April 23, 1893

Dearest Millie,

How are classes going? I know this time of year seems such a rush at school but I hope you have been getting the chance to get outside and enjoy the warm weather we have been having. Are you taking well enough care of yourself?

Mama has been planning her flower show again this year. This year her plans are even more ambitious than they were last year. She talked father into helping us arrange a swamp area in Padmore Park! Granted, I suppose I should not be surprised seeing how much father does love his aquatic plants.

In other news, you had asked at Christmas if Mr. Honeyduke will marry me. I am sorry, my dear, for scolding you. I love Mr. Honeyduke and never wish to scare him away. But it seems you were more wise in these matters than I was. Last night Mr. Honeyduke proposed to me and I accepted. I suspect I shall be happily married before you become a fourth year.

May all be well with you.

All my love,
Dahlia

P.S. I hope you enjoy the cookies. I remember them being a favorite of yours.

Attached to the letter is a tin of cookies and an assortment of treats from Mr. Honeyduke's.

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   Millie Potts

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Dahlia

I've had quite a bit of time to think about the Christmas party, and I need to beg your forgiveness for how I acted. Excitement got the best of me, I fear, and I should have let you and Mr Honeyduke tell our family when you were ready. Still, I am beyond overjoyed for your upcoming marriage! I am not too wise to miss wishing you my best congratulations at the news that you will soon be Mrs. Dahlia Honeyduke.

It feels quite strange to write that, does it feel strange to consider it? Do you have your bridesmaids all picked out yet, too? If your wedding isn't so far away to keep me from attending, it would be just the occasion for a new dress, too. I would like to tell Mum and Papa, but perhaps I will wait to let you spread the news first this time. I'm sure they'll be as excited for you and Mr. Honeyduke as I am.

Since I shared one of your secrets, I'll share one of mine with you. I found a secret passageway in Hogwarts, and I'm fairly certain no one else knows about it. No one aside from a couple of friends of mine, Anne and Greta, I mean. Well, and Jimmy Fletcher. And somehow Maxwell Beck, who I thought was Callum Finnigan but he was lying to me about that. Do you know any Becks? They must not be very trustworthy, if this Mr. Beck is anything to go by. I can only hope he'll be as deceitful about this secret passageway as his name, so that others don't find out.

It's in the fourth floor girl's bathrooms. I feel comfortable sharing that with you, by the way, knowing it won't spread to Hogwarts.

Oh, I've written too much and it's time for Potions. Horrible class, I wish I could go without, but I need this grade more than most. I'll tell you about everything in my next letter, I promise it won't be so long, or long awaited!

Yours,
Millie

P.S. Cordellia says that cookies were much better than the chocolates Daffy sent, and she would know.

  

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Millie,
Thank you for your kind congratulations, I am so very happy with how things have worked out. Please do not fret further about the Christmas party, all is long since forgiven.

You may find it strange to write my name to be, but I assure you I find it stranger to see the words staring up at me. I do not believe it has truly begun to sink in. I know I am happy, and I have an idea for what our life to be, but it seems more a daydream than reality. Does that make sense?

You may rest assured that you can speak of it with your parents, I wrote your mother as well as mother was quite bursting to tell them. I think she may be more excited than I am about the turn of events.

As for the wedding, I have not yet decided who will stand with me. I suppose it comes from having so many sisters. I don't want one to think I love her any less than the other if I do not pick her. But it seems a tad ridiculous to have all of stand up there. There are an awful lot of us after all.

If they do not agree to the new dress I shall certainly have mother intercede on your behalf. I think it hardly fair to have such an event to attend without a new dress. It seems so incredibly cruel. You shall, of course, be invited. I am hoping that we may be able to have a summer wedding before you and Calla are back at Hogwarts for next term.

Thank you for trusting me with your secret, I shall not tell a soul, and such an exciting secret as that. I can not believe none of us knew about it! Where does it lead? I shall not tell a soul. But know that I am so very curious to know exactly what (and whom) happened with Misters Beck and Finnigan.

I always rather liked potions, but had the feeling that Professor Valendarius would one day die and simply reappear to teach as a ghost.

I am glad that the cookies were enjoyed.

My curiosity thanks you for a prompt reply, I am on tenderhooks waiting to hear about this latest adventure.

All my love,
Dahlia

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   Millie Potts

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Dahlia

I have to tell you that I just spent the whole day with the image in my mind of all your sisters standing up there with you at the wedding. It was a very broad image, in fact, and it took up all my concentration in DADA. Professor Lissington already thinks I need to focus more on my studies in his class, so that didn't help matters very much. I didn't know what a Muggle calls a Hinkypink, though I do now!

Thank you for making sure Mum and Papa know about the wedding, and for your promise of help with a new dress. If it's summertime, then something with the colors reversed would be my dream. I hope you know what I mean, none of the solid colors or small bits of light colors just in patterns. Something that's mostly white or light colors with a bold color on the sleeves or in one long stripe down the middle. I saw one in a magazine Cordelia has, but she loaned it to Helda Hoodwink last week so I can't send you a clipping yet.

Oh, you won't believe what we found! It was supposed to be another way out of the castle, like the ones that lead to Hogsmeade but are all guarded by the professors. Only we wound up somewhere underneath the castle instead! Imagine our surprise to find out it led to an old dungeon room, centuries old. Greta wants us to visit again but I'm not so certain, who could relax in a dusty, old dungeon? Besides a Slytherin, I should ask Anne about that.

I need to go return my book before the library closes, I'll leave you now.

Yours,
Millie

  

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Millie,

It sounds like you did pay attention to some of it then! I was so prone to daydreaming in class when I was at school that I shall certainly be the last person to scold you for doing so yourself.

That sounds lovely. You shall certainly have to send me a picture. I think I how what you mean. Mother is already starting to talk to me about what my wedding dress should look like. Somehow over all the years I've envisioned most things but not the dress. She is thinking mutton sleeves as they are so fashionable now but I prefer the sleeveless ballgowns that were in style when I debuted. Oh the troubles of keeping up with fashion.

A dungeon!? I can't believe there is a whole other floor below the Slytherin levels. Was there anything truly gruesome down there? I shudder to think. But then again perhaps I have been reading too many horror novels.

As for living on the lower levels, I always found the Hufflepuff room to be most comforting. I admit that I prefer to see sunlight out the window, but it was the kind of cozy in our rooms that you think of on cool autumn evenings when all you want to do is curl up on a couch with a good book, a mug of tea, and a blanket across your lap.

Oh! Mother is calling. I would pause this letter and resume later but I think you'd much rather a short note than waiting any longer.

All my love,
Dahlia

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   Millie Potts

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Pretties by Bee <3

Dahlia

Oh, you simply must have the puffed sleeves! I had to ask Cordelia if they were the same thing as mutton sleeves. Of course she had to laugh for a whole minute straight before I could get an answer out of her! Sometimes I think she has a boggart where her brain should be. In any case, sleeves are very fashionable right now and a wedding should be fashionable, don't you think?

We didn't find anything truly gruesome in the dungeons, thank Merlin's pointy hat. I have to admit I was a little disappointed, I have heard such stories of the caretakers hanging students by thumbscrews. From what I was told, it was still going on in the era when our parents were here. Or just before then. There were no skeletons or thumbscrews to be found, I'm actually relieved to write. It was just a dungeon, and one that smells foul, I don't think I'll go back.

Are there really no windows in the Hufflepuff wing? From the way Calla or others talk about it, it sounds too cheery and warm to lack sunshine. How very dreary that would be! No, I think I am much more like a hosta plant, I need my sunshine and shade both. Just plant me under a tree and I shall be forever satisfied.

I will let you go from reading now. Choose well on the wedding plans, you'll only have one!

Yours,
Millie

  

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Dear Millie,

You make a very fine point for sleeves, I shall certainly consider it. At the very least you must have sleeves for your gown. You may even tell your mother I've insisted upon it. Allthough if you do not care for the sleeves then by all means you may tell her I've insisted on whatever you've set your heart on.

I had heard similar rumors when I was a student. Perhaps we ought to ask our parents? Or if not them then perhaps Professor Ruskin or Professor Valendurus might know?

It is bright and cheerful, despite the lack of windows. And you can always smell the delicious food from the kitchens. We used to sneak after classes and snag some biscuits to tide us over until supper. I am bias, but the Hufflepuff rooms were my favorite in the castle.

Stay out of trouble,
Dahlia

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   Millie Potts

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Pretties by Bee <3