Correspondence across the Divide
The sun hung low over the Hogwarts grounds, casting long shadows over the castle’s towers. In the Headmaster’s office, Dumbledore sat at his desk, carefully penning a letter. The mood in the room was tense, with McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and a few members of the Order of the Phoenix seated nearby.
“The boy won’t reveal his location if he’s been kept hidden for this long,” Snape said, his voice clipped.
“We must try,” McGonagall insisted, her lips pursed. “This is the first direct contact we’ve had with Harry in years. We cannot squander this opportunity.”
Dumbledore nodded, his blue eyes twinkling with a faint hope. “The letter will be gentle, inquisitive. We must respect his boundaries, but also subtly gather information.”
The letter read:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are delighted to hear of your acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We understand that circumstances surrounding your education may be unusual, and we want to ensure your transition is as smooth as possible.
If you could kindly inform us of your current location or any details regarding your guardians, we would be happy to arrange for a trusted professor to escort you safely to Hogwarts.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any concerns. We eagerly await your arrival.
Warm regards,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
“Will he trust this?” Flitwick asked hesitantly.
“We can only hope,” Dumbledore said, folding the letter neatly and sealing it with the Hogwarts crest.
A barn owl was summoned, and the letter was tied to its leg. “Take this to Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore said softly. The owl hooted and took off into the evening sky.
Harry’s Response
The owl arrived at the gloomy manor late in the afternoon. Harry was in the garden, tending to a patch of vegetables he’d planted in the overgrown soil. When the owl swooped down and extended its leg, Harry wiped his hands on his trousers and untied the letter.
He read it twice, his brow furrowing. “They want to send someone here?” he muttered under his breath, glancing toward the manor. The monster wouldn’t like that.
Harry found some parchment and a quill in the study—a room he’d claimed as his own after cleaning it years ago. Sitting at the desk, he began to write:
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
Thank you for your letter. I don’t need anyone to come and fetch me. Just send me the directions, and I’ll make my own way to Hogwarts.
See you soon,
Harry Potter
The owl returned shortly after Harry finished, and he tied the letter to its leg. It flew off into the sky, disappearing beyond the treetops.
Harry leaned back in his chair, his thoughts swirling. For the first time in years, he would leave the manor. The thought was both thrilling and unsettling.
Back at Hogwarts
The owl returned to Dumbledore’s office the following morning. He untied the letter, read it silently, and passed it to McGonagall.
“Directions?” she said, frowning. “He doesn’t want us to find him.”
“Perhaps he feels safer keeping his location hidden,” Dumbledore mused. “But this reply tells us much. He is confident, resourceful. Whoever has been caring for him has instilled a sense of independence.”
“Independence or distrust,” Snape muttered.
“What do we do now?” Arthur Weasley asked, looking around the room.
“We send him directions, as he’s asked,” Dumbledore replied. “And we prepare for his arrival.”
Meanwhile, Voldemort’s Thoughts
Quirrell sat in his chambers, shivering as the cold, disembodied voice of his master echoed in his mind.
So, the boy is alive and intends to come to Hogwarts, Voldemort hissed.
“Yes, m-my Lord,” Quirrell stammered.
Curious. The child has been hidden for years, and now he reveals himself so casually? No matter. Once he steps foot in the castle, he will be mine.
Quirrell swallowed hard, nodding as Voldemort’s chilling laughter filled his thoughts.