# Saturday Morning - Parker Residence, Queens
The autumn sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows with that particular golden quality that only October mornings seemed to manage, turning everything it touched into something worth photographing. May Parker stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with the practiced efficiency of someone who'd been making weekend breakfasts for years, while Ben sat at the table with the newspaper spread out in front of him, his reading glasses perched on his nose as he worked through the crossword puzzle with methodical determination.
Harry Potter-Parker sat across from Ben, his dark hair still slightly messed from sleep despite his attempts to flatten it, working his way through a stack of pancakes that would have impressed competitive eaters. At nine years old, he was in the middle of one of those growth spurts that required approximately seventeen thousand calories per day just to maintain basic function, and May had learned to simply double all recipe quantities when cooking for him.
"Seventeen down," Ben said without looking up from his crossword, his voice carrying that comfortable warmth that made even Saturday morning puzzle-solving feel significant. "Seven letters, 'magical institution of learning.' Any ideas?"
"Hogwarts," Harry replied immediately around a mouthful of pancake, then swallowed and added with more clarity, "H-O-G-W-A-R-T-S. Though that's eight letters, so maybe it's just 'academy' or something boring like that."
"Show-off," Ben said with affection, penciling in what was apparently the correct answer. "How'd you know that wasn't a trick question?"
"Because you always do the magical-themed crosswords on Saturdays," Harry replied with the confident knowledge of someone who'd been observing family patterns for years. "Ever since Peter and the others left for school, you've been doing the ones from *The Daily Prophet* instead of the regular ones."
May turned from the stove, spatula in hand, giving Ben a look that somehow managed to convey both amusement and gentle criticism. "You've been buying magical newspapers just to do the crosswords?"
"Educational purposes," Ben defended with the dignity of someone who knew he was being ridiculous but was committed to the bit. "How else am I supposed to learn about wizard culture and magical terminology? Harry needs someone who can hold intelligent conversations about his educational interests."
"I think Harry would be fine if you stuck to regular crosswords," May said, but she was smiling as she turned back to the pancakes. "Though I have to admit, some of the magical clues are actually pretty clever."
"Like this one," Ben said, pointing at the puzzle. "Twenty-three across: 'Transformation specialist with a Scottish accent, fond of tartan.' That's obviously Professor McGonagall."
Harry grinned, the kind of full-face expression that made him look younger than his usual composed demeanor suggested. "You're getting really good at these. By the time I get to Hogwarts, you'll probably know more magical trivia than I do."
"That's the plan," Ben confirmed. "Can't have my son showing me up with obscure spell theory and potion ingredients when he comes home for Christmas. I need to maintain some parental credibility."
"Your parental credibility is based on being a good person who cares about people, not on whether you can identify rare magical creatures," Harry said with nine-year-old wisdom that sometimes made his parents forget how young he actually was. "Though knowing stuff about Hogwarts is pretty cool too."
May brought over another plate of pancakes—these ones with chocolate chips arranged in a smiley face pattern that was simultaneously adorable and slightly embarrassing for a nine-year-old who was trying to maintain his mature image.
"Eat up," she said, ruffling his hair with maternal affection that completely ruined his attempts at looking presentable. "You're still growing, and based on how much you've been eating lately, you're going to be taller than Ben by the time you're fourteen."
"That's not a high bar to clear," Harry observed, earning himself a gentle swat from his father's newspaper. "What? You said yourself you're not particularly tall! That's just objective measurement, not an insult!"
"The truth can still be rude when delivered with excessive honesty," Ben replied with mock severity. "Basic social skills, Harry. We've discussed this."
They fell into comfortable silence for a few minutes, the kind of peaceful weekend morning that had become precious since Peter and the others had left for Hogwarts six weeks ago. The house was quieter without Peter's constant scientific enthusiasm and Ned's frequent visits with Felix providing color-changing entertainment. MJ wasn't dropping by to sketch in their living room while providing artistic commentary on everything, and Gwen wasn't organizing their bookshelves according to increasingly sophisticated filing systems.
It was nice, in its way—having just the three of them, enjoying uncomplicated family time without the beautiful chaos that came with five teenagers preparing for magical education. But Harry missed his friends. Missed the energy they brought, the constant conversation, the feeling that something interesting was always about to happen.
Which was why, when they heard the distinctive sound of wings beating against window glass, Harry's head snapped up with immediate excitement.
"That's Minerva!" he announced, practically leaping from his chair to run toward the living room window where a snowy owl was hovering with obvious impatience, a thick bundle of letters clutched in her talons.
"Minerva?" May repeated, following Harry with her own coffee mug in hand. "Isn't that Peter's owl? The one he got at Diagon Alley?"
"Named after Professor McGonagall," Harry confirmed, already unlatching the window to let the bird inside. "Peter said he wanted to honor the professor who'd been so patient with all his questions during the training program."
Minerva swept into the room with regal dignity, landing on the back of the couch with the kind of precision that suggested she'd been practicing this exact maneuver. She was beautiful—pristine white feathers, amber eyes that held far more intelligence than any ordinary bird should possess, and a bearing that suggested she took her postal duties very seriously indeed.
She dropped the bundle of letters into Harry's waiting hands, then hooted once—a sound that somehow conveyed both satisfaction at completing her delivery and expectation of appropriate compensation for services rendered.
"Right, treats," Harry said, already moving toward the kitchen where they'd started keeping owl treats after Peter's first letter had arrived with similar demands from Minerva. "Good job, Minerva. That's a long flight from Scotland."
The owl hooted again, this time with obvious approval, and accepted the treats Harry offered with the dignified gratitude of someone receiving payment they'd rightfully earned.
Harry returned to the table with the bundle of letters, his hands actually shaking slightly with excitement as he examined them. There were five envelopes, each one addressed in familiar handwriting, each one carrying news from friends he hadn't seen in six weeks.
"Five letters," Ben observed with satisfaction, setting aside his crossword puzzle because obviously letters from Hogwarts were more important than wordplay. "That's one from each of your friends. They must have coordinated to send them all together."
"Probably Gwen's idea," Harry said, recognizing her systematic approach to efficient communication. "She's really good at organizing things so they work better than people expect them to."
He spread the letters out on the table, studying the handwriting on each envelope. Peter's was slightly messy, words crammed together with the enthusiasm of someone who had too many thoughts and not enough space to contain them all. MJ's was artistic—individual letters that somehow managed to look both casual and carefully considered. Gwen's was precise, each letter perfectly formed as though she'd been practicing her penmanship for years. Ned's was enthusiastic, with doodles of what appeared to be Felix drawn in the margins. And Felicia's was elegant, her handwriting somehow managing to look expensive despite being written on standard Hogwarts parchment.
"Which one are you going to read first?" May asked, settling into her chair with obvious interest in hearing about what was happening at magical school.
Harry considered this seriously. "Peter's, I think. He's the one who'll give me the most detailed description of everything—classes, professors, the castle, all the stuff I want to know about before I get there myself."
He carefully opened Peter's letter, unfolding the parchment to reveal several pages of writing that was so packed with information it looked like Peter had been trying to fit an entire book into standard correspondence format.
---
**Peter's Letter:**
*Harry,*
*Okay so first things first—I GOT SORTED INTO RAVENCLAW and it's absolutely incredible and I have so much to tell you that I don't even know where to start but I'm going to try to organize this logically even though my brain is going approximately seventeen directions simultaneously which is pretty much my normal state but amplified because MAGIC SCHOOL.*
*Let me start with the Sorting because that's probably what you want to know about first since you'll be doing it yourself in two years and I want to give you comprehensive information so you're properly prepared. The Sorting Hat—yes, it's an actual hat that talks and reads your mind and makes decisions about your personality and where you'll fit best—is simultaneously fascinating and deeply unsettling from a privacy perspective.*
*When Professor McGonagall put it on my head, the Hat immediately started talking to me (in my head, not out loud, which was good because I was freaking out enough without having an audible conversation with sentient headwear). It said I had a really "busy" mind (exact words) and that I was very curious about how things worked. It considered Ravenclaw because I love learning, but also mentioned Gryffindor because apparently I'm brave under all the nervous energy—which, honestly, I'm not sure I agree with but the Hat's been doing this for a thousand years so maybe it knows something I don't.*
*Eventually it decided Ravenclaw was the best fit because my primary motivation for being brave is usually "I need to understand this thing that's scaring me" rather than "I need to protect people from this scary thing" (though I do want to protect people! Just in a more analytical way where I figure out the underlying principles and then develop systematic solutions).*
*Anyway, Ravenclaw. Harry, it's perfect. The common room is in this tower that's basically a giant library with comfortable chairs and windows that show the mountains and the lake, and there are books EVERYWHERE on subjects I didn't even know existed. Advanced Transfiguration Theory. Principles of Magical Engineering. Historical Applications of Arithmancy. And they're all just THERE, available for any Ravenclaw student to read whenever they want.*
*The best part is the entrance—instead of a password, there's this bronze eagle door knocker that asks you questions. Riddles, logic puzzles, philosophical questions, that kind of thing. You have to answer thoughtfully to get in, which means every time you enter the common room you're practicing critical thinking. It's brilliant.*
*My dormitory is great too—I'm sharing with four other first-year boys: Terrance Bowen (who's really into Herbology), Stephen Cornfoot (who wants to be a Curse Breaker), Michael Corner (who's absolutely obsessed with Quidditch strategy), and Anthony Goldstein (who's probably the smartest person I've ever met and that's including you, which is saying something). We all get along really well, which is good because the beds are close together and we're basically living in each other's pockets.*
*MJ, Gwen, and Felicia are all in Ravenclaw too—MJ and Gwen in the girls' dormitory just up the other staircase, and Felicia's there too obviously. It's really nice having most of our group together. We study together in the common room, compare notes on classes, and generally act like the obsessive learning collective we've always been.*
*Ned got sorted into Gryffindor, which actually makes perfect sense for him. He's brave in that really genuine way where he's not trying to be brave, he just does what needs to be done because it's the right thing. Plus he's already best friends with Fred and George Weasley, who are absolutely legendary even though they're only first-years. Those three together are going to be spectacular trouble, I can already tell.*
*Classes are INCREDIBLE. Like, genuinely mind-blowing in ways I wasn't expecting even after all our preparation. Let me break them down for you:*
*TRANSFIGURATION: Professor McGonagall is exactly as excellent as we knew she would be. Her first class, she turned her desk into a pig and back again, and everyone just stared because it was the most casually impressive thing any of us had ever seen. Then she explained that Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous branches of magic we'll learn, and that if anyone messes around in her class, they'll be removed and not welcomed back until they can demonstrate proper respect for the subject. Very Scottish, very intimidating, very effective at making us take things seriously.*
*We're starting with simple transformations—matchsticks to needles, that kind of thing. I've managed to get my matchstick to go silver and pointy, but it's still wooden in texture, which means I'm not properly transfiguring the molecular structure. McGonagall says I'm overthinking it (which, fair) and that I need to trust the magic more than the theory. Working on it.*
*CHARMS: Professor Flitwick is tiny—I mean REALLY tiny, like he stands on a stack of books to see over his desk—and incredibly enthusiastic about charm work. His first lesson was about the theoretical foundations of charm magic and how it differs from transfiguration (charms add properties to objects, transfiguration changes their fundamental nature), and he made it all sound so interesting that even students who'd been dreading the class were paying attention.*
*We're learning the Levitation Charm right now, which I'm actually pretty good at because of all the practice we did at the Institute. Flitwick noticed and asked me to demonstrate for the class, which was equal parts terrifying and validating. Some of the other students weren't thrilled about an American first-year showing off, but Flitwick shut that down immediately by pointing out that being good at something doesn't make you a show-off, it just means you worked hard and should be proud of your results.*
*POTIONS: Oh boy. Okay, so Professor Snape is... intense. He's this tall, intimidating guy with black hair and robes that billow when he walks (I'm not sure if that's a natural effect or if he's charmed them to be dramatic, but it's definitely working), and he has this way of looking at you that makes you feel like you've disappointed him even if you haven't done anything yet.*
*His first lesson, he gave this whole speech about how Potion-making is a subtle art and exact science, and how only those with natural talent and perfect attention to detail would excel in his class. Then he immediately started firing questions at us about ingredients and effects, and got increasingly snide when people didn't know the answers.*
*He seems to have taken a particular dislike to me, though I'm not sure why. Maybe because I'm American? Or because I'm in Ravenclaw? Or because I asked too many follow-up questions about the theoretical basis for why certain ingredients react the way they do? Unclear. But every time I do anything in his class, he makes some sarcastic comment about "Americans who think reading a few books makes them experts" or "those who confuse theoretical knowledge with actual competence."*
*It's frustrating because I'm actually doing pretty well in Potions—I've brewed every assigned potion correctly, I follow the instructions precisely, and I understand the underlying principles. But Snape acts like I'm deliberately trying to cause cauldron explosions through incompetence.*
*MJ says he's like this with a lot of students and I shouldn't take it personally. Gwen's theory is that he's just generally unhappy and takes it out on first-years. Felicia thinks he's testing us to see who has the mental fortitude to push back against authority figures. I don't know. I just try to do good work and stay out of his way.*
*DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: Professor Bertie is great—she's this energetic woman who actually teaches us practical defensive spells rather than just theory. She says the best defense is understanding what you're defending against and then learning multiple ways to counter it, which makes sense from a systematic preparation perspective.*
*We're starting with basic defensive jinxes and hex-reversal theory. It's fascinating stuff, though some of it's kind of dark (like, we're learning about curses that cause pain or confusion, which is uncomfortable but important to understand I guess). Burbage is really good about explaining the ethics of defensive magic—how it's only defensive if you're actually protecting yourself or others, and how using "defensive" magic offensively is just assault with better PR.*
*HISTORY OF MAGIC: Okay so Professor Binns is a ghost who died while teaching and literally hasn't noticed yet, which should be fascinating but is actually just incredibly boring. He lectures in this monotone that makes your brain shut down, and he never takes questions or interacts with students in any meaningful way. He just floats in front of the blackboard and drones on about goblin rebellions and giant wars for an hour straight.*
*Most students sleep through his classes or work on homework for other subjects. I try to pay attention because the content is actually interesting (like, we're learning about actual historical events that shaped the magical world!), but even I have trouble staying focused when Binns is teaching. MJ sketches. Gwen takes notes but admits later she doesn't remember anything. It's really unfortunate because History of Magic should be one of the most interesting subjects and instead it's universally considered the worst class at Hogwarts.*
*HERBOLOGY: Professor Sprout is wonderful—she's this cheerful woman who's absolutely covered in dirt most of the time and doesn't care at all. She teaches Herbology in these greenhouses behind the castle, and she's so enthusiastic about magical plants that it's actually infectious. Even students who didn't think they'd like Herbology end up enjoying it because Sprout makes everything seem important and interesting.*
*We're learning about Devil's Snare right now (a plant that strangles you if you don't relax, which seems like a design flaw for a plant that causes panic), and Sprout made us all practice the counter-technique until we could do it reflexively. She's really big on practical safety—says she'd rather spend extra time on boring safety drills than have to write letters to parents explaining why their children got strangled by homework assignments.*
*ASTRONOMY: We have this at midnight on Wednesdays, which is completely exhausting but also kind of cool? Professor Sinistra is very serious about proper observation technique and precise chart-making, and she doesn't tolerate students who think Astronomy is just "looking at pretty stars." She says magical astronomy is about understanding the influence of celestial bodies on magical energy, which requires mathematical precision and careful documentation.*
*It's hard to stay awake for midnight classes after a full day of other lessons, but the view from the Astronomy Tower is incredible. You can see the whole grounds, the lake, the Forbidden Forest, everything.*
*FLYING LESSONS: Okay so this is terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. Madam Hooch teaches flying, and she has these BRIGHT YELLOW eyes that are kind of unsettling, and she's really strict about safety but also pushes us to actually try things rather than being too cautious.*
*My first time on a broom, I was absolutely convinced I was going to fall off and die. The broom responds to your intent and your balance, and if you're nervous (which I was VERY nervous), it can feel that and gets twitchy. But once I relaxed a little bit and just trusted the broom to do its job, it was actually amazing. You're FLYING. Like, actually flying through the air with nothing but a wooden stick and magic keeping you from plummeting to your death.*
*Some students are naturally good at flying—there's this first-year in Gryffindor who's apparently incredible, picked it up immediately and was doing advanced maneuvers by the end of the first lesson. I'm more in the "competent but not spectacular" category. I can fly, I can control my broom, I'm not going to fall off or crash into things. But I'm never going to be a Quidditch player.*
*Speaking of Quidditch, the whole school is OBSESSED with it. Like, to a degree that seems slightly unhinged? There are Quidditch try-outs happening right now, and people are talking about team composition and strategy like it's actually important instead of just a game where people fly around chasing balls while other balls try to knock them unconscious. I don't get it. But MJ's been sketching the try-outs because she says the aerial choreography is interesting from an artistic perspective, so at least someone's getting educational value from the whole thing.*
*The castle itself is incredible. Remember when we toured it and I was amazed by the architecture? Living here is even better. The staircases really do move—I've been late to classes twice because the stairs decided to rearrange themselves while I was using them. The portraits talk and sometimes give helpful advice, though they also gossip constantly and seem to have very strong opinions about student behavior.*
*There are ghosts everywhere—Nearly Headless Nick (Gryffindor's ghost) is apparently friends with Ned now because Ned asked him detailed questions about failed medieval executions. The Grey Lady (Ravenclaw's ghost) sometimes talks to students in the common room about magical philosophy, which is actually fascinating. The Bloody Baron (Slytherin's ghost) is terrifying and everyone avoids him. The Fat Friar (Hufflepuff's ghost) is apparently the friendliest ghost in the castle but I haven't met him yet.*
*Food at Hogwarts is incredible—like, genuinely some of the best food I've ever had, and it just appears on the tables through some kind of house-elf magic that MJ says we need to research because it seems ethically complicated. But while we're researching it, we're definitely going to keep eating it because it's delicious and also I'm hungry approximately 100% of the time I'm awake.*
*The library is HUGE. Like, multiple floors, thousands of books, entire sections devoted to subjects I didn't know existed. Madam Pince (the librarian) is very strict about book care and has actually banned students for mistreating library books. I spend probably too much time there, according to MJ, who keeps dragging me out for "fresh air and social interaction with humans instead of just books."*
*Okay, I think I've told you approximately everything about classes and the castle. Now for the important stuff: I miss you. The whole group misses you. We talk about you constantly—about how you'd approach certain problems, what you'd think about different situations, how you'd probably already have memorized half the castle's secret passages by now.*
*Ned sends his regards (and Felix sends color-coordinated squeaks that apparently translate to "hello from the Gryffindor Tower cat"). Fred and George say they're planning something spectacular for when you arrive in two years and we're not allowed to know what it is yet, but they promise it will be "legendary and possibly expulsion-worthy if caught."*
*We're sending comprehensive notes about everything we're learning so you can study ahead if you want. Gwen's been organizing it all into a systematic curriculum that she says will have you prepared for first year before you even get your Hogwarts letter. It's very Gwen—organized, thorough, probably excessive, but genuinely helpful.*
*Write back soon. Tell us everything about what you're doing, how your theoretical studies are going, whether you've discovered any new magical abilities we should know about. We want to hear ALL of it.*
*Miss you, Harry. Can't wait until you're here with us.*
*—Peter*
*P.S. - I'm enclosing my class notes from the first month. They're color-coded by subject and include annotations about which topics professors emphasize and which topics are just mentioned in passing. Use them wisely.*
*P.P.S. - Gwen says hi and wants you to know she's created a comprehensive study guide for pre-Hogwarts preparation that she'll be sending separately.*
*P.P.P.S. - MJ says to stop overthinking everything and just enjoy being nine. She's probably right.*
---
Harry carefully folded Peter's letter, his mind already racing through all the information about classes, professors, the castle's quirks. Peter's description of Potions class was concerning—he made a mental note to ask more about Professor Snape in his reply letter.
"That was... thorough," Ben observed with amusement, having been reading over Harry's shoulder. "Very Peter. I think that letter contained more information than most people's entire first-term experience."
"He's always been like that," Harry said with affection. "If he's going to tell you about something, he's going to tell you EVERYTHING about it. Comprehensive is his default setting."
May was smiling as she refilled her coffee. "It's sweet that they're all sending you notes and study materials. They really want you to be prepared when it's your turn."
"They want me to be better than prepared," Harry corrected. "They want me to show up already knowing more than half the first-years who've been magical their whole lives. Which is very them—competitive academic support."
He reached for the next letter, recognizing MJ's artistic handwriting immediately.
---
**MJ's Letter:**
*Harry,*
*Peter's probably written you seventeen pages of detailed academic analysis by now, so I'm going to skip most of the "here's what classes are like" stuff and focus on the more important questions: What's it actually like living here? How does Hogwarts feel? What's the experience beyond just the curriculum?*
*The castle is alive. I don't mean that metaphorically—well, I mean it metaphorically too, but I also mean it kind of literally? The building has awareness. Corridors shift to accommodate traffic. Doors open when you need them to. Sometimes paintings will give you directions to places you didn't realize you were looking for. It's like the castle is paying attention, making small adjustments to help students, occasionally being contrary just to keep things interesting.*
*I'm in Ravenclaw (obviously—the Hat barely touched my head before deciding), and living in Ravenclaw Tower is like being inside someone's perfect fantasy of what a library should feel like. All dark wood, blue velvet, bronze fixtures, and about seventeen thousand books on subjects that shouldn't exist but definitely do. The common room has these huge windows that show the mountains and the lake, and the light changes throughout the day in ways that make me want to paint every moment of it.*
*My dormitory is great—I'm sharing with Gwen, Felicia, Pamela Paul (who's brilliant and wants to be a Healer), Mandy Broderick (who's obsessed with Ancient Runes despite us not being able to take it until third year), and Linda Turner (who's probably going to be Head Girl someday because she's naturally organized and diplomatic). We all get along well, which is good because the space is cozy (read: small) and you really need to like your roommates when you're essentially living in their pockets.*
*The artistic opportunities here are incredible. The castle itself is a study in architectural impossibility—every corridor is a different lesson in how space can be manipulated through magic and intention. The way light moves through the Great Hall during different times of day, the patterns created by enchanted ceiling, the interplay of shadow and substance in the dungeons... I've filled three sketchbooks already and I'm nowhere near done documenting this place.*
*Professor Bertie lets me sketch during Defense Against the Dark Arts lectures as long as I'm also paying attention, which I appreciate because I think better when my hands are busy. Some of the other professors are less understanding (Snape confiscated one of my sketchbooks during Potions because he thought I wasn't focusing, which was ridiculous because I was sketching the potion transformation process and actually learning more through visual documentation than I would have through just watching).*
*The Ravenclaw knocker questions are my favorite part of living in this tower. Every time you want to enter the common room, you have to answer a riddle or philosophical question. They're genuinely thought-provoking—not just trivia or word games, but real questions about art, ethics, meaning, the nature of truth. Today it asked me "What is the difference between art and truth?" and I spent five minutes talking about representation versus reality before it let me in.*
*Here's something Peter probably didn't mention because he's too focused on academic content: Hogwarts has a social structure that's simultaneously fascinating and kind of ridiculous. There's this whole hierarchy based on House affiliation, year level, Quidditch ability, and perceived coolness that governs who sits where in the Great Hall, who gets priority for study spots in the library, who's invited to the informal parties that happen in common rooms on weekends.*
*The interesting thing is that Ravenclaw kind of exists outside some of that hierarchy. We're not really competing for social status the way Gryffindors and Slytherins do—we're more interested in being right than being popular. Which means our House dynamics are based more on intellectual respect than social capital. If you can hold interesting conversations and contribute meaningfully to study groups, people want to spend time with you. If you're just trying to be cool or popular, you're kind of ignored.*
*Fred and George Weasley (who are friends with Ned in Gryffindor) are apparently legendary for their pranks and general chaos-causing, but they're also genuinely smart and creative about it. They've been planning something big—no one knows what—but whatever it is, it's going to be spectacular and probably result in detentions for half the first-year class.*
*Speaking of Ned, he's thriving in Gryffindor. Like, genuinely thriving in a way that makes me think the Sorting Hat knew exactly what it was doing when it put him there instead of with us in Ravenclaw. He's brave without trying to be brave, loyal without making a big deal about it, and apparently already friends with half his House because he's just that naturally likeable.*
*The food here is almost offensively good. I've gained at least five pounds since arriving, and I don't even care because the breakfast pastries alone are worth it. Though MJ-the-artist is slightly concerned about MJ-the-teenage-girl's relationship with magical carbohydrates. Working on finding balance.*
*Classes are intense but good. Transfiguration with McGonagall is probably my favorite—there's something deeply satisfying about transforming one thing into another, changing essential nature through focused intent and proper technique. It's basically magic as art form, which appeals to me on multiple levels.*
*Charms is fun because Flitwick is so enthusiastic that his energy is infectious. Defense Against the Dark Arts is interesting from a "understanding how to protect yourself" perspective, though some of the curse descriptions are genuinely disturbing. Potions would be great if Snape wasn't such an ass to American students (and Gryffindors, and basically anyone who isn't in Slytherin or doesn't fit his narrow definition of acceptable).*
*I miss you, Harry. The whole group misses you. We talk about you all the time—what you're doing back in Queens, how you're handling being the only one of us not at Hogwarts yet, whether you're bored without us around causing chaos.*
*Two more years feels like forever right now. But we're documenting everything, taking notes on everything, preparing everything so that when you arrive you'll already know more about Hogwarts than most second-years. You're going to show up prepared, confident, and ready to absolutely dominate your first year.*
*Keep being brilliant. Keep studying. Keep asking those sharp questions that make adults uncomfortable. And write back soon—we want to hear about everything you're learning and doing.*
*Miss you.*
*—MJ*
*P.S. - I'm enclosing some sketches of the castle. Study them. The architectural details will help you navigate when you get here.*
*P.P.S. - Stop overthinking everything. I know you're doing it right now. Stop it.*
---
Harry smiled, carefully unfolding the sketches MJ had included. They were incredible—detailed drawings of castle corridors, the Great Hall from multiple angles, the Ravenclaw common room, even a map of the grounds that showed paths MJ had obviously been exploring. Her artistic talent had captured not just the physical details but somehow the feeling of the spaces, making them seem both majestic and welcoming.
"These are beautiful," May said, looking over his shoulder at the sketches. "She's really talented."
"She's always been amazing at art," Harry agreed. "But being at Hogwarts seems to have given her even more inspiration. Look at how she's captured the light in the Great Hall—you can almost feel the enchanted ceiling above you."
He set MJ's letter and sketches aside carefully, then reached for Gwen's letter. This one, he knew, would be organized, systematic, and probably include color-coded study recommendations.
---
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