HERMIONE GRANGER: 12 September, 1991
Dear Mum and Dad,
Madam Hooch is quite remarkable. Her eyes are yellow and I would have liked to ask her how come, but she is not very approachable. She was quite brusque with us this afternoon. My broom rolled over when I told it to go "up." This means that the charms were working, but not for me. Madam Hooch had to hand me my broom. It was okay then to mount it, and she showed us how quiet patiently. It's a little like riding a bike; it takes time to learn to be instinctual in the movements.
And it turns out Madam Hooch hasn't learnt anything about Gryffindors and Slytherins. Neville Longbottom, who keeps losing his toad, Trevor, fell off his broom and broke his wrist. So Madam Hooch took him the hospital wing herself, and left us all outside together. Draco Malfoy, who leads the first year Slytherins stole Neville's Remembrall a gift Neville had received from his Grandmother to help with his studies. He tried to fly away with it, so of course Harry Potter, who seems to think he's a hero even though he had no idea he was one already when I told him on the train, went after him. It was incredibly dangerous! and I felt sick just watching them. Malfoy claimed to already be able to fly, but Harry still didn't know how not to slide off the end.
Harry rescued Neville's gift, but only by almost running into the ground on his broom! Professor McGonagall saw it, too. He is going to be in so much trouble, even if though Malfoy did provoke him. Boys are so stupid! As if Madam Hooch or Professor McGonagall couldn't have gotten Neville's thing from Malfoy and taken house points from Slytherin. Instead Gryffindor loses points and Draco Malfoy thinks he won. He didn't win. He was so scared of Harry up there.
We also had our first Astronomy lesson last night. I was quite tired this morning because the class starts at midnight. But it is very interesting and Professor Sinistra seems very good.
We started switching spells in Transfiguration today. Switching is exactly what it sounds like, taking something from one object, like a handle from a jug and putting it on something else, say a candle stick. You can also do things like swap a rabbit's ears with a mouse's. There are some very strange pictures in the book. I earned ten points for knowing about the relationship between switching and conjuring today. I don't think anyone else reads the books.
Love,
Hermione.
Ron Weasley is the stupidest, rudest person I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. And Harry Potter is hardly better. They are planning to fight Malfoy in a duel tonight because Malfoy is jealous that Harry didn't get punished for riding his broom when Madam Hooch told them not to. Harry could have refused because he didn't know what Malfoy was talking about. But Ron went and signed them up. Ron's wand work isn't very good, and Malfoy probably had very good tutors as a child, so he will beat them, and they will lose more points and it won't do any good!
I have half a mind to tell Percy, because he is Ron's bother and a Prefect. But he's also a boy and would probably agree that needed to defend Gryffindor honour or something. I am so angry at all of them.
I suppose it will all be over tomorrow, when we have Potions again.
And I promise to write to Aunt Grace when I have nothing else to do.
Love,
Madam Hooch is quite remarkable. Her eyes are yellow and I would have liked to ask her how come, but she is not very approachable. She was quite brusque with us this afternoon. My broom rolled over when I told it to go "up." This means that the charms were working, but not for me. Madam Hooch had to hand me my broom. It was okay then to mount it, and she showed us how quiet patiently. It's a little like riding a bike; it takes time to learn to be instinctual in the movements.
And it turns out Madam Hooch hasn't learnt anything about Gryffindors and Slytherins. Neville Longbottom, who keeps losing his toad, Trevor, fell off his broom and broke his wrist. So Madam Hooch took him the hospital wing herself, and left us all outside together. Draco Malfoy, who leads the first year Slytherins stole Neville's Remembrall a gift Neville had received from his Grandmother to help with his studies. He tried to fly away with it, so of course Harry Potter, who seems to think he's a hero even though he had no idea he was one already when I told him on the train, went after him. It was incredibly dangerous! and I felt sick just watching them. Malfoy claimed to already be able to fly, but Harry still didn't know how not to slide off the end.
Harry rescued Neville's gift, but only by almost running into the ground on his broom! Professor McGonagall saw it, too. He is going to be in so much trouble, even if though Malfoy did provoke him. Boys are so stupid! As if Madam Hooch or Professor McGonagall couldn't have gotten Neville's thing from Malfoy and taken house points from Slytherin. Instead Gryffindor loses points and Draco Malfoy thinks he won. He didn't win. He was so scared of Harry up there.
We also had our first Astronomy lesson last night. I was quite tired this morning because the class starts at midnight. But it is very interesting and Professor Sinistra seems very good.
We started switching spells in Transfiguration today. Switching is exactly what it sounds like, taking something from one object, like a handle from a jug and putting it on something else, say a candle stick. You can also do things like swap a rabbit's ears with a mouse's. There are some very strange pictures in the book. I earned ten points for knowing about the relationship between switching and conjuring today. I don't think anyone else reads the books.
Love,
Hermione.
Ron Weasley is the stupidest, rudest person I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. And Harry Potter is hardly better. They are planning to fight Malfoy in a duel tonight because Malfoy is jealous that Harry didn't get punished for riding his broom when Madam Hooch told them not to. Harry could have refused because he didn't know what Malfoy was talking about. But Ron went and signed them up. Ron's wand work isn't very good, and Malfoy probably had very good tutors as a child, so he will beat them, and they will lose more points and it won't do any good!
I have half a mind to tell Percy, because he is Ron's bother and a Prefect. But he's also a boy and would probably agree that needed to defend Gryffindor honour or something. I am so angry at all of them.
I suppose it will all be over tomorrow, when we have Potions again.
And I promise to write to Aunt Grace when I have nothing else to do.
Love,