October 17
[9:25 pm]

Ag!

Classes are getting harder with so much more homework. I think it’s because Christmas holidays are nearing and there’s so much the Professors need to cram in. My head feels dizzy from all the homework and I’ve decided that I quite dislike Arithmancy, as I expected, and Potions certainly is no easy feat.

Perhaps I’ll talk to Samson, maybe he can help me figure it all out. He’s brilliant at Potions, so he claims.

---------------------------------------------------------------

October 19
[4:32 pm]

Alarming signs are up in all of the corridors.

Missing students?

Missing?!

How do students simply go… missing?

---------------------------------------------------------------

October 25
[10:32 am]

Apparently, there are rumours going around about the missing students. Something about food and drink from Hogsmeade but I haven’t made the connection itself, to be honest. What would it have to do with students disappearing?

I’ve also heard rumours (Ravenclaws tend to speak loudly) about transformations into animals. Honestly? The very idea is absurd – animagai are really rare, Daddy told me, and these are very sudden. It’s impossible to just… become an animagus. He told me it takes years of “extensive” training. (Yay for a new word!)

Either way, something is going on at Hogwarts and it isn’t normal.

If we weren’t so busy, I’d talk to Juni about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Bells,

No, all the students becoming animagi seems quite impossible. Preposterous, really. Becoming an animagus takes years and years of extensive training and practice, and then they all have to register though the Ministry of Magic. Many people don’t manage to become one – the list is very short and very, very few minors have ever accomplished it. If you want, I could forward to you a list of these people and you can check for any of your students.

Have you spoken to Headmistress Rae about the missing students?

Try not to get worked up, Bells. You’ve a good head upon your shoulder and I know very well you can take care of yourself. Just watch your back and try not to travel alone. I trust that you can take good care of yourself.

If you need more help, just write me.

Love you very much,
Raphael “Daddy” Cortella

---------------------------------------------------------------

October 30
[6:13 pm]

Such a nice day today that I had to take a break. Daddy warned me not to travel alone but Juni was busy reading something (a plant book, this time) and I felt the urge to go outside. It wasn’t really warm but it certainly wasn’t as cold as it’d been lately, so I went out by the lake to walk around and see if I could catch sight of the Giant Squid.

Instead, I ran into that friend of Samson’s, Sabrina.

And she remembered me as the girl who fell on him in the Common Room.

Ag! She wore one of those knowing smirking smiles, too, which made me feel all weird and blushy. We wound up chatting for a bit, though. She’s really nice. :] It was a nice, fun little talk, but I had to get going and finish up an essay for potions. Ew. I feel positive that I’m mucking it all up.

On that note.

Back to homework. Ew.

---------------------------------------------------------------

November 3
[6:30 pm]

Today was Nettie’s birthday, so I sent her a couple new books and a basket of… Honeyduke’s more conventional candies and snacks. Can you imagine explaining to her why her Chocolate Frog jumped away before she could bite it? No chance risking that!

Speaking of candy, I received a package from home filled with candy for Halloween. Lots of Cadbury’s (Daddy knows they’re my favorite chocolates), some KitKats, Frys peppermint Cream (mmm I’ve missed those!), a dozen Kinder surprise (my favorite beside Cadbury. Plus they have trinkets!), Jelly Babies, licorice, some toffies, lots of gellies, and some lollies.

I don’t think I’ll be needing any candies here for a long time. Daddy also sent in an order for another case of butter beer that I can pick up in Hogsmeade. Yay!

Halloween at home is so fun. Nettie, Couri, Tait, Niel and Katty would come over and we’d all play games and eat candy and Lorelei made all sorts of sweets and puddings for us. Biscuits and cakes and pies and so much stuff. Niel would manage to eat so much he wouldn’t show up in school the next day as he was at home with a sour stomach.

I wonder what they did this year, without me.

Ag! Now I feel all homesick again…

---------------------------------------------------------------
November 12
[9:37 pm]

So busy I hardly have time to write anymore!

Gavin is one strange and curious person. Really!

I went for another walk today and headed out for the Whomping Willow. Just wandering and I heard some voices so, curiously, I approached them and found Samson and Gavin, the Juke girl and some other girl I don’t know.

Gavin must’ve been in an odd mood or something, cos when I approached, he called me little cabbage, which seemed strange. And I asked if he called me Cabbage and he said, “My little cabbage. You grow out of the ground on a beautiful, sunny day, like cabbages do.” And I’m thinking What in Merlin’s pants?! and he said green suits me.

I think Samson had similar sentiments and Gavin says “Not Issy the Cabbage. My little cabbage. Not yours.” And he narrowed his eyes and I’m still thinking What in Merlin’s beard is going on here?! But his whole possessive thing made me laugh quietly because it seemed silly and absurd but kinda sweet.

And then! I think he and Samson were continuing a conversation, cos he’s like “Was it the your turn to kiss Cabbage aka Issy thing” and I might’ve blushed because the very idea was embarrassing and incredulous and all.

Then Samson pretended to be all indifferent about the situation and asked What if she doesn’t want me to kiss her and no one is asking my opinion (which is NO! cos I do NOT like Samson like that. At all!) and then Gavin says “Oh I doubt Issy wouldn’t want you to kiss her.”

They’re talking about me like I’m not even there!

And Gavin was SO wrong. I do NOT want Samson to kiss me and I didn’t in that moment, because it would be so weird and I don’t like him like that. I kinda want my first kiss to be more special than just kissing my friend. If that’s how I wanted it, I’d have kissed Fredreich – when we were younger he’d do whatever I asked him to.

But THEN! Gavin! He says, “So, tell me guys. Are you ever going to stop complaining about each other and just hang out for once without whining? Or is this a scheme to make everyone around you crazy with irritation?"

What in the world is he talking about? Samson and I had been hanging out alone without us fighting or me “whining” and stuff. It’s been a long time since I’ve complained about Samson, anyway. So I told Gavin that because something was up his butt, honestly. Why else would be acting so weird?

And then he walked off.

!!!?!!!?

I DO NOT TALK ABOUT SAMSON ALL THE TIME THANK YOU MUCH!

Ag!

Sometimes Samson just frustrates me and drives me nuts but he hasn’t lately! Gavin must’ve been in an off mood or something to be acting all weird like that. Merlin.

But Samson said something that did irk me. “That’s not the kind of girl who wants a kiss from a guy like me.”

…what kind of girl am I then?

And what kind of guy is he?

And why wouldn’t I want to kiss him, if we weren’t friends?!

There he goes, being all frustrating again. AG!

---------------------------------------------------------------

November 20
[2:43 pm]

If I die under the pressure of all this homework, I want Matti to know I love him, Fredreich to know he’s been one of my best friends, Juni to know she’s my closest friend at Hogwarts, Aiden can have my case of butterbeer, and Samson to know I’m sorry for being so annoying in the beginning.

Goodness!

---------------------------------------------------------------

November 29
[4:16 pm]

Big tests coming up!

Wish me luck!

---------------------------------------------------------------

December 10
[time unknown]

I’m functioning. Don’t know when I’ve been falling asleep – it’s been late.

But I’m functioning.

---------------------------------------------------------------

December 14
[5:34 pm]

Christmas holidays!

Going home tomorrow. Yaaaay! I’m going to miss everyone so incredibly much, though! Geez-o! I’ve bought Juni some new books – I found one on aquatic plants, a book on different types of jellyfish and for comical reasons, I bought her The Care and Management of Your New Skunks.

Heehee.

I bought Samson a new scarf, blue, and Callie has a new pair of shoes. And I’m sending Aiden off with a case of butterbeer heehee, but I’m going to make him promise me not to tell his mum where it came from.

Eeeeek! I can’t wait to see everyone at home!

Time to run downstairs and give everyone their pressies.

Happy Christmas!