Draco C. Malfoy

Mother, are you feeling better? I really was just spots, wasn't it? That's what Regulus said but then I keep thinking about how you were writing and it sort of looked the way a paralysed person might write. But you must be all right, or else Father would have let me know right away.

One thing I have been talking about with my Father is whether I should get a new mudblood or not. I'm allowed to have one to replace Dennis but after thinking about it I don't think I want one. I never really used Dennis for anything useful, and that's really all he wanted, to be useful. Most of the things he did for me the house elves can do, anyway. And if I had another mudblood it would probably just get killed, too, or some other bad thing would happen to it because that seems to be what happens to them. I'd just rather not deal with all that.

Harry, don't forget what I said about keeping a close eye on Granger, because you don't want her to be next. Also we need her

What is with today? I think I've finally got Dennis calmed down now. For a while there he wouldn't stop trying to punish himself like a house elf would, trying to take his eyes out with a toasting fork and whatnot.

Vince, I heard what you were telling people. As if I would really make my mudblood summon scones during Transfiguration because I was too upset to eat breakfast, owing to Patil losing her hair! (Not that I don't feel bad for you, Padma, but I managed my breakfast just fine). So now I suppose I have to give some kind of public explanation, don't I?

Well the truth is that Dennis is... his magic has manifested. And it's been going off at random, inconvenient moments, like during the middle of Professor Carrow's lecture. (I'm terribly sorry I had to leave during lecture, sir, but Dennis was making such a scene and you looked...displeased) Dennis thinks he's a bad mudblood because of it, now, but it seems to me that he can't really help that his magic's shown up. With the way he beats himself up about it he'd obviously turn himself off if he could.

I was going to bring him to class this week because I thought his magic might stay away if I was constantly watching him, but that obviously didn't work. Maybe I should just leave him in our room all the time. Only he isn't really any use to me then, is he?

Can anyone really be that unlucky? Even if he did live at the camps and think he was a mudblood his whole life, it just doesn't seem possible that someone can create that much havoc all on their own. Maybe the Transfiguration classroom is cursed, or that chair that Thomas sits in. I suppose we'll know more if all that mud business keeps up even with a new teacher for Transfiguration.

Harry's still quite upset. He doesn't want to disrespect Professor Carrow but he doesn't like it when people try to mess about with his belongings, especially if its Granger. Professor Slughorn says it's a good manners to share, and Harry normally really likes to share, but I think it's different with Granger because she's not a broomstick or a book, she's a per mudblood, and hardly anyone gets to have one of their very own. And she saved Harry's life once, too. I'd feel the same way if I were him. If it were Dennis who I had to share, I mean.

Now I'm sure that Harry will speak to his Father about it, and he doesn't do that very often because if he ran to his Father every time somebody or something upset him then most people would be terrified of Harry and he wouldn't have any real mates. It's the same reason why Hydra doesn't run off to Auntie Bella every time someone or something upsets her.

Mother sent me a book that's meant to improve my French before we go away on holiday. French used to be a part of my and Harry's lessons before we went to Hogwarts, but neither of us worked at it very hard and I've since forgotten a lot of it. This book actually speaks French if you hold your wand or your finger to the word, because accent and pronunciation is supposed to be important. And last night I fell asleep reading it, but soon woke up because it was squawking "je me rends!" in my ear, which made everybody else laugh.

And then Blaise told us that his Mother used to go to France a lot before, and that she says that all of the muggles there are naked. Not completely naked, but walking around with a lot of their bits showing, or with only a fan or a shawl to cover them. I said his Mother must be exagerating and then Teddy tried to join in and say that he'd heard the same thing, that the French muggles are all naked and also maniacs for sex. Even though Teddy is Welsh and hasn't been anywhere. If it's true and the muggles are all naked and maniacs, then I think that the French Ministry is doing a shameful job of handling them. I know that France has all the best food and robes and entertainment, but they obviously don't know how to govern.

Even if Blaise is wrong and they wear clothes, it will be odd to be around muggles the way they used to be, just out in the open. I know that Mother and Father will try to keep them away from me but still, it's strange to think that they won't know I'm a wizard and how to treat me with the proper respect. That's why we're leaving Dennis behind, because I don't want him to get confused or upset.

Last night's exploding snap game in the common room got cut short just as I was about to beat Blaise for the second time in a row. A load of the seventh years wanted to have a NEWT study party, they were going to stay up all night with the wireless blaring, drinking butterbeer and practising charms and whatnot. So they kicked everyone out, and since it was Ned who was giving the orders there was really no choice but to listen. And then without asking me first, Ned tried to get Dennis to go to the kitchens for more food. And even though Dennis waited for my say-so it's not as if I could say no, since Ned's Head Boy and can use Crucio when he wants to. I suppose he thinks that just because we're cousins, he can use my servant whenever he wants. But too bad for him, because I'm keeping Dennis hidden away from now on. Only I wish I didn't have to, because I like the idea of him being there whenever I need him. I'd take him to class so he could be there to sharpen my quills when they get dull, but I don't think he should listen in on lessons. Hearing about magic might make his magic manifest. Plus I like sharpening my own quills.

Did anyone see that Harry's servant was wearing livery? She's not wearing it now but she did on the train back to Hogwarts. I'd like to get some livery like that for Dennis. He'd wear it much better than Harry's mudblood, who looked more like she was wearing a costume than someone who really understood the part.

Harry, did you ever find that thing you lost? I guess there's not really any way to ask around about it, but still, I wish you hadn't lost it.