Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

My name is Colton Outlaw and I'm in my senior year at Salem. Everybody calls me Colt, though. I got your name as my pen pal for the summer before the tournament, so I thought I'd write you a letter and introduce myself. I don't know much about England so I hope that the bird finds you okay and that I put the address on right. I added your country in case there is another London somewhere. I know there is one in Kentucky.

Anyway. I'm 16- I'll be seventeen on July 26. I live in North Carolina in a tiny little town. That's in the Southern United States. I grew up as a muggle. It sure was a surprise when I found out that I was a wizard- at first I thought I was a mutant or something, like one of those superheroes in a comic book. Do they have comic books where you are? If not I'll bring one and show it to you, cause you'll see what I mean then.

I look forward to getting a letter back from you. I'm so excited for the tournament I can hardly keep my britches on.

Talk to you soon!

-Colton Outlaw

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

Your writing is pretty I think. I've got real chicken scratch, anyway, so I can't say anything. My Ma-Maw tells me they used to teach penmanship in school when she was a little girl and that it's a shame they don't anymore. I didn't tell her- cause you don't ever sass your gramma- that I think it's kind of dumb to take points off if someone doesn't have nice handwriting. Besides, that's what computers are for these days anyway. Nobody uses real mail in the Muggle world except to pay bills. It's all about e-mail and stuff.

And I meant trousers. We call them pants in America. Trouser is a really funny word. I like it. I might start using it. But I definitely didn't mean my underwear. I don't make it a habit of going around without them. Not that you needed to know that.

Anyway.

I turn 17 on July 26- about a week before we're going to be arriving at Hogsmeed. I'm glad to have my birthday before we leave. I think it wouldn't be much fun to celebrate my birthday away from home in a strange place. I mean, I don't think that Hogsmeed is going to be weird (even if it has a weird name) but I mean a place that I'm not used to.

My family is pretty small. It's just me, mom, dad, and sister. One of my friends is staying with me this summer, too. He's Amish and didn't want to go home because... well... Being Amish makes it weird for him to be away from home all year around and I don't think people are very nice to him at home. I've never really asked him much about it because guys just don't talk about stuff like that with each other.

And I don't listen to much WROCK music. I don't like a lot of it. I listen to Country music when I'm at home. I like it better. Have you ever heard any? I don't know I can bring any for you to listen to. I know that in some places muggle technology doesn't work. They told us at Hogwarts our ipods and stuff won't work. That sucks.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I know that had to be really hard. I can't even imagine going through that.

There's not much to tell about North Carolina. I live in a really little town in an old mill house. I spend a lot of time helping my family out. I do most of the work in the yard and fix things, and I go help my Ma-Maw almost every weekend with stuff. I go fishing and hunting a lot in the summer, and I like to go camping and hiking. Being outside is my favorite thing. I play Football at Salem. American Football, I guess I ought to say. I think you guys call soccer football over there.

This letter got really, really long, too. So I'm going to send it to you instead of keeping on with writing. Sorry for babbling so much! I guess I'm just as excited as you are about getting a pen pal who is from another country.

Can't wait to meet you!

-Colton Outlaw

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Dear Colton,

It's been a mad couple of days here, which is why it's taken me so long to write you back. I'll try to be better about that. Your Ma-Maw sounds like my Nan, except southern rather than Irish. It's a bit different here, of course, most things are sent by Owl, but I rather like it. It's old fashioned but sometimes old fashioned things are nice.

I think, on the whole, Americans are way more progressive about stuff than we are, I mean I know people who are still part of arranged marriages for blood alliance and purity. There are some parts of our history that are better left forgotten I think and that happens to be one of them, but then I'm also a member of a student group for Werewolf rights, and have lots of loud opinions. I think it's because I'm a very strange mix of my mum and da; like I believe in really big things like her and I'm just obnoxiously loud like him.

Speaking of him! I've sent a package along with a couple of Mandrake Siren's albums - on the second one, if you listen really closely, you can maybe hear me playing tambourine. I was like seven, I actually play proper instruments now. Sorry they're literally records and not...a cd? I know muggles don't really use those much anymore, it's all "digital" or whatever, my cousin tried to explain it to me once and I thought my head might explode. You'd think I'd be better at it since I rather like science. I love Herbology, and CoMC, and Potions, but I suppose those are all more about biology.

I did do rather well in Astonomy last year - Professor Trishna is very muggle-friendly. I think you'll like him. Actually I'd wager you'll like most of the returning Professors, except maybe, Professor Storm. He's a good teacher he's just very survival of the fittest. I still think he might poison my Pumpkin Juice for the time I called him a bully in the middle of class - as previously stated I have a rather hard time keeping my mouth shut.

I went off on a tangent there, the point I was going to get to was that I don't listen to a lot of muggle music because of the mediums it's available in but my da really loves Johnny Cash so I have heard at least some country. The old stuff seems really good. Oh! I'm also sending 3 Owl Standards last release, they're one of the biggest bands and are huge around Hogwarts, so I thought I might give you an introduction before you come across the pond. Think of it as an early birthday present. People will look at you like you've got two heads if you don't have any idea who 3OS are when you get here.

I've read your letter dozens of times trying to think of non-awkward things to talk about in relationship to my mum, but it's still a bit weird. I mean you're the first person I'll ever have to tell her about, everyone else just knew her. I don't want to be all sappy and depressing because that would be awful, and, well, you know, depressing. It's only been since March, and in some ways I see how much worse for the ware we all are for it. Da's on tour, for the whole summer with my brother and the band... and my sisters went off to have adventures.

It's selfish really, probably, to want to have kept them all with me, but in the end it's alright. I've got Nan, and the dogs, and my best friend Ollie - you'll like her I think. She's this sort of free spirit who just doesn't care what people think of her. There's a club in Diagon called Spellpunk, we were there the other night and my exboyfriend got is arse handed to him by a girl who is as small as I am. I won't say much about Fig though, I'll leave you to form your own opinions of him when you get here. He is both the bane of my existence and one of the funniest people I've ever known.

North Carolina and your friend both sound lovely - though I do feel a bit bad for him. If boys weren't so weird about affection I'd tell you to hug him for me, I have a thing about hugging people. I live in a suburb of London called Barnes (obviously, it says so on the envelope), it's a nice place. We've got a big back yard and a pasture. I used to try and convince Da that meant I needed a pony. I'm still waiting. The dogs like it though, gives them lots of space to run and it's pretty handy when I randomly decide a bonfire sounds like a good idea.

Anyway, this letter seems very long and disjointed so I'll end it now and get it sent off!

xoxox Miss Sophie

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

You don't need to apologize! I understand that life gets busy. Especially when you have the summer to spend with your friends and your family. You take as long as you need to write back. Don't worry your head over me! It took me a few days, too. Because yesterday was Independence Day. I'm not sure if you guys have a holiday like that or not, but it's great. We celebrate becoming our own nation and we usually have cookouts and picnics. Lots of great food. And the family gets together and we shoot off fireworks. Fireworks are awesome. We usually drive out of state to get ours. North Carolina has laws about it that are lame, and you can't get the good ones. So we buy ones they can't sell in state to shoot off. It's great.

Arranged marriages? Really? I heard about those on tv. Shows about ancient tribes and backward cultures and stuff. But I've met one or two people who are really obsessed with blood purity. I can't see why it matters. We learned a lot about how many health issues it made for the royal family in biology and it just doesn't seem to make sense to me. But to each their own, ya know?

Thanks so much for the records, Sophie! We do have a record player. They're considered cool in muggle culture because they are retro or whatever. It must be awesome that your dad is a musician! And Johnny Cash is great. My parents are so boring. You must be proud of him. I liked Three Owl Standard, too. I still prefer country music, though. Thanks for the early birthday present though! It's exciting to think coming over to Scotland is like a birthday present all in itself.

I don't think it's depressing that you miss your mom. I'm sure it is hard to write about- writing can be harder than talking about things. If you ever feel comfortable with it, I'd love to hear about her. But maybe that can wait until I come to your school? It might be better that way for you. Easier, I guess. That's why people tend to call each other on the phone more often than they write letters. But then again, I guess these days it's all e-mail and text messages...

Ponies are a lot of work. And cleaning out stables isn't fun. So I'm sure not having a pony was a good idea on your dad's part.

And I talked to Sam about things a little. It seemed to help. It's just not easy to bring up. But I want to be there for my friends when I can. It might not sound very masculine, and it's not really how I was raised, but sometimes talking about your problems is the best way to make sense of them. Even if nobody talks back to you, just saying stuff out loud helps a lot.

Do you like sports? Sports are huge at Salem. We play a lot of muggle sports and Quodpot. Football and baseball are my favorites. I think they're like rugby and cricket. If you enjoy being outside, maybe I could teach you a little bit of it. If you have an annoying ex boyfriend, then a baseball bat could come in handy. There is a country song called "Before He Cheats" that I think you'd like. It's a real girl anthem and she busts out the lights in a guy's truck with a baseball bat.

What classes will you be taking? I wonder if I will see you in any. I'm not sure if you guys have joint classes or not, or what year you are. I'll be in my last year of school. Are you? Or are you younger? I can't remember if you mentioned it or not and I don't have the letters handy.

Anyway, look forward to hearing back from you! And I'm super excited to finally meet you.

-Colton Outlaw

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Dear Colton,

So many things to write about! We don't have an Independence Day as such, I mean we're generally the nation everyone is trying  to get free of - but we do have Bonfire Night? I don't know if you've ever heard of it. It's basically a really convoluted excuse to set off fireworks and has lost all the original intent which...had something to do with King James surviving an assassination plot.  We don't really celebrate it at Hogwarts of course because it's an English short of thing and we've all be warring for years, less so I think in the Wizarding world but you can still feel a certain air of centuries old tension between the muggles, the Irish and the English too. I'm a bit exempt I suppose - Mum was American, Da's Irish, but I was raised in London so I dunno what that makes me. I've got a funny accent to be sure though.

My sister Ruby went off to the States soon as NEWTS were done, didn't even bother to come home. She wrote me about the Fourth and was a brilliant time it was. I didn't tell her I thought she was a bit of a twat for rubbing it in that she's surrounded by family and food and I'm in Barnes on my own. Well, not really on my own, I've got my nan. She's brilliant. I'm a bit sad you won't get to meet her actually, she's scathingly hilarious and tough as any Footballer. She's actually my Great Grandmother, but she basically raised my da and his younger brothers after my gramps ran off and their mum took sick. I suppose that's the brilliant thing about Wizards, when we live we live a long damn time. She's a right firecracker still, and brews the best potions. She used to have a shop, just outside Dublin. I suppose that's why I like Potions so much, music and magic are sort of the family business.

I'm glad you liked the records, and you'll have to let me take you for a cupcake when you get here to celebrate a little late. There's this great bakery in Hogsmeade. It's where my godfather got my birthday cake. You might actually get to meet him! I'm trying to angle to get him to come speak to the Werewolf rights group I mentioned, SAWS. He's the Head of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, he was also my mum's best friend. He's really the only person I talk to about her anymore. I worry sometimes that I'll start to forget, so I write him these long letters about what I can remember most clearly. I almost never send them, mostly because I think he's still in love with her and it'd just break his heart... but also because I like having them close by. There is a secret compartment in my truck where  I hide them.

I'd like to tell you about her... if you really don't mind. I'll probably create some unfathomable image... but, you know, in some ways it's easier to write it down, there is a distance there. If I were looking at you I'd have to see the face, the one that everyone makes when her name comes up. It isn't about her so much as the memory and that people think it's painful and that they have to be careful with me. I hate that. I hate being babied. Ruby does that too me, or she did before she lost her mind and ran away to America. It's frustrating when the people who love you most are also the ones telling you you're not strong enough to do the things you want to do. I know they mean well but pretending like it didn't happen isn't going to bring her back. And everyone tries to be supportive and I feel rather disloyal painting this picture but it's so easy to get frustrated with them. They want so badly to hide from it all and I just can't.

So I will tell you about her, the way I remember it - which is probably flawed and sprinkled with exaggeration...but it is the picture I carry with me. First of all? She was beautiful. She was average in height (though since I'm short even average seems tall), her eyes were brown like mine, and Ruby's, and Johnny's. Her skin reminded me of caramel, and she always smelled warm and spicy - like cumino and chilies. Her laugh was loud and she hummed when she walked... and some how, even when I started school and was so far away, she seemed to know when I needed her. A letter always came, a note or just a lipstick print on a little card to remind me she was thinking of me. She wasn't perfect, and I try hard to remember that too. It is easy I think, to try and remember the dead as paragons of virtue, but she was a person like everyone else. She had a temper and was so stubborn. She demanded a lot of us, especially Ruby, but I think it was because she wanted so much for us; big lives for her niņas...

I must be boring you. I get so sentimental sometimes. I will have to try and find a way to listen to Before He Cheats. Sounds like something I might do... if Wizards had cars, or trucks rather, I suppose. What else? Oh, classes! I'll be taking Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms (even though wandwork makes me nervous), Divination, Herbology, and Potions. I think, maybe, I might want to be a healer. Or maybe I'll just be a professional crazy person. It feels really intense knowing that the classes I've chosen to take kind of narrow my potential career paths. Not that I thought I wanted to become an Auror or anything, because I am way too loud and clumsy to be any kind of crime fighter. I figure we'll cross paths enough, the Castle is only so big after all. Though I hope baseball is more fun that cricket. I loathe cricket. Maybe I'll teach you how to play football, I mean soccer - it's so weird you call a game where you get to primarily use your hands football Colt. Silly Americans!

Anyway this letter is massive and smacks of sentimentality. I hope I haven't bored you terribly. Your letters are always such a nice surprise. With the whole family gone it's nice to feel like someone besides Nan, the mutts, and Olls thinks of me once and awhile.

xo Soph

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

Your mum sounds like a wonderful person. The way you describe her shows how much you love her, and she sounds beautiful. I'm glad that you can remember her. I'm sure it's not much of a comfort, but at least you will be able to remember her- the good things and the bad things. Sometimes people lose those they love at an age where they can never really remember them. I guess, in a way, some might think it's easier- but I think it would be awful. I'm sure that she's still watching over you. I don't know what you believe about stuff like that, but I know I'd like to think she was still looking down on me and keeping a watchful eye to guide me along.

I'll be taking Magizoology (which is like your care of magical creatures, I think), Charms, Defense, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration. So it looks like we have a few of the same interests. I'm best with my wand, but I really enjoy Herbology and Potions. Especially Herbology. I love to be outside, and we have a garden at home I like to help with when I'm there, and it makes me think of that. And I just love animals. I haven't given a lot of thought, even though I'm graduating, of what I'd want to do once I left school. There are a lot of options out there and I just don't know what I'd like to do best. But I think it's normal to not know when you're young. There's always a lot of pressure, though, to make up your mind and make it up quickly.

I think it's okay to be sentimental, though, especially since you're a girl. It's kind of just how girls can be sometimes. At least, in my experience. I don't mean to offend or anything. I live with my sister and mom and my dad, and my sister and mom are just very... sentimental.

It's good to have parents, though, who want a lot for you. Where I live is great. I love my family. But the area we live in just isn't a good one for jobs and for having a great life. It's hard to find work, and there's not a whole lot of exciting things to do. After I finish school I think I'll have a hard time having to stay in the magical world- but I don't think I could go back to a dead end job in the country after seeing and learning all that I have. It's going to be hard to do, but I know- like you've said- that my parents want me to have more than they ever did, and being a wizard gives me a great chance to do that.

(I guess I got sentimental, too.)

I know how to play soccer. We have a soccer team at Salem. I just don't like it as much. Probably because I'm not as good at it as I am other sports. I don't know much about Cricket, but I think Baseball is fun. But it's all about who you're playing with and your mindset on things, too. And when girls play football with us, we usually play touch football or flag football. Because you know- it's not really appropriate for us to tackle girls.

My sister keeps wanting me to tell you hello, by the way. She's been hovering while I was writing this letter. She's a good kid, but she reads too many love stories. She seems to think that this whole pen-pal thing is very romantic. She also wants to know your favorite colors, but I can't for the life of me figure out why.

- Colton Outlaw

P.S. I love cupcakes. My favorite is red velvet with cream cheese icing.

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Dear Colton,

I have thought of that, the being lucky that I remember her at all part? I have friends who weren't that lucky, but I don't think it hurts less... just differently. It's like trying to decide if it hurts more to lose an arm or a leg - a piece of you will be missing either way. It had been a hard six months on everyone in my life, she was sort of surrogate mother to a lot of my friends, always happy to look after anyone who needed looking after. Relationships have been tested and in some instances lost - and that is what hurts most of all. In a time when I feel like we should be coming together everyone has splintered apart. I try to understand it, I try to put myself in their place, but I just get so angry... I'm ashamed to write that down and I find myself wanting to scratch it out but I won't. If we're going to be friends then I want you to know me, even the not-so-nice parts of me.

Through it all I've had my friend Ollie. I mentioned her before, I think? She'll be a sixth year like me, well... maybe? See, she's a Werewolf (which I am completely ok with because I don't think it's fair to judge someone for something that happens to them once a month that they have no control over), and under one of our previous Headmasters she was allowed to attend Hogwarts and it was all very hush hush. Then last year we got a new Headmistress and it's been skewed a lot of ways but I think it came down to her feeling like there was this element of student safety she couldn't control and so she expelled Ollie. That was when SAWS was formed, and how I got involved, my mum worked really hard within the Ministry to better the lives of Werewolves. I was really idealistic about it before her death, too idealistic, some might say.

It was all about how unfair it was to Ollie and how she had just as much right to an education as the rest of us. Losing my mum the way I did... I see now that it's all so much more complicated than that. It doesn't mean I believe in the cause less or I love Olls less, just more messy I suppose. Anyway, there is a chance she might be getting to come back this next year. We had a meeting with one of the people running for the office of Minister of Magic and she seemed really interested in helping, or at least looking into things again. It's quite strange to know a group I'm a part of set that ball in motion, that we really can effect change and have a voice. I mean nothing is for certain yet and she could have just been paying lip service but it's hard not to have a little hope. Ollie is such a trooper through it all, with the way people look at her and talk about her - yet she's worried about me and how I am.

My friend Luc, who you will definitely meet at some point, has been spending a lot of time with me as well. He's mad for qudditch and has the attention span of a flea but he's sweet. Actually I have loads of friends I think you'll get on with, I tend to sort of hover in groups of people. I don't have one specific set of friends. I know for a fact half the female population of Hogwarts is dying to get a look at you Salem boys. Nothing like a torrid transatlantic romance and flirting with the enemy to spice up the forth coming school year. Egads! That's a disturbing thought, it's all creeping up isn't it? Only two weeks or so until you're all here in Hogsmeade and only ten days till your birthday! I'd sent you a cupcake but I think it'd be dreadful by the time it got to you.

I do find it a bit funny that you think tackling girls is inappropriate as it's my general form of greeting. I suppose I should warn you I'm overly affectionate, I've been compared to an excitable Labrador before - but I'm actually much too small. Growing up with an older brother I got used to being roughed up a bit, thrown over shoulders and in general just being picked up and put places when I was in the way. Mostly people do it now because they think it's hilarious to watch me screech. Of course me screeching and me laughing often sound a lot of like so I suppose I can't be too upset with them. I hope your birthday is smashing and I'm literally counting down the days till I actually get you see your smiley face!

ta for now, Miss Sophie

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

I think you're right- that your friend Ollie should be allowed at school. I guess, since I live in America, the idea of kicking someone out just seems so... medieval. But then again, Salem is a really progressive school, but I think that has a lot to do with muggle American culture and influences spilling over, like it was almost unavoidable. I hear that you guys are really separate and don't think much about the muggle world, but we're all about incorporating. (Well, you know, except the whole world doesn't know that we exist.)

I'd be happy to meet any of your friends you wanted to introduce me to. I've got a few good ones, too. Sam is a great guy and I think all of the kids will like him. My old roommate, Bennett Bishop, will be around, too. He's a bit of a ladies man. He's excited for foreign women, I think. But I guess all of us are. I would be a liar if I said I didn't think it was exciting to meet girls from another country. Me and Sam were talking about how pretty most of you are probably going to be.

I sure hope that I don't end up in any type of crazy romance, though. I mean, if I liked a girl I guess that would be okay, but I just don't want any drama. It's not my goal for coming, though. If it wasn't for the tournament I'd probably never leave the states. So I'm excited to be able to go, and to participate or cheer on my friends- whatever ends up being my place in the tournament. I'm sure it'll be great either way. I guess maybe I should read up on Hogwarts before I come so that I know what I'm in store for, yeah?

Well, it's different when a girl tackles a guy. That's fine. But a man just shouldn't ever do anything that might hurt a lady. It just ain't right. My dad would tan my hide if he thought I was playing tackle football with girls. I mean, co-ed sports are alright, I guess, as long as the girls are safe. I'm just really old fashioned. I don't think girls are any less important than men, just more delicate. And I don't think there's anything wrong with respecting girls. It's crazy, though, how many women get offended if you're old fashioned or gentleman like.

It is crazy to believe we'll be meeting so soon! I'll write you all about my birthday. I don't think we're doing anything big. I'm hoping we can go bowling or something. That's always fun. My sister and her friends all want to come hang out for my birthday- but I think that's because they think Sam is cute or something. But I figure I'll let 'em.

And don't worry about mailing me a cupcake. I'll have plenty of them!

-Colton Outlaw

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Dear Colt,

Just a few more days! I'm so excited. I can't wait for you to get here so I can show you all around Hogsmeade. I wonder if you'll be allowed in Lodnon? Probably not unattended, which stinks. Figaro - who you will no doubt meet, and I might have mentioned I used to date, is throwing a Quidditch party, I'm dragging Ollie. Whether or not she gets to come back to school I feel like she...gets left out of things. Some people do it on purpose to hurt and some people just don't think. Fig is part of the latter group I suppose because he really does adore Olls, he's one of those people who just befriends everyone but being his friend means you're also a target for pranks and the like.

There are some old fashioned things I like, like boys opening doors or I don't know... getting flowers, though to be fair men who give gifts rather than just apologizing annoy me because it makes me feel like they think I can be bought off. I grew up with lots of boy cousins and a big brother so I'm pretty scrappy. I'm also really short so people just tend to manhandle me. In some ways I think the more progressive we are the better. I'm just as smart as any boy, just as capable, and in some cases stronger - but not often because I am rather small. It's a bit like when boys say girls should be able to play Quidditch. It really bothers me because if you're good enough to be on the team you're just good enough to be on the team, and there are some boys who aren't even that. I will have to recount to you the final match of last year. It was a blood bath, but also hilarious.

I agree about avoiding drama. Romantic entanglements just get me in trouble. There is this one boy, I mean it's probably nothing because he's the worst sort to get involved with... which is why I've mostly decided I shouldn't like him, so I won't, and I will just focus on friends, school, and SAWS. Speaking of which, do you think Salem kids would be interested in getting involved? I mean whether Ollie's back or not I feel like the movement needs to keep going and that can't happen if someone doesn't pick up the slack. A lot of our most active members graduated last year, so we're sort of at a loss as to who would be in charge and run things. I'm thinking of stepping up but since it's not really a school sanctioned thing we don't have "official" office positions.

Tomorrow is your birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Even though I've said that to you a million times already.

I can't wait to see you. Hope the trip is fabulous, and we should keep writing even once you're in Hogsmeade, if you can find time with all the exploring I'm sure you'll do. I like having a pen pal. It takes up chunks of my evenings when I'm cooking or waiting for Luc and Ollie to show up.

xoxo Miss Sophie

Colton Outlaw
1379 Oak Tree Lane
Sawmills, NC

Sophie Flickwick
#12 St. Mary's Grove
Barnes
London, England

Dear Miss Sophie,

My birthday was real good! I had a lot of fun. I got to hang out with a lot of my friends and my family. My mom and dad got me a bunch of stuff for coming overseas. My sister made me a stationary set. She learned how to make paper by hand over the summer. It's pretty cool stuff. I'll show you whenever I get to Hogwarts and have time to settle in. She made me promise I'd use it to write home. It was nice to enjoy my birthday at home. I was a little worried we'd be travelling when it was time, but I got lucky in being able to celebrate it right before we left.

I think it's good to take your friend to the quidditch party. And I hope she does get to come back to school. She sounds real nice and I'm sure that it wouldn't hurt anyone to let her come back. And I think that a lot of Salem kids would be real interested in your SAWS group. I think it would make them think of home. Maybe some of the younger years who come along will learn from it and take some of the information with them back to Salem. I'll help you recruit, if you want. I don't know how much help we'd be, since we aren't from there, but I know that a lot of kids from my school would appreciate the club.

And romance is hard. And if you think the guy is bad news, he probably is. That's what I always tell my sister. Girls don't usually listen, though. Seems that girls usually like the wrong guy and sometimes they do it on purpose. Just be careful not to get your heart broke, Miss Sophie. You're already a good friend and I don't want to get into trouble for breaking a boy's nose because he broke your heart. I'd do it, too, in a heart beat.

I guess this will probably be the last letter you get from me before we meet. Can't wait to finally see your face, Miss Sophie! I'll look for you at the opening ceremony. I'll have the best guide there is, I'm sure!

-Colton Outlaw