Dear Diary,

The Hogwarts Coming Out Ball is tomorrow. Ruby's going to debut, though I don't think she really cares about that. She's going to do what Delight did and have a career (or — sort of. Reading tarot cards in someone's parlor isn't exactly the same as working at the Ministry). I suppose if I'd finished school maybe I'd do the same, but — well, it's besides the point now, isn't it? I can't be a debutante or have a career. I just get to stay home and keep doing this forever.

The moon this month wasn't bad. Only a few little cuts and a handful of bruises. I think it's a scrape from one of the trees in the suitcase. I think it must have died and the wood is splintered. Maybe I'll see if I can clean it up before the next full moon, but then I'd have to take my wand down with me and I don't know where I could put it that would be safe.

I bet Ruby will look really pretty in her white dress tomorrow night. I wish I could see her, but if I went to the ball or even just went to meet her afterwards on the other side of the Black Lake I know everyone would stare at me and I'd be distracting from her night, and I won't do that, even if she doesn't think she cares about it.

Dear Diary,

Something occurred to me, which is that even if I did have a spot to keep my wand safe I'm not sure if they would let me take it into the suitcase with me. They might think I would try and use it to get out. It's not as though they really trust me, even after all this time where I've never done anything except what they want. You can tell when you look at someone's eyes whether or not they trust you, and they don't. Some of them are afraid of me and some of them pity me but none of them truly trust me.

All the girls in my year are dancing the night away as I write this. I've been working on an illusion charm for little dancers and I tried it out tonight, but it didn't work that well. The figures were excellent; they looked just like real people except only five or six inches tall. But I couldn't get the movements right, probably because I never learned to dance. I was thinking I could make them waltz because I've heard Ruby complain about dancing lessons in etiquette class at Hogwarts often enough but I could tell I was getting the steps all wrong, and then one of them stepped on the other one's foot and fell over and Lilah tried to eat it, so I vanished them all again and gave up. I suppose I won't ever know what it looks like, a big ball like this. I'll certainly never see one in person.

I was planning to stay up for Ruby but I don't know what time she'll be back, and now I think maybe I'll make a cup of tea and go to bed instead. She can tell me about it tomorrow. She's going to be here forever now that she's graduated, so it's not like there's any rush.

No, she won't be here forever. I don't know why I wrote that. She'll only be here until she decides to go somewhere else. I'll be here forever.