Maito Gai

A last-minute mission delayed my departure, so I could not accompany my PRECIOUS PROTOGE on his FIRST JOURNEY ABROAD. I'm glad now that he doesn't know I'm coming. Accomplishing the trip by himself will improve his concentration and confidence, and get him off to a good start for his first year at Hogwarts. What will he say when he finds out I've been studying there for three years!? Our community's rule of secrecy, as important as it's been with all the politics going around these days, has some definite drawbacks. But I started late, just as he's doing, and he has a good work ethic and a wizarding family to back him up. Now that his talent is developing, there's no way he can fail!

England is likely to be cold and damp. I'll barely have time to get to Platform 9-3/4 after my mission. Even I cannot Apparate that far from here. (Someday I will, though. That's a promise!!) Hokage the Third, our beloved chief wizard, prepared a Portkey to get me to England. In a few days I'll be standing outside the gates of the castle itself. THIS WILL BE THE YEAR OF A LIFETIME!!!!!!

I hope Lee settles in all right. Will he find a youthful rival to hone his spirits during his time of education? And which House will he end up in? Could it be mine?? But no -- I'm certain that such a proud spirit could only be Sorted into Gryffindor.

Must think of some new challenges to spring on my own eternal rival. He may be a genius with talent beyond his years, but as of our last competition, we're almost even!!!! Since he didn't have a mission, he'll probably get to the train before I do. That's another point to him.... well, I'll win it back inside of a week, or else I'll do TWICE the usual amount of Potions homework! Either way, I come out ahead!!