The Care Package
It had been a month into the summer before Hex, Caitlyn’s tawny owl, finally perched itself atop Vi’s windowsill. Vi had been beginning to wonder whether Caitlyn decided she didn’t want to write to her after all. Attached to the owl’s ankle with a deep blue ribbon was a small scroll of paper. Vi nearly tripped over her feet as she practically threw herself toward the windowsill to retrieve it.
“Hey Hex,” she greeted the bird, reaching out to stroke his beak. “Don’t leave, alright? I’m gonna send her one back!”
Hex cooed in response, and Vi gave him a bite of one of the crackers she had been snacking on. Vi unscrolled the letter and began to read.
Vi,
I hope your summer has been going well. Remember the favor you owe me from Charms class? I was hoping to cash it in. I have been miserable at home. My parents were so mad that I didn’t get into Ravenclaw already and were barely talking to me, but then I got into a fight with my mom because she hit Lipsy (our house elf). I had remembered what you said about them being slaves, and I was so angry that she was treating her that way, and I snapped. Anyway, now my parents won’t even talk to me beyond what is necessary. They are so mad that I dared talk back to my mother that they have me confined to the house. It’s ridiculous! They even had taken Hex away for awhile, which is why I haven’t written until now.
Anyway, please send me something that will distract me. I haven’t even been able to go to Diagon Alley for new books. I’m going mad– Lipsy is the only one who will talk to me! I also miss you, Mylo, and Claggor so much! I can’t wait to see you at Hogwarts this fall and get away from here!
Sincerely,
Caitlyn Kiramman
P.S.: Send Hex back at night so my parents can’t confiscate anything. He loves berries if you have any.
Vi found herself unreasonably angry upon finishing reading the letter, and began planning what she would send Caitlyn. She decided to enlist Powder and Vander’s help.
She stormed into the kitchen, letter clenched in her fist, still fuming.
“She’s locked in the house,” she announced to no one in particular.
Powder, who was sitting cross-legged on the counter peeling the label off a soda bottle, blinked up at her. “Who’s locked in the house?”
“Caitlyn,” Vi said, shoving the letter at Vander, who had been leaning against the sink with a mug of coffee in hand. “Her parents won’t even talk to her because she stood up for their house elf. Can you believe that?”
Vander took the parchment and skimmed over the words, his expression darkening. “That’s messed up.” Vander sympathized, though Vi was sure half of the words on the parchment were foreign to him.
“Messed up?” Vi threw her hands in the air. “It’s insane. She’s stuck in that stupid mansion of theirs, can’t even leave to buy books, and the only person talking to her is the house elf she got in trouble trying to defend.”
Powder squinted. “So, uh… what are we supposed to do about it?”
Vi spun on her heel. “We’re sending her the best distraction package she’s ever gotten.”
Vander hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Muggle sweets, then?”
Vi grinned. “ Obviously. ”
The next hour was spent raiding every cabinet in the house for anything Caitlyn might like. Powder insisted on including at least three different types of gummy candies, while Vander donated a bar of dark chocolate, muttering that “fancy rich girls probably like that kind of thing.” Vi made sure to grab a variety—chocolate bars, crisps, and even a packet of marshmallows that she was sure Caitlyn had never seen before in her life.
Vi also added a bunch of Muggle books that she was fairly confident Caitlyn had never heard of, let alone read.
When they were satisfied, Vi stuffed everything into a small parcel and scribbled out a note on the back of a scrap piece of paper.
Cait,
This is a rescue mission. You are not allowed to go mad in that mansion of yours, so here’s a care package. Hope you like sugar, because Powder got very enthusiastic. I also threw in some crisps—dunno if you’ve had them before, but they’re the best snack ever, and I will fight you if you say otherwise.
As for the books, I hope you haven’t read them. I assume you haven’t since they’re muggle books.
You better make it back to Hogwarts in one piece. We’ve got Quidditch to practice for.
Keep your head down and see you soon,
Vi
P.S. If I could send you an actual escape pod, I would.
She folded the note and tucked it between the snacks, then carefully wrapped the package with twine. She fed Hex some berries, let Powder pet him, and eventually night fell.
Hex hooted impatiently from the windowsill.
“Yeah, yeah, hold on,” Vi muttered, tying the parcel securely to his leg.
“Can he carry that much weight?” Powder asked.
Vi smiled. “You’d be surprised, PowPow.” She then turned her attention to Hex. ““Make sure she gets this, alright? And be sneaky about it.”
Hex blinked at her, then gave a soft hoot and took off into the night. Vi watched him disappear into the distance, arms crossed.
“She’ll be alright,” Vander said after a moment.
Vi nodded, but she couldn’t shake the frustration bubbling inside her. Caitlyn deserved better than this.
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “She better be.”
***
It didn’t take more than a day for Hex to show up at Vi and Powder’s bedroom window with Caitlyn’s reply.
Vi,
I owe you my life. Those Muggle snacks were amazing. I tried a little of all of them, but you were right about the crisps. I’m trying to savor them as best I can. Still bored over here, but I started reading those books you sent. I’m really enjoying The Secret Garden.
I miss flying so much that it hurts. I miss you as well.
All my best,
Caitlyn Kiramman.
Vi read Caitlyn’s letter twice, a small grin tugging at her lips despite the lingering frustration she felt about Caitlyn’s situation. She could picture her sitting somewhere in that giant, cold mansion, sneaking crisps between pages of The Secret Garden, probably sipping tea like the proper little noble she was.
Vi shook her head fondly.
“She got the package,” she told Powder, who was sitting cross-legged on her bed, fiddling with one of her gadgets.
Powder perked up. “Did she like the stuff I picked?”
Vi smirked. “She said you have great taste in sugar.”
Powder beamed. “Obviously.”
Vi flopped onto her bed, stretching out as she stared at the ceiling. Caitlyn’s words echoed in her mind— I miss flying so much that it hurts. I miss you as well.
Vi exhaled, running a hand through her hair. She wasn’t used to people saying things like that to her. She knew she’d made friends at Hogwarts, real ones, but seeing it written out like that made it feel more real .
Grabbing a fresh sheet of parchment, she tapped her quill against her chin before starting her reply.
Cait,
Glad you liked the crisps—told you so. I’ll bring more when we’re back at Hogwarts, but if you eat them all before we even make it to the first Quidditch match, I’m revoking your snack privileges.
Speaking of Quidditch, I had a dream last night that we made the team and absolutely wrecked Slytherin. You should start thinking about what position you wanna play because we’re trying out next year, no excuses. I don’t care if you have to read every single book on Quidditch strategy over the summer, we’re making it happen.
I miss flying too. And, well… yeah, I miss you too.
Stay sane, Kiramman. Won’t be long now.
Vi
P.S. If you do run out of snacks, let me know. Powder will be devastated if she doesn’t get to put together another “rescue package.”
After sealing the letter, she tied it securely to Hex’s leg and gave him a firm pat. “Back to Caitlyn, alright?”
The owl hooted, as if exasperated by all the trips back and forth, but he took off into the night anyway.
Vi watched him disappear into the sky, stretching her arms behind her head. It wouldn’t be much longer before they were back at Hogwarts, back to flying, back to sneaking out of the common room at night just to see what kind of trouble they could stir up.