chamberofsnogs | summertime and dress shopping (Reply)

I can't believe it's almost the end of summer. Spending most of one's time in dim light of the caves at Zhongnan Mountain does help the time go by, especially with how strict Mum is about practicing my sword forms until I have the strokes absolutely right. When we did get out of the Ancient Tomb, she look to me to some of my favorite places, like the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace in Beijing, and I even got to spend a week at the Mount Emei Girls Academy while Mum visited one of her old friends.

On the trip home to London we got held up in Prague. There seemed to be some unexplained delay with our Portkey, which is something I've never heard of happening before. We waited for a whole fifteen minutes before our Portkey arrived. Dad was so relieved when we made it home, he said that things were getting worse and worse in Wizarding London and that it isn't even safe in the Ministry anymore. It seems that official channels have told him absolutely nothing, but some of his fellow ambassadors and friends at the Ministry have filled him in on the recent rise of You-Know-Who. Now Dad's so concerned he's even discussed with Mum whether it's safe to send me back to Hogwarts for my last year. Things must be getting very, very grim if my father is worried about it. I don't think he actually knows bad the situation really is; and I certainly am not going to tell him.

On a cheerier note, I went shopping with Alison today! I was so glad to see her again, it's been the whole summer. It looks like she's enjoying her job working with the Weasley twins above their shop, she's even staying with them in their flat! Her Dad will be furious if he ever finds out.

We went to Oxford Street to find some dresses for Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley's wedding, since I promised Alison I'd go with her. Alison found herself a very nice dark green summer dress. It goes a little below her knees and is made of a light cotton that flutters in the wind. I'm sure Fred and George will jump her the moment they see her in it. I figured I needed more pretty Muggle clothing, so I found a floaty sort of sundress in light green, with a leaf and flower print.

I'll be off to the Burrow in a couple more days with Alison, I hope all of you are coming to the wedding. It would be great to see you all again before school starts, that is, if I'm even going this year. Hopefully we can find ourselves a secluded area and talk--there's a lot to catch up on, both the good and the bad.