Summertime

Chapter 1. The Infamous Evening.

Fleur Delacour to Mr. Percy Weasley, Head of the Department for International Magical Cooperation

July 26, 1997

Dear Sir,

It is our pleasure to invite you to the official opening of the French Cultural Centre in the United Kingdom, which will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 1997 in Diagon Alley, London.

Yours sincerely,

Fleur Delacour

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Percy Weasley to Molly Weasley, the Burrow

August, 10 1997

Dear Mum,

Thanks for the letter. There is not much news at the Ministry. Our attempts to enforce international quality standards on rat tails meets with increasing protest from the manufacturers. They claim that our initiative will result in a higher price for this important product, which the whole hair-raising potions industry depends on. However, we feel a personal responsibility to protect the wizarding society from the low-quality products.

Hope that all of you are well.

Percy

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Daily Prophet August 14, 1997 by Leo Quirke

The National Team head Coach Bruce Cornfoot confirmed today that due to injury the Team Keeper, John Hornby, will not take part in the game against Belgium scheduled for Sunday, August 24, 1997. Puddlemere United's Oliver Wood will replace Hornby as Keeper.

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Fred and George Weasley to Oliver Wood, National Team Training Camp

August 16, 1997

Smash them!!!

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Neville Longbottom to Hermione Granger

August 21, 1997

Dear Hermione,

Thank you for your last letter. It was such a pleasure for me to hear that you are enjoying your trip to Spain. You'll definitely find there are a lot of interesting places to visit and things to experience. I recall that some species of gillyweed can be found only on the Catalonian coast.

I decided to take the advice of Prof. Sprout and joined a two-week training program at the Ministry. It includes some extra stuff on magical creatures, plants and fungi. It's really great and it's such a pity that it's just two weeks and one of them is already over.

By the way, I've run into Percy Weasley a couple of times. He looked quite tense, even more than he used to back in Hogwarts.

Trevor says hi. Please give my best regards to Crookshanks.

Neville

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Daily Prophet August 25, 1997 by Leo Quirke

England - Belgium 150:10

The triumph of the National Quidditch Team against 'les anges rouges' was mainly due to the new Keeper, Oliver Wood, who made Belgian attacks almost impossible, as well as to Jane Tulane's brilliant performance as a seeker. Wood, Tulane and the other team members lead by Bruce Cornfoot will be giving the fans a unique opportunity to meet and talk to them tomorrow at "Quality Quidditch Supplies", Diagon Alley, London. Meet them at 7 p.m.!

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Plumeria Parrick to her sister Abigail, Manchester

August, 26

Dear Abe,

As I wrote you last week, I was invited to the official opening ceremony of the new French Cultural Centre at Diagon Alley. Mr. Weasley of International Relations gave a nice talk, stressing the opportunities this cooperation is supposed to bring us and then a very pleasant evening of French culture started. I was really enjoying it, but suddenly, around 8.30 p.m. I heard a terrible noise - they say that the Quidditch hooligans that were meeting the National Team stars earlier this evening, got drunk and began to smash windows and cars. They even say that some players were involved! Can you imagine this, Abe? It was terrible to hear it, but much worse to see the damage. And this Mr. Weasley from the Ministry who gave such a nice talk in the beginning of the evening, just disappeared! Nobody was there! What kind of impression did we make on our French friends?

I'm still shocked,

Plu