Quill Pals: Ciel & Guinevere PV Guinevere Bwye

@Ciel Saskia. That was her name.

Gwyn finished rereading the letter with a fond smile on her face, pulling the parchment tightly to her chest.

Ciel was her assigned 'quill pal', so it wasn't by chance that the two of them were exchanging letters. Still, the knowledge that this letter had been addressed to Gwyn was enough to get her happily through her day. She'd been so happy, in fact, that she'd been eagerly on the edge of her seat in class all day, just waiting for the opportunity to write a response.

As soon as class was over for the day, Gwyn walked with quick, yet dignified, steps to the Common Room in the dungeons, grabbing several spare scraps of parchment and a spare quill. Sitting at her personal writing desk, she began to write.

Ciel Saskia

Hello there!

My name is Guinevere Bwye, but you probably know that since you wrote it on the other letter. You can call me Gwyn, though. It's a bit shorter, and I like it more.

It's cozier in the Slytherin Common Room than you'd think since, but it does get a little bit cold. I guess that might be because of the lake, though. What's the Hufflepuff Common Room like? I bet it's not as damp.

I live in a small Welsh town called St Asaph, just west of Liverpool.

Living on a farm sounds fun. Mother allowed me a pet canary as a girl. She wasn't as fun as a horse, I suppose, but I loved her. Unfortunately, Mother wasn't pleased when she found feathers in my wardrobe and my hair a bit messy after I played with her, so we had to find a new home for her. Pottage is a cute name, though! I won't lie, it makes me a bit hungry, but I bet he's precious.

I think working on a farm would be fun. I never was allowed to get all that dirty as a girl, so most of my hobbies were indoor-hobbies. Mother paid for piano lessons, purchased a large collection of books, and sometimes allowed me to help cook, but otherwise things are quite dull at home.

My cousins would occasionally visit when I was younger, but since my first instance of magic, such visits have been scarce. They mostly preferred swapping clothing and brushing each others' hair. I did have a muggle friend named Aidan, though. He loved to play in the woods sometimes, but after I came home covered in mud, Mother stopped allowing us into the woods together. Do you have many muggle friends?

How many brothers do you have? I have no siblings, but Mother had many sisters, so I had no shortage of cousins.

What are 'movies'? The word sounds familiar, but I can't quite remember it. Perhaps I read about them in a muggle book?

Herding cattle sounds fun. I read a few cowboy-themed books as a girl, but there weren't any cattle nearby that I was allowed to play with, so I kind of had to rely on my imagination. I wouldn't mind hearing more about your farm, though. It sounds fantastic.

Your handwriting is perfectly legible. I look forward to hearing from you again. I've been quite excited about exchanging letters all day. I should have probably paid more attention in class, I admit, but Mother taught me a fair bit of theoretical magic at home before I came to Hogwarts. I wasn't able to practice, of course, but I know the theory quite well.

Thank you for reaching out.

Yours truly,

Gwyn Bwye

saskia, ciel [pronounced seel]
she/her/hers
letter to @Guinevere Bwye

Gwyn Bwye

Hi again! I really like your nickname; Gwyn is so cute! I wish my name wasn't so short so I could have something cool like that that too. You can't really shorten 'Ciel' though. And my middle name is super short too, that's a real bummer.
Anyway, the Hufflepuff common room is really cozy. One time me and my other friend Rita met this guy who said he was a captain! We sailed through the seas to find a Treasure Island; it was like the common room really was an ocean! I don't get a lot of homework done there though; I usually end up dozing off because it's just so comfortable.
By the way, I have three older brothers. Dion and Beaux are twins and they're both 17, they're gonna graduate next year, I think. I can't actually remember. They're really funny and both of them really strong! Sometimes when the goats are acting up, Beaux will just pick them up and move them away like they don't weigh anything!
Will is only 15, but mama thinks he's gonna graduate early. He's soo smart, we're like best friends. When I was still in muggle school, he always helped me out with my homework. In turn I had to do his chores 'round the farm but I never minded! I'm definitely not the smartest cookie.
I had some muggle friends at school, but honestly it was kind of hard to keep in touch with them during the summer and stuff. Honestly, I spend a lot of time around the farm, so it's hard to go out and hang, y'know?
That reminds me! If you'd like, I can ask my mama to send a picture of Pottage, and I can show you him! He's such a cutie, I think you'll love him.
It kind of sucks that you weren't allowed to go outside and play often. It's so fun to go and play in the pastures and all that but you really have to clean up afterwards. Otherwise, you smell like dirt and horses all day. One time, I completely forgot to shower, and I went to school smelling like a dirty horse- when I came home my brothers laughed so hard!
Oh, but learning how to play the piano sounds so cool. If you're really good at it, you can offer lessons and teach people how to play it! I'd love to learn how to play an instrument but there's really none out there that interests me.
Your mom is cool for teaching you magic and stuff. I feel like an outcast sort of, 'cause everyone seems to know so much about the magical world already. But I guess it's more of an opportunity to learn about it, right?

Hope to hear from you again,
Ciel Saskia

Gwyn was struggling to hide her excitement as she primly walked from her final class of the day to the Slytherin Common Room. She knew her mother would not be pleased if Gwyn was caught skipping happily through the corridors, no matter how much she wanted to.

Another letter!

She'd received another letter from her 'quill pal’ @Ciel Saskia!

As soon as she made it into the Common Room, she dropped all pretense and broke into a run toward the dormitories. There were a few in the Common Room watching her with bemused glances, but she ignored them. A few people wasn't enough to besmirch the family's reputation, and she was out of sight of the bulk of the school.

Excitedly making her way to her bed, Gwyn hopped onto it, landing with her legs crossed and quickly unfolding the parchment.

The next few minutes became a jumble of farms, animals, and strong older brothers as she read the letter no less than three times. By the time she made her way to her desk, her writing-hand was itching for some action.

Suppressing a giddy squeal, Gwyn began to write.

Ciel

Hello once again!

I think Ciel is a very nice name. It's easy to spell, and it doesn't sounds pretentious or ancient like 'Guinevere.' What's your middle name, if I may ask? Mine is Idris, but I'm not very fond of it. Mother takes our bloodline pretty seriously. (Not in a purist sort of way. More of a 'Welsh-pride' sort of way.)

You could always use your family name for a nickname, maybe? Something like Sass, or Kia, perhaps? It was just a thought.

Ah, that sounds so very fun! I haven't made many Slytherin friends yet, and certainly not well enough to play in such ways. I have found that roaming the grounds can be quite fun, though! Not as fun as a pirate adventure, I imagine, but fun nevertheless! While the forest is, well, forbidden, from a distance I could swear I've seen some wild bowtruckles and other such creatures, though I'd never approach them to find out.

Goats are cute! My muggle friend back home, Aidan, told me about 'screaming goats,' but I never had the chance to see them. I don't know how he did either, though. They don't live on a farm.

Do your older brothers attend Hogwarts too? What houses are they in? Do they have plans for after graduation?

Since you don't have any farm work here at Hogwarts to trade for homework help, perhaps we could form a study group one afternoon? It could break up the monotony of studying in the Common Rooms, and it could even be fun.

Did your muggle friends never come to the farm with you? Mother didn't allow Aidan into our house, but I think it was more to maintain the secrecy of our magic than anything. He always was pretty nosy, I think.

Mother educated me well, but it was still so lonely, and sometimes her expectations were a bit much. You might have noticed how formal my language is in this letter, for instance. I always had to be perfect, or I would face punishment. (Nothing bad, I promise. She was just a bit strict, is all.)

Did your parents not tell you anything about Hogwarts? I imagine they would if your brothers attended, right? Sending you in blind would just be asking for trouble. Regardless, I would be happy to answer any questions you have. I'm only a first year, but I've read Hogwarts, A History twice, and Mother told me a few stories about her times here.

Also, on an unrelated note, I find that I'm enjoying these exchanges so very much. Hearing about your life on the farm is exciting, as strange as that sounds. I look forward to your next letter.

Your friend,

Gwyn

saskia, ciel [pronounced seel]
she/her/hers
letter to @Guinevere Bwye

Though Ciel had sent many letters before, she wanted to send something else too- a gift of sorts? Attached to the parchment inside of the letter (by a paperclip, no less) was a small photograph- drawn on by Ciel herself.
While she wasn't entirely sure how wizarding pictures worked- though she had seen the portraits around the castle move about- she didn't know what made them so different from the pictures her mother took on her camera.
She had hoped Gwyn didn't mind the unmoving picture of her favorite cows; it had been on a whim that Ciel had asked her mother to take a quick picture for her. If she hadn't really wanted to give the picture to her new quill-pal, she might've kept the photograph for herself.

Gwyn
Did you see the picture? It's of two of my cows, Apricot and Peaches. They're mamas! Normally we use animals for meat and stuff, but they're dairy cows and we get lots of milk from them. Their breed is Ayrshire, which I don't actually know how to say. "Aye-shire?" "Air-shire?" Doesn't matter, they're super pretty!
Also, my middle name isn't good for nicknames either, it's Malv. It's two letters away from mold- but you don't really say it like how its spelled. You say "molv-uh". I don't know where it came from, but my mama really likes the name!
None of my family members are actually wizards- I'm the first! The lady who explained my situation said that maybe some old ancestor of mine was once a wizard or witch, but I don't really know about that. I know my family pretty well and none of them seem like they'd know any magical beings. Maybe my grandma, but she's kinda secretive.
But I do know what Dion and Beaux wanna do! Dion wants to be a doctor of some kind (he hasn't decided), and Beaux wants to be an athlete. I think he said he wanted to play American Football. My mama is a big fan of that sport, so that's probably where he got it from. I heard it was really dangerous so I dunno if he'll really do it.
I wish it wasn't so dangerous to go through the forest. I think I'd have a lot of fun going around and seeing all the creatures. There's a class about that right? Care of the Magical Creatures? I wanna talk to the professor about it but we don't get to take that class until third year, I think.
And also, I really like talking to you too! You seem to know a lot about the magical world, maybe we can hangout and you can give me a rundown of all you know!

Cheers!
Ciel Saskia

Gwyn closed up the book on botany she'd found in the library and returned it to its rightful place, satisfied that she'd found all she was going to find.

It'd been a whim, researching the name 'Malv,' but her inner curiosity had been sparked by Ciel's middle name. She hadn't found much. All she'd found was a mention of a plant genus called Malva, which mostly included quite pretty purple-flowered-plants.

She gave the letter she'd received from Ciel, and the picture of Apricot and Peaches, another viewing, smiling fondly at the words on the parchment and the adorable cows. Living on a farm sounded so very fun.

Pulling her own parchment from her satchel, Gwyn began to write.

Ciel

Does your family come from Ayrshire?

Apricot is the cutest! That little tuft of hair on her head is just so adorable! I don't think I would have the heart to raise an adorable animal for meat. I'd feel so sad to lose them. Mother always told me I needed a stronger heart, but there are some things I simply can't concede on, and one of those is my attachment to animals and pets.

I know you love horses, and now I've seen your cows. Are there any other animals on your farm that you're fond of? Perhaps some sheep, chickens, or even a dog? I've read about shepherds using dogs to assist with herding sheep, but the books were fiction so I wasn't entirely sure if that really happens.

Out of curiosity, I went to the library to see if I could learn anything about the name 'Malv,' but all I managed to find were a few plants whose names were pronounced similarly. Was your mother a botanist, by chance?

Were you scared when you found out you were going to become a witch? Mother always wanted me to become one, but I never showed signs that I may be capable of it until I was nine, so I think she was starting to lose hope. She was relieved when I finally used magic. I didn't even get punished for the mess!

Perhaps your grandmother was a witch, and she didn't tell any of you to maintain secrecy? It could be worth asking, I think?

American football sounds interesting! Mother never let me play any sports back home, but my friend Aidan (he was a muggle) would play rugby with his cousins, and sometimes I would be allowed to watch so long as I didn't participate. Do you like American football?

I never went to a muggle doctor, but I hear they're quite terrifying. Aidan went to one after he hurt his leg playing rugby, and they wrapped it up in this weird giant sock. It was rock hard, though, so I don't think it was actually a sock. All of his cousins just wrote on it. I asked Mother about it, and she simply giggled and commented that it was a 'muggle thing.'

I would love to meet up some time! Perhaps a study session of some sort? Which classes do you prefer? I'm very partial toward Flying and Transfiguration, but all classes seem somewhat interesting.

I look forward to hearing from you again, and to a possible study session!

Your friend,

Gwyn

saskia, ciel [pronounced seel]
she/her/hers
letter to @Guinevere Bwye

Gwyn

Despite it being the majority of our cows breeds, nope! My family is mostly from England and France (at least my mom's side of the family is). I think all of our cows are imported from there, though. Dad likes them the best cause he says, 'They've got the heart of a cowboy, Ciel!'
Also... don't bring up the chickens- like ever. Those things scare me to death, and I really can't stand them at all! Ducks and geese? Just fine. Any animal but the chickens, like seriously. I mean I'd rather handle forty dragons at once than even look at another chicken! Man, I could write a whole book about how much I can't stand those little devil-evil-hellions!
Ah, I'm gonna stop writing about chickens 'cause I'll get angry just thinking about those little things.
We don't actually use dogs- but we do have a few barn cats around to take care of mice and stuff. My brother, Dion, is highly allergic to them and sneezes even when he sees pictures of dogs. So, a big no-no. I don't think I'd like a dog too much, though, since they're real loud and can scare the horses easily. Which is an even bigger no-no!
Horses are actually really sensitive animals and can die pretty easily. When horses are fed meals,
there are a lot of times during the day or at night when their stomach is empty of feed (because they don't have a lot of processing room, you know?) But their tummy is still producing gastric acid, which is really bad since acid is strong! My dad taught me this stuff when I was really little and just learning how to take care of them. But I'm practically a pro now.
And I was thinking that my grandma might be a witch but honestly? It's just not like her. Is your entire family made of wizards and witches? That's gotta be awesome. You must have a lot of wizard friends outside of Hogwarts too, right?
Your friend Aidan seems like my kind of guy! I don't play rugby too often 'cause usually it's the older boys at my old school that did it, and I wasn't looking to get hurt- but sometimes when I was bored, I'd join in, and it was so fun! Also, that thing that he got is called a cast, basically they wrap up the broken bone, so it naturally heals over time (it can be like months if it's really broken, how bad was Aidan's leg?). Luckily, I've never gotten one!
I've been thinking about it since I started writing the letter, but I don't think my mama was ever a botanist. She doesn't really like dealing with plants, but my dad was! I don't think he had a hand in my name, though. Though, I guess I'll never really know since my mama won't tell me.
Gwyn, you gotta tell me what the appeal for Transfiguration is, I really can't figure it out. I think the class is a little too complex for me. Like I've tried really hard to ace my homework, but I end up with an A at best.
Maybe a study group would do me good!

Please explain Transfiguration to me!
Ciel

Ciel

Oh, I'm sorry to have mentioned those devilish, flightless birds! Despite my burning curiosity, I won't pry, I promise!

Cats are quite adorable, and they're one of the few pets I almost convinced Mother to buy for us! She considered them sufficiently elegant, but then she said they're quite messy and since we have no house elves in our employ (most of the family's inheritance, including the estate, went to my aunt) she wanted to avoid such messes. Dogs are my preference, but I can see how they would be loud. To be honest, that's part of the appeal for me, I think.

I knew vaguely about gastric acid, but I didn't know that about horses' stomachs. Is that why they graze so often? To alleviate that pain?

Mother's entire family is made up from a 'grand magical lineage,' which, according to her, is 'directly descended from the days of King Arthur's court.' Truthfully, I believe she's simply exaggerating our family's value, but who knows? I never met my Father, and Mother refuses to even consider discussion of him or his family.

As far as friends, Aidan is actually my only one before coming to Hogwarts. Mother thought that he was the safer option. If I made a fool of myself and embarrassed the family name in front of him, it didn't matter all that much since he's a muggle.

Ah. You'd think I would know what a 'cast' is, since my best friend is a muggle. It just seems so woefully inefficient. Wizard healers can actually regrow a bone from scratch in a single night, and I'm sure a simple broken bone can be healed even more quickly. Aidan wore his cast for a few months, but he used it as an excuse to ask me to fetch things for him. Between you and me, I think he was overstating his agony just a bit.

Transfiguration is so very useful, but I won't lie. I sort of have a bit of personal interest in the class. Mother has told me that it is the class with the most crucial curriculum for me. Flying is simply the most fun-looking class, I think? To soar in the air, free of all cares and worries and above the expectations of everyday life, is simply the most relaxing experience ever.

My lowest marks thus far have been in Herbology, but even they're still As. Mother made it clear that she would be displeased if I scored any lower. I would love to meet up for a study group, though. Perhaps on Wednesday night at seven? That would leave time for dinner and a few hours before curfew.

I look forward to hearing from you again!

Your friend,

Gwyn

saskia, ciel [pronounced seel]
she/her/hers
letter to @Guinevere Bwye

Gwyn

My knowledge on my horses is vast! If you ever have any questions, I'm your gal! Aw man I just love horses so much, you know? They're cool, they're fast, they're giant! Sometimes I wish I was a horse, but horses don't have hands and can't really eat vegetable soup. Though there was a time when I fed Pottage some carrot and celery from our cooked vegetables, and my mama almost killed me.
It kinda sucks that you don't know your dad, 'cause mine is like my biggest role model ever. And one time, in school, we had to do a project on our role model, and I chose my pop! I even had pictures of when he was a pro horse rider. He's so cool. My mama is cool too, but she won't ride the horses. She told me that one time she rode a horse and fell off and now she won't do it again.
I've fallen off my horses plenty of times, but I always get back up, my brothers will make fun of me if I don't!
And I didn't know that wizards can regrow bones- that sounds so painful. What else can they do? Ooh, can they make cuts and bruises go away too? I bump into stuff a lot, so I get scraped up sometimes. It's not a big deal, but can wizards really just make it go away?
If you're really descended from the King Arthur, I think that's really cool. I don't really have anyone famous in my family (that I know of). My dad was really the only one who was kinda popular with people, and that's just in racing. I wanna be like a superstar one day! I'm not really talented orr anything though, so I dunno if it'll ever happen. If horse-riding because super crazy popular one day though? I'm set!
Do you have any plans for the summer? Maybe you can come by my farm and hangout with the horses 'n me!

You'll love Pottage!
Ciel

Ciel

I can respect your love for horses! Actually, there's a spell you might be interested in. Apparently, it's possible to learn to change into an animal at will with a very complex Transfiguration spell. Since Mother has insisted I devote the bulk of my efforts to that class, I happened to stumble upon some information about it. I'm not sure if it's possible to change into a horse, but it could be something to look into? From what I hear, the spell is quite advanced. I could ask Professor Aarden about it when next I see him, if you like!

When I was a little girl, I longed to know more about my father, but Mother insisted that I was simply wasting my time. Are professional horse-riders common? Is it similar to a magizoologist? I never imagined a career based entirely around riding a noble steed, but there are professional broom racers, so I shouldn't be surprised. I almost agree with your mother, though. I love looking at horses from a distance, but I would be quite afraid to ride one, I think.

I believe there are ointments and potions for treating scrapes and bruises and even burns! As far as regrowing bones, Mother assures me it's agonizingly painful. She even told me it has a horrid burning sensation, but she may have been trying to scare me into being more careful, truth be told.

Learning our talents is why we're here at Hogwarts, though. I think it's okay that you don't know what you're best at yet, because you have plenty of time to figure it out. Maybe your talents involve flying? I don't know how similar it is to riding a horse, but it's worth a shot I think.

I don't believe I have any plans for next summer. I can ask Mother in my next letter home, though. It shall be great fun! I've never seen a horse in person before. I've seen pictures in some of the muggle books mother bought me, but I've never seen one in person! I'll look forward to (hopefully) meeting Pottage!

I love hearing your muggle stories. They're always quite strange and interesting! As always, I look forward to hearing from you once more!

Warm regards,

Gwyn