Susan Bones

I can't believe you're here in Hogsmeade!!

So this is what you meant about getting part of my present early, you sly Slytherin you!

Yes, of course I'll meet you for tea.

Got your owl!

The thermos was an absolutely brill gift--those cooling charms have been saving me all week.

I wanted to write you earlier, but it's been completely mad around here. This trip has been a nightmare, honestly--I'm going to have to restrain myself from jumping for joy when we Portkey this lot back to New London and the waiting arms of their parents tomorrow evening.

I've cursed the name of Umbridge so many times this week! With everything else going on, I didn't really pay much attention to what the younger years had been doing in YPL last term, and it turns out that they've learnt absolutely nothing about wilderness survival. Marching and singing patriotic songs was a higher priority, apparently, and it's not as if most of their lessons were very practical either. The first day loads of them showed up with packs that were positively stuffed, then whined when they had to carry them, but didn't want to share with the 1 or 2 halfbloods who didn't have nearly as much.

We've had 3 times as many poison oak incidents as last year, not to mention the sprained limbs, the lost orienteering groups we've had to retrieve, and the rained-out tents because someone forgot to put up the waterproofing charms! Macmillan and I have been working together pretty well, fortunately; there's some tension from last term still, but we're both kind of agreeing to pretend it never happened. But with two badgers as senior counselors, we've had to work extra hard to avoid showing favouritism; I understand why that's needed, but I really wish I could spend more time with the kids I think of as my former first-years, especially Chelsea Abbott.

Enough of my tales of woe, though. Congratulations on getting into the Daughters of the Protectorate! I know it's not hugely your sort of thing, but at least it'll look good at job interviews and such. And I'm sure you look amazing in your gown.

And anything that makes your mum happy enough to change her mind about letting you get a flat is worth celebrating! I can't wait to see it! And maybe, er, christen it sometime when Octavia's away for the weekend.

I'm going to sleep for days when I get back, but after that, I'd love to make plans.

I feel sort of odd writing about this when there's so much else going on, but even in the midst of all our work and our worries I get this fizzy feeling whenever I think about Aurelia and you two are the only ones I can really talk to about it. I understand why she feels she has to be so secretive, but I wish she'd at least be all right with the rest of the galleon people knowing.

We've been giving our owls a proper exercise regimen this week, though everything we're saying there is very proper and strictly new-friend-ish.

I'd hoped we'd be able to get away to see each other properly, but her parents have her on a N.E.W.T. tutoring course that sounds well demanding--so at least we've been equally busy.

I'm excited to see her in person again, but it's all kind of overshadowed by how horrid everything at school is, you know?

And I'm going to have a hard time being civil to Megan when we get back--I can't believe she helped search our rooms! I sort of understand why she's the way she is, but mostly I just want to shake her really hard.