xvi. Letters From Home

Hogwarts Fourth Year

Dear Mother,

I really missed you! And Father too of course. Me and Scorpius are doing well here, so I hope you're also doing well back home. Thank you for the sweets as well! Me and Scorpius really enjoyed them, and gave some for our friends to try. They all loved it!

Speaking of friends, I've started tutoring Albus Potter in Potions because Professor Slughorn asked for a favour. I honestly don't mind, as I'll be helping a friend of mine and Scorpius', and also getting something else in return from the Professor!

I also gave Albus the charmed glasses that we've been working on throughout Summer, and he really liked it! He said it helped him read better as the words doesn't jumble for him anymore. He's studying quite well now, and I'm quite proud of him. I've also tutored Albus in other classes while we wait for the potions, or after a quick tutoring session. His wand needs a little bit of work, but he's getting there! (I honestly think I'm quite a great teacher!)

After I gave Albus his new glasses, people seemed to look at him more. I think it is because he looked like his father, Harry Potter. I see the resemblance too, but Al doesn't really like talking about his father. I think something happened between them...

Speaking of the Potters... James Potter is so annoying. He started pranking everyone and kept getting away with it, I don't know how. He got detention when he slimed me though... But I've gotten my revenge as well. I've covered him in glitter and made him look like a disco ball when you shine a light on him! I got a Gryffindor boy named Carthus Creevey take a picture of him too, He's quite a great photographer.. Plus, there were trails of glitter everywhere he went, even on the Quidditch pitch as he flied! It was hilarious. He was stuck with the glitter for almost a week. And he declared a prank war on me.

He doesn't know what's coming!

I would really like to tell you about more of my adventures but I am running out of parchment, and I am also waiting for Albus to come for our tutoring. I'll write again soon, love you and Father!

Love you,

Lya

Dear Lya,

I hope you're not causing trouble, young lady! Your father and I worry for you and your brother. I've sent more treats as well, so you can share them with your friends! I'm glad they liked them. Please tell them thank you for me.

Your father also sent mail about the Ministry Winter Ball. I was supposed to come, but... I'm just hoping that you'll go in my stead, darling. Accompany your father for me? I know I haven't come to them in years but I don't want your Father to sulk and be alone. He's already miserable... Don't tell him I said this!

I also hope you're doing well on your studies. Hopefully this 'prank war' of you and that Potter boy ends peacefully... But I would still like to hear about what conspired. And as much as I worry, I know you and Scorpius are doing well.

Your Father sends his love.

Love you to bits,

Mum

Dear Mother,

I don't mind coming to the Ministry's Winter Ball. I've thought about coming home for the Winter Break so everything fits. I don't know about Scorpius though, so you might need to ask him about it instead. Or should I?

And no, I'm not causing trouble! I know I prank Potter while all of this is happening but nobody seemed to know it was me except for him and Jemma. He seemed to know something, but I can't pintpoint what. But probably he thought it was me because I challenged him when he slimed me. I haven't gotten into detention this year (or ever) while he kept getting more.

Today, I managed to get back at him too. He stick my books' pages together last week, and I've gotten my revenge by turning him green, from head to toe. Carthus Creevey got another amazing picture!

So, what else has been going on at home? Is Father still working fine with the Ministry? Are you healthy? I hope you are. I miss you all so much, I can't wait for Winter Break to come so I can see you!

Love and miss you,

Lya

P.S. My friends love the sweets! They thank you again.

Dear Lya,

My, it seemed that you've been having fun. I've been doing great! Me and your Father just gotten our potraits painted. It turned out really great. The potraits were of us individually and us together. We should do a new family picture when you two come back! Scorpius wrote and said he'll come home.

I also heard from him that Slytherin won against Hufflepuff in Quidditch. Congratulations! Usually you're the one excited to tell me all about what happened, but I guess you're too busy with tutoring and the pranks. Is the older Potter boy your friend? You seem to talk about him a lot in your letters.

Our family Healer had come by every once in a while to check on me... And she said I'm getting better. So don't worry about me darling, and just enjoy your fun at school!

Love you so much,

Mum

Dear Mother,

No, I'm not friends with James Potter! We used to hate each other but things happened and we agreed on a stalemate until this prank war happened. I can say he's quite good in Quidditch, but anything other than that, he's detestable. He has a lot of girls around him and they change every once in a while... I do not wish to be apart of that. No thanks.

I'm friends with Albus though. He's nicer than his git of an older brother and is very kind. Scorpius really befriended someone nice. Albus seemed happier, but every time he speaks or remembers about his family he seemed pretty down, like what I told you a few letters ago.

And I sadly lost the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw match. Joseph Chang, my Herbology partner, was really great. He was easily the star of the game and even if I found the Snitch, Ravenclaw was still ahead of us in points. Gryffindor lost against Hufflepuff though. Potter must've been busy with the pranks and that impacted his performance. I saw his captain yell at him about it and the next day, Potter had pranked him as well.

I must give credit to him though, the sight of a literal tomato faced Gryffindor captain really amused me. How can he have such creative ideas?

Speaking of pranks, I managed to do another massive prank at him. I turned his robes into bright neon colors-- pink and yellow! It lasted the whole week again. Who knew reading books on Charms all over Summer break has it's use? The Malfoy Family library has a really extensive collection. My Charms grades even went up! Professor Flitwick seemed quite proud too.

Potter also tried pranking me back. It didn't really work though, as I had anticipated. Carthus Creevey had given me information about Potter's prank. I've grown fond of Carthus since he did me favours of taking humiliating and embarrassing pictures of James Potter. I thanked him with some sweets that you sent me-- Turns out he had a sweet tooth too, and he loved it. He overheard Potter's devious plan in the Gryffindor common room and informed me about it.

Apparently James Potter was about to spell my hair on fire, but I've got the counter spell for it ready, and it backfired to the Ravenclaw girl that had been clinging onto him for months. I think her name was Mirelle McKinnon, and she cried after. Poor girl... I really felt bad for her. Of course Potter had to grovel and apologize (Even though he looked like he was forced to).

Anyways, Winter Break is in a few weeks. I can't wait to come home!

Love you two as always and forever,

Lya

P.S. Glad to hear you're alright. I got too carried away with the pranking stories! Oops!

Dear Lya,

Glad to know that you're having so much fun at school. I've also started a new hobby, which is tending the garden. Tea time started to become more enjoyable from the beautiful flowers that your Father had bought me. We planted them together and the gardens looked livelier! We should make our family potrait's background the garden. It'll look beautiful!

It's two weeks left until you come home. Are you and the poor boy still pranking each other? I would love to hear more of your adventures.

Love you,

Mum

Dear Mum,

Why are your messages getting shorter? I'm very worried. Your writing has gotten shakier too. Have you seen the Healer again? If you haven't, I'll be home in one week. I'll accompany you to St. Mungos if you want.

And yeah, Potter really pranked me good this time. He spilled pumpkin juice all over the Great Hall. It was a mess, and everybody got juiced. I honestly don't know what is in his mind, thinking of a prank like that.

I'm sorry I can't reply longer. Albus seemed to be on the verge of breaking down. I found him reading a letter from his parents when I went to the library to tutor him. He was already there first, and looked like he was about to cry. I'm writing this letter as I wait for him to have some time of his own and take a breather outside before starting our study.

I'm going to ask him if he's alright and if I could help.

Love you and Father as always,

Lya

Dear Mum,

I guess this is a follow up letter for the first one since I don't know what to do. If you haven't read the one before, I suggest you do, because I think this one is going to be long. I'm writing this with thoughts in my mind, hours after the tutoring session. I can't seem to sleep.

Albus finally told me about what happened throughout the Summer. It seems that he has been feeling left out since he's the only Slytherin in the family, and is feeling inferior because he thinks he's stupid for being behind in class.

I told him that he's not stupid, and that he has been trying harder to prove himself. It seemed that he has very low self esteem, and this thought has been going since he first stepped foot in this castle. The difference between his confidence and James' are seen clearly, they are polar opposites.

He told me that his mum had not mentioned but probably implied that she didn't like him being friends with Scorpius... And that Scorpius is in Slytherin... And the son of a... Former Death Eater. His dad had told him to stay away because his mum wanted him to, but Albus had defended us saying that we're nice people and had a big fight about it. No wonder Al had been avoiding his brother too. He said that he had not talked to his father and his mum throughout the Summer, only his brother and little sister.

I thought they pardoned us? Father helped Harry Potter back in the Wizarding War. Harry Potter vouched for the Malfoy family. But why are they still prejudiced? My heart aches when I think of it. It seems that even though we try so hard to prove we've changed, people still don't believe us.

Distraught,

Lya

A/N

I've had fun writing this. I hope I showed Lyarra's kind and caring side through her letters to her sick mother, Astoria. Lyarra may look cold and arrogant in the outside, but she's very emotional and sensitive. I would love to write about her more.

Thanks for the reviews!

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