Dear Jamie

[Lily Luna Potter]

It's weird here without you. How's life as a mature, responsible grown-up? Have you taken out a mortgage yet? Started saving for a pension? If not, I think you should - you're getting on, after all. Seriously though, how are you?

Sorry I haven't had time to write before now. Being a prefect takes up quite a bit of time! I don't get as much time for reading as I did before, it's quite annoying. Then there's OWLs coming up at the end of the year, so we're getting quite a lot of homework. I wish I could just stay in bed and read books all day at this time of year.

Everything's been pretty quiet here other than that though. I haven't seen much of Albus, but that's normal. I'm always scared I'm going to find him out of bed when I'm patrolling or something - I mean, I wouldn't mind having to give him a detention, so long as he wasn't snogging some girl or something - that would be embarrassing. I haven't really caught anyone doing anything like that so far, thank goodness.

Have you seen the rest of the family much? I haven't really heard from anyone yet this term.

Lots of love,

Lily xxxxxxx

PS - Don't forget what date it is one month from today!

[James Potter]

Lily-pots!

Dude, I'm renting - I don't need a mortgage! Right? Please tell me that's right. There's no way I could afford to flipping buy a house! Pension, of course. I mean, goodness me, I must be about ready to retire next year... Impertinent child.

I'm all good, thanks - my job's amazing! I'm researching plants for pharmacology and stuff at the minute, so in a few years time you might be using a Pepper-up Potion that I've helped to develop, which is pretty cool! How about you? How's school going?

I was never a prefect, so I wouldn't know how much time it takes up - Rose never moaned it about it, really, but she'd dead weird and likes that sort of thing, and I never wanted to ask in case she thought I wanted to know - but I'm sure you're doing great! OWLs coming up must suck though, I remember teachers just going on and on and on about it, especially my Head of House whenever I had to see him.

PLEASE GIVE ALBUS DETENTION. I will legitimately pay you. And buy and send you some new books. Possibly even a plant. C'mon Lily... you know you want to!

I've not really seen anyone, I'm afraid! Mum and Dad have written a few letters, and I sent Rose a letter to tell her to be nice to you but she sent me back her transfiguration homework by accident, so Merlin knows what she handed in...

Lots of love, Jamie xxx

PS., One month from today? Hmm... Christmas? (I'm joking, I promise!)

[Lily Luna Potter]

Jamie,

Well, I think you should be thinking about both those things. I mean, getting on the property ladder's pretty hard, you don't want to leave it too late. Same with the pension. Next thing you know, you'll be retiring and then you'll be saying you wished you'd listened to Lily and started earlier.

That sounds great! I wouldn't like the research part, but I'd like the plants. I'm okay, and so's school. I'm not really that stressed about OWLs yet - I probably will be nearer the time. I just don't like all the extra work. D'you think Mum and Dad would let me get some chickens for the garden? I think they'd make a pretty good addition. And we could get eggs from them.

I'll give him detention if I catch him breaking the rules. I don't know though, I don't think he'd let me catch him. And I'd rather not if it means I have to see him snogging someone in a broom cupboard or something. I mean, it was bad enough seeing you doing that sort of thing in the corridors in broad daylight, without coming across Al in the dark.

Oh, that's what Rose was stressing about when I saw her the other day. She said something about you and Transfiguration, but I didn't really get it.

Lots of love

Lily xxxxxxxx

PS - No Jamie, Christmas is in December, remember? It's only October right now.

PPS - What's going on with you and Cassie?

[James Potter]

Lily,

You sound like an old lady. And I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course, but somebody's got to tell you these things. Stop listening to odd conversations mum and dad have, alright?

Glad everything's pretty good with you! Birthday present, perhaps? Chickens are pretty cute. All squawky and whatnot. I'm pretty sure if not we could just pinch some from the Burrow - leave it to me and Louis, and we'll nick you some if nothing else.

Lily Luna Potter, I'm begging you. BEGGING YOU. This is ALBUS we're talking about... you know, your second-favourite brother, odd delusions of attractiveness? Wouldn't you just like to see his little face peering out through the window of the detention-classroom at you? If you really won't, do you think Rose or Hugo would? Don't worry, no-one would want to snog Al, so you're probably safe on that front!

Love you, J xxx

PS., Oo, Easter?

PPS., Me and Cassie? Nothing why? Is she alright? We broke up. Is she okay? um We kind of broke up. By that I mean we did. But we're cool, like, definitely friends, no hard feelings etc. She dumped me in the end I think, but it was definitely mutual. I mean, she's pretty damn awesome, but I think we'd pretty much ran our course. Why? Why?

[Lily Luna Potter]

Jamie,

I'm not the old woman, but you're practically an old man, you're getting so grown up and responsible. Except you're not really being very responsible, not planning for the future at all. And I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course, but somebody's got to tell you these things.

You could get me some chickens for my birthday! I want baby ones really, but it's the wrong time of year. Bother. You can get me them for an Easter present next year instead. If you and Louis are going to chase chickens round the Burrow garden though, please tell me first so I can come and watch.

Stop being mean. I can't put him in detention if he hasn't done anything wrong anyway, can I? And Rose won't if he hasn't done anything either - she likes doing things properly. Louis probably would but And I think Al snogs quite a lot of people actually - I mean, I don't know why anyone would, but that's just the impression I get.

Lots of love,

Lily

PS - Well, you can get me a big chocolate egg if you want to...

PPS - I thought you might have done. You're an idiot. Are you okay?

[James Potter]

Lily,

Touché, little wise one, touché. But still, no.

If we got you big ones, they'd have baby ones. And if you got baby ones then they'd only grow into big ones. You can adopt ex-battery chickens for free, I think, so you can have some of those, and make their little lives lots happier. I'll even get you a coop. Me and Louis wouldn't need to chase them, they'd sense my superiority and my devastatingly attractive masculine good looks, and come flapping right over just to bask in my glory.

Existing? That horrible jumper he insists on wearing? He'll have done something wrong, mark my words... You were given these powers for a reason, use them for good! Is Rose still snogging Seth Wishart, because if she is, I bet I could blackmail her into it... Getting with your cousin's best mate is not on!

Ew. Poor girls. Save them, Lily, warn them off.

Love you, Jamie x

PS-- Nah, you're alright.

PPS-- What made you think that? Why am I an idiot?! I've been better. I'm fine - I mean, I kind of miss her, I guess, but not the slushy way I probably ought to. How is she? Is she okay? Does she have a new boyfriend?

[Lily Luna Potter]

Jamie,

Well, one day you'll wish you'd listened to me.

That's true. And I could do that, and then you'd have to get me something else for my birthday as well. Good plan. And I'm not sure being devastatingly physically attractive to chickens is really something you should be boasting about, Jamie. Just a tip.

Okay, fine. If I ever catch him doing something he shouldn't be doing, I promise I'll give him a detention. Deal? And I don't know - Seth's your friend, why don't you ask him? Were they going our or what?

They're not my friends, I'm not warning them. At least I hope they're not my friends, that would be awful.

Lots of love,

Lily xxxxxxxxx

PS - Please?

PPS - Well, you know. I haven't seen you with her, you stopped talking about her, she hadn't been round our house in a while... You're an idiot because I like her. And there are obviously things you're not saying to me or you wouldn't be crossing them out. Do you still like her?

[James Potter]

Lils,

Probably. Keep these letters as proof and I'll let you say "I told you so" when the time comes, deal?

The coop would be your birthday present, numpty! I'm a penniless pharmalogical herbologist, you can't steal my good present ideas! I'm attractive to everyone, chickens included. Probably hopefully minus family, though...

It'll do for now, I guess!

I can't ask Seth, imagine how that conversation will go: "Alright mate, still banging Rosie?" That's one relationship or whatever I just definitely want to know nothing about from either of them. I've no idea if they were going out or not, probably-maybe? Rose is weird about those things, you know that. You ask Rosie, ma petite spy (I don't know French for spy...)

If they were your friends, Al has less morals than I thought. Ew.

Love you, James xx

PS- I'll consider it.

PPS- I like her too, we're still mates, just not going out. I just don't like-like her, and vice versa, so we're being super cool grown-ups about it. I was just wondering how she is, then realised I could probably just write to her if I really wanted to know.

PPPS- I found a dictionary. French for 'spy' is 'espion'. Live and learn.

[Lily Luna Potter]

Jamie,

I will.

A chicken coop for my birthday present? I don't know if I'm really happy with that. I mean, I think a good brother would get me something more as well.

I did ask Rose. She went all weird on me. I don't know, I don't get people and relationships. You wouldn't need to put it like that though, would you? Don't you guys talk to each other about girls and stuff? Ask Rose yourself if you really want to know though.

It's okay, they can't be my friends. The only one of my friends who would is Shelly, and I already made her promise never to touch you or Al. There's nothing wrong with my friends though, they're actually very pretty.

Lots of love,

Lily xxxxx

PS - Pretty please?

PPS - Well. That's good. I think. You sound more like you want to believe that than that you actually do believe it, but okay. And I don't know how she is, so yes, you should probably write to her yourself. Shall I tell her you're going to?

PPPS - That's clever of you. I'm not your spy though.