Padma Patil

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.

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?

Thanks for the owl--exams are off to a good start and I'm sure it'll all be fine.

But your news! So you finally convinced Mum about Inderpal? That's wonderful, Pavs. How? I know you said it happened right after our birthday but tell me all about it! I want to know everything.

I just hope that doesn't mean she's holding that Mr Gowda in reserve for me, you know? I guess we'll handle it if it happens.

So when did you set the date? Not til I get home, right? I can't wait to see you and we'll talk for days and days.

I'm at St M's. Draco brought me but then he left.

I don't blame him. I made such a fool of myself.

Lakshmi, I'm so tired. I couldn't even sleep last night, I was writing poetry and thinking about ways to win him for myself, or kill Daphne. (Omigosh, Daphne! She probably hates me, I was so horrid!)

They said it had to have been a love potion or a love compulsion but they can't ever be sure unless someone else comes in with the same exact problem. It wasn't one of the commercially available potions, the Healers said. MLE were here just to take a statement but the Junior Auror said not to expect much in the way of investigation. There just isn't anything to investigate.

Haruman's been talking to them and the Healers and to Mum. They want to keep me for a while in case I relapse. But Pav brought me my journal, at least. So maybe I can think of something to say to him. Thank you for saving my life, for a start.


It was horrible.

Oh, Rama! BLAISE!!!

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.

Lav, Pav and I, along with Parkinson, Greengrass and Bones, want to invite all the girls to a party this Sunday. Music, manicures, makeovers and no men!

About half-eleven, isn't that what we said, Pansy? Up in the 4th floor classroom.

Listen, starting next Sunday, Greengrass and I are going to get all the girls together for exercising - the sorts of calisthenics we've been doing from CCF.

I dunno if your Gryffindor boys are looking as self-satisfied as ours in Ravenclaw but it seems Zach's 'invitation' this afternoon was for a boys' club.

Well, we can't let them have all the fun, right?

So don't tell anyone - even Finnigan - what it is we're getting up to while they play Snap and pretend to be grown men. But let's find a spot and make sure we're all well fit when those French boys get here!

You'll NEVER guess what happened yesterday! It was so hard not to laugh I thought I'd bust.

You know how we girls went out on a shopping day and all (which is why I didn't bother to invite you, you'd have been bored squib), and of course Parkinson insisted on bringing along her pet Perks. Well. Perks couldn't come unless she could also babysit Stretton's sister as well. Honestly, can you imagine? Gemma has a nanny but the Strettons realise they've got a good thing when they see it. Perks as a free live-in governess, I mean, it's perfect. Honestly it's the kind of thing I could see her doing her whole life. No one's going to want to marry her, so she'll have to raise other people's children, won't she?

Anyway. Well, Perks was feeling all smug because for once in her life, she had the dosh for the outing. I mean, the Strettons gave her gold so she could pay for things Gemma wanted, like ice creams and all. But Gemma wanted to get her nails lacquered along with everyone else's, and while the witch who did the manicures thought Gemma was so adorable that she put hers on for free, she had to charge Perks full price, of course, just like the rest of us. And when Gemma saw what Parvati was getting - she got the unicorn running across a moonlit meadow, I knew she would - well, Gemma just wouldn't rest until Perks got the same thing! (And it looks ridiculous on her, really. Although I think she did convince Gemma she couldn't have exactly the same thing as Parvati, so she just got the unicorn running across a plain pink background - yes, pink, because that's Gemma's favourite colour. And it's the same shade of pink that the witch made Gemma's nails, too.) Actually, it's Parvati's favourite colour too, and you should have seen how Gemma lit up at that! She's still very attached to Perks, of course, but then Perks is round her all the time, so it's not surprising.

Well, after that, and the ice creams we bought with lunch and all, she had used up all Gemma's pocket money. So then we were browsing through the mad fabulous second-hand shops they've got in Soho - you know, the ones all along Oxford street? - well, she saw a charm bracelet that she just loved. I mean, you could tell she just thought it well gorgeous. It was rather beautiful, have to admit, but like the nail lacquer, not something I can really see Perks wearing, you know? But anyway, it was real gold, wasn't it, and all the charms were bespelled so they wouldn't get lost or broken, and it was easily more than her dad probably makes in a year fixing up other people's broken whatnots, let alone anything the Strettons would see fit to buy for her. Gemma was all over getting it for her and then Perks had to explain to her how they didn't have enough Galleons for it. I felt bad for Gemma but really, doesn't she realise that her babysitter is poor as a mudblood?

Oh, but the best part was when Haruman met up with us to take us all to supper. Perks was supposed to go back to the Strettons' so we wouldn't have Gemma with us. Only when she made her excuse, that Gemma had to go home for her bath, Gemma piped right up about how her mama had told them they could stay out all day, and since it wasn't yet dark that meant they didn't have to leave yet! Well, lucky for us, Haruman was just as amused as anything because Gemma really is a very cute little thing, so he said it would be no problem to add them in to supper. And supper was really great, too - he took us to Masala and it was great - except that Naani's saag is better than theirs.

But the funny thing about it was that Gemma had to sit between Perks and Parvati! I think Perks may be in for a surprise now that Gemma's seen what real older girls are like. Of course, she's her own sibs at home, but that's not quite the same thing, is it?

Anyway. Back to school, huh? Have you had a good holiday? Ready for the play? I'm getting so nervous and it's still days away. I'm more worried about this than exams, I think!

What happened in Transfiguration this morning?

Parvati tried to tell me but she was too upset to make a lot of sense. She said something about Professor Carrow ranting at the end of the lesson? And she was pretty sure he was going to Cruciate her?

She doesn't want me to write to Mum and Dad, but I think maybe we ought to do. What if he picks up the next lesson right where he left off?

There's something I've been wanting to tell you. But I had to get permission from Lav and Parvati and Belinda and Su before I did. And I was going to tell you in person on the train tomorrow, but Page asked if I'd sit with him and I said I would - most of the way, anyway.

But - well, you may have already figured this out, but we all worked on that quiz. It wasn't finished yet. It fell out of Dunstan's bag and she didn't notice. I was going to tell you about it before we shared it round, see, and we were only going to share it with people who would have found it amusing. I mean, at least parts of it.

And it was Page's idea to put you in the girls' blouse box. He said you and Hooper would think it was funny, I dunno why. Anyway. And that's why the other one - we were putting some things in to try to keep people from knowing who wrote it, right, and like I said we weren't done. But I would have told you ahead of time.

Anyway. It didn't go over as well as it was supposed to do - because it wasn't done right, mostly - but it didn't feel right not telling you the truth. Especially since, we talked about it last night, me and Lav and Parvati and we want to see if the six of us can meet up in New London or somewhere over the hols.

Parvati and I are going to stay with Lav for a few days after Christmas, and we thought that'd be a good time to get out and away from Loony and because her parents aren't as strict as ours about going out, you know. And that way I could give you and Page your Christmas presents (which I haven't got yet but I will once we're home). What do you think? Are you and Hooper up for it? Would Mr Rosier let you go? I think we could really reasonably split off this time, not like in Hogsmeade, if you liked, because no one will know any different.

Well, let me know. That is, if you're not going to tell me to get stuffed because of the other thing.