From:
22 Snowden Park
Castle Bromwich
Birmingham
UK

1954 East Tremont Avenue
New York
NY 10462
USA!

Hi Ruby!

I was so excited to get your postcard! And don't worry about it having flowers on it or whatever, that just makes it looks nice. Besides, I make jewellery and doll houses. You'd have a hard time finding something that's too girly for me. =)

Anyway, I'm glad you're all settled in and having a nice time. It must be nice getting to see your cousin! And I can't imagine all the brilliant sights you're getting to see. Do you have a favourite? I know if I ever went to New York I'd want to go to the top of the Empire State Building. We're not going anywhere this summer, but that works out okay for me because I need to study a lot and practice flying.

By the way, you'll never guess what! My mum's going to have another baby! He or she is due in December, so hopefully that will be enough time for my little sister Poppy to get used to the idea of not being the youngest anymore.

I'm looking forward to hearing more about what you're up to in the Big Apple! I'm missing you too, so it's great getting to hear from you. =)

Best wishes,
Pax

From:
22 Snowden Park
Castle Bromwich
Birmingham
UK

Miss Ruby Joon Flickwick
1954 East Tremont Avenue
New York
NY 10462
USA

Dear Ruby,

There's such a thing as too many exclamation marks? No one told me that! (Besides, stuff like new babies and New York and stuff are exciting, and that's what exclamation marks are for.)

I told Poppy that it's good to be in the middle and that you are too. I told her you have a big brother and a little sister (and Emily, but I don't know if she's older or younger than you I'm afraid), and now she thinks that means that our new sibling will be a sister. That would be nice, because she doesn't have a sister yet, but a boy would be nice too so I could have a brother. I mean, I think I get along better with girls, but still. But I guess all that really matters is that it's healthy and all that. Poppy keeps worrying about it not being able to breath in Mum's tummy, so we have to keep reassuring her it's okay. (It doesn't stop her from trying to breathe air in through Mum's belly button though.)

Exploring New York sounds so much fun! I hope I get to see some of the pictures when you come back! (How long are you going to be in America for, anyway? Is it just for the summer or is it like taking a gap year? You are coming back though, right?) Oh, are they magic photos or muggle photos? Because muggle photos are nice, but it would be brill to see things moving around! I'd love to see Central Park I think, I hear it's really really pretty. I had forgotten about Independence Day, I guess there must have been a lot of celebrations! Did you see fireworks?

I'm glad you're getting to spend lots of time with your family, especially since it's your mum's family. I think it's really nice to be able to learn about someone even though they're gone, because it means they're not really gone, if that makes any sense. It feels like you're still getting to know them. That's a little how I feel about my grandma, anyway. I mean, it's not the same at all, because I was only a baby when she died so I don't even remember meeting her, but I always really like hearing about her from my parents and grandad, so I'm really glad you get to hear about your mum. I hope it makes you happy, and I hope it makes Sophie happy too when you tell her.

I'll let you know how I get on with my flying. Hopefully I'll get to practice with my friend Mary Beth, so we can (don't laugh!) try out for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. I mean I know I probably won't be good enough but it's worth a try, right?

Happy late Fourth of July!

Best wishes,
Pax

1954 East Tremont Avenue
New York
NY 10462
USA

Pax Wintergreen
22 Snowden Park
Castle Bromwich
Birmingham
UK!

Dearest Pax,

I believe I'm far more dreadful at this whole writing letters bit than I had first expected. Every single day is so full of things that when I sit down to write it all out I find myself missing huge gaps of time and then the letters are pages upon pages of absolute drivel. I think that might be what happens when I'm left to my own devices and think a lot. I hope your mother is well and Poppy is less worried about the baby being able to breathe. It's a good sign - the worry I mean, it shows an inherent sisterly instinct that not everyone has. Some of us are just born to be minders. You're a bit like that too I think, I know you don't always feel like it but you are. You care so much about everyone around you, about their being happy.

Soph finally wrote me last week after the SAWS meeting with Madame Zephyr. She said that you handled yourself excellently. Of course why would there be any doubt you would? You were always so good at trying to even things out between Sophie and Fig's loud mouths in SAWS meetings. Keep them on the straight and narrow this next year yeah? Sophie has mellowed a fair bit I know but if anyone can push her buttons and make her throw a temper it's Figaro Sellaphix.  Without Dion there to herumph at everyone and demand order you're the closest thing they'll have to a moderator. I know it sounds like a lot of work, and it might be... but I'm fairly certain you're up for the task. If only all boys could be as sweetly nature'd as you, I think the world would be a far better place.

I'll send pictures with my next letter I promise. I take so many and then they end up in my bag. They're mostly just regular pictures. Getting tangled up in magical law and being deported back to the UK is not on my agenda for this trip. Of  course the trip doesn't have much of an agenda at all if we were to get technical about it. With Emily studying in Greece and Mandrake Siren being on tour getting home seems a bit messy right now. Right now I feel like I'm where I need to be, learning things I need to learn from the people who I need to learn them from. I miss you, and Sophie, and everyone else terribly but they're all so busy with training and internships it wouldn't be the same even if I was home. I don't think I can stay gone a year, fairly sure Soph would skin me alive if I even thought about it... but till the end of summer at least this is a good place to be. Though New York is miserably hot.

I can't wait to hear how the flying lessons are going and all the adventures I'm sure you've gotten up to over the last few weeks. I promise to be better at writing, or at least less hopeless with it.

All my love,
Ruby Joon