Megan Jones

Is there something you would like me to bring? To Hogwarts I mean. From the Bad Jam cupboard. Because I can do that. I can just put it in with mine, and Mrs Stretton has given me an extra-big basket to fill already. I think she is pleased. Not so much with me although she has hardly yelled at me in three weeks which must be some sort of record, but because they have that big contract with St Mungo's now and so she is very pleased. And there are some jars now in the Bad Jam cupboard that have got "by appointment to St Mungo's" labels on them from when she was doing a practice run on labelling charms only they didn't come out quite right. So I could bring some of those.

And thank you again for helping me get this position. And I hope you had a good summer. Did you have a good summer?

It is a lot quieter around here today. And Mrs Stretton is being super nice to me, I think because she tried to get her usual helper to come back from his hols but he wouldn't come, and now she is regretting that she yelled at you and tried to make you pay for that wrong delivery that was her mistake anyhow. Or at least regretting that you left because of it.

She actually asked if I were happy, this afternoon.

I think too that she is regretting you are gone because Gemma was howling all yesterday but today she is not speaking to her. Gemma, I mean. Not speaking to Mrs Stretton.

She doesn't like me as much as she did you, Gemma I mean of course, and why should she? But today she is sitting under that table where we pack the baskets. She has made a little cave down there, and I am just pretending that I don't see her. Like I do with Fang when he is in a mood and doesn't want to be petted but does want to be around humans but doesn't want to actually be nice to them. So I can do that. And she's fine right there, really. And I think mostly Mrs Stretton is glad she's not howling any more.

How long can does Gemma usually keep up the silent treatment?

But this was not what I set out to write to you about at all. What I meant to write is happy birthday. So happy birthday! I hope it is a good one.

Also I meant to say thank you. So thank you for putting in a word for me here, and for helping me get used to it and for teaching me things. I know we were never friends at school and things happened but I think we had some fun times helping each other out here and that is something. So thank you for that too.

And happy birthday.

I couldn't face anyone. I am in the infirmary. But please don't do anything bad to Blaise or he will do something worse back. To you. Which is part of the problem.

I will be there for Defence because Professor Raz will not let anybody laugh at me. Or at least if they do he will use them as a demonstrator for defending against a new hex and that will keep them busy.

I hope Madam Pomfrey can do something. But so far nothing is helping.

It is not okay that you used any of the cats for your stupid thing but I am especially angry that you used Fang. A cat cannot defend itself against magic. He does not know what you are doing. He does not even know who to bite.

If you mess with my cat ever again you will most sincerely wish you hadn't.

I am sorry to disturb you when you are visiting your father, but there is something I need to ask you. Because I don't know what my choices are and I don't want to pick the wrong one.

It's about when Mrs Stretton sent us out on Boxing Day. Well she went with me to the first few places. But then I had to go to the rest of the places by myself. Where the muggles live I mean. Because there were too many to do unless we split up. Anyhow giving out the clothes and scrip and little boxes was fine but then they asked me for things like they're supposed to but some of them are too hard not things I am good at comfortable enough with yet. I mean I can patch a hole in a roof, that spell is easy enough, or just put an impervious charm on the bit of wall where the mice keep getting in. But Imperius is harder. But I didn't want to tell your mother that I can't do it because everything was going so well and she was even talking about having me back some time to help out again which would be perfect. And so I don't want to disappoint her. But I am not good at Imperius. And the muggles really really need someone to renew it on this one muggle who is very troublesome.

And it's no good saying ask Jeremy. Because he already said I am stupider than a Squib for mixing an order up once. So I suppose I will have to ask Mrs Stretton. Only can you tell me how to ask? Because your advice about the yelling, I mean when she does it, was very helpful.

I am starting to get excited about going to the Strettons to work, but oh dear. I don't know what to pack. Because I am not sure what is appropriate attire to work there and what will be suitable. Miss Penworthy gives me new robes each year so I do have old ones to use but they are not very smart I am afraid. And I want to look suitable. But I don't want to wear my new robes because if I ruin them with jam Miss Penworthy will be very cross. Except she is ill again, and that is worse because it will be her nephew who will be very cross, and he is even more cross than she is when there are unexpected expenditures. They are both very displeased by unexpected expenditures so I need to be very careful not to have any.

Also is there anything I should bring that I might not know about? I have been trying to think what there might be, except that is the point of not knowing. About what to bring, I mean. So if you could tell me I would be very grateful.

I hope I will do okay. Will it be very busy, do you think? It is exciting but also I am nervous.

Thank you so much for talking with me the other day. Because it definitely helped. And yes, I think you were right and he wasn't just being nice to me in order to set up for some prank. Like those other horrible boys when they said Dra someone was sweet on me and wanted to talk to me and then he didn't because it wasn't true and they all laughed so.

And it went well. The revising with Ernie. I mean I think it did. I mean he asked me to revise with him again. So that must mean it went well, mustn't it?

I should go to sleep.

Anyway, thanks.

I'm glad you are my friend again.

If someone is looking at you, how do you tell why they are looking at you? Because I checked three times and nothing was wrong with my hair, that isn't wrong with it usually I mean. And there was nothing between my teeth. So I don't know. And then after that he stopped looking every time I turned around. But he still was. I think. When I wasn't watching.

How do you tell whether someone likes you?

Oh Merlin.

I keep thinking about what you said about trying to do the right thing but sometimes it doesn't turn out that way. And I am afraid that I will pick the wrong choices again.

Because Madam Umbridge was not a good choice. Even if she was in charge. Only we are supposed to look to those above us for guidance. But like Cedric Diggory said, some people lead you into swamps and you could get lost forever. Or you could get somebody else lost.

Because now Susan wants to be friends with me again, only what if I get in a swamp and I get her in there too? If I pick the wrong thing and something happens like Sarah

Is it a halfblood thing, to be afraid? Except you probably are not ever scared. Only you said you are a halfblood too even if most people do not treat you like one. So maybe you are. Scared, I mean. Sometimes.

Please do not be insulted. I do not mean to be disrespectful. But I really don't have anyone to ask. Because not many people talk to me. Except Susan now. But I cannot ask her about this because it is about her. Or Eloise because she is still cross.

I wish I knew what to do. Maybe it is safer for other people if I don't have friends after all. Because then I can never get them into a swamp by picking the wrong choices.

Er. Thank you?