August 17 [4:22 pm] Dear Issy,
I miss you so much Issy, but guess what I did today! We haven’t reached the rainforest yet; we’re still in northern Africa, but I don’t want to give you too big of a hint! If I tell you what country we’re in, I’m sure you’ll guess what I did right away. Have you guessed yet? I bet you have, Issy, you’re so smart! But I’m going to tell you anyway!
We’re in Egypt! Yes, Issy, I went to see the pyramids today! It was so cool, seeing them. We woke up super early so we could go out and see the sun rise over them. Oh Issy, you won’t believe how beautiful it was. But don’t worry: I took pictures, just for you. And I tried to draw the pyramids as we were riding out, but I was on a camel and it was a very shaky ride. Oh yeah! How could I forget the camels, Issy? I rode a camel!! A camel, I tell you! A regular old dromedary camel! He was very pretty, even though Mosi and Nakato were scared of him. At least, I think he was a boy. I never got the chance to find out, because Mum didn’t want me to linger by the camels or the guide. She said they had fleas, the lot of them. Imagine! A tour guide with fleas! Have you ever seen a flea? I think I must have, because Mum kept scratching her head and her back after the camels. But I wasn’t itchy at all!
We didn’t actually go inside the pyramids. I flat-out refused. Instead, we went to the Egyptian Quidditch stadium! Oh, it was beautiful, Issy. There wasn’t any game going on, or even any Quidditch practice, so Mister Hammurabi, our wizard tourguide, told me I could use one of the referee brooms and fly around in the stadium. I flew soooo high, it was awesome! And while I was super high in the air, some of the Egyptian Quidditch players came out to practice by his lonesome. He didn’t see me at first, so I got to fly on the Quiditch pitch at the same time as a professional Quidditch player! But… then he started to get out his bludger and snitch, and my very own mum made me land. She thought I would get hurt. Me, hit by a bludger? The very thought made me all giggly, Issy.
While we’re still on the topic of Quidditch, cheer super loud for me at all Ravenclaw’s Quidditch matches, please. And… I don’t know if you know Ryan, but if you do, and if you see him… tell him good luck and that I’m uber sorry that I’m not there to play this year. I’m sure he’ll find another good seeker, though. Maybe one of the first years. Or Becca! She played really well at the championship game last year.
I miss you a lot, Issy. And Hogwarts. I miss Hogwarts, too. I wish I didn’t have to be away from Hogwarts for two years in a row. But yeah. I miss you. And Flower, and Pepe, too! Why, I even miss anti-nature girl Willow! And Rapunzel the Hufflepuff!
But back on the topic of how much I miss you. Issy, I really want to hear from you. Write to me soon, okay? You can use George, who I’m using. He’s good at finding me and Mum and Da.
Peace, love, and trees,
Juniper Maude Goodwin
The only reason I happen to even be keeping a new journal is so that I can keep track of everything for Juni. One can only write so much to her best friend and some things are better explained in person It only makes sense to try to keep track of everything, because, without my closest friend and confidant, I feel so very lost. Everything is rather confusing and topsy turvy, anyway. After this summer, I haven’t any idea where I stand with Samson.
At the end of the year last term, we had another fight and it was really bad. Lots of tears (mine) and he told me, essentially, that we weren’t good to be friends and that I shouldn’t talk to him anymore. Granted, I suppose his reasoning was that he only caused bad and that we therefore shouldn’t be friends, but I tried to explain to him, without saying it, how very important to me he was and it wasn’t working.
And then there was the end of the term feast, where my best friend in the world decided to tell me that she wouldn’t be returning to school. Again, there were many tears (both of us) and some snot (me) and lots of clinging (both of us). I don’t know if anyone really tried to talk to us because I wasn’t really paying attention to anything else. It was awful, finding out that she was going to be leaving and I wouldn’t have her with me! Regardless of all the other amazing friends I made that year and becoming closer to Sabrina and everyone… Juni is still my very best friend.
I just don’t know what I’m going to do without her, when I’m hanging out in the Common Room. Maybe I can get Melly away from a book long enough to talk to me? Something tells me it just won’t be the same.
And with things between Samson and I feeling so… strange. I don’t know. Honestly, my mind can think of nothing to make this better or easier.
Ag.
Going to Diagon Alley will be weird, because I already know I won’t be running into Juni, which I usually do. No ice cream with Juni?! Also, I will be doing my best to avoid Samson. My latest decision is to get my mind off of him and in order to do that, I think I need to avoid him. Because my mind will always find a reason to think of him and if I keep seeing him, it will be even more reason. If Samson doesn’t think we should be friends… no matter what he says, then we won’t be friends.
It’s not my favorite decision in the world. But Samson thinks our friendship will only inevitably continue to lead to us fighting. And I don’t really want to burden him, because… what kind of friend would I be? Maybe I’d be a better friend by not being his friend. Does that really make any sense? As much as I don’t want to let go of him… I think that’s what I’m supposed to do. If it makes him happy… then… it can’t be that bad.
But I can’t let it get to me.
He’ll feel guilty if he thinks so.
I don’t know how I’ll hide it. Him and Juni… my year is off to an awful start. At this rate, I’ll be becoming friends with Callie again. And I do NOT think I want that.
I just… already I feel so lonely without Juni. Who would have thought that such a quiet, plant absorbed, animal obsessed girl would make such a difference to me? Me! Who used to flit about from person to person when I was younger. The girl who used to be able to have friends wherever she went. How did I begin to rely so heavily upon certain people?
Maybe I should talk to G—
STOP THINKING OF HIM ISSY. This will do us no good.
Ag.
Already I miss him so much. STOP STOP STOP.
No more Samson.
Diagon Alley soon.
August 20 [A little after noon Leaky Cauldron]
Another year in Diagon Alley alone. Mummy and Daddy will join me in two days. Until then, I’m staying in a room by myself. Ag. Too bad Juni can’t stay with me.
[4:30 pm]
AIDEN AND WILLOW ARE IN DIAGON ALLEY! I found them in the ice cream shop! So happy! Insert a big smiley face here! Oh how super thrilled I was! While I was buying an ice cream, Aiden showed up and we started talking and then I found Willow afterwards. It was very nice to see them both, especially Aiden who I haven’t seen in all of forever! He never went to the Hogsmeade visits last term, so I never got to see him. Seeing him in Diagon Alley was great. An amazing treat, no pun intended.
August 21 [7:34 pm]
I keep running into Willow everywhere I go, which is really great. That isn’t mean in a bad way – I quite like running into her, because there’s at least a familiar face. Today I found her in the Leaky Cauldron on my way up to my room. When I was going up the stairs, I saw her and after a moment, she found me and waved me over. Seeing her standing around with two boys was really weird, to be honest.
I’m… not entirely sure what they were talking about. All that I can actually remember was frog legs and snails…? Uhm… I think I would rather not know…
Afterwards, I returned to my room. I contemplated asking Willow but… what if she was staying with her family or something? Or even going home? (Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing Nikola again… Ooohherr. Willow doesn’t seem to like it when I tell her how beautiful her brother is, but sometimes one can’t help but ooze about her friend’s brother.)
I can’t help it if I find cute/beautiful/hot boys. My eye is just set to find them, I guess.
They aren’t my main focus, after all.
(Well. Besides the one.) NO.
August 22 [5:00 pm] NEWS FLASH.
Just met a most amazing boy. Hugo, the clumsy oaf. But he’s quite a nice clumsy oaf. Rather pretty, too, with a sort of angelic face and lovely blonde hair. Taller than me (though who isn’t?) and very, very VERY easy on the eyes. Heehee.
I fell into him. Or he walked into me. I’m not entirely certain and we agreed that we were both at fault. He’s very kind though and fortunately happened to have a bandage around for my elbow, because when I fell I kind of scraped it.
We talked about me being Super Girl and how he thinks he needs a Super Girl of his own.
I think I kind of flirted with him. Heh…
And his blush is absolutely precious. Perhaps I shall make more attempts to make him blush… hm. Make a game out of it!
I’ve no idea of his age or year or any of the sort, or even his House for that matter. How fab it’d be for him to be a Ravenclaw, but I’ve not ever seen him around. Mind, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him around the school and I am quite certain I’d remember seeing him. Unless he’s one of those ugly ducklings who transform over the summer.
It’s not that I like him, really. He hardly can compare to Samson, because he lacks something. I’m really not sure what it is about Samson that I adore so muc—why am I writing about him? Ag. Might as well carry on… Hugo and Samson are different because around Samson I feel… this tension. Like last summer! With the hand holding scene… I KNOW I felt something. Whether it was shortlasted or what, I KNOW I felt something and I also know that I wanted whatever that was.
Hugo is different. In the one time I’ve run into him, he makes me feel silly and giddy and fun. All in a good way.
I’ll just have to look for him at school is all.