[Correspondence by owl December 30, 1977]

Dearest, stupidest cousin Sirius,

You never can fail to be a complete arsehole, can you? I do have feelings, you know, even if I seem to have lost contact with them at the moment.

Severus is a pawn, you buffoon. He's weak, though he has potential buried in those lanky bones. A pawn is nothing more than a pawn, Sirius. Understand that when you're in the fight of your life, and you have orders to follow, age is suddenly immaterial. Would I be presumptuous to ask if you're jealous? I dare say there might be room for one more on our side; but I'm only permitted to become involved with the kind of ruffian wizards sanctioned as useful.

Although use, dearest cousin, is negotiable.

One more thing before my tea is finished: snap out of it. This little rebellious phase of yours has gotten quite out of hand. I blame that fat dumpy dore and the impressionability of young minds. Of course once you graduate in the spring you won't be subject to them anymore. Your mother tells me not to fret, that boys will be boys.

Shouldn't you seventeen by now? Tell me, do you consider yourself a boy?

XX,

Bellatrix