Dear Mum,

I got my Hogwarts acceptance letter today. Dad took me to Diagon Alley for the first time to get all my things. My wand is made of spruce wood and is 13½ inches and has a core of unicorn hair. Mr Ollivander told me about your first wand too. Then Dad took me to buy my robes and in the shop I met another soon to be Hogwarts student. Her name was Nympahdora Tonks, but she told me to call her Tonks, I really hope we're in the same house, she was so friendly, and she's a metamorphamagus! Then Dad bought me a beautiful white fluffy cat, she has icy blue eyes and she's sitting on my feet now as I write to you. In the moonlight her fur is dazzlingly bright. I named her Icedust. Then Dad took me to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour. I know why it's your favourite place to go now. Mr Fortescue gave me a free ice cream because it was my first time and he told me loads of stuff about goblin wars that will really help me in History of Magic lessons.

Also I started looking through my school textbooks and tried out a couple of spells, only Incendio worked, but I was so happy. What was the first spell you ever cast? I am carrying on looking after your plants in the garden, I de-gnome it as much as I can and the mimbleus mimbletonia is huge now.

I have enclosed a photo of me in my new Hogwarts robes so you can see. I hope you get well soon and that I can visit. Lots of love

Matilda Darka

XXX

My dearest Tilly,

I have heard of the Tonks girl you mentioned in your last letter, her parents are wonderful people. Her aunts maybe not so, they disowned her mum after she married her Ted Tonks because he's a muggle born. So I would try not to talk too much about them as it may be a sensitive topic.

I wonder what house you will be in at Hogwarts. I hope wherever you are you are happy (though Ravenclaw is the best, I doubt your father would agree with me on that one though being a Gryffindor)!

I'm glad that you are still remembering my plants, I'd hate for them to die in my ruins, so thank you. Also I may be on the way out of St Mungo's, my healers have started a new treatment and so far it is working better than the last, so you may be able to visit soon. If not though, my healers say they might be able to work something so you can stand outside the door, and they'll perform a spell so we can talk to each other.

I loved the photo you sent, I've put in a frame hung up in front of me on the wall. You're growing up so fast, I can remember when I wore my Hogwarts robes for the first time. Could I ask you a favour though? I love to see photos of you and what you are doing, so could you make an album of you and your friends, your dad and even your cat and send it to me? I love to look through the ones you have sent so far, but I get so bored laying here day after day.

I hope you don't mind me sending daily letters to you when you start Hogwarts, for they are the highlight of my day. Please can you tell your dad that I send lots of love. Wish I could see you.

With all my love

Mum

XXX

Dear Mum,

I have started the album like you have asked, but I may have to send you several volumes as there is so much to show you. I haven't finished processing the first set of photos yet, so I will send them with my next letter.

Also Dad says that if you check it with your healers he will take me to visit you, even if it's only through the door. I can't wait, please ask the healers as soon as you get this. It's been so long since I saw you.

I've also discovered that the boy that lives down the road from us - Tommy is a muggle born. Yesterday I introduced him to Terri and he joined in our quidditch match. He's not very good but we all had fun, and Terri didn't knock herself out with the bludger again. Tommy found that story hilarious when we told him. He agrees with you and wants to be in Ravenclaw. I'm not sure which house I want to be in yet though. I guess I'll have to wait until 1st September to find out which I'll be in though. I can hardly wait until the 1st September, I hope I make friends with people in my house quickly though.

Also, dad asked me to ask whether it is okay to sell parts of some of your really exotic plants to people because people have been asking after them and are willing to pay a lot of money. He says we'll be careful to make sure we don't destroy the plant so we can carry on growing it for you.

I have to go now, Dad's calling me for lunch so I have to go now but I miss you and can't wait to visit you.

Lots of love

Matilda Darka

P.S Dad says that he won't speak to you when he takes me to visit. I tried speaking to him, but he's still angry with you.

My dearest Tilly,

Don't worry about your father he'll come round, he just doesn't understand that I didn't want to spend my days always having operations and taking tonnes of potions just to stay alive, I'm glad that you do though.

Of course you can sell bits of my plants, but please make sure your father is very careful because some of those plants are very valuable. I don't mind you selling them at all though, especially if it means your father works a bit less. I've always said he works to hard.

I've checked with my healers and they say you can come this Saturday, 10oclock, but you can only stay for a maximum of half an hour, as a precaution. I can't wait to see you again it must be six months since I went to St Mungo's.

I have some more news on my new treatment too, it appears to work slightly better than my last one, so I'll be staying on it for a while, the only issue is that it make me quite drowsy. I'll try to be less frowsy by Saturday though. I really hope you can come.

Also I wouldn't worry about making friends in your house, not many people know each other before they go to Hogwarts, so you'll all be worried about making friends. But you'll already know Tommy and Terri, so you can sit together on the train and by the time you get there you will have made plenty of friends. I wouldn't worry about what house you're going to be in either the Sorting Hat knows best.

With all my love

Mum

XXX

Dear Mum,

I loved our visit, it was so nice hearing your voice again. I hope we can do it again soon, but I think it may be the Christmas holidays before that happens, but I'll try and come then, even for only a few minutes. I have finished the first album for you and I have sent it with this letter, I hope you like it, I will send more when I get chance, I love taking all the photos so I will carry on doing it when I get to Hogwarts (though I won't be able to buy albums there so I will just send loads of photos).

We were careful when selling parts of the plants and they are still healthy (and try to kill me), and we got loads of money for it. Dad's promised me that next time he's in diagon alley he'll buy me the latest Firebolt! I can't wait until I play with Terri and Tommy on that, they only have Comet 260s. I wish first years were allowed broomsticks, I can't work out why we're not.

I packed earlier, I never realised how much stuff I really need to take to Hogwarts. Dad said that he'd buy me a case but I insisted on taking yours (I hope that's okay), I just want something of yours that I can take with me. It's full right to the top for tomorrow's journey. I'm so nervous but it's so exciting. Dad's offered to drive Tommy for his parents too, personally I think this is a bad idea though because he'll probably get distracted by us talking and get us lost. That'd be mega embarrassing.

Anyway Terri's just knocked on the door, so I have to go now but I'll write to you tomorrow evening after dinner and tell you all about my first day at Hogwarts.

Love

Matilda Darka

XXX

Dear Tilly,

I am glad that my plants are helping with your dad's finance issues. I hope you will send me photos of you on your new broomstick playing quidditch with those friends of yours, although it will be Christmas by the time you can send it to me.

You mentioned that you couldn't understand the first year broomstick rule. I can answer that for you. About thirteen years ago there was a first year named James Potter, who was one of those really arrogant boys, and he hated a Slytherin boy named Severus Snape – I think- anyway Potter was riding on his broomstick when Snape decided yell something stupid at him so Potter grabbed him off the ground and left him in a tree, until the next day when Professor Slughorn noticed he was missing. Since then first years haven't been redeemed sensible enough to have broomsticks.

I am really looking forwards to hearing about Hogwarts though, so please send me lots. For now though I am drowsier than ever and am too tired to carry on writing so all my love.

Mum

A/N I really hope you enjoyed it, I'll try to update soon please let me know what you think, good or bad.