Chapter 139
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Tuesday 12/21/92
Dear Harry
Merry Christmas
I received your gift but I'm going to wait until Christmas day to open it so thank you for whatever it is. I hope this gets to you before Christmas day but I thought it better to wait until you were away from Hogwarts. With all the public enemy rubbish people are probably watching you more closely than normal and would be curious about a last minute letter since most people think you'll be home in a day or so. I'm going home to spend Christmas with Mom tomorrow night I've sent you some more language tapes, you never said that they worked at Hogwarts but you'll get use of them over the summer if they don't, of course if you're in Spain they won't be necessary but they might still help you to get fluent more quickly. If you make it to America let me know and I will meet the plane and help you try to find a place to stay and a school to attend. If you can't get here, Spain sounds like a good plan, at least it will be warmer there than England or Ireland, but you'll need a place to stay, what are you going to do about that? The Spanish authorities will probably send you back to England if they find out you're on your own or homeless before you learn to speak Spanish with a native accent.
I don't think that Seamus' behaviour can be explained by the vassal oath he made, though maybe he feels a need to try to protect you since you tried to protect him, and in spite of his prejudices deep down he knows you're not an evil wizard and you'd never harm anyone and is just confused. It is just as likely to be his sense of fairplay that has him trying to protect you. I had hoped better of him though I am glad they're protecting you from some of the bullying. At least now you have absolute proof that Ron is not a real friend and you can stop feeling guilty for doubting him. On the other hand, Hermione is acting like a real friend, or at least a decent human being. It could just be that she was bullied in her previous school and hates all bullies, or it could be the fact that she hasn't got any other friends, but the possibility is there that she does consider you somewhat a friend even if she is reporting things about you to the headmaster, she might even be so naive that she doesn't realise that she's betraying you or be able to justify it to herself because of her fanatical respect for authority figures.
I agree, it is extremely odd that Mrs Weasley doesn't want her children home for Christmas and this is the second year in a row they've stayed at school. Especially as she and Mr Weasley won't have any children home during the school terms anymore and she doesn't have a job to be working over the break. Or at least not a job any of the family talk about. Being a seven child family with only one income must be incredibly difficult, even without the added expense of boarding school, it wouldn't be the sort of financial situation that would allow for international holidays. Is it normal in the wizarding world for wives not to work outside the home? It used to be in the middle class, that it was fine for single women to work but only until they married. Maybe she does have a job and the family is embarrassed about it for some reason, or they can't talk about it because it's illegal. Though I can't imagine the woman you described as a successful gangster, assassin, burglar or prostitute and she doesn't seem to be in a position for any white collar or cyber crimes. Do any of them other than Ginny seem upset about not spending Christmas at home? Perhaps in spite of the loving mother act she seems to put on when you're around for some reason things aren't so good at home. You did say even when she was trying to be nice she's a bit overbearing and insisting on everything being her way. It isn't such a great leap for someone like that to also be a bit of a bully.
You said last year that you were suspicious that they were staying because you were and they didn't know you well enough to invite you home with them for Christmas, do you still think that's a possibility? Though you were a guest there this summer an invitation home for Christmas is a bit more personal. If so, no wonder they're furious that you signed up to go 'home' for Christmas. You're lucky that they're too angry to think it through and realise how unlikely it is that you'd choose to go back to the Dursleys when you don't need to, especially since the last time you were there Ron, Fred and George were pulling you out of the window in a very abnormal flying car. I'm not sure how they could have forgotten that though. I'd laugh to see their faces when you don't come back.
I'm glad that the potion won't be ready until after you've left so Hermione can't try to guilt you into taking it to help her and Ron with their silly plan. Is there a spell to clean up any shed hair and skin and stuff so nobody can use the Polyjuice to turn into you? If Snape is making a batch to substitute for Hermione's in case she does something wrong that means there will be way too much Polyjuice potion around at school in the hands of people you don't trust. How many doses does a batch make anyway? There has to be some defence about it for people like the prime minister and the headmaster, and some way for the goblins to know you aren't who you're polyjuiced to be so nobody could empty your vault. It's odd that Hermione was allowed to stay at school over Christmas too, unless her parents don't celebrate, isn't she an only child?
Please write again soon so I know that you've escaped or at least that you're safe and unharmed and have a place to stay. Good luck Harry.
Your friend always
Spencer
A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.
Please stay safe everyone.