The Diary of a Witch, Volume III

PROLOGUE: AUGUST, 1993

Sunday, August 1, 1993, Manor, Bedroom,

Church

They made me go to church. Hello, I'm a WITCH. A witch with high doubts as to whether or not God exists. I'm THIS close to being an atheist but not quite there yet. Do I seem the kind of girl who would like going to church? Even consider going to church? I mean, come on. Even Angela has given up trying to make me go. But apparently Giselle's parents expect everyone to go to church on Sundays. Never mind if, like Jessie, you aren't Catholic.

Because we only have one church in this town, and it's Catholic.

That sermon took THREE hours. Do you know what I could have done in three hours? Finish up that nasty essay Snape us gave for summer homework. Finish up that book of poems by Walt Whitman that Jessie recommended to me that I'm actually enjoying; which is a shock, because usually I have no patience for poetry. I could have found a ton more stuff more worthwhile then listening to some old dude preach to me about sin. It also didn't help that I found myself disagreeing with half the stuff he was saying.

Nothing against Catholics; religion is just not for me.

The sermon however, was not the worst part. Oh no. The worst part came after the sermon when I was thinking to myself, "Thank God that's over", turned around and came face to face with Alyssa Sloan and her mother. Neither of them has changed a bit. Alyssa was dressed in the trendiest of dresses with perfectly straight blonde hair pulled into a twist. Her mother was just the same, only dressed in a suit.

I can't believe I forgot that they always go to church. They always try to pass themselves off as being devout Catholics. Alyssa was always the perfect little church girl who always went to Sunday school, bake sales, and the like. Or that's how she tried to pass herself off as to the adults. Never mind that she looked down on anyone who didn't wear the latest trends, have the right parents, and hated it when she didn't get her way. Don't get me started on how much she sucked up to the teachers. She has a lot in common with Draco Malfoy now that I think about it.

As soon as she saw me, Alyssa sneered at me. "Where have YOU been, Johanson?"

I would like to say that I did not sneer back. I just answered calmly, "Boarding school."

Mrs. Sloan sniffed. "A detention facility, no doubt. I always knew you'd end up in one of those."

Angela came up behind me before I could say anything. Which is probably just as well, because what I was about to say to Mrs. Sloan wasn't very polite, or churchy. She put her hands on my shoulders and said, "Actually, Jubilee goes to a very private boarding school. Not many people know about it. You need an invitation to go there, it's so prestigious."

Then she led me away.

Go Angela.

From now on; no church.

Monday, August 2, Manor, Bedroom,

I just got my Hogwarts letter! Look:

Dear Ms. Johanson,

Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!

As a third year, you have the privilege of visiting Hogsmeade on days that are allowed as long as your parent or guardian signs the enclosed permission slip. Be warned that this privilege may be revoked if necessary.

The term starts on September 1 as usual and the train will leave Platform nine and three quarters at exactly eleven A.M.

We hope you have a wonderful year!

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

THIRD YEARS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 3) by Miranda Goshawk

Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky

Latin for Beginners by Lemony Snitchle

Ancient Runes: The Complete Guide by Mervin Sludge

Intermediate Transfiguration by Alvar Numarian

TOOLS:

a standard Divination kit

Rune set

Latin dictionary

Rune dictionary

Tuesday, August 3, Manor, Outside,

Wow.

I've never seen the Manor look this cheerful outside of Christmas time. Grandfather relented (under pressure from Angela, of course) and let Gerard and Giselle have their rehearsal dinner party out here in the gardens. I've spent all day helping Jessie and Jacob decorate the place and it looks awesome if I do say so myself.

The rehearsal dinner is tomorrow night and all the guests will be there, including Grandfather who is staying long enough for the wedding on Saturday and then leaving Sunday morning for Washington D.C. because he has a possible company who is interesting in investing a store oversees or something like that. He'll be gone up until I leave; typical.

I haven't heard much from my friends in the past few days but then they've been busy. Mandy is in Germany on a family reunion with her relatives who still live there. Owen's been helping his Mom and Shacklebolt tackle the new magic house his Mom bought in May because the flat she and Owen had been living in was a little too small for the three of them. Owen has finally come around to Shacklebolt and it's a good thing because he's pretty sure Shacklebolt's going to ask his Mom to marry him soon. Hannah is the only one who, like me, has been sitting around avoiding summer homework. Of course I've been helping with the wedding so I have an excuse for putting off that History of Magic essay.

Wednesday, August 4, Manor, Three Days Until the Wedding,

I finally got a chance to read the Daily Prophet today. I haven't looked at it in about a week because of all the craziness. Both Giselle's, and Gerard's families are staying here so I've had to lock my door so none of them can see my room which pretty much shouts 'witch' what with the magic fern garden I have on my windowsill; the one Quidditch poster I have on my wall; my Nimbus 1900 leaning in the corner next to the Quaffle I finally broke down and bought sometime last year. Plus all the moving framed pictures of my friends, Gandalf, and the magic books on my shelf and in piles on the floor. I'm also pretty certain they'd wonder about the animals that frequently show up begging me to heal them and my wand that I leave on my night stand during the summer.

So I've had to tell Gandalf to not deliver the paper to me at breakfast like he usually does. He ended up leaving them in a pile on my desk. I was too tired by the end of the day to read them and as a result the pile grew. But I finally got to them all today and man, I've been totally missing out.

England lost the Quidditch World Cup (yet again) after losing to Canada. Canada later lost to Ireland and now they're in the playoffs for the cup. Some lady named Umbridge is trying to get stricter laws on werewolves that seem totally unfair to me but whatever, I'm not a politician. Also Arthur Weasley, Ron and Ginny Weasley's Dad, won some money from the Ministry of Magic. Cool, huh? The big news, however, is that someone actually escaped from Azkaban! Seriously!

His name is Sirius Black (he must have had to put up with a lot of puns about his name as kid) and he's a dark wizard who killed thirteen Muggles about twelve years ago. He used to be a big supporter of Lord Voldemort but as we all know, Harry Potter got rid of him. Apparently the night this happened Black went a little nuts and blew up a street. By the time the Aurors got there Black was just standing there laughing his head off.

Freaky; I hope they catch him soon, I don't like the idea of a nut job running around.

Thursday, August 5, Manor, Two Days until the Wedding,

The dinner rehearsal went off without a hitch. Well, unless you count me having a clumsy moment at the party later on. I finally grow a few inches this summer and it makes me even more clumsy then usual. There's just no winning sometimes.

Friday, August 6, One More Day until the Wedding,

Okay, people went a little present crazy here. I swear if I trip over one more package...I mean come on, they fill up the parlor for crying out loud. Just how many people do Gerard and Giselle know?

On the bright side I did get a letter from Mandy in Germany. I wish I could go to Germany for the summer but NO; I'm stuck here entertaining the flower girl Antonia who I seriously wish had a remote so I could use the mute button on her. Life is so unfair sometimes.

Anyway, here's Mandy's letter:

Dear Jubilee,

Hi! How's the wedding going? Not going too crazy, I hope? Germany is great so far. My grandmother and grandfather own a bakery here in Rothenberg and the strudel they make is to die for! Before you ask, yes, I'm bringing some back for school. There are these plates they have that you can charm to keep food fresh.

There's so much HISTORY here! You would have loved the art museum Mum, Dad, and I went too yesterday. They had...well, I don't really know what some of the stuff was called, I bet you would. I took pictures of the exhibits. You have gotten started on your summer homework, right? School does start in three and a half weeks, you know.

WBS!

Mandy

What was I doing yesterday? Listening to Giselle's Mom lecture me about my posture.

Like I don't get enough of that from Angela.

Saturday, August 7, Church, One Hour Before Wedding,

I'm in a dress.

Willingly.

True; for a formal dress this thing is not that bad and I don't have to wear heels with it. But still. It's a dress. Thank God I only have to wear it for a few more hours.

Wait...how long is the reception?

Later Saturday, August 7, Manor, Wedding Reception,

I just learned a valuable lesson. I totally suck at dancing. Poor Mr. Renoir; I hope his feet get better.

So Giselle said yes and is now a Mrs. Something she swore to me when I first arrived here she'd never be. She had this thing about men being all pigs back then due to having the misfortune of dating a few guys that weren't the best guys in the world. Guess it's a good thing Gerard is as stubborn as she is or they might never have gotten together.

It's funny to think that I've sort of seen the whole thing happen. I was there way back when Gerard was trying to get Giselle to warm up to him. I saw him charm his way into her heart which sounds really sappy now that I write it out. Then I saw them shamelessly flirt with each other for about a year up until I left for Hogwarts.

Then Gerard finally asked her out after I left and the rest is history. Now here I am, on the floor, hiding from Antonia, and listening to corny love songs.

At least there's cake.

Monday, August 9, Manor, Kitchen,

Ugh.

Gerard and Giselle have left for their two week honeymoon in Hawaii and here I am starving to death because Giselle is the only one in this entire household who can cook a decent meal. How can that be? Am I the only one who finds this sad?

Angela can only make toast, eggs, anything microwaveable, and coffee. Jacob never learned to cook because when he was a kid, his Mom cooked for him, his wife cooked for him after that up until she died, and then Giselle cooked for him when he became a butler here. Jessie is a college student. Enough said. As for me, well my cooking hasn't improved since Mom tried to teach me that one time.

If I have another PB&J I'll scream.

Why couldn't Grandpa have hired a temporary cook? Oh wait, he's gone, why would he need to worry about everyone else not being able to cook. Plus, all of Giselle and Gerard's families are gone so we can't even ask them for help. Even if I was amazingly happy to see them go.

I'm going to starve. I just know it.

Wednesday, August 11, Manor, Bedroom,

Got a letter from Owen:

Dear Jubilee,

How'd the wedding go? Didn't trip, I hope?

This house is nuts. Mum didn't realize that there were all these gnomes in the garden or that there was a doxy infestation in the basement. Also, a Devils Snare somehow ran wild in the back yard. It's bloody insane.

Speaking of insane, can you believe this Sirius Black stuff? Pretty crazy. The Ministry of Magic has been working day in and day out on finding him. The Auror department has especially been nuts and have been working Kingsley to the ground. He's come home from work exhausted. Mum says that happened to Dad a lot when he worked there too. Back before he died, anyway.

I just heard from Mandy, sounds like she's having a blast over in Germany and pigging out on strudel. Must be nice having adults around that can cook. Neither Mum, nor Kingsley can. I've been doing all the cooking around here.

WBS,

Owen

I think I just found a solution to my food problem!

Friday, August 13, Gardens,

Man, how does Gerard DO this?

I've been looking over the gardens for him and yeesh. Even with my Wild Magic it's time consuming. Oh well, it's a way to pass the time. Now that this wedding is out of the way it's been real boring here. I've actually finished all my summer homework. Yes, even my Potions essay and History of Magic essay.

At least now without the relatives around I can practice my Quidditch. Not just because Davies sent a letter to all the players on the house team threatening consequences if we didn't but because I want too. I think he's been taking tips from Wood.

Monday, August 16, Kitchen

There's a new broomstick out!

My copy of Quidditch Weekley arrived this morning and they did a whole article on it. It's called the Firebolt. It's got an accelerator of 150 miles per hour, has an unbreakable Braking Charm, is made of ash, has hand picked birches for the broomtail, and so much more. Ireland International just put in an order for their whole team! But the price in on request so who knows HOW much they go for. My Nimbus 1900 was forty Galleons for crying out loud.

But it would be so awesome to fly one. Even if it was only for a little while.

Wednesday, August 18, Bedroom,

I've gotten letters from everyone asking me if I saw the Firebolt article. Terry and Max have been going on and on about what the three of us could do on one. We would be unstoppable and totally win the Quidditch Cup for Ravenclaw.

But we'll have to make do with my Nimbus, Terry's Cleansweep, and Max's Comet. I'm not trying to think about the fact that Malfoy's father could probably afford one and he's probably sucking up to dear old Dad as we speak so he can have one.

Sunday, August 22, Bedroom,

Gerard and Giselle are back!

Actual food!

YES!

Tuesday, August 24, Kitchen,

Giselle apparently learned a few Hawaiian dishes and bought a cookbook when she was there.

I'll let you know if this is a good thing, or bad thing.

Wednesday, August 25, Kitchen, After Dinner,

It's a bad thing.

Thank God school starts next week.

Monday, August 30, Leaky Cauldron, Dining Area,

It's good to be back in the wizard world where biting books aren't looked at twice. Yes, I wrote biting books; Hannah, Owen, and Terry had to get one at Flourish and Blotts for Care of Magical Creatures. There was a whole cage of them in the front window attacking each other when the four of us, plus Mandy, went to get our school books. The poor assistant looked ready to cry when they said they needed three.

I ran into Fred and George who are here with their family and asked how Egypt was. They said it was great, except their Mum wouldn't let them shut Percy into a pyramid when they were there. Apparently he's been getting on their nerves lately because he made Head Boy this year.

Dinner was delicious and Mandy gave us all the strudel she promised and she's right: it's AWESOME! Almost as good as Giselle's apple tarts.

Gotta go, Gandalf's impatiently shoving a letter at me. How'd I get stuck with such a crabby owl?

Tuesday, August 31, Leaky Cauldron, Guest Room 30,

I don't hear from Firenze all summer and NOW he writes? Look at this:

Jubilee,

I hope you had a pleasant summer and that you are no longer cross with me. I also hope you will continue our lessons especially now that you are turning thirteen. This is a difficult year for most Wild Mages.

I'll meet you at the usual spot this Saturday. I've enclosed the Camouflage Ring so you won't get into trouble. Good luck with your classes.

Sincerely,

Firenze

Okay, what did he mean that thirteen is a difficult year for Wild Mages? Adults; they just love to pull this sort of thing on you. Doesn't matter what species they are. I'm suddenly not looking forward to turning thirteen and its Firenze's fault.