Justin Finch-Fletchley

Hullo, all,

Easter holidays are almost here! I'd been looking forward to a relaxing fortnight, what, but it seems I shall have to change my plans.

Mrs Weasley, thank you very much for your offer to host extra revising at your home. I say, it's dashed generous of you and we shall certainly be a more jolly group if we're all revising together. I had just been about to write to Mr and Mrs Jugson about whether there might be any provision for tutoring and now that doesn't seem it shall be necessary.

Mrs MacMillan, thank you as well, for the offer to come and visit Ernie. I'm sure we shall have a splendid time. I say, it shall be a marvellous break from all the revising we'll be doing for O.W.L.s.

I've one more thank you to issue: Professor Dolohov, many thanks for the additional sessions last week and this. It's reassuring to think that we'll be better prepared than many of us feared might be the case.

I've also heard a rumour there might be a Tea Appreciation meeting over the holidays. If so, I hope I shall hear a confirmation before too long, what! (That is, Mr and Mrs Ponds, if you'd be willing to host it again.) Though I daresay there's little time for it, as the agenda has been developing.

Still, two weeks when one can have a tiny bit of a lie in--and no mandatory exercise sessions three times a week--seems like the lap of luxury. Although it must be said that those exercises are bally well paying off, for some of us more than others. I think we all look much more fit as a whole than we did at the start of term. It's rather remarkable how a sensible regimen of diet and exercise can change one's look--and one's outlook as well, what!

-Justin

Dear Friends,

I'm glad everyone's hols are off to good starts, what? Malfoy, I'm sorry I missed your birthday party; it sounds like Pansy did a wonderful job planning and all the guests had a marvellous time. I say, Pansy, it was kind to invite me even knowing that I'd be here.

The testing is well exhausting but quite interesting.

After yesterday's flying and all the rushing about, I'm rather happy we had more mental exercises today. (It's been so long since I've been broom-back! I always expect it to behave like a horse and it's jolly well surprising when it just shoots straight up!) It's bally well fascinating the sorts of questions. I imagine that having the examiners looming over one's shoulder is part of the plan, what? It's a clever way to determine how one responds to an unnerving sort of pressure.

Did anyone else have trouble not laughing during the taste-testing bit? Of course it wasn't as simple as swallowing random Bertie Botts', was it? I say, Ron, Sally-Anne, did your lot go through that last year or do they change the sorts of tests they give?

Only, I'm sure everyone's quite anxious to find out who's made the final group for the rising-fourths.

As for me, I'm looking forward to going to stay with the Jugsons. Remy's already an acquaintance but it's been fortunate we've had this week to get to know one another a bit better.

-Justin