A Letter to Sirius
Dear Padfoot,
Where have you been? I'm worried sick, and James is as well... It's been a horrible shock for us to endure and i still can't believe it happened! just... i can't believe that Marlene is gone! you disappeared the moment you heard the news and i do understand, out of everyone, i know how it feels. she was my best friend, she'll always be that... when she came to me a couple weeks ago, holding little Sage in her arms, begging me to look after her, i knew what she'd been thinking... i couldn't make her change her mind, and now i feel awfully guilty about not petrifying her and forcing her to stay with me and James in Godric's Hallow... She just had a baby almost a year ago and still , selflessly, and more so stubbornly insisted on going out risking her neck for the order... i know it was more than that, i know she'd been looking for Greyback, but Bellatrix was the one who found her first... I know Marlene wanted to make this world a better place, she wanted to avenge her husband as well, she never seemed to be over what happened to Caspian, despite me begging her to stay for Sage... the poor girl has no family left except for us! what happened to the McKinnons was the most horrible thing during this war... I cried all evening when I heard... i still find myself crying at night, waking up and remembering her face, all the pictures of us together, Caspian, Marlene, and us during our years at Hogwarts... i just can't believe that they're all gone... and what's even more horrible about this war, is leaving a child behind, with no family to turn to... i know how you feel Sirius, I've seen the way you look at her, even when we were little, I'm awfully sorry about what happened but you shouldn't blame yourself. I'm begging you, come home and let us talk about it, James is having horrible time as well and can't seem to stop wondering where you are... Moony 's worse... he keeps reliving the past and feeling guilty for not finishing Greyback when he had the chance to, everything seems to be falling apart...
But despite all that,
i promised myself that i would write something cheerful in this letter, so here it is;
Thank you, thank you for Harry’s birthday present! It was his favorite by far. Picture it: a one-year-old Harry, zooming along on a toy broomstick, eyes wide with wonder. The broomstick only rises about two feet off the ground, but he nearly took out poor Mrs. Norris (the cat) and smashed that ghastly vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there, really).
James found it hilarious, of course. He insists Harry will be a great Quidditch player someday. But let me tell you, we’ve had to pack away all the delicate ornaments. Our cozy home in Godric’s Hollow now resembles a magical obstacle course—Harry’s personal Quidditch pitch. Sometimes, Sage takes a turn on the broom as well, they both seem to be enjoying each other's company and it makes my heart warmer to see that.
We had a quiet birthday tea—just us, old Bathilda (who adores Harry), and the memories of those who couldn’t be there. You, dear Sirius, were sorely missed. The Order’s duty comes first, and Harry is too young to understand it’s his birthday anyway. Sage had been such a quiet child, you should come and see her Pads, she looks like her mother, the same round face and rosy cheeks, but has her father's dark hair and sage green eyes... Her and Harry seem to get along quite well, he'd been crying less now.
James is getting restless, cooped up here. Dumbledore still has his Invisibility Cloak, so no secret escapades for us. If only you could visit—it would lift James’s spirits immensely. Wormy dropped by last weekend; he seemed down, likely due to the news about the McKinnons. Bathilda visits often, spinning tales about Dumbledore. Some are so fantastical that I wonder if her mind is slipping. Can you believe she claims Dumbledore was friends with Gellert Grindelwald? Perhaps her memory plays tricks.
Lots of love,
Lily