Snape's membership into an elite club, a run-in with the werewolf, and the end of his friendship with Lily Evans. Sirius Black leaves home.
1976
9th January 1976
Dear GG
I have been approached by a schoolmate with an invitation to be a part of an elite club. It is not Professor Slughorn's after-dinner club. Malfoy assures me it will go a long way towards my future career if I join it. The state of my family expenses and my halfblood status will not be an issue as he has kindly volunteered to sponsor me. However, I have heard whispers in the other Houses about 'that Slytherin club'. It seems almost every pureblood in my House is a member from year 5 – Nott, Avery, Mulciber, even Reggie got an invite on top of the one to Slughorn's… It is a secret club. I cannot tell Lily about it. Bella threatened to cast an entrail-expelling curse and then hang me from the Astronomy Tower with my own guts if I told anyone.
Thing is that this is a pureblood club. They will probably hex my balls off if I continue having my study sessions with Lily, who is Muggleborn. If I join the club, I will have to play by their rules – no mixing with Muggles or mudbloods, yada yada. Which will really suck since my best friend is Muggleborn. But if I join them, they will quit picking on me for having a Muggle dad and maybe protect me from Potter and friends. Also, Malfoy promised I will have doors open to me as a member of this select club.
Half-blood Prince
P.S. You will not tell anyone I told you, right?
Spring 1976
Dear Half-blood
Are you joining the Freemasons or some other secret society whose member meet up every fortnight for dinner, drinks, and benign card-games? If you are, please do proceed. If it is the sort of club that leaves one hungover at sunrise and naked in bed with someone whose name you do not know, you may still proceed if that rocks your boat. Though I would recommend you wait until you are of age before any bed-hopping.
However, I doubt this is the case. Also, do consider the motivations of this group and your 'friends'. Will they drop you into a snake-pit or have you doing things you do not wish to? I do recall one club back in my alma mater where one is required to perform at least one Unforgiveable Curse for admission, in full view of ones' fellow members. I opted to Imperius the Dark Arts master into Crucio-ing the Head Boy during the first formal dinner of the year. Fine, I was a bit of a show-off in my youth. A pity he got sacked for it since he was one of the few masters that I found tolerable. His successor was a moron.
How're your occulumency shields? Are you able to cast a solid Protego? It is very likely with your membership into this select club you will be facing more dangers that you might expect. If you just need doors opening for you, there is always Alohomora. A smart lad like you should be able to work out most wards.
Yours sincerely
GG
15th April 1976
Dear GG
Padfoot has gone too far this round. Would you believe he tried to set up Snivellus for run-in with Moony on a full moon night? The little sneak could have been killed! We could all be expelled and Moony would not be able to live it down. Now I have Moony bawling in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom about wanting to leave so as not to pose a danger to any other student in Hogwarts. Myrtle is being helpful by suggesting how he could drown himself in the sink. The little pest. We are trying to calm him down enough to get him back to the Healing Wing or Pomfrey would have our asses. Padfoot is apologetic for almost getting Moony's secret blown, well, enough to dose Moony with some moonshine 'borrowed' from Hagrid.
The headmaster had Snivellus swear an oath not to out Moony's secret. Apparently, he now owes me a life-debt as well. So yep, Snivellus has more reason to hate us Marauders. I have been trying to convince Lily to go out to Hogsmeade with me, but Snivellus is likely telling her all kinds of lies about me now. She would not even give me the time of the day. How can I convince her I like her and want to be her friend? I will not hex her the way I do Snivellus. She's pretty and smart… But if Snivellus did get mauled by a werewolf… I think she would never even speak to me ever.
About Padfoot – I know he has been having a rough time of it at home with his parents. His folks beat him about something fierce. I have seen the bruises and scars when he gets back from summer vacation. I was thinking of inviting him to come live with me if my parents allow. But if he keeps messing about instead of studying and getting into trouble… Wormy says he might get us all expelled for real with the risks he has been taking, even with the map we created. Would you believe we broke into Slughorn's office and left dung bombs in his personal cauldron the other night? They went off during his little dinner party. I think Lily was caught up in that too since she was invited with Reggie.
Prongs
Spring 1976
Dear Prongs
O, to be young and carefree again… It always fun and giggles until someone is dead on the floor. Good call preventing possible disaster. If anyone is to blame, it is Padfoot. In lieu of Unforgiveables, may I recommend a level 2 jinx or the cold shoulder treatment for a week? Will it be too much to ask for an apology to the almost-victim? From Padfoot, not Moony. Tell Moony to quit beating himself up and wallowing in self-pity. Seriously, he is a werewolf and I thought they needed to be tough as boots to make it into adulthood.
As for your girl troubles, please consider your image. No self-respecting witch would be caught out with a pack of prats like you lot have made yourselves to be. Perhaps it is time to rein in those high spirits and put them towards more meaningful pursuits like your masteries?
Yours sincerely
GG
P.S. Dubious moonshine and werewolves do not mix well as a rule. Your friend will be in for a rough time of it for the next few full moons. Good luck.
15th June 1976
Dear Gellert
Fine, I admit it. I have a Death Eater problem in Hogwarts. However, since they are currently styling themselves as a benign old-boys and girls club, my hands are tied. I cannot shut them down without their pureblood parents crying foul. To cap things off, they are rather secretive about it. I only caught because Miss Black was trying to out-curse her cousin across the Great Hall at the last dinner of the school year and let slip that her Death Eater friends will fry his Gryffindor ass.
Slughorn has his little club of talented students. Spout has her Herbology Hobbyists, and Flitwick has his Duelling Club. There is a Gobstones and Chess Club as well. There are study groups for Potions and Charms too. I cannot close all the student clubs, registered or informal. Not without half the faculty walking out on me. What should I do?
Albus Dumbledore
Summer 1976
Dear Dumbledore
You are in deeper dragon dung than you think. Methinks this little Death Eater club has more support in and outside Hogwarts than you are aware of. How is the Ministry? Has it been overrun by Death Eaters yet? My recommendation is to find the head of this club and cut it off. Make sure he is deader than dead. AK might be justified in this case. Please refer to International Wizarding Law exemption 344A.
Yours sincerely
Grindelwald
P.S. How is your pet werewolf? Dead yet? Has he bitten anyone?
4th July 1976
Dear GG
I have had it with my mom and dad. I am running away from home, but that would leave my little bro Reggie behind to get kicked about. I am worried about those friends he has been hanging out with. He never used to be so anti-Muggle, even if mom has been beating that into us since we started crawling. I am not anti-Muggle myself, and there are some great things they made. Mom blew her top when I told her I was getting a Muggle motorbike and riding it to school. Dry crusts and water for the rest of the month. Couldn't even get the house-elf to let me out of the cellar that summer.
Reggie – well, he is an okay kid, if he were not so sold on that pureblood supremacy idea and getting anti-Muggleborn to boot. He has been hanging out with our cousin Bella and she is a bad influence on him. He told me I should not be hanging out with Susie because her mother's Muggleborn. I told him to stuff it. I have decided to hang out with more Muggleborn schoolmates in the coming year, just so I can rub Reggie's nose in it. Cousin Andy married a Muggleborn and got blasted off the family tapestry for it. We are not to speak to or even mention her now. Maybe I will be blasted off myself.
Padfoot
P.S. I am sending this from the Muggle train station. I have run away for real. They can blast me off that old rag for all I care.
Summer 1976
Dear Padfoot
Sounds like you are ready to take flight from the nest like any baby dragon coming of age to blaze your own trail. As for your brother, please do not let him hold you back. Boy has to find his own path in life. Though one does hope he does not end up falling into that pit of pureblood lies. Muggleborns introduce fresh blood into the community. If we keep marrying our cousins, that will not bode well for future generations. If you and this Susie are truly in love, it would not be remiss to elope despite your parents' objections. I think the house-elves will approve as well since they would not want your house to die out from too much inbreeding. They would be jobless then.
Do you have any trusted friends you can bunk with? Wouldn't want your folks to hex you to death if they find you.
All the best
GG
15th October 1976
Dear GG
I have been a total fool. Lily will never speak to me again. All because we got into a quarrel - and I called her a mudblood. I thought she would be impressed by me joining that Dark Arts study group, but no. She told me I should stop dabbling in the Dark Arts and that the whole pureblood supremacy thing is a pile of hippogriff crap. Our quarrel happened in March, and she has not spoken or even written to me since. Not a single letter all summer.
What should I do? Now she is hanging out with Potter and friends after class. I thought she would cool down and start speaking to me again, but that has not happened.
Half-blood Prince
Fall 1976
Dear Half-blood
Wow, you have really done it – put your foot into your mouth, like the English say. No self-respecting witch, Muggleborn or otherwise, will forgive such a slur. And I thought I had it bad with Al. Have you attempted an apology yet?
Do you have any friends with similar interests as yours? Dark arts and pureblood ideals? You can go hang out with them and perhaps meet a nice pureblood witch who might give you the time of the day. Or more likely not.
GG
11th November 1976
Dear Gellie
Are you still keeping up the advice columnist gig? I have been trying to get hold of Albus to ask if he could have you released. I am sure after three decades you would be reformed. Most in Azkaban barely make it through their first decade sane, alive or both. No replies from Albus as yet. I think he is too busy chasing Death Eaters and the like. The idiots are showy, but not in the elegant way you did things. No class at all.
Perhaps I am tad nostalgic for the old days with you transfiguring my cupcakes into butterflies and sending them over to the Dumbledores instead of just bringing them down the path in a basket. And how you would keep asking me about the Deathly Hallows and discuss folklore and runes over tea.
I do believe if Albus will quit being so stubborn and use his power as Supreme Mugwump, we should be able to get you back in Britain for your unique insights as a former dark lord in the current war.
XXXX
Your Auntie Bathilda
Winter 1976
Dear Auntie
Albus is a stubborn old coot second only to Abe. He will never let me run loose, with this crazy dark wizard about. I will probably die here in Nurmengard. If that happens, could you arrange for me to be buried near him? I do not want my bones to remain here. About this dark lording thing. I never styled myself as a Dark Lord - the quaint title you mentioned. My acolytes might think otherwise. They have probably forgotten all about me by now, if not shuffled off the mortal coil entirely.
How are your wards and runes? Do keep them in working order, please. That pesky anti-Vision runestone has been acting up again and I keep sensing something foul about your corner of merry old England.
Your nephew
Gellert
Author's Notes:
Snape has blown his friendship with Lily.
Would anyone like to see more exchanges between GG and the students of Hogwarts or should GG call it a day with his secret advice column? Albus has been too busy with his Order of the Phoenix to write much.