Penelope Clearwater

Oh, Perce.

The charm arrived today. It's just perfect.

I managed to get through it and now it's the 5th-years' turn. I remember two years ago going out of my mind for OWLs and now compared to NEWTs I feel like I had nothing to worry about at all.

Too bad Capper didn't take them seriously enough. Can you believe he had the gall to complain last night that if he fails his Astronomy OWL it's Professor Siz's fault? Because she 'wasn't available' when he tried to see her on Tuesday. Everyone knew she wasn't going to be around on Tuesday! She'd made sure everyone knew it. Capper's a brilliant Arithmantist but he's dead oblivious about anything else. It's sad, really. I don't think he'll have a good week.

Oh, and Avery finally did something he can be proud of as a Head Boy. Unfortunately it's one of those things we all wish we didn't have to do. Still, he made a decent enough guard, escorting Barney Bole back and forth to his exams and to the room where Professor Slughorn was making him stay in solitary confinement. I'm sure you've probably heard through Mr Malfoy that Bole was told to pack himself off as soon as NEWTs were over? He thought his father was going to make a big stink on his behalf. No fear of that: His father (Avery says, anyway) wrote him back and said that if he wanted a hope of making the Quidditch sides as a professional, he'd do what the Headmistress and Sluggy told him, keep his mouth shut and slip off quietly on the Saturday train to London. It's appalling that no one realised how brutish he is, honestly. But Gamp and Greengrass are both so visibly relieved he's gone it's hard to believe no one saw it before.

It's so odd to think that in just a few weeks I'll never be back here. If I didn't have Head Girl duties I think I'd be perfectly happy to follow Barney on that train and find a flat right away. Oh, did I tell you in my last letter that Professor Siz got me an interview with two of her contacts? The first is someone who needs a research assistant or something and who'd be willing to spend most of the time in New London looking through records. And the second one's her aunt, who isn't really her aunt but well, anyway, she's a family historian for hire. They both sound like they could be dead boring or they could be brilliant--I guess it'll depend a lot on what they're like to work for.

Things are really coming together.

How's work?

Well.

Of course it would turn out that yesterday was the one time that Mrs Keneally not only read the journals but decided she just had to pay a call on my parents.

At least Dad had the sense not to send a Howler. That would have been even more humiliating. But Merlin, you just wouldn't believe what he had to say.

Personally, I think the best part was when he accused me of trying to catch a husband by getting pregnant. As if!

Interestingly enough, he seemed to think that's what your mum did, with Bill. Which I'm sure isn't the case, I mean, your parents are clearly still really in love and that's saying something, with all seven of you making their lives so chaotic at times. But I guess it's, well, perhaps an argument in our favour if your folks really were further along in their last years at Hogwarts than we are, even. Not that I'm complaining! I think we're being very sensible and careful, and it'll be all that much better when we're in our own flat and no one can tell us we're doing anything wrong.

Anyway. No, I'm not disowned or anything and I'm sure I can write back in a way that will calm him down. He didn't say anything much about Mum's reaction, but then he never really does. He just reminded me that pregnancy now wouldn't do anything to prevent my sitting NEWTs, which was another lovely aspersion on my academic career, tra-la.

Oh, I just can't imagine spending any time back in that place after school's done. It'll be the happiest day of my life, I think, if I could come back on the Hogwarts Express only to pack up my whole kit and just move right in with you.

Speaking of which...I know, it's probably a bit early, but have you thought about looking for a flat? We'd talked about waiting until I found a job, too, but--well, right now, anyway, I just think we'd both be better off the sooner we could take a place. You wouldn't have to move in immediately, unless you wanted to do, that is. But if you had somewhere lined up already, we could move as soon as I'm done with school. What do you think? I'm sure you'll have the best ideas about what sort of flat to take. Maybe Bill would even help you, since he seems to sympathise. And if you're worried about carrying it all by yourself, I'm sure that I'll find a situation in no time. I don't even really care what it is. I'd be happy to work in shop or push the tea trolley round the Ministry, so long as it's paying.

Well, think about it? And Dad's scathing letter aside, I don't regret it, either. Not for a minute. Except that I'll miss you even more until the next time we can see each other.

Which...might not be hols, by the way. I think I'll stay here, rather than go home. But perhaps I can get to New London at least once or twice? I'm not sure.

Anyway. Yeah. Wonderful day yesterday; crap one today. Love you anyway, you big ginger.