| 12:41a |
16 March 1982
Dearest Viv,
Of course I worry, darling! You going off all of a sudden to Merlin knows where, all by yourself and in your condition! All right, so we know vaguely where, and you know where you are precisely (or at least I hope you do), but without any friends out there or anything! I know magic isn’t the only way of defending yourself, but even in the best condition I can’t imagine you flinging a man over your shoulder or whatever it is muggle women do to fend off attackers. So I hope you forgive me if I think you’re a bit of a goose for tromping out there all by your lonesome.
Markus’s sister is going to positively have kittens when she finds out you gave away that pin, it makes me want to hunt her down and tell her myself, but I’d be pants at saying it right. I’d try to break it to her all sly and casual, and it would come out like, “Oh, what a lovely blouse that is, wouldn’t be complemented perfectly by that pin Markus gave Viv? By the way, she passed it off to some random elderly witch in a little village somewhere,” which is a bit lacking in proper dramatic flair. I suppose it’s a good thing I didn’t attempt theatre after all, and not just because dad would’ve thrown a tantrum. He’s had a hard enough time dealing with me moving in with Syd.
Speaking of moving in (and wasn’t that a nice little segue, aren’t you proud of me? I can learn, you see?), that house sounds like something from an old romance. Are you sure there isn’t a secret wife hidden in the attic, gone mad from loneliness? No, I suppose it’d have to be a husband if your grandmother owned it last. Speaking of which, love, I have to say I don’t think much of the poor dead thing, leaving you something that takes you away from me a whole month. It really wasn’t fair of her at all, especially if she left her affairs in such a state that Cousins could hang about and make things even less pleasant. It couldn’t have been that hard to break out the will and throw in a eensy weensy little no-Jasper clause. Although maybe it’s a test of character and you pass if you don’t murder them all in their beds. Or maybe you’re supposed to do that, if so I take back all I said about your gran. I’m sure you could manage it, they’d never expect it from you to come after them, and even if they did they’d probably think they could fight you off. Little do they know.
Oh well. Jasper can be almost fun, like you said. Or used to be, at least. The other two are much worse from what I remember, they very nearly deserve their names.
But we’ll leave that for now. The village does sound like a quaint little place, or maybe I’m remembering more than you’ve actually said again? Oh, I suppose I did, you’ve only said it’s miniscule and by the sea. Well, at least that’s in its favour. When you’ve defeated the invading hordes and secured the castle, you will see fit to arrange for one good day of weather and invite me to stay, won’t you? You don’t even have to ask Syd if you don’t like, I can leave him behind for that long, I promise. And then we can enjoy cake together, like we’re supposed to, and all will be well in the world.
London! LONDON! It’s ghastly, my love. I pine for the rolling moors of my native soil, even if they weren’t all that rolling, or even that moory – more fields than anything else. And it’s not exactly native since I only lived there a few years after we left Cambridge. Whatever, I at least miss the grass. There’s the park, yes, but it’s a little too cultivated for my tastes, and lately it’s muddy anyway. And far too full of people, I like people a lot but I just need to get away from them from time to time, and that place is just packed. Although I admit it’s rather fun to go out of a weekend and watch the muggles tear each other to bits with religion. The whiskers on some of these soapboxers are positively sidesplitting.
So basically, the main problem is I’m spoiled rotten, but that was pretty well known already.
I haven’t seen much of the family, unfortunately, just Aunt Phillippa and Uncle Louis. They’re doing as well as can be expected, considering it’s their son this is all about, which means not very good at all. They’re thinking of moving, or at least going abroad until things die down a bit. I think that might be the best option, whatever the others stay about standing their ground and not showing fear or weakness or whatever it was. The aurors (or what passes for them these days) have to let them go, don’t they? It’s not like they’re going to run away for good, and they aren’t really good for much investigationwise.
I guess we’ll see.
ANYway, Syd is just home and demanding my attention in his adorable way, so I’ve got to go. Do let me know asap how the trial by fire is going, will you? And if any of them keep bullying you, tell me and I’ll send them a full-grown Bengal tiger, I’ve no idea how but I’ll manage one way or another.
XOXO,
Cassie
PS – If your cousins do murder you and throw you into the sea, do you solemnly swear to do your best to turn into a mermaid? If so, I promise to do whatever you say in the revenge matter. Not that I wouldn’t anyway, of course.
XOXOXO
PPS, or is that PSS? – If you could be a dear and give Rupert a treat before you send him back, I'd really appreciate it. The poor thing's been looking awfully peaky lately, I'm afraid he may be coming down with something but I have a lot of correspondence and I can't just go buying new owls willy-nilly. Hopefully things will calm down soon and he can have a proper rest, but in the meantime, a little snack would be very sweet of you. |