Padma Patil

I got your owl. You know how Dovs is doing these lectures and such? Well, even if you're not at all interested in the topics, you could come for those. I mean, Inderpal can't object, even if you don't think he would anyway, and then we can go and talk and he'll never know the difference.

Anyway, I'm still not sure what you think is so odd. Obviously he travels loads for work and he has loads of places to patronise. He's not building up piles of debt or anything, is he?

Oh, also, if you come up this Sunday, we can grab Seamus and talk to him about it, too.

Everything here is the same old boring stuff, especially compared to being at Erewash. It was really amazing, Pavs. I mean, it was frightening, but really exciting, too. School just doesn't come close, even with feathers disrupting supper and people writing all over the walls. In an odd way I'm grateful we were called out to the field, you know? I mean, Lana and Professor Desai and Dovs--even Seamus--were all sort of whinging on and on and on about how awful I was at duelling. And really, I'm not that dreadful, but being in battles like that is just different from anything we did at CCF. I mean, CCF was meant to approximate what it's like but really it's not the same at all. But because of Erewash, they all saw that I really am up to the job, you know? I mean, I may not ever be the sort of proper warlock that Auror Lestrange is, but honestly, who is?

So even though it was rather horrid, fighting those muggles like that, and sometimes scary, at least it was a chance to prove that I'm not completely naff. And yes, the dreams aren't nearly as bad as they were at first. Thanks. I'd be grateful if you never mention any of that stuff to Mum and Dad. Haruman might have some idea, I think--he wrote to me afterward, did I tell you?--but you know how Mum and Dad are, they'll just get all the wrong notions. Being on the Council really is the most important thing that's happened to our family. Sorry, I know they're still well proud of you getting married already, but honestly the advantages our family will have are so much more enhanced now that I'm on the Council. Not that Inderpal's not influential, or anything. I mean, I'm sure he is, and he's the luckiest husband in the Protectorate because he's got you.

But if Mum and Dad think it's all danger and nasty muggles trying to blow us up or set us on fire, they'll take away all the wrong sorts of ideas. It was bad enough that the papers had so much in them. (And that's odd, too, isn't it? I mean, the Prophet seems to have loads of unpleasantness in it nowadays. Does Inderpal think that the Wireless has more in its broadcasts lately that--well, that criticises Minister Fudge? Because the Prophet certainly does.)

Anyway. Come on Sunday if you can and we'll use the chance to talk. That way you don't have to get away for a whole Saturday in Hogsmeade. And let me know if you want Seamus's opinion, too, he's really good at figuring out whether there's anything suspicious in someone's actions. I'm sure Inderpal's not having an affair, though--I mean, you haven't even been married for six months! I mean, you're happy together, aren't you? And he's not--asking you to do things you don't want?

So I don't think that could be it. Still, you could ask Haruman if maybe he can talk to Inderpal sometime, man-to-man, you know, and see if he talks about anyone else. Or if he mentions knowing loads about gentlewizard's clubs and things like that. (I mean, I guess he could be attracted to some gori and has to hide it, but if that's the case, well, I think you'd probably be better off pretending not to know about it.)

Look, just come on Sunday, okay?

Pavs, I got your letter!

Yes, it would be spectacularly nift if you could come visit. The first Hogsmeade day is the 25^th.

Things here are--all right. Being on the Council is really different from trying to be on the Council. It would have been so much easier to be Head Girl on top of it all, and Seamus really ought to have been Head Boy, because right now it's so awkward. I mean, Daphs tries, but she's far too concerned about everyone getting on together and not enough about maintaining discipline. There've been all these impossibly horrid incidents among the lower years, I mean, roommates who always got along suddenly fighting and squabbling about all sorts of things. And Lines of course just makes them recite poetry as a punishment (honestly, does he think they'll be so embarrassed they'll be afraid to make waves again? Does he even realise that he's the one people are laughing at?), and Daphne's so busy giving herself airs that she hardly notices when anything else is going on.

If Seamus and I had been Heads, we could have really showed the lower years what's what. We're not afraid to use Crucio if it's called for, you know? But the thing is, old Dovs made his choice, so he clearly thinks it's beneath the two of us to worry about petty infighting at school.

He opened this duelling studio--well, I'm sure you saw the announcement--and Seamus and Professor Desai and even Dovs himself have made it abundantly clear that I need loads of work. Imagine, I have to assign myself my own homework! It's really odd, and Seamus noticed too, how many people in our Defence and Noble Arts lessons are much better fighters than we would have thought. Well, you were in Gryffindor: Was Bundy ever all that? I know she's a pet of Weasel's but seriously, would you have thought she'd be top of the class, just from CCF? I suppose some people just take to it more than others. Anyway, Seamus seems to think we might be called upon to leave school now and then and help enforce Our Lord's peace, so I'm going to be practising loads in there. Between that and preparing for N.E.W.T.s, I'm almost glad I'm not Head Girl--though of course, if I were, I'd have the power to arrange things so that I had more help and more time to fit everything in as a result. (Actually, it's not a bad idea to see if I can get some of the younger ones to help, just based on my status as a Councilwitch--I mean, not with schoolwork, obviously, but all the other little things I need, you know, like making sure the bathroom's available whenever I need it or running to the library if I need a book, things like that.)

Oh, anyway, enough about all that. I want to hear how everything is going. I mean, you said Inderpal's good to you (and that's amazing about the clothes and all), but--are you sure he can afford everything? And all those trips to shops here and there.... Well, I'm sure he has contacts all over the realm, I mean, after all, he's always looking for new bands and personalities and such for the wireless programmes. So I don't think you should be so concerned if he takes you to Bath on Tuesday and Boston on Friday. Honestly, he's probably still just trying to impress you.

What does Mum have to say about all the expense? Have you talked to her?

But other than loads of travelling, you're happy? I mean, really happy?

Well, anyway, come to Hogsmeade and we'll catch up.

Love from,

Pads

Daphs and I have been talking more about her musical idea. Lines, do you think Karo would be willing to help a bit, even if she is planning her wedding and all?

And Pav, Daphs asked if you'd speak to Madam Hooch about backing us up if she goes to Madam Umbridge about making it part of the YPL's activity for the year. Like the play only Madam Umbridge wouldn't have to lift her wand about it. I told her you and Lav could take care of Hooch.

Lines, I know you're excited for Saturday but we do need to think about History Club for Monday. Maybe something from the 19th Century when the conclaves of West Indian wizards took over the old Whitechapel area of New London? Or maybe you have other ideas.

(And I know you think the Omnioculars are a good idea so you'll be able to see their wandwork but honestly, we'll be indoors. You'll look like an idiot if you bring them. Seriously.)

Oh, Pav, incidentally, I checked with Gambol and Japes and they'll send us the seeds and candles and everything for Navratri next week. Gupta says he's got a few idols his parents sent with him, too. Rohani says she'll arrange for the space to be kept clear for the week, so we can leave it set up and don't have to clear it every night.

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.

read in today's Prophet that Abbott's little sister and brother are being reclassified as purebloods?

I think that's about as good a way to honour Abbott's memory as any, really. Maybe they think it'll help protect them some. Although it might not, either. Not entirely.

Here in Ravenclaw, loads of people are having trouble sleeping. I guess on Sunday the Sisters in Witchcraft made sachets for under their pillows. Lavender and chamomile and other herbs that help soothe and calm people when they're going to sleep. I'm not sure how well they're helping. Fawcett's been having a terrible time of it, and Su Li too, for that matter. We've asked Professor Sprout if we can go down to the greenhouses after today's last exam, to make some more, and she said yes, we could do. I think we'll put runes on to help make them more powerful, too. MacDougal got a bottle of some vile potion from her mum but it smells so bad no one wants to test it. I think the runes are safer - especially after reading that paper Linus Moon wrote for class.

We were talking about things in the Corner this afternoon, about how it seems like Our Lord's peace keeps getting disrupted in really horrible ways. Like last year. And now this. We're supposed to be safe at Hogwarts - and we are, mostly - but if stuff like this can keep happening even with the best kind of protection available, well, we reckon it's just true what they tell the Young Protectors, that it's everybody's business to keep themselves all prepared for domestic enemies, all the time, because you never know.

Still. Even with knowing that we're practising and we're prepared, it feels sort of helpless. Doesn't it? Like you can't ever really keep the bad out, not altogether. And I mean, being fourteen doesn't make us any more able to stop bad things happening than being thirteen did. Do grown-ups feel that way too, do you think?

Have you heard? Chang was in Ravenclaw Corner this afternoon on account of Dark Arts lessons being cancelled. He said that Mr Malfoy and Miss Professor Carrow had a DUEL last night! In the corridors!

Tamblyn said he heard that Miss Carrow tried to cast the killing curse on Mr Malfoy! But she missed and he Cruciated her to subdue her. But Dames said that's not what she heard, she heard that it was Mr Malfoy who went to try to kill Miss Carrow, on account of her talking to that Londinarium chap. So then we got Moon to come over, and you know she's dating Ptolemy Baddock, and he was there, but she said that he said that it was just a disagreement between them, and they hadn't had their wands out at all. Only no one really believes that.

In fact, Sandoval said that if Mr Malfoy had wanted to cast the killing curse on Miss Carrow, he wouldn't have missed, but he told Moon that it was ridiculous to say there wasn't any kind of duel, because Baddock and Professor Sinistra were there and were sending students away down the corridor in the other direction. And they wouldn't have done that if it had just been an argument. But he didn't think they were casting anything too bad - you know, just usual duelling club kinds of spells, because he couldn't credit they'd go and try to duel to the death right in school where anyone might come along!

Well. Then Laverty, she said she heard that a long time ago, Miss Carrow was after Mr Malfoy, you know, like how Professor Acton was always trying to corner Professor Raz? And she was really in love with him, but he wouldn't have anything to do with her (and can you blame him, really? I mean, who would ever be attracted to Miss Carrow?) and so she's been sending him little 'presents' for years, and finally he tried to send one back to her brother. So he took bottle of firewhiskey that she'd sent him and sent it to Professor Carrow. He didn't realise it was the same one, so he drank it, but it was poisoned! And that's why he went to the hospital wing on Wednesday. So when Mr Malfoy came here yesterday for the Governors' meeting, she waited somewhere between there and the Slytherin common room and she ambushed him in revenge!!!

I sort of want to ask Malfoy, but I know he'll get well shirty if we pry into his father's personal business. I wonder if Parkinson knows anything about it? I mean, a few people said they heard screaming, but then, her brother's in the hospital wing, so maybe she was really overwrought? Anyway. What are they saying up in Gryffindor? D'you reckon Mr Rosier would know if she was really ever in love with him?

I can't believe it, though. A School Governor - I mean, MR MALFOY, and Miss Professor Carrow duelling in the CORRIDORS! If they weren't both so well deadly, I'd say the Headmistress ought to give them both a detention! Ha-ha!