Letters all over the place

[Violet Bellamy]

After recieving some irate letters from home demanding letters, and after trying to coax Angus to write, Violet hauled herself upstairs to the Owlery with her parchment, quill, and ink, and decided to write herself. She could understand Angus not wanting to come with her - he was terrified of heights, but still, he could have at least written something for her to deliver, instead of putting it off.

Sighing, she sat down and pulled out some parchment, resting it on top of one of her books, and began to write.

Dear Mum, Dad and Rose,
I am so sorry for not having written earlier, I got quite carried away with school, as did Angus! We have both been particuarly busy recently. I have been studying like mad, and also I am in a few clubs at school like the Language club, which I now run. So that keeps me busy.
It's so weird being a second year now. I see all the younger students and I think it's weird that that was me a year ago. I feel kinda old.
The TriWizard tournament is on at the moment, and that's pretty exciting. There are students from Hogwarts Scotland and Durmstrang around - not Beauxbatons, sadly, but these students seem nice. I have only met their champion, she is a Hufflepuff, which is pretty cool. Our champion is a Gryffindor, naturally. Oddly enough, not the Gryffindor who wins every single award at the end of the year...I don't know how it works, though. I suppose you would've seen the TriWizard tournament in your second year, Mum. I also met one of the Durmstrang boys - they are amazingly good-looking! All far too old, of course, but they are rather attractive! (Sorry Dad!)
I have been helping Angus out with his flying - I'm still in the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, although it looks unlikely that we'll get any games because of the TriWizard tournament. Angus is terrified of heights, still, so he's not doing particuarly well with his Flying lessons. He's improving on a broom, though, he can fly around the pitch without having to touch the ground, now, and he can stay a couple of metres in the air. Poor Angus. He finds it really embarassing that he can't fly. I wish I knew how to help him.
I don't see him that much though, because he's in Slytherin and I guess he lurks in the dungeons. I only go to the dungeons for Potions class. He joined the Language club, though, which is really nice of him.
The Yule Ball's coming up soon. I don't think I'm going to go, because I'd be much too embarassed. I haven't got anything to wear, and all those beautiful Durmstrang boys will be there, and I can't dance! Angus is going though, he asked a girl in Hufflepuff called Bianca, who's really quite nice. He should have a good time.
Anyway, I ought to stop here because I should get back to studying.
Angus sends all his love, sorry he couldn't write, but he wouldn't come with me to the Owlery, and he has so much to do.
Give big hugs to Rose for me! Write back soon and let us know how things are at home, and I can't wait to go home for Christmas.
Love, Violet.

She picked out a small owl (it was only New Zealand to Australia), and gave it some treats she'd stashed from the table. "Send this to Ruby and Chris Bellamy, in Brisbane," she bade the owl, as she gave it the letter and watched it fly off. Then, she picked up another piece of parchment and scribbled out another note.

Dear Antoinette,
Hello! How is Beauxbatons? Are you enjoying it much more than Hogwarts? I hope so.
The TriWizard tournament is on here, as Grandfather has no doubt told you, and there are plenty of Hogwarts Scotlad people here. I met Nina, who says she remembers you and she thought you were cool. Oh well, I suppose you're finding Beauxbatons much nicer. I hope you've met lots of lovely people.
Oh, the Durmstrang people are here too. And the boys are extremely good looking! You would love it here.
There's not much to say about Hogwarts, really, Angus and I are keeping busy. It's really just the same as usual. I want to know more about Beauxbatons! Tell me all about it.
Love, Violet.

She looked at her messy scrawl, sighed, and sought out another owl. "Alright," she said, as she gave the owl some treats. "Can you please take this to Antoinette Greenwood, at Beauxbatons?" She didn't really know where Beauxbatons was, apart from 'in France', but she suspected the owl might.

Violet replaced the lid on her ink as she watched the owl fly off, and then sat in the window for a moment, contemplating writing to her uncle and aunt, and also to her grandfather.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette was sitting in the hall eating breakfast when an unfamiliar owl arrived, and dropped a letter in her lap. She found this odd - normally she recieved letters from her grandfather, and she knew his owl well. Confused, she excused herself to her friends, and adjusted her glasses so as to be able to read the letter properly. To her great surprise, the letter was from her cousin, Violet, at Hogwarts New Zealand. "Not Angus, surprise surprise," she muttered in English - most of her friends were French, and the predominant language of their conversations was French, naturally. "Wait for me in the Owlery," she instructed the owl, as it flew off to join the other owls of Beauxbatons. She tucked the letter in the pocket of her pale blue jacket, finished her breakfast, and then went back to her room to write a reply.

Dear Violet,
Bonjour, ma cousine! Yes, I am most definately enjoying Beauxbatons. I much prefer it to Hogwarts. It saddens Grandfather to hear such a thing, but I suppose he is happy that I am happy. I am most glad that he holds such power in the Ministry, as he was able to get me a place here without any difficulty.
Beauxbatons is exquisite! The uniforms are much nicer to wear than the plain Hogwarts uniforms, the palace is definately more beautiful - there are no horrible suits of armour, nor such dingy dungeons or draughty towers - and the people are absolutely wonderful. They are on my level of intellect, and are willing to have proper conversations with me. Violet, I believe you would also love it here!
Angus is keeping busy? Oh, that made me laugh. That boy doesn't know the meaning of work. I still can not believe he made Slytherin. Grandfather was actually proud, believe it or not. That boy is the laziest boy I know.
Anyway, I must dash, Charms is coming up soon and it is easily my favourite class. Let me know all the TriWizard details! I may just have to come to New Zealand during Christmas to see these gorgeous boys for myself. I am sure Grandfather would let me.
Good luck with study and exams! Write to me again soon, okay?
Lots of love, Antoinette. <3

She immediately made her way to the Owlery, located the owl that had delivered the letter, and gave her response to the owl. "Here," she muttered, giving the owl some treats. "Take this to Violet Bellamy, at Hogwarts New Zealand. And if you see Angus Greenwood, peck him, hard, s'il vous plait." She smiled serenely to herself as she watched the owl fly off towards New Zealand.

 

[Emery Winters]

Emery barely had a spare moment to himself, what with his job as Minister of Magic, but finally, he had found ten minutes in which he could relax.
But Emery wasn't one to relax. He always had to be doing something. Which led him to pick up his quill, and scrawl a letter to his two grandchildren attending Hogwarts New Zealand. He hadn't heard from Violet in a while, although he had spent a fair amount of time with Angus over the Christmas holidays. He smiled to himself - if Angus could stop being so lazy, he could become a mini-Emery. Angus reminded Emery so much of himself as a young boy. Indeed, Angus had been sorted in to Slytherin, as Emery himself had been. He was proud of the boy. He just needed to apply himself more, as his sister did. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the red-headed thirteen year old. She had the work ethic of a Ravenclaw, and yet she was a Hufflepuff, while her 15-month younger brother was a Slytherin. At least Hufflepuff was a step-up from Gryffindor. Emery scowled as he thought of Ruby - sorted in to Gryffindor, much to his chagrin. Suddenly, it hit him. Violet reminded him of his half-sister, Sapphira. He only hoped that Violet wouldn't meet the same fate as Sapphira. He didn't think he could cope with losing one of his grandchildren. It was bad enough losing his father, step-father, half-sister and mother...and then wife.

My dear Violet and Angus,
I hope you two are having a wonderful time at school. Angus, I hope you are well and truly settled in by now and working hard! I know you expressed interest in working for the Ministry one day, and you know I can only get you a job if you work had and get good marks at school. Take your sister's lead. Violet, I hope you are feeling okay - I know Angus told me you didn't seem to be 100% last semester. Take good care of yourself, my dear. Don't stress yourself too much, you have proven yourself to be highly intelligent. And don't stay up late at night reading! I know it is too tempting, but you'll ruin your system that way.
The Ministry is busy, as always. I'm sorry I haven't written before, I've barely had a chance. But I hope you both know I'm thinking of you and wanting all the best for you.
Violet, how are your mother and father? Is he taking good care of her? And how is my darling Rose?
I want you to tell me all about Hogwarts. I know it's not the Hogwarts of my youth, but Antoinette's at Beauxbatons now, and so I have to rely on you to tell me what's going on. And I want first-hand accounts of the TriWizard tournament! I'm getting the official reports, of course, but I'd much rather hear your reports. Which school do you think is more likely to win?
Anyway, I must dash. You two take good care of yourselves. I hope to hear from you soon and perhaps see you both in the summer - I suppose that's your winter.
Love, Grandfather.
P.S. Violet, make sure Angus doesn't slack off. Please.

Attaching the letter to Baron's foot, Emery gave the owl a treat before commanding him to "deliver it to Hogwarts New Zealand, to either Violet Bellamy or Angus Greenwood...perhaps the former, rather than the latter." Then, as Baron flew off, Emery turned to the work that he still had to complete for the end of the day. Being the Minister was insanely stressful - yet he still loved the job.

 

[Violet Bellamy]

With Angus stuck in bed with a really terrible cold, Violet took it upon herself to reply to the letters that had arrived for the two of them recently. Sighing, she trudged up the stairs to the Owlery, her bag slapping her leg - it would probably be bruised at some point soon. Finally reaching the Owlery, she took a seat on the floor and began to write. She liked writing up there. The smell was horrible, but it was mostly peaceful, and there was quite a nice breeze.

Dear Antoinette,
I am so glad to hear you are having a lovely time at Beauxbatons. It sure sounds like a beautiful school. I almost wish I could join you, but I think I am happy here in New Zealand. It is close to home, and I am well settled. I can talk to the people fairly easily, too. There are quite a few intellectual people here, so I always feel challenged. I suppose it is different to Hogwarts Scotland. I met some people from there, but they weren't that impressive. I can see why you felt the need to move.
The TriWizard...well, you may have heard, it is over! Our headmistress was kidnapped! The former Herbology professor, Professor Rambolt, and our DADA professor, Professor King, are taking care of the school for now. They're great professors, but I am slightly unnerved by the kidnapping. It is somewhat frightening. I am sure we are safe though. I wonder what Grandfather is up to? I wonder if he is helping trying to find her. Poor man. I imagine it is a difficult task.
Angus is keeping busy! He's actually quite sick at the moment, confined to his dorm room. So his work may not be up to scratch, but at least he's not getting up to too much mischief.
How are the people at Beauxbatons? Met any nice boys?
Anyway, gotta keep writing before I do my homework. Miss you! I hope to see you in the holidays.
<3 Violet

She paused, before writing any more. She wasn't sure what to write to her grandfather, or her parents. Her grandfather would know, but be worried. Her parents...she wasn't sure how they would react. She did NOT want to get pulled out of school.