The Headmaster Albus Dumbledore
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Sir:

It is with greatest honour that we, the brothers of the Northern Order of Mian-Ju-Tao, greet you.

In pursuit of our continued aims to build unity with the other magical communities of the world, our Order is once again sending a new student to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Fifty years in the past, Hupi Xian of this Order has been sent to the school and he has brought back invaluable knowledge to our ranks. We are now sending to your esteemed tutelage his grand-nephew Hupi Jian.

Hupi Jian is fourteen years old in the Western calendar and is knowledgeable of the English language.

He has likewise shown aptitude in the mystic arts, an essential part of the Mian-Ju-Tao's core strengths.

Hupi Jian is prepared to join the students on their way to Hogwarts from the City of London this year. We are awaiting your kind acceptance and confirmation.

With thanks,

Chen Shun'u
Elder
The Mian-Ju-Tao Northern Order
China

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TO: Chen Shun'u, Elder
The Mian-Ju-Tao Northern Order
China

Many thanks for your kind greetings.

It will be a great honour to welcome Hupi Xian's grand-nephew to Hogwarts not only as a student but also as a representative of the venerable tradition of the Mian-Ju-Tao Northern Order.

Enclosed is a list of text books for both required and optional subjects for the Fourth Year of study at Hogwarts. Five options may be taken in addition to the six required subjects.

It may be that Hupi Jian will wish to discuss these options upon his arrival at the school before making his final selection.

I will advise our Prefects who will be in London preparing to travel to Hogwarts to watch for Hupi Jian.

With thanks,

Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

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Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Our utmost gratitude for your acceptance of our offer. We have received your reply and the list of implements necessary for Hupi Jian's education at your school.

We will be sending Hupi Jian to Diagon Alley, London on the day the Hogwarts Express departs for the opening of the present school term. He shall be at the Leaky Cauldron in the morning and can be distinguished by our saffron dress.

Our most sincere regards to you, your distinguished staff and all the students of Hogwarts.

All our best,

Chen Shun'u, Elder
The Mian-Ju-Tao Northern Order
China

To: Prof. Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts

Sir,

I would like to once again thank you for all the help you had extended to me since my return to Hogwarts.

I have spent a financially fruitful summer working at the Three Broomsticks as the person in charge of drink inventory. My duties include mostly accounting of the comings and goings of stock and I did find the time to brush up on my studies with the books you suggested I read.

Sir, this is to inquire about my current status at school. By standing I am a fourth year. Will that still hold? Or will I have to retake some subjects on the lower years?

This has been my concern, sir, as I will be leaving for Diagon Alley in a few days to buy my necessary supplies for the upcoming school year.

Thank you very, very much again.

Very truly yours,

L.E.V.

The Three Broomsticks

Hogsmeade

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To Luis Enrique Verga

I am pleased to hear that you have had a rewarding *and* peaceful summer.

I feel as discussed that it would be wisest for you to take up your studies at Fourth Year level picking up where you left off. I am sure you need no reminder to continue to exercise caution especially during your visit to Diagon Alley.

Also may I suggest that you avoid Knockturn Alley during your visit. I am aware that often that the returning Slytherin students enjoy expeditions into this shopping area before their return to school. Try to avoid peer pressure!

May constant vigilance remain your watchword!

Best wishes,

Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster

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Prof. Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts

Sir,

Thank you for the advice and the encouragement. Rest assured that whatever novelty Knockturn Alley holds no longer holds for me. Not when one has been with the likes of Z.D. himself. I am too concerned to risk my life, sir, so you have no problem about my wanderings.

Sir, I have been toying with the idea of using a Fidelius Charm. Will consult with you on this once the term has begun.

With much gratitude,

L.E.V

Dear Headmaster,

I am writing in regards to my granddaughter, Nicola Pheidippides.

While I never approved of having her schooled in England when my son was alive, that was his wish. After the regrettable incident in June, I had thought to send her to the Skoli Magikos here in Greece.

Unfortunately, due to her poor marks in some of the most important classes, (Herbology, History of Magic, Transfiguration), she was not accepted. While most of the blame belongs with her, I find this quite unacceptable for a school of Hogwarts' calibre.

If her marks do not improve, I shall have to find her a private tutor and bring her back home to Greece until she can be accepted to the Skoli Magikos. I feel quite certain she would not be pleased by this.

Regards,

Hecate Pheidippides

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The Headmaster had written a formal reply to Hecate Pheidippides.

He had thought that Niki's grades were quite acceptable and that she had managed to sit her exams at all was a testimony to her willpower though he was tactful in his reply to her grandmother.

The woman was obviously insensitive to the traumas that her granddaughter had undergone the previous year - the deaths of both her brother and father.

Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Lord Albus-sama,

It is with the greatest honour that I extend to you my warmest summer greetings, Headmaster. I am right now spending my summer with Melanie, the sister of Gryffindor Prefect Jonathan Sinclair. I had been invited to spend the summer with her as a horticulture specialist.

Sinclair-san has very kindly seen to my safety and comfort this summer and I am very much grateful.

Headmaster, rest assured that I am very well and looking forward to spending the next three years at Hogwarts-dojo.

I have not yet received any word about the progress of Kanjou-sama's Quest for Voldemort or any of the Death Eaters. The Kossawa have not sent me any word either. These, however, do not dampen my decision to return.

I hope your summer has been blessed by the gods, kind Headmaster.

Your student,

Kossawa no Shinrei Hikari

Post word:

Headmaster, I hope you will like this blue and gold kimono that I have sent with my letter. Please accept such as a token of my gratitude for your very kind welcome of me at Hogwarts.

Shinrei

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The Headmaster was delighted with the kimono and had written back expressing his thanks. He was relieved that Shinrei's summer had been passed in the environment provided by Jon Sinclair's sister and Melanie Stewart had kept him informed regularly.

He remained concerned about the motivation behind Kanjou's Quest. Was it just as he and Emrys speculated the desire for a worthy adversary or were there deeper issues?

For any number of reasons he was glad that Moody's protégé - Malcolm Ward would be returning to reside in Gryffindor Tower. It was also a good complimentary position to Randal Fudge's in Slytherin and allowed the friction between them to appear more natural. Of course over the summer the two boys might well have become best friends - who knew?

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Jon-kun,

My warmest greetings to you. I would like to once again express my gratitude for giving me the

opportunity to spend the summer with your sister. I call her Melanie-chan now. She will not allow me to call her Melanie-sama.

I hope you have by now received the photographs I have sent you of the garden. I had a wonderful time cultivating the bonsai; kuromatsu species are a personal favourite of mine and the whole place is filled with them now. Midway through the autumn season, I am certain that the cherry trees will blossom as well. For now I am glad they are fully grown and have very strong roots.

I have received my letter from Hogwarts regarding my needs as a Fourth Year. I will be at Diagon Alley on the day the Hogwarts Express leaves for school; your very kind sister has arranged for my travel through the Floo Network.

I hope to meet you at the Leaky Cauldron. I would be very much thankful if you will accompany me in buying my school things. I do not know, but I am not very comfortable with this thing they call "shopping."

By the way, Jon-kun, I have decided to try out for the position of Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team if they should have an opening. As you are reserve Keeper, I deem you better than myself in the position. I have learned to appreciate the challenges of being a Chaser during our practices this summer.

Yours sincerely,

Shinrei

Post word:

I have enclosed with this letter a package containing a scarlet kimono. It is for you. I have embroidered a golden Gryffindor lion at the back. If the Quidditch team will allow me, I will make similar robes for them for this coming year of play.

As you already know, I have spent some of my earnings in buying sewing material to pursue my kimono-making projects. I have already sent a blue kimono with a multicoloured dragon to Sarah Taverner and a red kimono with an intricate cross-stitch pattern of the Quiberon Quafflepunchers to Yvette Monclere.

Shinrei

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Jon was delighted to hear from Shinrei about the proposed trip to Diagon Alley. He'd been hoping she might be going there but hadn't wished to assume he would be her escort. Even though he had summered in Scotland it was traditional for students to visit Diagon Alley and then travel back to the school via the Hogwarts Express.

Dear Shinrei,

I would enjoy very much meeting you in Diagon Alley and be your guide to that street. Father has finally confirmed that with the excellent results of my OWLs that I may once again play Quidditch at school. He has even said that I may have a new broom - cart blanche - which basically means any broom I want. So a trip to Quality Quidditch Supplies will definitely be high on our agenda!

This will be the crucial year for whether I become Head Boy in my final year so I am going to have to make sure I remain focused.

I love the kimono and I am sure that Yvette and Miss Taverner will also be delighted. Melanie is over the moon about the garden. I look forward to seeing it for my self.

Professor Dumbledore has written to me about a new student from China who will be travelling via the Express and also getting his supplies in the Ally.

I am not sure whether he is to be sorted formally or whether the decision has been made to place him in Gryffindor. I would be shocked if he wasn't with us or Ravenclaw though. It could be he has written a similar letter to the Ravenclaw Prefects.

I shall see you at the Leaky Cauldron in a few days time.

Best wishes,

Jon

Welcome to the 4th Year at Hogwarts.

This year we have added a few subjects that some students have asked about. We hope that there will be enough uptake in these classes this year and that none have to be dropped like Alchemy last year. Note that the Alchemy option no longer conflicts with Arithmancy as it did last year.

You will still be required to take the following options: Transfiguration, HoM, DADA, Charms, Potions and Herbology.

We have added the following new subjects as options:

Magical Languages - This includes ancient languages that are used for spell casting, for example Latin. It compliments the Ancient Runes option that must be taken in conjunction with this option. Hopefully this will help for spell creation and understanding.

Alchemy - The option as offered for the 3rd Year. However only those who had good grades in potions at the end of the third year may take this option.

Myth, Folklore and Magic - Covers the more mythical aspects of history and magic combined.

Hidden Talents - inc. Dream magic, Borrowing, Animagi (not practical though), Fire Wizards, Artefact programming (O). A range of skills that not all wizards know in these days, but includes some of the more unusual techniques.

Of course the following options have been kept from last year. CoMC, Duelling, Ancient Runes, Divination, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies

Please note that the options of Alchemy and Astronomy cannot both be taken. Nor can Divination be taken as well as Hidden Talents, nor Myth, Folklore and Magic with Muggle Studies.

Please ensure that the books that you need for these subjects are collected from Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley before you return to school.

Professor Minerva McGonagall
Dept Head-Teacher

Svensk Magidepartmentet
Betjäning Uggla Diplomatisk

For the attention of Professor Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts
From Joakim Karlsson

My Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I hope I find you well this day, and that you are readily prepared for your imminent invasion! Yours is a job which I most certainly do not envy. For sure it is a much easier job in my office than yours!

I must thank you most kindly for agreeing to take young Magnus into your school. It is a weight most firmly from my mind to know that he will be safely within the boundaries of your control for the coming 4 years. If the spirits permit, he may even decide he prefers your country to my own!

I understand that the policy of your school is to generally allow the students to choose their own options when entering the new school year, however I wish to suggest that on this occasion circumstances are different.

For sure, Magnus will have his own ideas about which subjects he wishes to pursue in his academic career, but there are certain weaknesses in his basic knowledge that I have been unable to fill, despite my continued best efforts. Alas my ministerial duties do not allow me sufficient times to drum these things into this boy's thick skull!

The optional classes which you offer that I think Magnus should attend are:

Arithmancy
Magical Languages
Runes
Divination
Muggle Studies

I ask also that you arrange for him some, how do you say? grundläggande? [OC: remedial, or as close as] classes in anything which it becomes apparent that he is lacking sufficient skills for his age.

Tack vare dig på grund av din insats

Joakim

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My dear Joakim,

A pleasure, as always, to hear from you! I have noted your comments regarding young Magnus, and have incorporated the options you suggest into his new timetable.

I know what it is to have students who need to have their decisions 'made' for them from time to time. Doubtless Magnus will either complain or question this decision, but I am sure he will see that things have been done for his benefit.

As regards extra studies - it is a shame we have lost our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Anders Grimalkin (half-Swedish, oddly enough: isn't it strange how the world turns?). He took some time out to give extra study help to one of our other students last term and this worked out famously. Again, I am sure that something can be worked out - leave it with me.

Are you planning on visiting any time this term? I do hope so: there are many developments in the wizarding world that I am sure we can find to discuss.

Take care, and my regards to your family and fellow wizards at the Ministry,

Albus Dumbledore