Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

How are you doing? I hope summer's been going well for you! Are you excited to go back to Hogwarts?

I was just at the bookstore the other day, and I ended up buying a book called Fairytales Before Grimm, which is all about the oral stories passed down through generations across the world before the Grimm Brothers wrote them down in their own words. I thought you might be interested! It's by a lady called Tiralina Fleetfoot, and you can find at Flourish and Blotts.

Have you read any good books lately? Keep me updated!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

I'm good, thanks! How are you? I'm not really that excited to go back - maybe I will be by the end of August, but right now I'm just enjoying the summer. Though it'll be nice to see everyone again, obviously.

That sounds great, thank you so much! I was in Flourish and Blotts buying books a few days ago, but I can never go in there too many times, so I'm sure I'll be back before long. I'll definitely have a look out for it!

I've been reading this book about Muggle literature. It's a bit long and academic, and I haven't read all the books it talks about, but it's interesting. I'm going to see if Roxie's got some of the ones I haven't read - she's usually good like that.

How are your holidays going?

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

I'm great, thanks for asking! This summer has been pretty fun so far, I agree. But I do miss the library and all my friends I haven't been able to see. Including you, of course!

No problem! I hope you enjoy it - I definitely am, it's a very interesting read. It gets a bit dry in parts, but the storytelling of the original fairytales more than makes up for the exposition.

Oh, really, that's cool - which type of Muggle literature are we talking? I might know it, depending on if it was ever in the British muggle schools' curriculum or not. 

My holidays are going pretty well, actually! I got an invitation to the Nott party from Ainsley - think you'll be there? It'd be great to see you at least once before school starts!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

Oh yes, the library too. Though so far I've been buying books faster than I can read them, so I'm not missing the library too much.

That sounds great though. I wish someone would write something like that for Beadle the Bard - I bet some of those stories have amazing histories.

Most of it's adult literature at the moment, so I doubt if you were studying it at school, unless you were very advanced for eleven! It's all the Muggle classics though, so you might have come across them if your family have books and stuff? It's quite a bit about the authors and the history of the Muggle world while they were writing, so I'm hoping it'll be useful for Muggle Studies next year. It's from a wizarding perspective though, so some of it might seem a bit basic considering you've grown up in the Muggle world.

Oh, I actually got invited to that too. Well, sort of. I bumped into Sebastian Nott and he told me to come, but I didn't know if anyone I knew would be there. Well, obviously, half my family are friends with him and Chloe so they'll be there, but they won't want me hanging out with them. If you're going, I might go. When is it again?

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

I wish I could say the same! I've been so busy with friends and family, this fairytales book is about the only thing I've had time to read in a while.

Oh, wouldn't that be amazing? We should definitely look in the history section of the library when we're at school to see if there's any information on Beedle's stories before he wrote them down. 

Ah, no, I probably wouldn't, then. But my family does have lots of muggle classics lying around on our bookshelves! What kind of classics are we talking? Shakespeare or Austen or all those old guys writing about the human condition? I can recommend you some of my favorites, if you want! Not a huge fan of the old guys, though, I'll admit.

Really, you got a personal invitation from Sebastian Nott? Lily, then you have to come! It'd be rude not to, plus I'll definitely be there! You can hang out with me and Ainsley and our other friends, who needs your family, anyway? I'm not entirely sure, but I'll check with Ainsley and get back to you!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

Oh, but that sounds like it's been fun! Doing anything special or?

We should! And if it doesn't exist, you should write it, because you'd be amazing at that.

Well, it's specifically about the twentieth century, so more George Orwell and Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath and people, if you know about them? I never know how well known people actually are in the Muggle world. I like some of them, mostly the women.

Yes, it's not that exciting - he's best friends with my brother. And it sounds like pretty much everyone's going, so I doubt if he'd even notice if I didn't. I probably will, though you know me - I'm not really a big party person.

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

Not so much, just hanging out with my siblings, sort of, and mostly my Hogwarts friends. Ainsley's got herself some boy problems, so that's been interesting. What about you, how's your family doing?

Oh, goodness, no, I couldn't even think of writing a wizarding history book! I'm a muggle-born, I'm pretty sure the publishing industry wouldn't welcome me very kindly. But thank you!

Oh, I've heard of them! Sylvia Plath wrote some poems, didn't she? I think Mum's got a book about her lying around. I don't think I've actually ready Virginia Woolf myself - I never got to twentieth century literature in school before I started Hogwarts, but I have read The Hours by Michael Cunningham, which is about her and one of her characters, among other things, and it's actually really good!

Well, Sebastian Nott might not notice, but I would! It's okay if you're not in the mood when it comes around, though, but if you do, definitely come find me and we can hang out!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

Oh no, poor Ainsley! Are you allowed to tell me what kind of boy problems? (I totally understand if not!)

My family's okay, at least I think so. There are so many of them it's hard to keep up with them all at once. Albus has moved out to live with Rose, so it's a bit weird just being me and Mum and Dad at home.

I don't see why not - you've done History of Magic for just as long as the rest of us, and it's not like everyone who grew up with Beedle's stories knows the history of them or anything. You know just as much as anyone else.

Yes, Sylvia Plath wrote some amazing poetry, and a novel as well. And no, I wouldn't have thought you'd have been reading Virginia Woolf when you were ten. I've read a couple of her books - they're good, but not my favourites. I've never read The Hours though.

Okay, I will probably come. Have you been to one of them before? What kind of party are they?

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

I'm not even entirely sure what kind of boy problems yet! Mostly boys being stupid though - I'll fill you in at school after I see how this all plays out, promise! I miss our late-night study/gossip sessions.

Yeah, no kidding, I'm not even sure who's a Weasley and who's not these days. I think Seth is living with a few of your brood but there's really no way to be sure because you lot are everywhere. At least you'll be back at Hogwarts soon, and then there's only two more years till you move out on your own, gosh, isn't that scary??

Hmm, maybe, but I still feel like the old purebloods would be a bit annoyed if I came in and started writing about their history. I'll definitely consider it though, especially if/when we find some good research on it!

She wrote Mad Girl's Love Song, right? That's one of my favorites, the imagery and the repetition are absolutely breathtaking. Oh, you should read The Hours, though - I could bring it to Hogwarts for you if you like? It's so interesting and well-put together, I don't even know how to explain it. It's three stories in one but they all parallel each other even though the women in each story are from entirely different times and places, it's a bit confusing but really cool when you get into it!

No, actually, I haven't, so this'll be my first! I imagine they're big and fancy and loud, though, given whose birthday party it is. I think it'll be fun though, plus, we can always bail and go Floo to Diagon Alley and relax in a cafe if we get too bored!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

That sounds horrible, poor Ainsley. She's like the last person who deserves that.

Don't worry, nor am I, half the time. I'm kidding, obviously, but still. Yeah, Seth's living with Jamie and Fred - and going out with Rose, who lives with Albus. I feel quite sorry for him. I forgot you were his cousin though. Hey, Molly (another cousin) and I are going to decorate Al's room for him though, and I was going to try and persuade James and Fred to let me do the same. I don't know Seth well enough to ask him, but you could come and help and we could do the whole flat!

You don't have to move out the second you leave school though. I mean, I would if I had somewhere to go, but I know Mum and Dad wouldn't mind if I stayed living at home for a bit. Would you move out straight away?

Well, that's a good reason to do it, to be honest. Who cares what they think?

Yes, that's one of hers! And have you read her novel, The Bell Jar?? If not, we can do a swap - I'll bring that and you can bring The Hours. It's the kind of book you think about for ages afterwards.

Yes, that's true. I think I've persuaded Zaira to come too though!

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

I know, boys can be so stupid, it's ridiculous. Yeah, I think she'll get through it, though -- she's a Gryffindor, through and through, you know how they are.

I wouldn't blame you if you weren't kidding! It's okay, I sometimes forget he's living with your brother, myself. It's so weird, how come everybody is connected to your family somehow? Oh, really, oh my gosh, that sounds like so much fun! I'd love to join you guys! I'll definitely mention it to him next time I write him. I'm sure he won't mind too much, as long as we don't go crazy!

Honestly, I don't know. I mean, my life is pretty comfortable living with my parents and I'm not ungrateful for it at all, but at the same time I think I'd like to live properly in the wizarding world? Get a flat in the Alley or maybe in one of those wizarding towns or hidden places in London somewhere, so I wouldn't still be in the muggle world you know? Not that I don't love my family, but it's weird to have my life split down the middle like that.

I haven't read The Bell Jar, actually, so I'd love to do a swap! I'll be in much more of a reading mood once school starts again, I imagine. And I think you'll like The Hours, hopefully!

Oh, that's lovely, it'll be awesome to see Zaira there! I can't wait, I think it's gonna be really fun!

Love,
Addie

[Lily Potter]

Dear Addie,

I'm sure they can. Well, I know they can, though mostly only because of the ones related to me.

My family do tend to get everywhere, sorry about that. We were planning (well, I was) to paint big flowers all over Al's walls, but you don't need to tell Seth that. It should be fun though. He's actually said we can. Well, he hasn't said we can paint flowers, but he has said we can decorate.

I guess I can understand that. And I wouldn't want to live with my parents forever, obviously, but I wouldn't mind for a bit, if I didn't have anything else sorted out.

Okay, a swap it is then! I'll try and remember to bring it. I've written it down in my diary. I can't believe how fast the holidays are going though. I mean, they go this fast every year, but every year I can't believe it.

Yeah, I guess so. I'm not sure what I'll wear. Do you think everyone'll be be dressed all fancy?

Love,

Lily

[Addie Beaumont]

Dear Lily,

It's all right, James and Fred are actually quite cool, at least the few times I've run into them around his flat! Well, I think big flowers would suit your brother perfectly, myself. As for Seth, I'm sure we can come up with something fun for him, too. But I love decorating no matter what, so I'm excited!

Yeah, it is helpful to have a support system at your back, I know what you mean. I'd stay with my parents until I got a place and a job figured out, of course, but I feel like I'd be ready to start my life as an adult witch, rather than a muggleborn who only lives in the wizard world 9 months out of 12, you know? Actually, probably less, if you account for all our holidays.

Sounds great! I know, oh, gosh, we're going to be sixth years and then we're going to be seventh years and I don't know what happened, it feels like just yesterday I was getting my Hogwarts letter. We'll be back at school in less than two months, and then there'll be Quidditch games and Hogsmeade trips and oh, we have to start studying for NEWTs. I mean, of course, we've been studying, but we're going to be taking NEWT-level classes, I'm so excited I can't wait!

I do imagine everyone will be dressed fancy, if purebloods are anything like rich muggle people! Do you have any party dresses from, I don't know, Ministry functions or something? I'm not even sure, do wizards have fancy balls like we do? I'd think your parents must have been invited to some pretty high-class events over the years, but I wouldn't really know, haha.

Love,
Addie