Strangeways, Here We Come
Correspondence...
July 1, 1996 – A torn piece of parchment was delivered by a rather twitchy owl...
Dear Nymphadora,
I hate the way things ended between us, and I apologize sincerely for that. However, being here amongst my equals makes it clearer than ever that I made the right decision in letting us go no further, no matter how much it hurt us both. In writing this, I do not mean to give you false hope... I simply wanted to let you know that I have arrived safely and am as fine as I can be – all things considered.
I hope you are well.
- Remus
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July 2, 1996 – A pink piece of parchment was carried by a tawny Ministry owl...
Dear Remus,
Of course I'm not well, you self-sacrificing prat! Do you really expect me to be? I'm certainly not about to go off and find some bloke who "deserves me", as you so "nobly" suggested (and please inflect those words with great sarcasm). I'm miserable and if you felt for me what I felt for you (and still do), then you're the exact same way. I don't care what your daft excuses are – I'll be right here waiting for you to return.
- Tonks
P.S. – And don't think you can get away with writing 'Nymphadora' when I bloody well won't let you say it!
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August 8, 1996 – A note was scribbled in the margins of used notepaper, then sent off with a barn owl (missing a few feathers)...
Tonks,
You shouldn't waste your time on me. My experiences here with the pack have made my complete and utter unsuitability even clearer to me – I'm too old, too poor, and too dangerous for you. Please try to see that.
- RJL
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August 10, 1996 – Some Ministry stationary was conveyed by a large eagle owl...
RJL,
You are a complete and utter GIT! I have told you over and over again that you are NOT too old, too poor, or too dangerous. Perhaps you should add deafness to your list of shortcomings as well? I don't care about any of that – I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, ad infinitum. Do I have to keep repeating myself, or has it sunk in yet?
- NT
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December 27, 1996 – A piece of parchment was delivered by Errol...
Tonks,
I'm sorry I didn't see you at the Burrow for Christmas. I didn't mean to scare you away from attending. Please don't avoid the Weasley's on my account; they're all rather worried about you.
- RJL
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December 28, 1996 – Another piece of parchment was sent back with Errol (looking considerably more harassed)...
You don't fool me, Lupin. Why do I have a feeling that they weren't the only ones worried and disappointed at not seeing me? If you'd like to, then gather some courage and come see me yourself.
- NT
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January 14, 1997 – A quick note was scribbled in the corner of a torn newspaper, delivered in the clutches of a brown owl...
I just wanted to apologize for what was said the last time we talked, I believe I upset you. It seems I shouldn't have come to see you at all… Perhaps it's better if we don't meet again – less temptation for the both of us.
- RJL
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January 17, 1997 – Angry scribbles on parchment were sent via a soon-to-be-retired Ministry owl...
If you really want to forget about me then maybe you should just bloody well stop writing!
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February 15, 1997 – A crumpled Valentine's card (with another's name crossed out and NYMPHADORA penned in bold letters) was returned by exhausted Ministry owl (now more than ready for its retirement)...
Fine.
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February 18, 1997 – A few words scrawled so hard that the parchment nearly ripped were dropped off by a Ministry owl with a surprisingly disdainful expression on its face...
FINE!!!
P.S. – You're still a self-sacrificing prat.
P.P.S. – I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care…
Goodness, this chapter has been sitting on my computer for AGES! I wanted to play with a slightly different style than the other drabbles, but I felt something like diary-type entries was overdone - hence this was the result. And I decided that the New Year was an appropriate time to post it – out with the old and in with the new, right?
Anyhoo, a Happy New Year to all – I hope it goes quite well for everybody. Remus' New Years' resolution is to try and be less of a noble prat; Tonks' is to morph fewer neon hair colours that blind people's eyes; how about yours being to leave me a few words? ;)
I have a sinking feeling the upcoming few months will be rather hectic, so I can't make any promises about updates and the like, but fingers crossed, eh? And hey, reviews are always lovely motivating factors! Until next time...
Toodles,
- ish -