Dear Sir Comma Enter

March

Ron, Harry, and I went to St. Mungo's today to see Bill. He looks really terrible and we're still not sure if he is even going to survive or not. He didn't even get a chance to see who attacked him, so we have no idea where to even start. Right now, Ron is acting like this is just some freak accident, and I don't know if he's just in denial about it being Death Eaters, or I have an overactive imagination for thinking that it wouldn't be anything except Death Eaters. Harry seemed very concerned, but it's hard to tell if that has to do with the fact that he is generally overprotective now, or that he can feel that it's Death Eaters.

Mrs. Weasley took a day off from work in order to stay with Bill all day. I think she's just terrified that she might lose a son the way she lost her husband. I certainly can't blame her. It seems that I can hardly remember what it's like to lose someone close any more. I remember when mom and dad died, I was only numb and terrified.

Our parents wanted to make sure that Cassandra and I would be taken care of if they died, they never wanted us to be forced to rely on strangers. But, only a few weeks later our uncle (Cassie and my new guardian) disappeared, along with every dime of money our parents had left for us, and was later found dead. Dumbledore felt, and I agreed, that this was probably the work of Death Eaters, making sure that I would be forced out into the muggle world and open to attack.

How you even knew that I was open to such danger is beyond me, it's not like it was published in the Daily Prophet that I would have to leave. I suppose Dumbledore could have mentioned it to you in passing, it was a heated discussion among the Order members as well. I suppose it might have also been common knowledge among Death Eaters.

Almost all of the students have gotten back to normal', which seems somewhat strange for me. I suppose for many of them this was just some great adventure that had very little to do with them. Many families were entirely untouched by loss, the brunt of the losses were born by Aurors and Order Members, as well as Death Eaters. Maybe I'm just a little angry that so many students come around worried about exams when the world is so changed. Maybe that's just the way it ends up, some people are changed irreparably by war, and everyone else just sits back and is glad that they weren't the ones to do the fighting.

Quidditch this weekend, and Cassandra's art exhibition next weekend. If you have the time, and you think I might not be able to recognize you, you should show up for the show. Cassandra hasn't said anything, but you have sort of replaced my parents as someone she wants to impress, so it would be really treat if you could make it. You're her patron of her arts, just as you are a patron of my academics.

I haven't been able to concentrate on my school work as much. Harry is on a crusade to figure out who hurt Bill. Harry, Ron, and I have searched his memory a dozen times, but clues allude us as of yet. I still think it was Death Eaters, but I don't say so to Ron. He's lost his father, last thing he needs is fear losing a brother.

Sometimes it irritates me how little trust the headmaster puts in me and Ron even after Voldemort was defeated. He sat back, and fatalistically waited for Harry and Voldemort to meet and for one to destroy the other. Far be it for me to say I defeated Voldemort, because I didn't. However, without me, Harry would have had to stand in front of Voldemort with a fast wand and a charming smile.

And so, to hear news third hand, from Harry, from Dumbledore, from wherever he got really irks me some days. That was a bit of a rant.

Rumor has it that Death Eaters are moving again. I hope I can talk to Lucius about it at the Quidditch match. Maybe I could talk to Professor Snape again.

Happy Birthday mum, I miss you.

Hufflepuff stomped Ravenclaw, it was a total upset. It was crowded up in the box, Ginny, Draco, and I packed in sitting with Lucius, Professor Snape, and Tonks.

Apparently someone approached Lucius about returning to the Death Eaters. That man is in Azkaban now, I imagine a large number of people are mad at Lucius about that.

I talked to Professor Snape about it quite a bit as well. No one approached him, which makes sense. Lucius had the good sense to act interested, so we know that some Death Eaters are trying to set up a new Dark Lord. They've given up on Voldemort, but not on wizard eugenics. Idiots.

I'm not sure what the point of attacking Bill was though, terror?

I finished a painting for the show this weekend. It's horrible, but it's mine. If you see it, I'm sure you'll agree, I make a much better academic than an artist.

Professor Snape has declared my NEWT paper done, but we both want to wait for the next full moon to feel more confident about the results. I fell that the only way that I could be mistaken is if I overlooked something crucial about the disease. There has been a great deal of research in the past that has gone into lycanthropy, so I feel that my results are good.

Professor Snape said it was O' work, and that publishing my results was a must. When I said I would not settle for anything less than Ars Alchemica, he gave me this sweet little smile. I have to admit, I grinned back like a huge idiot, I have to admit, he is really cute when he smiles.

Today in Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin Professor Tonks wasn't paying much attention. It's sometimes strange to feel like Professors have these lives students know nothing about, and some days it affects them to the point of distraction.

I asked her about it after class, she said she was just thinking about the art exhibition this weekend, and our class made her think about it. I'm not that excited about the show.

Minerva cornered me after class today to discuss my plans for the future. Of course I felt bad about not having anything sorted out yet, I have plenty of offers, but nothing decided. It sounds like there might even be a job here for me if I want it. That would be pretty neat, but a huge part of me feels that a teacher must experience life before acting as though they could possibly teach new student to be ready to face the world.

Ministry jobs, research jobs, maybe teaching, how's a girl supposed to decide? All I know is I'll definitely not going to be an artist of any sort. Probably not anything that has to do with magical creatures either. I might know it all, but I have no knack for it.

The art show was today. I have no clue as to whether you were there or not, but I have a suspicion that you were. All of Cassandra's work went over ridiculously well. Some people at the show even commissioned paintings or put in offers on some of the pieces she had on display.

Lucius really loved one of the sculptures, and it sounds like Cassandra is going to sell it to him. He also said something that made me believe that you might be him. He asked me if I had done any work here, and I pointed him to my painting. He dead-panned you make a much better academic than an artist, Hermione' and then gave me one of those Lucius Malfoy smiles.

Of course the sentiment that I'm smart, but not a good artist is hardly news worthy. I'm also pretty sure he wouldn't have organized paying for my school right after my fifth year, because I had just landed him in Azkaban. Or maybe he already had leanings towards the resistance then, who knows. He does show up at school evens slightly more often than is necessary, and has taken an interest in mine and Cassie's careers.

Of course I could be all wrong, you'll tell me some day, wont you?

There have been too many rumors floating around. There's been some soft mumbling about Mudblood management in some less publicized areas. I'm quite surprised by some of the rhetoric coming out of these circles. The party line now involves the idea that the wizarding culture is under attack by muggle ideas.

The isolationist concept was probably a good and sound concept many years ago. Muggle-born wizards had to live in both worlds in a time when suspicions of witchcraft might have led to being burned to drowned or worse. I actually wrote about the phenomenon of muggle-born student burnings for a History of Magic essay. And so, isolationism helped keep both worlds safe for a time, but there comes a time when a world must evolve or die. I suppose feeling that way is terrifying and reactionary ideals are only too understandable.

Full moon tomorrow, I'll be seeing Remus. Loads more tests to do.

Fantastic results from yesterday. Short of sending Remus off with a warning to keep an eye out for recurring symptoms, I'd say we're done. I'll be sending my NEWT paper in a few weeks and after that Professor Snape says we can start working with St. Mungo's to administer the cure.

We probably wont be able to get anything started until after I graduate, which is frustrating. But that will mean more time with Severus. I really should stop calling him Severus if only in my head. The whole research project just complicates my feelings on the matter.

Remus and I had a great chat last night, his presence is very comforting. It is also confusing. I'm glad he seems so content to let me Ôcome to him' on this issue, I don't know what I would say if he tried to press the matter.

I like them both really. I am pretty sure Remus likes me. I don't know anything about Severus' feelings for me. The worst part is that you are the only person who I have told about all of this, sir. Who else can I talk to about it?

Bill's out of the hospital today, he's now under protection of some other Order members and probably feels a little like he's being baby-sat. I feel bad for him, I readily know how that feels. Thankfully, Bill's just a little curse resistant from all that time in Egypt.

Now that Bill is alright, Ron seems to have started paying attention to Vicky again, which is good. I hope she's understanding of the whole family-crisis situation.

Easter Holidays will be starting up soon, and NEWTs due right after. I'm going to have to figure out how to avoid the common room and the library for break so I can do my own studying.

I know that sort of behavior is not very Gryffindor but there is really only so much help I feel prepared to give to slacking year-mates. I suppose I'll justify it because of my Head Girl duties are stacking up and that I'm always available at my office hours for Head Girl. I'm turning into a bit of a Slytherin in my old age. I'll have to tell Draco.

No matter which way I think to write it, it still sounds strange. ÔProfessor Snape did me a huge favor today'. He asked me if I wanted to assist him in some potions research.

At first, I was going to turn him down, the last thing I need is to work so closely with a Professor who I can't figure out my feelings for. But then he mentioned his classroom would be open for me to study in if I wanted. Honestly, how could I say no?

You have to know I'll still help Harry, Ron, and Neville though. But not too much, they do have their own ideas to work on. I actually didn't even ask Professor Snape much about his research, although it seems to revolve around more focused healing potions. It's really amazing how wizard medicine is so adept at healing some complaints but not others. Neurological complaints are particularly difficult to address. I know Neville made only a small amount of progress in the area of neurological stimulation and I think we'll be trying to build on those ideas. Professor Snape has some connections with St. Mungo's that make his work easier than Neville's.

Today after class, I asked Tonks if she would look over my essays on Unforgivables and mark them. Unfortunately she's going on a vacation and won't be able to look at them. When I asked her where she was going she was evasive and a little embarrassed about the whole thing. I wonder if she's got herself a boyfriend?

Two weeks of no class and loads of work were kicked off with a great game of Quidditch, Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw. Ginny passed up Lucius' offer at a seat in the box and we sat with the Gryffindors in our Slytherin green and silver.

I'm really impressed with the way the Gryffindors are handling Ginny and Draco's relationship. I had expected them to react unfavorably. There was quite a bit of backlash when Draco was appointed Head Boy. I can't say I would have been very happy about the appointment if I had not known about him turning against Voldemort.

But Draco is a person, and maybe by some definitions a war hero. I heard the Wizengamot still hasn't decided if the Malfoys are going to receive recognition for their part in the final battle. I think they certainly deserve order of Merlins for their contributions to the fight. They risked more than many.

Slytherin managed to pull off a pretty average victory today, but it was still worth celebrating. Slytherin's team has finally pulled itself back together into a great flying team. The guys, Ginny, Vicky, Draco, and I went off to the Leaky Cauldron to celebrate the return of the Slytherin Quidditch team. The only problem is now Gryffindor and Slytherin will have the last Quidditch match of the season against each other.