MJs Hogwarts Journal Chapter 30

Saturday 21^st December

Oh, thank goodness the week is over. This has been the most exhausting two weeks of my entire life. It has been our end-of-term assessments so that the teachers can find out how well we are all doing and if any of us need extra help, or if some of us are just lazy. I actually think that I did okay though. At least, I hope I did.

The first big test we had was in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall assigned us a huge essay about the importance of pronunciation and precision with wrist movement. We had to give examples too. Jed’s pig tail on his glass acted for an excellent example of how easily a spell could go wrong. I thanked him, after the test, and the two of us had a laugh over it. After the test, I convinced him to show Josie what we were laughing about. Sitting her down in the Great Hall Jed said to her, “José, you know how you’re always the one showing me new spells?” With a smile poking up in the corner of her mouth, she nodded. “Well, I’ve got something special to show you.” I sat myself down opposite Josie while Jed went to fetch a glass. Placing the glass down between me and Josie, Jed asked her, “Are you ready?” Again, she nodded. “Watch this… Mus-lee-oink­-fus!” Josie clapped her hands to her mouth as a curly tail twirled its way out from the side of the glass.

“Jed,” she giggled. “What happened?”

“I invented a new spell,” he told her with a smile. “Have you ever wondered what your glass would look like if it had a pig’s tail? Well wonder no more,” he beamed. “For I have invented the spell that reveals all.” At this Jed held his hands out towards the pig-tailed goblet. The three of us were in stitches laughing.

The next exam that we sat was History of Magic. This was the one that I was dreading the most, but it actually wasn’t that bad. It was on Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball. Thanks to Josie’s way of helping us remember Emeric is Evil as both words begin with ‘E’ and Uric is the Oddball, because Uric is an odd spelling, it so helped me (and Jed) to not mix the two up. I think I actually stand a chance at passing that test.

Then there was Defence Against the Dark Arts. A lot of that involved self-teaching myself from ‘The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection’ by Quentin Trimble and a couple of textbooks that Josie showed me. We had a practical too, where Professor Quirrell called each of us into his office individually and we had to use a defence spell to protect us, as he cast Stingktum Alosca. I managed to get away with Protego, which is the shielding spell to use against dark charms. It worked, because I didn’t get stung. I was a little too scared to try Everte Statum or Petrificus Totalus on a teacher though – it didn’t seem right.

Herbology involved a sort of multiple-choice word and definition sort of quiz. Professor Sprout gave us a sheet of paper with seven different types of plants names on the left-hand side and their uses on the right hand side. I don’t think I did too badly, although now I’m worried that I may have gotten Spiky Bushes and Spiky Prickly Plants mixed up. I’m sure that Spiky Bushes are the ones that you can get rid of using a fire spell (like Incendio), whereas to get rid of Spiky Prickly Plants you need to use the severing charm, Diffindo (which we won’t learn until Second-Year). I think… Part of me really wants to go and ask Josie, but I’m too scared, because if I’ve gotten them mixed up, I’ll know straight away that I’ve failed.

In Charms, Professor Flitwick had us writing an essay about the creation of charm spells and their properties. This was really difficult. It’s kind of like the science bit, or the how stuff works part. I’m hoping that I’ve done enough to pass anyway. Like in Professor Quirrell’s class, we all had to line up outside of his office and he called us all in one at a time. The spell that he wanted us to perform was Wingardium Leviosa, which luckily, I can do. However, it was a little more tricky than just saying the spell – he wanted us to control the direction in which the feather travelled across the room. He had me loop it around the metal beam that crossed the ceiling. I managed to do it though. It was a little shaky, but I did it.

Luckily, we didn’t have an assessment in Flying – although Madam Hooch has threatened us that we will at the end of the academic year. I’m defiantly not looking forward to that one. On the plus side, because of all of the exams, the bad weather and with Christmas coming up, Flying has been postponed until part way through January. That’s like a month without Flying – whoopee. There also isn’t an exam for Astronomy, but Professor Sinistra has already told us that our end-of-year grade is based upon a huge portfolio of work, as well as an exam, so it’s a good job that I’ve been doing my homework.

The last exam was Potions. Like most of the other exams, this one too was divided into the theory and the practical. First Professor Snape had us write an essay explaining how to make the Sleeping Beauty potion, as I call it – otherwise know to Snape as Wiggenweld. I don’t think that I did too badly, as I actually tried to learn this potion fairly well – you know, just in case I find someone who happens to become the next Sleeping Beauty. What? It could happen. And then obviously, making the Wiggenweld Potion was the practical. Again, I think I did okay. Sneaky Snape never gave anything away though – not even to Blondie, which is a surprise, being as he is his favourite.

*

Now that all of the exams are out of the way, I have finally gotten into the Christmas spirit. A few days ago, Jed, Josie and I were walking into the Great Hall when we noticed a giant Christmas tree was following us. “Mellie… the tree has feet,” Josie stuttered, tugging at my sleeve. As she pointed at the big, brown fur boots that poked out underneath the tree’s trunk, the tree swayed a little to one side and a head appeared around the other.

“Hey Hagrid,” grinned Jed with a salute, spotting his furry face from the side of the fir tree. “Need a hand?”

“Nah, I’m alright, Jed,” smiled Hagrid. “Tis me last one.” We stepped aside and let Hagrid plod on through, with the last of his fir trees.

Following Hagrid inside the Great Hall, I gasped. Eleven Christmas trees were already dotted around the room, all covered with a magnificent rainbow of coloured candles, sparkling tinsel and traditional baubles – at least I know that there isn’t a difference in wizards and Muggles Christmases. The walls were streamed with red and green chains and gold and silver streamers. Holly and mistletoe were draped around the pillars. I even noticed that one small branch was entwined above the Great Hall door – typical teacher joke, I guess. It looks like we’ll all be double checking the doorway before we come and go.

As Hagrid set the twelfth Christmas tree down near the staff table, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick headed straight towards it. Between them they sang out several different cheerful, holiday-like melodies and danced their wands about. As they did the last of the Christmas trees sprang to life. Squeezing my arm, Josie gasped at me side. “Don’t ya j’st love Christmas?” smiled Hagrid.

“I do now,” I beamed back. “I can’t believe we’re gonna be staying here over the holidays,” I exclaimed hugging Josie. “I’m so excited. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for Christmas before.”

“Aye,” said Hagrid as he stepped towards the three of us and threw his arms around us. “You girls’ll be stayin’ then.” Josie and I nodded.

“An’ I’m headin’ off tomorrow,” Jed told him.

“Well then, I bests be givin’ yer me gifts,” Hagrid cheered. “But don’t go openin’ ‘em ‘til Christmas now, yer hear,” he said as he handed us each a small, brown parcel.

“Hagrid,” I gasped, clasping a hand to my chest. A lump built up inside my throat. My stomach tingled. Forcing myself to blink, my eyes began to sting. “I… I don’t know what to say… thank you so much.” Josie seemed to tear up too, as she went over to hug him.

“Thank you, Hagrid,” she smiled. “You really shouldn’t have.”

“Aye, I wanted ta give ya all a little sumink t’ show my appreciation of ya comin t’ see me, like,” Hagrid said, as he embraced us once more.

Hearing shouting coming from the corridor, Hagrid went to investigate. The three of us trailed behind him, wanting to see what was going on. Potter and Weasley were arguing with Blondie. I rolled my eyes – I wasn’t surprised. “Weasley!” came a yell. I shuddered. This voice belonged to one person and one person only: Professor Snape. Hagrid tried to intervene, saying that the Weasley boy had been provoked. I have no doubt that he was, but at the same time I have a slight feeling that the Gryffindors deserved whatever Malfoy threw at them. While Hagrid brought Potter and Weasley in from the corridor, I watched as Josie lingered in the doorway.

She’s been lingering by Professor Snape a lot lately, ever since he accused her of stealing his wand. She hadn’t, of course. Josie had caught Pansy with it and snatched it away from her. Of course, Snape appeared, just as Josie took his wand from Pansy and assumed that she was the one who stole it. Josie was too upset to object. When she told me and Jed what happened, we couldn’t believe it. What was Pansy Parkinson playing at? You don’t just take someone else’s wand – especially not one belonging to Professor Snape. The problem was being as Pansy was a Slytherin and Josie a Ravenclaw, Josie stood no chance in getting Snape to believe her. She had tried several times, but she just seemed to linger in the doorway waiting for him to notice her. The second that he did, she turned away, too scared to face him. Jed and I had offered to tell Snape for her, but Josie didn’t seem to like the idea – she didn’t want us fighting her battles for her.

“You okay, kid?” Hagrid called out to her, noticing that she was still in the doorway. Josie jumped, before spinning herself back towards us.

“Oh,” she murmured, going pink. “I was hoping to catch Professor Snape, but-” Looking back over her shoulder at the doorway, she sighed. “It looks like he’s in a bad mood.” She pulled the cuffs of her jacket around her wrists, before joining us at the table. “Maybe I’ll try later.”

“Givin’ out punishments this side a Christmas, aye,” Hagrid tutted, shaking his head. “That there Malfoy kid had better get what’s comin’ to him.”

“I hear ya there, Hagrid,” the Weasley boy agreed. Potter, at his side, nodded.

“Come off it,” Jed laughed. “Snape wouldn’t dream of touching a hair on his favourite’s head.” Although sarcastic, this was sadly true. If only Professor Snape could wipe that smug smile off that pale little face of his.

“Arh, Josie, I almost fer-got,” said Hagrid, snapping his fingers. We all turned towards him as he began rummaging around in his pockets. “No that’s not it…” he mumbled. “Nor that… not that either…” We started to giggle, as Hagrid gave a huff. “Arh-ha!” he said with a grin as he fished out an envelope from a hidden pocket behind his beard and handed it to Josie. “I was told t’ give yer this wiv strict instructions a not to open it ‘til Christmas day.”

“Thanks,” said Josie as she took it. Leaning over her, me, Jed, Potter and Weasley all tried to get a look at it. There wasn’t much point. It was just a plain envelope with Josie’s name written on it in green ink. As she turned it over, the back was sealed with a red, wax stamp with the Hogwarts crescent pressed into it. It looked fancy. Whoever was writing to Josie definitely wanted to make an impression. “Who’s it from?” she asked.

“Can’t say,” said Hagrid with a shrug. “Sworn t’ secrecy.”

“Come on,” Jed smiled, elbowing Hagrid in the side. “It’s Christmas… You can tell us.” Holding a hand against his mouth Jed whispered loudly, “Or you can just tell me.” We all laughed.

“Sorry,” said Hagrid. He pinched his lips together, pressed his index finger and thumb together and swiped them across his mouth, imitating a zip.

“It’s okay,” Josie said with a shrug. “I’ll find out on Wednesday – it’s not that long to wait.” She slipped the piece of paper into her bag.

I must say, I am quite intrigued. I’m probably more curious about Josie’s mysterious envelope than she is. It’s probably just some card off Fabian or something and he couldn’t find her before he left, so he gave it to Hagrid, knowing that he’d see her because she was staying behind. Yeah, that probably seems about right. My mind can’t help but wonder though.

*

I can’t believe that it’s going to be Christmas in four days. I’m so excited. Jed and all of the others actually left Hogwarts last night, so it’s been pretty quiet since then. It’s just me, Josie, Potter and the Weasley family that are left in the castle, which is pretty cool. Tonight, at dinner we all got to sit around the teachers’ table, being as there were so few of us and many of the teachers had also left to go home for Christmas. The only teachers that are left are Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid and Filch. I guess I’m a little disappointed that Professor Snape didn’t stay, mostly because he’s my Head-of-House and that I feel a little strange being surrounded by Gryffindors, the Head-of-Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw and the Head-of-Ravenclaw. But I really couldn’t be happier. Just four more sleeps to go!

- Josie -

MJs Hogwarts Journal Chapter 29

Saturday 7^th December

Winter has arrived. Snow started falling on Wednesday when we were out in the greenhouse for Herbology. By the time our lesson had ended, the path leading back to the castle was a blanket of white. It was so magical. Even though it’s really chilly, there is something about this castle that doesn’t make me feel all that cold – it’s strange. I guess it helps that I have loads and loads of layers on. Getting up this morning I threw on a vest, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a short sleeved one, a black turtle neck jumper and a pair of really long socks under my jeans. I know it sounds a lot, but if I wore this all back home, I know for sure that I’d still be freezing. I think that the castle is magically enchanted to stay warm-ish.

Ha! Something relating to the snow that extremely hilarious – it started snowing pretty hard yesterday. I remember sitting at the table in the Great Hall gazing at the enchanted ceiling when Priscilla, who was sat next to me, started sniggering. “MJ,” she hissed, as she elbowed me. “Look,” she insisted as I turned towards her. She was pointing at Professor Quirrell. He had just entered the Great Hall and the red-headed Weasley twins were behind him holding out their wands. A small, white cloud hovered above Quirrell’s turban and snowballs magically appeared from it, whacking the professor on the back of the head. Throwing a hand to my mouth I could not stop laughing. I think almost the entire hall broke down in hysterics.

“What are we to do?” I heard Professor McGonagall asked the Headmaster. “What should their punishment be?”

“Punishment?” laughed Professor Dumbledore. “Why, get into the spirit of things, Minerva. Boys will be boys after all,” and he left it at that. I couldn’t believe it. Even Professor Dumbledore found it amusing.

*

I think that all of the studying for the tests over the next fortnight has really tired me out. This morning when I woke up it was ten o’clock. Priscilla, Pansy and Scarlett had already left our room and had probably gone to breakfast. After getting dressed and making my way through the Common Room, I took a glance around just to see who was about. There were a few Sixth and Seventh-Year students sat near the fire – probably pretending to study, as there were no books in sight. I gave a yawn before making my way down towards the Great Hall. On my way I stopped to talk to some of the paintings – I do sometimes. It’s kind of fun. Okay it was a little creepy to begin with, but the bunch of men sat at the grand dining table (that first spoke to Ivy on my first day) aren’t that bad to have a conversation with. “And salutations,” said that man at the head of the table with a bow when I went to leave. “And remind us to your good friend Master Edwards,” he called after me. Walking down the corridor, I smiled to myself. That reminded me – I should probably try to find Jed.

I increased my pace down the corridor, as I made my way towards the Great Hall. Jed had asked for extra help with his pronunciation for Transfiguration and I had agreed to help him after breakfast. I knew I was probably too late for breakfast, but I was going to keep my promise of helping him study. He hadn’t wanted to ask Josie, just because whenever she seems to try and help him the two of them always end out in a fight.

Entering the Great Hall, I noticed that most people were still hanging out at the tables, which was a surprise, considering that breakfast was long over. Spotting a spare place, I dropped myself down beside Trevor and Blaise. “Has anyone seen Jed?” I asked glancing down the table.

“Yeah, he left not long ago,” Blaise’s voice strained as he spoke; he and Crabbe were having an arm-wrestling match across the table. I smirked at them. Blondie, Goyle and Pansy were cheering Crabbe on, while Trevor, Scarlett and Priscilla seemed to be on Blaise’s side.

“We saved you a muffin,” cheered Priscilla as she passed one to me from across the table. “I knew you’d be hungry.” Smiling I thanked her. I knew I could always count on Priscilla. Crabbe, Blondie, Goyle and Pansy broke into cheers as Blaise’s hand collided with the table.

“Who’s the best?” asked Crabbe. “That’s right, I’m the best.” I smirked and rolled my eyes at them. Crabbe and Goyle would do anything to show off their strength.

“So,” I said as I took a bite out of my muffin. Mmm, it was blueberry. “Anyone know where Jed went?” Rubbing his wrist, Blaise shrugged.

“I dunno,” muttered Trevor.

“He went with your friend,” said Goyle as he looked up at me. Turning towards him I frowned – it wasn’t often that Goyle spoke to me. “You know,” he muttered, pulling his arms around himself. “Josie… the red-head.” As he said this, he flinched shouting, “Ouch!” shooting an arm down to grab his leg. Scowling at Crabbe and Blondie he shouted, “What did ya-”

“Stop being such a baby,” Blondie scoffed. I don’t know what that was all about and I didn’t want to hang around to find out.

“Thanks, Goyle,” I said smiling at him. He deserved a smile after one of them kicked him. It was uncalled for. I swear, sometimes Malfoy is so mean to Goyle – he isn’t that bad. He doesn’t scare me as much as he used to anyway.

Upon leaving the Great Hall, I took a wander towards the library. Where else would Josie be? When it doubt, I usually find her in the library. When I got to the door, I felt a little silly walking inside. Looking down at myself I realised that I didn’t have my bag with me, a book, paper, my quill or even my wand. Seriously, how was anyone going to buy the fact that I was going into the library for, well, studying related stuff. After pushing open the door, I folded my arms and began looking around.

“Are you alright?” came a soft, Scottish voice. I spun around to find the Ravenclaw Seeker (a beautiful Chinese girl, with long, black hair and a huge smile) standing before me.

“Oh, umm,” I muttered. “Have you… do you know a girl named Josie?” I asked her. “She’s a First-Year in your house.”

“Red hair? Glasses?” she asked. I nodded. “Yes, I think I’ve seen her. She’s over there with a friend.” The girl pointed towards the far-left side of the library. I thanked her before wandering off to the back of the library.

Curled up on the edge of the table, dressed all in black, sat Josie. With the toes of her black canvas shoes pressed against the seat of a chair, she leant across the table pointing at something in a book. Jed sat in the chair in front of her. His emerald green jumper was easy to spot from halfway across the room. “I’m not sure,” I heard him say as I approached the table. “Take it off and let’s have a look.” Reaching behind her neck, Josie began fiddling with the cord that was knotted behind her.

“Need any help?” I asked as I bounced up behind her.

“Mellie!” Josie gasped as she spun around. Holding a hand to her chest, her eyes widened as she stared at me. “You made me jump.”

“Sorry,” I said with a shrug. “What are the two of you doing?” I asked. “Studying?”

“Nah,” Jed laughed. Josie slid off the table and offered me the seat that she had been resting against. “We were tryin’ t’ find out about the key,” he said as Josie walked around the table to sit beside him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, running a hand along my cheek and across the back of my neck. My head lowered as I stared at them.

“We didn’t wanna wake you,” Jed said simply. Josie shook her head. As I stared at them, Jed went back to looking at the textbook in front of them. “Let me see the key again,” he said to Josie.

Dropping into the seat, I couldn’t help but stare at them. This was the second time that they had done this – left me alone whilst they snuck off to the library to look stuff up about the key that Josie found. They were so engrossed in their own company it was like I wasn’t even there. Leaning over Jed, Josie flicked a few of the pages forwards and they bother peered over with interest. I watched as Josie fidgeted in her seat to lean closer to the book. Sliding her glasses up her nose, she brushed her fringe to the side, before dragging a piece of hair behind her ear and fiddling with a scarf that she tied through her hair. The black with white stars seemed to go really well with her black and white striped t-shirt that peered out of the v-neck of her jumper. She must have felt me staring, for she glanced up at me. “You okay, MJ?” she asked.

“Er, I like you scarf,” I blurted out. I actually did. It suited her. But I never meant to say it. I didn’t know what I meant to say, really.

“Thanks,” she smiled. “Wanna help us look? Jed’s found a pretty good book about ancient keys.” As she said this, Josie tapped her hand upon Jed’s shoulder. He turned to her and smirked.

“Okay,” I said a little louder than I hoped, as I tried my best to smile at them. Gripped the edges of my chair, I dragged it over as close as I could.

I don’t know what got over me – I really don’t. Well I do, but I don’t know why. I love Josie like a little sister, but sometimes… grrr, I don’t know. It’s like she’s smart and pretty, but not in a Pansy way, in a she-doesn’t-know-it kind of pretty, she’s super creative, funny and she’s always herself no matter what, but that gets me so mad sometimes. Everyone seems to notice her. Fabian… Jed, Professor Flitwick, Dumbledore – hey, even Blondie and his buffoons pay her attention. But she’s in her own bubble, oblivious to it all. It just makes me want to explode. It’s like I was jealous of her and Jed being together without me there. I guess I was worried that they’d forget about me or something. I mean what’s the point of me being there if Josie’s there? I know, I know. I’m being dumb. Like I said, I don’t know what came over me.

Being with Jed and Josie was fun. And just like the last times we’ve been looking up stuff about the key, we were learning stuff without actually realising it. Apparently, there are such things as winged keys. There is a charm that you can use to apply to a key to give it wings, so that no one else can catch it but you. It seems like a good idea. I have no idea why I would ever need to use it, but it’s one of the fun facts learnt today.

“None of these are the right one,” Josie sighed as she hugged her knees.

“We just need t’ keep looking,” Jed told her as he slammed the book shut. I wafted a hand in front of my face as dust puffed out of the pages.

“What time is it?” asked Josie as she closed her eyes.

“Nearly lunch,” I said with a huge grin. Although the blueberry muffin that Priscilla had saved me was nice, it was nowhere near filling enough. My stomach had been whimpering for some time. I’d squeezed my arms around it in hope of keeping it quiet for long enough, until lunch time arrived.

“Awesome,” Jed cheered. “I’m starved.” He tapped my arm with his elbow and the two of us got up. “You comin’ José?” he asked throwing his backpack over one shoulder.

“No,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “I’ve got homework t’ do.”

“Do it later,” I told her. “Come on. I’m hungry.” Sliding her feet to the floor, I thought that Josie was going to get up and join us, but she didn’t. Instead, she pulled a roll of parchment from her bag.

“I’m fine,” she muttered. “You two go… I’ll find you later.”

*

I didn’t want to go just leave Josie alone in the library, but she kept insisting that we go. It’s times like this when I get mad at myself for being jealous around her. The past few weeks, since the Quidditch match/the Malfoy incident, Josie hasn’t quite been herself. Yeah, she’s helped Jed and I study, but she hasn’t been her usual perky self. In fact, I barely saw her for the first week afterwards. It was kind of scary. She was never at breakfast or lunch and when she was in the Great Hall for dinner she sat on her own at the end of the table – she didn’t even sit with Fabian and his friends.

It’s shocking at what one word can do to someone. Our first Herbology lesson with her after that day was awkward. Professor Sprout seemed to want to keep picking on me and Jed, but Josie wouldn’t help us out, so in the end we started making answers up. They were quite amusing (Bouncing Bulbs make you constantly jump if you accidentally eat them; Woodworms make you have an appetite for wood if digested and Mandrake Roots make you hallucinate that you’re really an aggressive male duck), but Professor Sprout didn’t seem to see the funny side. We nearly got detention for it too, but Professor Sprout got distracted when one of her Venus flytrap-style plants snapped at Pansy’s hair. Even Josie got a giggle out of that.

In the evening though, when the three of us were studying together in the library, the second Malfoy and his minions came to join us, Josie came up with an excuse to leave, before the boys had even sat down. It was so obvious that it was still bothering her – whether it was what happened at the Quidditch match or the bad word that Blondie said that I’m never going to repeat, she wouldn’t tell us what was wrong.

I swear sometimes I wish I could hex that blond haired, smug git. That would teach him a lesson. Then again, I did offer to… it was one afternoon, Jed, Josie and I were sat in the Great Hall, at the Ravenclaw table, just talking before he came in. I had my back to the entrance, so hadn’t noticed, but Jed caught her staring and nudged me. “You okay José,” he asked. Shuddering, she came out of her thoughts and looked at us.

“Um, hmm,” was all she managed to reply. By now, we both knew what was upsetting her – even if Josie wouldn’t talk about it. Giving Blondie a glance, I turned back towards Josie with a grin.

“You know, I could always use the Curse of the Bogies hex that Quirrell taught us on Malfoy,” I joked. Looking up at me, Josie shook her head. “Come on,” I sighed. “It’s the least he deserves.” She shook her head again.

“No thanks,” she whispered back. “He’s not worth all the trouble you’d get into. Not to mention,” she added. “You’d be his next target.” Josie has a point. I guess I could do without torturing Blondie for now – after all I do have to put up with him for the next seven years.

She’s been okay recently though. And Blondie’s backed off too. He hasn’t been around us once this week, which seems to have helped. I have a feeling Jed’s told him to keep his distance. The thing that’s really got me confused though is: why did Josie get so upset in the first place? I’m Muggle-born and the unrepeatable word never bothered me. Well I didn’t know what it meant at the time and if I had I might have gotten angry, but when placing that scene between what Hagrid had told us about recognising her as being a relation to a witch or wizard that he once knew, wouldn’t that make her pure-blooded, or half-blooded, or partly-blooded at the very least? So why was she so upset? Okay, Jed got upset too and he’s pure-blooded, but he got over it within a day or two. It just feels like one big mystery. I guess I have seven years to try and solve it… I hope it doesn’t take that long. I was hoping more like Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, eeep, it’s not too long to go. Professor McGonagall came around the other morning and asked if there were any students who would be staying at school over the holidays and not going home for Christmas. I told her straight away that I wanted to stay. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my family… in a thanks for putting a roof over my head and feeding me and clothing me, oh yeah, and for letting me go to Hogwarts – can’t be forgetting that one. But, well, I guess there isn’t any special bond there. I’ve never experienced a special Christmas and I really don’t think they’ll miss me all that much. Jed told me that most students go home for Christmas and that it’s really unusual to want to stay at Hogwarts. This actually made me even happier. I would have the entire castle pretty much to myself for most of the Christmas holiday – how amazing is that? I actually think that I may be the only Slytherin staying here for Christmas. Oh, and I haven’t mentioned the best bit: Josie is staying too. Okay so it won’t quite be the same without all three of us, but I’ll actually get to spend heaps of time with her. It won’t be just to study, like usual. And hopefully I’ll get to find out more about her family. Fingers crossed.

- Josie -