Seven Letters
It was too bloody cold, decided Ron Weasley, as he ambled his way down the walk to the mailbox. It had been foggy and just bloody miserable for three days now. He needed a vacation. Maybe he'd take 'Mione and the kids somewhere warm for a week. Hawaii, maybe. 'Mione'd like that.
His slippered feet stopped, and he reached inside the mailbox to feel a twine-wrapped package. 'Mione must've ordered something again, he decided, and padded back into the warmth of the kitchen, where his wife was groggily pouring a cup of tea, and fending their three hungry cats away from Ron's (now cold) eggs.
"Your package arrived," he murmured to his wife.
Hermione looked puzzled. "I didn't order anything."
"That's odd," said Ron, frowning. "Might as well open it and find out."
He fumbled with the string, and peeled back the brown wrapping to reveal a stack of papers. Hermione quietly came to stand by his shoulder as he picked up the first one.
The parchment was yellowed and stiff with age and memories. Blue ink scrawled across the page in wobbly letters that threatened to crash into each other, but the name at the top brought a smile to both the Weasley's faces.
Dear Lily,
I miss you. I wish you could be here for the holiday, not with your relatives, but I suppose that would be selfish. Christmas was fantastic here, but then, when is it not?
Sirius thanks you for the stink bombs. He says he's already found an excellent use for them. (I'd ask, but honestly, I don't want to know.) We haven't been able to drag Remus away from that book you gave him. I think he'd say thank you, but he seems to have lost the ability to speak. I love my gift, as well. It was a perfect fit.
Merry Christmas, Lily. I hope you like the necklace.
All my love,
James
Hermione gave a whistful sigh, as Ron flipped to the next slip of paper. The lettering seemed somewhat familiar, and Ron grinned as he began to read the script scrawled on the back of an ancient page of Charms notes.
That stain on the ceiling looks like Mount Rushmore if you squint at it.
No way. Definitely like Snape with a mullet.
Oh yeah! I can see that. What are we supposed to be doing?
I dunno. Ask Hermione.
We're supposed to be working on diagramming the motions of the avianus family of charms.
What does that mean?
I asked the same thing.
….…if you squint the right way, it sort of looks like a house elf in a dress.
…Yeah.
Hermione laughed. "Yes, that about covers your accomplishments in Charms, all right."
Ron chuckled. "Well, yeah. This is odd, though. Did Harry send us this?"
'Mione shrugged. "Maybe he was cleaning out his apartment and found these. I dunno. Keep reading."
The next was a postcard, and the front was still glossy, if covered in dust. A content- looking Norweigan Ridgeback dragon swooped in and out of view in a grassy range of hills. Overlarge letters proclaimed : Romania: Land of Dragons. Large script on the back read:
Deere Harry,
Havin' a lovely time in Romania. Charlie's taken marvelous care of Norbert. The little scaly tyke says hullo. Me and the Missus are goin out ter eat tonite, so I gotta be quick. Best Wishes.
-Hagrid
Ron grinned and shook his head. "The little scaly tyke?"
The next letter made him pause for a moment, and made Hermione grip his shoulder.
Dear Harry,
Miss you. Beaky says squawk, which I've taken to mean "Hello." Perhaps I'm becoming too much like Hagrid. Can't tell you how nice it is where I am, since you're not supposed to know where I am. Hex one of your relatives for me if you get the chance. Oh drat, that's illegal, isn't it? Ah, well. An outlaw godfather is bound to be a bad influence.
Don't put too much stock in those dreams you've been having. Write and tell Dumbledore if you're truly worried. Can't go wrong with Dumbledore.
Love,
Sirius
Ron silently gently layed Sirius' letter down, and managed a slight smile when he read the next note. It was in embossed gold script, on crisp white paper.
You are Couteously Invited to Attend the Wedding of:
Nymphadora Tonks
And
Remus Lupin
On August 14
At 8 PM
Please RSVP
P.S.- Harry, I'd like for you to be my best man. Let me know.-Remus
Ron grinned. "That was a wedding to remember."
"Like ours," murmured Hermione, smiling.
The next letter was crisp and white in it's formality, and the memories that screamed out from it made Ron and Hermione sink into sudden silence.
Memorial Service
For
Virginia Weasley
Warlin's Funeral Home
November 16
2-4 PM, 7-9 PM
The silence was broken only by the faint crackle of paper as Ron flipped over to the last letter.
Ron and 'Mione,
You were the best of friends. I just wanted you to know. I…I just couldn't do it without her. If you're reading this, then it's over now. I'm sorry.
All my love,
Harry
The sound of a teacup shattering on the floor seemed echo down the street.