Dear Mister Hui | Sincerely, E. Decipio Closed

Date: September 13th, 2021; delivered at lunch in the Great Hall
Addressed to: [font=Lucida Calligraph]Miss Decipio[/font] @Evelynn Deipio
Delivery: A letter written on paper (not parchment), rolled and attached with emerald string to the leg of an inconspicuous school owl.

Dear Miss Decipio,

I must admit to my surprise and delight at having received correspondence it is good to know that some people take their responsibility seriously. It is welcome relief from the posturing and stress that is student-life at Hogwarts.

To my utter and complete surprise, I have been coping rather well with the transition. The pit of snakes had not been my goal during Sorting, but the Hat insisted it would be my best chance. The students here are odd – one asked me to join her in alligator-infested waters – but I have decided that this is just normal fare for this world and attempted to mostly take it in stride. I am certain you’ve already heard of the First Day from the Slytherin prefects.*

I have made a lot of discoveries that would have served me well to know beforehand. It had not occurred to me for instance, that the wand hand should be the off-hand so the main hand may still do things like open doors or interact with the walls that are actually doors or passageways. But I digress with my anecdotes, let me get back to your concerns.

You have asked about classes. On this front I can report that I have been maintaining a borderline O: casting itself has not been too difficult, but the theory is challenging. Especially in transfiguration and potions, I have found myself confused and lost more often than would be acceptable. I confess I have also had difficulty managing my time, between trying to understand things mentioned in-passing in conversations (why is kissing frogs something desirable?), Muggle studies I do in my own time (Physics, Chemistry and Literature), and the Hogwarts syllabi.

It also irks me that several aspects of this world makes no sense! What is the evolutionary purpose of the Devil’s Snare I ask you, if it is not a carnivorous plant that consumes its snares? Why are the students so obsessed with kissing each other? Why is there an Egyptian mau cat with green eyes everywhere when I attempt to explore the school?

I apologize, that last bit rather got away from me.

Overall, I have been coping. Though there are some aspects where I am more comfortable than others. I am confident I will survive.

How about you, though, Miss Decipio? I realize now that I have spent this entire letter going on about my problems. As a prefect; an upper year; and an athlete to boot; how has the new semester been treating you? I heard somewhere that third years have additional subjects as well. I would love to hear about it, if you would be willing to share . . . ?


Warm Regards,



PS: I was attempting to make the signature move, much like the pictures in the newspapers. Do let me know if it turned out alright.

PPS: I was uncertain of the proper etiquette of receiving owl messages. In the end, to avoid any possible resentment from your messenger, I may have given it some pieces of bacon. Please advise on how to handle these birds in the future.

*Mainstory – Victor came back to the Snake Dorm.

Date: September 15th, 2021
Addressed to: Mister Hui @Hui Ming
Delivery: Rolled, attached to the leg of a large and dignified barn owl at breakfast

Dear Mister Hui,

I am glad to know that my letter found you well. And all the more-so to know that you have been coping just as positively so far this year. Interesting that you should refer to your House as the pit of snakes. That makes it sound as though you are not pleased by the results of your sorting. You said it was not your goal. Did you have one, then? I would have been rather partial to Ravenclaw, myself, I think. But I was never disappointed by the Sorting Hat's choice.

You also mentioned the students are odd? In what way, if I might inquire? And alligator-infested waters? Not here, I presume. An invitation to vacation elsewhere?

As for discoveries, I assure you, those will be continuous through your years. I don't believe I would be exaggerating to say that I learn something new every day. I think I would have to contest your claim to the wand being in the off-hand, however. As casting requires the most intricate of movements, you will have a much easier time performing the patterns if directed with your dominant. Although I suppose ambidexterity is never a negative trait. Still, all casters will default to using their wand in their dominant hand, especially under pressure or when precision is key.

Congratulations are certainly well in order as well for being able to maintain that O average thus far. Especially considering you have come from the muggle world which would have placed you at something of a disadvantage compared to your peers; not to mention your additional workload with the muggle studies you have elected to continue during your stay here. I suppose that would make you something of a scholar, though, so perhaps this really isn't out of the ordinary for you. It's very reasonable that you have been struggling to manage your time, however. The course load is rather heavy, and the variety of extracurriculars and clubs does entice especially the new to bite off a bit more than they might be able to digest, so to speak. Still, you seem to be managing well.

I can't, admittedly, comment too terribly much on those oddities you've identified. I can't think of any reasonable explanation as to why anyone would find a frog something suitable to press their lips against. Then again, I have never really understood the fascination with kissing, but know it to be a commonly lauded favourite for end-of-year games. My mother tells me it is something to do with hormones, but I would sooner fix my attention to my studies than bother with those notions of romance. They seem, to me, to be rather a distraction. Not something to pursue. Nor am I quite certain about the Mau you mention. Pets are, of course, quite common in the castle. I'm sure you've experienced that. Owls tend to remain in the owlery for the most part, but cats are effectively free to roam the halls as they will, and some are more adventurous and social than others. The one you mention doesn't seem familiar to me, however.

As for myself, I am doing well, thank you. Like you, I have had to take extra care to manage my time between obligations to my role as an editor on the Headliner, co-captain of hte Gryffindor Quidditch team, duties as a Gryffindor Prefects, and a number of other less involved clubs. I have also elected to pursue some of the muggle curricula during my time at Hogwarts. My mother has insisted that the curricula here at the school is lacking in some of the core fundamentals helpful for post-graduate life. I suppose some of them are interesting at times, but it would be preferable not to have the added stress.

And yes, there are additional courses available on an elective basis once you reach third year. Specifically, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, Divination and Ancient Runes. It might be a bit much to speak on them at length in a letter, but I would be more than happy to answer any specific questions you might have.

Kind regards,
E. Decipio

p.s. And yes, your signature has turned out just as you have hoped it might.
p.p.s. Owls each have their own personalities and preferences. Janus is rather partial to the higher fat meats that many humans also enjoy, but I do tend to try to avoid feeding him anything from the table. For him, at least, regard him with respect and speak to him with dignity and he will do the same for you.

Date: September 23rd, 2021; delivered with the evening post in the Great Hall
Addressed to: [font=Lucida Calligraph]Miss Decipio[/font] @Evelynn Decipio
Delivery: A letter written on paper, rolled and attached with an emerald string to the leg of an inconspicuous school owl.

Dear Miss Decipio,

I must begin by apologizing for the tardiness of my replies. Life has a way of getting away from me, and to my embarrassment, I must confess I had been putting off penning a reply in favour of more immediate deadlines.

I must express my admiration for you, if you have managed both magical and non-magical (after some research, I realized that the term ‘muggle’ implies that non-magicals are mugs. I do not much care for this, and will strive to avoid the term wherever possible) studies in addition to sports, and engagement in clubs. Maintaining acceptable grades in my non-magical studies is a precondition for my attendance at Hogwarts - my parents are not much impressed by what is essentially a public school that would not allow me to continue into tertiary education. Perhaps you could provide me with some guidance on how to approach such a course load, having gone through this yourself?

I thank you for your kind words on my academic performance, but I am merely delivering what is expected of someone of my standing. The way certain seniors – yourself for instance, or my dorm-mate Dmitri Jones – seem to thrive under all these pressures is quite remarkable and rather inspiring. I do hope to be able to match up to this level sometime in the future.

I have also been looking into duelling – not only is it a sport with some weight to it, much more so than something like the Gobstones club – it seems to be an excellent way to learn to survive the dangers associated with attending this school. This has been prompted by a recent event.

Just the other day, a cohort of my Slytherin peers and I were set upon by a gaggle of geese on our way to meet with Professor Irons. Fearsome fowls, they were. Terrifying transfigurations, truly. Were it not for the timely intervention of Prefect Martin, things may have gotten rather out of hand. To pre-empt such close calls in the future amongst my peers, I have been attempting to organize a year-long duelling-adjacent event for the first years. I hope this will garner interest in defensive magics among the incoming students, and help them to be better prepared to handle any dangerous situations should they arise.

Apologies, I realize this letter took a bit of a tangent. Allow me now to return to the questions you had posed to me.

First, on the matter of Houses. It was not so much a goal as an expectation that I would end up in Ravenclaw. I would not consider myself particularly cunning, or noble, or social; that, to me, eliminated all choices but the Eagles. I apologize for any negative impression I may have projected about the Snake House, it was not my intention. To be clear, House Slytherin is quite extraordinary. Though I perhaps do not quite fit in here, I am beginning to suspect that this would have been the case had I ended up elsewhere as well.

Second, on the matter of the alligator-waters: Miss @Vale Ashwood is quite peculiar. It was an invitation to her manor, I believe. Though given our interactions thus far, it could just as easily have been a test of my personality, or a threat of violence. It is difficult to be certain, but I do not think I am in dire peril on that front, at least.

Third, the matter of the emerald-eyed Mau cat. While it could be a pet, it seems uncanny that I keep running into it. Perhaps there are several of them? I have yet to hear anyone else face such issues, and have put the issue from my mind for the moment.

Finally, on the topic of additional subjects. Of particular interest to me is Muggle Studies - it seems odd to me that a subject exists to teach the wixen about the non-magical, but there is no equivalent about this world and its basics, expectations, etiquettes in a ‘wixen studies’ for those of us with a non-magical background. I have taken it upon myself to scour the library for meanings of very many of such things. Did you know, for example, that there is a slur – Mudblood. I was given to understand that this was supposed to be a source of non-magical blood being dirty. Further research has led me to believe that this was meant as a slur against Christians in particular, who had started the practice of witch-burnings in Britain. In Christian lore humans are made of clay, you see. So Christian progeny must believe that they have mud and clay running in their blood – and the term may have originated as a means to display the perceived ridiculousness of this idea.*

Again, I sense I am veering off course in my ramblings, and that this letter is getting off-track. I apologise. I would draft a more concise and less rambly piece, but I fear that would push my reply even further back, or that I might never actually get back to you.

Hence, this is me hoping that the semester has been kinder to you than it has been to me thus far.

*This is not canon and is very likely false.

Date: September 26th, 2021
Addressed to: Mister Hui
Delivery: Rolled, attached to the leg of a large and dignified barn owl at breakfast

Dear Mister Hui,

Really, there is no need to apologize. I am only too familiar with just how easily the days can escape one's grasp, and I do not fault you at all for prioritizing your schoolwork. That is as it should be, and I would expect nothing less.

Unfortunately, I do not know if there is much guidance that I can provide on managing the course load. I keep an agenda, track my deadlines, and break my work into manageable portions. Every hour of my days are scheduled for one thing or another—I find that it helps me to remain focused. I also ensure a balance of exercise and study, with leisure that still aids one or the other (such as reading passages from textbooks that interest me but may not be immediately related to my current assignments) sprinkled in between.

It is also imperative that you sleep to the amount your body needs, and eat healthily to keep your mind sharp and your body nourished. Otherwise, it is simply a matter of eliminating distraction, to which I would recommend finding a secluded and quiet area in the school to work, and keeping that as your habitual location so that your mind is conditioned to focus when you are there. Additionally, I maintain a habit of keeping an hourglass with me that I can use to track pomodoros.

That is an interesting tale about the fowls. I had heard there was an errand to round them up, but I had not specifically made an effort to follow-up on how it had gone. It is good that Miss Martin was able to assist. As one of the Slytherin duelling captains, she would be an excellent role model for handling such situations. I also could not agree more with your opinion on duelling. It is an excellent way to practice your practical skills with the wand, and in many ways emulates real situations in which you may find yourself. There is a stark difference between the ability to perform in the controlled environment of a classroom, and to be able to cast under pressure and under fire of assailing opponents.

To that end, the S.W.A.G. Club began some years ago to organize varying activities to practice spell work under differing conditions. In many ways, it sounds similar to your desire. If this is something you wish to pursue, I would encourage you to speak with the duelling captains and perhaps the Charms or Transfiguration professors. They may be able to work with you to provide access to the Duelling chamber.

Curious about your comment of wixen studies. I had always equated Muggle Studies to something similar to what we would call Social Studies back home. Do you not think every other course is exactly that, though? History of Magic, at the very least, comes to mind for how the world did and continues to develop. There is also a great deal of theory sprinkled into the various subjects on how certain spells came to be, or the like. Who delivered to you your letter of admission? Did the professor not provide you a sufficient explanation or introduction to the world?

It seems so long ago now, and she is no longer employed, but it was Professor Berceguay who delivered unto me my own letter. She came to my home and sat down with my mother and me, and spoke quite exhuberantly at length what it meant for me to be a witch and what would entail with my attendance at Hogwarts. Our questions were answered, ofttimes with lengthy tangents that provided quite a bit more information that we might have expected—or wanted. And then when it came time to purchase my things, she arrived again to accompany me to Diagon Alley and assisted me with the acquisition and navigating the magical world there.

I know it is not always the same professor, but all students raised in the muggle world are provided something similar. There have also been a number of clubs dedicated to assisting those new to the magical world to make the transition. Although, in truth, I am not aware as to whether they still run. And as an aside, while Mudblood is indeed a slur to be avoided, it relates to blood purists. If you are not descendant strictly from a purely magical lineage, your blood is impure. Or dirtied. Therefore, muddied. I believe you have, perhaps, been misinformed about Christian lore. We do not believe that humans are, or were, made of clay. And I certainly do not believe myself to have either mud or clay running through my veins.

Nevertheless, I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. I have faith that you will find your way forward through your work. It does tend to get easier after a little while as you grow accustomed to the peculiarities of this world.

Kind regards,
E. Decipio