Padma Patil

Do you have a suitable escort yet?

I'm coming with Crispin. It took ages to get him to say he'd answer the invitation. Can you imagine he wasn't even going to go? Lucky for him I know this party is sure to make all the headlines, though not necessarily for the reasons Daphs might want.

Anyway. Say you've got some sort of date or we'll have to think of some other way.

Brocklehurst take advantage of Leap Day and pop the question, or not?

I was reading in Dish! that Mr Cooper's putting up a monument for the games, which I think is well respectful.

And at History Club tonight, we talked all about times when people have had to sacrifice for a greater purpose and how duelling has always been a matter of honour and privilege. I hope it helped give some perspective to people, even though of course, it's terrible to lose friends or family.

I keep thinking about my brother and how he died, and how it wasn't the same sort of thing as Mr Warrington or the others at all. Because he didn't have any way to defend himself and even if it wasn't supposed to happen, I think it's important, what Auror Crouch said about being ready anytime, just in case. And culling the weak, I think that's something to think about, too. Wizards being weak is part of why we let the Muggles push us aside in the old days, and it's because of the Lord Protector's strength that we were able to push back.

I guess He thought we needed a reminder.

And I've been thinking about all our CCF training, last year, and how we've sort of fallen off over the winter. So I'm starting again. Daphne, if you or anyone else wants to join, we're starting with conditioning exercises again this Sunday. Parvati and I will also lead yoga if anyone's interested.

utterly brill! Mum saw our new lacquer and the bag I got and Parvati's new comb and simply adores them, too. And it was so nift to just gad about, even without buying anything. I thought we might never get Parkinson back from that record shop.

Perks, Parvati says Gemma can plait her hair anytime she likes! Did you decide against that bracelet, after all? I know some people don't like anything round their wrists when they're writing. Or the jingling bothers them. It's probably just as well you didn't get it.

Supper was lovely, too! I didn't know that Burrow and O'Flaherty had both gone into Healers' training. It was a surprise to see them - Haruman usually doesn't talk much about his mates.

(Lav, did you see the way that Chadwick smiled at you? He's well fit, isn't he?)

Oh, and has anyone seen today's Prophet? There's a huge piece about Auror Crouch - and they mentioned Sandoval prominently, too! I knew she'd be brilliant as an Auror! 'Presence and grace under heavy hexfire' and then later it said she was 'instrumental' in apprehending the traitors. I'm keeping our copy so when she's head of the Aurors one day, I can say I knew her back at school. Well done, Lana! Ravenclaw Corner is well proud of you!

Daphs, you might want to read the article, too, because it does talk about Auror Crouch's career and some of the things he's done for the Lord Protector. Plus there's his mum, which might be useful to you when playing that scene with Chang. (Actually there's a sidebar that's got a bunch of facts and trivia about him, like how he showed his magic the first time and when he joined MLE and like that. And you might want to read it, if you haven't. I think there's more there than in that Rise of the Protector book Ptolemy found for us all!)

I don't know about anyone else, but even though it's been lovely to get away from school, I think yesterday was the best part of the holiday. I can't believe we've got to pack up now and go back. I hope our lacquer lasts as long as they said it would. We paid the extra two sickles for the hardening and strengthening spell, too, so that it should last through the end of term.

Ugh, and now Aunt Sivarti wants us to go help make supper. It's not even time for lunch!