Editor Note: This was sent to us at Owl Post with the simple request to publish it. Now excuse me while I go sob into my pillow.
DEAR HOGWARTS,
IT’S BEEN A VERY LONG, WEIRD, EXHAUSTING AND WONDERFUL ADVENTURE. SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE SPAN OF SEVEN YEARS, THAT IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE WHO WE USED TO BE WHEN WE FIRST CROSSED THAT LAKE. NOW WE’RE GRADUATING, WITH A TRUNK LOAD OF MEMORIES, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.
TRULY, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW EXACTLY YOU’LL CHANGE IN SEVEN YEARS. SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN THAT NO ONE COULD FULLY PREDICT. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, HOGWARTS IS FULL OF EXTREMES TO PREPARE US FOR THE WIZARDING WORLD. I FEEL BOTH READY AND TERRIFIED.
THAT FEELING SEEMS COMMON AMONGST ANYONE WHO IS STEPPING OUT OF THE REALMS OF CHILDHOOD AND INTO FULL FLEDGED ADULTHOOD, BUT PERHAPS BEING A WITCH OR WIZARD AMPLIFIES THAT FEELING TENFOLD. CHANGE, WHILE INEVITABLE, IS ALWAYS BOTH FRIGHTENING AND EXCITING.
I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THE PROFESSORS AND FRIENDS WHO WALKED WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY. THOSE WHO GAVE ME ADVICE, EVEN IF I DIDN’T WANT TO LISTEN, BECAUSE I THOUGHT FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT SOME LESSONS ARE BETTER LEARNED THE HARD WAY. THOSE WHO MADE ME LAUGH WHEN I NEEDED IT, AND THOSE WHO ALLOWED ME TO CRY AND EVEN CRIED WITH ME.
TO THOSE WHO HAVE YEARS YET TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS CASTLE, I URGE YOU TO CHERISH EVERY MOMENT. EXPLORE THE WORLD OF MAGIC AND POSSIBILITIES WE HAVE AROUND US, EVERY DAY. GROW AS A HUMAN BEING, AND BETTER YOURSELF AS A PERSON. NEVER TAKE THE ONES YOU LOVE FOR GRANTED. TIME IS A FICKLE THING. IT WILL MAKE YOU THINK YOU HAVE SO MUCH OF IT LEFT TO ENJOY THIS CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE. BUT BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, IT’S GONE AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE ON AND CHANGE INTO SOMETHING NEW, AS IF WE ARE ALL PHOENIXES BEING REBORN WHEN A PERIOD OF OUR LIFE COMES TO AN END.
TO THOSE WHO ARE GRADUATING WITH ME, I WISH YOU LUCK, SAFETY, AND PROSPERITY IN ALL OF YOUR ADVENTURES. THE WORLD IS WIDE AND WAITING.
SINCERELY, A SEVENTH YEAR
