Chapter 3: The Letters of Dominique Gabrielle Weasley
September 2013 ~ First Year
Dear Mum and Dad,
Guess what? I'm in Ravenclaw! You don't mind, do you? I saw Vic and she said she didn't think I was clever enough for Ravenclaw, which was a bit rude I thought. You have to answer a riddle to get into the common room but I haven't been locked out once yet, so what does Vic know.
There are four of us in my dorm and I think we're going to be friends. I like Letizia best. She's Italian, well her mum and dad and all her family are, but she was born here, and she's got a twin brother called Filippo who is in Ravenclaw too. The others in my dorm are called Monica and Nancy. Monica is really clever. She's read all our books and she already got like twenty points for Ravenclaw just in one day because she knew all the answers in lessons. Nancy is nice and really funny but she's silly about boys. She thinks Letizia's brother Filippo is cute, and she saw me talking to Teddy and she said he was gorgeous. Me and Letizia think that's gross.
I wish I had my broom here. Don't let Louis use it, will you? Next year I'm going to bring it and try out for the Quidditch team because there are three seventh years on it and they'll all be leaving.
Lots of Love,
Dom
September 2014 ~ Second Year
Dear Tante Gabi,
Thanks for saying I can write to you in English. I always get the spelling all wrong in French. Vic's much better at it than me, sometimes I think she should be the one in Ravenclaw.
It's a bit funny sometimes, being the only Ravenclaw in the family. I mean, nobody minds, but still. Up to me, the whole family was in Gryffindor, even Grandma and Granddad. My cousin Fred started this year, and he's in Gryffindor too, so that's another one. They all think Gryffindor's the best house, but Ravenclaw's just as good. Of course Maman wasn't in Gryffindor, but still, almost everything she knows about Hogwarts is about Gryffindor.
I'm trying out for the Quidditch team on Saturday. I don't know what they'll all say if I get onto it and end up playing against Gryffindor. My friend Nancy's going to try out too. She wants to be Seeker, but I think I'm going to try for Keeper. And our other friend, Filippo (who is my best friend Letizia's twin brother) is going to as well, but he plays Chaser.
Don't tell Maman, but I think Vic might be going out with a boy in her house. He's the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. I don't really know him but I don't think he's very nice, and he's three whole years above her. I asked her about it and she looked all annoyed and said it was none of my business. I actually thought Vic liked our friend Teddy, but Teddy's got another girlfriend now.
How's Sylvie? Can she say any words yet? Please teach her to say Dominique! Give her lots of kisses from me, and give my love to Pépère and Mémère.
Lots of Love,
Dominique.
January 2016 ~ Third Year
Dear Mum and Dad,
I'm sorry to announce that Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor at Quidditch yesterday, thanks (partly) to some amazing saves from yours truly. Actually, I'm not sorry at all. Please tell the whole family.
It was a great match, and if I do say so myself, we third years played pretty well. Fil scored three goals, and I saved a load, and Nancy caught the snitch. Considering we're the youngest people on the team, that's not bad. They're calling us the Baby Wonder Team now, which is a bit rude considering we're all thirteen, but quite cool that they think we're a wonder team! Especially as people complained so much when we all got put on the team last year.
Victoire will probably play it down, so I'd like to report that actually, we thrashed them. You should have seen Matthew Venables' face – he's Gryffindor Quidditch captain, and he looked pretty devastated. He should be, they were pretty awful. It's funny though, I saw Teddy after the match, and he said congratulations and looked really cheerful about it. Maybe someone needs to have a word with him about house loyalties. I don't think he likes Venables much though, so maybe it was that.
Talking of Teddy, him and Vic have had an argument. I don't know what about, but Vic's going round looking really grim. She looked kind of like she'd been crying last time I saw her, but she says she's just stressed.
That's all the news really.
Lots of Love,
Dominique
September 2016 ~ Fourth Year
Dear Tante Gabi,
Well, another year and two more Gryffindors in the family. Louis is in Gryffindor, and so is our cousin James, who's Louis' best friend. It's fine, though. I love Ravenclaw, and my friends are amazing.
Vic's looking pretty miserable at the moment – I think she misses Teddy. Well, she'll see him at Christmas, so I think she's overreacting a bit. But then Vic always overreacts about Teddy. The rest of the time she's all calm and cool and dignified and nothing ever gets to her, but Teddy's different. Thanks for not saying anything to Maman about them going out, by the way. Vic doesn't know I've told you, and she'd kill me because I promised not tell anyone in the family. She really meant our Weasley family though – you don't count because you don't know Teddy.
Nancy's got a new boyfriend, and Fil won't stop teasing her about it. It's funny to think that Nance used to fancy Fil back in first and second year, they just argue like brother and sister now. I think she should probably stop being quite as bad with him now she's got a boyfriend though, because to outsiders, it probably looks a lot like flirting. And Fil's the kind of person who would make other boys a bit insecure I think. I mean, I've never thought of him that way, because he's Letty's brother, and my friend and my team mate, but I can see that theoretically, he's very nice looking.
I think actually Fil might sort of fancy Nancy. I said that to Monica, and she said no, Fil fancied someone else. I asked her who it was and how she knew, but she wouldn't say anything else. Monica can be a bit weird sometimes. I think she has to be talking rubbish – I'm usually really good at spotting things like that, and I haven't noticed anything at all.
Please take notice of the owl that brings this letter. Grandma and Grandad Weasley gave her to me for my birthday. Her name's Fantome because that's what she looks like when she's flying in the dark. She's really friendly so you can let Sylvie pet her if you want.
Say Hi to Sylvie, and tell her I'm coming to see her at Christmas. And I'm going to teach her English, so I can write to her too. I know, you'll say the same as Maman and say I should get better at writing French, but I can speak it okay, and learning all the spelling just seems like a lot of effort for not much reason.
Anyway, this letter has turned into an essay, and unfortunately I have another essay to write, on boggarts or something, so I'd better go.
Lots of Love,
Dominique
September 2017 ~ Fifth Year
Dear Letty,
I miss you so much it hurts. When are you coming back from Italy? It really isn't the same without you. It feels like something's missing all the time. And Monica and Nancy are great, but they don't make up for not having you. I hope your Nonna's okay, and the funeral wasn't too bad. It sucks that you had to miss the start of term, and the Sorting feast and everything. Two of my little cousins started this year, and surprise! They're both Gryffindors.
I'm also a little bit jealous, because it's wet and cold here, and I know you're sitting in the sun somewhere. And you can tell Filippo that the Quidditch team's a mess without him, so he needs to hurry back. It'll be super embarrassing if we don't do well this year, because both Fred and James got onto the Gryffindor team, and I may have a teensy bet on with Fred.
Better keep you up with the gossip I suppose. Nancy's broken up with Shipton and is still at the crying stage. Monica still won't admit she fancies Edwin. Russell and Erin are still going strong and disgusting everyone with public displays of affection. Two of the seventh years got caught having sex in the Astronomy Tower. Gryffindors, obviously. I keep telling my family that the main difference between Ravenclaws and Gryffindors is that Ravenclaws don't get caught. Luckily neither of them was my sister. That would have been mortifying. Actually, I think Vic has more class than to have sex in the Astronomy Tower, let alone get caught doing it. Anyway, her boyfriend isn't here.
Oh, and the family now knows all about her and Teddy. My cousin James caught them kissing (in full view on the crowded platform when we were getting the train to school – what was that I was saying about Gryffindors?) and of course told the whole family. It's quite funny really. James and Louis won't stop teasing her about it.
Please come back soon! Writing all this to you just isn't the same as talking it over with you!
Loads of Love,
Dom
September 2018 ~ Sixth Year
Dear Vic,
You may have heard the family news, but I'm going to tell you anyway-I'm no longer the genetic freak, because Roxy is in Ravenclaw. Poor Rox, she looked a bit stunned when the hat shouted it out, although that might have been just because everyone was staring at her. I gave her a hug when she got to the table, and went a bit over the top about being pleased (even though I am genuinely pleased!) so she cheered up, but she told me that evening that she was worried about what Uncle George and Auntie Angie would say. I told her not to be daft, they're not going to fucking mind (I didn't say fucking to Roxy), any more than our parents minded about me. And luckily Uncle George seems to have refrained from teasing her (I suppose he is quite used to her by now) so everything is more or less good. Honestly, I think it's quite good for her-if she was in Gryffindor with Molly, she's so shy she'd just have ended up hanging out with Moll and nobody else.
Lots of Quidditch preparation going on. Luckily Nancy and Fil seem fine with the fact that I got Captain-I was a bit worried they'd mind, especially Fil. Now I can use the prefects' bathroom with Monica-I can't believe you never told me how nice they are! I'd definitely have found a way to sneak in last year if I'd known.
How's the Ministry? Are you running the place yet? I bet Uncle Percy was delighted when you took that job. Didn't he start in the same department? And how's things with you and Teddy? I need regular updates, you know.
Love,
Dom
May 2020 ~ Seventh Year
Dear Teddy,
I probably ought to yell at you for what you've done to Vic, but I figure you probably have enough people doing that. And I ought to hate you, and honestly part of me kind of does, but also I've known you literally all my life, and you're part of the family, and that doesn't just go away, no matter what happens between you and Vic.
Plus, I heard what happened with Zoe, and I wanted to say I'm sorry. I don't really know what else to say about it, so I'll leave it at that.
Write back or don't, it's up to you. Maybe see you in the summer, though?
Dom
A/N: To know the story of what happened between Teddy and Victoire, and how it resolves, please check out Playing with Fiendfyre! :)