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A/N: Neither the letter in Chapter 108 (Dobby still has it) or Chapter 109 (Harry hasn't been able to send it yet) have been received when these two letters were sent.
Saturday 8/18/92
Dear Harry
I miss being able to email you, I guess you haven't found a way to access the internet at the Dursleys since I haven't heard from you. Does the public library in Little Whinging have internet capable computers to use while you're there? Or have you been locked up again so you can't get there or to the mail box? I'm trying not to worry about not having heard from you, I'm sure a letter is probably on the way but it no longer seems normal not to talk to you almost every day. We were spoilt while you were with your friends.
Mom is well, and my Aunt Ethel has returned from holiday and visited us yesterday, Mom seemed pleased to see her but Aunt Ethel seemed uneasy. I spent most of the visit worrying that she was trying to pluck up the courage to tell me that she wouldn't be helping to look after Mom this year, but she didn't say anything like that thank goodness. I don't know if she's more relaxed when I'm not around but her attitude today wouldn't help Mom's paranoia one bit, I think it was only because I was there to distract them both that she didn't cause an episode. I told my Aunt about Mom's new doctor and the medication changes and how well Mom's been doing in the last month, but that she would continue to need people to call in and make sure she kept taking her medication. Aunt Ethel didn't say anything about coming to visit again but I told her clearly the date that I need to leave and that Mom will probably need a little more support than normal for the first week or so while she gets used to living on her own again and she just nodded. I'm glad that she didn't tell me she couldn't keep looking after Mom but I wonder what made her so uneasy. I'm fairly sure I can trust her not to stop coming or try to find someone else Mom would trust to be with her unless she'd told me.
I must admit that I'm really looking forward to going back to Caltech and starting classes again. I didn't miss it quite as much as I thought I would, probably because I wasn't alone with Mom in Vegas this summer, I had your friendship to help get me through it. I know we were friends before but it's different having to wait for international mail than being able to communicate instantly. I really feel almost as you've been here with me helping with Mom and with the cooking, involved in what we've been studying together.
I'm running out of things to read at the library again. I need to think of a new area of interest but I think I've actually read all of the science and math books they have, even the environmental science stuff which was interesting but not an area I want to continue studying. I've been reading engineering books, and am branching out into civil engineering and town planning, another area I'm pretty sure I don't want to actually study but hopefully it will be interesting enough until I can get back to the libraries at college. I've also been reading up on learning to drive and car maintenance. Mom's car isn't running and I don't know whether I should try to fix it or not. Not only might I make it worse, it might be a good thing that Mom doesn't have a car in her more disorganised phases. Not that she will go near it during a real episode. I don't have to worry about that thank goodness, otherwise I would have had to break the car engine myself when Dad left.
I miss you
Your friend always
Spencer
Tuesday 8/21/92
Dear Harry
I hope you're well and that your current silence is due to an inability to get out to post a letter or that there's one on the way via Mrs Thomas. I'm starting to worry. Please let me know that you're okay as soon as you can. I hate to say that I'm hoping that the Dursleys are running you ragged with chores but it's better than any of the alternatives my mind keeps conjuring.
I assume you got my last letter even if you couldn't reply. Don't worry Harry I'm not angry with you, I know that you would have written to me if you could.
I hope that Seamus, Dean and your new friends aren't too put out that they haven't heard from you since you left Ireland. I'm assuming that you haven't managed to contact them, of course if you can use the phone you might have rung Dean without anyone noticing if he's back home. It doesn't look too far on the map, would it be a local call?
I've spent a lot of time over the last week practicing making casseroles, you're right they're a pretty forgiving way to cook meat and the ones from your book were easy enough for me to make it helps that they taste even better the next day. Once I get good enough I will freeze some for Mom while I'm gone in case her carers don't provide a meal every day. I just need to work out whether it would be easier to package them in foil and risk her leaving the oven on or packaging them in plastic containers and hoping she isn't too paranoid to use the microwave when she needs to heat them up. One thing I know, I have to do either all one or all the other otherwise Mom's likely to get confused and put the plastic in the oven or the foil in the microwave and blow it up. I think that it would be better to use the plastic, even if she does put one in the oven it would only melt and not risk starting a fire. Perhaps if I put an oven tray on the bottom it would be easier for someone to clean up after her. Or alternatively I could package the meals in foil and take the microwave back to college with me so she can't try to use it. That might be the safest thing to do. I just wish I could drive or knew someone who would offer me a ride back to college with all my stuff.
Mom's friends came to visit today and I must say that I liked them a lot better than I did last time I met them. They didn't apologise for their attitude when I was planning to go to college, but I think they understand now how much it means to Mom that I didn't give up my dreams to stay home and look after her for the rest of my life. They also understand better how much care Mom needs and that it shouldn't be all left to one little boy no matter how early he graduated high school or how many years he's been learning how to take care of her. It helps that they enjoyed their holiday break and that they missed Mom, or at least missed the woman she is on her good days and that Mom was having a good day today and was pleased to see them. It was a good evening and the dinner I cooked went really well even if it was a bit too simple for a proper dinner party. I bought the cake for dessert though, after last time I wasn't game to try again with guests coming.
I miss you
Hoping you are alive and well
Your friend always
Spencer
A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.
Stay safe everyone. Please stay safe.