To my honourary family.

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

In a few days it would be Valentines and Jennifer had a niggling urge to write to Matthew. She needed to speak with him even more then she needed to speak to Jessie. She hadn't seen Sam since January or Scorpius since December and she knew that if she didn't she would fall into a solitary state once more so as she was doing her homework in the busy Great Hall she took a piece of scrap parchment and began scratching out the letter to her blue eyed friend.

Matthew!
I'm so sorry for not writing you sooner like I promised but we don't all have the benefit of no homework. Anyway, I don't really have much of a purpose for writing this letter other than to tell you that I miss you and want to know if we can see each other during the next Brightstone Weekend, it is near the end of March.

Jennifer's cheeks quickly bloomed with a blood red and as she went on it darkened but she didn't really realize that she was blushing or just how embarrassed and flustered she was by her own words to Matthew.

January went by so quickly and I can only hope that the time between now and June will go by just as fast. I got a letter from my mother and she told me that I have to stay with her during August but for June and July I'm all yours... well yours and Jessie's.

How are things panning out for you, Matthew? I know that you would have written me immediately if you got any special news, right? Is unpacking going well?

As Jenny was about to tie the letter up a sly thought crossed her mind and she added a question that she knew would either get him to reply snidely, which she wished he wouldn't, or be just as flustered as she had been at the news of his constant speaking about her.

Are you still talking about me constantly?

Write me back quickly, ya here!

Yours,
Jenny.

Jennifer smiled dutifully and her heart rate began increasing as she reached for an envelope but she found that she only had one and she did intend to send a letter to Jessie as well so she muttered to herself, "You really should have stacked up over break." So she folded the letter up and sealed it with a sticker of a frog and gently scriped in 'Matthew Reed'.

Hey Jess,
How is it going? I miss you like mad over here. Do you know that I can't get out until March? How insane is that! Gosh I miss how easy Salem was about those rules. No matter, I'm here and bored out of my mind. So... I was thinking that during break I would get some stuff that might cause a bit of trouble because I think I need to living up the castle. Well the parts that aren't going at it like bunny rabbits anyway. Haha.

Write back soon,
Jenny.

Jenn looked down at the letter and noticed that she had written more to Matthew who wasn't even her best friend and that the styles seemed to be quite different to both Reed's and she had a feeling that Lucie would find a way to read it anyway, so she rolled her cerulean blue eyes and added to Jessie's letter "Hi Lucie. Miss you kiddo."

Like Matthew's letter, Jenn scribed her friend's name onto the folded flap before she put a sticker of what appeared to be a tiny guitar. She summoned her owl and gave it a pet before instructing it to send it to the Reed's new residence.

 

[Matthew Reed]

Matt was lying on his bed flat on his back. He stared up at the cobwebbed ceiling, (he had yet to properly clean his room), he had gotten the record deal and he had been ecstatic over the past weeks. He literally could not wipe the smile off his face. But between all of this excitement he had yet to properly sit down and begin to write songs for the upcoming album. 'The Itch' were due in the recording studio in June the following year, yes he had loads of time but he knew great songs took time.

Matt was the member of the band who wrote and sung the songs. He would usually talk to his bandmates about the songs to finalize thigns, but now that they lived in separate parts of the world, it made things a lot harder. His original plan was to write a couple of songs and send them over to America, either that or he would travel there by Floo powder. Yet, there he was lying on his bed with an empty notepad in front of him. He couldn't find a single thing to write about, it was as if he lost his muse.

Just then a slight tapping interrupted Matthew from his empty thoughts, Matt cocked his head to the side to see an owl hovering impatiently outside his window. Matt hopped off the bed quickly and opened the window. He took the note from the bird and absent mindedly gave it a treat from the box that he used for his own owl. No, it wasn't the owl Matt concentrated it, it was the neat handwriting that could only be from Jenny. Matthew smiled and sat on the edge of his bed as he looked at the letter with the frog sticker.

After reading it a couple of times, absorbing every word from his friend he grabbed the notepad and a pen and began to write back...

Jenny,
Its my bad, I was so absorbed at whats been happening recently I haven't gotten a moment to write to you. But its great hearing from you, it was definitely worth the wait. Brightstone? I'll see you there. I'm already looking forward to it. Say outside the Hogs Head? I'll tell Jess to come along too

Matt scribbled out the last part quickly, it was probably selfish of him but he wanted to have this time with Jenny alone. He didn't talk to Jenny much over the Christmas holidays, even though she stayed with them. He could honestly say he was avoiding her at the time, plus Jess was practically her shadow for the two weeks. He was definitely making the right decision.

I know, its been crazy, time has just been flying by! Which can only be a good thing right? Wait, what? No one even told me you were staying for summer! This is amazing great! Well we'll just have to appreciate every minute we have of you!

Matt wasn't going to tell Jenny about the record deal just yet, instead he was going to wait til the Brightstone weekend when he would see her. This news was too big to tell her by owl. He figured he would just ignore her question.

Well, unpacking hasn't really progressed since the last time you were here, it actually hasn't progressed at all...there is still piles of boxes in the hall! But the decorations are down which is a good thing, usually they not taken down until April at least! Whats Hogwarts like when its all dolled up? Are the decorations as good as they were in Salem?

The next part, shocked Matt. He could even feel his cheeks burn a little. Matt rubbed the back of his neck out of embarassment, he could strangle that sister of his. Matt decided to avoid the question, maybe she wouldn't remember that she asked it?

Can't wait to hearing from you (and to see you),
Matt.

Matt signed off quickly and read the letter once over before ripping it out from the notepad and rolling the paper up, with a small smile he re-stuck the frog sticker onto the letter. He opened the cage of his own barn owl, "Bring it to Jenny alright? As quick as possible." Matt stood back as his owl flapped his wings and flew out the open window. Matt watched it disappear into the distance before looking back at the notepad on his bed, he suddenly felt a creative urge to write. Almost as if his muse returned.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess was delighted when she received Jenny's letter. She missed her best friend so much and couldn't wait to see her again, she would make the most of every moment she had with the girl when she had her next break from school. Jess was even looking forward to start at Hogwarts. She could hang out with Jenny as much as she wanted, there was only so much of guys that she could take. Jess finally got around to replying to Jenny and boy, did she have news for her.

J!!!
I'm so freaking happy you wrote. I'm sorry I didn't write sooner but a lot of things have been happening recently. You're not allowed out until March? That so lame! Its like a prison. I miss you like hell over here!! I wish I could hang out with you again, I think I got too attached at Christmas. Ha ha.

Hell yeah! We should meet up the next time they set you free, I'm thinking some butterbeer? Well once September comes, that school isn't going to know what hit it! But seriously, hows it going for ya? Any exams coming up?

It was times like this, when Jess was happy she didn't go to school. She didn't have to worry about assignments or exams, well not that she really did that anyway. Jess read over the letter once and brushed the top of her quill against her chin. She didn't know how she would tell Jenny about Jake, it was such a long story.

So heres my big news. And its pretty big. One day I was strolling through the Harbour (since I have nothing better to do with my time) and I bumped into this guy that I slightly recognized. I stared at him for a little, until I realized it was Jake! I don't think I mentioned him to you before but basically he was like my best friend when we were about nine. I swore I was in love with him! Haha. But seriously, its unbelievable. He moved away suddenly and it broke my little heart but the fact that he is here, in New Zealand! Oh J, its incredible! Its like old times with him. I'm going to get you to meet him, he has this tough guy attitude but hes such a softy, honestly, I kicked his @ss when we were younger. I'm sure I could still do it!
Write back ASAP. I miss you!
love you,
Jessie.

Jess finished her letter with a delighted smile, she was so happy that she had her Jake once more. Well, he wasn't her Jake anymore but she was glad to have him back none the less. Jess slipped the letter into a green envelope and gave it to her owl. "Get it to Jenny. As quickly as you can please!" She said with a happy tone. The spotted owl flapped its wing gently and slipped out of the window as graceful as always. Jess watched the bird fly with ease before grabbing her jacket to meet up with Jake.