The Forgotten Ones

July 17^th

Hello.

Hello. And who might you be?

Oh, I'm sorry! My name's Padma Patil.

Delighted to meet you Padma.

Thank you! Mother gave my twin sister Parvati and I these enchanted diaries for our birthday, but I didn't know if you would write back to me or not. What do I call you?

Whatever you like.

Um...I'll think of something later.

As you wish. Tell me about yourself, Padma.

Okay, as you know I have a twin sister Parvati- we're identical. I'm eleven years old, so I'm old enough to go to a wizarding school now!

I take you're excited about this.

Definitely! Mother and Father put me and my sister's names down at Hogwarts.

Ah, Hogwarts. I went there, you know.

You did?! What's it like?

It's wonderful- I was in Ravenclaw.

I don't know what house I'm in yet. I don't even know if I've been accepted yet, the letters don't arrive until next week. Draco Malfoy reckons he'll be in Slytherin.

Draco Malfoy?

He's another boy my age. We go to dinner parties at his house sometimes, along with the Parkinsons and the Zabinis. I don't mind Blaise Zabini, but I can't stand Pansy Parkinson.

I have no idea who you're talking about...

Oh, I'm sorry! I'm not explaining myself very well, am I?

Not really, no.

Okay, I'll start at the start. The Malfoy's have a son called Draco, who's my age. He's really arrogant, but not that bad once you get to know him. Parvati hates him though, I don't know why. Then there's the Parkinson's- they have a daughter called Pansy, who's also my age. She's horrible, really stuck up. I cant stand her, and neither can Parvati. I think Draco only puts up with her because his mother makes him. And then there's the Zabinis- they have a son called Blaise.

Let me guess, also your age?

Yep! He's okay, I don't mind him. We had dinner with them all last night, and we were talking about school. Draco's certain that he'll get in, and he really wants to be in Slytherin. Pansy doesn't know what house she'd like to be in, but I think she'll try and get into the same house as Draco.

Why's that?

Because she likes him, it's really obvious.

Ah.

Blaise doesn't know what house he wants to be in either. Neither do I, I just hope that Parvati and I don't get separated. That'd be dreadful. Oh, mother's calling for me and Parvati to come down. I better go. Bye!

July 22^nd

Hello again!

Hello. Have you thought of a name for me yet?

No, I couldn't think of anything that suited you. What was your name when you were alive?

Alexandra.

Can I call you Alexandra then?

If you like.

You're very submissive...why is that?

Hmm...

You don't have to answer that if you don't want to.

No, it's all right. I don't rightly know.

Were you always like this?

No, only recently. My previous owner didn't like me disagreeing with them.

Oh...that's not very nice. I don't mind if you disagree with me. I want you to be yourself.

I'll think about it. Now, tell me about your day- you seem very excited.

Oh, I am! Our letters from Hogwarts arrived today- we got in!!

Congratulations!

Thank you! Mother was so pleased, she's taking us down to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get our things. We need so much stuff, I had no idea. Especially books, I didn't know we'd need so many.

A lot of them you can use for several years.

Oh, that's a relief. I was worried about that.

You seem like a very bright girl.

Really? I think I've decided what house I want to be in.

And which one have you chosen?

Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I don't care what Draco says, Slytherin doesn't sound very pleasant.

Well, I hope you get into Ravenclaw, that was my house you know.

Yes, you said so last time. That's one of the reasons why I like it.

I don't know what to say.

Say you're happy.

I'm happy.

Did you only say that because I told you to?

No.

Good. I'm going to go to bed now, I have to get up early tomorrow.

Goodnight Padma.

Goodnight Alexandra.

July 23rd

Alexandra? Are you there?

Yes.

I'm writing on the train to Kings Cross, so I can't talk long. I just wanted to know if it was all right if I called you Alex.

Yes, it's fine.

Okay. Bye Alex!

****************************

I'm back again.

Hello. I take it you've finished your shopping?

Yep! Do you want to hear about it?

Sure, I'd love to.

All right. First we went to Gringotts, and Mother set up a bank vault each for Parvati and I, so that if we wanted to buy things while we were at school we could use our own money. My vault number is 879.

That was thoughtful of your mother.

Wasn't it? She's been really nice lately, but I think she's sad that we have to go. Once we've left there won't be anyone in the house anymore, it could get quite lonely.

I imagine it would.

I'll just write to her a lot. Anyway, after Gringotts we went to buy our school robes. Mother left Parvati and I alone for fittings so she could have a look at wands, and there were a few other people in the shop. I talked to a few other students there, most of them were just starting as well. So, after our fittings came the wands. It was so exciting!

What happened?

Well, we went into this dusty old shop-

Ollivanders?

Yes, how'd you know?

That shop has been around for a long time...I bought my wand there as well.

Wow. So, we went inside and Mr. Ollivander was there. He was just finishing with a girl with bushy hair, then he came over to us. Parvati went first, her wand is seven inches long with a unicorn hair inside, made off willow. It's really swishy, good for charms. I thought we'd have the same wand, seeing as we're identical, but mine's completely different. It's nine inches long, made of ash but you'll never guess what's inside!

What?

A phoenix feather! Mr. Ollivander said that's really rare, and phoenix feathers are really powerful. He said that he could expect to hear great things about me. That made me feel a bit embarrassed, and I think Parvati was a little jealous, she was really quiet when we went into Flourish and Blotts.

The bookstore?

Yes- did you used to go there as well?

No, it was being built after I graduated.

Oh. It's finished now. There were all sorts of books inside, even more than the library back home. Mother bought our books for us so Parvati and I could look around. She said we could get one thing extra, and it was really hard to choose. Eventually I bought a luxury eagle feather quill, and Parvati bought a bottle of ink that changes colours as you write. We are going to let each other borrow them when we're at school.

That's very practical.

Well, we both wanted the luxury quill and the ink, so this way works out the best.

Whose idea was that?

Mine.

Ah.

Why?

Never mind.

...all right. We went to the Apothecary after that, but I couldn't stand the smell in there, so I waited outside. Parvati didn't like the smell either, but she went in anyway- she's much better at coping with things like that. Oh, I'm yawning...

Are you tired?

Very. It's past midnight.

Then go to bed! I don't want you forcing yourself to stay awake just to talk to me!

Oh...all right then. Goodnight Alex.

Goodnight Padma.

August 18^th

I just realised that I haven't written to you in ages! I'm so sorry!

It's all right, Padma, hardly anyone writes in a diary every day.

I know but...who else can you talk to?

The other people who wrote to me, of course!

...what?

Oh, I should explain. This diary will never run out of pages, you know that?

Yes...

Well, before you can chose to add your personality to the diary as well.

What, you mean...lose my personality? How horrid!

No, no, no! Nothing like that! You simply...I don't know how to put this...make a copy of your personality? Does that make sense?

Sort of...so there are other people in there as well?

Yes.

Can I talk to them as well?

...well, of course you can...

Oh, I don't mean it like that, I love talking to you! I'm just curious.

Oh, okay.

But not right now, I want to tell you about my school books.

Okay, spill.

Mother suggested that we read through our books before we go back, and I thought that made sense despite what Parvati says...anyway, I was reading through them when I realised something. Do you know about You-Know-Who?

Voldemort?

Don't say his name!!!

Sorry.

But I see you do. Do you know about Harry Potter?

Not very much- he defeated Volde- sorry, You-Know-Who when he was a baby, right?

Yes, exactly. Well, he'd be the same age as Parvati and I- his birthday is a few weeks after mine! So that would mean that he'd be in the same year at Hogwarts as I am.

If he was accepted you mean.

Of course he'd be accepted, he's Harry Potter. I hope I get to see him, no one's seen him since he was a baby.

I hope you won't gawp at him or anything.

No, I wouldn't do that! How frightfully rude! Oh, I just remembered something! You know how I told you Parvati got a diary as well?

Yes.

Hers won't talk to her! She doesn't know why.

Did she insult it?

NO! Parvati wouldn't do that!

Sorry. Perhaps her diary hasn't been used in a long time. Sometimes, if no one writes in an enchanted diary for many years the personality becomes weak. Tell her to keep writing in it, eventually it'll write back.

Okay, I'll go do that now. See you!

August 31^st

Hogwarts tomorrow! I'm so excited! Mother and Father seem kind of sad though...

I take it you and Parvati are the only children.

Yes. I feel kind of sad as well, leaving home for so long. It'll be months before we can come home for Christmas.

You can always send letters.

That's what I said to Mother. I think it cheered her up a bit. We had a special dinner together, Mother had the house elves cook Parvati and my favourite foods.

House elves? I take it your family is well off?

Umm...I never really thought about it. We don't have as much money as the Malfoys (but then again who does?) but we're not poor or anything. It's strange, I never really noticed before, I thought everyone had house elves.

Don't worry about it. Isn't it getting late?

Wait a minute...it's nearly midnight! Do you mind if I go to bed?

I was about to suggest it actually. You don't want to be late tomorrow.

Okay. Goodnight Alex.

Goodnight Padma.