Test.

Cool

To the Half-Blood Prince,

I wanted a break from practising nonverbal spells and thought I'd try out another of your handy charms. The one to duplicate your notes into this second book. Then I thought I could try sending you the 2ndcopy of my notebook, and it turns out my owl knows who you are! I suppose you're in northern England or Scotland like me because she returned so soon?

Since my teacher hates me and always gives me detention, I might not have much time to write. And my girlfriend doesn't like me writing in a diary, even though I've told her this had no magic inside it. (It's not like you can reply, I doubt you're even reading to be honest?)

It's not important that you know who I am, I don't really want to introduce myself. I mainly wanted to thank you for the help your notes have given me, I think I'm a better wizard for it. I'm still learning your changes to the potions instructions (there are so many!). My favourite spell is Muffliato. Langlock is cool. And it works on poltergeists! There's an annoying one where I live.

Have you written any spellbooks? Is your real name Vindictus Viridian? (I know you can't reply. But your spells remind me of some hexes I saw in his book)

Thanks,
A Friend

Levicorpus is a good one. Most nonverbals require a ton of effort, but this one's just a thought. I wish there was a 'book of effortless nonverbal spells' I could have up my sleeve.

I wish you could write back. Someone was cursed today and you're probably a Dark Arts expert. My own Defence teacher isn't very approachable…

My friends fancy each other, so I might be writing more often.

Tried out the Toenail-Growing Hex, and I like that one too.

Having a crap time with Charms homework, I'm never going to get the hang of nonverbal spells. It's a shame I didn't find your annotated Charms textbook, I don't suppose it's lying around the school…? haha

My mates aren't speaking. And not because they're snogging each other all the time. But because they want to be, I reckon.

It's a bit lonely right now.

My teacher is such a dick. He probably enjoys making other people miserable because he's miserable himself. He's terrible at explaining things, can't accept that I'm ever right, always looking to take points or belittle me or my friends, perhaps he'd loosen up a bit if he'd have an affair with the

Are you quite done?

Christ! Didn't know you could reply!

This is my spell. And I've been far too busy to make it two-way until I had a couple of hours free this evening. Conversing with disgruntled schoolchildren is a futile, unprofessional pursuit, but I enjoy a spell crafting challenge.

How long did it take for you to invent the spell?

Weeks, and I never finished it. It was not intended to be one-way.

Why didn't you finish?

I developed it to converse with friends and abandoned the task when it was no longer required.

It's freeing, writing to you when you don't know who I am. I can be myself.

I never signed up to be anyone's Agony Aunt.

Sorry to bother you. You could ignore your copy or chuck it out. We probably don't have much in common, anyway. But thank you. You've helped me a lot.

You're welcome.

Do you know why, in antidote analysis, you shouldn't start with the temperature adjustment?

Yes

?

I'm not your private tutor.

Sorry.

Have you no ideas of your own?

Something to do with entropy, maybe. I'm in the library, but not sure where to begin. Don't worry, sorry to bother you, have a good evening.

Search within the analytical section. Not antidotes.

Brilliant! Thanks
Because in rare compound poisons, it might curdle?

Are you asking me, or telling me?

Telling you, I suppose. Tentatively.

Correct.

Great!

Self-praise is no praise at all.

I know. But someone's got to do it.

I admire all the hard work you put in. Do you work in spell making?

You should not admire me. You don't know what I'm capable of; you don't know me at all.

Well, thanks for all your help. I appreciate it.

What countries have you been to?

I get little time to travel. But I have seen Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.

Would you travel more if you could?

Yes. Especially considering how remarkably easy it is to sojourn as a wizard. I'd like to visit the chimæras in Greece… Life gets in the way. And you?

Never been anywhere. Maybe one day I'll get the chance. What part of society would you like to change?

An interesting question.
The need for contacts when applying for work. Talent only goes so far, and the shortfall is topped up by whom you know. If you fail to make connections, you can end up trapped.

Are you trapped?

Yes.
Do not pity me. I am trapped of my own volition.

Oh! Are you married?

Certainly not.

Sorry, I realise that was rude. Anyway, you don't have to answer personal questions.

Back to politics, then. Are you happy with society?

I don't know if I'm experienced enough to have many opinions. I think everyone in Azkaban must have a fair trial. Nobody should go there unless convicted of something terrible.
Blood Quills should be illegal.
And something is dodgy about the elections, but not sure what
What do you make of the new Minister for Magic?

Do you truly want to know my political beliefs? Aren't you fourteen?

No! Why do you say that? And yes, I do.

Basic antidote analysis questions and whinging over lovesick friends.
Anyone would be an improvement from the last halfwit. A leader concerned about appearance above all else is a leader to watch out for. Don't cross this one.

He was an Auror.

I hate Aurors.

I'll bear that in mind.
It's crazy and inspiring that you learnt and invented so much when you were a student.

I did little else.

I quit a hobby that took up loads of time so I can study more. You've really motivated me and I've been doing a lot better at school lately.

Good.

Hello

Burning the midnight oil?

So are you. Can't sleep?

Work is hectic, too much to do.

But you have time to write back.

I'm easily distractible of late.

Favourite kind of chocolate?

Black Magic selection box, chocolate flavour.
No more questions; go to sleep.

Goodnight!

Magical Interference When Brewing

House-elves
Sunlight
Electrical light?
Some protective enchantments
…

Anything else…?

The hour is rather late to be doing schoolwork.

I know. I've been at it for ages. Can't find a book on this topic.

Extreme heat. Dirty cauldrons. Self-cleaning cauldrons. Poorly ventilated workrooms. Brandishing a wand or knife that doesn't belong to you. Magical instruments in the vicinity. Of course, this is why it is best to brew underground.

Pity you didn't annotate the page on this.

I didn't see any need. It's obvious.

You're a brilliant teacher. I've pretty much memorised all your spells and potions instructions now.

All of them?

Yeah!

Was Sectumsempra in my book?

Yes, what does it do?

Avoid it.

Why?

Dark Magic is not to be wielded lightly.

God, my teacher really hates me.

Why?

Good question. Not for any rational reason—he hated me as soon as he set eyes on me. He mentioned once that I was arrogant and a bully, and it was then that I realised he didn't know me at all.

I don't imagine he does, no.

What do you do for a living?

I'd rather not say.

Oh, is it bad?

Depends on your perspective.

Nothing illegal, I hope. My friend reckons you might be dodgy since you invent curses rather than stick to the shop-bought ones…!

Nothing illegal or exciting. Did you finish your Potions essay, or is this evidence of further procrastination?

All right, all right, I'll get back to it.

Practise turning milk into yoghurt nvbl - Tuesday
9" Compare and Contrast Intra-Mammal and Intra-Reptile Transfiguration - Thurs
Practise nvbl Protego - Weds !
11" The Arguments For and Against Dementor Destruction - next Weds
7" Soil Composition in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and its Relationship to White-Tipped Ivy - Friday PM

How thrilling.

Sorry. Forgot spare parchment.

Any plans for Christmas?

Hopefully eat too much dark chocolate, we will see. Shouldn't you be off making merriment?

Yeah. Just thought I'd check in with you and see if you were at your desk.

I'm not always at my desk when I write.

It's how I picture you.

How else do you picture me?

About 60, long purple robes and beard, sitting at an ink-stained desk. Assistants rush around a hundred cauldrons, all bubbling with different potions whilst you order them about. Am I close?

Not at all. But I like the vision it brings to mind.

My friend thinks you're a woman.

'Prince'.

I know.

Your friend isn't very bright.

Yes she is!

You told her we write?

No. Just the textbook. She disapproves of people who annotate books. And doesn't think I should try out spells that aren't 'official'.

In that case, it's Miranda Goshawk or nothing.

Yep.
You're not 60, then? The textbook was published nearly 50 years ago.

And what year was the latest version published?

OK I've checked my friend's copy, and I suppose they still haven't updated it. I think you're telling me that you could be any age 17–60.

Don't you have better things to be doing on Christmas Eve than writing to a 17 to 60-year-old man who may or may not be wearing long purple robes?

Everyone's asleep. And I was awake thinking about potions, actually.

Perhaps we have more in common than I thought. I presume you don't take this book out in company.

I bring it with me everywhere, but I've disguised it.
Do you know much about the Wolfsbane Potion?

I do.

Is it difficult to brew?

Not really. It requires a high deal of concentration. And intuitive precision concerning the seasons and lunar cycles.

Sounds difficult to me. Why don't more werewolves take it?

A major barrier to entry is the fortune it costs for the rights to the instructions. Few can access Wolfsbane even if they wanted to. Why are you consorting with werewolves?

I never said I was.

They are dangerous creatures.

Only at the full moon.

Not all of them.

I've heard all about Greyback. Not many are like that.

The majority are like that.

Happy Christmas!

And to you.

Let's play it safe. What did you get for Christmas? I hope you got all the chocolate you asked for.

Wine, chocolate, socks, books. Not bad. And you?

A jumper and some playing cards. Did you know that Patronuses can change their form?

I did.
This unusual manifestation can take place after a great shock, an emotional upheaval, or when one loves another fiercely to the point of devotion.

Wow. That's not in any of my textbooks.

Though interesting, factoids such as those are not helpful in preparing to fight the ever-changing Dark Arts, an eternal, indestructible force.

There are other things I want to learn. Like how do Dementors breed? Where do they come from?
Where do the memories go after a Memory Charm, given that powerful Legilimency or torture can overcome it?

Dementors and Lethifolds haven't always existed. They comprise Dark Energy, and exist on account of tears in the fabric between the worlds. Veils leak Dark Energy into our world and, at the threshold in which there's enough despair in a region with a high concentration of Dark Energy, a Dementor is born.
As for memories, I think you'd better acquaint yourself with some Mind Magic books. It's too complex a topic to communicate in just a few paragraphs.

Like the veil in the Department of Mysteries?

The very same. The British research is classified but there are theses written on the veil in Chile.

Wow. Cool.

Merry Christmas. Go to sleep.

Goodnight!

Have you ever heard of Horcruxes?

No.

I have investigated the matter further (I dislike being unable to answer academic questions posed to me by schoolboys). Although I am neither your teacher nor guardian and so cannot forbid you, I must dissuade you from reading further on the subject. It is a despicable branch of Dark magic and you have no need of such knowledge.

I was just wondering. I'd stumbled across the word when reading but it didn't explain what they were.

Put it far from your mind.

Does anyone understand Golpalott's Third Law?

Let us pretend that was rhetorical.

Are you a Quidditch fan?

Who isn't?
Favourite team?

I was Muggle-raised so don't have a team yet. Can't wait till I can go to the League matches. Who do you support?

Whom. Puddlemere United. You can listen to the games on the Wizarding Wireless Network, don't you have a radio?

No, but I'd like one.
Do you play?

I like flying but prefer not to partake in team sports. I've done a bit of refereeing. I thought you saw me as sixty and bearded?

I don't any more.

Perhaps you should. Do you play Quidditch?

I used to. Hopefully I'll play again after I finish school. Are there amateur clubs?

There's the mixed under-21s league. You ought to look into it when you've left Hogwarts.
It's good to see students taking their NEWTs seriously.

It's good to see bearded 60-year-olds taking the League seriously.

Has your dad ever disappointed you? what was he like?

He disappoints me every single day. He let my mother and I down in every way possible. I can't count how many jobs he's had:
Butcher. Joiner in a coffin factory. Pie production line assistant. Lorry driver. I stopped keeping up with it.

Muggle?
Oh right—Half-Blood Prince. Was he sacked a lot?

It's hard to retain any job when you're a lazy, late drunk, with no charm to speak of and no connections.

He sounds rubbish. What does your mum do?

He didn't like magic, so she worked as a dinner lady until she passed away many years ago.

I'm sorry.

7" Principles of De-Materialisation - Mon
4" The Impact of the Lunar Cycle on Fungi Harvests - next Tues
Read first 3 chapters of Intro to Rare Antidotes - Thurs
5" Detecting Atmospheric Charms - Tues
Practise nvbl pencil to candle back again - Thurs
nvbl Impedimenta - Friday PM

Oh good. My valuable time is spent reading a child's homework list.

Sorry, ran out of parchment again. Want to play chess?

How?
Shouldn't you be doing your essays?

I've set up my board. I'll go first. Knight to F3.

All right, wait a moment.
Knight to F6

Pawn to C4

Pawn to G6

Knight to C3

Bishop to G7

Pawn to D4

Castling.

My pieces aren't very happy with you!
Bishop to F4

Pawn to D5

Queen to B3

Pawn to C4! My first of many acquisitions.

Don't celebrate too soon.
Queen to C4

That was planned. Pawn to C6

Of course it was. I believe you.
Pawn to E4

Knight to D7

Castle to D1

Knight to B6

Queen to C5

A questionable move. B3 would have given your queen safer options. Mind your uncastled king. Bishop to G4

Bishop to G5

Knight to A4

Queen to A3

Knight to C3!

Ha. Pawn to C3

Knight to E4

Bummer. Bishop to E7!

Queen to B6

Bishop to C4

Knight to C3

It looks like you're offering me that knight, but I know your queen will take it… going to ignore the advice of my pieces. Bishop to C5

Get a Muggle set. No need for distracting and unwelcome intrusions.
Rook to E8. That's a castle, to you

I know what a rook is! King to F1

Bishop to E6

Bishop to B6. Sorry.

You should have declined my queen. Bishop to C4

I've got a bad feeling about this.

So you should.

King to G1

Knight to E2. Check.

King to F1

Knight to D4. Check.

Bollocks. Very nice. King to G1

Knight to E2. Check again.

King to F1

Knight to C3, check.

King to G1

Pawn to B6

Queen to B4

Rook to A4

Ahhhh. Queen to B6

Knight to D1

Pawn to H3

Rook to A2

King to H2.

Knight to F2

Though you don't have a queen, everything is in your favour.

Just the way I like it.

You don't have to be so smug about it. Castle to E1

Rook to E1

Queen to D8. Check.

Bishop to F8

Knight to E1. Pointless carrying on, but let's see.

Bishop to D5

Knight to F3

Knight to E4

Queen to B8

Pawn to B5

My chess pieces are giving me terrible advice. Pawn to H4

Pawn to H5

They're conspiring against me! Knight to E5… I think

Touch-move rule, I'm afraid. King to G7

King to G1

Bishop to C5, check.

King to F1

Knight to G3, check.

King to E1

Bishop to B4, check.

Yes I know, you don't need to keep telling me, king to D1

Bishop to B3. Check.

King to C1

Knight to E2, check.

King to B1

Knight to C3, check.

Aahh! King to C1

Rook t

Yeah yeah you don't need to say it, checkmate.

Nice game.

You're only saying that because you won. I can almost see you smiling.

Now now, don't be a sore loser.

How can I get better at chess?

Study basic tactical motifs, such as discovered checks, double attacks, pins, skewers. Learn the theory behind simple openings, entire books have been written about the Grünfeld, but it's too much of a time sink at your level. Strengthen your position until an opportunity for a concrete attack presents itself.
You're too novice to worry about your endgame just yet.

Thanks for the tips!

Get back to your essays.

I know it's first-year stuff, but your note on bezoars just saved my friend's life. Actually, I could've died too, all of us, if he hadn't sipped his drink first. Then you'd have been stuck wondering 'did that boy stop writing to me because he's a sore loser at chess?'
I've never stopped to wonder 'if I'd done something differently, I'd be dead'. But I haven't ever taken the time, either. But since he's laid up, and I can't sleep, it made me think. I'm glad of this diary, I think I reflect more on my mistakes and what I can do differently.

Are you actually reading all this?

Okay going back and adding commas was a bit unnecessary. You could've just said 'yes'.
You're a good listener, though.

I just know I'm going to get a terrible mark on my essay on the best way to tackle Dementors because I disagree with my professor.

Alternatively, you are wrong. It's an arrogant position to take that you know more than your Defence master.

I know what I'm supposed to put, but I'm no good at writing what people want me to say.
I must not tell lies.

You've made your potion, now drink it.

It's funny, you can be really helpful sometimes, but other times you're sort of rude.

Cry me a river.

Exactly the point I'm making.

I enjoy helping those who invest their effort, respect my time, and possess even a modicum of natural talent.

Fair enough!
So since it's the Easter holidays and I've fully understood and memorised all your notes, should we talk about the Erumpent in the room?

I don't know what you mean.

memorised ALL your notes
Are you still there?

No.

The sex stuff.
Hello?
?

Are you of age?

Yeah

...

Temporary gag reflex removal. Throat relaxant. Cum sweetener. There's a note at the bottom to say that they're incompatible with contraception. And I was wondering why.

On the whole, I'm not interested in that realm.

Preventing pregnancy?
Oh! I see what you mean.
You would've tested them out on yourself, right?

No matter one's sexual predilections, it is polite to trial one's new potions and/or spells on oneself, especially in the bedroom arena.

Yeah. You wouldn't want that going wrong on someone else. Especially the one that stops you coming too quickly when you're excited.

Having the opposite effect would be undesirable indeed.

The one that makes a dick taste like cherries sounds intriguing.
I might give some of these a go. The lube instructions look simple enough.

They are hardly NEWT-level. I fully expect someone of your calibre to brew them with ease.
As to whether you should trial them… Certainly not with your girlfriend.

What girlfriend?

The girlfriend you said you had on 1st October.

Oh. About that. I lied cos I was trying to hide my identity, but I realise there's no point because it's not like you're at Hogwarts. There was a girl I considered asking out, but I'd rather talk to you. I don't know what that says about me.
Sorry.
Are you still there?

Hello?

The weirdest thing happened today. After curfew (was at a funeral for a giant spider… don't ask…) I ran into that teacher who hates me and he didn't say anything, just let me go.
Everything is upside down in the world.

My friend is out of hospital! The one I mentioned months ago who'd got cursed.

I'm pleased to hear it. I hope she's suffered no lasting ill-effects.

Yeah, she's fine. Thank God. How have you been? Aren't you at work?

I do not work during every single minute of the working week. I could say 'Aren't you at school?' No doubt you are squandering a free period.

Trying and failing to do some nonverbal Charms stuff. It's nice to talk to you during the day.

Back to work, then.

I'll have less time to write because I've got detention until the end of time. I shouldn't complain, I deserve it.
I ran into a boy in my year who hates me. He turned around and was saying 'Crucio' so I used Levicorpus (thanks for that, saved my hide since I'm still no good at nonverbal spells) but on the way down, he cracked his head on the sink. I've had worse Quidditch injuries so he would've been fine, but I suppose it was a good job a professor came by to help him to the Hospital Wing. Anyway, I think my teacher suspects something cos I'm no good at potions normally and all year he's kept finding reasons to give me detention. He asked for my books so I hid Advanced Potion-Making so he wouldn't find it (not that it matters, I've memorised the whole thing). And now he's given me a million detentions anyway

Why didn't you tell him about the Cruciatus Curse?

I knew he wouldn't care. The way he looks at me (not so much recently), he'd like to cast it on me himself.

I'm sure that's not true.

Great, now he's starving me until after lunch, helping me learn all sorts of nasty shit my dad did when he was at Hogwarts. Though I admire him for being brave, he was a bully when he was younger. As if I didn't already know that I would've hated him had we been at school together. I know exactly what it's like to be bullied, my cousin wouldn't let anyone be friends with me in primary school, he took my lunch money, I'd spend all break time hiding from him and his gang.

How are you?
Things are mental, I didn't get to watch the Quidditch final (we won!) and now there's a massive party in the common room. Got bored after a while and thought I'd rather talk to you.
I know you're probably busy, but I realise it's been ages. Is everything OK?

Revise Cross-Species Switching Spells - Thurs
Read chap 39 The Highs and Lows of Advanced Geological Charms - Tues
9" Considerations When Duelling in the Dark, With Respect to Dark Creatures - Weds
7" Fertilisation of Mandrakes in the Northern Hemisphere - Friday PM

Are you all right?

Dunno if you've died or something, but I'll carry on just in case you're still there. Pretend it's a notebook again.
Don't know if I should do all these subjects next year, I'm not academic enough. Took me ages to get the hang of Apparition.
Everyone's coupled up and all I want to do is write to you instead.
This is just another way I don't fit in.

Your handwriting has become familiar, like an old friend, so I'm a bit gutted that you've stopped replying. Between the notes in the textbook and your advice in this diary, you're the best teacher I've ever had. I hope you're all right.

You hardly know me at all.

I'd like to know you better