Letters from family

[Megan De Winter]

Megan sat at the heavy wooden desk, her hair tied away from her face in a long thick braid and her face screwed up with concentration as she attempted to read the spidery writing of her older sister.

And just remember that you're not just there to study.. Yes getting the exams is important but you have to make friends and have some fun. Hogwarts is the best place for friends.

Megan rolled her eyes as she pictured Emily at Hogwarts, the curly black hair framing a face that seemed to be constantly laughing at the world. Emily had been notorious during her tenure at Hogwarts, she had enchanted several fairy cakes so that the person who ate them would gain pink spots or fly. She had pioneered a set of glitter fireworks which appeared to be nothing more than cardboard tubes until they were thrown. Emily's pranks had frustrated a full set of Hogwarts professors, added another layer to the De Winter reputation and that stymied Megan. Emily was now twenty two, more mature than her Hogwarts self and yet she had a vivacity that net her friends both male and female, it was her ease with people that bypassed her younger sister. Emily hadn't grown up in a large house full of empty rooms and it showed in all of her mannerisms. Megan on the other hand.. the girl glanced across at the darkened window taking in her reflection. A tall somber looking girl with long jet black hair and a worried expression. Tearing her eyes from the image, Megan looked back at the letter and her sisters spidery, hastily written script.

"It's all very well for her to say about fun.." She muttered sharply as she re-read that bit of the letter again. "She walked through her OWL's and NEWT's... " Her gaze returned to the letter and she continued to read.

Julian saw Fiona Mackinnon the other day, apparently she's got a girl at Hogwarts about your age, might even be in the same house as you. I'd ask around, see if you can meet her...

"Oh great.. am I not even trusted to find my own friends!" She pushed the letter aside and stood up, stretching her long body carelessly as her thought ran over her older brother, his occasional dark moods and almost obsessive working habits. She had thought he hadn't cared for her and now he and Emily were pushing the friends of distant relatives at her. "I don't need to be babied.." Her words echoed slightly and she winced, realising that she had spoken a trifle loud. Nervously she looked around the room, hoping that her mumblings had gone un-noticed.

[Aislin MacKinnon]

"Good for you," chirped a girlish voice from the back of the room. The face the voice belonged to was hidden behind a History of Magic text. "How dare that letter try to baby you," the book was lowered to reveal twinkling green eyes behind rectangular spectacles, "you should fold it up and not read it for a week, that'll teach it."

The younger Ravenclaw set down her book and stretched out her legs, which had been tucked underneath her while she sat. She was a pale girl, with thick chocolate curls that fell past her shoulders, and wide eyes.

"I'm Aislin by the way."

She usually wasn't so outspoken, even with her own housemates, but she recognized Megan (though she didn't know her name) from the library and late night cram sessions in the common room. She'd always meant to speak to her, she seemed a likable enough girl, not silly like most at Hogwarts, it had just never felt like the right time.

"Any time's the right time for friends Lynnie!" Kieran's voice echoed in her head. Her brother would congratulate her on finally reaching out to someone, and tease her for taking almost the whole year to do it.

[Megan De Winter]

Megan jumped and flushed red with embarrassment as the girl poked her head from the confines of the chair and spoke. "Err..." She stammered lightly, wondering how to respond to the light teasing. Once again, she wished she were as verbally adept as her older sister, she would have been able to whip out a witty comeback, especially to a younger student.

"Hi!" She finally managed after several awkward seconds. "I'm Megan..." It seemed too formal to add on her second name, so she left it blank, trying to push past the shyness that threatened to silence her.

"it was just a letter from my older sister.." She exclaimed, pointing at the piece of parchment. "She was trying to fix me up with some friends..." She clamped her mouth shut, afraid that her last sentence had condemned her as either totally pathetic or friendless. The fact that it wasn't far from the truth was not lost on her.

[Aislin MacKinnon]

Aislin smiled, looking relieved, "I know how you feel. My brother, you probably don't know him, he's in Gryffindor, he knew everybody by the end of the first day and he keeps telling me to socialize."

"It just seems like I've got too much to do with classes alone to worry about meeting people. I don't know how he finds time to talk to his friends... but then, he isn't doing so well in class."

[Megan De Winter]

"I know just what you mean!" Megan exclaimed, relieved to find that she had found someone who seemed close to her mentality. "With all the pressure to do well I don't have the time for friend hunting!" It was more information than she had ever volunteered in her life, but she had the feeling that this girl understand her problems.

"All my older brothers and sisters were in Ravenclaw and they've all done really well!" She stopped there, not willing to sound as though she was whinging.

"But enough of school work babble... What do you do in your spare time? I do tend to hang out at the library and read!"