The Correspondent

The Correspondant

Chapter One - The letters

Dear LeatherTights,

Do you agree that this project Dumbledore has set us is weird? I mean, who wants to talk to someone they don't know? How does Dumbledore know that we don't know each other? Dumbledore can be really thick sometimes. So by Christmas I have to work out who you are, and you who I am. All I know is that you're not in my house, so that gets rid of a quarter of the population.

Anyway, what shall I say? If I mention names, you'll realise my year and who I am really easily! Ummm... what's your favourite class at Hogwarts?

CupboardLove

PS: I hate my name.

Harry folded up the letter and handed it to the school owl. The sun was fairly high in the sky now, and people would soon be waking up all over the castle. He wondered what LeatherTights, whoever he or she was, would think when they saw his letter. The owl took off into the air, knowing where it was heading. The boy sighed and went down to breakfast.

That morning he had discovered a letter from the headmaster under his pillow, telling him that for the next term he would be corresponding with someone not in his own house. And he had to work out who they were. Sitting at the table, he ate until the post owls arrived. It turned out he already had a reply.

Dear CupboardLove,

I agree, your name is stupid. But it's not as stupid as mine is. Contrary to popular belief, I do not wear leather. At least, popular belief for the people who live near me. Those in my house have no idea. I also agree that this project is weird. You should have guessed by now that I'm not a first year. Come on, would a first year write like this? I have to have been established here for at least a year, and so do you.

What's my favourite class at Hogwarts? Well apart from History of Magic for obvious reasons, I really enjoy Charms. My favourite charm is the Bubble-head charm. We had a lot of practise of that last year!

LeatherTights

Harry smiled as he read the letter. Whoever it was, they were certainly chatty. And they had also knocked the possibilities down to perhaps just over two thirds of Hogwarts. As for the leather thing... that was still confusing. He folded the letter and put it into his pocket. Hermione and Ron walked down the Great Hall and sat on either side of him, pointedly ignoring each other. Ginny followed, but sat opposite the group.

"What is it this time?" he asked her with a grin. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't ask," she said. Hermione was about to speak, but Harry raised his hands.

"I know what the problem is. And there's only one solution. However, you'll have to work it out for yourself." He looked back at Ginny. Hermione snorted, grabbed some toast, and walked out of the Great Hall.

"What's the matter?" asked Harry.

"Hermione was writing a letter this morning, after she said she wouldn't write to Vicky again!" growled Ron.

"And how do you know she was writing to Vicky?" he asked his best friend.

"It was obvious from the length!" he said. Harry grinned at Ginny.

"Well, I have to go and write a letter myself. So long," said Harry, standing up and walking out of the room.

Dear LeatherTights,

My best friends were arguing today. Do your friends argue? I think my favourite lesson is Care of Magical Creatures. How about Divination? What do you think of that? (I'm safe with Divination - she's not a HoH)

Question - why do people think you wear leather? Are you the type? Umm... and pureblood, Muggleborn or half and half?

CupboardLove

The reply came in the middle of their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. There were only nine students taking the NEWT for this. Harry, Ron, Padma, Parvati, Susan Bones, Seamus, Hannah Abbott, Michael Corner and Hermione. Ron, in his temper, kept away from Hermione, who looked rather annoyed.

"Who was it you were writing to?" asked Harry as he pocketed the letter. He had assumed that his correspondent had been using a handwriting disguising charm, as he had been doing. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I know we're not supposed to talk about it, but everyone got a green envelope," she said. Harry nodded, understanding. Hermione had been writing to her mystery person.

"But did you have to do a whole essay?" he asked her. Hermione smiled.

"How else am I going to get to know them. Still, I wish Ron would talk to me again..."

"I understand," said Harry, wishing, as he did at moments like this, that Ron and Hermione would realise what was blatantly obvious to everyone else. Shaking his head, he continued his study of the Augury.