Here is the next chapter. For future reference Tom Senior is Tom Riddle and Tom Junior is Harry Potter. Please read and review thanks, love Angel x

Tearing into the letter neatly Minerva awarded Slytherin five points for excellence. When Severus in his office saw the points go up in his personal counter as all heads of house had in their offices and indeed saw why he smirked. Someone had obviously impressed Minerva. She opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Minerva,

I realise it's been quite the while since we last spoke but I felt it was important to write to you. We need to keep in contact more often although I know we've both been busy which is why we've lost contact a bit. As you will remember in our youth we were prefects which is something to take highly seriously. I will not need to tell you how important it is that prefects be responsible. I above all will know all about how responsible one needs to be given I was head girl myself. I have always admired and valued your opinion as a friend and I would hope you do too.

I take it you will remember what my father said to me when I was younger. He would always say "Cedrella a Black family member should be boastful and smug only about their finances and must be humble about all else". Tell me Minerva is Percival being any of those things about his new position as a prefect or is he lording it over the rest of his family and house? I have it on good authority that he is and that he's also not helping people either. As you know in Slytherin having contacts really is everything and I do have contacts. Now my grandsons did tell me of Percival's conduct but to be honest they don't know that they were not the only ones. People have been telling me he shouts at anyone who asks for assistance either telling them they should know about whatever it is they need help with or that he really needs to study. I have heard all about his grades and how wonderful they are because like a fool he brags about them all the time something I do not have time for given how I was raised.

Was he given that position solely on grades alone? Did you elect to give him this position on your own or did the headmaster tell you he'd be great for the job. As you well know Minerva great grades are not everything if you suck in every other area of your life. I love my grandson very much but I cannot say I am proud of him. I have always loved my Arthur for following his dreams and doing what he loved the most. If it makes him happy it is not for me to talk down to him about it all the time as Percival does. He should learn some humility as his other siblings have but he unfortunately has not. They all know they are lucky to have parents and grandparents who adore them and places to call home. So many people do not have this and Percival doesn't really seem to understand that. He either straightens up and flies right or I am telling you now despite anything my son tells me I will make him do it.

Also to be honest with you Molly idolises him too much and it shows. That's not healthy. Her other sons don't get this treatment especially not Ronald whom she really had hoped would be a girl. Unfortunately being subtle has never been her strong suit and before anyone gets smart and says it is because she's a Gryffindor you were one and you always control yourself so it's not really an excuse. Please if you can pay close attention to Ronald when you can as he may need it. I know that Frederick and George have excellent grades and I know that for reasons of their own they don't tell anyone about them which I don't really understand but do respect. Maybe they have seen how Percy behaves and think it's not good to do or something I am not sure.

I have recently learned that for reasons better known to him my father lied to me about disowning me. I don't truly get it but it does mean that he really left me a sudden large amount of money which I have used to buy Ronald, Frederick and George new wands, cloaks and trunks. Frederick and George have been gifted with pets consisting of an owl and a cat so if you see them with these new things please note I gave them these as a gift. When Percival learns to be more humble and tone things the hell down he may also get a gift. My daughter in law however is stupid. She gifted Percival an owl and some new robes when he became prefect and for this reason alone her other children had to do without. I could say she had too many children or should I say more children then sense but that really isn't the point right now. Because she over indulged Percival her other children had to share books and robes etc. This is unacceptable to me in any way you look at it. I told Arthur I was disgusted in it and he said he could not control his wife. This was not the response I wanted or even expected to get and I was rather surprised. I told him always idolising and spoiling Percy has led to children who no longer feel they know him or that he cares either. He was not very happy with me but even he could see I was right.

He doesn't know his kids Minerva and I am worried for him. William and Charles have moved away to be away from their overbearing mother and he knows only them and Percy. As for the rest of his children he doesn't know them. He knows he totally spoils Ginevra the most out of everyone purely because she is a girl. This I do not understand because this never happened to me in my home. When I had Lyra I was of course very excited and delighted. Having a daughter when you've had sons is indeed special but I never idolised her like that. She was expected to comport herself like a lady as were her sisters. My sons were of course to comport themselves like gentlemen. As you know I love large families and I love that of Arthurs too. He has such amazing children. I have informed him that it is never too late to get to know your children and that by writing to them he may learn even more about them. He will be doing so soon as well.

Frederick and George love to have fun and I could never deny them that but please make sure that they are always as safe as they can be. I realise that they are very smart but they don't always make the smartest decisions ever and I'd like to curtail that as much as possible. I have heard they have become friendly with Tom Potter and I am quite frankly delighted for them. It is not for me or others to hate on them for that. Percy wrote home to Molly about it and she was just about to send them a howler but I sent her one first. I stole and burnt all of her howler making supplies so she cannot send them ever again. Relying too much on howlers as a way to raise your children is silly. Can you believe my own grandchildren had been too embarrassed to tell me she sends them regularly? They were so mortified by her. I had to find out on my own and was disgusted when I did. That is no way to be trying to raise children.

If Frederick and George overstep the mark too much please tell me and I'll handle it myself. I'd rather handle it than have Molly do it as she always thinks everything which goes south is their fault or did until I recently illuminated her on how much of a trouble maker her youngest daughter Ginevra really is. I think it broke her heart that Ginevra said she hates boys and all things girly. She will be a tomboy and no one anywhere will be able to tell her otherwise. I have tried telling Arthur this but he is not happy with how headstrong and independent his daughter is becoming. He forgets how headstrong he was in his own youth. She needs to be free to think and do as she pleases without being a smart ass. I have told her anyway that I will always be proud of her despite what house she gets into next year. I have a feeling it won't be Gryffindor and I sure hope it is because Molly and Arthur are on cloud cookoo land when it comes to other houses which aren't Slytherin never even entering the picture. She could make a fine Ravenclaw for example who knows. The fact that they so readily dismiss other houses which aren't Slytherin as irrelevant is awful.

I know that Molly had awful experiences in her youth with some Slytherin members although I don't truly know what happened to her. I know only that they tortured her for not following the dark side in some manner but she wouldn't elaborate any further. Unfortunately it has allowed her to think the entirety of Slytherin is awful which is totally inaccurate. When Peter Pettigrew came out and confessed to what he'd done she had a mental breakdown because he'd been a Gryffindor member and her faith in that house was finally shaken. It was then eventually dismissed with him being called a bad apple and then she moved on. I want to understand why she couldn't move on with Slytherin house. She had another small breakdown when Tom Potter went to Slytherin house as he wasn't now good or Gryffindor. When I reminded her I had been a Slytherin member she said I didn't count because I was amazing. There is no winning with Molly.

I will be up during the week for some tea and a real catch up. I wish at this time to observe Percival in his job and I do not wish him to know or realise he is being observed. I want to know if all I have heard about him is an exaggeration. It had better be or he'll be in so much trouble. Looking forward to catching up with you old friend. I'll see you on Tuesday at lunchtime.

Love,

Cedrella x.

Minerva read the letter and exhaled. It had been too long since she'd seen her dear old friend Cedrella. It would be great to catch up again!