A Letter

The conflict between the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters was bound to escalate. Anduin lowered his head in thought as he closed the newspaper.

But none of that had anything to do with me for now. Without the strength to back myself up, I'd only be at others' mercy.

After thinking it over, Anduin set down the newspaper and prepared to continue studying spells. But first, there was something else he needed to do: reply to Lily and Sirius.

In fact, Anduin had received letters from both of them several days earlier, but he'd been so engrossed in practicing spells that he hadn't gotten around to writing back.

He opened Sirius's letter first. It read:

"Hahaha, Anduin, you got sorted into Slytherin? Well, aren't you in for a rough time! If I remember right, you're a Muggle-born wizard, aren't you? Those Pure-blood scumbags in Slytherin will eat you alive. When I was at Hogwarts, I used to prank those Slytherin bastards all the time. You'd better watch your back, or you might get hit with some random curse on the way to class, then wake up stark naked outside the girls' bathroom."

"If you want my advice, I'd say you need to toughen up fast. Slytherins are a bunch of bullies who pick on the weak. Give them a good beating, and no one will dare mess with you. The professors can't keep an eye on you all the time. Professor Flitwick is a bookworm who only cares about studying magic, Professor Slughorn is a big softie who barely pays attention to what goes on in his own house, and Professor McGonagall is always terrifyingly strict. If you get into trouble, you can go to her, but be ready to spend some time in detention yourself."

"Here's some good news: I'm now the godfather to Lily and James's baby! You've no idea how adorable Harry is. Lily and I talked it over, and we'd like to invite you to stay with us after Christmas. I can teach you a few tricks while you're here. What do you say?"

"Poor Anduin, I've got a lot on my plate lately. There've been a lot of Death Eaters cruelly torturing Muggles. You be careful."

"Your loyal friend, Sirius Black."

After reading Sirius's letter, Anduin decided not to expect much from him. The guy was a reckless brawler who only knew how to throw himself into a fight, yet he'd still found time to make fun of Anduin in his letter.

Anduin largely ignored the contents of Sirius's letter and took out some parchment to write back.

In his reply, Anduin ribbed Sirius for giving him nothing but smug advice. He told him he could hardly make any friends in Slytherin, confirmed that he'd be visiting over the Christmas holidays, and asked what Sirius wanted for Christmas.

Once he'd finished writing, Anduin sealed the letter in an envelope. He planned to send it the next morning when the owl came to deliver the newspaper. Then he opened Lily's letter.

Lily was much more reliable than Sirius. She wrote:

"Dear Anduin,"

"Sorry it took me so long to write back. Harry is just over a month old, and I've only just learned how to be a mother. I was afraid I'd mess things up right from the start."

"As for your being sorted into Slytherin, I don't think you need to worry too much about it. The Sorting Hat must have had its reasons. Slytherin isn't as frightening as people make it out to be. Every house has kind people with a strong sense of justice. Some wizards do go down the wrong path after graduation, but that doesn't mean they all do. One of my friends at school was in Slytherin, and we've also encountered wizards from other houses among the Death Eaters we're facing now."

"Anduin, you and I are alike. We're both Muggle-born wizards. But you're different from me, too. You've had to live on your own since you were young, so you're stronger than I am. I believe you can overcome any difficulty. I hope you won't lose your way, and that you'll hold on to what you believe in."

"I recently received a letter from Professor Flitwick. He told me you'd been invited to join the Charms Club. That's wonderful! I remember I wasn't invited to join the Spell Club until my third year."

"I had a very fulfilling time there. It was in the Spell Club that I began to study and research some specialized Protective Magic in depth. I remember leaving quite a few of my research notes on Protective Magic in the club. I hid them in a book on the bottom shelf behind the lectern. It's called Magical Defense Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard. You can look it up if you're interested."

"When Harry turned one month old, James and I invited Sirius to be his godfather. He looked absolutely delighted. We're planning to hold a small party after Christmas, and Sirius suggested inviting you. James and I would both be very happy if you could come."

"Wishing you all the best, your loyal friend, Lily Potter."

Anduin was deeply moved after reading Lily's letter. They had no ties or obligations to each other, yet Lily still shared her kindness with him without reservation.

Anduin immediately set about writing a reply to Lily.

In his letter, Anduin thanked Lily and said he was delighted to be invited to their party. He assured her he would be there on time, and sincerely wished the Potter couple and their son, Harry, well. He also reminded Lily to keep herself safe—even at home.

After finishing the letter, Anduin sealed it as well, ready to send it along with Sirius's the next morning.

Then Anduin returned to studying spells.

The next day, after sending the letters, Anduin stopped worrying about the Slytherin-Gryffindor business and didn't go looking for Charles again.

He planned to visit Hagrid that day. Anduin hadn't visited him once since starting school. After all, they'd shared Dragon Liver at the Leaky Cauldron, so when his classes were over for the day, Anduin went to his room, packed a few jars of seasoning, and headed for Hagrid's Hut.

When he'd first arrived at Hogwarts, Anduin had asked Hagrid where he lived. His hut wasn't particularly close to the castle. After crossing Clock Square and walking over a long, straight Gallery Bridge, Anduin reached a circular pile of stones. The school's Owlery stood to the right, while the path to the left led to Hagrid's Hut.

After getting his bearings, Anduin headed toward the hut. Along the way, he passed a few students here and there, out on dates or enjoying themselves. The farther he walked toward the hut, the fewer people he saw.

At last, Anduin spotted a rather modest-looking hut in the distance. A few vegetables and fruits grew vigorously around it.