Teddy Nott

I got a letter from Auntie Brunhilda today. She's been very ill and doesn't think she'll be able to visit for Christmas. I don't see how she knows she won't be coming to our house for Christmas when it's ages away yet. That's a very long time to be sick.

Next Friday morning before we leave we're having a Potions exam. I'm actually really nervous about it. It's my best and favourite subject and I want to do well. I've memorised everything but even if you've memorised something it doesn't matter if you can't actually make the potion.

I can't sleep.

Crabbe and/or Goyle are snoring and the sound muffling charms on my bedcurtains are gone and I don't remember the incantation and I think it's in a book in my trunk but it's cold out there and besides I don't want to wake anyone up.

I've had the Cruciatus curse cast on me before. But I asked for it, so I don't reckon it was as painful as it could have been because he didn't really want to hurt me and you've got to really want it.

Astronomy was wizard last night. There wasn't any moon so you could see everything. Michael and I shared a telescope and we looked at the Andromeda Galaxy.

Is anyone else awake?

Can you vote someone out of your House?

I don't think what Harry did was wrong. That jinx isn't anything like Imperius. Imperius makes somebody make you do something and you don't have any choice in the matter. Longbottom could have gone somewhere and stopped talking to people and thrown his quill away. But he didn't. Besides, it was just a silly jinx anyway. I don't see why everyone is so cross about it. Everyone knows Longbottom wouldn't really say those things.

Also I said that the ghosts are better here than at home but I was sort of wrong. Our ghosts are very boring and they like to stand behind you when you're having dinner and watch you when you sleep. The ones here mind their own business most of the time and tell good stories other times, but at home we don't have a poltergeist.

I really hate Peeves.

After my mother died I cut her wand open. I wanted to see the unicorn hair inside. I still don't really understand how they work though. I know my wand is willow with dragon heartstring, but what makes it magic? Does the dragon heartstring make it magic? And if so, what makes the dragon magic?

Why do broomsticks fly? Why do Portkeys take you places? I know it's magic, but how?

Potions almost make sense. All the things put together make a whole potion. But what makes that magic?

At least I know how birds fly. They have wings and hollow bones.

It wasn't brown after all.

Mrs Lestrange, did we do something wrong or was it some sort of mudblood trick? It was red just like all the other blood I've seen.

I suppose it makes sense. Even an animal's blood is red.

But I really thought it would be brown.