Disclaimer: All rights to Harry Potter and associated
characters belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. The following is a work of
fiction written without permission for the sole purpose of enjoyment. No money
is being made from this work.
Epistle Harry
By Kagehito Shiro
June 21,
Dear Harry,
Happy Solstice! I know that it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other at King's Cross, but there were some things I wanted to say and I didn't think you'd appreciate hearing them surrounded by everyone else.
I want you to know that I miss him too. I didn't know him for as long as nor as well as you did, but I will miss him just the same. I know that I cannot begin to imagine what you must be going through right now, but I wanted you to know that I am here to listen if you want to talk about him. I won't bring it up again, but the offer stands indefinitely. And, if you do want to talk about him, I hope you will let me respond in kind. He was always kind to me, and I felt so bad for him. So much of his life was sad and unfair, but Harry, I know he loved you. I know he cared about you more than anything. He never said so, but it was obvious from how his whole face lit up when he talked about you. He wouldn't blame you for what happened, and he wouldn't want you to blame yourself.
You must think that I am a nosy bint for saying that. I will admit that I have never lost anyone I cared about, well, except an old aunt when I was very young and, really, I did not know her that well. Merlin, that makes me sound horrid! What I really want to say is that you are not alone. There are so many people who care about you, my whole family for starters. Then there are Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall and the rest of their friends. You are very important to us, and no, it's not because you're the Boy Who Lived; it's because you're Harry. Our Harry.
I did not mean to leave out Professor Lupin. In fact, IÉwell, I am already being presumptuous writing this to you out of the blue, but if you don't want to talk to me, you should talk to Professor Lupin. He is your connection to your parents and to Sirius; and you are his connections to his closest friends. If anyone understands what you are going through it would be him.
Anyway, I apologize for being nosy, and I won't write any more if you don't want me to.
With love,
Ginny
------------------
June 25,
Dear Ginny,
I don't think you're a nosy bint. I'm not ready to talk about it yet.
If I had tried harder, to learn OcculmencyÉ If I had remembered the mirror Sirius gave meÉ If I had trusted Snape...
The fact remains that if I had done any one of these things, Sirius would still be with us and none of you would have gotten hurt. If that doesn't make it my fault, I don't know what does.
I will write to Professor Lupin. Remus. He actually came by the other day. He was the first person from our friends to come check on me. We talked for a little bit, but only a little bit. Neither of us is ready to do that just yet. Maybe I'll never be ready. And before you tell me that I have to, that it'll be good for me, you can stop right there. Hermione's got that angle all covered. Has it occurred to any of you that not talking about it is the only way I can stay sane? That maybe I just want to be left alone? I mean my blood Aunt and Uncle know enough to leave me alone.
Harry
------------------
June 28,
You don't need to take my head off, Harry! I said I wouldn't bring Sirius up again, and I won't unless you do. As for leaving you alone, you can bloody well forget it! We're your friends, Harry. We can't do that. We won't do that. You're stuck with us, annoying as we may be, for life.
So your aunt and uncle aren't harassing you? That's good. What about your cousin? Is he still the walking whale that Fred and George described? What are you doing with your summer? Actually, come to think of it, I don't know what you normally do during the summer holiday. It's a little odd at the Burrow right now. Mum is extra worried and Dad and Bill have put up some more wards. But Mum isn't really letting Ron or I out of her sight. She doesn't even want me walking in the woods. I'd complain about being cooped up, but you must have it worse since I have Ron and you just have the Muggles. Did you never have any Muggle friends before you went to Hogwarts? You don't have to answer if you think I'm being nosy. It's just that we never really have much of a chance to talk with school and everything.
As for the rest of the family, Dad and Bill are off doing stuff for our friends. The twins are looking at locations in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade for their shop, though I think they are also doing things for those same friends. They're being unusually tight-lipped.
Ron is driving Mum nuts, mostly because he's sleeping late and then lays about in the yard reading Quidditch books. She has to twist his ear every day to get him to do chores around the house. At least we get to go flying. I think I'd go insane if I couldn't fly. I wish you could join us. Mum is still waiting for Dumbledore to give the okay.
With love,
Ginny
