Chapter 9
"Letters"
The Great Hall emptied as the students gladly headed off to enjoy some free time. The table of last year's representatives was still seated, whispering and discussing their thoughts and concerns over this big secret. Headmistress Howe strode down the aisle, coming towards them, and addressing the girls kindly. "Ladies, the evening meal is over, you are able to go enjoy your free time."
The girls that stared back at her. Each face expressed agreement and happiness, but it was their eyes that made Howe think. Within their eyes was distress and confusion. Headmistress Howe knew what they were thinking, wondering why their superiors could not be exactly truthful with them, but she made no signal of that. The girls got up, and started out, each going their separate way, Tabitha turned to look back to Headmistress Howe, who was standing still in the aisle, seemingly deep in thought.
Rory tugged on Tabitha's arm "Hey, want to just go back to the room?" Tabitha nodded, and the two started towards Swiftwing's dormitories. "She knows we sorta know, ya know." Rory muttered.
Tabitha looked at her friend, "That hardly made any sense, but you're right."
Rory sighed, stopping in front of the Swiftwing door, where the iron dragon seemed to be crawling out towards them. "Silver Scales and Ivory Teeth." Tabitha said and the dragon's eyes glowed green, the latches on the door clicked open and it swung free. The girls pushed open the door, stepped inside, closing it behind them hearing the locks relock themselves once more. In the common room, there was a group of Swiftwings, toiling away on their work for the evening. Tabitha and Rory gave a wave and headed up the stairs.
When they entered their room, they noticed that Malakai was sitting on the window ledge staring at a large feathery creature that sat on the outside ledge; it was an owl. Tabitha groaned, "Rory I forgot to write my parents!"
Rory grinned lightly, opening the window for the owl to step inside. She removed the letter from its foot and sat the owl down on a perch so that it could rest. "Looks like they didn't forget to write you. Just be grateful it's not a Howler."
She handed the letter to Tabitha who laid back on her bed, opening it carefully. Malakai fluttered over in curiosity to the owl, which regarded the bat with eyes full of wisdom and intellect. Malakai jus squeaked and dipped his head to the water bowl to drink.
Dear Tabitha,
Your father and I were a bit disappointed that you did not write us upon arrival at school as promised. But it is understandable, I remember from my days at the SWI when I had days of classes and so much work to be done, not to mention to be social. You are being social right? You should be, the memories you'll take away from school will be ones that you take with you forever. I hope that you are having a good time at school and not getting into any trouble. And inform Rory that she had best be avoiding trouble as well. Her parents do not need to be getting any owls sent home any more than we do. Well, I bet that you have plenty of schoolwork to be finishing, so get to it. Your father and I are very proud of you.
Love Always, Mom & Dad
Tabitha groaned, "Is that a guilt trip or what.?"
Rory grinned, taking the letter from Tabitha's hands, reading it quickly, "Yep."
Tabitha grabbed some paper and a pen to write back to her parents, really not sure what to say.
Dear Mom & Dad,
Classes are going well so far, I apologize for not writing on arrival. I just had so many things on my mind. Rory and I got to meet up with our old friends, we've been having fun, and yes we have been behaving. I will try to bring away as many memories as I can, since you say it'll mean so much to me in the future. I really do have some work to be finishing up, so I'll write again soon.
Love, Tabitha
"There! How does that sound?" Tabitha said, showing the letter to Rory who was lying on her bed, looking in her scrapbook again.
"Umm. very heartfelt?" Rory said, briefly scanning it over.
"You're no help." Tabitha muttered, stepping over to the owl. She leaned down, speaking to it. "Well after you're rested you are free to leave, but please make sure this gets to my parents." She attached the letter to the owl's leg and it looked back at her, then it tucked its head beneath its wing.
"Hey! I know what I'm going to do!" Rory exclaimed. "I'll write a letter to Wood!" She smiled at the picture she had stopped on, it was of her and Wood, a photo taken from over the summer. That had been interesting, Rory's parents had finally gotten to meet him and she thought they might have made him a bit uncomfortable with their curiosity. In the photo it showed Rory's mother and father, Nora and Gabriel McCullech speaking with Wood as he answered back, trying to look mature but ended up looking like a frightened lamb. Beside him, Rory had been giggling. Rory started to write her letter, smiling happily to herself.
Dear Oliver,
How are you? I miss you very much. I hope that your travels have been well and safe. I've just headed back to the SWI for my last year. Yep, after this I graduate, and maybe we can be together more often, that'd be nice. We've been hearing hushed word about Hogwarts, but none of the faculty seems to want to speak about it. Headmistress Howe told us today that there would be no trip to Hogwarts for a "rumored" secondary Junior World Cup, but they seemed to be hiding something. Do you have any idea what could be going on? Sorry to be asking you this, but we're all kind of concerned over here.
Love you,
Rory
Rory allowed the ink to dry on her letter and went to the stairs, calling down to the other girls in the common room. "Does anyone have an owl that I could borrow to send a letter?"
A girl named Cassidy Richardson stood up "Yeah, I have Morgra."
Rory grinned, "Great."
Cassidy closed her books and started up the stairs, leading Rory to her room. Cassidy knocked on the door and someone said, "Come in." It was Cassidy's roommate Megan. Megan was seated on her bed, books spread out all over. "You need something?"
Cassidy shook her head, "Nope, just letting Rory borrow Morgra to send a letter." Cassidy stepped towards the perch where a black colored owl sat, dozing. The owl opened its eyes and looked at its owner sleepily. As the owl stepped onto Cassidy's arm, she turned "It's a letter to Oliver isn't it?"
Rory blushed a bit "How did you know?"
"Well, you guys are a famous couple, least within the campus." She sighed, "Oliver Wood. you're so lucky." Cassidy extended her arm and the owl moved over to Rory's. "Be nice Morgra, Rory just needs to borrow you to send a letter." She stroked the owl underneath its beak and it closed its golden eyes happily.
"Thank you." Rory said happily and started back to her room, Cassidy went back to the study group. Rory reentered the room and sat Morgra down, reaching for the letter.
Tabitha grinned "Very cute."
"You read that?" Rory asked, rolling up the letter and attaching it to the owl's foot.
"But of course, have to make sure your letters to your boyfriend remain proper." She smirked. Rory rolled her eyes, and opened the window and Morgra flew out, starting its long journey to deliver the letter to Oliver Wood.
The Great Hall emptied as the students gladly headed off to enjoy some free time. The table of last year's representatives was still seated, whispering and discussing their thoughts and concerns over this big secret. Headmistress Howe strode down the aisle, coming towards them, and addressing the girls kindly. "Ladies, the evening meal is over, you are able to go enjoy your free time."
The girls that stared back at her. Each face expressed agreement and happiness, but it was their eyes that made Howe think. Within their eyes was distress and confusion. Headmistress Howe knew what they were thinking, wondering why their superiors could not be exactly truthful with them, but she made no signal of that. The girls got up, and started out, each going their separate way, Tabitha turned to look back to Headmistress Howe, who was standing still in the aisle, seemingly deep in thought.
Rory tugged on Tabitha's arm "Hey, want to just go back to the room?" Tabitha nodded, and the two started towards Swiftwing's dormitories. "She knows we sorta know, ya know." Rory muttered.
Tabitha looked at her friend, "That hardly made any sense, but you're right."
Rory sighed, stopping in front of the Swiftwing door, where the iron dragon seemed to be crawling out towards them. "Silver Scales and Ivory Teeth." Tabitha said and the dragon's eyes glowed green, the latches on the door clicked open and it swung free. The girls pushed open the door, stepped inside, closing it behind them hearing the locks relock themselves once more. In the common room, there was a group of Swiftwings, toiling away on their work for the evening. Tabitha and Rory gave a wave and headed up the stairs.
When they entered their room, they noticed that Malakai was sitting on the window ledge staring at a large feathery creature that sat on the outside ledge; it was an owl. Tabitha groaned, "Rory I forgot to write my parents!"
Rory grinned lightly, opening the window for the owl to step inside. She removed the letter from its foot and sat the owl down on a perch so that it could rest. "Looks like they didn't forget to write you. Just be grateful it's not a Howler."
She handed the letter to Tabitha who laid back on her bed, opening it carefully. Malakai fluttered over in curiosity to the owl, which regarded the bat with eyes full of wisdom and intellect. Malakai jus squeaked and dipped his head to the water bowl to drink.
Dear Tabitha,
Your father and I were a bit disappointed that you did not write us upon arrival at school as promised. But it is understandable, I remember from my days at the SWI when I had days of classes and so much work to be done, not to mention to be social. You are being social right? You should be, the memories you'll take away from school will be ones that you take with you forever. I hope that you are having a good time at school and not getting into any trouble. And inform Rory that she had best be avoiding trouble as well. Her parents do not need to be getting any owls sent home any more than we do. Well, I bet that you have plenty of schoolwork to be finishing, so get to it. Your father and I are very proud of you.
Love Always, Mom & Dad
Tabitha groaned, "Is that a guilt trip or what.?"
Rory grinned, taking the letter from Tabitha's hands, reading it quickly, "Yep."
Tabitha grabbed some paper and a pen to write back to her parents, really not sure what to say.
Dear Mom & Dad,
Classes are going well so far, I apologize for not writing on arrival. I just had so many things on my mind. Rory and I got to meet up with our old friends, we've been having fun, and yes we have been behaving. I will try to bring away as many memories as I can, since you say it'll mean so much to me in the future. I really do have some work to be finishing up, so I'll write again soon.
Love, Tabitha
"There! How does that sound?" Tabitha said, showing the letter to Rory who was lying on her bed, looking in her scrapbook again.
"Umm. very heartfelt?" Rory said, briefly scanning it over.
"You're no help." Tabitha muttered, stepping over to the owl. She leaned down, speaking to it. "Well after you're rested you are free to leave, but please make sure this gets to my parents." She attached the letter to the owl's leg and it looked back at her, then it tucked its head beneath its wing.
"Hey! I know what I'm going to do!" Rory exclaimed. "I'll write a letter to Wood!" She smiled at the picture she had stopped on, it was of her and Wood, a photo taken from over the summer. That had been interesting, Rory's parents had finally gotten to meet him and she thought they might have made him a bit uncomfortable with their curiosity. In the photo it showed Rory's mother and father, Nora and Gabriel McCullech speaking with Wood as he answered back, trying to look mature but ended up looking like a frightened lamb. Beside him, Rory had been giggling. Rory started to write her letter, smiling happily to herself.
Dear Oliver,
How are you? I miss you very much. I hope that your travels have been well and safe. I've just headed back to the SWI for my last year. Yep, after this I graduate, and maybe we can be together more often, that'd be nice. We've been hearing hushed word about Hogwarts, but none of the faculty seems to want to speak about it. Headmistress Howe told us today that there would be no trip to Hogwarts for a "rumored" secondary Junior World Cup, but they seemed to be hiding something. Do you have any idea what could be going on? Sorry to be asking you this, but we're all kind of concerned over here.
Love you,
Rory
Rory allowed the ink to dry on her letter and went to the stairs, calling down to the other girls in the common room. "Does anyone have an owl that I could borrow to send a letter?"
A girl named Cassidy Richardson stood up "Yeah, I have Morgra."
Rory grinned, "Great."
Cassidy closed her books and started up the stairs, leading Rory to her room. Cassidy knocked on the door and someone said, "Come in." It was Cassidy's roommate Megan. Megan was seated on her bed, books spread out all over. "You need something?"
Cassidy shook her head, "Nope, just letting Rory borrow Morgra to send a letter." Cassidy stepped towards the perch where a black colored owl sat, dozing. The owl opened its eyes and looked at its owner sleepily. As the owl stepped onto Cassidy's arm, she turned "It's a letter to Oliver isn't it?"
Rory blushed a bit "How did you know?"
"Well, you guys are a famous couple, least within the campus." She sighed, "Oliver Wood. you're so lucky." Cassidy extended her arm and the owl moved over to Rory's. "Be nice Morgra, Rory just needs to borrow you to send a letter." She stroked the owl underneath its beak and it closed its golden eyes happily.
"Thank you." Rory said happily and started back to her room, Cassidy went back to the study group. Rory reentered the room and sat Morgra down, reaching for the letter.
Tabitha grinned "Very cute."
"You read that?" Rory asked, rolling up the letter and attaching it to the owl's foot.
"But of course, have to make sure your letters to your boyfriend remain proper." She smirked. Rory rolled her eyes, and opened the window and Morgra flew out, starting its long journey to deliver the letter to Oliver Wood.