Justin Finch-Fletchley

Daphne,

I'm so bally well sorry for what you're going through right now. I say, if there's anything I can do, please let me know.

I happened to see Sally-Anne yesterday. She mentioned you had loads of questions about some of the occurrences at school, which she was partly able to answer. I say, if you should want to talk, about the same things you and she talked about, we could continue to meet up and discuss them.

I don't know how much longer the journals will continue to be truly private, what, but there's Ron's and my flat, which is secure. There are other places where it's safe to talk, as well.

I shouldn't like you to think I've only approached you because of the connections between myself, Sally-Anne and others, however, or that it was only to ascertain your loyalties. The offer of friendship is jolly well sincere, and was so before these recent events, and will be so regardless of what happens when you've asked your questions. I quite enjoy your company and our conversation even when it's not about dashed serious considerations.

That said, it is true that there has been serious business going on all round us for many months and will continue to be rather a lot of well grim decisions ahead. I say, no one wanted to make you uncomfortable with information you'd rather not have, and no one was quite sure how to find out just how comfortable or not comfortable you might be with the involvement some of us have had in, shall we say, favourable outcomes in those incidents to which we were privy. But as it seems you've opened the door, what, then it's only decent to offer you the opportunity for proper answers, if you want to keep asking the questions. Sally-Anne's quite right that you've been on the fringes, if you follow me, for some time, and have proven sturdy and trustworthy all along.

It's bally well time you had something to show for your discretion, what.

-Justin

Hullo, Ron,

I say, I couldn't help noticing the subjects of your messages this morning. Worried about your family? I can't blame you, old man.

Hydra's well torn about it all. Pansy, too, I expect. It's bally well hard when one knows or loves someone who's directly involved, no matter on which side. Or who might be, what?

But it's jolly difficult, isn't it, to act as if one stands in full support of the Council's actions over there.

I've not got the same claim, of course, as Neville or you, perhaps. But I do think I know a little of how it feels. And I'm well sorry you have to go through it, mate.

-Justin

Hullo, friends,

I say, I thought yesterday's picnic was positively corking. Thank you all for coming; I hope I shall be able to host other jolly gatherings once in a while before end of term. Marvolo, Malfoy, I was very pleased to see you decided to come along! We've not spent much time at all this year, despite being thrown together somewhat when I came for the Quidditch World Cup, what? I say, it was grand to make your acquaintance again.

It's well hard to believe that it's already May. It seems like just yesterday I was wondering whether I'd be coming back to England with the other students from Beauxbatons but at the same time, it feels as if I've been here ages and ages. I suppose it's down to meeting so many people who've become good friends.

-Justin

Hullo, all,

Viktor called the Strettons' and Mrs Stretton answered. She told him that Sally-Anne couldn't come and speak to him as she's been grounded. He said she was polite but a bit frosty, what, and mentioned that Sally-Anne's been coming and going on her own too much for a girl of her age. I say, it sounds as if she wasn't impressed by Krum at all. I hope that didn't make things worse for her, having an older boy ask for her.

He asked if she was all right and Mrs Stretton said yes, she's fine. He asked if he could speak to Jeremy. She didn't bally well like that, what, but she had him fetched to the grate and he more or less confirmed that Sally-Anne's all right and that she'd see us on the train. Of course, Viktor says Mrs Stretton was just there off to the side, so Jeremy could hardly do anything else, if you follow me.

Has anyone else heard more?

Oh, and Ron: I can't tell you much about the Quidditch, sorry to say. I, er, fell asleep, what?

-Justin

Hello,

Fred, George, Lee, Neville: It was nice to meet you this afternoon. I look forward to getting better acquainted.

I've just read Luna's introduction to this group. Luna, I'm so sorry for what happened to your father.

I gather that I've a bally good deal of back-reading to do, to learn about the rest of your secrets, since that's what supposed to keep us all safe here, isn't it? The idea that if one of us tells someone's secret, we can turn right 'round and tell that person's secret, what?

Well, I assume since Luna hasn't posted to tell us she's been arrested, this is truly secure. And don't worry, I've told Hydra that I was well tired tonight (which, as it happens, I am!) and I wanted to go back to my room after supper. So I'm quite alone at present and unlikely to be interrupted.

Right, here goes.

So, the official story everyone has been told about me is that my parents are Squibs. I was born in France, and they went there partly because they knew they'd be treated unkindly if they'd stayed in England. I had private tutors for all the time before I went to Beauxbatons and I was seriously ill for a long time, so I had to have extra tutoring to be able to start in my second year.

But that's not really the way it happened. Sally-Anne guessed part of the truth, but not all of it.

The part that she guessed is that my parents aren't Squibs at all. My mother's a Muggle and she had no idea what was happening when my magic manifested. That's why I was kept at home for so long, and that's why I became ill.

But that's not the whole of my secret. That's not why I wanted to come to England, even though it's particularly dangerous for me because, of course, my mother's being watched back in France.

The other part of my secret is that it was a tutor who came and told us that I was a wizard. He told us he could teach me enough magic and help us make up a story so that I could be admitted to Beauxbatons. My tutor gave his name as Nigel Cullenden.

Sally-Anne, that's why I wanted to know for sure if people believed he was really alive, as he claimed. And yesterday, when you told me that Miss Granger knew he was, I'd already had some confirmation of that, myself. You see, after you and I spoke a few weeks ago, I wrote to him. And he sent me a Christmas present, a book. So I knew that you weren't lying, do you see.

Well, that's my secret. I thought if I came here, perhaps I could find him and--maybe help him, I'm not sure. I don't know what I want to do at this point. I'd like him to get his friends in France to help my mother go into hiding, or at least get away from the Protectorate's French allies, what?

Sally-Anne, I couldn't help seeing what you wrote earlier. Thank you for thinking I needed friends. And I do apologise for frustrating you (and you, Ron) with my caution. I hope you can see why I felt it necessary to be quite sure before entrusting you with this information, what? I realise I probably could have left it at 'secret mudblood' and saved the rest but I thought it only proper to tell you the whole, so you'd understand the delicacy of my situation.

And, Mr Boot and Miss Granger: I can't imagine that it's not difficult for you, to talk to someone here who can take lessons openly when you have to sneak about. I'd just like to say I shan't take it amiss if you resent me for the accidents of fortune that separate our lots. I'm quite aware of how lucky I have been, so far, what? I only hope that you'll one day be able to claim the same rights.

And now, I really am still feeling a bit done in from all the bother at the weekend. I shall probably read a few of your old messages and then turn in.

-Justin

Hullo, Friends,

Are you all right, then?

We saw a copy of that quiz, very briefly, before your Head Girl collected them all out of Ravenclaw Tower.

I say, what I did see was not on, not on at all. Even the so-called 'good' categories were bally insulting, in their way. I can jolly well see why it's unsettling, on top of everything else this week.

-Justin

I say, snowball fights are jolly good fun, what?

Harry, old chap, have they given you any sort of clue yet what the first challenge is to be? I can't believe it's only in a week. Delacour's been reading up on all sorts of technique but I've not seen you about the library much. (Then again, one doesn't see you about the library much, what?)

Hydra, Draco: thanks for the advice, the other day. Most appreciated.

Oh, and Luna, I think I found one of your missing shoes. Someone had stuffed it into a trophy in the trophy room, can you imagine? I saw the toe peeking out when we were being shown some of the school's prizes.

Sally-Anne, I've been meaning to tell you I had great fun playing cards with you last week. Thanks, again, Ron, for organising the get-together. It does become quite difficult, doesn't it, to find time for fun outside of lessons and homework. I say, today's outing was nearly the first time I've lifted my head out of books in the last two weeks!

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm back in France, and quite safe. I've been hearing very grave reports - Draco, I surely hope your father will be on the mend soon. And anyone else who was injured.

Also, I suppose many of you are starting at school today, so bonchances to you all!

As for what happened to me, well, the French delegations were all checked by your Healers and some of them had some minor cuts and bruises but mostly the protections, as I'm sure you all know, worked smashingly well. (I'm not sure my mother quite agrees; in her opinion no bomb should have gone off in the first place!)

So as soon as we were all pronounced healthy, Professor Froissart and M Froissart said their farewells, as Mr Malfoy is her brother, you know, and naturally she wanted to stay to be with the family. But P Froissart had to get me home as soon as possible, they decided. Which is a shame - I mean, I was meant to go home afterward anyway, but I'd hoped there would be some celebrations. It's too bad that all had to get ruined and so many people were hurt.

Apart from that rather horrible ending, of course, I really did enjoy my time in England. I don't know if I'll get to come back, now, though. I mean, if there's ever another opportunity. I'll have a job convincing my mother that it's ordinarily very peaceful.

Only we've heard the news and someone said that it's all been revealed to be the work of Sirius Black?! Is that even How can that be? We heard he'd been caught here in France ages ago, and people told me while I was visiting that everyone viewed his remains. Blimey Merlin, I should think he's even more dangerous than anyone realised if he could pull off a switch that fooled everyone, including the Lord Protector, and he's about as clever a wizard as I've ever heard of!

Ron, Sally-Anne, Blaise, Pansy, Daphne, Harry - it was lovely to meet you all. I was very relieved to see you all posting and know that you're okay. They did let me keep the book, as you see, so let's keep on writing, shall we? I mean, if you've time. Luna, Padma, Michael, anyone else I may have forgot - the invitation stands for you as well. Do tell me how you're getting on this year, and watch out for mad terrorists! I'm sure your duelling club will come up with loads of ways to send them packing, what?