12/5/99
To: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
From: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
RE: not much to say
Draco,
I told Harry not to bother messaging you this time as nothing happened. I was touched to see the birthday cake and the necklace. I'm wearing it now. Maybe it's due to the fact that so much of that year was missing but nothing happened this time. It's more frustrating than even because I don't even know how much is gone. When I think about fifth year there are no gaps in what I recall. Anyway I'm going to wait to view them again this time. It was just so much I want to take some time, try and find a way to just view a few at a time. It's possible that if I allow my brain a bit of time and less input at once that I'll remember something or at least make a connection somehow. In the meantime have I ever told you how I was able to make the map other than using the book that I found? I suppose at this point it's fair for me to tell you and Harry says he doesn't care anymore.
Hermione
12/5/99
To: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
From: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
Re: you're welcome
Hermione,
I won't say I'm not disappointed that you didn't get anything from those memories, but I'm not surprised. Maybe something in the second term of the year will be do something. I didn't know if you would still have the necklace though I hoped that you would. No, you never told me anything else about the map and if there's a story with it that involves Potter I think I need to hear it. You also never told me the Polyjuice story. I'd be curious if you still remember it, I suppose that depends on whether or not I was involved. If you remember it I'd like to hear it.
Always yours,
Draco
12/7/99
To: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
From: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
RE: storytime again
Draco,
First I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner but work as absolutely maddening yesterday and I just didn't get a break and had to bring things home with me. Next I do remember the Polyjuice at least some of it I'll explain but I think I'll start with the map because that one's not embarrassing. Harry's father and his three best friends Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew made a map of Hogwarts. Not just any map but one that shows every single person in the building and where they are. The only time you can't find them is when they are in a room that isn't on the map because it's an area that is unplottable like the Room of Requirement, or a room that they didn't know about when they made the map like the Chamber of Secrets. Apparently Filch took it from them at some point and held onto it. The twins spotted it when they were in his office after being caught doing who knows what but they swiped it for themselves. Somehow they figured out the secret phrases to get it to work and to essentially wipe it clean. They gave it to Harry third year and we used it for the rest of school. It was a great way to keep from getting caught in the corridors when we weren't supposed to be there and for finding people we were trying to watch. That was how I figured if we made our little alcove unplottable we wouldn't be able to be found. No this isn't a memory, it's an assumption based on what I do remember and your memories I've viewed so far but I'd say it's a safe guess. I think I probably also made that suggestion so that Harry couldn't see that you and I were sitting together in the library.
Okay so on to the Polyjuice. It was second year. I remember making it and I remember what happened when I took it. I remember why we made it too. We were sure we knew who the Heir of Slytherin was and wanted to try and get a confession out of them and find out where the Chamber of Secrets was. In my memory it was Theo, which makes some sense since his father was a Death Eater. I'll have to ask Harry to see his memory of the time, but I bet it was actually you. Anyway, I had found moaning Myrtle's bathroom and knew that no one went in there so we were able to use it brew up the potion. We were each going to take some containing the hair of Slytherin students from our year. Harry and Ron took Crabbe and Goyle's place, and I was to take Millicent Bulstrode's. It didn't quite work out that way, at least not for me. I had taken a hair off of her robes during Dueling Club but it must have belonged to her cat. I had fur, and ears, and a tail. I had a tail. It was awful. Thank Merlin Madame Pomfrey rarely asked questions.
So those are the stories. I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about the map and not so much so to hear your reaction to the polyjuice. Harry returned the necklace to me, apparently he had been asked to find it and take it away after my memories had been erased/modified.
Hermione
12/10/99
To: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
From: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
Re: speechless
Hermione,
It's been three days since I read your last email and I'm still at a loss on what to say. I confess I did laugh at the thought of you with a tail and I apologize, how were you to know that Millie was cat crazy. She attracted them like flies to honey. I think at some point every single cat in the house made their way to her room, it drove Pansy mad. She hated the fur all over everything. Still does, I've no idea why she choose to take a flat with Millie knowing there would always be cats and kneazles around.
As for your guess that it was me you all suspected of being the Heir I'm sure it was. I don't recall any time that Crabbe or Goyle acted out of character but then they were never the brightest so it would be hard to tell the difference.
The map...the map… still don't know what to say about that. Part of me is just furious though that's ridiculous as this is all well and done. Part of me is just in awe of Potter's father and his friends, leave it to the Weasley twins to find it, figure it out, and put it to their own nefarious purposes. Speaking of the twins, I almost hesitate to ask this for many reasons most as yet unknown to you, but how is George?
There's really nothing else I can say after that is there?
Always yours,
Draco
12/11/99
To: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
From: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
RE: thoughtful of you to ask
Draco,
No matter your reasons for hesitating it shows great thought of others that you would ask after George. He is doing well these days, at least he is doing better than he was. He is working steadily but not overworking as he fell prey to do in the months after the final battle. He's spending time with the family again no longer hiding out. He's even started inventing again. Everyone makes a point of stopping in to see him every week or so just to check in on him. They do the same for Molly, well everyone but me. She's not so happy with me. I suppose that's only natural for a mother when someone has hurt one of her children.
Do you have plans for Christmas this year? I hope that you won't be alone.
Hermione
12/13/99
To: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
From: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
Re: no worries
Hermione,
Mother is coming to spend Christmas to New Year's with me. Terry invited us to join his family but we're staying in New Orleans. I'm going to show her around the city both the magical and Muggle sides. We'll have Christmas Eve and Christmas morning to ourselves and then we're going to Martha's for Christmas dinner. I appreciate that you asked though. I don't know how much time I'll have to respond over the next few weeks as Martha is planning on closing the shop at the end of the day on the 23rd and not reopening until January 3rd. We're in a rush making as many potions as we can for those needing to stock up for that time. We've all been going in early and staying late between that and Mother's visit I may not have much time. I'm actually going to sign off now and head to bed. If you don't hear from me, or if what I send is really short now you know why and I apologize in advance.
Always yours
Draco
12/14/99
To: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
From: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
RE: thank you
Draco,
Thank you for letting me know. Things are a bit nutters here as it seems the Ministry runs on a skeleton staff from Christmas to New Year's and as I'm the newest in my department I get to work that time so I'll also be scarce. If I don't get a chance before then I just want to say Happy Christmas! Have a wonderful visit with your mother.
Hermione
12/13/99
To: hg79ATyahooDOTcom
From: dlm80ATyahooDOTcom
Re: no worries
Hermione,
Then in case I don't get a chance to tell you Happy Christmas! I hope you enjoy your time with your family and can get a lot of work done while everyone else is out of the office.
Always yours,
Draco
a/n So this is a later post than I'd planned. Happy new year all! Thanks for the follows. I'm hard at work on the revisions for the next chapter with some possible bonus writing time next week I hope you post the next chapter sooner but no promises. Reviews would be enormously appreciated and could certainly spark the muse!
