WELCOME TO DREAMWIDTH, HERO...

[ The video opens on the close-up view of a decidedly frazzled and impatient Ginny Weasley. Her hair is tied back, but the odd strand has escaped her ponytail. There’s a powdery smudge of sugar on her cheek, and a few darkly coloured spots on her apron that could be the signature of any one of the myriad of spices she’s integrating into her mixture. She steps back, allowing the camera to get a glimpse of her rather messy kitchen. Trays of undecorated baked goods such as cookies, cupcakes and a chocolate log can be seen in the background. Ginny eyes the video. ]

Is this working? I’ve never done it hands-free before, I hope it doesn’t cut out. [ She pauses for a minute. When it seems to keep recording, she shrugs and looks a bit more satisfied. She had stopped working to switch the comm on, so now she lifts a large mixing bowl and resumes her stirring. ]

Right. Thing is, I’m making Christmas Cake. I know you can buy them, but my mum always made everything at home, and it’d just feel wrong to do anything else.

[ She glances into the bowl, breathes out a huff of air and looks back at the camera. ]

I got a recipe off that…internet searchy thing, but there were a thousand different types, and nowhere seems to agree on how long this takes.

Some of them say, oh two-to-three hours in the oven, no problem. But then others talk about weeks of waiting before you put the icing on, so what do I do?

And I’ve not even started the mince pies or Christmas pudding yet.

[ There’s a pause while she lifts a smaller glass bowl filled with dried fruit. ]

Oh, and. George, Fred? Can you bring home some brandy for me, please? It’ll not be right without it, but the shop wouldn’t let me buy any. Thanks.

[ The video opens with a very close-up view of a large brown eye, which is frowning directly into it. Then it pulls back, the image jerking and jostling until it shows all of Ginny’s face. She has set the camera down on a desk. Her long red hair is pulled up in a tail behind her head. ]

Working…? Think so. Still not very used to this thing. I swear I must have lost it at least four times already. Anyway.

[ Ginny sits back in a chair in front of the camera and smiles at it. ]

So I’ve been hearing a lot about these ‘movie’ things that people have here. Thing is, I’ve never been to one. But they sound brilliant, so I think I ought to fix that.

Do any of you have a favourite movie? And do any of you fancy actually going to one of them, later? Maybe a whole bunch of us could go. Might be fun. Let me know if you fancy it!