11/07/1990
Wednesday, 11th July
Dear diary,
I had more wandless magic classes with Miyako sensei today. She is a very wise witch from Japan who has been teaching me, my dad, and Julius how to channel our magic without a wand. Wandless magic requires a lot of concentration and control, but also a deep connection with our inner magic. Miyako sensei says it's like learning to breathe in a new way. I've been practising a lot and feel more confident every day. Julius is also progressing, although he sometimes gets frustrated because he is very young and finds it a bit harder. Dad is incredibly talented, as always. Miyako sensei says that I will soon complete everything she can teach me, which makes me excited! Maybe a little worried, because that means the final exam day is approaching.
After each class with her, I meet with my friends to teach them what I've learned about wandless magic. Miyako sensei only teaches the three of us, so I feel very lucky to be able to share this knowledge with Draco, Luna, Blaise, Theo, Mir, Vince, and Greg. Pansy said she didn't want to learn anything from me; well, it's her loss. I started teaching them by showing how to move small objects without touching them. It was a bit difficult for them at first, but everyone tried hard. Draco, as usual, was a bit reluctant at first, but once he saw Luna move a feather, he got more excited. Blaise and Theo also did a great job, although Theo needs to concentrate more to avoid losing control. Mir is very good at this; I think she has a natural talent.
Martial arts classes with Professor Ryu remain exhausting. He teaches us how to handle various weapons and defend ourselves. My main weapon is the sword, but I'm also good with daggers and the bow. Since the rest of my friends recently joined our classes, the professor had us doing basic movements to strengthen our bodies. Ryu sensei is very strict but also very patient. He gave each of us a small test to see what we needed to work on more.
I still remember when he gave me that test; he told me that my body wasn't built to gain much muscle like his and that I should focus more on speed, agility, and flexibility. When I showed all this to my friends, they were very surprised.
Vins and Greg are more the muscular type, Blaise is intermediate, and Theo is surprisingly quite strong, almost like Greg, but he can move faster. My Draco hates this class. He prefers to be on his broom with Vins and Greg, flying around the Quidditch field. But Ryu sensei says it's important for all of us to know how to defend ourselves and have control over our bodies, so he made Draco take the test anyway. My Dragon is similar to Blaise but leans more towards speed and agility.
History classes with Professor Hall have started to get a bit more interesting. We're learning about Greek history since it's one of the countries we couldn't visit on our travels (I really regret not being able to go). I'm fascinated by the history of Greek gods and heroes. Today we learned about the Trojan War and the wooden horse the Greeks used to infiltrate the city. It's an exciting story full of lessons about strategy and bravery. Professor Hall told us this would be the last topic before our exam, and if we do well, history classes will be over! But if not, he'll give us more remedial lessons until we pass.
Recently, I had my last theory of transfiguration class with Professor Clarke. She is very strict and always expects the best from us. In class, we learned about advanced transfiguration, how to turn inanimate objects into living creatures. It's a very complicated but also very interesting topic. I would like it more if we could practise, but Professor Clarke says we can't do it without a wand. When I asked Miyako sensei, she said it's easier with a wand, but if I have supervision, I can try it without any problem. So I've been trying to turn small rocks into frogs, but somehow I've only managed to turn one into a toad! Not a frog, a toad!
Etiquette classes with Miss Walker have finally ended. This class is boring but very important. Miss Walker taught us how to behave in different social situations, something crucial for wizards and witches of our status. Our etiquette exam was complicated, but I did quite well. Miss Walker says I have good manners but need to work on my posture. Mir always excels in this class because she is very elegant and has a natural way of behaving.
We've also finished theory of charms classes with Professor Turner. Language classes with Professor Jackson are forever...
Latin is a new subject for me and all my friends, except Julius, who is still too young to learn it. It's an ancient and fascinating language. The professor explained how many magical words and spells come from Latin. I love learning the roots of words and discovering how spells are formed.
Draco always seems to know everything immediately, but Luna has a fun way of finding connections between Latin words and magical creatures. For example, today we learned the word "lux," which means light, and Luna mentioned how Nargles, according to her, always seek the light. Theo is very good at declensions and often helps Mir understand grammatical structures. Blaise takes his time, but he always ends up understanding things perfectly. Vins and Greg... they try hard... and we're all here to help them! I like the challenge of learning something new and seeing my friends also strive to improve. We've also been practising our conversation skills in French. Draco has perfect pronunciation, while Luna always finds creative ways to remember words. Theo and Blaise are progressing well, each being a master in their native languages, which reminded me that I want to learn my family's language in India.
When I told Professor Jackson, she said she was very proud that I finally found a language that excited me (I guess I wasn't very subtle about my dislike of learning languages, oops).
Dance classes with Cissy are fun. She is a wonderful dancer and very patient with us. We've been practising the waltz. Luna is the best dancer in the group, followed by Mir. Draco always complains about having to dance, but Cissy doesn't give him a choice. Blaise and Theo also try hard, although Theo has two left feet, just like Greg. Surprisingly, Vins isn't bad at dancing. I really enjoy this class because it's a fun way to relax and learn something new.
Last week, we started law and business classes with Lucy. This class is very important because it teaches us about the workings of the magical world and how to run our own businesses in the future. Draco is the best in this class. He has a very sharp mind for business and always asks the right questions. We've been learning about the structure of the Ministry of Magic and how magical laws work. It's a very complex subject (my poor head...). Luna also asks brilliant questions, and I'm surprised at how she can understand such complicated concepts so quickly.
Runes with Ro and Ra are going quite well. We're learning to read and write ancient runes at great speed, which is very useful for deciphering magical texts and creating powerful enchantments. Today we learned about protection runes and how to use them in our spells. I like this class because it's like learning a new magical language (the magical part is important...). Draco and Luna are very good at this, while Blaise and Theo need a bit more practice. (I won't comment on Vins and Greg...)
Potions classes with my dad are still the best! I always enjoy these classes because I love working in the lab with him. Today we prepared an advanced healing potion. It's a very complex potion, but dad guided us step by step.
Dad asked me how I was doing in my classes, and I mentioned that I was surprised we hadn't studied Herbology until now. Dad smiled and told me that, in fact, I had been learning Herbology for a long time without realizing it.
He explained that while he was teaching me potions, he was also teaching me Herbology. Every time we collected ingredients for the potions, I was actually learning about the properties of magical plants and how to cultivate them. I had never thought of it that way! To prove it, dad gave me a Herbology exam, and guess what, I got high marks! I felt very proud of myself. Now I understand why I always felt so comfortable working with ingredients and plants in his potions.
Even though I have a lot of work, I feel very fortunate to have all my friends and family supporting me. My friends and I help each other with our homework and have a lot of fun studying together. Some days, after finishing classes and homework, we relax by watching some videos we recorded during our travels. It's great to remember all the adventures we had and the amazing places we visited.
Anyway, I'm learning a lot! I'm very grateful to have my dad and all my friends and teachers supporting me in everything I do.
See you!
Goodbye!