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Thursday 8/30/90
Dear Harry
Excuse the jerky writing, I'm currently sitting on a bus on my way to California. The last few days packing have been so hectic and I wanted to spend all my spare time with Mom, but now sitting here I feel like I need the comfort of writing to you. Of knowing that this part of my life is still familiar and available. I keep reminding myself that I chose this and have been dreaming of going to Caltech for years. Honestly, I am looking forward to starting my new classes next week but leaving Mom was heart wrenching. I don't know if it was worse that she was having a good day and understood what was happening or not. She was supportive of me leaving though she had tears in her eyes as she hugged me and made me an unsolicited promise that she would stay on her medication until I come back home. I don't expect she will keep to it more than a week or two unless her family and friends step up like I've begged them to do. I'm afraid I lost my temper at her brother and sister and best friends. They had the gall to tell me that doing all the things I've been doing for Mom for the past twenty months was too much to ask of the four of them between them. I pointed out that I was a child, and they never should have left it to me in the first place but if I could do it so could they and I would never forgive any of them if they didn't get off their asses and actually provide the help they talk so much about giving me to make themselves look good to their friends.
My scholarship is pretty generous and I've worked out my finances carefully. So long as I use the library rather than buying too many books and don't indulge in too many coffees, I should be able to eat well and afford to catch the bus home every weekend. I don't know for sure whether I'm going to be able to afford the time every week since I've chosen to take a double course load but I'll do my best. I'm looking forward to classes but I'm worried about my classmates and dorm mates. At least in high school I could get away from the bullies. How am I going to sleep if I'm not safe in my own bed. Though they do say Caltech takes its honour code very seriously and will not tolerate bullying. Hopefully they mean it. I hope my room-mate is at least a decent person and isn't too upset with being assigned to share with a twelve year old.
I don't mind admitting this to you Harry but as excited as I have been about leaving the bullies of Vegas High, I'm absolutely terrified that I'm jumping from the frying pan into the fire. If the students at Caltech, especially the people who live in my dorm are as bad as the bullies I won't have any way to escape them. I'm going to start looking for a new Hideout as soon as I can though I can't help hoping at least a little that I won't need it.
You're right about the Dursleys, Harry. None of what they're doing is doing Dudley any good. As amazing as it seems when you consider how horribly they treat you, so long as you're not permanently injured or harmed by not having been fed enough before you found ways to feed yourself they're actually even worse parents to Dudley than they are to you. Though I'm sure they don't mean to be.
I don't think you need to worry about the police believing that you're a juvenile delinquent. I'm sure the police are not as stupid as detective fiction makes them out to be. They're trained to be pretty good judges of character and not to listen to rumours. Besides, even if the Dursleys try to get you into trouble then I'm sure your friends at the restaurant will set them straight and provide a character witness if you asked them to.
I hope you are well and your new school year goes well.
Your friend
Spencer.
A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.
A/N2: For those of you reading my story "The Last Attempt to Save the Pureblood Lines" Rico Perrien has with my permission written a spin off fic "Grey Against the Dark" I encourage you all to read it.