Introspective Reflections

There's always something out there to be thankful for... ------Anonymous

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KIM'S GRATITUDE JOURNAL
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sta 6 • eva 10 • str 2 • wis 5 • arc 4 • acc 9

── 07/01/22 ─────

Reducio

This will be different from the usual entries I make in my journal as it is to be turned in to one of the professors. They call it a 'gratitude journal' which is an interesting concept for them to come up with as an errand for students. It reminds me of Thanksgiving. But that's not for another five months. Technically it's a bit less but when you round up the numbers... regardless, this is the first entry into the journal I'll be making as it's the first day of summer. One thing's for sure, I'm thankful exams are over.

── 07/02/22 ─────

Reducio

A ton of things happened yesterday that I forgot to write down. So I'm writing them down now. I rode the train back home with my friends, although I ended up passing out due to the unexpected presence of a cat in my compartment. A cat that actually belonged to one of my friends, who forgot to inform me of this. My childhood friend, who was also riding with us, was able to revive me though with a tickling spell. I'm thankful to have her by my side. It was an eventful trip and the summer promises to be quite busy.

Once the train stopped, I reunited with another old friend, my best friend back in London. I'm thankful that I still have him in my life too. Ah, right. I also met someone new. He's quite interesting and we have a lot in common. I'm thankful I met him because I have a feeling things are going to get really fun from now on. He's a higher year than me but that means nothing, it's not like we can't do things if we're in different years. We made plans to get together on the 4th and I'm looking forward to seeing him.

── 07/03/22 ─────

Reducio

I've been back home for a few days now and I have come to the conclusion that as much as I enjoy Hogwarts and the people I've met there, there's no place like home. Sure, it can be stressful sometimes but they are my family and I love them. I'm thankful I have them in my life. Even if I do feel guilty towards my father for not being able to get into his House.

── 07/04/22 ─────

Reducio

I met up with my new friend, Elsian. We had a lot of fun together, even though we don't really know eachother that well yet. But for some reason, it's like we've known eachother all our lives. We get along really well and I can't wait to get to know him more! When the new term starts, I'll have to hang out with him on a regular basis. I'm glad I got to know him.

── 07/06/22 ─────

Reducio

Hey! Elsian invited me to go to his house! It was pretty fun and we got a lot of stuff done. I definitely want to go back sometime in the future. I kind of want him to come to mine but at the same time also don't want anyone to. I don't want them to look at me differently if they find out who my parents are. But I'm happy he seems to like me, at least right now he does.

── 07/08/22 ─────

Reducio

I went to Colin's older sister (Moira)'s wedding today and am thankful Moira was able to find happiness. Weddings are always lovely.

── 07/10/22 ─────

Reducio

The wedding guests left today and now it's just me, Pax and Colin. I have to admit, I'm thankful there are only a few of us left now. I don't do well with crowds of people, even if they are people I know and am familiar with. Unless they are my family or those I'm really close to, I tend to sometimes have panic attacks freak out. But it's not too bad. Really. Believe me.

── 07/13/22 ─────

Reducio

Today, I became thankful that we are all alive right now. Life is a precious gift and should not be treated lightly. I got closer to Colin today and realized my earlier thoughts about him were not correct at all. He wasn't like me as I'd originally thought, but I still care for him regardless.

── 07/23/22 ─────

Reducio

Today I went to a pureblood ball, one my best friend had invited me to. His fiance, Eun-ji, also invited me to it too. And of course, the family in general extended the invitation to my parents. Although we all were going to go, my parents were called away on unexpected business. As a result, I came in lieu of my parents. There were a lot of people there and I felt rather anxious. Charles helped me cope though and for that I was grateful to him.

── 08/01/22 ─────

Reducio

Today was the first day of summer camp and I had lots of responsibilities being part of the summer camp planning committee. There were so many things to set up and do. I've never done something of this magnitude before and it really exhausted me. But I think I did the best I could possibly do. Hopefully, people will enjoy themselves. I'm just thankful I'm not the only one in charge. After summer camp is over, I'm going to make sure I take some much needed rest. But then again, it'll be the start of the new term then.

What was that muggle term? No rest for the wicked? More like no rest for the weary! There's so much to do! I only signed up for three games.

── 08/28/22 ─────

Reducio

It's nearly the end of summer. Only a few days left. I'm so dead, I can't wait to get a good night's rest before the new term begins. I'm grateful summer is over and am thankful I can get at least a good night's sleep before Y2 begins. I can't help but wonder if everyone had fun at summer camp. Did I do a good enough job and did I fulfill expectations?

Kim flipped the journal closed and thought for a few seconds. He didn't think anything he'd written had revealed anything he didn't want getting out. So it should be fine. Part of him was surprised by how much he'd been able to write and decided to make a copy of it for himself. After all, most of what was written could go into his own personal journal too.

Other than the initial entry he'd written on the 1st of the summer months. He flipped through the journal once more, just to make certain, and then closed it and wrapped it up into a small bundle. Calling for an owl, he gave the bundle to the owl and watched as it flew away to take his package to Professor Jensen. There, the errand was finally done.

Word Count: 1107

Keeping a journal was something Starlee hadn't ever really considered doing. But, the thought of it did sound nice, and she could certainly be quite the teachers pet, so here she sat, sprawled across her bed, a new journal in hand that she and her mother had just picked up from a local journaling shop in Edinburgh.

Starlee twirled her pen in-between her fingers, tapping it lightly against her lips. 'Thank god I can use pens again...' she thought as she pondered how to even begin on her first day of journaling....

July 3rd
So... Hi, to any future somebodies reading this, I'm Starlee, and this is my Journal. Like any good journal, it needs a name, right? Let's call you, Joe. Yea, I like that.

So Joe, today I bought you. Mom and I went on a walk to the local stationary store, and I saw your pink fluffy exterior, smothered with cute gems and stuff, and thought, "Man, that's such a cute journal!" and even despite mom wincing at the price, she got it for me! I think she really misses me being gone all year. Summer camp makes that even worse too, I wonder if she won't let me go next year? Anyway, she got me you, and a few cute pens in rainbow colors, I'll probably switch colors each entry. After that we went to get some boba tea, and Joe, let me tell you... MAN DO I LOVE BOBA! It's absolutely delicious, the little balls are so yummy to chew on, and the flavored tea, ah, it's just amazing! Anyway... I think I'm supposed to write down things I'm grateful for. So... I'm grateful for you Joe, and for spending some fun times with my mom today. And boba tea, obviously.

July 5th
Okay Joe, today was a mess. My stupid little sister Stella CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF HER CONTROL HERSELF. Like, I get it, she's young, she has a lot of magical power or whatever, but please, the second she gets mad she just explodes something and then I get in trouble for making her mad and have to clean it up.

In the end she did apologize, but still. I suppose I'm grateful to have a sister, and I should be grateful she has powers unlike my older brother, but still. Don't ever get a little sister Joe.

July 8th
Hello again Joe. Today I'm actually writing on you on a plane! I mean look at you now, 5 days old and already flying across the ocean. We do this every summer, go and visit my Grandpappy out in the States. He's a really sweet guy, lives on a farm all by himself. He's a muggle, since my mom's one too, but I don't mind. He knows about magic, I mean keeping my sister from blowing anything up in sight when she's mad is hard enough to keep quiet, but Dad seems to manage. Anyway, I'm grateful we get to go on these trips, cause its something I look forward too every summer!

July 9th
Good morning Joe! We made it to the states! We had to switch planes in Chicago, which sucked sooooo much since that just meant even more flying after the flight overseas, but I'm so happy to be back in Kentucky. It's so pretty here, the trees, the grass, the horses... don't get me wrong, I love the city, but sometimes its nice to just be in nature. Now that is definitely something that I am grateful for!

July 11th
Joe, you won't BELIEVE the fun day I had! Grandpappy took all of us on a surprise trip out on his boat in the lake. We packed sandwiches and drinks in a cooler, and we zoomed around where my mom grew up. Grandpappy even drove us over to this camp my mom went to once, and both she and Grandpappy started telling us hilarious stories about it! She tipped the canoe over once she said, and I honestly couldn't stop laughing. Everything just seems so perfect, all of us together. I'm grateful for family, and for being able to see my grandpappy. He's such a fun guy.

July 13th
Hey again Joe, today was another really fun day! Grandpappy took us out driving on his four-wheeler, which is always a blast. He's almost got this whole path set up, its always a ton of fun to ride around with him! I'm super grateful for him.

July 16th
It's our last night before we leave tomorrow, and it has been so bittersweet. Grandpappy, Mom and Dad cooked us a huge meal, Steak, wild rice, lima beans (bleh), and jacket potatoes. Spica, my brother, always says something silly whenever I eat potatoes, "Do you want some potato with that sour cream?" and like, no, Spica, I want my potato smothered with as much sour cream as is humanly possible. Wouldn't you Joe? I know you gotta be a sour cream guy too. Anyway, I'm definitely thankful for the amazing dinner, and for Mom, Dad and Grandpappy cooking it all for us.

July 17th
Somehow, Stella managed to redirect the entire plane around to try and land it back in Kentucky. It seems the pilots just blew the whole thing off as 'Really bad turbulence,' but my family definitely knows the truth. Dad really just needs to travel with her a different way, she's an absolute maniac when she doesn't get her way, in this case she didn't want to leave, and of course, she can't learn to control her powers yet since she's only nine. They really need some early schooling for some kids or something, Dad's even thinking about taking her out of Muggle School since she seems to cause problems every day. Mom won't hear of it though, she wants us all to have a basic knowledge of the Muggle world and its workings. She realizes Stella could just be homeschooled, right? She'd still have to learn that silly maths. Anyway, I'm thankful I'm not a loose cannon when it comes to my magical abilities, although I was never as bad as Stella is.

July 20th
Boy do I wish I was still in Kentucky. Mom keeps on bringing up how I'll be back to school soon, and she misses me already. I'm right here! I know summer camp is long, but it is fun. At least I had a blast last year! I'm also hoping a certain boy might show up again... although he hasn't talked to me since then. Oh well... as my dad says, 'Boys are stupid,' maybe he's right. I suppose I am grateful for a mom who loves me and cares about me so much.

July 23rd
Today was such a great day! Dad took me shopping in Diagon Alley for all my school stuff, as well as some things for a potion or two he wants to make with me. We wandered around for a bit as well, even went into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor for a quick treat! Dad told me not to mention it to Stella, lord knows she would blow up the grandfather clock again or something. I'm just not sure I can keep it to myself though, I may have to tell her... hehehe...

In any case, its been really great spending some quality time with my Dad. Even if he is a pretty quiet guy, he can be so caring, and I'll miss them both when I'm back at school.

July 24th
Dad called me into his potions room so I could help him brew a few things, and also show off some of the stuff I've learned at Hogwarts. He asked me about a few of the potions I learned, and he let me cut some of the ingredients and talk him through how to make a calming draught as I had learned in school last year. He did all the magic stuff of course, but he was proud of me, and that honestly made me really happy. I always loved getting to spend time with him in his potions room and greenhouse, but now that I see him so little, it's so much more special.

July 31st
This is it Joe, the last day before summer camp. Being home has been a ton of fun, even if I did end up bickering with my sister almost non-stop. I really can't imagine her at Hogwarts, but there's no doubt she will be here in just two years. I wonder what house she will end up in? If there was a house for troublemakers, its definitely that one. In the end, I'm grateful I got to spend this month with my family. I do love all of them, even Stella.

August 1st
I'm beginning to regret coming to summer camp already. None of my usual friends decided to come, so I ended up in a tent with a few people I didn't know. It was okay, they seemed nice I suppose, but idk, it put me in a weird mood. I only signed up for one event, Capture the Jolly Roger, but its way at the end of the month. I suppose I'll enjoy what I can, like the BBQ and some of the matches. I am grateful for the friends I do have, I just wish they could be here too.

August 27th
Well Joe, I think this is my last entry for now. Summer camp did end up being fun, Capture the Jolly Roger was actually a lot more fun than I would have thought, even if a dummy whacked me in the face. Plus, all the summer matches were so intense, especially with the Hexwizard Tournament approaching. It's bound to be quite the show! A part of me wishes I'd signed up, but I think Dueling will still end up taking it out of me anyway.

Well Joe, this has been quite the experience, and I'm glad to have done it. It is nice to reflect on your days this way, to look back and have these memories close at hand. I'm thankful I completed this, I hope Professor Jensen thinks it's good too.

With that, Starlee closed the top of the fluffy pink journal and wrapped it up. The next morning, she would call to her owl, Borvo, who would reluctantly take the package to Hogwarts. It had been a fun assignment, truly, and left quite the imprint on the young Slytherin.

July 1

Alright, this seems like a kind of fun project. I think? I've never kept a journal before, maybe I'll be really bad at it. Things I'm grateful for... That the school year's over! Just kidding, kind of. I'm looking forward to being home though. Dad is picking me up from King's Cross. I gotta say, I still think it's kind of silly that I have to go to London just to travel back north to Whitehaven right after, but thanks to magic, it's not too bad a trip. Spending a whole month with dad is going to be good, which is why I told grandma I'm not coming to visit them this summer. I feel a little guilty about that, despite it all. I don't think I should feel guilty, but I still do. Odd, isn't it?

July 2

Dad made pancakes for breakfast today, with raspberries and strawberries and ice cream, just the way I like them, so I'm grateful for that! Mum rolled her eyes and said he was spoiling me, but she ate a few, too. It's nice, it almost feels like two years ago, before the whole chaos.

July 10

Almost forgot about this thing! Been a few days, I'll have to do this more regularly. I've been home for a week and a half now, and what I'm grateful for now is my mum. She let me help her with brewing her potions, and honestly, it feels good that she trusts me to do them even when she's not in the room, she didn't use to do that. Last year she wouldn't let me do anything without supervision, especially not if it was for her customers. Maybe she's finally seeing how super awesome I am at this. Bet my burn-healing paste is better than hers, anyway. (Still grateful for her, though.)

July 12

Remembered today! I spent yesterday with one of my old friends, Alex. He's a Muggle and we've been barely been talking since I went to Hogwarts, which is kind of sad. There's so much I can't tell him, of course, and keeping in touch is impossible when I can only send letters by owl rather than texts or emails. I told him the school's really strict and doesn't give us access to electronic devices, I think he feels bad for me now. It was a bit awkward in the beginning, but it didn't take us too long and things felt just like before I went away. Honestly, I didn't really miss him or my other friends while at school, there's just too much going on, but now that I spent some time with Alex I kind of do? I told him about Jack and he made fun of me, so I told him that that's why he doesn't have a girlfriend. Anyway - I'm grateful for the time I got with him. Maybe I actually did miss him, I was just too busy to notice.

July 13

Grateful for my mum's cookies. Gotta admit, they're a lot better than the ones I made that one time.

July 21

Aaaand I forgot again, but it's okay, I'm still on top of this thing. Dad and I went out on a boat today for a bit, we hadn't done that in years. I told him he was still as bad at rowing as I remembered, so he threw me overboard and let me swim back. I guess I'm grateful for him?? Although at the moment I can't remember why, exactly.

July 31

Going to London tomorrow. I'm happy I decided to spend my whole month here, almost wish I could stay longer, but duty's calling! Couldn't abandon my team, right? I'm also really looking forward to being allowed to do magic again. I don't know why my parents gotta be so strict about that. With the duels against Gryffindor and the other schools coming up, I really should have been practising my spell spreading, but I guess I'll just have to sneak in double practice time in the next few days. Speaking of - I'm grateful for Phaedra for helping me with that! Of course I would have figured it out by myself at some point, but she did help a lot.

August 1

Grateful to be here! Camp's gonna be a lot of fun, I can already tell. I missed Jack and my friends. I also think my tent is going to be a lot of fun, it's my first time meeting a few of my future team mates! Well, most of them I've met before, but I don't know them, you know? Not sure why the fifth years all seem kind of stiff, though. Do they think they need to act more adult-y? It's just two years difference, they can chill.

August 13

I'm most grateful for my duelling team today. Obviously I'm an amazing captain, but I still can't take all the credit for how well we've done this entire year. I'm very proud of them, and duelling practice is always very fun with them around. I'm still a little sad that Mars quit... But Sophia seems pretty cool, so we'll be fine, I think. I know I mostly started duelling to impress my grandparents, but it's more than that now. I hope we can stay like this for a long time.

August 28

I think I screwed up today Thankful for Jack. I must have seemed like a complete nut for how I acted at the spin the bottle, no, excuse me, twirl the flagon thing today, but somehow I think we came out better. I feel better after talking to him. I should trust him more, I think. I just got back to my tent and I'm so tired, but... I really like him? I'll do my best to keep him safe.

August 31

Almost forgot about this again and technically I think I already filled the task, but it wouldn't feel right to leave it without a last entry. Umm... I do think I'm kind of bad at keeping a journal and I don't think I'll keep it up. Got enough to do, anyway, and the last few days have been stressful. Still, it was an interesting experience! So, since I can't think of anything better, I'm grateful for Professor Jensen for making me do this. At least now I can say confidently that I've tried it and journaling isn't for me. I hope that counts? Off to our next school year, fingers crossed that our plans work out.

1093 words

Bubba had to search around in his trunk for a few moments before he could find some parchment. He had repacked it when he'd been home but hadn't really dug into it deeply since he'd been home. As was tradition, he had cleaned and organized it carefully and as a result, was unable to find anything at all. He finally found a sheet of parchment and the inkwell with his favorite cobalt blue ink. He pulled out his Raven feather quill and dipped it into the well before starting to write.

July 2nd, 2022

Today we finally made it back home, the ferry across to Ireland was closed for bad weather after I got off the train from Hogwarts. Fortunately, we were able to get a room in a little fleabag motel a few blocks from the ferry. It was cold and dirty and overall quite nasty, but it was a bed. We got home around 1 this afternoon and I definitely missed it. I love it at Hogwarts but I missed my dad and grandfather. It was still a little bittersweet, this being the first time I've come back home since mom died. It just seems so empty. We're going to spend the rest of the day at home before going out to dinner tomorrow night. I'm just going to rest up and see how dad's been coping.

July 5th, 2022

Finally got to see James after a year away. He and his father are doing really well! His father got a big promotion at work so they finally have money, they really deserve it. They've been so good to me and they've had trouble for a long time. His dad is talking about buying a cheap car and doing some of the smaller Irish rallies. I wish I could go with them but I'm really happy for them. I love it at Hogwarts but having to lie to them about where I go is really hard. Fortunately, they don't ask too many questions about it.

July 12th, 2022

We took our monthly sojourn across to Britain today and took granddad to St. Mungos. I'm really worried about how dad is coping alone with him. Mom had enough trouble dealing with him and she was a fully trained witch. Dad is just... well, a guy. At this point, we call taking my granddad to St. Mungos, well, tune-ups. I feel bad saying it but that's what it is. They check him, give him some potion, and he's a bit more stable. It's still not great though, and I don't think we'll ever know what really happened to him.

July 22nd, 2022

We drove up to Dublin today. I just realized that with camp coming up I only have about a week left with my dad. I'm excited to get to camp and hopefully make some new friends, but having so little time with dad sucks. I know he feels the same way but he wants me to get to know more people like me. I'm glad he has that attitude so it's not awkward. We'll just have to do what we did last year when we sent each other an owl every week. We went on a walking tour of the city and it was really fun. The pub we found for dinner made the best Shepard's Pie I've ever had.

July 31st, 2022

It's going to be a pretty brutal couple of days. Granddad had what they're calling a setback and got really aggressive. Fortunately, dad was able to calm him down and we went back to St. Mungo's once again. We had to change plans and split up. We were originally going to head over really early tomorrow so I could get my books and supplies in Diagon Alley. I (literally) bumped into a soon-to-be first-year named Lillian. She seemed really nice and it was cool that she seems to come from a similar family background to me. We talked for a bit before dad came and picked me up. We got home late and we're going to have to get right back out there tomorrow to get to camp.

August 1st, 2022

Today was one of the best days I think I've ever had. We had to get up early, the ferry ride sucked, and London was a maze. Then we got to the Quidditch stadium and it was like nothing I've ever seen before. It made Fenway look small. It was truly a sight to behold. I went and checked in to my tent and made some new friends (and the girl I met, Lillian, was there too). After that, I went to the big barbecue they have to kick off the camp and met more new people. I met a fellow second-year, Reena, a boy named Theo, who was obnoxiously handsome, and a girl named Greta, she's from Durmstrang. I don't know if I'm losing it or what but Greta inspires... feelings I've never really experienced before. She's cute, and even though I can't understand much of what she was (why didn't I take Norwegian in school) but she seems really nice. I definitely need to get to know her better.

August 3rd, 2022

We as a tent decided to do some pranking and what do you know, we end up pranking the Durmstrang tent. To spice things up, we wound up pranking the Durmstrang tent. I managed to find Greta's bunk and left a cute little message in her diary... Things escalated... quickly. Our tent got plastered with flags (we burned them) and Greta (I'm almost certain it was her at least) absolutely vandalized my model of Kalle Rovanpera's car. Bright pink, glitter, and the number of 19. I know she doesn't know it's value or what it means to me but it really stings. So I decided to get back at her appropriately... I left a message in her diary that was a little more permanent next time.

August 6th, 2022

I went to a quidditch match that consisted of Ravenclaw (go Eagles!) and the combined forces of Durmstrang and that other school whose name I can never remember. In addition to that, I also bumped into Greta (almost literally). I also met one of her fellow Durmstrang students who seemed... not that nice to be honest. I hope the rest are a bit more like her and less like him. She's great, I can't quite put my finger on why, but she's just great.

August 14th, 2022

Tonight was... both fun and tough. I went to do truth or dare. I had some fun (gave and received some fun dares) but also had a really awkward encounter. One of the foreign students asked what the worst moment of my life was. I didn't want to lie to her so I pulled her aside and told her the truth... about Joanie. It was... difficult, and I hope it wasn't too much for her, but I think maybe telling someone else helped me. I also met another Durmstrang student, Felix. He is a total asshole and I can't wait to tell him so sometime. Greta is looking more and more one of a kind every time I meet another Durmstrang.

August 26th, 2022

Why - Oh why - Oh Why? Did I sign up for Capture the Jolly Roger? I'm not athletic, at all. This was just a big mistake. I fell on my ass at every opportunity. I don't think I captured a single flag or did anything of any consequence whatsoever. I also managed to make a complete fool of myself in front of Greta multiple times. I still just don't understand why I get so flustered around her. It's really weird and I really wish I could make it stop.

August 28th, 2022

Well, that was an unmitigated goddamn disaster. I went to twirl the flagon, figured I might find out what it would be like to kiss a girl. I literally came away with nothing but pain. I was slapped, twice. I also found out that I said something horrible to June, and I didn't even remember saying it. I have to find a way to talk to her and make things right because I feel really terrible about it. This was just literally the worst experience I think I've ever had aside from actually being in a fire.

WC (RP): 91
WC (Diary): 1306
WC (Total): 1397

Dear Professor Jensen,

Please find my summer assignment enclosed.

1st July - Today, we went home. Despite the hardships, I usually really enjoy staying at the school during the holidays. However, the recent months have been kind of just very awkward with some friends and having a chance to go home, get away from all of the drama and just collect my thoughts is probably a really good idea. So yeah, today, I'm grateful that school is over and that I got a chance to go home. At the very least, this means less studying to do, which is really nice!

2nd July - I had a lie in today. I forgot how nice sleeping in was when we're required to be up early for class during the school term. Sleep is great. I think I'll appreciate getting to wake up a little later over the next month or two. I also got to see my dad today! He came home late yesterday so I didn't get to see him before but he was back in time for dinner today and plans to be home more, apparently, which is really nice. He also said I could come with him. I guess I am appreciative of the fact that I have a comfortable bed to sleep in and also, a great dad since I know that's not something everyone has.

3rd July - The new captain of our broom racing team, George, asked me for help selecting a broom for him. I haven't really had a ton of experience in the broom department but I played Quidditch in the past and have been on the Broom Racing team this year - which has been awesome. (Grateful for that experience even though it didn't happen today). But the point is that I wanted to be useful and helpful to him in the selection so I spent a bunch of time reading up and researching various brooms. It's really interesting seeing the different details that goes into the brooms. Some are more 'sturdy' and good for being able to hold up against a bludger, whilst others are very agile and good for people who want to go fast. I think this is really important knowledge that can come in handy outside of the flying sports too, as it can be used as a form of transport too.

5th July - My dad took me to a forge today so I could try and make something. He helped watch over me and gave me tips and stuff whilst he was doing this own thing and it was really fun.

8th July - I watched my brother walk into a door today. It was hilarious and I am very grateful for these funny moments.

12th July - Today was really cool. I met up with George at Diagon Alley. He brought a very cool Nimbus broom. My dad actually surprised me by saying I could go shopping myself if I wanted to. I probably shouldn't have but he said I could, so I spent all of my savings on some really amazing new brooms today. I ordered them in, so I didn't have to carry them but the shop keeper said it would be delivered soon. It was just a really nice day out and it was nice to make a new friend. Though I don't really know if he liked me much. He gave me a cool sticker for my jacket, though! George did say he liked my wand holder and genuinely seemed so interested and excited! I was surprised but I really liked it.

13th July - MY BROOMS ARRIVED TODAY. They are incredible. One of them is like a Pine Tree. I kid you not, it's like a literal pine tree but it has been converted into a broom and I think that's so unique and cool. I had enough money for two others too - the classic Firebolt, which everyone knows and loves and the Oakshaft 79, which is like an antique style broom. It's very fancy. My collection has vastly grown today. I'm grateful for this, as I think they are very interesting and kind of want to learn more about them.

14th July - Met one of my dad's friends today and showed him the designs I've been working on, like the shield, and he complimented it! He even said he liked my hammer and the other stuff I made, which is so nice!

18th July - My paternal grandparents visited today and brought me some of my favourite snack food - which is this Indian snack that I put in bread or puris (which is basically an Indian bread). It's crunchy and delicious. It was really nice to see her again though. I spent some time learning to make puris with my grandmother and my hands hurt so much now. I don't know how she does this daily but she claims it's just practice!! Rolling them is hard but I'm grateful that she's able to teach me and that she's still around and healthy and stuff.

25th July - I finished an incredible shield today. I am so proud of myself. It was incredibly hard. I am kind of surprised I did it within such a short amount of weeks but I spent pretty much every day there, working on it and my dad helped out too - which I think really helped. It's so cool though. It's a gift for someone, so I won't get to use it but I am really proud of myself for making it. I just hope they like it!

29th July - Okay, I am kind of looking forward to being at Camp. I know my brother will also be joining, which I'm not super looking forward to. However, it will be a great to just not have to deal with him. I would like to hope his camp is very far away from ours. It might be awkward though but there's stuff I'm grateful for, which is seeing my friends or broom racing, for instance. But yeah, today, I packed and spoke to my dad who said he'd drop me off for it so that's good.

1st August - We came to camp today. I guess I'm grateful that I have friends and Pizza Rat, who is adorable. Things are a bit awkward but I think it will be fine. Friendship is stronger than stupid feelings, right? The camp has a cool pirate theme going on and our tent is really nice. There's also a few cool people in our tent, so I am pretty grateful for that!

6th August - I am so grateful that I quit Quidditch. I remember when I played on the pitch that they played it today but it was hell then and it was hell today. I am so glad that I quit when I did.

15th August - Lunch was so good today! I'm grateful for the food that we get. Oh and it's really lovely to see all my international friends at these sorts of events, so I am pretty grateful that these schools get together and do this sort of thing every so often as I think it's really nice. I have some friends from like Beauxbatons or Durmstrang that I love seeing now and I would not have met them if it wasn't for opportunities like this, so I guess I am grateful for that.

20th August - Broom Racing was amazing today! We played against Gryffindor, which was really fun. I mean, we lost but it's fine because it's fun. And I'm very grateful that Hugh did not throw a tree at me today. I am also glad that my diffindo succeeded and I managed to break out of those annoying vines! But I definitely have things to improve on too. Personally, I think I did really well today though and it was amazing to hang out with the team again. It was also just really fun to see the other team because I love them - like Hugh is so bloody awesome. I am grateful for that too, though! Having him as a best friend!

26th August - Capture the flag was fun. I succeeded in capturing a few flags and such!

28th August - People played that 'spin the bottle' game today. It was called 'Twirl the Flagon' or something but I think it was the same game and I'm so grateful that this year, I decided not to play it. I can safely say that I have learned from my past mistakes. This growth is something that I am grateful for. Being in such horrible awkward situations again was not something I wanted to do, so I am very grateful for this.

Kind regards,

Serena J. Towers
Sixth Year, Hufflepuff

WC: 1451 words
WC of Journal (exclusive of dates/coding etc): 1400 words

Dear Professor Jensen,

I enjoyed this summer assignment! Here are ten of my gratitude entries. Please ignore the crossed-out portions; I was just trying to correct my grammar.

I hope you're having a wonderful summer!
Della

Reducio

July 1st
Today, I arrived home! My mom, my aunt, and my cousin were waiting for me at the station. My first year of Hogwarts was completed—and we had a lot to talk about. It was also my cousin Marnie's first year at her new school, so I asked her lots of questions about that, though it seemed she was much more excited to hear about my time at Hogwarts. I'm grateful that my cousin isn't overly jealous of my magical abilities, and that I have a mom and a second mom (my aunt) who care for me deeply. Also when I got home, my dog, Sparky was so excited to see me. I'm always grateful for his cuddles.

July 2nd
Today is a Saturday, so we did a family outing. We took a canal boat around Paddington, and then we went to the ZSL London Zoo. I'm grateful that my family lives in London. We used to live in a smaller town where there wasn't much to do. But here, we can do big family outings, and it can be inexpensive, and there's always something new to do. I'm also grateful that my family likes to spend a lot of time together. I didn't realize how much I missed them until we were all together. I'm grateful that they skipped the reptile house when I asked them to because I couldn't handle all the snakes talking to me. They thought I was just queasy about lizards. I'm grateful that we got to see penguins.

July 3rd
On Sundays, we like to relax around the house. In the morning, we popped over to the library to check out some new books. I stocked up on the new mysteries I missed over the year. I'm grateful that summer gives me enough time to read A LOT. I was able to read some at school, but I mostly had to use my brain to learn all the magic, which I'm grateful I learned as well. I want to show some of it off to Marnie, but I'm following the rules! She's been reading some of my school books though. That's allowed, right? After dinner, we did a game night and played my favorite board game: Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. (Sherlock Holmes is a big fictional detective in the muggle world.) I'm grateful for mysteries and for solving them with the family! After we were finished, I spent some time with my mom, and we stayed up kinda late talking about school. I was able to tell her what I about trying to make friends and doing well in my classes and finding time to draw. I didn't tell her about the big thing I learned about myself and I wanted to ask her about my father, but I didn't. I didn't want to ruin the quality time.

July 4th
Our moms went to work today, so Marnie and I stayed home. We talked about the stuff we don't want to talk about in front of our moms, mainly on who we had a crush on it. I'm grateful for my cousin's friendship. I'm grateful that she's outgoing.

July 5th
Marnie made plans to see her friends today. I tagged along like usual. I guess they are my friends, too? It feels like Marnie made them first and I just inherited them. But it was nice to see them all. They had so many questions about my boarding. We told everyone I went away to boarding school for art. I'm grateful that Marnie always includes me. I'm grateful that our friends are accepting of me even when I'm quiet. And I'm grateful they still like me even though I go to a different school.

July 6th
Marnie seemed sad today. She misses her dad. I miss him, too. I'm grateful that I got to spend what time I could with him. I'm grateful for our moms' health.

July 7th
We took Sparky for a walk in the park today. Usually, he gets a small walk around the neighborhood every day, but we decided to give him a big treat. Marnie and I were allowed to go the park by ourselves as long as we have our big dog with us. I'm grateful for Sparky every day, and I loved seeing him frolic in the park.

July 8th
We went to see a movie with our moms. It was terrible! I'm grateful I can laugh with my family about bad movies.

July 9th
Today I did some portraits of everyone in the house. I think my skills got a lot better over the year while at Hogwarts and I think they turned out pretty good. It'll be nice to take them to Hogwarts with me so I can look at them when I feel sad. I'll need to research who to animate them in the new year. I'm grateful to be able to draw. I think the journaling has been a nice change of pace, but sketching is my true happy place. Though I think I might journal my gratitude more often. I'm grateful for feeling grateful.

July 10th
This might be the last entry that I turn in. But yeah, I'm thinking of keeping this up for myself. Today we went to a nice restaurant. We're not really foodies, but our moms want to pretend like our family is fancy and cultured. It was fun trying new things! I had a snail, and it was actually good. I'm grateful that our moms like to take us on adventures.

Aaron started this assignment planning to turn it in, but he left the journal behind at summer camp and it got thrown away, so it is forever lost. This is basically serving as a summer solo. There are a couple more entries than just the ones listed here, but I'm only including the ones relevant for plot/character development.

Aaron lost his journal halfway through summer camp, it was thrown away at some point between the last entry and the end of camp. He didn't feel like starting a new one.

Mentions: @Jack Warren
@Aly Salinger in response to her summer