Dear Hogwarts,
I’ve never been one to struggle with writing letters, no matter how dramatic the occasion. Being brilliant helps, of course, but the main reason is that I’ve always held strongly to the belief that the best way to say something is exactly how you want to say it, and if the other can’t handle your unfiltered thoughts, they simply weren’t worth speaking with to begin with.
Bearing that in mind, it’s quite a strange feeling to be staring at a blank piece of parchment for what I’m sure is going to have been an embarrassing amount of time when I work up the courage to look at the clock. My conundrum is that I don’t know exactly what I want to say to all of you. “Ta-ta and thanks for the scars” came to mind, but it seemed a little short.
If you’d asked me eight years ago what my time at Hogwarts was going to be like, I would’ve told you I was going to smash it academically, that everybody was going to love me, and that it was all going to be a terrible bore. I was right about the first two (brilliant, even then!) but now all these years later, I see thestrals.
I’ve been face to face with some of the most dangerous wixen in recent history, almost snuffed it half a dozen times, been attacked by dragons and dementors, developed an unfortunate but I think quite healthy fear of overly large snakes, old undocumented instruments & suspicious furniture. I’ve been lit on fire, watched a civil war start, and all of that without even touching on what you lot have put me through over the years.
Nowadays I can smell conspiracy on the wind like it’s some malignant fart of the universe, and my ears start twitching whenever somebody’s plotting murder within a hundred meters of me.
No, it hasn’t been boring.
They say “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Well, sometimes it rips off your limbs and that’s hardly an improvement, but Hogwarts embodies that philosophy better than anywhere else in this world. I’ve learned a lot here. Much of it’s been about magic, yes, but more of it’s been about being — gag — human. It’s taught me the value of occasionally climbing down from my high horse, even though it’s very nice and safe up there, and making embarrassing admissions like, “there’s actually one or two things that I might not be utterly amazing at” and “I actually kind of like and respect some of you”.
This is statistically the best way to start one of these, by the way; bit of melodramatic rambling to get everybody warmed up.
Merlin I’m good.
Now, what dazzling words of wisdom do I have to share with you all now that we’re finally going to be out of each other’s hair? Don’t try to jump out of the way from a spell that’s already flying towards you; it’s faster than you and shield charms are far more reliable? When interacting with a turned Werewolf do not rub their bellies; it’s only going to make things awkward later? No, Edna and the Whomping Willow are not your friends just because you think you have a “green thumb”? Don’t hug the Dragon? Study hard if you want to succeed?
Trite. You can learn common sense on your own time. Instead, I’m gonna tell you some of the things I wouldn’t want you to hear while you were my problem. I see how some of you go about, all dead-eyed smiles and popular opinions, trying to be nice to the nice people and dropping your eyes to the ground when the mean ones come around, going quiet and waiting patiently for another easy and non-threatening topic to come around so you can another crack at the same limp conversation you’ve had with the same people a thousand times before because it’s oh so predictable and safe.
Timidity, my dear future troublemakers, is a terrible affliction. One that will rot your potential like nothing else can. It will stifle your personality. You’ll meet a thousand people and all any of them will ever have to say about you is that you’re alright, and alright is all you’ll think of yourself. The path to mediocrity is paved with time spent waiting. Your moment is not coming; the world will not shift just to get you off your arse.
So, my advice? Fight against mediocrity with tooth and nail. Be the best and the worst version of yourself. Find out where your heart lies and defend it against all comers, whether it be popular or not. Start a fight. Jinx somebody under the table. Barge into a crowd of people and demand everybody’s attention, even if you have to scream and wave your arms to get it. Be annoying if you have to be, and know that it’s okay to be hated, so long as you are hated earnestly; you will be loved earnestly too. Stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. Be somebody’s problem. Don’t let your thoughts and dreams be only that. Have a terrible, wonderful time.
I know I did.
Your Head Girl,
Octavia Amelia Callyn Dechants II
