A/N: Strikethroughs are hard to show on FFN so I put in a couple / when needed.

Summary: To write about Year one, we must first GET to Year One.

Hi Harry!

It's your bestest friend in the whole wide universe here! By the time you read this, I'll be back home in London. As promised, I've left my address at the top-left corner of the envelope. That's what you'll write down when you send your own letter back to me. I know I've already told you that, but sometimes it helps to write things down, you know? Oh! I've put some stamps in here, too. Make sure to put one on the envelope before you drop it off at the post box!

I hope things go well with child services. With any luck you will be away from the Dursleys by now. If anyone at the orphanage/foster home gives you any trouble, just let me know and I'll kick their butt for you! Really, let me know; or, at the very least, let my uncle John or aunt Sophie know. They live at 52 Yew Hill (in case you've forgotten). Uncle John probably won't kick anybody's butt, but he knows how to sweet talk or scare the bejesus out of grown ups. Mum says he's got karisma. Not sure what that is, exactly. Some kind of magic? That probably makes him a freak like me and you. Which is great, because us weirdos have to stick together! So make sure to tell us if anything goes wrong, Harry. After all, that's what friends are for!

Write back soon!

Melissa Bennett

P.S. Make sure to hide this letter on you at all times, or hide it where only you can find it.

Dear Melissa,

I'm sure you're wondering why I've written a letter for you as well as one for your parents. There are things that have come about in the past two days that you all should know about, but there are some things that I need to speak with your parents about privately.

Harry came to visit us yesterday. He has your letter, but says that he doesn't recall meeting you. He is also still living with his guardians. Sophie has spoken with his aunt, and she also doesn't recall any instance of being visited by child services, or that any officers were in the area on Easter. We aren't sure what to make of this. That said, we think it would be best if you address all of your letters to our home from now on. We will make sure Harry gets them whenever he can make it to our home, and will keep an eye out in case this issue happens again.

Harry has also written a message to you, which I've kept in the envelope.

Please be careful, Melissa.

Love,

Uncle John

Hi Harry,

That's awful! Are you okay? You don't have to apologize. It's really scary that you and the Dursleys don't remember what happened over Easter. Mum and Dad are worried, too. They've been talking to my uncle a lot since they read the other letter. I don't like that they aren't going to call 999 about it, but I think they're scared about something called a conspiracy. At least my uncle can help you. Try to come over to his place whenever you can.

Oh! Here's an idea! When you're done reading this letter you should call me on my uncle's phone! That way we can introduce ourselves all over again. It's, like, a friendship twice over. DOUBLE FRIENDS! That makes it even better, don't you think so?

So hurry off your butt and give me a call!

Yes, right now!

Off the chair, Harry!

This is going to be fun!

Talk to you in 20 seconds!

Melissa

Hi Melissa,

Happy birthday! I wish I can go to your party. It's sad that I can't ask the Dursleys to let me come over. Why can't we tell them that we're friends again?

Oh, your aunt just explaned why. That's okay. At leest I can still call you when I'm able to come over here.

School is almost over. I wish it wouldn't end. I don't want to spend all day at home all summer.

Harry

Hi Harry,

It was great celebrating your birthday last week. You have good taste in cakes! How have you been liking my present? Mum still thinks a prank book isn't a good idea, but it should be fine as long as you're careful. Just make sure to only use it at school. Let your aunt and uncle think it's someone else causing them. Sneakiness is a key to success!

Speaking of success, I was able to get an RC car to float, finally! This X-Men stuff is hard! I wonder if there's a better way to learn this stuff? Like Xavier's School for the Gifted. That would be neat!

Also, to answer your question, Uncle John is right. Making your aunt and uncle happy isn't a good enough reason to do worse than Dudley at school. If they wanted Dudley to be smarter than you, then they should be helping him study or get a tutor or something to get better grades. It's just another trick to make you forced to stay with them. Smart kids get scholarships to schools far away from home. They don't want you to have that chance, but we do! When you start school you can call me when you need help with homework. I'm older so I know what the teachers are going to teach.

See you,

Melly

Hi Melly,

I have huge news! I'm a mutant too! Yesterday I turned my /t/e/e/chers/ teachers wig blue! I don't no how I did that. So I have to be a mutant right? Whats that power called? Do you think I can make Dudleys face green? That would be funny. He still doesn't no who put sparkles in his gym shorts.

Does that mean I can go to a special school to? That wood be better than a s/k/cholarship school. Oh! but I'll still try to get to one. I'm studing well just like you said. Maybe we can be superheros when we grow up?

Harry

Harry,

That is SO COOL! I'm not sure what that power is called. Maybe a chromomorph? Chromatomorph? I'll try to look it up and see if I find anything. It would be funny to turn it green, but you'll get in a lot of trouble if they find out it was you. You should practice a lot, first. That way we can both go to a mutant school.

I don't want to be a superhero, I'd rather be a musician. Or be rich. If I can be both that would be the best! But you should totally be a superhero if that's what you want to do. I'll make you a costume and everything, but NO CAPES! ...I swear that will sound funnier if I say this in twenty years.

We'll talk about it more over Christmas, in person.

Melly

Melly,

You are not very good at jokes. Also, I want a cape. I have a drawing of it on the other page. That 2nd one sounds like a tomato. I'll say it's called chromomorph. I've been trying to practice, but it's been hard to do. Maybe we can practice at Christmas?

See you then,

Harry

Hi Harry,

Happy Friendaversary! Sorry I'm not in Surrey this time. We had to have Easter at Gran's this year because she's sick. Give Jeff and Maggie a big hug for me.

Wait, you made yourself TELEPORT? That's so cool! You're like Houdini! Or Nightcrawler! It's also strange. I thought superpowers were supposed to be related? Changing colours and teleporting are pretty different. Maybe that makes you some kind of all-powerful mutant? You're lucky!

Melly

P.S. Taxes are some complicated money thing grown ups deal with. Aunt Sophie did your uncle a big favour by showing him those loopholes. Also, loopholes aren't a rollercoaster thing. Those are called loop-de-loops.

Hi Melly,

It's okay. I wasn't abel to leave the house for Ester. I hope your Gran is feeling better.

Nightcrawler is the blue mutant, right? I could probly turn blue if I tried hard, but I like me as I am. I'll keep the chromomorph stuff to other people. Aunt Sophie says Houdini is a normal person who does tricks, that sounds more like me. He's also named Harry! I think I like him more than Nightcrawler. I'm not sure how lucky that makes me since I got in a lot of trouble for it. I think I'll try to use it again, though.

Harry Houdini

Haha! Okay, then, Houdini it is!

Hmm, trying to teleport might be dangerous. What if you accidentally forget to bring your whole body with you? Maybe try meditating or something? Like, focusing your whole body, and then picturing exactly where you want to go? I think that's how Nightcrawler does it. That said, I think you should wait just in case a mutant school does exist and there's someone who can teach it to you.

Melly

Hi Melly,

Happy Birthday! I hope you like my present. Uncle John said you've been learning the accordion.

Why?

Hopefully this songbook will make it sound not awful. Haha!

Harry Houdini

Okay,

First of all, the accordion is awesome! It's like a piano you can carry! Second, because Weird Al Yankovic is hilarious. Third, because it makes everything sound French.

Just for that, I'll be sure to torture you with tunes next time I'm over. Thanks for the gift.

*~*Melodious Melissa*~*

Hi Melly,

Or maybe I should say Melody? That could be a nickname for you!

I take back what I said about the accordion. Maybe you can bring the viola instead?

Houdini

Hi Houdini,

It's too late. Your fate is sealed! I'm bringing the accordion! You have no choice! It's either the accordion or hiding in the cupboard with your pet spider, and we both know my cousin's house is better than yours.

Melody's not a bad choice. Certainly better than Melisma.

Also, in case I can't talk to you, happy almost-birthday!

/Melly/ Melody

Hi Melody,

How do you know about Alastair? I never told you about him! Also, what's a Melisma?

That's okay. I was able to sneak out and play football with Jeff and some other kids for my birthday without anyone knowing.

Houdini

Houdini,

There are three things you need to know about me.

1. I know everything.

2. You don't remember the day we met. We talked about plenty of things.

3. I know everything.

A melisma is when you sing one syllable through several notes. ...Dad tricked mum into naming me Melissa as a joke. I suppose it could be worse. If I was a boy I would have been Tim, after a timpani drum. I think this is why I don't have siblings.

I talked to Jeff earlier. Sounds like you two had fun!

Melody

Hi Melody,

We might have a problem. Dudley and his mates were having a Harry-hunt at school and I turned their shirts pink. I was able to get away, but got in a lot of trouble for it. Jeff heard about it, but I didn't tell him anything.

Actually, I've been thinking. Would it be okay to tell him and the others about our powers? I know your parents still don't know. Still, it feels wrong to hide this from them. It feels like lying.

Do you think they'll believe us if we do? And about the memory-erasing mutant?

Do you think they'll hate me if I do?

Houdini

Harry,

Wait until Christmas. We will tell them, together.

Freak-Friends Forever,

Melissa

So, Melody, how is your dad holding up? Still tickled pink?

Also, Maggie keeps asking me to make her float. I've tried to tell her that that's your thing, but she won't listen to me.

Aunt Sophie is still nervous about the memory-eraser and what other kinds of mutants might be around. I think she's right. What if there's someone like Magneto out there? I'm worried Uncle John might try to do something if that happens. He's still really upset about the whole thing.

This might sound weird; but… thank you. It's nice not being the only 'freak' in the world. It makes the things Dudley and my aunt and uncle say less hurtful.

Freak-Friends Forever,

Houdini

Houdini,

Your jokes are worse than mine. Also, dad managed to dye his hair close to the original colour. No one has said anything, as far as I know.

I think mum is still angry with me for keeping this a secret. Dad is… better. They always knew I was weird. They just didn't expect me to be 'different'. They still love me. Hopefully they'll get used to it now that it's out in the open. You're welcome. I just wish your aunt, uncle, and cousin were better people for you.

If any dangerous mutants show up, you can teleport them on top of a volcano, or give them a splotchy face so no one will take them seriously. I'd suggest a pink-lavender combo for maximum hilarity.

I'll call Maggie.

Melody

Hi Melody!

Happy friendaversary! I'm not sure if we're doing presents for an anniversary, but I left a gift for you in the envelope. I coloured the eggshells myself! Just like Easter Eggs! I've been trying different focus-words like you suggested. So far saying colovaria has worked the best. Even the yolk changed sometimes!

Houdini

Hi Houdini,

So I've heard! I also heard that Maggie learned some colourful words after some eggs were thrown at the car.

The necklace is nice. Guess now we know what mantra works best for you! I've sent you a gift, as well, in the little box. Happy friendaversary!

Melody

Hi Melody,

That was Jeff! I mean… I was showing him the silver eggs, and he thought they could make it look cool. The silver goo did look cool, but we got in trouble for it.

I wonder if you can eat colourful eggs? Or would it turn us into colours on the inside?

Thank you for the journal and the hide-away pouch. The band fits around my leg well. The journal is a bit small to write in, but I'll try to use it like you said.

Houdini

Houdini!

You won't believe the week I've had!

There's a school! I got into a school! A school for magic!

We're not mutants! We're wizards!

Really!

A witch came to my house! A real, live witch! Her name's Professor Sprout. She's a schoolteacher there. Says that she visits magical kids with normal parents to help them adjust to being magical. She took me, mum, and dad to a magical market right here in London. Can you believe that? It's hidden behind a wall! A whole market! I got a wand, a cauldron, magical books, and an owl! I was thinking of getting a magic cat, but owls can send letters.

In case you were wondering, yes, that's why there's an owl at my uncle's house. His name's Hootini. I named him after you, because you're a hoot! He likes bacon. You can send him your letter back to me.

Also, very important, being a wizard is a super secret! We're not allowed to let non-magical people know about us. There's a law about it and everything! But, don't worry, I told Professor Sprout about the situation at home. Though I didn't get into a lot of details to avoid the memory-erasing mutant (or is it a wizard? Must be a wizard.) She says you can still talk about magic with my uncle's family since they're cooler than your aunt's family. She was all "Of course, dear. It's such a shame when muggles mistreat their magical children." A muggle is a non-magical person, by the way. I'm learning all sorts of new things already!

The magic school is called Hogwarts. Funny name, isn't it? Kids start attending when they turn eleven. That explains why we never heard about it until now. That means you'll be there, too, in two years. I'll be sure to tell you all about it once I start going there in September.

The only dumb thing is that I'm not allowed to do magic outside of school from now on. Once you get a wand they start tracking you to make sure you don't do any magic. It's stupid. But they don't want muggles seeing it so they made this dumb law about it. Though I guess it will be worth it once I start going to class.

There's so much more I want to write, but it'll be more fun to tell you in person! When's that big football match happening? We can talk about it then.

*~*~*~Magical Melody~*~*~*