Dear the girl who hopes it can't get worse,

I'm glad Mrs. Weasley is going softer on the twins. I have a feeling the twins will continue with the joke shop with or without Mrs. Weasley's support, but it'll be nice if she comes around. I'm sure she will.

I bet the twins were surprised. Mrs. Weasley has been going on at them about that joke shop for like a year now, to hear her just tut at it must seem like a miracle to them.

Honestly I wish I could take up that offer and use the swamp, because things have not been so good at Hogwarts. Umbridge and the Squad have been abusing their power even more lately. The whole school is being controlled. It's awful.

Still we are all fighting back, including the Professors. Umbridge has even got her Squad running around for her, because everyone keeps making chaos. The good thing is that its keeping them all so busy that they haven't been able to read people's letters. So I think we're safe for a little while longer.

On some good news, Ron's Quidditch has improved a lot and Gryffindor even won a game the other day. Ron's absolutely over the moon. I don't blame him of course, but I always knew he could do it. He always lets his nerves get the best of him but I've been his friend for years and I've seen him play and he is a really good Quidditch player.

Ron took on Quidditch this year with me, but obviously I'm still banned. I'm sorry I didn't mention this sooner, it slipped my mind. His position is the Keeper, so he has to guard the posts to make sure the opposing team doesn't score any points.

Ron is really good at this position, he used to play Keeper all the time when I used to play Quidditch over the summer at the Weasleys. Since he got on to the Gryffindor Quidditch team however, his skills have slowly been going down. As I said, its his nerves. He works himself up and gets so nervous he ends up playing awful and because he plays awful he beats himself up so then the next time he plays, he is somehow even worse.

I've been trying to build his confidence all year but somehow he played really well the last game. He hasn't stopped going on about it since.

I'm proud of him, especially because the Slytherins have created an awful song they sing at every match to knock Ron's confidence even more.

I was at the game but I had to leave pretty abruptly throughout it, so I didn't actually see Ron in action. He knows about it now but I wish I was there.

Anyway, there is something rather important I want to talk to you about. I know I said we are safe talking in the letters but I don't want to risk anything, so I'm sneaking off to Hogsmeade this weekend. Can I give you a call on Saturday? You actually won't believe it when I tell you, like really, I thought my life couldn't get anymore difficult.

Oh, Dung and the twins are most definitely trading things by the sound of it. I guess the twins are making new inventions.

Unfortunately you're probably right about Potions. I actually wouldn't hate it so much if it were taught by someone other than Snape. He makes the subject so much worse.

You're right. McGonagall is a badass. I never realised it much until Umbridge came along, but its awesome to see McGonagall cut into Umbridge so much.

Congrats El! I'm proud of you! I know you always did well in school but now you're smashing it. Carry on the way you're going and you'll be the muggle version of Hermione.

Again, I'm happy for you, I'm glad you came to a decision and chose a University. You'll have to send me some of those leaflets or something so I can see what this University is all about.

Don't worry, I know you'll get the grades needed. You're already doing so much better, so imagine if you continue the hard work for a few months more. You're going to absolutely smash those exams, I just know it. I believe in you!

Hopefully you'll think of something soon, I wish I could figure out what to do with my future too. I've never really thought about life after Hogwarts.

Don't worry I get a decent enough grade in Charms. We were going over Summoning Charms again anyway, and I've been pretty good at those since fourth year when I practised it silly for the first task.

You're correct, Professor Flitwick is my Charms Professor. I think you'd find him funny. He's really tiny and has to climb on a pile of books to be seen.

Believe me El, I wish it were over too. I want a normal life so bad. And Merlin I hope everyone makes it out of this too. I don't know what's to come, but all we can do is face it when it does.

With deepest love,

the boy who has big news.

(We are getting near the end of the book soon. I'm excited. Hope you all enjoy! Also sorry for the late chapter, please forgive me.)