Starboy

27 March 1996

Starboy,

I'm so glad you enjoyed the book! Romeo and Juliet is a timeless classic.

Though, I have to agree with you; they are kind of brainless. But can you blame them? They are just teenagers drunk in love. Plus, in the movie, Romeo is extremely fanciable! Juliet is super pretty, too. I think you'd like her.

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt. She doesn't deserve that, you know? I don't know how it is in strict pure-blood families, but I think parents should support their children no matter what. I'm not pure-blood, so I guess my life is very different from yours.

Anyways, Beauty and the Beast is a GREAT next book. I recommend the original version by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, but any version is good. I'm not sure which version the Hogwarts library has, but if it's not this one, let me know and I can lend you my copy. If you couldn't already tell by the title, Beauty and the Beast is also a romance, but this one has a happy ending.

Happy reading,

Bookworm

===

Draco sat on his bed, slouched against the headboard, reading the book Bookworm had recommended. He was so deep in focus that he didn't even notice Blaise and Theo storming the room. "Hey Malfoy, we were going to go to the party-" Theo called out, "Oh." Theo rolled his eyes at the sight of his friend reading a fictional muggle book.

"Mate," Blaise groaned, "Not another muggle book?"

"Shush," Draco waved his friends away, "It's just getting good."

"Whoever Bookworm is," Theo snickered, "She has him whipped."

Finally, Draco looked up from his reading, "You two can go, I'll meet up with you later."

As Blaise and Theo headed out the door, Blaise whispered, "Or never."

===

31 March 1996

Bookworm,

I didn't want to write back until I finished the story. I wanted to be able to write all my thoughts at once.

I liked this book, but it wasn't as good as the first.

First of all, aren't merchants supposed to be poor? How was he able to afford all these luxurious things for his TWELVE kids? Also, I can't imagine having eleven siblings. That would be so chaotic. Once he loses all his ships, that's more what I imagined a merchant would live like.

Also, I find it VERY unlikely that Beauty would remain so thoughtful and kind despite being surrounded by superficial and materialistic siblings. Especially being the youngest, all of her siblings should rub their personalities off on her, but she seems quite the opposite of them, which I know is an important aspect of the story, but it's still unrealistic.

And I don't know how stupid this merchant was, but why on Earth would anyone enter a random person's house? I don't care if I was dying, I'm not going inside a creepy castle - I would probably die in there anyway.

If the beast had so many roses, why didn't he allow the merchant to take just one? It's going to grow back anyway. This book is filled with stupid characters.

When Beauty goes to the Beast's castle, it is the first time they've ever met, but he asks her to marry him every day? Talk about obsessed! You'd think he'd get the hint that maybe it's too soon for marriage. Once again, proving why the Beast is stupid.

It is quite the coincidence that the second Beauty arrives back at the castle, the Beast is dying. She realized she was in love with him, but how well did she actually know him? They barely talked!

In the end, when Beauty finds out that she and the Prince are COUSINS (gross), I guess that explained why she was so different from her "siblings." Though being basically royalty, you'd think that she would be into the extravagant things her "sisters" were into. I can't believe they actually got married, but I guess times were different back then. And before you say something about pure-bloods being inbred, we do not marry our first cousins! The closest that I've known to be married were sixth or seventh cousins.

On the topic of pure-blood families, I would say most of them DO support their children in all ways, but those in the Sacred Twenty-Eight would prefer to preserve that distinguished title, so they may support their children's desires in all ways except marriage to a non-pure-blood. I will not be disclosing whether or not my family is in the S28.

What is a movie? I'm assuming it's a muggle thing. Is there a movie for Beauty and the Beast?

What book do I read next? The Frog Prince or The Necklace or The Great Gatsby?

Your book club friend,

Starboy

===

Hermione was conflicted. Starboy had upgraded their situation from strangers to friends, but he had also confirmed her suspicions. They could never be romantically involved - his parents would never be okay with it.