Hope is the thing

Private, Gus can read

Well, another Easter over with. I must say, it's not quite the same at Hogwarts. I wasn't able to go to Tenebrae on Wednesday night because of having rounds, and even sneaking out for the Maundy Thursday service after dinner seemed odd. Sometimes I wish I could just take all of Holy Week off until Easter Monday just to be able to go to all the services. It's just so much a part of my culture and tradition, but I suppose that's what happens when you grow up being a priest's kid.

Maybe in the summer, Gus and I can go visit the village. I haven't really been back since my father passed, but perhaps now it's time. And I suppose it's time to start considering what to do next year. I love working with children and I love teaching at Hogwarts, but it's hard sharing the students with Arthur. he's fabulous, but I'm not sure it works having two different teachers trying to teach the same subject. It'd be different if we were team teaching i suppose, and we both had all the students.

Of course, with this past Holy Week, I've just been thinking about the priesthood. I mean, I've never considered it but I just miss being that involved in the liturgy and the services. I don't know. I should probably find a priest to talk to about this. Although if Gus and I are going to stay up here in Scotland, it would probably with the Episcopal Church of Scotland versus the Church of England. It shouldn't mean much, but it does mean a lot.

It was incredible to get away with Gus for the weekend, and to at least have one night together, apart from family and students to just be together. It makes me think about the future and stuff. I never really thought I'd be trying to figure out my life with another person already. I don't know if they'd let us share quarters at Hogwarts without being married though, but I'm not sure I'm ready to move that far ahead yet - marriage that is. Living together might simplify things.

End Private

I hope everyone had a restful Easter Holiday, whether you spent it at Hogwarts or elsewhere. While I know it might be hard to return to classes and school with the wonderful spring weather, I encourage you all to at least try to focus at least for a few more months as the end of term is rapidly approaching. Remember that all of us teachers are here to help you with revising if you need it.

Private - readable by Gus

It's disgusting and distasteful and petrifying all at once. I had nightmares again last night. I thought I'd grown out of them. But they came back - nightmares of the basilisk and then of getting word that my father had died. I never ordered an inquest into da's death, I couldn't. I didn't want them to tell me that it wasn't a car accident, I didn't want the information to be inconclusive and puzzling. Da always packed the church, whether alive or dead.

I know it's not my place to go visit them in the hospital, but I can't help thinking maybe I should. I was part of that family once. I suppose when you lose all of your family, you cling to whatever semblance of family you have. But then there's so much to do here, students to watch out for and protect, Arthur's classes and my own to manage since I'm sure he'll have his hands full with his family.

Again there's trouble and again I'm at school, this time, however, I might find myself at the centre of it all. I have no wish to find out if i have the courage to defend my students, myself or this school. But it might come to that.

I escaped last time - I hid at uni and managed to survive just fine. I don't think I can hide this time.

Gus, I'm scared. But we're not allowed to be scared now, are we? We're supposed to be the adults..

End Private

Warded to all Weasleys

All of you are in my thoughts, let me know if there's anything I can do for your family right now. Remind your father NOT TO WORRY about his classes, I've got them covered as long as necessary. Ron and Ginny, don't worry about any work for muggle studies at the moment.

End Weasley Ward

“Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. For now you are traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.”

( Heavily warded private to Augustus Pye )

Those of you who requested books may pick them up in my office at your convenience.

I will be making a run to a muggle library this weekend. If there is anything anyone would like me to acquire, please let me know and I'll do my best to fulfill your request.

And no, I will not pick up dirty mags for any of you.

Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger have brought it to my attention that perhaps we ought to incorporate field trips into the muggle studies curriculum. It has not yet been determined if these will be mandatory or voluntary for extra credit, but mostlikely they will only be open to the upper years.

I have not yet spoken with Professor Weasley, but I would intend for the field trips to be offered to students of all houses.

The following is a list of suggestions that have been put forth.

• Live Theatre (perhaps a Shakespearean play)
  
• supermarket
  
• movie theater
  
• post office
  
• restaurant
  
• library
  
• musical performance
  
• museum
  
  
  

I invite you to add anything you may thing useful or interesting.

Private

Well, I managed to survive my first two days of teaching. There were of course, plenty of groans at the assesment quiz I gave, but overall, it seemed to go well. It's amazing the variety of knowledge. It seems some of the students don't know the first thing about the muggle world.

Oh well, it means I have my work cut out for me, that's for sure.

End Private

Warded to Gus
How is it we're only halfway through the week? Is your week as busy as mine?
End Ward


“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring;
renenwed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien

Would any students be interested in getting together to perform selections from William Shakespeare or perhaps an entire play? Either a dramatic reading or a play?

"Hope" is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea,
Yet never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
- Emily Dickinson

Private

Well, it's the start of another year, though it's January and not September and I'm back at Hogwarts. As a teacher, even. Rather crazy. There's so much I want to do with the muggle studies class - offering workshops for the muggleborn students about living in both worlds and trying to navigate the crazy paperwork that's required for such a thing. The students come back today, I can't call them children. How can they be children when they've seen so much and lived through so much? Not to mention I went to school with a fair amount of them. My quarters are all settled - it's odd not sharing a flat with Gus any more, although at least he's still here at the castle, even if his quarters are up by the hospital wing. Although I suppose I won't be questioned now that I'm a professor if I go wandering the halls to have a cuppa with Gus. Shame we can't manage to charm a telly to work here.

It should be interesting though - with Gus, Oliver and me as teachers here. It might be a bit awkward being surrounded by Weasleys again, but at least Percy didn't take a job here. Although I reckon the only other position open was Defence and I don't really see him as the type to work with children anyways. Well, the clock is chiming, so I'd best be putting on my robes and heading to the Great Hall.

( Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul )

Part One: Life

VI

IF I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
-Emily Dickinson, 1830–86