3rd June, 1891

Sisse,
How are you settling in back at home? I always find it a shock to come home. With so many sisters, someone is always bound to be in your business. But I'm sure your brothers are the same way if not worse. I'm sure Sloane or Cameron would be perfectly willing to punch one of them for you if they got to be too much! I'm only joking, don't worry.

Sorry I didn't get to come visit this week. The shop has just been busy with all the coming-out balls and society starting back up for the year. And with Senna being married now, Momma has one less set of hands in the shop to help. I can tell she is glad to have Dehlia and me back home. Things are starting to settle now so hopefully we'll be able to see each other soon.

I wanted to tell you that Dehlia gave me some of her old school dresses. She got new ones this year for her coming out so the old ones were too short now and I'm the only one that can wear them. Dehlia is always been a bit girlier than me, so I was wondering if you might be willing to help me on them? I know your mother likes me more when I dress the part and Dehlia's dresses will be a far better start than mine would. No mud stains?
Calla

Sisse Thompsett

  

---

look at the pretties mj made me!!!

June 4, 1891

Dearest Calla,

I shall be quite truthful as I know you won't mind. I already miss school. There is something about being able to be amongst friends that makes one feel more one's self than around family. Or at least I often feel that way, as I am sure you already know. Matthew barely notices me, he is so busy worrying about his NEWT scores. Henry has been a constant companion - much more than I'm use to. If I find one more chocolate toad leaving stains in my bed I'm not sure what I will do. Luckily he is to go to a friend's for a few weeks so I am optimistic there shall be some quiet here soon.

I must say I envy the fact that you have something to occupy your time. I have been writing letters, drawing, and working on my embroidery, but after the pace of school it all seems much slower.

Of course! I should very much like to help you with those. I can modify them a bit if you'd like after one of my designs? (And perhaps you can avoid those mud puddles in them?)

Sisse

  

---

5 June, 1891

Sisse,

I don't think there is anything wrong with missing school while you are home. I do as well. You are right, it is different to live among friends than it is to live among family. I miss breakfast at the Gryffindor table when I eat with you all. There is never a moment of peace. I know we've had our rough patches this year, but when it comes down to it, you are all my best friends. As much as we annoy each other, we wouldn't be complete without.

But I think that is the same for family as well. We annoy each other surely. There are times where I want to shake my sisters silly. Zinnia took so long in the bathroom this morning, for example. And Thistle stole my brush the other day and couldn't remember where she left it. (Still haven't found it, if you were curious. I've been making her share hers until I have a chance to run to the store. A new one will most certainly be coming out of her pocket money not mine.) But just like I wouldn't trade you all for anything, I wouldn't trade them. Chocolate frogs in the bedsheets and all. You are just having to live in a closer space to them than you are now used to.

So don't worry too much about it. Things will settle in. Besides, you could always slip a chocolate frog into Henry's bed if need be.

Don't be silly. You wouldn't envy me, certainly, when you have to wake up each morning at four to prep the t=store and tend the greenhouses when all you wish to do is go back to sleep. And yesterday a lady in the store yelled at me when I told her we were out of daffodils for the day. Sometimes I ache more here than I do after quidditch practice if you would believe that. Here we have no boys except papa to force to lug all the heavy bags around. And even if the Ministry wouldn't know I was doing magic, Momma still won't let me levitate the bags of soil so I have to carry them all by hand. It makes me miss herbology class. Things will surely settle down soon and Momma will be able to spare me to allow me to start visiting you again. By the end of summer, you'll be sick of me.

I was hoping you'd say that, Sisse. You've always been so much better at that kind of stuff than me. I'll let you do whatever you think is best for them so have fun. And you'd know best what would impress your mother than I would. I should be able to pop out on Wednesday to bring them by around two in the afternoon if you'll be home? I promise once you finish with them I won't wear them to the greenhouse.
Calla

  

---

look at the pretties mj made me!!!

June 7, 1891

Dearest Calla,

When did you get so wise? You are, of course, completely right. I would give anything for my friends and my family - even if Matthew seems not to notice me half the time and Henry has become quite the trickster. In some ways he reminds me of Cameron. That said, it is always an adjustment being home. I do love my family, but it seems that you and Alice and the others are part of my family now too. I don't know what I'll do when our Hogwarts days are done. Write even more letters I suppose.

I am surprised that your mother is the one insisting on carrying bags of soil. Then again, I suppose it is a task that must be done and as such requires a great deal of fortitude. But still, you spend your hours among flowers. It must be peaceful in the store and the greenhouses when there are no customers. It is peaceful here sometimes, but more often than not it seems boring. It seems uncharitable to admit it, but again, I suppose it is just adjusting to being home after being at school for so long. Is it strange to miss our lessons?

Oh yes, please do come by this Wednesday. We shall look at the dresses and I'll measure you and perhaps Mother may even want to help. She did use to be a seamstress before she met Father. Would you mind if she helped? Perhaps she will like my designs and ideas as well and think this is an excellent plan all around - without realizing our true motives. We simply must have her think you're excited at the prospect of new gowns, rather than what we are truly up to.

You are a truly good friend Calla. I miss you.

Sisse

  

---

7 June, 1891

Sisse,

But I don't want to think of that yet. Please don't make me do so. I dread that day so much. When we leave those walls, everyone has so many different lives. There are so many of you I likely may have never met if it wasn't for Hogwarts and I do not know how I'll go from seeing you all every day to not. If it is sometimes hard to meet now, how will that change when we are all adults with jobs or families. When society no longer thinks we are suited to be friendly to each other. I hope I never see those walls come in between us. I'm scared of losing touch with Alice and Ned the most, honestly. It is so easy to forget these things within the walls of the castle.

We'll have to be intentional and schedule activities. But honestly, even if it is closer than ever, it still seems so far away. I've started to think about internships and jobs now that we are upon our O.W.L.s but it is so hard to see myself outside of school as an adult. I can see Cam and Sloane playing quidditch but the rest of us, I don't know. Can you imagine us ten years from now with our own families?

I'm sorry, I'm being silly dwelling on things years from now that I can't change.

My sisters get them most of the time, but honestly some times I get too impatient to wait for them to finish what they are doing to help me. So I suppose that is on me. But still, I wish they weren't so strict on underaged magic. We live in Hogsmeade. There are literally no muggles to see. but even with my complaints, I love the shop and the greenhouse. I miss my toadstools* so it has been really nice to come back to check on them. I always miss them. So I don't think it is strange to miss lessons. I just don't miss staying up to odd hours to write an essay.

Wednesday it shall be then. I've already told Momma that I'll be coming by. Senna has offered to drop me off and pick me up as well. I think it will be good to include your mother, though I'd like to have some time to catch up as well. And with your mother's history, I'm sure she'd be helpful. And first-hand evidence right? We have to convince her. Though part of me worries that all of this will be pointless if she asks me about Quidditch. Should I lie to her? Or would that be worse?

I miss you as well, Sisse. And thank you for being a wonderful friend as well. Even if I'm not truly into the dresses and society world your mother likes, it has been quite fun to plan this. And who knows, maybe I'll learn something.

Calla

*Calla has had a patch of leaping toadstools she's been looking after in the greenhouse since pre-hogwarts.

  

---

look at the pretties mj made me!!!

June 8, 1891

Dearest Calla,

There is more truth in those words than I wish to acknowledge, however unrealistic that makes me. I do not know what I would have done all these years without Alice and Ned and to think of the day when I will no longer have them by my side - well it is as you said, I do not wish to think of it. You and I, however, I refuse to be parted. We shall be friends and once we marry we shall insist our husbands are friends. It is as simple as that.

Of course, on the matter of marriages (as I have no other subject to truly eleaborate upon), they shall both be excellent love matches made our first season to handsome gentleman. Your's shall be of course be a reknown magzooloigist and mine shall be a Ministry man. And we shall both insist on homes next door to one another in Hogsmeade so we can raise our children together. It shall be such a lovely existence. While I am indulging in daydreams I shall also include Alice on our street as she will debut at the Hogwarts coming out ball and sweep a gentleman right off his feet! Cameron and Sloane will of course be famous quidditch players and will likely marry young and create a scandal, but we shall have them nearby. Ned will find a young heiress to marry in a few years and then our whole street shall be made of friends. See, it's not such a sad thought now, is it?

Don't worry about tomorrow, it shall all be fine. As long as the boys aren't around I doubt quidditch will come up. Besides, if it does I shall expertly steer the conversation elsewhere. Once we are done with the fitting I'll see if we can take tea in the garden, then we can truly catch up.

Of course you shall learn something! Perhaps you may even come away liking dresses after all. Or maybe dancing! I miss having the chance to dance in our lessons, thank goodness I was not paired with Cameron recently. He trod on my toes one too many times.

Mother is calling me for tea so I suppose I shall have to suffice with sending you this now so you may see it before you arrive.

Sisse

  

---