𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 ( james potter! )

iv. LETTERS FROM LOVED ONES

CHAPTER FOUR
( LETTERS FROM LOVED ONES )

☽

DURING BREAKFAST THE FOLLOWING MORNING, a familiar owl swoops down and drops a letter onto Estelle's plate. She immediately recognizes it as Comet, Elliott's owl. With a look of glee spreading across her face, she turns it over and slides her slender fingers beneath the sunshine yellow Hufflepuff seal.

Elliott graduated last year, of course, but he likes to think he's still a student at times. In all honesty, she's surprised he hasn't yet flooed into Dumbledore's office claiming how much he misses everyone and that he needs to redo his seventh year because he 'doesn't feel like he learned enough'. He just loved being in the castle and around people, really. Especially his younger siblings.

"What's that?" Piper asks, momentarily putting a pause on eating her breakfast.

"It's a letter from Elli," Estelle replies, unable to hide the grin on her face. That was the nickname she's had for him since she was two or three years old. Estelle and Elliott were too long for them to say all the time as children, so they made nicknames—only, their names were a bit too similar so it had ended up being Elle and Elli.

"What's it say?"

Estelle shrugs, carefully slipping the paper out of the envelope and unfolding it. "I dunno, let's find out."

Elle, my dearest, most annoying sister;

Kidding! You're my only sister.

I hope good old Hogwarts is treating you well! I know you're acing all your NEWT level classes like the bloody brilliant girl you are, so I won't even ask. But tell me, is Dumbledore as dashing as he was when I last saw him?

Oh, don't give me that look— I may not be with you right now, but I know you are rolling your eyes, mentally telling me to cut the bullshit. And before you ask, no, I'm still not a Seer.

But, because I love you so dearly, I''m going to get straight to the point. I'm writing you today because I have news, and I needed to tell you before I had a mental breakdown or Mum and Dad found out. Gray is a Death Eater. I found out last night, and I kicked him out without a second thought. It absolutely killed me to do it, but what choice did I have? I couldn't even look at him.

We trusted him, Elle. We let him into our house and we shared our holidays with him and now he's just a bloody monster. As you can probably guess, I'm not taking it so well. Mum and Dad will probably be angry as ever and try to track him down, so I think I'm gonna come see you and Edan instead. Don't you worry, I already wrote Dumbledore.

I love you, and I'll see you both soon. Give my love to Piper.

Your big brother,
Elliott