Ernie Macmillan here!

[alt_ernie]

Hullo Hogwarts. It's been a busy few weeks here, hasn't it! First trolls and now Quidditch! Wizard match, even before Harry Marvolo caught the snitch in his mouth!! Never seen that before!! I hope our match is as good as that - Go Hufflepuff!

It was my birthday on Wednesday. Mum and dad sent me some presents, and I sent a letter back for Pip and Laurie so they don't worry that I'm not there. They're only little but they both know that Bonfire Night the 5th November means ERNIE'S BIRTHDAY (in our house, anyway)! So it might make them sad that I'm not there. But I sent a letter, and drew a picture because mum can read them a letter but they can look at a picture themselves. I'm not really any good at drawing, but they're only little so they won't mind. I drew me and Susan and Hannah and Zach and everyone in our common room.

Right ho! Charms homework now!

Comments

[alt_harry]

I hope it isn't!! I don't think I could do another match like that so if Hufflepuff's was and then I had to play you I would be completely destroyed I think.

[alt_ernie]

I didn't mean your broom going mental and that! Just the catching the snitch! I mean, it was exciting to watch, but I don't think Cedric would appreciate it if he fell off his broom too! And everyone would just say he was copying anyway. Maybe they'll name that move after you now. That'd be cool.

[alt_harry]

What would they call it though? The Marvolo Maneuver? The Marvolo Gulp?

Anyway I don't think anyone would do it by choice!!

[alt_ernie]

The Marvolo Gulp!!! Brilliant!! I think you should write to the Department for Magical Games and suggest that - it's ace!

[alt_harry]

Maybe I will! Only I don't think I'll ever do it again. I got scratched up and it wasn't very nice to be maybe upchucking all over the Quidditch pitch.

[alt_ernie]

Oh yeah, I suppose that's true. At least you won though! And it could've been worse. I thought you were going to fall right off!

[alt_harry]

I thought so too!

[alt_pansy]

Hello, Ernie.

[alt_ernie]

Hello Pansy. How's things?

[alt_pansy]

Things are fine. I'm getting better at Charms, but not by much.

Some quidditch match, hm?

[alt_ernie]

Good show. I like charms. We could practise the homework together, if you like?

Quidditch was ace! I've never seen a match like it!

[alt_pansy]

Poor Harry. He's a good sport about it, but it can't have been fun swallowing a Snitch.

Practising would be good. I need help. In charms. I don't need help with anything else, though.

[alt_ernie]

I suppose not, at the time, but now that it's over it's a great story to tell.

Well that's good. It helps me too, to go over stuff with someone else, and I'm sure there's stuff you could help me with. Not that you have to, but if you wanted to, that'd be okay. We could meet in the library tomorrow?

[alt_pansy]

The library would be good. I have got pretty good at casting a spell that muffles sound (living with Mum, it kind of is necessary) and there's a far corner by the windows that will work, I think.

[alt_ernie]

I've not found that corner yet! You'll have to show me. I bet it'll come in handy in future.

We could do some of the smaller stuff in the library, and for the noisier or bigger stuff or for stuff that might go wrong we can just go outside? It's a bit cold, but we can probably find somewhere that's okay.

[alt_pansy]

I know of someplace we can go, and it's inside. Ron and I go there to (try to) play chess sometimes. And sometimes we just go to talk.

[alt_ernie]

Great. Inside is better. It sounds like it's starting to rain.

Ron won't mind, will he?

[alt_pansy]

Why on earth would Ron mind?

[alt_ernie]

Well if it's a private place that's his for thinking and stuff. My brother Pip had this space under the stairs where he used to play and he'd hide stuff there, and he got really cross if anyone else went in there, even to clean it or anything, because it was his space.

[alt_pansy]

Oh. Well, no, it's not that kind of place. This castle has lots of different hidden places. It's not just his space. It's mine too. Or we can find another place. I'll show you and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[alt_ernie]

Okay. As long as its your space too, and you don't mind.

Shall we meet at the top of the stairs by the common rooms, then?

[alt_pansy]

Yes.

[alt_ron]

Happy belated birthday. Sounds like it was a brilliant one.

[alt_ernie]

Thanks! It's not the same as being at home but it was quite fun to just hang around in the common room with my friends.

[alt_hannah]

That's very cool. I like drawing too.

[alt_ernie]

I thought I saw you drawing something in the margins on your charms notes today. I couldn't really see what it was but it looked good. Maybe next time I write home you could draw something for my brothers, like a portrait or something? That'd be ace.

[alt_megan]

Did you draw me, Ernie?

[alt_ernie]

Of course Megs! You were sitting by the fire talking to Eloise and Wayne.

[alt_megan]

Oh, good. I'm so glad you drew me too, I wasn't sure if you would. And sitting by the fire's a good place to be.

It must have taken a long time to draw everyone, really everyone. Do you think your siblings will draw something back?

[alt_ernie]

It wasn't really everyone, everyone. Just everyone I thought of when I was drawing it, so all us the first years, but not all the fifth years and sixth years and stuff - I don't even know all their names!

I don't know. Pip probably will because he's good at drawing, he always stays inside the lines when he's colouring, always, even though he's only 9, but Laurie probably won't. Or he might scribble something on the side of Pip's drawing! But he's more interested in running around and falling over stuff and exploring, so he probably won't draw anything unless mum makes him.

[alt_megan]

I don't either. Except for the prefects.

Nine isn't really too young to be able to draw within the lines. I always coloured within the lines when I was much younger than that. But your siblings sound like loads of fun. Did you go exploring with Laurie before you came here, or did you stay within the lines?