Chapter 2
2 September 1998
Fred,
I know it’s only been a day, but I did promise to write you twice a week and it’s already almost Thursday. There are so few of us back for our “8th year,” only about 19 or so. So much has changed around here, which of course is to be expected, but it still feels wrong. Sirius is teaching potions this year and for the first time since Slughorn started, I find myself actually excited for potions class tomorrow. McGonagall put him and Professor Lupin in charge of us, they’ve got us separate from everyone else. Separate common room and bedrooms, private dining area. The only thing we do with the younger students is have breakfast with them (if we choose to) and take class with the 7th years. Parts of the castle are still lying around in crumbled messes, a skeleton of the places they used to be. Trelawny has retired and now that we have a competent, uncursed teacher, I suspect Ron is much more gifted in divination than we expected. Looking back through the years, it’s scary how many things he predicted with such accuracy.
But all of that is irrelevant. How are you? How is the shop? Do you miss me and my product knowledge yet?
Eagerly awaiting your reply,
Hermione
3 September 1998
Hermione,
George and I have been saying for years that Ron was too perceptive for his own good! I’m glad to see that someone else finally agrees. The dorm situation sounds… interesting. Who, praytell, are you rooming with my dear Hermione? More importantly, who is everyone else rooming with? I know you and your sharp eyes must have picked up on all the potential soulmate matches and the latest gossip!
As for me and the shop, well, I didn’t want to say anything, but Georgie has been looking a bit forlorn without you here. Of course, he’ll tell you it’s because you’re not here to play buffer between him and my rather brilliant jokes. But I think it’s really because I’m rather grouchy without the sound of your laugh to get me through the day- George is just too nice to say anything about it yet. After all, it has only been one day- one day too many, in my opinion. Who else is going to get my potions jokes?
Forlornly staring into the distance,
Fred
P.S. Fred wasn’t joking. He’s a beast to deal with in the mornings now. We all miss you. xx George and Lee