Chapter Text
[A first draft. Written by Ron Weasley, in the evening of his first day at Hogwarts. Done in the Slytherin common room, by the unlikely moonlight filtering in through the window facing the black lake.]
Dear Mum and Dad,
My first day’s been alright (really weird.) I sat with Harry Potter on the train (and he’s mostly a normal kid, although he said some things-) and your sandwiches were great (you know I don’t like corned beef, why do you keep-)
I got Slytherin (I sort of-) (I kind of asked-) (The hat said-) (I didn’t stop the hat from-)
[A second draft. Written by Ron Weasley on his third day of school, in the back row of Professor Binns’ History of Magic class. Done with a partially chewed quill.]
Dear Mum and Dad,
My first day was great and classes are going fine. I’ve even made a friend (his name is Harry Potter and I’m starting to get a little worried-) (There’s one Ravenclaw who’s kind of a know it all, but she doesn’t even know about household charms, can you believe it-?) and he isn’t even in my house (because-)
I got Slytherin (because I’m evil-) (I just want-) (you know, I’ve told you loads of times I don’t like corned beef-) (I think the twins hate me-)
[A third draft. Written by Ron Weasley at lunch, on his fourth day of school. Done with a quill that looks more like a dog toy than a writing utensil, and stained with a bit of jam in the corner.]
Dear Mum and Dad,
I’m sorry for not writing sooner (are you gonna disown me? please don’t send a howler-) but classes have been busy.
My dormmates (Malfoy’s a prat but I think he’s scared of me which is-) (Blaise doesn’t talk to me but he doesn’t talk to anyone else either-) (I thought Theo hated me but he asked to play chess earlier and it was fun-) are weird, but I guess I’ll get used to them.
The sorting was interesting (I’m in Slytherin-) (I’m a snake-) (I’m happier here than I think I would’ve been in Gryffindor, even if Malfoy’s a-) Harry Potter got Hufflepuff (do you remember that time when Cedric’s friend had to move in with him for a bit while stuff got sorted out and you told us all about the signs-?)
[A fourth draft. Written by Ron Weasley on his fifth day at school. Done in the Slytherin dormitories and accidentally set on fire in a burst of accidental magic.]
Dear Mum and Dad I got Slytherin and my best friend’s in Hufflepuff and also Harry Potter and I think his family abuses him and Theo keeps playing chess with me even though I keep beating him and I’m sorry for not writing but I’m afraid you all hate me and the hat was right about me being a Slytherin but I’m still a Weasley I promise-
[A letter to his parents written by Percy Weasley. Done on his writing desk in the Gryffindor dormitories, the evening of the second day of school.]
Dear Mother and Father,
The year’s sorting was… unexpected. Harry Potter was sorted in Hufflepuff, but more importantly, Ron was sorted into Slytherin. While, as I said, unexpected, upon further reflection I believe it makes sense. He seems to be adapting as well as any first year, and his first day went as well as it could have. I only mention Harry Potter because he and Ron seem to have become friends, of a sort.
Nothing else much of note has happened, beyond an odd proclamation from Dumbledore at the feast. [Magically erased: although those are par for the course, I suppose-]
I’ve been fine, and I suspect the twins are already gearing up for trouble.
Percy Weasley
[A letter to Ron Weasley from his parents, by way of Errol, the Weasley family owl. Received on the friday of his first week, at dinner, and nearly dropped into his soup.]
Ronald Bilius Weasley, you’d best have a very good reason for us having to hear about your first day at school from your older brother’s letter. Your sorting is a surprise, but never doubt we’re very proud of you. Now you’d best write back to us yourself. Have you made any friends? How are your classes? Are you eating enough? Behaving for your teachers? Studying?
With Love,
Mum and Dad
[A letter to her Mum and Dad, written both with a biro she snuck into her trunk and much thought and consideration, by one Hermione Granger. Done upon the completion of her first week at Hogwarts. Sent with a very friendly looking barn owl, who has strict orders to wait for a reply.]
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hogwarts is unbelievable! The ceiling of the great hall is charmed to look like the night sky and it looks almost the same! I asked my friend Terry (I met them at the feast, and we researched the floating candles (the Great hall has candles that float!) to see who enchanted them, and then Mrs Pince said we had to leave the library if we wanted to get to class on time, so we still don’t know, but Terry said we can go back on the weekend (because classes take up most of the week and I don’t want to fall behind) if the constellations are accurate and they asked Professor Flitwick (he teaches Charms) and he said they were, and Professor Sinistra (who teaches Astronomy) even made me a copy of the star chart we’re using in class to compare, and it’s brilliant!
Apparently Rowena Ravenclaw charmed it herself, and I think that’s amazing, and I got sorted into Ravenclaw! The dormitories are in a tower, and in order to get in you have to answer a riddle, and the eagle knocker (who asks the riddles) likes unorthodox answers, and me and Terry have a game where we try to come up with the oddest answers, and Terry’s asked me about muggle things, and I think me and Terry are best friends now, but I don’t want to presume anything and ruin our friendship. How do you know if you’re best friends with someone?
Anyway, I have to go now because me and Terry are going to the lake to see if there are any merpeople there and say hello. I’m not sure, because the lake doesn’t look big enough to house a whole village of merpeople, let alone a whole city, but Terry says their mum is sure there’s merpeople in the lake, and maybe it’s deeper than it looks? I don’t know much about magical lakes.
There’s also a giant squid in the lake, and I thought it was a joke but then Hagrid (the groundskeeper, he’s very tall) said that it’s his job to feed it, and maybe there really are mer-cities in the lake, if it’s big enough to have a whole giant squid without destroying the ecosystem.
Perry (that’s the name of this owl, and he very much likes treats, if you have any bacon?) will wait so you can reply.
Sincerely,
Hermione
[A- after much competition- co-written letter from Daniel and Jean Granger. Written on Jean's part with a black pen and on Daniel's part a blue pen. Done on a sheet of paper ripped from a legal pad in the kitchen of their home. Delivered by a suspiciously cheerful barn owl the sunday following Hogwarts’ opening week.]
Hermione,
[In black ink] We are so happy to hear about your sorting-
[In blue] And of course you’re in that smart house, I’m so proud of you, you know, I was in-
[In black] Daniel, she knows about your alma mater, I don’t think it’s the same-
[In black] Anyway darling, we’re so proud and we’re very happy you’re making friends. Please be careful around the lake, it’s been a while since your swimming lessons-
[In blue] Although do write us about the merfolk; do they look much the same as we “muggles” picture them?
[In blue] Do remember to take a break from studying every now and then dear, because your brain is only as healthy as you make it, and that includes [underlined in black and blue] eating and sleeping!
[In black] But as to your question, from the sound of it, Terry seems like a very kind young person, who, if they’re anything like yourself, are probably asking the same question-
[In blue] You’ll be just fine if you want to ask them and confirm best friendship, but there’s nothing wrong with waiting to be sure.
Hugs and Kisses,
Mum and Dad
[A small note received by Harry Potter at breakfast on the friday of his first week. Written by Rubeus Hagrid.]
Dear Harry,
I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid
[A scratched out response written by Harry Potter. Done minutes after receiving the note, and scribbled on the back of it.]
That would be great, you’re not mad about me not being a Gryffindor right? It’s just, I really like in Hufflepuff but you’re my friend and-
[A slightly squashed-into-the-margins response written by Harry Potter. Done several minutes after the first, on the leftover space on the back of the note.]
Yes please, see you later
Harry