Do you think I don’t count the days? It still hurts to be away from you after all this time. A fifth year, though! You’ll be as tall as James now, I expect, or taller I imagine you’ve grown!

An animagus? How exciting! I don’t know much about that, but I hear it’s wonderfully difficult to do. Of course it’s your own decision, in the end, you are quite old enough to form your own opinions - and I’m sure you’ll be sensible and careful about it, Thomas, so I can’t see why your father shouldn’t trust you. He was always so I am sure you are a favourite with your teachers, too.

I can’t speak to anything so thrilling as that kind of study, but I live in London now. It is the best place in the country to study the arts, you see, and I have been enhancing my talents in all sorts of disciplines. It is not just that I love it, Thomas, but that it is quite essential to my existence. I don’t suppose you care much for the arts?

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