Observation and commentary

Any fifth or seventh year prefects who need some extra study time, let me know, I'm happy to take on some extra shifts.

Also, fifth years, if you need any last minute help with exam prep, just ask.

Sleep well, stay calm, eat well and GOOD LUCK!

The accusations against my mother are complete bollocks. This idiocy needs to be over.

Why do travel delays always make you feel tireder?

My condolences to the Zabini family. It's just sickening what happened.

All this finger pointing about who and who isn't a neo-purist is getting farcical.

Those shamrocks are giving me a headache.

( Private to Charlotte )

( Private to Eric )

To re-iterate Miss Harkness, whatever your personal opinions of recent events and persons involved, that is no call to break school rules and start throwing verbal mud at others. Should I see any more derogatory comments and unfounded accusation regarding Emerson Mulciber or any member of Slytherin, points will be docked and detentions given.

Happy Birthday Cam, and Lorcan and Lysander too!

It's St David's Day tomorrow - I hope there are Welsh cakes at breakfast, they're so good warm with butter!

Isn't it strange how easily things fall back into a normal routine? Aside from the lingering effects of last week (the wand checks and owl scanning) classes are going back to the usual and people are gossiping about other things.

( Private to Aisling )

( Private to Cam )

I think I talked to Cam yesterday. I can't be sure, but I was in the library and I felt like someone was there, beside or behind... it was a strange sensation, especially as I couldn't see anybody around. Then an Arithmancy book literally jumped off the shelf and landed in front of me. I just had this feeling it was Cam, so I talked to him. I have no idea if he heard me though.

Other people have talked about seeing strange things, so perhaps they are trying to communicate...

...Oh! The missing are returning?

I really hope that the missing students are brought home safely and soon. Watching the Ministry personnel working and not being able to do anything to help is very frustrating.

Whatever method was used to disappear the students, it clearly was flawed, since it didn't just pick up Muggles and Muggleborns - and missed some as well (which I'm very glad about! The less disappeared, the better). If I thought they'd believe me I'd tell Iona and Niamh how relieved I am that they're safe

[Hexed to Prefects/Head Boy/Head Girl]

I probably don't need to say this, but I doubt the latest slambook entry was written by O'Carolan, despite the writing style and wording.

However, from what I've seen so far the majority of the comments on people have been positive, and hopefully it will stay that way, but at the same time we should be prepared for trouble.

[/End hex]

It's a pity Hogsmeade weekend isn't earlier.

( Private )

Thank you to everyone who came and contributed to Charlotte's party, I really appreciate the help and hope you all had a good time. A special thank you to Phil for organising the music and Tristan for the decorations!

I tried using one of the telephones today, but the static was so bad I ended up with a headache rather than achieving anything. Of course, my curiousity is now piqued about how the magic to make them function works... or doesn't in this case.

Last week of January... the year is already passing by fast. There's the musical and the ball coming up too.

( Private to Eric )

[Private]
To do for Charlotte's party:

- Ensure Charlotte is distracted.
- Decorate common room
- bring up the party food and light candles
- Get the bandstra set up to play when she comes in

Anything else???

[/Private]

[Hexed to friends of Charlotte]

Everything is on track for Charlotte's party tomorrow, please be in the Ravenclaw common room from 4pm onwards.

If someone could volunteer to distract Charlotte and get her out of the common room at around 2pm, bring her back at 4, that would be most appreciated!

[/Hex]

( Private )

Congratulations to both teams! You both played well, no matter who won.

Yesterday's game was one of my favourite sorts to cheer, it's more exciting when the outcome isn't clear. Gen and I are coming up with some more complex routines for the next game.

( Private to Paul )

( Private to Charlotte )

( Private to Juliana Harkiss )

( Private to Jareth )

( Private to Rachel Sloper )

Cheer practice has been intense, what with the match coming up this coming weekend. I may be slightly grouchy in the mornings as I'll be participating in the early morning runs with the squad. Ugh. I hate early mornings.

[Private to all friends of Charlotte]

As most of you know it's Charlotte's birthday on the 23rd and since that's a Saturday we can really make it an excellent one for her. I plan to take over the Ravenclaw common room in the evening (friends from other Houses welcome!) and although she is expecting a party, I'd like to add some extra special touches.

If anyone would like to help out with snacks and decorations - or anything really, that would be much appreciated!

[The following is private to Iona and Niamh only]

I hope you both come to the party even though I'm organising it and will be there. I know Charlotte would really like you to attend and would be upset if you boycotted due to me.

Welcome back to school, everyone!

And Happy Birthday, Kieran. Unfortunately I couldn't celebrate with you due to being on the train, but I hope the book on Defense Magic I sent makes up for it.

I made one resolution this year, to try something completely new. I don't know what that is yet, but it will be interesting to find out!

Happy Christmas/Festive season everyone! I hope the parcels I sent reached their recipients on time.

The markets in Dresden were lovely, just as I had hoped, and Cam, the city has certainly seemed to have found it's cultural heart again, despite the loss of so many old buildings years ago. I took plenty of photos and will show them to everyone when we're back at school. Steve said I was almost surgically attached to my camera! Not so, but yes, I did have it with me everywhere. I bought a ton of knick-knacks and also gingerbread, which I'm not yet tired of.

Christmas Day has been just as expected so far. quiet and relaxing. Steve just got called to go into St Mungo's so Adam and I have been playing Monopoly with Mum and Morag. I won the last three games and Mum got a bit grumpy, she can be so competitive.

Thank you to those who sent me gifts, they were lovely!

( Private to Charlotte )

( Private to Josh )

Steve sent me an owl this morning saying that he and Adam are taking me to Dresden on Sunday for a couple of nights. I'd actually thought he'd forgotten about the wish I expressed in summer - to go to one of the Christmas markets in Germany. He must have called in some favours to get the time off. Wandering one of the oldest Christmas markets (mentioned in 1434!) and trying some of the local Stollen (a sweet fruitcake) is going to be wonderful, especially in the evening when the lights are on. If anyone wants a traditional gift then let me know, I'll certainly be bringing back plenty of Stollen and Lebkuchen (gingerbread) to share.

Charlotte, shall we get down to the station early to get a good compartment?

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and New Year, and relaxes after such an eventful start to the school year.

( Private to Josh )

( Private to Owen )

Hogsmeade was a lot of fun, but I didn't manage to do much Christmas shopping - something about proving my mastery on the snowy terrain distracted me! So I've been going through the catalogues and preparing to send poor Stix out on several flights to pick up what I need.

Like most I'm looking forward to the break. It'll be a quiet Christmas, since Steve will be on call so we won't do a lot of celebrating. Hopefully I'll get a lot of new books to occupy myself.

New Year's is going to be a lot more exciting though!

I am going to the dance, but opting to go alone to this one. I'll happily dance with anyone who wants to claim one.

Finally caught up with the classes I missed, Charms was something of a challenge (but when isn't it?).

Christmas is less than a month away now and I haven't really thought about presents. This isn't like me

The art discussion was very interesting. Art is very subjective, no matter what the artist might have originally meant to envoke in the viewer, reactions are never predictable - especially to the more modern styles of art. But that's what I like about it, no one is ever really wrong in their assessment of the piece.

( Private )