Third Year – Winter
Brackets [[sentence here]] indicate crossings out.
Ly,
You did say I could tell you all of the secrets I have and all of the things that I've been leaving unsaid, so here they are.
Stupid Secret Number 1: Sometimes I wonder whether I'll ever be loved.
It's all right for my brothers – James is too busy being a prat to ever bother with a girlfriend; Albus is smart enough and kind enough to find one within seconds. As for Teddy, he's happily married.
What about me?
Lily
Lily,
You are loved. Your family and your friends love you, and you don't need a boy to affirm that. People go through the same thing at least once in their life; frequently, before I had met Dominique, I wondered whether I'd be romantically alone for the rest of my life. Then you came along and showed me that there are more important things, like friendships, that matter in life and once I understood that I didn't care anymore.
That's probably what Dominique fell in love with. I'm sure someone has done the same with you, too.
From,
Lysander
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 2: Sometimes Hugo really gets on my nerves. I don't mean in a tolerable way, like how Rose can annoy me by spouting facts when you want her to shut up, I mean as though he's the one brother I never wished to have. I still love him and I still care for him, but he can be so annoying sometimes that I wish I wasn't such a close friend to him.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 3: How can I ever compare to my cousins?
Victoire's beautiful and compassionate; Dominique's successful and strong; Louis and Fred are funny and kind to others, like Roxanne (only she's fierier). Rose is clever; Hugo's pretty much perfect (but a pain) and Lucy's sweet and funny and a good laugh. Molly's smart and lovely whereas I'm just plain old me.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 4: Scorpius will never like me, especially because he's been out with Rose already.
Next to Rose, I'm nobody. I'm not as clever or as witty or as confident. I may as well just give up dreaming now.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 5: When I was younger I used to go on adventures with Fred.
He was friends with Lorcan even then and so we used the wild forest at the back of your house to play games and to explore in. Sometimes I saw you and your brother but I could never tell who was who – Lorcan could just have easily been reading a book a you could be reenacting the Second Wizarding War with Roxanne.
I miss going on adventures with Fred; sometimes I wish I was a kid again just so I could do childish stuff like that.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 6: I found comfort in Lucy last year. Finally, I wasn't the youngest Weasley/Potter kid at Hogwarts. It was a great relief to have someone who everybody else could look down on and treat like an infant.
I hate myself for thinking that, but I don't mean it to be horrible to Lucy. She's great fun when she's with me; but when she's next to her older sister or our cousins she just seems quiet and overshadowed.
That's why I found comfort in her. She's just like me sometimes.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 7: James is good at Astronomy; I like Potions and Albus is best at Care of Magical Creatures.
I think our Dad was disappointed when we all confessed in the holidays about disliking Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he didn't say anything.
Mum told me in secret that she appreciated the fact that Dad respected who we are instead of trying to make us the same as him.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 8: I love it when Rose or Victoire look after me; I've always wanted an older sister. It's hard growing up with three brothers, especially when the cousin you're closest to is also a boy.
I don't know if I'd want to lose my brothers and Hugo, though, no matter how much they irritate me.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 9: I hoped for another WWW advent calendar for this year but I got a WonderWitch one instead. It's still a branch of WWW, but why would I use WonderWitch products when I don't care about that kind of stuff? I'm secretly jealous of Hugo's advent calendar although I'll never admit it to him.
I think we're getting too old for that kind of stuff, anyway. I'm almost fourteen, after all.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 10: Teddy's training to be an Arithmancy professor this winter; he told me about it through a letter from Victoire. James can't wait to be an Auror and Albus a Healer when they're older; Hugo really wants to teach Transfiguration or Flying when he grows up.
They all know what they want to do, but what about me?
Where do I fit in? I'm not as brave as James or as smart as Albus so I'll never make it. I may as well not do my NEWTs, because I don't know what to do for a career.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 11: Sometimes I wonder whether my cousins feel the same way as me.
Does Lucy feel as unspoken as I do among the others? Does Dominique lie awake at night wondering whether she'll ever have a boyfriend (or another boyfriend, since she's been out with you and someone else from Beauxbatons)? How about Albus; does he ever feel stupid compared to Rose, and does Hugo ever find me extremely annoying sometimes?
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 12: Once when I was younger Dad had left a stack of Auror papers on the dining table at home. I never told anybody but it was Albus and I who doodled on them, but to this day I don't know whether Dad ever suspected us.
The most likely culprit, let's face it, with hours of mischief behind him, was obviously James.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 13: Dad has a desk drawer at home in his study that contains lots of tidbits and junk from his youth that he'd sometimes take out and show us. There's a tattered diary and a faded badge that says something about someone called Cedric, along with masses of holey Gryffindor banners and a broken mirror. Once in the summer of James's first-year he and I went on a mission to explore this drawer on our own, for as long as we liked, and we came across a lot of other stuff that I won't list because it's all boring.
While I immersed myself in looking through a photograph album of my grandparents and parents' friends, James stole the Marauders' Map.
That's probably how he knows I'm coming whenever I try to sneak up on him in the common room.
Lily
Ly,
Stupid Secret Number 14: Albus looks exactly like Dad. This I can handle; I have no problem with Al's physical appearance.
What gets to me the most is that he has my namesake's green eyes. Like it wasn't enough that he's the spitting image of Dad, he also gets Grandmother Lily's eyes, too, whilst I'm stuck with the hazel brown colour that James shares.
Lily's my namesake. Mine! Why does Albus get her eyes and not me?
Lily
Lily,
You have very nice eyes. In certain lights your hazel eyes look almost golden – I noticed this when we went to Hogsmeade the other month.
Don't worry about being overshadowed by your cousins. As I have said already, the time will come when they need you, and only you, to help them. Believe me here, because it also happened to me – I never felt good enough compared to Lorcan (after all, who would want boring old me when they could have my lively, popular twin?) but over time I came to realize that I can be just as valued, but in a different way. You may not be as smart as Rose or Albus, that may be true, but you have something about you that emits fearlessness and positivity. You make people feel better about themselves just by being next to them or by writing to them, or by taking the time to walk back from Hogsmeade with them.
It's that which people notice, not how comparable you are with your family.
However, I do admit that I had some initial misconceptions about you. I did not know whether you would be as much as an idiot as James was at the time when you first wrote to me, or if you were as manipulative or as conceited. Certainly, he is no longer, but I could not help but express my doubts to myself.
Lily, I want you to know that you are brilliant. If you don't listen to me, at least ask Lucy or Rose or even your mother and father and closest family. I expect that even though you are jealous of James, Albus and Teddy's qualities, they in turn are jealous of some of yours.
I love hearing your secrets, by the way. It allows me to see past these letters and into what you must have been like as a child.
I must admit I had been wondering where James got that Marauders' Map from. He's been using it for years to sneak around late at night; I accompanied him quite a bit last year, which was fun.
You should come too sometime.
Tell me more secrets because I love to hear them, and have a good day.
From,
Lysander
Dear Lysander,
I can't think of any more secrets. It helps to let them out, though, and to finally admit them to someone who isn't myself.
Besides, I miss writing letters to you about school and real things. Where are you going for the Christmas holidays, anyway? Because Grandma and Grandpa were thinking you could come to ours for Christmas Day if you want … as long as you're not on an adventure with your parents, of course.
I think Lorcan's coming; Victoire says that Louis invited him. I know for a fact James would miss you if you didn't come for Christmas; you two are pretty much joined at the hip and he's practically in love with you. As a friend, of course; Hugo saw him flirting with the Head Girl the other day, anyway.
I think I'll miss you if you didn't come, too. I like seeing you around and I'd love to get to know you better. I don't want to know the side of you that James and his friends see when you're with them, because that's not who I got to know through these letters.
So if you come, I promise I'll try and get to know you as soon as James leaves you alone.
Speaking of James, Albus told me that he was seen in the library the other day. The library. My oldest and bravest brother … was going to the library?
I think you've definitely had an influence, but I can't yet decide whether it's a good one or a bad one. I mean, only because I don't know the James that would spend his free time in the library, so that's a bit weird. But I'm sure you've had a good influence on him, anyway.
Please let me know whether you can come for Christmas. I'm writing this in Potions right now and Hugo's reading over my shoulder; he says he'd love it if you could come for Christmas, too.
Abigail's been avoiding Hugo slightly and I'm not entirely sure why; nor is he. Nothing's changed since Hogsmeade, although that David "Jarvis" Leprosky has been moved to sit with us in Potions. Caroline and Eve have, too, because we're supposed to be in larger groups for a project we're doing on Undetectable Poisons. Abigail had the option to be in our group but she scarpered as soon as Eve asked her. She's now with an unpleasant Slytherin girl called Olivia Reynolds.
I have to go now because it appears I'm the only person in our group who has actually read the book on poisons that we'd been set for homework, so I need to help the others. Hugo read the book for homework too, but as he's currently in a joke headlock, courtesy of David, I don't really think he'll be participating in this project anytime soon.
See you soon.
Love
Lily
Lily,
It sounds as though Abigail's jealous, if you ask me, since you say she decided to join another group as soon as Eve asked her to join yours. Roxanne said that it sounds as though Abigail's jealous of Eve, what with Eve's close friendship with Hugo through them being in the same house. Plus, Roxanne says that Abigail's probably intimidated by all of these new faces that she's only properly met once.
Don't you have any other lessons with Abigail? You've never really mentioned any of your Gryffindor friends in previous letters so surely Abigail must be closer to you and Hugo than Eve is.
I'm really sorry, but I can't come this Christmas. James had already asked me a week ago and I promise that I was planning on coming, but I got an owl from my mother telling me that she'd booked a trip to Alaska this Christmas. It will be ridiculously cold, but my parents are hoping they'll see a Yukslap. Lorcan's not coming out of principle, plus he highly doubts these strange furry creatures exist; I'm only going for the food. Apparently the resort which we're staying at has the best fried Kneazle in the world. I'll try and bring you some back if the expedition isn't too tedious. I really wish I could be at yours, though; it sounds really fun.
On another note, it was actually Roxanne and Fred who suggested that little excursion to the library – thankfully this time they weren't plotting to blow anything up – so that's why Albus saw James in the library. I was rather surprised when Roxanne first mentioned going; after all, those two twins are well known for their avoidance of anything academic, but I accompanied them anyway. It can be quite fun studying with them, I suppose, once you get used to dodging the paper broomsticks that Fred's got a knack for making (and aiming at people's heads). I've never really studied with other people before; it was always on my own. That sounds so pathetic, I know it does; I'm grateful for James's and the twins' friendships, though.
I even taught James a few ancient runes, imagine.
I'll speak to you soon; maybe see you at breakfast?
From,
Lysander
Dear Ly,
I hope you have a good Christmas. Yes, Abigail probably is jealous of Eve but when I told Hugo about what you said he just shouted at me.
Lily
Lily,
Are you all right? Why did Hugo shout at you?
From,
Lysander
P.S. Roxanne says your hair looks lovely loose; she saw it when we were going to Charms.
Dear Ly,
Of course I'm all right. I'm the daughter of Harry Potter; I can't be anything other than all right.
I've been talking to Rosie a lot lately and she's calmed me down, too, especially after Hugo snapped at me the other day. Rosie says it's just my hormones, so I'm not really too worried that I'm feeling down. Apparently I should be back to my usual cheerful self soon.
Hugo shouted at me because … well, I reckon he thinks I was only making fun of him when I told him that Abigail's probably jealous. I mean, he's never had a girlfriend before and I'm sure that if he does he probably wouldn't even tell me anything about it; he has a strong belief that I can't keep anything to myself.
I might try speaking to Abigail about him, though, to see what's going on.
There's still no improvement in our Potions lessons; I'm the only one doing the work while Hugo and David mess around. It's very unlike my cousin to shun schoolwork, but I think it's because Eve giggles at their antics. Hugo likes the attention. Caroline helps me do the work a bit, although she confessed to being quite awful at potion-making so it's mainly me doing everything.
Nothing else exciting has happened recently, apart from one Herbology lesson when a Hufflepuff boy in the year above called Mark (he was late to his next lesson due to staying behind to talk to Professor Longbottom) accidentally set a Venus Flytrap on fire and it swallowed him whole!
Professor Longbottom rescued him eventually.
Love,
Lily
P.S. I really do hope you have a good Christmas in Alaska, and you find lots of Yukslaps.
Lily,
I think everyone feels down slightly at your age. It sounds pedantic but it will pass and it will make you a much better person because of it. Don't think on it for one minute.
If you ever get sick of being the only one – save for Caroline – doing work in Potions, perhaps you could talk to Professor Vince about it? I'm sure that she could sort it all out.
I was talking to Hugo in the common room before, when I was sitting by the fire with James, and Hugo says that he didn't mean to snap at you. He says you can be a bit annoying sometimes but I made a point of disagreeing. You're not annoying at all, and besides, everyone has days when they irritate others. We're all human.
I think James was quite impressed by my little speech defending his sister.
I heard about the Hufflepuff boy called Mark, too. It was quite funny when Roxanne acted it out at lunchtime. She even roped a first-year into portraying the Venus Flytrap; he almost dislocated her arm.
I hope you have a nice Christmastime, too, and I hope that it goes much better than the one you told me about in your first year. Maybe Scorpius will go to yours again; do you still fancy him?
Have a lovely day.
From,
Lysander
Dear Ly,
Oh goodness, is Roxanne's arm all right?
Hugo came to find me after I didn't speak to him in Transfiguration today and he said that I'd been avoiding him. That is, of course, a lie – I can't help it if my day just happens to change its schedule so consequently I don't see him at all. Moreover, I certainly can't help it if I can't see the blackboard from our usual seats at the back of the classroom so have to move. It's not my fault I wear glasses and have bad eyesight.
Hugo, being him, pronounced all of this 'rubbish'. He says that I've been acting distant towards him ever since I asked him about Abigail and Eve – which, of course, is again a blatant lie.
Well … I was kind of avoiding him.
In my defense, I'm not going to take someone shouting at me lying down anymore! If someone bites me, I'll bite them back. Hugo especially should know this; I've been doing it to him for years.
Either way, he apologized for yelling at me and he confessed that he just thought I was trying to interfere with his relationships. Which I wasn't.
Yes, I kid you not; he used the word 'relationships' as though it meant he had more than one girlfriend. For the record, he has zero.
He probably will stay with zero unless he sorts everything out with Abigail. In my opinion, those two belong together. He's a pompous moron whereas she's much more down-to-earth; plus, she's more willing to calm him down when he's annoyed with me, something which I never do.
It's a lot funnier to watch Hugo rant and rage around the common room, if you ask me.
Anyway, we break up for the holidays the day after tomorrow! Hopefully Christmas will go better than it did in my first-year, but last year's Christmas was all right so I think it will. It's a bit upsetting that you can't come, though; I was really looking forward to it. Oh, well, I suppose I see you enough in school. You and James are inseparable.
I have a Christmas card for you, by the way, which I'll send to you as soon as I find the envelope. I think the house elves must have moved it; either that or Mary, one of the girls in my dormitory, has been cleaning again and has hidden it somewhere accidentally. I'll ask her if she's seen it.
Love,
Lily
P.S. You know I told you I was put out that I got a WonderWitch advent calendar this year? In actuality, some of it's been quite useful. The Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher especially; there was an unfortunate incident the other day when Caroline and I ran into Scorpius on the Marble Staircase. I swear, if I hadn't applied the cream that very morning, all Scorpius would have been able to see would be the massive spot that appeared on the end of my nose last night. Perhaps I'll ask Roxanne and Fred for a new pot for Christmas.
Lily,
Roxanne's arm is completely fine; I think she's used to getting herself injured through her pranks. I'm glad Hugo apologized to you; in my opinion, you didn't deserve him yelling at you at all. It was completely unwarranted; because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't make fun of him because of who he fancies.
I've just received your Christmas card, actually; it was very sweet. Thank you very much.
I could get you a new pot if you want, though I doubt you'd need it. Your skin's lovely on its own; you don't need any pimple remover to change that.
From,
Lysander
Dear Ly,
That's very nice of you to say. Of course I wouldn't make fun of him … who do you think I am, his cousin?
I'm joking.
You're very welcome. That would be a lovely thing for you to do but I think Fred's getting me some. You're so sweet, Lysander. I can't understand why people used to avoid you.
Love,
Lily
P.S. If I still love Scorpius, so do you still fancy Rose?
Lily,
I thought we had settled this. I do not, nor will I ever, fancy Rose or view her as anything more than a friend. Maybe one day I shall tell you who that girl was, you know, the one I fancied … then again, maybe I won't.
I am very sorry if this letter comes across as rushed, but James made me forget to pack my things for the expedition beforehand so I'm writing this as I pack my suitcase now. I can't believe how hard it is to shrink socks small enough to fit them in with all my books.
I am glad you appreciate what I said; it was all true, mind.
Have a lovely Christmas.
From,
Lysander
P.S. I heard that Scorpius may fancy you!
Dear Ly,
Yeah, whatever. WHO TOLD YOU THAT SCORPIUS MAY FANCY ME?
L
Lily,
I can't remember. It's just a rumour going around; don't worry about it.
From,
Lysander
P.S. As it transpires, you can't Apparate from England to Alaska. My parents and I are in for one long train ride.
Dear Ly,
'Don't worry about it'? Of course I'm not worried about it; I'm overjoyed!
I hope you have a good expedition. I'll tell you what happens this Christmas if I can be bothered.
Love,
Lily
Dear Ly,
I don't know whether Teddy's owl will be able to travel to Alaska, but I thought I'd write to you all the same.
I'm staying at Teddy and Victoire's new house for a few days because Hogwarts broke up before my parents did. Mum's writing a special article about her old Quidditch Team, the Holyhead Harpies, so she wrote to Albus – the more sensible one out of us three – and told him that she'll be staying late at work for a few days so she'd arranged for us to stay at another house until she got back. We all thought she'd force us to stay at Uncle Percy's or something but we get to stay with Teddy and Victoire! Hugo and Rose are coming round tomorrow and we're all going out to London with a (very pregnant) Victoire. It's going to be so fun!
I think James is a bit disappointed – after Al had informed us we were going to stay at Teddy's place, James immediately began petitioning to stay with Fred and Roxanne. I tell you, there's a very small chance of him being allowed to blow things up at the twins' house with them.
James loves Teddy and Victoire, he really does, but I think pregnant women just scare him. I don't blame him for thinking this; Victoire goes from yelling to crying in the space of a few seconds … it's completely mental.
It is fun here, though. Part of me doesn't want to go back home because home's boring compared to Teddy and Victoire's house. I wish I could stay here forever.
Christmas is in three days, though!
I hope your expedition is going well.
Love,
Lily
Dear Ly,
I presume you're getting my letters. Teddy's owl Nymphadora returned home this morning empty-handed (or would that be empty-clawed?) so I assume you've got them, wherever you are. Have you reached Alaska yet?
I have some bad news. Teddy and Victoire have to go to the hospital this afternoon for some check-up so they're making us stay somewhere else overnight. They won't tell us where, but James has been trying to persuade Teddy to let him stay with Fred and Roxanne's family all morning. I don't think Al cares what we do; he spends most of his time holed up in the room he shares with Jay. All Al does is read; it's so boring.
Victoire and I made cake yesterday night, too. That was nice. We talked a lot about school and Teddy's work and we gossiped about boys.
I told her all about you. For some reason that made her ruffle my hair and call me 'sweetie'; I reckon she thinks something's going on between us. When I told her that we were only writing to each other, you were James's best friend anyway, and I was in love with Scorpius, she shut up.
The chocolate cake was delicious, though, especially because Teddy made sure that it was me and Victoire who had the biggest slices and not James and Al, who were eyeing the cake as if they hadn't eaten for days.
Boys. They're so stupid.
You're all right, I suppose, as is Teddy.
Well, I hope you reached Alaska safely. Is it cold there?
Love,
Lily
P.S. The shopping trip to London got cancelled because of the horrendous weather. It's snowing, which is good, but there are blizzards and the roads are all icy. Victoire promised me we'd go another day in the holidays.
Dear Ly,
James got his wish – he's staying with the Weasley twins tonight. I thought this was very funny when I found out; I think James didn't expect to be allowed to stay there so, when he was told he could, the expression on his face was priceless.
Al's staying with Scorpius – I didn't know they were so close but I suppose that when Scorpius was going out with Rose the two boys became friends – which I'm very jealous of. It's so unfair!
James, who can Apparate, is taking Al to Scorpius's house before he goes to the twins'. Teddy and Victoire are driving me to wherever I'm staying the night; they still won't tell me whose house it will be.
I suppose Victoire's old home of Shell Cottage wouldn't be too bad. Dominique's home for the holidays and Louis and Lorcan will probably be there, unless they're also blowing things up with Fred and Roxanne.
Oh, I wish Teddy and Victoire would tell me where I'm staying! It's so frustrating, especially because the car's hardly moving because of the ice.
I hate winter.
Lily
Dear Ly,
I'm staying in Rose and Hugo's house for the night! I'm sleeping in Hugo's room, which is fine because we're as close as anything, but if he insists on keeping my pyjamas folded under my pillow, I swear, I'll petition to move to Rose's room. Hugo's so unnaturally neat.
I promptly took care of that, of course.
Anyway, I've got to go. Hugo's taking me out with his mother to go to some bookstore. Rose wanted to come but she has to revise for exams.
I'll see you after the holidays; I hope Alaska's warmer than here.
Love,
Lily
Dear Ly,
Teddy picked me up this morning after a very eventful night. Hugo and I stayed up pretty much all night talking and eating junk food. I never knew Hugo could be this much fun; for once he wasn't telling me off, which made a nice change.
I hardly saw Rose, though. Like Al, she keeps herself to herself and usually can't be seen behind the book she's reading.
Anyway, Mum and Dad will be home tomorrow and then it will be Christmas! I suppose I'll feel sad leaving Victoire and Teddy's place but Victoire told me herself that I could stay there whenever I want. Yippee!
I hope James didn't make too much of a mess at Uncle George's house; then again, he probably wouldn't have made that much difference – the twins' house is constantly becoming the victim of fireworks or explosives.
I wonder whether Scorpius has spoken to Al about me. If what you said is true, and he does fancy me, then presumably he would have interrogated my brother about me for all its worth.
How's Alaska? I'm sorry you can't come to Grandma's for Christmas.
Love,
Lily
Dear Ly,
Christmas was … boring. I think James and the twins had got so used to your presence nowadays that they seemed a lot more alone without you being there, so there was none of the usual antics and practical jokes. I needed someone to talk to, too, because all the women were fussing over Victoire – whose hospital checkup went fine – and the boys were playing constant Quidditch in the orchard. I was all alone for the most part and I could really have done with you being there.
I wouldn't normally mind that James, Louis and the other boys were playing Quidditch because although I can't play, neither can Teddy (but he was looking after Victoire so I couldn't speak to him). Al can't play Quidditch to save his life either, but he was engrossed in a philosophical debate with Molly and Dominique so I couldn't exactly hang out with him.
Scorpius was here, too!
He looked particularly fetching in a green jumper, especially when he ran a hand through his hair. Green really suits him; it suits Luce, too. I suppose that's why they're in Slytherin.
He smiled at me when he arrived. There were fewer arguments than there were two years ago; I think that my family has grown to accept Scorpius for who he is and not who his father was. That's what my mum said, anyway.
Still, I suppose it wasn't too bad a Christmas. What's it like in Alaska?
I'm perfectly sure that you're getting my letters so why won't you reply to any of them?
Love,
Lily
Lily,
I am very sorry for not replying; the postal service in Alaska is horrendous. When you don't need to send a letter you can hardly move for the amount of owls flapping around, but when you do they all seem to vanish. It's preposterous.
I did enjoy reading your letters. I'm glad that Victoire's pregnancy checkup went all right; when is she due?
It did amuse me when I read about how much you moved around in the days leading up to Christmas. I expect it was like a Muggle road trip, where you drive from place to place across the country … only with less driving and more staying in actual houses.
Did Lorcan get to your grandparents' house fine for Christmas, by the way? My mother and father were unnecessarily worried leaving him, though I can sort of see where they're coming from. After all, Lorc shouldn't really be trusted with responsibility.
I'm perfectly sure that Scorpius and Lucy are in Slytherin because of their personal qualities rather than the fact that green suits them. You are sweet, Lily.
When you made chocolate cake with Victoire, what did you tell her about me? I hope it wasn't anything bad.
Did you get my Christmas presents? My father tried to send them through the postal service, which obviously failed, but a travelling merchant promised he'd get them to you by the following morning. You should have received them the day before Christmas. In case you didn't work out whose present was whose: the Alaskan broom compass was for James; the parcels of electric fireworks (how this works, I have no idea) were, naturally, for the twins and Louis. I sent you a picture of the Yukslap we found; I hope you like it. When the travelling merchant saw the photograph he laughed so hard that he almost fell off his flying carpet. I also sent you a hat, which I hope you'll like. My mother proclaimed it 'perfect' and said that the colour suits you. I wouldn't know; I only picked it because it looked nice. We boys are hopeless with things like that.
I hope you had a very lovely Christmas, albeit if it was boring. Hey, at least you saw Scorpius.
[[Love from]] [[See you soon]] [[Love]]
From,
Lysander