Joyce took out her telescope and brought it out to her favourite spot in the garden, the spot in which she always placed the brass instrument. She then went back to her room and grabbed her star charts, her notebook, and her pencilcase. She had got the pencilcase from a Muggle shop, because she'd found the pens and pencils much more practical than quills, easier to use and transport. Once more in the garden, she settled on the ground and zipped her coat up to her neck, because even if it was late August, it was getting chilly. Joyce checked her watch; the star rain wasn't scheduled for another two hours. Joyce used that time to write to her parents. On a mission to France, the two Aurors had had to leave their two children alone; it was a confidential mission and a baby-sitter would have seemed strange to be taking care of adults to any spy or onlooker. So Joyce and James had received the permission from their parents to invite some friends to make the house seem full, but Joyce missed her parents more than James seemed to, as she never saw him write to them. The seventeen-year-old girl smiled as she thought of what she was going to tell her parents.
Dear Mum, dear Dad,
I hope you're doing fine, both of you. I also hope your trip is going fine. We miss you a lot over here, James and I are hoping that you'll be home soon. James's friends have arrived a few days ago, we'll be going to Hogwarts on our own, being adults and all. Don't worry, I'll be with them, it'll be fine. Tonight is the Grand Night! The shooting star shower is finally happening. Dad, I'm sorry we can't do this together, I was looking forward to stargazing with you so much! Too bad this trip of yours came up. I'll tell you all about it when we get back, I promise. Mum, I was in Diagon Alley the other day, just after you left, and I went into Muggle London. I saw this awesome shirt in a Muggle shop, it said "Keep calm and stargaze with me". I bought it; it was only the equivalent of five Galleons. I'll lend it to you if you want! Anyway, I'm thinking more and more about applying as Astronomy Teacher at Hogwarts; you know it's my passion. I mean, now that I look back, the only thing I've talked about in my letter so far is stars, stargazing, and Astronomy... Maybe I should move on to talking about boys, but I doubt Dad would like that! All in all, all's well here, James hasn't burnt the house down (yet), I'm training for Quidditch a bit more, because, guess what, Dad! I was made Quidditch Captain on my Ravenclaw Team! I 'm not that surprised, actually, because I didn't think that after two years of faithful service to the Ravenclaw Team, they'd throw me out. I hope you're proud of me, Dad!
Love you lots, missing you a lot more,
Joyce
