Holiday Letters PV James McMurtrie Closed

Dear Lark,

Ok where do I start!?!

First - Elf on the Shelf is a horrible and terrifying tradition in which parents put a toy elf somewhere in the house in the days leading up to Christmas. Fun bits - kids get up and get to look for it each morning. Scary bits - the whole idea is that the elf is sitting there watching and judging kids to see if they’re naughty or nice AND it moves every night like some sort of cursed object and that’s creepy as hell to be honest. Never did it anyway, I think it’s more of an American thing.

Second - Mum decorated like crazy this year - silver and blue was the theme - she’s always got colours and as soon as she heard about me being a Ravenclaw she thought it’d be fitting. Things look amazing.

Third - The Christmas tree is INSANE did you just get one that big or is it some kind of enchantment? It looks amazing

Four - I finally went round to Pete’s place... we played Mario Kart (remind me to show you that when you come to my place) for like an hour without saying anything, then I just straight up burst into tears (promise you won’t mention that to the others) and then so did he and we just talked about loads of stuff. I had to sort of be a little thin on the details about Hogwarts. He’s now pretty certain that I’m some sort of child spy, like I work for MI6 or something. Decided not to correct him. Wish I could tell him about all of it though... it kinda sucks. But I guess that’s the trade off...

Fifth - Dad’s totally obsessed with Wizarding stuff, especially Quiddich - he wants to take me to the World Cup when it comes round- I don’t know if he’s allowed.
I really miss you
I miss you heaps

I miss all of you Can’t wait for Secret Santa Mum and Dad have a whole thing planned in town and then they want to meet all of you afterwards.

Love from

From

James.

December 24th 2019

King of Kings,

Won't see you for it but Happy Christmas James!
I'm happy your Mum is so excited for you.. a Ravenclaw tree sounds fabulous. As for you Dad I'll ask my Pa, see if he knows! If not the Cup maybe a Ravenclaw game at school? Speaking of my Pa.. he literally. LIT.ER.ALLY. wanted to do it Muggle style! Chopped it down himself after dragging me around to different places. Insisted he do it himself... gosh I wish you coulda been there I wish you had seen it!

I wish.. they let Muggles do more.. I'm sorry about Pete.. but you guys are talking again which is amazing! I got to borrow a thing called Switch? It's just.... unreal! Talk about magic! Played something called Pokemon... have you tried it? Can't wait to visit, you think I could meet Pete? He's important to you sounds it, anyway.

A SPY! WELL you are a master punch wizard! Beat the daylights out of that idiot on your birthday. Brilliant it was.

Tell your parents I am glad I got to meet them after the Secret Santa thing. They're so kind. I see where you get it

I hope you have the best Christmas! Write soon!

Lark

Hi Lark!
Merry Christmas!!! Hope everything’s going well with the family. I hope you’re ok metamorphagus stuff... remember that no matter what they feel, all it is is something that makes you special. And for what it’s worth I think it makes you pretty badass.

Here’s my advice on Pokemon. Make sure you diversify your roster. You want at least one strong Pokémon of each type on your team. It’s all about matching a type that’s strong against whatever your opponent plays- I’m not going to ruin it for you because half the fun is working it out on your own just look out for any attack that’s “Super Effective”. Also, you’re not gonna want to play anything but your basic attack moves in the early game, lowering your opponent’s defence of attack in the early game is a fool’s errand and it’s only gonna serve as a lost turn. Wait until mid game to start messing with that stuff.

My parents loved meeting you by the way. Mum said and I quote - she thought you were “Delightful”. Dad’s really keen to come see you play Quiddich since I told him you made it onto the team. So maybe you’ll see him again pretty soon, who knows?

Hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed with your whole family around and your baby brother. Don’t ever forget how amazing and beautiful your are
Don’t let it get you down, you’re brilliant!

My Grandparents just got here, we like to have this big family Christmas on Christmas Eve and then Mum, Dad and I usually stay up till midnight to see in Christmas Day. Grandpa is a massive Jeremy Corbyn nut so I’ve been getting a lot of lectures about how “that Boris Johnson is running this country into the ground like some sort of Wright Brother’s test flight”. You should see him when he gets all fired up, he goes all red and starts spitting and everything. Dad has to take him outside for some fresh air when that happens. My Grandma is very excited about the whole Hogwarts thing, apparently her one of her cousins is a witch and like at a family reunion back in the 70s her aunt got drunk and accidentally let it slip. Grandma’s literally been holding onto the secret for almost fifty years!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Question - Do wizards do anything interesting for New Year’s Eve?

James

December 29th 2019

James,

Thanks for the whole... being there thing... with this whole Metamorph thing. Honestly.. as soon as we were home my parents were completely in awe. What is that even about??! They were all over me basically asking about it.. didn't even ask about the ball and what happened in detail. Act like they didn't lock me up basically for years on end.

Sorta still makes me angry the more I think about it. Like.. why ? Why did they do that? If they were just gonna let it be whatever anyway once I found out. So backwards.. Of course that only lasted the first couple days then my Ma went straight back to my brother. Things have been kinda weird with her and Corvus. She doesn't really let me hang out with him or be alone with him. Not like I'd pick him up, sort of freaks me out the way he just.. stares at me smilin'. She snaps at me constantly lately, I can't wait to get outa here and back to Hogwarts.. I hate it here now..

I did the Pokemon thing you said and it did help! I'll keep at it.

Gosh really? I was pretty nervous about your Ma! Gosh, I'll have to snag some Quidditch stuff for ya to bring home to him. Maybe some Ravenclaw sorta colored stuff. Can't wait to see them again! Nuts I'm even on the team, I'm too.. me I dunno.. everyone has been nice though about bein' on the team. All thanks to you really, flying coach! Hah! Bet you and Gem had a good laugh about it after watching me in Professor Bercegeay's almost all term.

Oh gosh.. that sounds like a Gran thing. She does the same! Talks trash about the Ministry basically and critiques everyone there and what they do. To me. Half of it I have no clue what she's even going on about until I can sneak away. Go Granny McMurtrie haha talk about holdin' a secret forever.. I don't know if I could hang onto a secret that big for that long.. I hope I can meet them too though! Your whole family seems wonderful. I'd trade you but I don't want to doom you to mine, except Pa.

I wish I coulda just stayed there for winter break.. I thought Cork would be wonderful but it is sorta.. getting to me being here now. Been writing to Gem, I hope his trip is going well! He seems upset though.. You should check in on him if you haven't! Think it might do him good. Have you heard- Has Char- Any letter's from Charlotte? Haven't talked to her much since before the Ball. Not that- Hope she's doing good.

Well! We have some sort of Starry Night type theme party at a Gran's friends.. place... She let me invite- It's supposed to be some pretty big shindig thing that they do every year. Tons of other Wizarding families and stuff. Going out later today to shop for a dress, if my Ma can... pull herself away from Corvus. If not well, Gran will take me. That's actually why I- Actually, I had told Pa a lot about you and apparently he told Gran who grilled him- and she let me know I could well.. invite you? If you wanted to that is, I know you have family. I told them you'd prolly be busy. Plus Charlotte might not like- But still I wanted to ask ya. Promise no fires or shoes in my face!!

Think about it and owl me back yeah? It's gonna be at some castle in Ireland. My Pa and I could pick ya up, floo network and all that. Not too keen on Portkeys..

If not I completely understand!.. and if you can't come well then Happy New Years!
Hopefully we can visit again soon! I miss I
I miss you! a lot
A lot.


Lark