To Mom and Dad Solo Closed

September 6^th, 2019

Dear Elspy,

Oh that's all so wonderful to hear honey! We're sure you're going to have an absolutely amazing time this year at Hogwarts. You just have to be yourself and show everyone how smart and nice and wonderful you are. You'll be one of the most popular students there in no time! I remember, right after my sorting ceremony, I was so nervous, but I sat right down at the Hufflepuff table and everyone jumped at the chance to talk to me and invite me to their clubs. Try and make sure you're doing lots of extra clubs so you can explore as much as you can around the school - not just staring at the butterflies out on the grounds okay? Also keep up with your studies! You should make sure you're staying ahead of the work as much as you can. Oh! I'm just so envious of you right now. The time you're going to spend at Hogwarts is going to be some of the best in your whole life.

There's not a lot new around the house right now. I'm still working on fixing Mrs. Undersurrey's connection to the Floo Network. Your dad has taken on some extra work at the bakery. They've been extra busy now that the college students are back at school in town.

Well, we love you and we're so proud of you and please make sure to keep us updated!

Your mom and dad

-About Two Weeks After Receiving Their Letter -

Elspeth sighed, holding the letter loosely in her hands. She wasn't sure what exactly she was feeling, it was a mixture of so many things. But she knew that they all kind of congealed into a heavy lump in her stomach, weighing her down and making her feel guilty. The letter had sat on her desk in her dorm for most of the last two weeks. Every time she looked at it the feeling came back and so she continued to not respond to it.

Her school year hadn't started out so magically, nor was she the center of everyone's attention. In fact, it felt a bit like she was invisible. Which wasn't something that she minded. Being invisible without using magic was kind of a skill that she had. She could blend in to any environment and make people forget that she'd been there in the first place. It just meant that she couldn't think of what to write back. The first two weeks of school had mostly been a repetitive blur of her going to classes, doing homework, and sitting in various spots around the school by herself. She went on walks to figure out where everything was, and was starting to get a better lay of the land. But most of her meals were spent eating by herself toward the end of the table, and she tried to avoid going to the common room or dorm while they were super busy if she could help it. Something about the pressure to make friends made it impossible for her to even be around others without feeling like she was doing it wrong.

So, here she was, loosely holding the letter from her parents up in the Owlery trying to figure out the right way to respond. There was a small shelf at the front of the room with basic writing supplies, maybe if she chose a really fun ink color it would mask how unfun she felt?

September 20^th

Dear mom and dad,

Hi! I'm sorry, again, for writing to you so late. You guys are always so quick to write back and I've just been so busy with all of the start of school year activities. I haven't quite made it to any clubs yet, I'm still trying to figure out all of my classes. It turns out, lots of students hadn't been to school before this year so I'm not the only one who doesn't always know the right way to answer things when a teacher asks.

Otherwise I've [Elspeth paused here, trying to wrack her brain for one good story she could send them to keep them preoccupied]been busy working really hard on all of my homework. Maybe it's the Ravenclaw in me! Haha.

I'll make sure to write back once I get more settled in and have more to share.

Love you and miss you,

Elspeth

She rolled the letter up and handed it to an owl who dutifully flew off out of the window. Elspeth walked over to watch after it as she flew away. She wondered if there was a spell that would make it so the owl could carry her all the way back home. Back to where things felt comfortable and made sense.