Chapter 10 – Endless Letters for Tawny and Remus
Second Year
The day after Halloween marked an endless stream if letters arriving at the Lovegood-Lupin-Potter house. For months, what seemed like every morning, a letter from either Hogwarts, Dumbledore, or Harry was arriving by owl.
The first of the many mornings began with two letters, arriving together, both bearing the official Hogwarts Crest on the front of the envelope.
To the Parents/Guardians of the Children of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
On the eve of October 31st, a warning reading, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware," was found on one of the walls on the second floor of the castle. In addition to the warning, the caretaker, Mr. Filch's, cat was found petrified at the scene. At this time, we do not know who is responsible for this incident, but we do no suspect that as student was involved. We have taken measures to ensure the depetrificaton of the cat, and are investigating who could be behind this act. As of now, we have no reason to believe that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. If evidence proves otherwise, we shall proceed to close the school and send the students home. There is no need for panic or fear. Fear of the unknown causes only pain, and is an unnecessary grievance on the heart. We will be providing more information as soon as we can.
Assistant Headmaster, Minerva McGonagall
Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore
Mrs. Lovegood and Mr. Lupin,
Do not be alarmed at the last correspondence from the school. If I believed the students of Hogwarts to be in danger I would close the school indefinitely. Harry is safe in the walls of the castle, and until proven otherwise, the school will remain open. I understand if you are worried, however, at this time I do not believe that Harry specifically has been targeted for any harm. Feel free to write me with your concerns.
Albus Dumbledore
"Dumbledore says not to worry, Tawny." Remus said, doing his best to calm her before she started freaking out over the letters.
"Was Dobby right?"
"We can't know for sure. Dumbledore doesn't seem to think so. Let's trust Dumbledore for now, okay?" Tawny nodded, and took a few deep breaths.
Later that morning when she arrived at her office, she wrote:
Harry,
Just checking in. I hope you're doing okay. Just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you today. Write back soon. I want to know how the Death Day party went.
Love, Tawny
After Harry's first Quidditch match of the year, two more letters arrived together.
Tawny and Uncle Remus,
Don't panic, but I'm in the hospital wing, again. Just a little Quidditch accident involving a rogue bludger. The bludger broke my arm, but the icing on the cake was when Professor Lockhart decided to heal my arm himself. Instead of fixing the bones in my arm, he made them all disappear. Madam Pomfrey has me on a healthy dose of Skele-Gro which I have to say, has nothing on pumpkin juice. She assured me I'll be fine, which is why I'm updating you before you hear about it and fear the worst. Love you guys.
Harry
To the Parents/Guardians of POTTER, HARRY
This is formal notice that your child is being treated in the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by POMFREY, POPPY
INJURY: Missing bones in left arm
INJURY ACQUIRED BY: Misuse of magic
COURSE OF TREATMENT: Skele-Gro potion, rest
TREATMENT TIME REQUIRED: Overnight stay
If you have questions regarding the health of your child, or for visitation (only allowed for staying in hospital wing longer than five days, in the case of a life-threatening injury, or under special permission from the headmaster), please contact Madam Poppy Pomfrey.
Matron, Madam Poppy Pomfrey
Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore
"I'm starting to think that the great danger that Dobby was talking about goes by the name of Gilderoy Lockhart." Remus said, taking a bite of his toast.
"He de-boned Harry's arm?"
"Sounds like it? Do you think he just didn't know the spell, or mixed it up?"
"I think he was trying to show off, and ended up making things worse." Tawny answered, setting down the letter Hogwarts notice. She waved her wand, refilling both hers and Remus's mugs.
"That is what Lockhart is known for these days."
"You've taken Skele-Gro before, right?"
"A few times. Not since I was in school though. Harry's right, it's disgusting. He'll be very happy to be drinking pumpkin juice again."
Soon after Harry's stay in the hospital wing, the two received a lengthy letter from Harry.
Tawny and Uncle Remus,
I may have a problem. With the attack on Mrs. Norris, Professor Dumbledore entrusted Professor Lockhart and Professor Snape to give dueling lessons to anyone that wishes. Why would I wish to join a class with my two least favorite professors teaching it? That's a brilliant question, which I couldn't tell you the answer to. I went to the first lesson, and Professor Lockhart, who has seemed to transfer his obsession over Tawny to me, picked me for the first official round. Snape, who lives to torture me, chose Malfoy to compete against me. Even though the rules were to only disarm your opponent, neither Malfoy nor I seemed to pay attention to that one. Malfoy managed to use the, 'serpensortia,' spell against me and conjured a snake. To no one's surprise, Lockhart tried to be the hero, again, and failed to vanquish the snake. Here is where it gets… strange. The snake tried to go after this Hufflepuff kid, Justin Finch-Fletchley, so I tried stopping the snake by talking to it. Well… it worked. The snake listened to me, and didn't attack Justin long enough for Snape to finish off the snake. Here's the problem: everyone was scared of my conversation with the snake. Ron told me that I wasn't speaking English. Instead he thought I was speaking Parseltongue. Do you think that could really happen? Can I really talk to snakes? Regardless, everyone now thinks that I'm the one that wrote the message on the wall, and that I'm the heir of Slytherin. They're wrong, aren't they? You guys would tell me if I was somehow related to Salazar Slytherin, right? Of course, you would. Besides, I would know if I wrote the message on the wall and petrified Mrs. Norris, right? How could I forget something like that? Love you guys.
Harry
P.S. I might have signed up to stay at the castle over holiday. I know is should have talked to you about it first, but Hermione is staying, and Ron and I don't want her to be all alone.
"He can speak Parseltongue? Did you know he could do that?" Tawny asked, re-reading Harry's letter.
"Do you remember that one time when Harry was six, and we took him to the zoo?"
"Of course, but what does that have to do with him speaking to snakes."
"After we visited the reptile exhibit, he told us that he talked to one of the snakes. Harry said that the species of snake was native to Brazil, but that he had never been. That the snake wanted to go home to South America."
"Six-year-old Harry said all of that?" Tawny asked, smirking and crossing her arms in disbelief.
"Yes, just not that eloquently, Tawny."
"He wasn't showing signs of magic at six. You're telling me he's been able to talk to snakes for that long?"
"He could've been making it up. Kids to have vivid imaginations. But, Tawny if he can talk to them now, mostly likely he could then."
"So, he can talk to snakes, you don't think those kids are right?"
"No, they couldn't be. I once went through the Potter lineage with Fleamont. Why? It was interesting, okay? Anyway, the family tree showed nothing about Harry or James being related to Salazar Slytherin."
Harry,
The last person on earth that should be teaching dueling is Lockhart. Snape, I can understand. But, Lockhart. No.
There is absolutely no proof that you are the Slytherin's heir.
The only way to forget if you wrote the message on the wall if you were put under the 'obliviate' spell. That spell, depending on how deeply it was cast, can cause temporary-indefinite memory loss. Have you been having any blackouts? Or can't remember long periods of time? If not, then you haven't been obliviated.
As for the Parseltongue, that is incredibly rare, but very likely. If everyone in the room claimed that you were speaking to the snake, the most likely scenario is that you are. While speaking in Parseltongue has been associated with dark wizards, such as Lord Voldemort, that does not mean the same for you. It is simply a rare trait that you have been gifted with. Maybe it'll come in handy one day, like saving Justin.
We were sad to hear that you won't be coming home for the holiday. Tawny and I will miss you very much. However, we do hope that you have a Happy Christmas, and are proud that you are willing to give up your holiday at home to be there for your friend.
Remus
Just when they thought the petrification and the heir of Slytherin business was behind them, Tawny and Remus received two more letters from Hogwarts.
To the Parents/Guardians of the Children of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
It is my regret to inform you that two of our students have become petrified. As mentioned in the school's last correspondence, Madam Pomfrey is working on a plan to harvest the school's mandrake to make a cure for the petrification. The students, who shall remain nameless out of respect for them, and their family's, privacy, should make a full recovery once the potion is completed. I do not want to alarm you all. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will remain open until we see fit that there is a true threat at hand. If you are uncomfortable with your child remaining at the school, please contact us and you will can arrange safe transportation for you student to return home.
Assistant Headmaster, Minerva McGonagall
Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore
Mrs. Lovegood and Mr. Lupin,
Once again, please do not be alarmed at the school's previous correspondence. I assure you that I would not keep the school open if I believed that the students were in real danger. I do want to be open with you. Although we have not found the location of the Chamber, it is my opinion that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. By looking at the students that have been attacked, they are only ones that have been born of muggle lineage. How this information helps you personally: if the attacks follow the same pattern, this would exclude Harry from being a target. I am not sure if he has expressed these concerns to you, but I do not believe that Harry is responsible for these attacks on the students. Is strongly suggest keeping Harry enrolled at Hogwarts, until I believe otherwise. If you do wish to take Harry home, do so knowing that he will have to repeat his second year at Hogwarts, and against my recommendation.
Albus Dumbledore
"Dumbledore writes as if his recommendation is the only opinion that matters. We are his parents. Our opinions are just as important as his!" Tawny groaned, clutching Dumbledore's personal letter to them.
"Although he didn't phrase it the best way, he is trying to inform us that he thinks Harry is still safe. Surely Dumbledore would not purposefully keep Harry in harm's way."
"There is an ancient monster roaming the halls of Hogwarts and the headmaster is not choosing to close the school. If that doesn't scream poor decision I don't know what does!" The letter went flying across the room as she yelled.
"Our concern is Harry. I would rather us keep him from repeating his second year, if the headmaster thinks that he is still safe. The moment Dumbledore says otherwise, we pull him out. You may not trust Dumbledore at the moment, but you do trust me. Let's wait a little longer."
Tawny and Uncle Remus,
How well do you know Hagrid? I know that he was gamekeeper while you were both in school, but what else do you know about him? I have reason to believe that he was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets the first time, fifty-years ago. Do you think that Hagrid would be capable of something like that? By now you know that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Do you think that Hagrid opened it again? He couldn't have, right? Dumbledore wouldn't have kept him around all of these years if he really did open the Chamber, and would fire him now if he did open it again, right? Love you guys.
Harry
P.S. Have you ever heard of a diary that, I don't know, sucks you into the pages? Just wondering.
P.P.S. I got a valentine from Ginny. Don't make a big deal about it. I just thought you should know that.
"Hagrid originally opened the Chamber of Secrets?"
"That must have been why he was expelled from Hogwarts."
"Hagrid is one of the sweetest, most caring and people I've ever met. How could he have opened the Chamber of Secrets? How could he be the heir of Slytherin? I don't believe it."
Harry,
Remus and I have known Hagrid for a long time. He wasn't just a gamekeeper at Hogwarts. Just like you, he was our friend. He fought alongside us against Lord Voldemort during the war. He brought you to use the night your parents died. I'm not sure what your reasons are to believe that Hagrid could be behind this, but I sincerely hope you are wrong. Hagrid has no reason to hurt anyone, and I don't believe he would. As for your question on the diary: I have never heard of diary or a book that matter that pulls you into its pages. The only thing I know of that pulls you in are pensives. They are bowls that when you insert a memory, you are allowed to physically go inside the memory and observe what happened. I'll save the talk about Ginny sending you a valentine when you come home. I'll try not to make a big deal out of it, but I make no promises.
Love, Tawny
The last letter in the series came from Harry.
Tawny and Uncle Remus,
McGonagall called for Ron and me today. We aren't in trouble, but she wanted us to know that Hermione has been petrified. On the bright side, everyone believes I'm not the heir of Slytherin. I know, that's not the main concern here. Also, Hagrid has been taken to Azkaban by the Minister and Lucius Malfoy. Hagrid says he didn't open the Chamber, and I believe him. Especially since Ron and I might have sneaked into the Forbidden Forest to ask Hagrid's Acromantula what happened fifty-years ago. Yes, that was not the smartest idea, but we had to know the truth. If you're going to yell at me for sneaking off into the Forbidden Forest, could you at least send an angry letter instead of another howler? That would be much appreciated. Love you guys.
Harry
P.S. Completely unrelated question: Do either of you know how Moaning Myrtle died?
Lucky for Harry, the letter arrived after Tawny had left for work that morning. Instead of her freaking out, and sending him a howler, regardless of how politely he asked her not too, Remus wrote back.
Harry,
I'm terribly sorry to hear about Hermione and Hagrid. Neither of them deserve to be in their positions.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING GOING INTO THE FORBIDDEN FOREST ON THE SEARCH FOR A GIANT SPIDER THAT COULD SWALLOW YOU WHOLE IN ONE GULP?!
Okay, calming down now. Harry, for both mine and Tawny's sakes, please do not risk going into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night. There are dangerous creatures that live out there, and will mostly likely not just let you walk out if you cross them. I understand your quest for the truth, but there had to be other ways to find it.
Tawny did not see this letter, and I'm not going to show her because it will only cause her to panic when there is no need. So, do not mention your spider hunt to her please. I will tell her about Hermione and Hagrid though. You may expect a letter from her regarding them.
I am unaware about how Moaning Myrtle came to reside in the girl's bathroom. At the same time, I don't think anyone has bothered to ask her how she died. If you'd like to know, maybe you should start there.
Remus