Padma Patil

Private Message to Lana Sandoval

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:18:30 GMT

Dear Lana,

How are you? It seems like it's been ages since we talked. I can't believe the year's almost over! I'm sure that you're very busy; I hope you're enjoying your--what did you call it?--intensive, that was it--your intensive with Mr Lestrange. I bet it's really interesting. He's ever so mysterious, don't you think? I think if he weren't in this sort of trade he'd have made an Unspeakable really easily. He was here last week, you know, when Professor Raz was hurt, and he looked ever so dashing, even though you could see he was well worried. I hope Professor Raz is going to be okay soon.

Anyway, I don't know if you've been following the YPL all that much since leaving school and getting all involved in the Auror training, but this summer, they've organised something called a Combined Cadet Force. And we're to stay and undergo exercises and physical tests to determine our fitness for this particular programme. (Well, mostly all of us. A few people have already been cut.)

Yesterday, Smith challenged everyone to a footrace and a chin-up competition and today there's to be a broom race, which of course Marvolo and Malfoy will win but that's all right. I'm actually rather surprised at my performance in the chin-ups! I knew I'd be okay in the race but not brill, but I did almost as many chin-ups as any other girl, less than ten behind Bundy, who was the winner--of the girls, anyway. (And that's not surprising; she's got the arms for it.)

But I was wondering if you have any advice about other things to do to prepare. All of us in Ravenclaw have already started a bit of a regimen, since we none of us want to be embarrassed in the testing. We're doing sit-ups and push-ups and Su Li has this brill routine she calls kata, so we're doing that and it's like a slow-motion type of defence thing. Her brother does it, she says. But I thought--well, I'm sure there are exercises you do in Aurors' training that will be well close to the kinds of things they're asking us to do next week.

So if you have a few moments and you could think of some suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. On the whole, I think this year's been better than last, with a few big exceptions. Which is odd because with all those Dementors you'd think it'd have been worse more of the time. At least Parkinson and I aren't rowing at every turn, which makes things easier! I'm not sure who they'll get to replace Professor Carrow but it's bound to make next year really interesting.

I've been thinking about going home, too. In a way, I'm glad we're staying the extra week. I'm never sure what we're going to learn when we go back, you know? Like, last time Dad was barely sleeping at the house. He had a flat in New London because he said it was just more convenient. I dunno if he's still spending most of his time there or not. Not sure I want to know, really. But this way, we'll come home and we'll probably only be there for a week or two before we go off on the YPL CCF - well, that is, provided Parvati and I both make it in, of course! I don't want to make any assumptions.

You should know that everyone in the Corner is well and sends their greetings, too. We look through the papers all the time, expecting to see that Lana Sandoval has once again brought glory to MLE and the Protectorate!

Oh, and Dames and Bobolis were saying the other day that they're looking forward to the DoP induction - only Dames hasn't got her invitation yet. I dunno if your mum's involved again this year, with the luncheon? But anyway, I thought it was interesting that Bobolis has hers and Dames doesn't. Wonder if someone at the DoP knows something we don't? Or maybe it's just held up in owl post. That's what Bobolis said, anyway, though I think Dames is getting a bit worried about it!

Well. I'm sure you're well busy helping Mr Lestrange with important work, so I'll close this up.

Take care,

Padma

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Private Message to Pansy Parkinson

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:18:31 GMT

Mum said I ought to write and thank you and your mother for inviting me Sunday. So thank you. I guess she figured that your mum thinks we're mates or something.

Anyway, Gloss House is sort of nice, I guess. I mean, it's in a very pretty spot, isn't it? With the mountains and all. Did your mum make all those favours?

Oh, I don't know if you noticed, but Smith and Diggory and a few of the other boys kept nicking glasses of punch. The grown-up one, I mean. And I think they nicked one of your step-father's cigars from the den when you gave us all the tour. I know I saw Fleet and Bobolis sneaking off near the stables. Bet it made them really sick.

Do you know Lettice Frobisher? Her sister Vicky's in Gryffindor and Parvati says that Vicky's really sick, too. May not come back to Hogwarts she's so sick. Only not with Black's Plague or anything. Lettice was talking to Euterpe Bobolis and also to Chambers, and they said that Lettice is so worried about her - Vicky, I mean. Thin as a rail - did you ever notice? Her parents took her to one of those clinics, only not to reduce her more, to make sure that she eats and puts some weight back on. Well, anyway, Chambers was asking Lettice about Vicky, how she's doing, and they decided they'd go in to New London shopping and maybe find out if they could visit her to cheer her up.

And I thought, well, maybe some of the girls in our year might like to meet up in New London, too. ~~It'd get us away from home for a while~~ It'd give us a chance to do some shopping that's not in Hogsmeade. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with Hogsmeade but it's no New London, right?

Well, I asked my mum and she said it'd be fine as long as there's at least half a dozen of us (and it has to be even so no one goes off alone. Honestly!). And she thinks you and I are mates, so, she wanted me to ask you as well. If you wanted to have Perks along then once we're in New London, you know, you two could split off and do whatever you like, and we'd all just have to meet up later wherever we agree. Probably Fortescue's or something. So that if any of our parents pick us up or meet us, it looks like we've been together.

Mum's got this notion that if there are six or eight or ten of us it'll be all right and no one will abduct us or anything. But really it'll be Haruman who takes us and picks us up. He even said he'd take us all to supper, with some mates of his.

So are you interested? You don't have to say yes. I just thought you and Perks might want to get into town for a day.

Also I know it's April now, and that's really near to the time those girls got killed and Sanji and everything, and maybe you want something else to do and think about besides all that. I know I do.

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That's our first week over

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:10:00 GMT

except for Astronomy.

Remember, History Club begins tonight! Parkinson and I have been working on a project that I think everyone will find really interesting. We've been looking at the history of the regulation of time travel. I think, given how well this has worked out, we might ask if others don't want to research other laws, like how Animagi came to be, or the history of Parseltongue or things like that.

Anyway, so far, I like Dark Arts and Arithmancy best of the new lessons, and Potions, Defence and Transfiguration are still at the top of the regular ones. I mean, I like Charms too, and Astronomy is okay but I like the night-time part better than the lectures (and that'll be tonight).

And Ravenclaw Corner is still nift, I mean, with Sandoval and the Bobolises and the Dameses and all. Oh, and Sandoval, I don't know if your brother told you but there are a few others who've started coming by more often. Davies, for example, and Cox. And there are some newer ones, like Gray and Martinez. But mostly it's the same chums from last year. Dunstan may start coming with me sometimes, and Moon, but only when Karoline isn't there to tease him. I guess that's the bad thing about having an older sister or brother at school with one!

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