Chapter 19: A Letter Home

*****

December 26th

            Hi Mom!  Happy Christmas!  I wish I could've spent the holiday with you, but I have had a fun time here despite that.

            We had the Yule Ball a couple days ago.  The dress I was telling you about turned out beautifully and George was very handsome.  Colin took pictures and I'll include some with this letter.  But let me tell you what's been going on around here since I last wrote.

            Before the ball, we had The Feast.  George and I sat with Fred & Angelina, Katie & Oliver and Lee & Alicia.  Instead of the food just appearing, like normal, we had a menu that we could choose from and the food just appeared on our plates.  I had a wonderful fish meal (you'd think after growing up on the coast I'd be sick of seafood!).  It was nice to finally meet the guy Katie's been talking about for ages, but… I have a feeling she could do better.  I guess we'll see how it works out.

            After dinner, Dumbledore cleared the tables and set up a stage for the band.  They were no one I'd heard of, but the others seemed quite impressed.  The band was pretty good though and played a mixture of Muggle and Wizard music.

            I mentioned a while back that I'd been teaching George how to dance.  He's really pretty good at it, despite the jokester image he puts forth.  It was nice to dance with him, and show off how good he's become, but for once all that fancy stuff just wasn't what I was wanting (I know, please don't die of shock over that one!).  I just wanted to have a good time- laugh and enjoy myself and I didn't feel like I could do that for some reason.  So, I decided that I had to change what I was wearing- to make it more conducive to having fun.  My dress was pretty long so I transfigured it.  I kept the corset style top as it was originally (since it was my favorite part anyway!), and added some low ridding dress pants underneath.  I also got rid of the curled up, piled high hair.  Do you remember the whole braid thing I started doing a couple years ago?  All those little braids all over?  That's what I went with- it was quite the interesting look (Sara would've been proud).  I don't think George was too upset.  He seemed to find the whole thing quite amusing actually.

            I thought McGonagall would have a fit about it though.  She was already a bit out of sorts about the dresses we'd all chosen to wear.  I got the impression they were not as reserved in style as she would've preferred.

            The band announced at one point that they'd been told we had some talented singers here at the school and asked if any of them would care to come up and perform with the band.  Do I really have to tell you how I reacted to that one?  Didn't think so!  I was surprised, and happy, to see that Katie and Ginny were willing to take up the challenge too.  The three of us have been working on a few things over the past couple months; so, we were fairly well prepared.  We made our way up to the stage and spoke with the band's lead singer.  She was quite amused that anyone had had the nerve to take her up on her offer, but we settled on a song they knew and they began to play.  Mom, that was so much fun!!  We really do sing well together and I think everyone was impressed.  Not too many people had heard Ginny sing- she played an instrument in the talent show you remember- and she was great.  I could tell her brothers were shocked though, that whole little sister thing again.  I guess I should be glad I never had to deal with that.

            The band actually asked if we wanted to do another song, but we declined and rejoined the rest.  George was busy congratulating Ginny, so I decided to go push my luck some more, since things have been oh so boring around here recently…  Remember the Potions teacher I told you about?  Professor Snape?  I decided to go ask him to dance.  I know, I'm insane, but at the time it sounded amusing.  I also didn't really expect him to accept- he's really not very fond of anyone in Gryffindor.

            But maybe he hates me a little less than the others, or took my invitation as a challenge, or simply wanted to torment me, because he said yes.  He's not a bad dancer- that habit of swooping around everywhere actually works while dancing.  But he was his normal obnoxious self conversationally, so I felt right at home.  I get the feeling he's testing me, but he's not going to get me to react.  I've survived teachers like him before- remember Kenneth?  What an arse he was!  Snape, no matter how many detentions he hands out and snide comments he makes, will never hold a candle to him!  Anyway, he baited me throughout the dance and I ignored it admirably I believe and even thanked him for the dance at the end of it.  He looked a bit disappointed.  Poor guy.  My heart bleeds, really it does…

            Then, I asked Dumbledore to dance.  He accepted gravely, while doing that whole twinkly eye thing he always does when he's amused, and we took to the floor.  Did you know that Dumbledore can tango?  I never would've guessed.  I guess that answers my previous question as to whether he can dance…  He complemented me on my attire and I told him that I liked his hat (it was tall, black and covered in twinkling bright blue stars).  He offered to let me wear it, but I told him that it would clash with my outfit.  He only laughed.  McGonagall looked scandalized that we were dancing- I can only imagine what her expression was while I was dancing with Snape!  Too bad Colin didn't get a picture of that too…  Don't get me wrong, I really do like McGonagall, but she can be a bit uptight about things.

            As the song ended, George came to 'collect his girlfriend'.  We danced the rest of the evening and had a really great time.  Not bad for a first date!

            Despite how well everything's going, I'm still a bit wary about it all.  Not about George- he's… everything I ever wanted to find, though I never expected to find him so soon.  I guess I just never really believed you and Grandmother when you told me that the family Gift would one day show me who was to be the man meant for me.  It always sounded so convenient- sure, it's probably real easy after the fact to interpret these things favorably.  But since that shock/vision/whatever, I had last year when I first met George… let's just say that the evidence is building up in your favor.

            I am a bit afraid of how George will take all this when, or if, he finds out.  I mean what guys wants to know that he's fated to be with you forever?  Goddess knows I've pitched enough fits about the whole destiny thing and I've at least had my whole life to get use to the idea!  Hopefully the topic won't come up anytime soon…

            But on to other things!

            Only a few of us stayed for Christmas.  The Weasley's stayed- I forget where their parents were this year that made them decide to stay- as did Harry (of course), Katie and Hermione.  On Christmas morning, we all brought our gifts down to the common room to open them together.  I really didn't expect to have anything from anyone but you, but I didn't do too badly.  Dumbledore had sent me a music box that plays Masquerade from Phantom (you know how much I love that song!).  Uncle Remi had sent me a book on the history of magic as it pertains to music (Hermione has already asked to borrow it!).  Sara sent me a rather scandalous outfit that I won't tell you about here since I'm sure you'd only worry!  Unca Gerry sent me some music from the various countries he's been working in.  And I loved the locket you sent me!  The choker length is cool and I like having pictures of you and Father to show my friends.  I look forward to adding a forth to pair with mine at some point in the future.  No names right now as to who that might be… ha!

            I did have to explain who Remi, Sara and Gerry are.  I guess I'm getting a bit too good at keeping things to myself, how else would the others not know who they are by this point?  So I explained how they'd been some of my teachers in the past and how they'd become friends that I still kept in touch with since they are now family as well.  I also had to explain that you weren't dead.  That was a bit of a surprise, but I guess the whole living with the godparents thing was what caused the confusion.  George had already known of course, but not the others.  Oops.

            There's only so much I could explain before I had to change the topic and distract them with something else.  I wish I could tell them everything, but something inside me knows that it's not quite time for that.  I hate it.  It's getting harder and harder to not tell them everything because they are trustworthy and I know that they're my friends and won't judge me.  Sara has tried to tell me in the past that she thinks that I have a bit more of the Gift than the females of our line have previously had- must be the wizard blood- and she thinks that's why I get these… feelings about what's going to happen and what I need to be doing.  If that's the case, then I'd like to submit a complaint on how unclear these things are.  Why can't I tell them about us?  Why is it not yet time?  What am I waiting for?  Why have I felt the need to take such drastic precautions in preparation for some event that I can't See?  It drives me quite crazy sometimes, so I've been trying to ignore it and just trust that my subconscious knows what it's doing.

            Wow, that was quite a tangent!  And quite depressing.  Enough of that, back to Christmas!

            Fred & George were shocked speechless over the letter from Mr. Zonko.  He's really interested in their inventions, and wants to meet with them soon to discuss marketing them (glad I ran into him this summer and could peak his interest…).  Colin had also helped me get a really good picture of George and I from the dance (original outfit!) and I had it framed for George as well.  Harry and Ron got candy and I found a book on Protection Charms for Hermione since she's been asking about them.  I had a hard time deciding what to get for Katie and Ginny.  I finally took your advice and got both of them jewelry.  They both liked their necklaces (and the general protection charms I cast on them can't hurt either).

            The Ladies went in together to get me some drums- I've been wanting to learn to play for a while (aren't you glad I can't come live with you now?  Imagine the practicing!).  The guys had gotten me a whole selection of goodies from Zonko's and Honeydukes.  I'm sure that will make the next couple months quite entertaining- get me giddy on sugar and let me lose with things that explode- not to mention the drums!  Yeah, sounds like a smart idea to me too!  George has also promised me a real date in the near future- I'm quite interested in how he's going to manage that here, but I'm sure he'll come up with something entertaining.

            And speaking of George, which I feel like I do way too often, I've decided I'm addicted to his kisses.  I have to ration myself- limit the number of times I allow myself to go up behind him, wrap my arms around his neck and lean over and kiss him on the cheek.  Which I'm sure, by itself, would be fine, but, when I do, he will often stop what he's doing and turn around and kiss me back.  I can feel those kisses down to my toes- I just want to fall into that sensation and never come out of it.  That scares me.  Is this normal?!?  Did you feel like this with Father?  You do realize that there's no way I'd be writing to you about this unless I really was concerned… it's not like I have much comparison to judge by.  Forget for a moment you're my mom and send along some female advice before I decide I have to lock myself in my room to keep from trying to touch him!

            Wow, this has gone on much longer than I'd expected, but I guess I had a lot to tell you.  I can't wait until this summer when I can come visit again.  I'd love for you to meet George, but I'll have to see how things stand at the end of the year to see if that's really an option.

            I love and miss you dearly!

Love,

Alinora