Letters Home
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hello!!! I’ve only just got a chance to write, there’s so much going on. I was put into Hufflepuff — I’m really glad actually, it’s so lovely and everyone’s so nice: I write this sitting in the common room, which is so cosy and warm and pleasant, and it’s got this massive fire dancing in the hearth which just makes it so much better. My dorm’s absolutely amazing too — it’s filled to the absolute brim with plants and stuff, and the ceiling’s enchanted to reflect the actual sky so it’s almost like sleeping outdoors. I love it!
I start classes to-day. I’m a little worried that I’m going to do badly — or that they’re going to say I’m not good enough at magic, or something like that — but I’m also excited, and I can’t wait to start learning actual magic, and casting real proper spells; it always looks brilliant when you do it, Mum, and it’s so incredible in books and all that. I read through my schoolbooks over the summer, as you know, so hopefully that gives me a bit of a boost? I don’t know.
You will tell me everything about the animals when you write back, won’t you? Especially Duchess. Dad, I forgot to tell you (has Susie said anything?), but Susie said she’d help exercise her for me, so you won’t need to bother quite so much about working her yourself. I said she could take Duchess out to some competitions if she wanted — you know Susie’s been yearning to do stuff like that for ages, and Duchess is well able for it even if I don’t do it with her, so it’d be good for both of them, don’t you think? Susie’s a brilliant rider, too, better than either me or Carol — it’s so mean her parents won’t get her her own pony — so it works out well for both her and Duchess, on the whole.
How’s Ruby’s paw? Is it getting better now? Mum, how are those nifflers you were seeing doing? And how are both of you getting along — lonely, with neither Mia nor I in the house?! I hope you’re well, and the same for all the animals. I’m missing you heaps and heaps but obviously there’s not much time to dwell over stuff like that.
Lots of love,
Cecily xxx
Hello!!! I’ve only just got a chance to write, there’s so much going on. I was put into Hufflepuff — I’m really glad actually, it’s so lovely and everyone’s so nice: I write this sitting in the common room, which is so cosy and warm and pleasant, and it’s got this massive fire dancing in the hearth which just makes it so much better. My dorm’s absolutely amazing too — it’s filled to the absolute brim with plants and stuff, and the ceiling’s enchanted to reflect the actual sky so it’s almost like sleeping outdoors. I love it!
I start classes to-day. I’m a little worried that I’m going to do badly — or that they’re going to say I’m not good enough at magic, or something like that — but I’m also excited, and I can’t wait to start learning actual magic, and casting real proper spells; it always looks brilliant when you do it, Mum, and it’s so incredible in books and all that. I read through my schoolbooks over the summer, as you know, so hopefully that gives me a bit of a boost? I don’t know.
You will tell me everything about the animals when you write back, won’t you? Especially Duchess. Dad, I forgot to tell you (has Susie said anything?), but Susie said she’d help exercise her for me, so you won’t need to bother quite so much about working her yourself. I said she could take Duchess out to some competitions if she wanted — you know Susie’s been yearning to do stuff like that for ages, and Duchess is well able for it even if I don’t do it with her, so it’d be good for both of them, don’t you think? Susie’s a brilliant rider, too, better than either me or Carol — it’s so mean her parents won’t get her her own pony — so it works out well for both her and Duchess, on the whole.
How’s Ruby’s paw? Is it getting better now? Mum, how are those nifflers you were seeing doing? And how are both of you getting along — lonely, with neither Mia nor I in the house?! I hope you’re well, and the same for all the animals. I’m missing you heaps and heaps but obviously there’s not much time to dwell over stuff like that.
Lots of love,
Cecily xxx
Letters Home
Dear Susie,
How are you? I miss you and Carol so much… the boarding school I’m at is nice, but I don’t know that I wouldn’t swap it all to go out for an early morning hack with you two. How’s school? I hate that both Carol and I left you behind at the exact same time, I am really very sorry. I hope the teachers are nicer than they were at primary, and that the work’s going well (although if I know anything about you, it definitely is!)
My school’s nice. There are loads of people from all over the British Isles, so it’s interesting to get to know new people, albeit a bit overwhelming. I’d give anything for you two to be here with me for company — I expect I’ll be writing so much you’ll be sick to death of me! I was worried about the food, but it’s actually really brilliant, nothing like Carol says Lizzy found it at their school, it tastes really nice and there’s so much of it!
How’s Duchess doing? Thank you so much for riding her for me, it really does mean the world. She is the sweetest pony ever, isn’t she? And don’t you think she’s a marvellous jumper, if you’ve jumped her yet? Like I said, if you want to do any competitions with her, I bet the world would sit up and stare! I wish I was brave enough to do some, but I don’t think I ever will be. You’re a better rider than me anyway — it might be for the best. Do tell me everything about her, won’t you? I miss her so much all ready… I don’t know how I can get by till Christmas.
I also really miss you, Susie, and Carol — I thought writing this would help, but I still wish you were here so much, or that I was back home. I can scarcely believe how many months it is until I’m going to see you again… the longest since we met.
Heaps of love,
Cecily
How are you? I miss you and Carol so much… the boarding school I’m at is nice, but I don’t know that I wouldn’t swap it all to go out for an early morning hack with you two. How’s school? I hate that both Carol and I left you behind at the exact same time, I am really very sorry. I hope the teachers are nicer than they were at primary, and that the work’s going well (although if I know anything about you, it definitely is!)
My school’s nice. There are loads of people from all over the British Isles, so it’s interesting to get to know new people, albeit a bit overwhelming. I’d give anything for you two to be here with me for company — I expect I’ll be writing so much you’ll be sick to death of me! I was worried about the food, but it’s actually really brilliant, nothing like Carol says Lizzy found it at their school, it tastes really nice and there’s so much of it!
How’s Duchess doing? Thank you so much for riding her for me, it really does mean the world. She is the sweetest pony ever, isn’t she? And don’t you think she’s a marvellous jumper, if you’ve jumped her yet? Like I said, if you want to do any competitions with her, I bet the world would sit up and stare! I wish I was brave enough to do some, but I don’t think I ever will be. You’re a better rider than me anyway — it might be for the best. Do tell me everything about her, won’t you? I miss her so much all ready… I don’t know how I can get by till Christmas.
I also really miss you, Susie, and Carol — I thought writing this would help, but I still wish you were here so much, or that I was back home. I can scarcely believe how many months it is until I’m going to see you again… the longest since we met.
Heaps of love,
Cecily
Letters Home
Dear Carol,
Hello!! How are you doing? How’s your new school? Horribly mean that we both had to go off to different boarding schools, isn’t it… mine’s lovely, but I miss you and Susie so much. And Duchess — you’re so lucky to have been able to bring Starlight, I do envy you! Are the riding coaches over there any good? Are you still able to enter competitions with him? And what about classes — those any better than primary?
I’m doing pretty well at my school, everything and everyone is really interesting and nice. The food here’s absolutely brilliant, is it any better for you than Lizzy presented it? She made boarding school food sound like right slop, but maybe I’m just lucky — although I’d much rather have Duchess and horrid food, so maybe not! The grounds are beautiful, though: there’s this massive, gorgeous lake, and a forest, although we’re not allowed in.
I am pretty lonely, if I’m honest with you. I’d never even been to a school with people I knew before, and now the only person in the world I know is Mia, and she has so many other friends in her year she doesn’t have time for me. I wish you and Susie were here, Carol. I miss you. Can’t wait for Christmas!
Lots of love,
Cecily.
Hello!! How are you doing? How’s your new school? Horribly mean that we both had to go off to different boarding schools, isn’t it… mine’s lovely, but I miss you and Susie so much. And Duchess — you’re so lucky to have been able to bring Starlight, I do envy you! Are the riding coaches over there any good? Are you still able to enter competitions with him? And what about classes — those any better than primary?
I’m doing pretty well at my school, everything and everyone is really interesting and nice. The food here’s absolutely brilliant, is it any better for you than Lizzy presented it? She made boarding school food sound like right slop, but maybe I’m just lucky — although I’d much rather have Duchess and horrid food, so maybe not! The grounds are beautiful, though: there’s this massive, gorgeous lake, and a forest, although we’re not allowed in.
I am pretty lonely, if I’m honest with you. I’d never even been to a school with people I knew before, and now the only person in the world I know is Mia, and she has so many other friends in her year she doesn’t have time for me. I wish you and Susie were here, Carol. I miss you. Can’t wait for Christmas!
Lots of love,
Cecily.
Letters Home
Dear Cecily,
It was so lovely to hear from you! I’m doing all right, missing you and Carol loads. I’ve never been to school without Carol or to the yard without you (and almost always with Carol too!), so it just all feels so mad and new to be quite alone on both. I’ve been sitting with Georgia and Hazel at lunch, and I was so grateful it was lively, but they invited me on a hack with them and I realised just how unlike you and Carol they are: lovely girls of course, you know them, but I want you two! Already counting down the days till Christmas.
School’s fine. Work’s easy to the point of boring, teachers pleasant enough, but they treat us like babies! What about you? It must be really weird going from being home-schooled to being in a full on boarding school. I’ve been going to a proper school all my life and I’d be terrified! I suppose Mia did rhapsodise about it. Nice to have an academic sister — she made yours seem so much more pleasant than Lizzy did Carol’s!
Duchess is good, still the sweetest pony ever, although I’m beginning to see why you complain about greys, it takes ages to get every stain off her all the time! She does take such pleasure in getting dirty, doesn’t she? I just did the most marvellous jumping exercise with her: not high, but pretty technically challenging, and she was absolutely brilliant, a right little show-jumper — everyone says so, and I can only agree emphatically. She’s an angel, don’t worry about her!
I miss you too; so does Duchess, I think. It’s far too long until Christmas, I’m just dying to see you again…
Lots of love
Susie xxx
It was so lovely to hear from you! I’m doing all right, missing you and Carol loads. I’ve never been to school without Carol or to the yard without you (and almost always with Carol too!), so it just all feels so mad and new to be quite alone on both. I’ve been sitting with Georgia and Hazel at lunch, and I was so grateful it was lively, but they invited me on a hack with them and I realised just how unlike you and Carol they are: lovely girls of course, you know them, but I want you two! Already counting down the days till Christmas.
School’s fine. Work’s easy to the point of boring, teachers pleasant enough, but they treat us like babies! What about you? It must be really weird going from being home-schooled to being in a full on boarding school. I’ve been going to a proper school all my life and I’d be terrified! I suppose Mia did rhapsodise about it. Nice to have an academic sister — she made yours seem so much more pleasant than Lizzy did Carol’s!
Duchess is good, still the sweetest pony ever, although I’m beginning to see why you complain about greys, it takes ages to get every stain off her all the time! She does take such pleasure in getting dirty, doesn’t she? I just did the most marvellous jumping exercise with her: not high, but pretty technically challenging, and she was absolutely brilliant, a right little show-jumper — everyone says so, and I can only agree emphatically. She’s an angel, don’t worry about her!
I miss you too; so does Duchess, I think. It’s far too long until Christmas, I’m just dying to see you again…
Lots of love
Susie xxx