An Ode to the Badger {Maria Farmer}

[mariaisabella]

Ah, my journal. It's a brand new one. I managed to convince my mother that it was ultra-spectacularly important for me to have a brand new journal for my adventures at Hogwarts. My poor, innocent, Muggle mum seems to think that I write to much, and spend life with my head in the clouds. To that, I say nay.

Yes, this is Maria Isabella Farmer. I once was a shy, timid, little Muggle girl with not a care in the world! Somehow, though, my life was turned upside down tragically by a simple letter, and a miracle. And believe me, miracles do happen. Why do I know? I know because I am a perfect example of a miracle. That came out wrong. I know because an extroadinary miracle has occured in my life. I'm magic.

It sounds stupid just saying it, doesn't it? Hm. Well, I'll have to work on my introduction. Alas, 'tis true. I, Maria Isabella Farmer, am a Witch-In-Training at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes, I, of all people, have been chosen to attend. Already, I have seen dozens of examples of magic, and I have been thoroughly convinced that this is not all just a pleasant dream. How do I know? I don't. But sometimes you just need to believe in the impossible.

Neither of my parents is magic, but they think my siblings may be. I hope they are, too, because I'd like for them to be here with me so I'm not all alone. I think one of my little sisters may be sorted into Hufflepuff, like me. It seems like the Hufflepuffs are rare around the school, and it makes me feel kind of lonely sometimes.

Ah, well. This is my introduction to my story. It's a little short, but I don't want to waste too much paper. I mean, after all, who knows how many adventures and experiences a kid could have at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Yours truly,

Maria Isabella Farmer
Lone Hufflepuff

[mariaisabella]

Well, today was an interesting day. I took up a job at Diagon Alley, where I sell wands to people. It's an interesting job, because I get to meet all of the people there. I met a girl, named Morganna, who is in Gryffindor. I became really good friends with her. We witnessed a fight outside of the shop, but it was settled quickly. I'm not all that sure what the fight was about, but it was certainly interesting.

Well, Morganna left, and several other people entered. The job is definitely a keeper. I've already gotten some pay from it, and I must say, it pays off rather well. It's a short entry, but I just wanted to tell you about my job.

Yours Truly,

Maria Isabella Farmer
Obi-Wand-Kanobi

[mariaisabella]

Charms classes were today. Morganna and I sat together, but we weren't the only ones there. This other boy came and sat with us. His name was Nicodemus Grey. When he came in at first, I was slightly amazed. Well, you might be shocked to if a boy came in with spikes for hair. He came in, and introduced himself. At first, I was how I usually was. You know, shaking at the knees, and completely nervous. He was so sweet, and I suppose that is what caused me to be so nervous. Not that being nervous is uncommon for me, of course.

Well, he seemed to figure that I was nervous, so he toned it down a bit. That I am greatful for. We talked for a while, and I was a little afraid that Morganna was feeling a smidge left out. Luckily, Charms class started. We learned quite a few Charms. One of them I am using right now, writing this. It is 'Lumos'. It lights up the tip of your wand. It was pretty easy to do, but I figured I'd practice it all the same. I decided to come out here at night. I know I'm not supposed to, but I'm not all that far from my dormitory, and I assumed that I could run if anyone caught me. If Hufflepuff lost Housepoints because of me, I don't think I'd have an easy time forgiving myself.

Anyway, I tried out one spell in front of the class. It wasn't too hard, but it took me a couple of tries. Nico tried one, too. He summoned one of the chests towards him, and it hit him really hard in the face. I felt absolutely horrid. It must have been truly embarrassing for him to do that in the middle of class. The Headmistress fixed it, though. His nose had been bleeding really badly. I'm glad she healed it quickly, or I might have been sick. I'm fairly squeamish when it comes to blood.

He seemed pretty upset about it, and I tried to make him feel better. Class ended soon after, though, so I didn't get to talk to him very much afterwards. I don't know how I feel about Nico. He's so different. Nico seems to like me, though. Okay, maybe not like me as in date me, but maybe like me as a friend. He's a Slytherin, but I just can't seem to figure out why he was put there.

Yours Truly,

Maria Isabella Farmer
Confused, But Charmed

[mariaisabella]

I'm sitting here on the steps in the Great Hall. Honestly, I'm writing purely out of boredom. I suppose I could tell you about the little bit of what has been happening to me recently, but that would be rather boring, since practically nothing has happened since I last wrote. I'd sigh, but since those physical actions are highly difficult to put onto paper without some measure of effort, I'll just sit here and write about stuff that really doesn't matter.

Or . . . not. I've just heard footsteps, so I think I might find out who it is. I'll be back to write later.

Maria Isabella Farmer
Nothing To Write

[mariaisabella]

Tragedy strikes for Maria Isabella Farmer and family. There's alot to write about I suppose. Firstly, I apologize I haven't written in so long, anyone who's snooping in my journal must be really bored out of his or her mind when I forget to write. It's a little difficult, however, when one is upset, to write about a depressing topic so you must excuse my absence.

I received a letter from St. Mungo's telling me that my family had been attacked while I was at school. My family wasn't doing all that great. I got there as quickly as I could, so I was shocked when I found out I was too late to do any good. My father was dead, my sister's memory was lost, my other sister had stopped speaking, my mother was beaten up rather badly, and poor little Byran was unconscious for weeks. They'd had to feed him potions to keep him alive.

Even worse, Morganna, my first friend here at Hogwarts, has died. I'm still a little shaken over it all. It's been a tough year. At the funeral, I told Nico all that had been going on, through a curtain of tears, of course. He let me cry a bit, and told me that he loved me, and that he would always be there for me.

Yes, anyone reading this has now done a rather picture perfect double-take, made for the movies, just as I did. What Nico doesn't know is that though I dismissed what he said rather quickly, my heart fluttered a bit, and honestly I had to do something before I said something rather stupid. I'm afraid that when I'm nervous, it's quite difficult to get the entire thought process out into words, and people have a hard time understanding my jumbled sentences, even though they make perfect sense to me.

So, I'm over things, but I'm afraid Aly is not. My sister isn't keen on going to Hogwarts with me. I think she's afraid of magic, now, and doesn't want to have anything to do with it. Nico said he'd talk to her a bit, but I'm wondering how much it will help. I miss talking to Aly. Alex is coming to, but I don't think that'll make any difference. She's completely lost her memory and personality. It's like watching a three year old child make her way through a world of teenagers. I feel really bad, but I think what she needs is for people to treat her like they normally would if it were . . . different. Maybe it'll help jog her memory. I don't know.

Well, gotta get to bed. Classes start tomorrow, and I don't want to be tired.

Maria Isabella Farmer
Dealing with Death

[mariaisabella]

Well, term has started, and I must say, it seems to be going quite well. My sisters are both here and seem to be doing fine. Alyson is talking again. I was most worried about little Aly, after all, but I think that Nico must have talked to her, because she seems to be taking learning magic seriously. Alex enjoys it here too, but I must say that it's heart-wrenching to watch her wander around the school with no idea of who she was.

And then I'd talked to Sprightly. She wasn't right in the head that morning. At least, that's how she seemed. I don't know what happened exactly, but whatever it was had upset her greatly. I talked to her for a bit, though, that class. She was rambling a bit about a boy, and how we were alike in a couple of ways because of it. I was completely lost as to most of what she said, but I'm thinking that the boy was Nico, since he really is the only guy I am ever around at Hogwarts, and Sprightly seems to have known him for ages.

I'd invited her to come to Hogsmeade with me and my sisters. I'd thought it would be good for my sisters to meet my friends, so that they would feel more comfortable. But then things got confusing. Sprightly had seemed delighted that I considered her a friend, but then she seemed to begin babbling again. This time, she said that the only other friends she had ever made were the ones who liked to sneak kisses. Now, normally, I would have blinked at that, but I wasn't given the time, because Sprightly turned pink and said, "Oh, no . . . not Nic!"

It turns out that Sprightly had thought that I was dating Nico . . . or something of the sort. And that was when I started babbling. I had known what Nico had said to me, but I'd pushed it all aside. Probably because it was unbelievable. After all, hadn't he and Sprightly been a thing? I'd just always assumed it was so. And I was right, apparently.

Sprightly said that they were supposed to be married. I was still a little off balance, or else I might have been upset. Or maybe I wouldn't have been. It's all very confusing. I guess it does hurt that he's taken, but there's nothing I can do except be a good friend. Well, and she told me that she wanted Nico to be happy, and that's why she had lied and stepped back from the plate. She said that if I would ever hurt Nico, she would eat my heart, and I really believed that she loved him.

So, I'm in a bit of a situation right now. Poor Sprightly has given her heart, mind, and soul to Nico, and he seems to be ignoring her. She's in even more of a state than at the beginning of the year, and I just know that Nico is causing it. He could help her out, but he's not, and it's all because of me. I know that Sprightly stepped back from the plate, and it was very noble, but I think it might be high time that someone dragged her back out. And Nico as well. I have no idea what I'm going to do . . . but there's got to be some way to get the two of them communicating properly again. If I can just get the two of them to talk, everything should go back.

Maria Isabella Farmer
Trapped in a Downward Spiral

[mariaisabella]

It just keeps coming, doesn't it? I can't write it down now, but let's just say that I'm a member of a team, now. I don't like it. The 'coach' is a 'bully'. I really just wish that it would all go away. Gyan says he might be able to help, but I just don't know anymore. Maybe it's where I'm supposed to be. Maybe I should stop fighting it.

But then what about friends and family? I know that Nico would probably shun me, not to mention what my mother would do. No doubt they will forget all about me if I spend the rest of my life under the 'influence' of the 'dragon'. I'm stuck for now.

Maria Isabella Farmer
Slayer