The final decision on the thief and location

Well, I remain stumped.

I don't think it's Draco, as I thought we were led to believe the thief was a vampire.

And, as we were led to think that it could be actually in the muggle world, vice HP world, that would leave out any place like the Malfoy Mansion, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, or Hogwarts (more specifically Room of Requirement).

And, as we need more specific than a country, less specific than a city, I'm thinking you need to know a region, so I'd say somewhere in the UK the mid regions around London? Scotland? That's a region. Great Britain?

I have no idea. But time is drawing near and we have to have some sort of answer, don't we?

So, I'll say, the region of Great Britain because it's not a city.

(Deep down, personally, if it were in the HP world, I'd say it's in the Room of Requirement because all roads out of Diagon Alley and Hogsmead join to Hogwarts in one way or another either beneath the Whomping Willow or through the Room of Requirement or the One-Eyed Witch Passage.)

There, I think I've covered everything and I'm as vague as the clues seem to me!

Winnie's Pilfered Package

Okay, so, SirDancealot and I (that would be Gryphon the Great and I) have sat her pondering and wondering if the letters were all correct.

We quickly got the 9 letter word, but in trying to decipher the remaining letters, we seemed to come up a vowel short.

So, we have decided that perhaps there was a smudge on the first set of letters sent to us from Winnie, and perhaps one of the green letters should have been a U?

That would make the mystery words: Stolen Quidditch World Cup Trophy!

We hope we are correct!

Winnie? Where are you?

I'm going to say, by the clues, that Winnie needed garlic for some reason, and crosses, so she went to Rome. Perhaps Vatican City for the crosses? But Italy for the garlic, most assuredly.

As for after that, maybe she's in Transylvania?

Again with the hidden message of darkened letters. I still haven't figured out that puzzle, but we've been so busy with muggle holiday preparation ... most specifically, Nutcracker, that I have not been able to piece these letter together. Her latest: HPCHWPYIQ . Wonder if we'll find out?

She has also written that she is heading to a place where Christmas began. I can only think of a couple things here, and the quickest to mind is Bethlehem, in Judea, the City of David. For, that is where Christ was born! Now, if we go back further, I cannot recall where the Holy Spirit visited Mary, so if Winnie's going that far back, I don't know as I can answer that question.

At first I thought she was going to the North Pole, what with it being so cold, but again, I'm at a quandary, so everything is a guess!

Again with the letters. This time: IR. Hmmm?