Theodora had a hard time keeping track of the days as they were going by so fast and so many things have happened. She hasn't been in her room for 2 days staying with the twins after Mr. Weasley's attack at the Ministry.
They told her that they were okay but she knew them better than that so she decided to stay in their room to show her support. George has been more agitated than Fred but she thinks that Fred is just better at hiding his fear.
She sat down at her desk, pressing her fingers against her temples, trying to stop the worrying thoughts in her head.
Not having a dad around and only getting a letter from him a few times per year now, Mr. Weasley grew on her as a father figure, and as much as she tried to be strong for her two best friends she couldn't help but be concerned while being on her own.
Something caught her attention on the edge of her desk. It was a letter from Bill. She has been so occupied making the twins feel better that she completely forgot about it. She always felt better when she read his letters and writing back to him has been kind of therapeutic so she was glad she could reply to him at that moment.
Dear Theodora,
I am sorry to burden you with this but how are my siblings doing? How are Ron and Ginny with everything that happened with dad?
I don't want to imagine how shocked Ron was when Harry told him that something attacked our father. Is he alright?
How are the twins handling it? I know they like to hide their emotions and usually tell people they are doing fine but I know you know them better than that and I know it's not my place to tell you this but please watch over them.
It was traumatic for us all at how fast it all happened. Just a week ago I talked to dad and then suddenly, he was in the hospital.
The whole event only confirms that I've made the right decision to come back home. I would never forgive myself if I was so far away – I know Charlie is losing it but he simply can't get a day off to come home. I think I might visit him in a few days. Merlin knows it would both do us good.
Bill
Theodora pressed the letter to her heart, trying hard to hold in the tears. It was enough that the twins weren't doing okay with what happened to their dad and seeing Bill so concerned simply broke her heart. She has never wanted to hug him more and wished she could do anything for him to not be so worried about his family.
Dear Bill,
Please stop saying that you are a burden. Of course, you're worried about your siblings. Ginny is doing okay. I had lunch with her yesterday and your mum wrote to her that dad is going to make full recovery. She cried happy tears and her mood improved greatly because of it.
Ron can't stop thanking Harry for having a vision and saving your dad's life. He is beyond grateful for it and he is doing better as well. I think he is getting more concerned about Harry and the dreams he keeps having. He said that they are getting more frequent and more terrifying and I kind of worry too.
I stayed with Fred and George for two days in their dorm. They said that they are fine and that there's no need for me to do so but I didn't take no for an answer. I know when they are not okay and even if they wanted to appear strong for Ron, Ginny, and Harry's sake I know that they silently worry too.
With your mum's letter, they are all doing better and they are going back to their old routines. George didn't want to come down to eat for 3 days and Fred didn't feel like pranking Filch at all so you can imagine it was pretty bad.
Did you go and see Charlie? I know he would appreciate you being with him for a while. I wrote to him too, he seems to be doing better but I think he wishes he could be closer to the family as you are.
How are you doing with everything? I know you had the liberty to visit your dad more often in the hospital. I wish I could do more for you – you sounded pretty worried in your letter and I hate seeing you like this.
I know it's not much, but I want you to know I am here for you if you ever need to talk about anything. I know it's hard to let your guard down as the eldest in the family and I know you think you constantly have to keep your composure and be strong for your younger siblings but know that you can share your worries with me.
Sending you a tight hug,
Theodora
—
The second Theodora got Bill's letter at breakfast she got up and went straight to her dormitory. She wanted to know how Bill was doing with everything that has been going on, completely ignoring the suspicious looks she kept getting from her two best friends whenever she hid Bill's letter from them.
Dear Theodora,
I apologize for needing so long to reply to your last letter. I visited Charlie in Romania and I can say that my visit made him miss family a bit less. I promised him that I will send him letters more frequently to inform him of everything and he seemed more relaxed because of it.
I don't even know how to reply to your last letter.
You have no idea how much your words mean to me. It's comforting to know that I can talk to you and I am not going to lie that writing to you has helped me through these past few months.
With so much going on it's nice to sit down and open your letters. There's no point denying that I caught myself several times waiting for one or getting an owl and hoping the letter is from you. I am looking forward to every single one I get because I know that no matter what you're going to write you will make my day.
I am doing fine. Dad has fully recovered and is home now and already making jokes about his accident so I think it's safe to say he is going to be okay.
I am not going to lie, the whole incident shook me pretty hard but we can't dwell on the past. He survived thanks to Harry and at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
Will I go too far if I tell you that I wish you were here and not at school? I miss having you around and at times corresponding with you through letters isn't enough.
Please ignore the last paragraph and just know I am deeply touched by your last letter. Thank you.
Love, Bill
Theodora couldn't stop rereading his letter. She never imagined this is going to be Bill's reply. She just wanted to let him know she is there for him. It wasn't a big deal at all but she couldn't help to stop the warm feeling in her chest when she saw just how much it meant to him.
She kept staring at his signature.
Love, Bill
She read all his letters more than once and she was certain that he never wrote anything next to his name before, let alone that word. What is she supposed to reply to him?
He told her he missed her and that he loved corresponding with her. She felt the same way. She was longing for his letters every day but is she going to admit that to him? He did, so perhaps there's no harm if she expresses that she feels the same.
Dear Bill,
it makes me so happy to know that Charlie is doing better and that your visit helped him. You're a great brother.
I miss being around you too and know that you didn't go too far with saying that.
Corresponding with you has become a routine of sorts and I love every letter you send me and it seems I can't wait to reply to you. Writing to you has been comforting, especially with Umbridge finding out about DA.
She doesn't know where to search yet but it's only a matter of time before we would have to seriously do something about it.
I keep thinking of last summer. I know we didn't speak at the end with what the twins and Charlie pulled so I never got to tell you how nice it was stargazing with you. Whenever I am anxious and am feeling like things won't get any better I think of those moments with you and it brings a smile to my face.
I wish we could do that again.
There it was – the time to sign her letter and fold it has come. Was she overthinking this? Perhaps Bill was just so emotional to see her being such a good friend that he simply signed the letter as he did so she shouldn't beat her head around it so much, right?
Love, Theodora
There. She did it. No turning back now.
Dear Theodora,
please be careful around Umbridge. Ron told me that she is trying to bribe students to talk where your meetings are held. I don't know her but if she found out that you are up to something she probably won't stop until she gets to the bottom of it.
Be prepared for the worse in case she busts you. If you can – run away. If you can't – fight.
I can't tell you enough how happy it makes me that you are thinking of our stargazing moments at the Burrow. My mind often wanders there as well and I wish we had more time to spend with each other.
I know I shouldn't apologize again for that prank in the broom closet. However, I would like to apologize for how I acted afterward. I shouldn't just stop talking to you but I thought it would be easier for you and it stopped the teasing.
Know that I didn't lock myself in my room because I wouldn't want to be around you – I hope that you know that I didn't wish for anything more than to spend more time with you.
George wrote a letter to me saying that you got the shop and nothing else. I think he was just so excited that he couldn't write the details. How was it? Are you excited as well to start your own business?
Thinking of the summer for a better day.
Love, Bill
Theodora couldn't believe her eyes. He wanted to spend more time with her?
Dear Bill,
don't worry. We are keeping it together here. They think they are on to us but the room we picked for practice was the right choice and they haven't figured out how to get to us yet.
Fred, George, and I are almost done with our plan to get at Umbridge and we hope we are in time for our strike back! We won't give up that easily, trust me.
I can imagine George being over the roof about the shop! We all are. This year can't end fast enough that's how excited I am to finally run it and to see the boys sell all their amazing inventions! You have to come and visit – I think they are going to make you very proud.
The last few days of the summer have been a blur if I'm perfectly honest. The twins still apologize to me from time to time about what they did to us. Do know that they feel bad about it and so does Charlie – he wrote me a whole letter about it despite coming to get me in the forest.
I apologize for storming out as I did. It was unpleasant and uncomfortable and I just needed to be alone at that moment, I hope you can understand.
I was thinking of knocking on your door and talking to you about the whole situation but you seemed like you didn't want to be bothered and I didn't want to talk about anything that you would feel uneasy about.
Know that it's long forgotten and I am happy the teasing stopped as well.
Love, Theodora
She sent her letter with a lighter heart knowing that she had a chance to talk to Bill about what happened in that broom closet. He didn't have to know how she felt but she could make him see that she doesn't blame him for not talking to her. She did miss him but she preferred it that way – she knew nothing good could come out of it and they were friends now and that was all that mattered to her.
Dear Theodora,
I know you are all smart enough to trick Umbridge. I am not big on breaking the rules and pranking never was my cup of tea but know that I am rooting for your plan to succeed.
Show that woman that she shouldn't mess with the students of Hogwarts!
I will be there when you open the shop, don't you worry. I am proud of my brothers for choosing this path and I am proud of you for being by their side, supporting their dream, and creating your own path at the same time. It's truly inspiring to see how amazing you are and how much you're growing.
Since I am working at Gringotts now and you'll be working in the shop, we could meet up sometime, if that is okay with you, of course. It would definitely make our correspondence easier (not that I mind writing letters to you).
Your number one fan against the evil toad (as Ginny called her).
Love, Bill
Theodora giggled as she read the last sentence. She felt as if she could conquer anything with Bill's encouraging words.
Then she bit her lip as she reread the part that they could meet up. She was intrigued by the idea and couldn't deny that she was thinking of asking him the same herself but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Writing letters to each other was one thing. He couldn't see her grin when she opened his letters and couldn't see her blush when she was replying to him. It made the words easier to come out on paper than if they were face-to-face.
Their correspondence grew on her and she completely forgot about the fact that she was supposed to get over him. She stopped caring what he meant with every word and just wrote back as she felt.
Dear Bill,
Umbridge has officially started interrogating people to find out where we are holding our meetings. Everything seems to be getting out of hand and I can't wait to get out of here.
Hogwarts used to be our haven – a place for learning and spending time with friends. Now, all we can think about is waging a war against her and getting her the hell out of our school.
Thank you for supporting us as you do. I'll make sure to tell your brothers to give you a discount if you would like anything from the shop.
I would love to meet up. I don't want these letters to stop but I can't deny that it would be easier to talk in person either.
I am sure you will get an invitation from your brothers the second we open and we can arrange our meeting then.
Excited to be a businesswoman!
Love, Theodora
Theodora folded the letter and put it in an envelope. It was kind of short but if she said anything else, she knew she would take it too far. Now that Bill will see she wants to meet up he will stop sending her letters and she can mentally prepare herself to see him when they open the shop.
Theodora,
I can't stop thinking about you.
Theodora was sitting on a toilet lid in the second-floor bathroom. She didn't expect to get any more letters from Bill but her heart fluttered nonetheless when it arrived.
Fred almost snatched the letter from her and if she is reading its content correctly, it wouldn't end well.
She kept repeating the words in her head. She knew the letter was from Bill without his signature. She knew his handwriting by heart now.
What is she supposed to reply to this? Or better yet, why did he write that?
She took a deep breath and quickly put the letter away before Myrtle would show up again. She decided to try and forget about it throughout the day as she couldn't bring herself to write something like that to him.
It would be wrong, wouldn't it? What would her two best friends think if they knew she was secretly corresponding with their eldest brother in that way?
Of course, she couldn't get him out of her head either but is she going to admit that to him?
Dear Bill,
I can't even find the words to tell you how much these letters mean to me. I love the book you got me for my birthday but this correspondence was an even better present that just keeps on giving.
I can't stop thinking about you either and I miss spending time with you.
Love, Theodora
There, she said it. Now if only could her heart calm down. Her mind kept going in circles, saying that this no longer felt like friendship but she stopped her thoughts every time. She has to be wrong about it. He can't simply have feelings for her. He told her loud and clear that she was too young for him.
Dear Theodora,
I am sitting in my office replying to your letter. I have just finished work and I wish nothing but to spend the rest of my day with you.
I truly miss you and would I be crossing the line if I tell you that I no longer miss you just as a friend?
Love, William
Theodora inhaled sharply. If Bill keeps writing to her like this she is going to lose it.
Love, William
She read again. He changed his signature again. What was he doing to her?
She closed her The Standard Book of Spells Grade 7 at once. She needed answers. She can't go on and on about it in her head any longer.
Dear William,
I am not going to lie, I was deeply touched by your last letter as much as I am confused about it.
I am not trying to overthink what you wrote to me as it was clear last summer that I am too young for you, so would you mind terribly, explaining what you meant to express with your words?
Love, Theodora
She didn't know if sending the letter was a good or a bad idea. She didn't know if she was ready to find out what he meant by that. She didn't want to get her hopes up but what else could he have meant by it?
Dear Theodora,
I reckoned I should've made it more clear in my previous letter what I meant with my words. Truth be told, I simply didn't know how to explain.
I know what I said last summer and the person I was back then meant every word. You were 17 and no matter how mature you are for your age I simply couldn't wrap my mind around being with someone so young.
I guess what I was trying to say is that I can no longer deny that I have feelings for you. I tried, believe me, but getting to know you better through these letters, waiting every day for your reply, you telling me about your day is driving me insane not being with you.
I was always the one to think with my head but when it comes to you, the heart speaks louder.
I hope this won't scare you away. I know what a risk I am taking for admitting this to you but I know I would regret it if I didn't.
Anxiously hoping for a reply.
Love, William
Theodora brushed a tear off her cheek. She couldn't believe what she was reading. He had feelings for her? He wanted to be with her?
She has never wished more that she could apparate from the school grounds as her whole body was aching – wanting to be close to Bill.
For the first time since they started to talk to each other, she didn't feel nervous to write back. She was shaking but in a good way – excitement ran through her body and her stomach was full of butterflies. She didn't even care that her heart was beating hard against her ribcage. She could finally tell him how she feels.
Dear William,
how could you even think that you could scare me away? I thought it was visible from the moon that I fancied you last summer.
I tried bottling everything down. I didn't want to admit it to myself. I knew where you stood and I didn't think in my wildest dreams that you would change your mind about me being younger let alone to think of the possibility of you feeling the same way.
This school year really can't come to an end fast enough now. I wish I could see you, to press my body against yours in a tight embrace.
Thank you for gathering the courage and telling me how you feel. You truly are brave and even though I'm a Gryffindor I don't think I would ever be able to do it.
Those nights at the Burrow when we were stargazing together – just you and me – have been my favorite part of the summer and I hated how we stopped talking. It makes me smile every day that we started writing to each other and I don't even know when I stopped caring that my feelings for you got stronger.
I don't want to deny them anymore. I don't want to bottle them. I want to be with you.
Love, Theodora
There, she did it. She told him how she feels. Now what?