April 1
No one has truly experienced April Fools' Day until you have experienced it with James Potter and Sirius Black. It got to the point that by half way through the morning, every teacher, student and ghost was peering over their shoulder to see if either James or Sirius was lurking in the shadows, plotting their next attack. When Sirius put invisible ink in Professor McGonagall's inkwell this morning, I thought she was going to murder him. "I know it was you, Mr. Black, so please stop pretending it wasn't!"
And when James turned the caretaker Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, into a dust rag, he couldn't locate her for the better part of the day and was near tears when James returned her, well and unharmed. I thought this was kind of mean but James found it extremely hilarious. "He kept looking for her all day!" he jeered after supper. "And she was sitting on his desk the entire time!"
Lily, who loves animals as much as I do, found this prank incredibly insulting and is still refusing to acknowledge that James lives in the same country, let alone the same castle. It's been peaceful without their squabbling, but to someone who hears it day in and day out, the silence seems almost abnormal.
Remus and I spent most of our afternoon hiding out in an isolated corner of the library, pouring through books that might help us pass our NEWTs. "I have a feeling that we're the only ones taking these tests seriously," Remus said while watching James chase a first year around the library with a dead ferret from our Care of Magical Creatures class. "Kind of makes me feel silly."
I shook my head. "You shouldn't. James will be the one feeling silly when he's working as a busboy for the rest of his natural life." I laughed at the idea, immediately feeling guilty for it, and continued reading through my book silently, just enjoying Remus' company beside me.
This year seems like it has gone by so quickly and already Dumbledore is making plans for graduation. Lily bursts into tears whenever someone mentions the fact that we won't be returning here next year. "Every September first for the past seven years," she blubbered in the courtyard one afternoon, "I've boarded the train for Hogwarts and spent many glorious months here. What will I do without it?"
Sirius shrugged. "Celebrate?" he offered. I knew that Sirius was planning a rather large party after graduation, one that involved going into as many pubs as possible and drinking himself silly. Much to my surprise, Remus agreed to join him on the jaunt, as well as Peter and James. When the invitation was extended to us, I agreed wholeheartedly but Lily hesitated.
"I don't have to drink, right?" she asked tentatively.
James shook his head. "You can sit and watch us and then direct us home," he told her to which she smiled.
"Okay, I'll go."
I feel torn. I can't wait to go because it will be a great party, but on the other hand, I'm terrified because I'm not ready to face the world. I guess I've depended on Hogwarts for a crutch for entirely too long. Although Dumbledore's opening his offer for seventh year students to begin Auror training at the Ministry. Only those who excel in subjects such as Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts will be accepted but most of us qualify in this area.
There was an attack in London yesterday but Voldemort's followers who go by the title of Death Eaters. Over twenty people were struck down and killed and Dumbledore is furious. I think he wants to build up an army against Voldemort because Lord knows the Ministry isn't helping much.
Fighting for freedom,
Abby
April 10
The plans for graduation were announced yesterday. The ceremony will be held outside on the grounds, unless weather prevents it, in which case it will be moved indoors to the Great Hall. After the ceremony, a dance will take place in the Great Hall, which Sirius wants to desperately blow off.
"Who cares about some stupid dance?" he cried. "Let's just skip it and go directly to the pubs."
Lily looked horrified. "We can't skip the dance!" she cried. "James and I already have our clothes picked out." James' face turned red while his friends stared at him. "Who are you taking?" Lily asked Sirius smugly.
Sirius' eyes widened. "You mean I have to go with someone?"
Lily nodded defiantly. "It's only natural. Remus and Abby are going together, aren't you guys?" She turned to us and Remus and I shared a look of confusion. He had yet to ask me and it had slipped my mind completely.
"Do you want to go?" Remus asked me quietly so that only I could hear him. I looked into his clear eyes and practically melted.
"Of course," I said softly, "if you want to."
Remus cleared his throat. "Yeah, we're going," he said in a defiant voice, almost as if challenging someone to say something or make fun of him. No one did. Lily smiled in satisfaction and turned back to Sirius and Peter.
"You two could always go together," she said in a slow, teasing voice. Sirius jumped up and began hitting her over the head with a pillow from the armchair. She giggled hysterically.
"Okay, fine," she said when Sirius had relented in his pillow fight. "We'll go to the dance for a short while and go to the pubs afterward. After all," she said slowly, tears filling her eyes, "it will be the last night all of us will be together at Hogwarts."
James rolled his eyes behind Lily's back as she fervently wiped away the escaping tears. "We're going to see one another more often than you think," he assured her and she nodded wordlessly. "We'll probably see each other more than we do now."
"True, mate," Sirius agreed. "Cause if I don't find a place to live soon, I'll be camping out in your living room again."
Yesterday in Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall asked us if we were all ready for our exams. I trembled when she spoke but Remus' words filled my mind: "You'll be fine...you really don't need to worry." We had gotten together the previous night to finish studying but got...um...distracted when the common room emptied out. I really enjoy being with him and don't ever want to lose what we have. Remus is the only guy I've dated that makes me feel like I'm the most important thing in his life and I could actually see myself settling down to have a life with him. Of course, every relationship I've had that I've felt good about (and there's been precious few) ends up in tragedy, with the guy deciding that he doesn't want to be with a girl who won't sleep with him after two dates and I wind up heartbroken while he's with the school bed-jumper the very next night. Pardon me if I sound bitter, but it still angers me to this day.
Anyway, Lily and I are going shopping in Hogsmeade next weekend for our graduation 'ensembles', as she calls them. "James and I already have our outfits picked out," she told me and I got the distinct impression that she chose James' for him. "But you and Remus need to get something to wear." She leaned close to me so that the boys couldn't hear what she was saying. "We'll leave the boys out of it, though," she whispered, confirming my suspicions. "They don't know anything about fashion."
I wanted to add that neither did I, but instead I just smiled.
Pleasantly yours,
Abby
April 25
Wow. I feel like I haven't written in ages, although it's only been two weeks. We've really been cramming for our NEWTs, which commence on June 20. It seems like it's a long while away, but in reality, it's closer than I expected. Graduation follows the completion of NEWTs, on June 29, and then we leave Hogwarts for the last time on the 30th. Lily still cries whenever someone mentions it.
We went shopping in Hogsmeade and Remus actually accompanied us. "I don't want you dressing me up in some clown suit," he joked to Lily, who shoved him playfully.
"I don't pick out clown costumes," she chided gently. "Just elaborate ones."
I saw his eyes widen in fear.
What we bought, actually, is quite nice. Simple summer clothes instead of the typical outgoing formal dress wear. "It will be too hot," Lily reasoned. "James and I are wearing just summer clothes as well."
Hogsmeade is so much more fun when the snow has gone. Although the village looks absolutely gorgeous blanketed in white powder, it's nice to be able to sit down on the grass wherever we like and talk. We've been talking a lot and Sirius is holding out for Auror after Hogwarts.
"You'll have to work hard," she informed him, "and even then I don't know if your marks will get you in. They're not exactly top shape."
Sirius recoiled. "Sorry Miss Perfect," he joked. "Maybe you should write my NEWTs for me."
Lily shook her head in horror. "I'm having enough trouble with my own!" she wailed. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready."
"Me, neither," I chimed in. "My Transfiguration skills are still rather mundane. If I pass, it will be a miracle." Beside me, Remus squeezed my hand in reassurance and I was grateful for that. I knew he believed in me and that helped my confidence.
But perhaps the most exciting bit of news I could give is that a week or so ago, Lily and I were going through old Hogwarts year books and such in the library. Some of the haircuts people had back then...wow! "Just imagine," I said to Lily, "that by this time next year, someone will be looking through our yearbook and making fun of us."
She nodded in agreement, then her eyes widened in shock. "Do you remember?" she asked in a hushed voice, "when Dumbledore was talking to McGonagall about Voldemort and how he used to go to school here?"
"Yeah," I replied vaguely. I did remember that day that we had been hiding in the book stacks, only to overhear this conversation. "What about it?"
"Do you remember what his name was?"
I searched my memory. "Tim Rambo or something, wasn't it?"
Lily shook her head, her eyes still wide. "Tom Riddle," she said, holding up the book to face me. There was a picture of an extremely handsome boy, wearing a Prefect's badge, smiling up at me and winking. The name 'Tom Riddle' shone in bright ink underneath his picture.
"Let me see that," I said, snatching the book out of her hand. "He's cute."
"Abby!" She grabbed the book back from my hands. "He's now running around, killing people right, left and centre!"
"I know," I replied. "But he wasn't back then, was he? Regardless, he was still cute."
Lily was silent for a moment while studying the picture looking back up at her. "He was cute," she admitted after a few moments. "He seems like a flirt." She blushed as the picture continued to wink at her. "But a murderer," she finished, slamming the book shut and putting it back on the shelf. We didn't talk about that for a long time afterwards, but when we did, Lily said that she just wanted to forget all about the whole thing.
I told Remus about what happened with the yearbook and his face was filled with concern. "You should have Dumbledore remove that book from the shelves," he said angrily. "A person like that should have no place within the walls of Hogwarts, even if he was a student here years ago."
I nodded silently. I could agree to a point, but on the other hand, didn't find it fair to the other students in Voldemort's classes. Just because their fellow classmate had turned out to be a raving lunatic didn't mean they should be banished from the shelves. That was just as bad as Voldemort wanting to rid the world of people with Muggle parentage.
Yours in baffle,
Abby
April 27
I can't talk for long here, but there's something I have to tell you!
Dumbledore was talking to the other staff members earlier today and James and Sirius were sneaking around under James' invisibility cloak. They rushed back to the common room to tell us that they had overheard Dumbledore telling the other staff that Voldemort (a.k.a. Tom Riddle) had Muggle parentage himself!
"That slimeball had a witch mother and a Muggle father!" Sirius fumed. "How fair is that?"
"Apparently," James chimed in, "his father left his mother while she was pregnant with Voldemort after he found out she was a witch." He shook his head despairingly. "Sick. Completely and utterly disgusting."
Lily remained silent, with an odd look in her eyes. It looked something like triumph, like she had won a point over on Voldemort, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. James threw his arm protectively around her shoulders and we sat in silence, absorbing what had just been said.
Anyway, I won't talk long now. Remus has planned a romantic evening under the stars outside by the lake...be back later to tell you all about it.
Yours forever,
Abby
No one has truly experienced April Fools' Day until you have experienced it with James Potter and Sirius Black. It got to the point that by half way through the morning, every teacher, student and ghost was peering over their shoulder to see if either James or Sirius was lurking in the shadows, plotting their next attack. When Sirius put invisible ink in Professor McGonagall's inkwell this morning, I thought she was going to murder him. "I know it was you, Mr. Black, so please stop pretending it wasn't!"
And when James turned the caretaker Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, into a dust rag, he couldn't locate her for the better part of the day and was near tears when James returned her, well and unharmed. I thought this was kind of mean but James found it extremely hilarious. "He kept looking for her all day!" he jeered after supper. "And she was sitting on his desk the entire time!"
Lily, who loves animals as much as I do, found this prank incredibly insulting and is still refusing to acknowledge that James lives in the same country, let alone the same castle. It's been peaceful without their squabbling, but to someone who hears it day in and day out, the silence seems almost abnormal.
Remus and I spent most of our afternoon hiding out in an isolated corner of the library, pouring through books that might help us pass our NEWTs. "I have a feeling that we're the only ones taking these tests seriously," Remus said while watching James chase a first year around the library with a dead ferret from our Care of Magical Creatures class. "Kind of makes me feel silly."
I shook my head. "You shouldn't. James will be the one feeling silly when he's working as a busboy for the rest of his natural life." I laughed at the idea, immediately feeling guilty for it, and continued reading through my book silently, just enjoying Remus' company beside me.
This year seems like it has gone by so quickly and already Dumbledore is making plans for graduation. Lily bursts into tears whenever someone mentions the fact that we won't be returning here next year. "Every September first for the past seven years," she blubbered in the courtyard one afternoon, "I've boarded the train for Hogwarts and spent many glorious months here. What will I do without it?"
Sirius shrugged. "Celebrate?" he offered. I knew that Sirius was planning a rather large party after graduation, one that involved going into as many pubs as possible and drinking himself silly. Much to my surprise, Remus agreed to join him on the jaunt, as well as Peter and James. When the invitation was extended to us, I agreed wholeheartedly but Lily hesitated.
"I don't have to drink, right?" she asked tentatively.
James shook his head. "You can sit and watch us and then direct us home," he told her to which she smiled.
"Okay, I'll go."
I feel torn. I can't wait to go because it will be a great party, but on the other hand, I'm terrified because I'm not ready to face the world. I guess I've depended on Hogwarts for a crutch for entirely too long. Although Dumbledore's opening his offer for seventh year students to begin Auror training at the Ministry. Only those who excel in subjects such as Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts will be accepted but most of us qualify in this area.
There was an attack in London yesterday but Voldemort's followers who go by the title of Death Eaters. Over twenty people were struck down and killed and Dumbledore is furious. I think he wants to build up an army against Voldemort because Lord knows the Ministry isn't helping much.
Fighting for freedom,
Abby
April 10
The plans for graduation were announced yesterday. The ceremony will be held outside on the grounds, unless weather prevents it, in which case it will be moved indoors to the Great Hall. After the ceremony, a dance will take place in the Great Hall, which Sirius wants to desperately blow off.
"Who cares about some stupid dance?" he cried. "Let's just skip it and go directly to the pubs."
Lily looked horrified. "We can't skip the dance!" she cried. "James and I already have our clothes picked out." James' face turned red while his friends stared at him. "Who are you taking?" Lily asked Sirius smugly.
Sirius' eyes widened. "You mean I have to go with someone?"
Lily nodded defiantly. "It's only natural. Remus and Abby are going together, aren't you guys?" She turned to us and Remus and I shared a look of confusion. He had yet to ask me and it had slipped my mind completely.
"Do you want to go?" Remus asked me quietly so that only I could hear him. I looked into his clear eyes and practically melted.
"Of course," I said softly, "if you want to."
Remus cleared his throat. "Yeah, we're going," he said in a defiant voice, almost as if challenging someone to say something or make fun of him. No one did. Lily smiled in satisfaction and turned back to Sirius and Peter.
"You two could always go together," she said in a slow, teasing voice. Sirius jumped up and began hitting her over the head with a pillow from the armchair. She giggled hysterically.
"Okay, fine," she said when Sirius had relented in his pillow fight. "We'll go to the dance for a short while and go to the pubs afterward. After all," she said slowly, tears filling her eyes, "it will be the last night all of us will be together at Hogwarts."
James rolled his eyes behind Lily's back as she fervently wiped away the escaping tears. "We're going to see one another more often than you think," he assured her and she nodded wordlessly. "We'll probably see each other more than we do now."
"True, mate," Sirius agreed. "Cause if I don't find a place to live soon, I'll be camping out in your living room again."
Yesterday in Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall asked us if we were all ready for our exams. I trembled when she spoke but Remus' words filled my mind: "You'll be fine...you really don't need to worry." We had gotten together the previous night to finish studying but got...um...distracted when the common room emptied out. I really enjoy being with him and don't ever want to lose what we have. Remus is the only guy I've dated that makes me feel like I'm the most important thing in his life and I could actually see myself settling down to have a life with him. Of course, every relationship I've had that I've felt good about (and there's been precious few) ends up in tragedy, with the guy deciding that he doesn't want to be with a girl who won't sleep with him after two dates and I wind up heartbroken while he's with the school bed-jumper the very next night. Pardon me if I sound bitter, but it still angers me to this day.
Anyway, Lily and I are going shopping in Hogsmeade next weekend for our graduation 'ensembles', as she calls them. "James and I already have our outfits picked out," she told me and I got the distinct impression that she chose James' for him. "But you and Remus need to get something to wear." She leaned close to me so that the boys couldn't hear what she was saying. "We'll leave the boys out of it, though," she whispered, confirming my suspicions. "They don't know anything about fashion."
I wanted to add that neither did I, but instead I just smiled.
Pleasantly yours,
Abby
April 25
Wow. I feel like I haven't written in ages, although it's only been two weeks. We've really been cramming for our NEWTs, which commence on June 20. It seems like it's a long while away, but in reality, it's closer than I expected. Graduation follows the completion of NEWTs, on June 29, and then we leave Hogwarts for the last time on the 30th. Lily still cries whenever someone mentions it.
We went shopping in Hogsmeade and Remus actually accompanied us. "I don't want you dressing me up in some clown suit," he joked to Lily, who shoved him playfully.
"I don't pick out clown costumes," she chided gently. "Just elaborate ones."
I saw his eyes widen in fear.
What we bought, actually, is quite nice. Simple summer clothes instead of the typical outgoing formal dress wear. "It will be too hot," Lily reasoned. "James and I are wearing just summer clothes as well."
Hogsmeade is so much more fun when the snow has gone. Although the village looks absolutely gorgeous blanketed in white powder, it's nice to be able to sit down on the grass wherever we like and talk. We've been talking a lot and Sirius is holding out for Auror after Hogwarts.
"You'll have to work hard," she informed him, "and even then I don't know if your marks will get you in. They're not exactly top shape."
Sirius recoiled. "Sorry Miss Perfect," he joked. "Maybe you should write my NEWTs for me."
Lily shook her head in horror. "I'm having enough trouble with my own!" she wailed. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready."
"Me, neither," I chimed in. "My Transfiguration skills are still rather mundane. If I pass, it will be a miracle." Beside me, Remus squeezed my hand in reassurance and I was grateful for that. I knew he believed in me and that helped my confidence.
But perhaps the most exciting bit of news I could give is that a week or so ago, Lily and I were going through old Hogwarts year books and such in the library. Some of the haircuts people had back then...wow! "Just imagine," I said to Lily, "that by this time next year, someone will be looking through our yearbook and making fun of us."
She nodded in agreement, then her eyes widened in shock. "Do you remember?" she asked in a hushed voice, "when Dumbledore was talking to McGonagall about Voldemort and how he used to go to school here?"
"Yeah," I replied vaguely. I did remember that day that we had been hiding in the book stacks, only to overhear this conversation. "What about it?"
"Do you remember what his name was?"
I searched my memory. "Tim Rambo or something, wasn't it?"
Lily shook her head, her eyes still wide. "Tom Riddle," she said, holding up the book to face me. There was a picture of an extremely handsome boy, wearing a Prefect's badge, smiling up at me and winking. The name 'Tom Riddle' shone in bright ink underneath his picture.
"Let me see that," I said, snatching the book out of her hand. "He's cute."
"Abby!" She grabbed the book back from my hands. "He's now running around, killing people right, left and centre!"
"I know," I replied. "But he wasn't back then, was he? Regardless, he was still cute."
Lily was silent for a moment while studying the picture looking back up at her. "He was cute," she admitted after a few moments. "He seems like a flirt." She blushed as the picture continued to wink at her. "But a murderer," she finished, slamming the book shut and putting it back on the shelf. We didn't talk about that for a long time afterwards, but when we did, Lily said that she just wanted to forget all about the whole thing.
I told Remus about what happened with the yearbook and his face was filled with concern. "You should have Dumbledore remove that book from the shelves," he said angrily. "A person like that should have no place within the walls of Hogwarts, even if he was a student here years ago."
I nodded silently. I could agree to a point, but on the other hand, didn't find it fair to the other students in Voldemort's classes. Just because their fellow classmate had turned out to be a raving lunatic didn't mean they should be banished from the shelves. That was just as bad as Voldemort wanting to rid the world of people with Muggle parentage.
Yours in baffle,
Abby
April 27
I can't talk for long here, but there's something I have to tell you!
Dumbledore was talking to the other staff members earlier today and James and Sirius were sneaking around under James' invisibility cloak. They rushed back to the common room to tell us that they had overheard Dumbledore telling the other staff that Voldemort (a.k.a. Tom Riddle) had Muggle parentage himself!
"That slimeball had a witch mother and a Muggle father!" Sirius fumed. "How fair is that?"
"Apparently," James chimed in, "his father left his mother while she was pregnant with Voldemort after he found out she was a witch." He shook his head despairingly. "Sick. Completely and utterly disgusting."
Lily remained silent, with an odd look in her eyes. It looked something like triumph, like she had won a point over on Voldemort, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. James threw his arm protectively around her shoulders and we sat in silence, absorbing what had just been said.
Anyway, I won't talk long now. Remus has planned a romantic evening under the stars outside by the lake...be back later to tell you all about it.
Yours forever,
Abby