Between Ourselves PV

Hi Maxi,

July 5th, 2022

First of all, what were you doing awake at 4:30? In fairness I did try to start writing this at 2 last night but that was because we apparently have Americans living near us and they were setting off fireworks. This isn't even the right country for that.

Anyway I'd love to see France. I'd say I'd show you around Canada too but there's not really anything interesting near where I live unless you want to see a lot of nature. The woods around my house are pretty good for a flying challenge though.

I am going to summer camp! I can't wait to see you, it feels like it's been forever since we were at Hogwarts. And yes, I made the Ilvermorny team!! That's so cool that you made it too, they would have been silly to not choose you with those top-tier spell-splitting skills. A lot of my team is actually already on the Quidditch team so that's really cool, we already know each other.

I'm no god of letter writing but we should totally exchange letters. It really has been way too long since we last talked. I'm doing good, I hope you are too. Having no school has been great but I do miss hanging out with my friends since none of them live very close. I'm going camping with some of them on the 7th though! Are you getting to do anything fun before camp?

Off to make up some lost sleep with a nap,
Phyllis

@Lindsey Springhall

Dear Phyllis,

July 8th, 2022

Um, alright, I know it’s rather unusual to write letters at 4:30 am, but it’s actually a very poetic thing to do. The world at four is absolutely charming, the mist - dews and singing birds - and you’ll love watching the sun rising from the east if you do give it a try. Two o’clock is way too early though, I don’t think I can endure being awake and writing letters at that time. Rarely suffers from insomnia. As a side note we don’t have fireworks here as well, and I don’t think those Englishmen across the channel would like that at midnight also. The Americans are apparently very good at seeking thrills and fun, No.1 around the world maybe.

I’ve never stepped out of Europe, but Canada sounds really fun! Nature and all that is exactly my cup of tea. Woods are quite nice to me also I guess, a flight at dawn is absolutely a breathtaking experience. We only have grapevines planted near our house, and they are no way like those arbors. The grapes are tasty though when they ripe. Maybe I could go visit you sometime in the future? Possibly not this July though, my grandfather’s having plans. Also practicing my spell-splitting skill, trying to reduce my spell-backfiring rate when having it split.

That’s just wonderful and congratulations!! I’m sure you’d shine on the Hexwizard field!! You are the most nimble (and fearless also, I guess) one I’ve ever seen, and I’m super glad Ilvermony has chosen the right person on the team (even though I’ll be an opponent of yours when the time of the tournament comes). Speaking of Hexwizard, I think I have to thank you for encouraging me to join the fun. I’m now changing my mind about it, you see (and claiming my loss of the dare). Unable to bow formally through the letter, but hopefully my gratitude could be conveyed. Would have missed all the excitements if it weren’t you. I’d see you at summer camp then! After checking in and settling down at accommodation, hopefully, I’d seek you out.

And having your Quidditch teammates as Hexwizard teammates is indeed cool! As far as I know Ilvermony has quite an outstanding Quidditch team. Our team’s rather comprehensive, having members from all kinds of sports if I have not mistaken. I know quite a few of them from broom racing and former duelling when I was still on the team though, so yeah, not so many unfamiliar faces also.

You are going camping! Sounds so appealing to me. I would definitely love to join if I were able to. Are you going camping somewhere in Canada, or abroad? I do hope that you may enjoy yourself with your friends! My grandfather’s sister took her family to visit us several days ago and will stay in our house for a fortnight. There are two cousins about my age, so it’s not so bad. After that we would possibly go on a short trip to Provence around the 20th. Nowhere exotic, what a pity. Anyway, have fun going camping! It feels so good to keep in touch with you, even I cannot see you in person until August.

Oh my, this is such a long letter. And no, I’m not writing at four in the morning again today. It’s already 6:31 pm now here, and dinner would soon be ready.

With all my sincerity,
Maxi

@Bridget Collins

Good Sir Maxi,

July 13rd, 2022

I think you simply are a poetic sort of person. I mean I'm pretty sure that whole paragraph has to count as some form of poetry because I simply could never, I'm afraid you won't be getting any pretty descriptions of a time of day from me. I sincerely hope some of my incredibly awesome humor gets into writing, at least, but me and Sir Quill have simply never been good pals. I've probably made my teachers cry when they have to grade my essays (okay that's maybe slightly exaggerated but you get the idea).

And yes, Americans are absolutely #1 at seeking thrills, simply because we have unfortunate ownership of Lazarus Plott. Actually maybe that's something I could write poetry about, how absolutely ridiculous that man is. I'll have to look into that.

Yeah, the nature is kind of nice. Not much to worry about for like, Muggles seeing magic. You could maybe come at some point? It's mostly just me and my mom here and I don't think she'd bother us so, yeah, we could just do our flying and stuff. You could wake up at weird times of the morning to write your poetry and I could pull out my paints and make you a terrible portrait. Maybe next summer? Or for one of the other breaks? Hope your stuff with your grandfather and efforts to become the coolest wizard ever go well!

I'm really glad you're happy about hexiwizarding! I know I'm super excited for it, so it's nice to know that you get to feel that too. And Beauxbatons is super lucky to have you, Mr. Effortless Victor Of A Casual Game. But yeah, don't forget that you are, in fact, still a loser. Very unfortunate that it's to me too, I'm totally going to mercilessly lord it over you for forever.

So I'm back from camping now, and it was fun! I went with my friend Theo and his family, and another dude from my school, and it was actually in Alaska since that's where Theo lives. I literally have not strayed close to the Equator is like 10 years at this point so I'm pretty sure I would spontaneously combust if I ever go south at this point. Like, my friend Karilyna lives in Arizona, and I think visiting her would be it for me.

Hope you have a good time with your cousins! Are they cool?

I hope you know I don't think I've ever written a letter this long. My hand is cramping. I hate you so much, which is totally not disproved by the fact I actually want summer to go faster so it can be August already.

And since this is like, a running theme at this point, writing location/time reveal: I may or may not be sitting on our roof, just for fun. What can I say, I like heights. It's like 8 p.m. but the infinite kindness of summer means it's still very bright out, so that's nice. Um, I guess it's pretty up here? My poetry attempt: fuzzy tail and cute little nose, there it is in the incredibly green and leafy trees: a squirrel. Look at it go, it’s climbing the tree like it’s a professional climber, but cooler because it has the advantage of being a squirrel (I’m the best at this ever).

Alright enough joke poetry (not sure if that counts as poetry in any universe), I’ll leave the cool words to you.

There are still too many weeks until summer camp,
Expert Squirrel-Noticer Phyllis

@Lindsey Springhall

Donna Miss Phyllis,

July 19th, 2022

Hola. ¿Cómo te va? Hello. How are you doing? You see, Spanish is now brought into our house by my two cousins, who are now, obviously, affected by a Spanish-learning fever. I bet this would fade soon, seeing that the elder one will be in his final year and the younger one isn’t the most persistent in the world. But never mind, for I think I’ve rather caught this fever myself, and I’m pretty sure that it would be long lasting (since my cousins have already left and I’m still studying it), at least during the holidays. What my cousins did remind me of was the good deal of Spanish students in Beauxbatons, so I guess it’s worth to give it a try, as I’ve never got to really understand and communicate in that language. Spanish is a little like French and somehow resembles English (erm, I’m not sure if my French accented English would turn into a Spanish accented one when I meet you in the future), though the pronunciation of vowels are certainly less diverse. So I guess I’m doing quite good? Grammar is a tad bit difficult, but I think I may handle it anyway.

Okay so much for Spanish. Back to what morning owls kindly brought to me, your words from the other side of the world. I can see that. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Headmaster Plott in person, but I can indeed still remember him being exaggerated announcing the Hexwizard champions. I would certainly enjoy to read your poem about him if there would ever be one - though, it’s already such an honour to receive your letters from time to time. No lies. The parchments you sent to me are certainly good humoured parchments themselves, and of course, your humour always charms me. It seems natural to me if one day you becomes a great author known for inserting witty comments and wisecrackers in your works. I would absolutely be the first and most devoted reader if this is ever going to happen.

As for Hexwizard…huh. Though I’m sure you’ll shine on the pitch, don’t be hoping in vain to snatch the win from Beauxbatons, it’s all daydream. We have a very nice built team, mind you, and a capable leader. We’ll see that, until we meet on the game court.

Next summer sounds nice, or even during winter holidays, if you have the time. I may talk to my grandfather considering this, though I’m sure he wouldn’t refuse to let me go on a little trip across the Atlantic. It would certainly thrill me to see your paintings! My mother certainly paints quite well even though she doesn’t paint much these days, and I am certainly (well I am using lots of adverbs; three certainly in three sentences) mastering the art of making paintings a mess. You can also pay us a visit sometime in the future! We have plenty of spare rooms here, so no worries for accommodation. Haha, just kidding. I think you’d like Lyon, honestly. It’s a most beautiful city with rivers running across, and it also provides you with delicious treats. We can go riding horses together! My grandfather has quite a stable and wouldn’t mind to lend a few horses to us.

I do hope you’ve had fun camping with your friends! And visits, enjoy your time with them. It’s always good to have companions around, no matter where and when you are. I shall see if I can get a few dry lavenders for you when I get to Provence. I do hope that this is the season for beautiful lavender flowers, I don’t know really.

There aren’t any lucky little fluffy squirrels within my vision, but what I can hear is the singing of a nightingale. It’s getting dark, I can’t locate which exact branch it is resting upon, but I am whistling and trying to imitate it. Oh no, it just stopped. I must be scaring it, poor bird.

Adiós. Bye. Until next time!

I am very looking forward to seeing you in person,
Immature Nightingale-Imitator Maxi

@Bridget Collins