Justin Finch-Fletchley

Sally-Anne,

How are you feeling?

I say, I've been reading back through all the Order posts, as well. I...have you come across the posts about Mr Milland--the real Mr Milland, that is?

Have you given any thought to whether you'll take Professor Dolohov's offer to stay in his N.E.W.T.-level course, regardless of marks?

I've been thinking about your week with your father. If there's anything you can think of to make it more tolerable, what, I hope you'll let us know. I'm not sure what I might be able to talk the Jugsons into doing or not doing but I feel certain I can shake off Alfie and Remy for most of the summer, what.

At this rate, we might well be devising missions for the Order before the end of July.

-Justin

Sally-Anne,

What's your timetable this afternoon? Megan's been having more and more trouble in lessons all day. I say, I think she might need something to reverse the damage. If we can figure out how to get something to relieve her, what, without her being any the wiser as to who came to her aid.

Sue, don't you agree?

-Justin

Happy birthday.

I'm sure it's not a happy one, what, but congratulations on it, all the same.

-Justin

Hullo,

I say, this waiting round at rehearsals is bally well disorganised, what? I'm well glad I brought homework.

(It wasn't too bad, today. Dark Arts. I even managed to answer a question on paired spellcasting and amplified magical effects without stammering. Professor Dolohov plans one of his 'informal luncheons' at the end of the week. I was thinking perhaps next week I should go and see who else turns up.)

Sally-Anne's post reminds me: I was supposed to ask you about whether you'd like a failsafe, in case things go horribly wrong. She's making a series of rings and--well, it's not a very pleasant thought but she plans to fill them with poison. If activated, the rings will 'notify' everyone else that someone's ring has, er, done its job, if you follow me. I say, I think there's an option to receive a ring that will notify without any poison in it. Because we've been thinking about--well, about someone trying to question us, what. And since none of us are an Occlumens it's bally well unlikely we'd be able to keep all our secrets for very long. Well, I say, I was supposed to ask you if you'd like one. If you do, tell Sally-Anne. I think we're trying to keep it quiet in case the discussion upsets others.

You'll understand I didn't wish to ruin our other conversation with talk about that, what! I've been thinking about that, a little more. Where and how. Have you found out anything your end? From Pansy or anyone else? I do think the 9^th will be the ideal time, when everyone else has gone to Hogsmeade. Do you suppose the Divination Tower might be private enough? It's supposedly quite cosy. Only neither of us take Divination so we've no reason to be there, if anyone should try to stop us heading up there.

Does everyone in Slytherin go to the village?

-Justin

I'm over halfway through my Transfiguration essay but I say, I'm not at all sure how I shall be able to go to Duelling Club tomorrow, there's so much left to do.

And with a Charms exam at the end of next week, I think we ought to get our revising group together. What do you say, Ron, old chap? Sally-Anne? Ernie and Sue? We might meet in the library for the books Professor Acton mentioned, what, with additional information on silence and noise-related charms. Anyone else interested?

-Justin

Harry,

I say, thanks very much for thinking to ask me and Patil to bring others last night. I hope we alleviated some concerns for the Gryffindors, what? I know some of us are still none too comfortable learning Professor Dolohov's subject but at least one can agree that the fellow does seem a reasonable enough chap.

As I said, my primary concern is that he does seem to expect rather a lot from us all, when we've other work to be doing for our other professors, as well. It's jolly well and good to love one's topic, what, but perhaps Mr Capper's unfortunate outcome can show us all the dangers of loving it to the exclusion of everything else!

Have any of the others given you any sense of whether it was helpful? Mind you, I think we bally well might need more protection from Madam Umbridge's particular brand of enthusiasm than from Professor Dolohov's, if you follow me. I say, she is aware that we're teenagers, what, and not still in our nursery room skirts? I quite wonder whether she realises that the YPL is good and all, but part of why we all liked Professor Siz so much was she treated us like we had half a brain among us. Did you see her message? I say, do you suppose she really wants to hear our opinions? Somehow I doubt anything other than wholesale agreement would meet with her approval, but of course one would never suggest a former Minister for Magic to be anything other than professional in the performance of her duties, what?

Listen, a few of us, including Sally-Anne and some others, were thinking of starting a Dark Arts revising group. If you'd like to join us, I'm sure you'd be welcome. I can't speak for the others, of course, but I daresay no one would be fussed if you cared to bring Miss Granger along as well. In case you needed her for anything, of course.

I'd have written to you earlier but I ran out of time at lunch and we've only just sat down in History of Magic, so it's the first chance I had since last night.

Hullo, All,

I'm back at the Jugsons' and Remy has been telling Alfie all about our 'adventures,' as he calls them, what. At least he's not well excited about Madam Umbridge coming to Hogwarts to run the YPL. I say, it probably would have been too difficult to hold my tongue if he were.

I was a bit worried at first that Remy would be jealous because I earned two of those bally old awards and he had none. It's odd, though, because he seemed even more proud of them than I am, as if somehow it reflects on him as well. Alfie was more upset by it than Remy, what? I'm not half sure what to make of that.

But at least it's over for the nonce. Although it sounds as if Madam Umbridge has no intention of allowing us to rest during the year, what? I say, I've never been quite so sorry to be right as when we learned she'll be quartered at school.

Speaking of which, when do you lot expect to go to Diagon Alley for your school things? Thankfully, the Jugsons have scheduled no more parties but it should be relatively simple to arrange to meet whenever others are going to New London.

I've been thinking more about Sirius' letter to you, Sally-Anne. In particular about his saying that we should all be talking more with each other about our opinions. I say, I don't know what you asked, apart from what you said, but I think he might mean that if we've already made friends we trust, we ought not to stop trusting them just because we think something different to one another. Or perhaps because we're afraid that those thoughts will end the friendship.

I think the Protectorate wishes us to distrust one another and to think that each of us is alone in any misgivings we might have. I think it works, what? I mean to say, Darius was so upset mainly because he didn't think he could talk to anyone. Luna, that's not your fault, what, nor anyone's in particular, except that no one wished to be the one who stepped forward. Or perhaps no one thought it was his place to do so.

It makes one wonder how many others are foundering in their own doubts, what?

It's got me to thinking about what we can do, as a group. Not bringing more people into the lock, obviously; I'm not going to open up that can of worms again, what!--but perhaps there's something to be done under the guise of something innocuous. What about a club? We could make it invitational and only invite the ones we think are bound to be reasonable. And Lee and the twins could come as well. Perhaps we could create some sort of educational lecture that we could have if we think someone's untrustworthy?

-Justin

Hello, friends,

How was the New London trip, what?

I say, CCF is coming up rather quickly, isn't it? Remy and I have gone swimming twice this week but I think overall I'm still well unprepared for whatever they're going to throw at us. Have you lot had any hints at all, as you've been counselling?

The Jugsons took me out to another party this afternoon. This one was at the Derwent home and Ron, your sister was there as well. Did you know she would be going?

The Derwents are rather nice although they seem to be the sort with loads of well boring acquaintances. There were a number of people our age, though, which made the time pass more quickly.

I've been terribly occupied all summer long and yet, I suppose it sounds a bit rich to say, but, I do miss home. Dijon, I should say. Only in little things, what? Like the fresh bread our cook made every other day or the chimes on the clock in my mother's salon. My old bed and the books I left behind. The view from my window onto the Rue de Talant. I miss television commercials and believe me, I never thought I should miss those in the slightest!

You've every right to tell me it serves me right, what? Still. I'm sure I shall snap out of it once we're all together again at the CCF exercises. Something about the party this afternoon made me think of home, I think.

Well, enough of that. Sally-Anne, you'd said you were going to write more to us, about visiting your mother? Do you think she's going to join forces with Mrs Weasley and Madam Pomfrey and become a three-witch crime-fighting squadron, what?

How is everyone else enjoying their holidays?

-Justin

Hullo,

Loki Dames just passed me a note from the Headmistress. I'm to come up this afternoon, when exams are over for the day but before supper. The Heads of Houses will be there.

So I suppose if anyone wants to come along, it'll be today.

I thought you two might be the best ones to pass the word. Hydra hasn't decided if she should come or not but either way, I thought it'd be best to write something semi-public about it, what?

-Justin

Hullo, Hermione,

Is it as difficult for you to read about Sally-Anne's mother as it is for me? I hardly know what to say, what, and certainly I think it's not at all fair to compare her situation with mine. Though I rather doubt I shall be here, anyway, come summer.

I say, I wonder if Hydra is still helping Harry with his preparation for the Task? I tried to talk to her after supper last evening and she said she was busy again, what. I rather think she might be cross with me and

well

Has she been...spending time with him, lately?

-Justin