January 1st, 2018

So it is officially the New Year. We ushered it in at home, as is tradition. One big Weasley get-together in the holiday season is enough, thanks. New Year's is reserved for James, Lily, Mum, Dad, Teddy, Gran Andie and me. We were worried that Gran Andie might not be able to make it this year – she already missed Christmas, because she's been ill a lot lately – but she said she was up to it, and so it was all of us again. It was loads of fun. Scorpius sent a card. Gran Andie said she was glad that Rosie and I are friends with him.

Teddy'd already told me he approved, the day we got back from Hogwarts. He said he'd always thought Scorpius seemed like a good kid, and could do with more friends. I told him we'd promoted him to third best mate, and described Rosie's ritual. Teddy threw his head back and laughed loudly for ages. So I told him that Scorpius has become a Hogwarts: A History nerd like Aunt Hermione, and did a little impression, which made him laugh harder.

Then James bounded along and told Teddy about how I had three nostrils, and Teddy was nearly on the floor with mirth. Then I started telling him how Rosie, Scorpius and I got back at James, at which point James tried to get me in a headlock. During this, Lily ambled over and started extolling the virtues of girls as opposed to boys, with examples handpicked from her second form class. Eventually Dad rescued Teddy, engaging him in a conversation about boring Ministry politics. But I digress.

So, we've ushered the New Year in. And I have brilliant news. Dad took me aside today and gave me a piece of blank parchment. I was confused at first.

"What's this, Dad?" I asked, looking at it in bemusement.

"Watch, learn, and remember," Dad said, giving me a gleeful little smile. He tapped the parchment with his wand and said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I sniggered, but then the parchment became covered with lines, and as I looked closer, I realized that it was a map of Hogwarts. But not just that, it had people marked on it, and they were moving!

"Dad!" I said, and Dad grinned at me.

"This is one of two heirlooms passed down from Grandad James," he told me. "The other is an Invisibility Cloak."

"What?" I said, flabbergasted.

"James has that," Dad said, completely ruining my excitement. "He had both of them during his first year, and I told him to choose one and give you the other when you got to Hogwarts, but I found out that he didn't do as he was told – something I should have expected –" Dad rubbed his temple for a moment, looking exasperated. "So I made him choose when you came back. And he chose the Cloak, so you get the Map."

"Why does he get to choose?" I asked indignantly, but Dad simply said: "He's older." Ugh. Bested by James again, and why? Because he happened to be born fifteen months before I did. Life isn't fair. Although I suppose the Map's not much worse than the Cloak – almost at par, I'd say. Actually, it might even be better. It's like a superpower, knowing where everyone is at a given moment. You can almost predict the future – if student X is in the Owlery, and I know that he has detention, then Professor Y is probably up on the Astronomy tower looking for him. Because that's where all professors check first. What can you do with a poxy Invisibility Cloak? It's just glorified hide and seek, isn't it. James is such an idiot. Trust him to choose the flashier thing.

January 11th, 2018

We're back at Hogwarts. I thought I'd done all my holiday homework, but on the train, Rosie and Scorpius started discussing something we supposedly have to turn in for Herbology. I am so very dead. So now I'm probably going to stay up half the night finishing the stupid essay.

I've almost finished the essay. Bert Creevey is dead good at Herbology, and he's helping me. I love my house.

Did you know that Devil's Snare pods are useful for brewing Forgetfulness potions? Apparently the Devil's Snare plant has an aroma that mucks about with your brain, so that you don't realize it's wrapping its tendrils you until it's too late. And the pods have concentrated amounts of the substance that creates the aroma. This is fascinating stuff.

In other news, it was James's birthday yesterday, and he got a new broom since he is now Beater for Gryffindor. Not that he's done much – Gryffindor have only played one match so far, and it was against Hufflepuff. And it lasted about thirty minutes. Nobody scored at all, and then Harry Carmichael, the Gryffindor Seeker caught the snitch and we won. Anyway, James is now the proud owner of the Lightning Bolt, but I've read the reviews in Seeker magazine, and apparently it's not an improvement on the Thunderbolt at all (the broom James already had. Which I am going to get, now. Except I can't bring it to school until September. But it's mine). It's just a bit flashier and pretends to have better precision balance and a better braking charm on it. But it's nearly the same thing. I suppose that doesn't matter to James. He likes flashy things. Mum agrees with him, because she likes a bit of flair for her stuff as well. I expect Dad caved to the pressure.

James tried to lord it over me, because apparently, now that he's thirteen, he's two years older than me, because I'm still eleven.

"In what universe is fifteen months the same as two years?" I asked him.

"In the one in which I'm two years older than you," he replied. He is such a Neanderthal.

January 20th, 2018

Gryffindor had a match against Slytherin today, but we lost. However, we only lost by ten points, because their seeker outdid Harry Carmichael. So we're still in the running, in third place. Hufflepuff is out, they lost to Ravenclaw a week ago. We still have to play Ravenclaw, and we'll only get the cup if Slytherin lose to Ravenclaw by at least twenty points, and then we beat Ravenclaw by seventy. Seventy!

James and Freddie were really rather good, though I'd never tell them that. Our keeper isn't very skilled, so the main reason Slytherin didn't score too many goals was because James kept heading them off. Their Beaters barely got near the Bludgers, and when they did hit one, Freddie'd be there in a flash to bat it over to James, who would proceed to send it smash into the Chaser in possession. They really do make a brilliant team.

Carmichael's a bit of an unreliable player. Some days he flies like the wind, but on others he's just staring into space like a dolt. Also, he seems like the type who will catch the snitch regardless of how far ahead or behind his team is. I don't think he'd be much good at feinting and stuff, and heading the other Seeker off. So if we're behind and the snitch is spotted, it's either catch it or let the other Seeker catch it. Diversionary tactics don't look like his strong point, in my opinion. He graduates this June, though, so his place on the team will be open next year. Scorpius and I are going to try out for it. I wonder if our dads will let us practice together over summer.

Rosie is going to try out too, as chaser. She's so good, it's ridiculous. I can't wait for next year.

February 14th, 2018

I have received a valentine, and no, it's not from Rosie (who hasn't given me a valentine since we were six, and in any case, she always drew herself pretty, and made me look like a gormless fool, and then laughed at me when I opened the cards).

It's heart-shaped and pale pink. The inside says:

Albus, tall, dark and handsome,

You have held my heart for ransom.

Noble, just, brave and true,

Accept this token from someone who loves you.

Scorpius is hysterical with laughter, and Rosie is snickering as well. Oh no, James is looking this way. I must hide it.

All right, I put it in my backpack, but Rosie, who is a traitorous wretch and will pay, fished it out behind my back and handed it to James, who read it to everyone on the Gryffindor table. Fourth years were laughing at me. Why must my life be ridden with tragedy and betrayal?

February 15th, 2018

I have got back at James and Rosie. I made a colour change potion (we haven't learnt this in class, it's actually second-year level and I am extraordinarily proud of myself for having been able to brew it without any help), and turned her purple, with yellow hair. She looks like a cartoon character. It was epic.

With James, I decided to be a bit crueler, because he deserves it. I replaced all his quills with the Ink-Vanishing variety from WWW. All his homework went blank and now he has detention with four different professors. That'll teach him.

February 18th, 2018

Gryffindor lost the match against Ravenclaw. We didn't just not win by the requisite amount of points, we outright lost. By thirty points. So we came in third for the cup. It's just embarrassing. And it's all Carmichael's fault. Well, the chasers weren't exactly in top form either, but if he'd caught the snitch, we'd've been ahead by ninety, which would have ensured that we came in second, at least (Slytherin beat Ravenclaw by about a hundred, so they won the cup).

But I don't know what he thought he was doing. The snitch whizzed past him and the crowd shouted, and he just simply didn't notice. I wonder if he's all right in the head. Rosie says he probably couldn't cope, what with the NEWTs looming over his head. But I don't think that's a good enough excuse. Patty Johns is Captain, and she's a seventh year. She seems to be doing all right, why can't he?

February 20th, 2018

Hah. Today in Herbology, Alex Finnegan was bored, and tried to get his mate, Calvin Ritter to join him in winding me up. What he didn't know is that Calvin and I, along with Penny Macmillan, have been studying Transfiguration together under Nicky, and are mates now. Calvin looked uncomfortable, and I felt a bit sorry for him, because I understand that your mates' enemies are supposed to be your enemies. Then again, I'd be mates with Alex too, if he wasn't being such a baby about not being Sorted into his dad's house. So, really, it's all Alex's fault.

Eventually, Calvin looked at me apologetically while Alex sent some extremely unimaginative taunts my way. I nodded to let him know it was all right.

James attacked me with snowballs when Rosie, Scorpius and I were coming out of the greenhouses. He got all my stuff wet, including my books and things. I think another letter to Mum is in order.

February 21st, 2018

James has started referring to me as "It."

"Oh, It's arrived," he said scathingly to Freddie, looking at me pointedly as I walked into breakfast this morning. Apparently, Mum sent him a chiding letter which he received last night.

"What're you on about," I grunted at him, because I wasn't fully awake yet.

"It's speaking!" James said in mock horror. Freddie sniggered.

"Boil your head," I requested.

"It's making odd noises, Freddie," said James, feigning fright. I rolled my eyes at him extravagantly. Whatever. If it keeps him off my back, he can call me "It" for all I care.

I have gotten loads better at Transfiguration. Today, I turned my teacup into a wineglass on only my fourth try. I was the third person in class to get it right, after Rosie and Scorpius, of course. Professor Ogden actually nodded at me and said "You've made a lot of improvement, Mr. Potter." Then he awarded the three of us ten points each for Gryffindor. Everyone who manages a transfiguration the first day we try it gets ten points. Only one other person, Mandy Bones, got it after me.

March 10th, 2018

Roxanne, Rosie, Scorpius and I had a mini-adventure! After weeks of hemming and hawing, we finally plucked up the courage to sneak into the Forbidden Forest. The biggest problem was that the gamekeeper's hut is bang in way, and probably for a reason too. I'm sure we're not the first students who decided that prancing off into the Forbidden Forest would be a good idea.

Anyway, eventually Rosie suggested that we borrow the Invisibility Cloak off James. But I knew he'd never lend it to me since we aren't speaking. And he knows not to lend it to Rosie or Scorpius either, because they're my best mates. Eventually, Rosie came up with a plan – we decided to make Freddie sneak it out of his trunk for us. But we knew Freddie wouldn't do it because he is James's best mate, so Rosie enlisted Roxie to help us blackmail Freddie into submission. Roxie is Freddie's sister, so she has a lot of material to gouge him with.

Eventually, Roxie threatened to tell Uncle George and Auntie Angelina about Freddie's month's detention with Professor Ogden because he was caught passing off other people's transfigured objects as his own. Freddie relented in the blink of an eye, and we had the Cloak in about half an hour. The only downside was that Roxie insisted on coming with us. I call it a downside because, firstly, this was supposed to be a just-best-mates-thing. Secondly, Roxie's the sort of person who jumps and squeals very, very loudly if an insect brushes past her. I was terrified she'd give us away when we were sneaking down to the Forest.

Thankfully, she managed to restrain herself. The four of us wouldn't fit under the Cloak all at once, so Rosie and I went first, out of the Great Hall and past the lake and the Gamekeeper's Hut, and to the edge of the Forest. I deposited her behind a big tree, so that she couldn't be seen from the hut or the castle, and then I went back with the Cloak for Roxie and Scorpius.

Back when Mum and Dad were at school, they sneaked into the Forest with alarming regularity, judging by some of the stories we hear at home when the grown-ups have been drinking too much Firewhiskey. But when my parents were kids, Hagrid was the gamekeeper, and he was friends with Dad, so he let them get away with a lot of things. But Hagrid's retired long since, and trades in magical animals now. The new gamekeeper is a man called Silas Fragg, who has a limp and a large moustache. I haven't spoken to him, so I don't know what sort of person he is, but he looks rather frightening, so we steered clear of his hut as we shuffled into the Forest.

When we reached where I'd left Rosie, we found her petting a greeny-silvery lizard thing, who appeared to be enjoying the attention.

"It's a Moke," she said in a pleased voice as we approached. The Moke shrank in size a bit as we approached, but Rosie stroked it soothingly and said "Shhhh, it's okay, it's okay. They're friends." The Moke stopped shrinking, and Scorpius and I bent down to run our fingers softly over its scaly head. It basked in all the attention. Roxie kept a respectful distance away from it, though.

"I'm going to name him Eldred," Rosie announced. We started to walk into the Forest, wands out, Eldred the Moke perched on Rosie's forearm.

Of course, we don't really know much defensive spellwork as of yet, so we decided to skirt the perimeter of the Forest instead of plunging headfirst into it. Scorpius said he knew a few spells, so we'd be safe, but on the whole we decided it might be wiser not to look for trouble during our very first expedition. Also, and neither Rosie nor I said anything about this, but both of us were thinking that more intensive exploration had best be left for a time when Roxie wasn't tagging along with us.

Nothing terribly exciting happened, but we think we spotted a Unicorn, though it was gone in a flash before we could really be sure. And at one point we heard some ominous rattles and clicks from inside the Forest. Remembering the stories about Acromantulae, we backtracked in a hurry, and made our way back towards the castle. We got back in at around one in the night. Tomorrow's Saturday though, so it doesn't matter. Scorpius collected some bark and wild toadstools, he says they might come in handy for a potion or two sometime. He likes to be prepared.

Rosie brought Eldred back, and plans to keep him. She doesn't know yet where she'll put him, but we're going to research Moke-care in the library tomorrow.

Anyway. I'm dead tired, I think it's time for bed. Goodnight!

April 15th, 2018

It's my birthday: I have officially turned twelve. Vicky's doing another little party in the common room. I wish she wouldn't. It's so silly to have a party when you're twelve.

Mum and Dad gave me an owl! It's a petite, smoky-grey horned owl, he flew up to me at breakfast with a card from my parents. Then he perched on the edge of my bowl of cornflakes and looked at me seriously. I love him. He looks very intelligent. I have named him Augustus, after Augustus the Angry, my favourite goblin rebel. Scorpius loves him too. He kept lightly stroking the feathers on his head. Augustus didn't bat an eyelid. I'm so happy I finally have my own owl. Now I won't have to share Lobster with James. What kind of idiot names their owl Lobster? My brother, that's who.

Something funny has happened. Ashleigh McConaughey came up to me at lunch and wished me a Happy Birthday. Then she gave me a pale pink handmade card, which had "Have a lovely Birthday, Al!" written inside it. Rosie pointed out that both the writing and the paper were the same as the mysterious valentine I'd got. Ashleigh went red and rushed off. Now Scorpius and Rosie are teasing me about it.

Ashleigh McConaughey fancies me. I don't know what to think about it. Girls who aren't Rose are a bit of a mystery to me. I mean, some of them do have serious mate potential, but fancying one? I don't know if I'm up to it. Girls get all blushy and giggly when fancying comes into the picture. It's a bit off-putting, to be honest. And with a mate, I can talk about things like the pranks James and I play on each other, or about Quidditch and stuff – but with a girl you fancy, what do you even talk about? Aside from paying one another compliments? It's all a bit dodgy, if you ask me. I don't think I want anything to do with this whole boyfriend-girlfriend business yet. Maybe when I'm older. Like Teddy.

So far my party is a success. All our friends from the first and second years are here, plus a few third years, and any members of the family from the years above that. The food is lovely, and James has procured some Butterbeer again – now that I have the Map, I know how he does it. I haven't plucked up the courage to sneak down to Hogsmeade yet, though. Although Rosie, Scorpius and I have explored the more obscure parts of the castle. We met a nutter in a portrait the other day. Claimed to be a knight. Sir Cad-something.

James still isn't speaking to me though. After he brought the Butterbeer, he passed it around to everyone, and asked Rosie "Did It get a bottle?" Since I had been passed one, she nodded. She used to find the whole "It" thing very funny a while ago, but I suppose the novelty's worn off. James always keeps jokes alive past their prime. No subtlety at all.

My presents are as follows:

Rosie – A box of Chocolate Frogs and a book about the ten greatest potioneers of all time.

Scorpius – A Falmouth Falcon's hat (it's our favourite team) and a box that only I can open.

Lily – She sent me a box of Sugar Quills.

Teddy – A globe that let's you do a little virtual tour of whatever place you point your wand at.

Vicky, Nicky and Louis – A book called Spirits, Souls and the Afterlife: What Do We Know?

Freddie and James – A Skiving Snackbox, A portable desert and some Cockroach Cluster.

Roxie – A travelling Gobstones set.

Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione – A Do-It-Yourself book of healing potions, and a potions kit to go with it. Aunt Hermione is ecstatic that I'm good at potions.

Gran and Grandpa Weasley – A handknitted scarf, a box of fudge, and a Muggle torch that I'm never going to use now that I know lumos.

Gran Andie – A book about the lives of the ten most famous Quidditch players.

Everyone else – Assorted sweets and books.

Overall, a decent haul. Happy Birthday to me!