An interlude, Letters from home...

This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...  

 

Letter One To Mom:

Mom,

Hiya there. Just managing to keep busy over here. Sorry I haven't written yet. Classes are amazing as always. I think I am finally getting the hang of Potions. I am loving most of my Professors. They are even letting me do some alternative magics. Who knew they were so progressive.

I know you are worried about me but really I am doing a lot better than I was last year. I am getting things done and I am keeping my spirits up very well.
The house elves haven't killed the troupe yet or me for my messy tendencies, of course I have yet to blow up the Potions lab so they have very little to worry about. (no I am not kidding I did that the other year and the house elves boycotted my bed making for a month.)

And before you ask, there is no one special in my life. It is complicated enough with learning magic, living away from home in another country and being away from you guys. I do not need to be adding a significant other into the mix of all that trouble.

Well, I should be going. Give everyone my love and I will see you over the holidays.

'kit.

P.S. Hopefully the owls are finding you okay. Wizards don't necessarily understand Muggle Post

.

Letter Two from Mom:

Hi honey,

I am glad to hear you are enjoying yourself so much over there. I hope you are bundling up and staying warm. You know how you can get bronchitis so easily.

I am putting together another care package for you. Should I send it to the Evans' like I did the last time? I just really do not trust Owl Post over the Atlantic with a box that has food in it. And you got the package alright from them last time right?

As for the significant other. I just want you to be happy honey, that is the important thing. But I mean that Remus Lupin was very nice the last time I was over visiting. But that is just me being hopeful, I guess. Of course that Sirius fellow was very dashing as well. I digress, what ever makes you happy.

Anyway, everyone is doing well, including your grandma, blissful as ever. We love you and miss you.

Love mom.

Letter Three to mom

Mom,

Really mom? Really? Remus is just a friend. And I am happy to keep it that way. As for Sirius Black. No way. N.O. Way. He is a very dashing young man but not my type. A little more arrogant than I would choose, that whole 'I am handsome and know it' attitude. Besides there is someone I like back home, and no I am not telling you who. So, DROP IT!!! (there I put it all in capitals so you will understand.

Yes, Lily said her parents would gladly send a package on to Hogwarts if you wanted to send it to them to get it through the OWL Post. They were happy to do it for you before and they would be happy to do it again. They are a wonderful muggle family who understand how difficult it can be to traverse the ways of the wizarding world. Even though you are an American witch, couple of generations out.

I know my dorm mates and the troupe wait (not so) patiently for your package. (there are several request for your chocolate chip cookies by the way.)

Classes keep going and I am managing to keep things interesting. Running around like a chicken with my head cut off, as usual.

Oh have to dash. I love you.

'kit

Letter Four from Mom

Dear 'kit,

Chocolate Chip Cookies, check.

String – check

Ferret Toys – check.

I think I need to do a little more shopping. I hope Dumbles is doing well. He always makes me laugh when you come home. I just wish some of the others besides Dumbles and Snapers would come home with you. But I know you say they are Hogwarts ferrets through and through and that getting them to leave the grounds is apparently very difficult. But try. I would love to see Lulu in her tutu and Snitchet zooming around with her wings. I know they make you laugh and keep smiles on your face for more seasons that I can say. Each one of them provides something special I don't know how else to describe it but when you talk about them and love on the two who come home, you glow. You are a little ferret girl. You need to remember that and them.

Don't let the darker side of yourself creep in and cause you pain. They will help keep it away. And so will your friends and family. We love you.

Hearts and more hearts, Big huggles and luvs. Mom.

Letter five to Mom

Mommy,

All the colors of the rainbow can not describe how much your words mean and how much your love is to me. If I could capture them and give them all to you I would. Thank you so much.

'kit.

P.S. I will see what I can do with the troupe.

Bludgers, Quaffles and Snitches, oh my...

This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...  

Journal Entry Eleven A:

I have exhausted every book in the regular parts of the library in how to search for a curse. I am not sure how I am going to get into the restricted section to read some of those books. I know there is a way to track someone who curses you. There has to be. I mean, Aurors do it all the time don't they.

Maybe one of the professors will give me a note to research something in their class and I can do a little more looking. Or I could... but that will take some work.

Journal Entry Eleven B:

I found a section off to near the west that I have not had the opportunity to look through yet. I think there might be some maps and legends that might be able to help in discovering those who have cursed. I just need to do a little more digging. I am still looking for a way into the restricted section. I know there is stuff in there I can use. I know there is.

Journal Entry Twelve:

Snitchet is dooking at me for all I have done for Quidditch. I cheer on the team very definitely. Sirius and James, flying around but I help out too. I keep things moving. I almost wasn't able to help out. I had so much organization to do. But I did it. I organized all of my projects and have been able to keep them in order, so far. I worry that I will loose something by keeping it this organized. I am a clutter organizer. I know this. But we will see how it goes. I am hopeing to get a creative space set up when I get back home. There is so much I want to do. I want to get my loom set up. I really do. I want to weave again.

But Quidditch.... yes. I tried a different method of dyeing and I kind of like how it turned out... but I am not sure. I don't like how the color didn't get as deep as I would have liked. I think I need to do a little more work on figuring that out. Maybe it will work better with a Kool Aid dye... I will have to try that next time. 

I did figure out another thing though... I have really dirty feet. As I was standing in the tub winding the very wet ball of wool yarn (gods I hate being wet) I noticed I made the tub very dirty. Must be the whole don't like to wear socks thing.

I will say with the first Quidditch match in play, I realize that sometimes Sirius is blinder than a bat outside of the pitch. He asked me after the game when I got my hair cut. I blinked at him and told him I did it around the time I left for Hogwarts. James hit him in the back of the head for not noticing until then. Really, Sirius, really?

I really like how it looks, I think it complements my face.  With it short I can not hide behind it as much as I used to.  I will see how much I like that.

Journal Entry Thirteen A:

Remus caught me today peeking around the gates of the restricted section in the library. He pulled me aside and talked to me.

I can not seem to lie to him. I don't know why.

Actually I do... but he would never and I would never and that is totally not going to happen final, fine' nothing I can do about it.

I also can not seem to lie to save my life. *sigh*

But I told him. I told him I was still looking for the person who gave me that quill. I know I did not pick it up myself. It was never something I packed in my bag. It was just there and I just started using it. So someone, I don't know who yet, but someone had to have given it to me.

He sighed at me. And told me to let it go. (like he had told me so many times before.) And I told him I could not, would not do that. And if he was really my friend, even if he could not or would not help me, to let me do what I needed to do to find out who did curse me.

I watched as his jaw clenched then he took up his books, that he had set down to talk to me, and he walked away. I was heart broken, but I knew I was right for doing this. I had to be right. This was important to me and I would have appreciate his support and help.  I guess I won't be getting that.

A bit of courage....

 This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...  

Journal Entry Eight:

I have heeded a call. I know I probably should not even write it down here, staying Constantly Vigilant is hard work. But no one sees my journals. They are mine. And if anyone who reads this intends harm to those I care about or the school, to Hogwarts, well, there are protection spells that are irreversible and highly painful.

I have taken up an Order Mission, for the Order of the Phoenix. This group stands against dark witches and wizards. They up hold truth and justice... and I almost said the American way but I am in Britain so that would not really apply here. (Hey look I can be funny too.) But there is so much that we as students can do to help too. Especially if Hogwarts is attacked. The Mission I too on is one that will help to reinforce the walls of Hogwarts. I know I can complete it. I hopefully can go beyond what they expect. It will be hard work but I know I can do it. I do not feel I should go into great detail yet. Just in case there are people watching me.

The walls of Hogwarts are well protected.

Nevi is pushing me to work on the Mission, he is so proud that he went and dropped of the request and that he and I will be working on it together. He has come so far in his time here at Hogwarts too. Like me he started out very shy, reserved, just doing what was needed of him. Now, he is taking on Order Missions, jumping spiders at the drop of a hat, and setting off glitter cannons galore, while bringing tea and cake to my dorm mates. Which reminds me, I need to find a better spell to take care of the glitter explosions the troupe has been causing. It is so hard to get glitter out of, well, anything.

Journal Entry Nine:

Okay, I am totally looking for great advice in how to get glitter out of everything. Because the troupe apparently thinks glitter cannons are the best things ever. My dorm mates and I look like rejects out of the movie Labyrinth. Sirius ca not stop laughing anytime he sees me, even when Remus hits him in the arm and Remus doesn't hit anyone. Peter keeps offering me tissues to wipe my face off and James just is speechless, James is never speechless. Lily has been wonderful though. She has at least helped me with the glitter in the hair and on the face. She has given me some face wash spells and hair wash spells that seem to be working. Now it is just the cloths and the bedding. The house elves have boycotted our dorm. I am at a loss. Dumbles and Snapers can't seem to keep the others under control. I swear Snapers is glowing in glitter and Dumbles is golden now instead of silver and that is just wrong. Snitchet is honey golden not Dumbles. He matches his glasses. GAHHH!!!!

Journal Entry Ten:

“In this box there is something that will hug you. Each square has a meaning, each color has a history, each stitch has a thought. Together they form something bigger than what they are on their own. You taught me that.”

I think I need to work on the wording. I need to also do some research on the colors... there are meanings behind them and also my personal means, hopefully I can get it finished in time. The second one will have to wait until after this one is done. Maybe next years OWL.

“There are times when I will not be able to be there and you will need a hug. This will be that from me. There will be times when you are cold and want to snuggle. This will be there from me. There will be times when there is nothing but snow on the ground and a chill in the air. This will be the warmth that you will need. Wrap it around yourself, and think of my arms around you, saying softly 'I love you, I love you, I love you.'”

A little OWL and then some....

This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...  

Journal Entry Five A:

I am working on preparing for my OWL. I am going at it again and working on creating a corporeal patronus. I used to be able to. It was beautiful. I was able to get him. Whom am I talking about? Well, you see I have a special patronus. It is also my muse as well as a character in stories I write. He is there to protect me from the boogeyman, the monster under the bed and deamentors. He is T.F. Kit a blue (brilliant blue) mohawked ferret. 

He loves adventure and loves to push me in my creative areas. So to loose my capability to create him as a corporeal patronus has been devastating. Because of my loss of confidence, T.F. Kit, my muse, has been missing as well.

I am practicing Expecto Patromum at every moment I can. Trying to get that perfect thought or feeling. I was not able to do it in the break, maybe I can do it here at Hogwarts, where my distractions are magical not muggle. Where I don't have to hide being a witch.

That is the hardest part about living in the muggle world. I have to hide. I have a muggle family. My mom might be a witch but she keeps it really hidden. It is also harder being a witch in the United States. I was incredibly fortunate to become an exchange student here at Hogwarts. There are a few schools in the United States, there is even one in Michigan, but they wanted an exchange program and so they asked if I would like to go to Hogwarts instead. I thought I could excell here and I have. Seven years and I have learned so much. Now, I need to decide if I am going to continue my education or take time off. I know I want to visit the other houses.

Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, all have things they can teach me, I know they do. But I have been a loyal Gryffindor for so long that it is hard to let go.

I will probably start with Slytherin when I go as an exchange/exchange student. Maybe Hufflepuff, but that might be what the Sorting Hat will determine. I want to wait and do Ravenclaw as the third exchange, because that will be my hardest OWL, and they are the OWL champions, or so I am told. I have successfully completed three OWLs. I am proud of this fact. The other OWL I fail at was also a Care of Magical Creatures OWL. I am beginning to wonder if I am just destined not to work in that field. 

Maybe I can impress the other houses with my Starry Night Swirl Shawl that I did for my Astronomy OWL. It is beautiful. I mastered it with my understanding of the night sky, and showed my love for Vincent VanGogh. My favorite painting of his is the Starry Night.  I know it is the favorite of a lot of people but I don't care.  I still love it.  And I love my shawl, especially wrapping myself up in it, wrapping myself up in the night sky. This makes me want to go and look at the night sky, I think I can sneak up to the astronomy tower without getting caught.

Journal Entry Five B:

It was great I was able to, all wrapped up in my own starry night.  And Peter joined me, nervously, but did join me watching the stars.  But considering he guided me to the other side of the tower, it probably meant Sirius was on the other side, wooing a girl. 

The weather, however, seems to be telling me it soon will be time for my other OWL to be dusted off. My Dr. Gryffindor Scarf. It is wonderfully long and can work like a wrap. I think that is how I need to wear it from now on, like a wrap. It was my first OWL in my first year. Some people don't take on an OWL their first year, what did I do... launch into an OWL, feet first.

Yep there I am all wrapped up in it. I probably should have chosen a different gray and maybe a different yellow but I like it all the same. I transfigured it into a very large and long wrap. I love it, just love it.

I really should make a hat to go along with it. Or maybe a pair of arm warmers. That would be fun. Arm warmers.

Journal Entry Six:

Muggle Studies was my easiest OWL.  I guess it was because I was raised among them I know a lot about Muggle Society.

I, however, made three objects to fit into Muggle society and I am very proud of all of them. The first was a wonderful poncho, in fluffy yarn. But it is the Hooded Scarf that made me proud. I want to redo the scarf itself without the hood. I love the cabling pattern on it. The only part I did not like, DID NOT LIKE, was the pearl nine together. I think it was nine. It was insane. I had to use a size US two needle to hold the stitches as I pearled them together with a US 8. There was no way I was going to be able to pearl that many together. No way. I know that all the things I made were and are loved.

Journal Entry Seven:

I think I am a little homesick. I miss my friends back in Michigan. I even met a couple of witches and wizards. We hung out, had coffee, a very American thing to do and enjoyed our surroundings. I am keeping up with some correspondence with them. But I am still homesick. I realize the weather here is similar to the weather home, one big marsh, but I wish for fluffy snow soon. I know I am crazy, I still want it. I don't really want the cold but I could do with the snow.

*gasp in shock* I guess I am ready for christmas.

I am really ready for Halloween though. SQUEE! (I know I squeed in my journal, there is something very wrong with that.)

The first fall days....

This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...  

Journal Entry Two:

Well first day of classes down. Fun and crazy all at the same time. 

Looking over what is offered. I am always excited about Potions. I feel I am pretty good at it but I don't know if I will be able to complete an assignment this time. I generally don't do a lot of silliness in my life. Though when I am without coffee or a lot of sleep, I might have a touch of the sillies.

History of Magic looks intriguing to me though. I always loved plays and acting. I am a bit shy to get up on stage though, so maybe something for the set. I will have to look into that.

I love wand lore and have though about becoming a wand maker after I leave Hogwarts so the fact that we are studying it in Herbology is so cool and I love Herbology. Love it.

Now I do have to say I am impressed with the weather charm our Professors put in the Charms class room. But I am from Michigan, it's weather rivals England's, so coming up with something should be a piece of cake. Maybe...

I, however, I know my first class probably will be Ancient Runes. I don't know why but I am loving this class. I normally don't work with runes but I do love Norse Mythology, though they aren't my patron deities. I have a plan and it will be spectacular.

Journal Entry Three:

It has been a couple of days, I know. But I have been really busy with classes and getting things ready to go. I also have completed my first class. I knew it would be Ancient Runes. I know my Norse Mythology and I know they call their Bifrost a rainbow bridge. The Bifrost being the bridge between Midgard, the realm of Earth, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. So I created a bridge... a rainbow bridge, with a long draw method of dyeing.

Journal Entry Four A:

I have been working on my Detention. Siruis is worried that I am focusing too much on it and not on new classes. Remus told him that he is worrying too much and that I needed to stay relaxed and if I focused on one thing at a time it was good for me.

All the boys know that I feel ashamed that I wasn't able to finish it last year. My Gray Wrapped Wings, my swirl sweater. I just was so overwhelmed with everything. And the curse seemed to take all I had to fight against. I will not let that happen again. 

 I got that much done. I will finish it! I know I can. I am strong enough to do this, to show myself that I can and will win against my own darker self.

Journal Entry Four B:

The troupe is trying it's hardest to cheer me up. Including making a mess of my yarn. I am trying hard not to be mad at them. But right now it is very hard.

Dumbles and Snapers are not leaving my side. Where ever I go they go. Always in my bag, dooking at me instructions and insight. I hope they are right that I am strong enough to be a good witch. Sometimes I wonder. I wonder if I am strong enough. I know I can do this. I know I can find who cursed me and why.

That is the reason I will find a way to complete all of the Defense Against The Dark Arts assignments. I will hunt down this person or thing that cursed me.

Remus is concerned for me. He thinks that I am taking a path of vengeance that is unhealthy. That no go will come of what I am doing. I can't say he isn't right. I know it is a dark road. I know that what I might do at the end of it might create something I can't undo. But I can not just sit around and let who ever did this to me get away with it. I lost something last year. I lost my sense of self. I am trying to claim it back. The only way I will be able to do that is to figure out who did that to me and why. I do not like not know.

It makes me laugh thinking about it. The truth is I like knowing other peoples business. I like knowing when people do their laundry, what they had for breakfast, if it took them forever to tie their shoelaces, and if they just bought these wonderful new shoes with pink stripes. I like knowing all of that. So when I don't know something about myself and my own life. It is detrimental. It eats away at me, making me crazy.

Maybe that is it. I am going crazy and this is the first step.

The boys are checking up on me a lot, probably encouraged by Dumbles and Snapers. Okay, probably not Snapers, he doesn't like them that much. I just know they are part of my rock, part of what is keeping me sane.

But, then I have a dilemma. I put them in danger last year. My shade self tried to hurt them. She tried to make them doubt what they were doing. Doubt their friendship with me. I don't know if I could survive without their friendships. Them, my dorm mates and my friends back home. The troupe is the only other thing that really gets me out of bed. Sherman pokes my face with his nose and whiskers. Snitchet nibbles my toes. (I swear one of these days I am going to kick her across the room) They all are apart of my stability. Like the boys, the curse took its toll on my ferrets too. Rowin and Snitchet had run ins with dye cauldrons. They became a little more blue then they were before. Rowin was lucky, she only got her feet. Snitchet, not so much. She felt in completely and turned and interesting shade of green. (Blue mixed with a honey golden fur makes green, trust me on that) I can not let anything harm them, again. I will not let that happen. And if it does. Well, I will accept the consequences of my actions.

A Train Ride and Memories...

This is my NANO (national novel writing month) so grammar is on the back burner more so then ever.  I am checking spelling but that does not mean I won't miss something... read if you want and enjoy if you can...

Journal Entry One A:

It is another train ride to Hogwarts. Always amazing. I never imagined rolling through the wall to the platform to be so exhilarating. The last few times have just given me a thrill. It is good to see all my friends as well. It is good to start to talk to them. But we are almost to the Hogwarts so I should get ready, get into my robes and get my wand ready.

Journal Entry One B:

The feast was grand, as always, the Headmaster and the Professors make me feel so welcomed. And my dorm mates have been so encouraging. It was also good to see the boys, James, Sirius, Peter and Remus. 

They were there for me last year, when I became cursed. I don't know how but I did. I know it was a quill. It had been laced with Dementor Essence and it brought me into a spiral. I wish I knew who put it in my school supplies. I wish I knew how to thank Remus for seeing me in that state. So down so drawn on. I barely completed classes. I was amazed I was asked back. I don't know if I would have asked me back.

The fight that I had, to rid myself of the curse was epic. Or so I was told. I don't remember much of it. I remember preparing for the fight.

The quill seemed to attach itself to me at all times. Sliding into pockets or in between parchment papers or in a journal, without me even realizing it was there. I knew, even if I thought I had left it in my room, it would follow me to the bathroom where, the boys and I were going to preform the anti-curse.

And sure enough it did come. I had dressed myself in a light bit of clothing, just a t-shirt and a pair of pants, my feet were bare, because I felt more secure if I needed to flee or get a grip on the ground. I did not feel that shoes or socks could help me with that. I had my hair up so that it wouldn't get in the way. When I arrived in the bathroom the boys were there. Remus had a cauldron going, a light glowing liquid bubbled in it. He had told me to put the quill in the cauldron. So I started to but my hand would not let go. I couldn't seem to drop the quill into the liquid. It always seemed to end up in my hand or pocket or behind my ear. It took an hour of them telling me that I had not done it yet. At one point Sirius even tried to take it out of my hands and put it in himself. I hit at him, not as though I could do much damage, and James stopped him from retaliating. Which was probably a good thing, because he could really really hurt me.

Finally I stood in front of it, holding the quill with both hands. I stopped and meditated for a few moments, focusing my energy, and let go. I watched almost in slow motion the quill fall downward into the liquid and the color go from a glowing yellow to tarry black.

And that was where my memory stops, except for what the boys told me, or rather Remus shared. Remus, told me of how the cauldron exploded and the black liquid bubbled outward and formed into a shadow of me, a shade almost. She spewed hate and despair from her mouth. Sirius had drawn his wand and stepped up to her telling her to back off. She turned and hissed a cloud of toxic smoke at him that he choked on, causing him to stagger backwards. James had stepped up next to Sirius and held him up as the attack happened. But he too was blinded by the smoke. Remus had managed to skirt behind her and was trying to contain the rear side so it would not spread farther than the bathroom itself.

Peter, bless his heart, had apparently placed himself between her and the window, the fading light of the day was filtering around him. He had fortunately noticed that the shade me, didn't want anything to do with the daylight, so he stayed firmly in the beam, but he also noted that it was fading fast.

Remus told me that I was still standing but was seemed to be a dark smoky chain was wrapped around me, holding me in place weighing me down. And it wasn't until she started to spew words of hate, towards them, of how they were less than nothing that I actually acted. He said that I seemed to shrug off the chains and yell at her, telling her that they were not was she said, that I was not what she said. I told her, “That I am a strong and creative witch and she holds no power over me and I will accomplish what I choose to do, even if I don't know what that choice is yet. I banish you back to the shadows, I banish you back to the darkness from which you came, I banish you from my heart mind and spirit. I am strong and you will never change that.”

With those words, apparently, I broke the curse that was on me. What Remus hadn't seen, was that the troupe, my ferrets, had some how come to me and were sitting all around me. I don't know how I did it but I did. The love that I felt from those little furry slinkies, my ferret troupe, saved me. They always save me. I am still not totally sure how I get away with having all of them. If it is because they belong with Hogwarts or if the Professors and Headmaster know that I take care of all of them as much as they take care of me, but I don't question it. At least not at this point in time. Not when it is my 7^th year.

The rest of the year Dumbles and Snapers stayed with me and I felt the boys close by even if I didn't see them.

Somehow, I think that I have become apart of their little band of merry men, trouble makers as they are.

But it is getting late and we have early classes tomorrow, so I should get some sleep. Maybe Remus is up and there is some hot chocolate to be found in the common room.

Fair Warning!

I know I haven't post here in some time. 

I have been knitting, dyeing and spining.  I have been creating lots of little things.  But not sharing them here. 

Well, that is going to change in the month of November.  I have an idea... something that encorpirates my love of string with my love of writing. 

Let me explain a little bit.  November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWrMo or NaNo).  As a writer you take on the task of writing a 50k novel in thirty days.  (for the math inclined that is approximately 1600 words a day).  I have been participating for the last few years and even completed the task last year.  I, however, know this year is a stressful one but I still want to try, in a relaxed non-stressful way.

Why is it stressful?  Well, I am stressed a work (long story not getting into), I have some home stress (not getting into on a website/form) and I am a part of an on-line competitive knitting community that is Harry Potter related. 

Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup

I took on some extra responsibility with becoming a Pride Leader (Dorm-room/forum attendant/mentor) in the House of Gryffindor.  So there is a bit more stress and time involved in it now. 

So what I decided to do for NaNo this year, is tell the story of the 'character' I am within the House Cup and doing journal posts here, with pictures. 

I am giving people fair warning.  I spell horrible and my grammar sucks, but it is about fun and being creative, even when you are having a hard time doing so. 

Hopefully there will be a post a day and hopefully people will enjoy... until that time.  Here is a picture of sushi, everybody loves sushi....