell war stories about our not-so-glorious battles.

And then I can tell you something else I found out.