Padma Patil

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!

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?