Andrew Vance
17 Oct 2019, 14:33
Family Package
Friday: September 7, 2018
8:00 am
Sitting himself down to breakfast, Andrew reached across the table for an English muffin, not feeling much of an appetite this morning. His first week of school was nearly over. Both a relief yet a growing cause of concern. Five days had passed since he had owled his first letter home to his family in London, and he had yet to receive a proper reply from them. . .
On the first day of classes, an owl had delivered to him a rolled-up sticky note tied with a rubber band, clutched in its beak, that read in blue ballpoint:
Reducio
Andy,
Thank you for your timely response. Expect letters from all of us this weekend.
Keep us updated. Stay safe. We love you.
- Dad & Co.
aka Fellowship - Hi Andy! - Stacy
Hi Andy - This is Kyle - *insert poorly-drawn sneaky snake*
Thank you for your timely response. Expect letters from all of us this weekend.
Keep us updated. Stay safe. We love you.
- Dad & Co.
aka Fellowship - Hi Andy! - Stacy
Hi Andy - This is Kyle - *insert poorly-drawn sneaky snake*
It brought a small smile to Andrew's face, recognizing the handwriting of his siblings at the end of the note. The "Fellowship" (dubbed by Stacy) in reference to the nine members of Andrew's family and relatives that were in on the wizarding secret. He couldn't have wished harder for a cellphone or computer at that moment. Keeping in contact with his family would have been as easy as a call, text, or email away, if only Muggle technology was accessible to him. . .
Peering upwards from the table, Andrew watched the owl post expectantly as packages and envelopes began to rain down all around him, into the waiting hands of students anticipating their mail. To Andrew's surprise, an owl passed overhead, and a small package was dropped, aiming towards…him? Automatically, his reflexes caught the rectangle-shaped box in his hands, startled by the delivery. Excitement welled within him, recognizing the return address printed neatly on the side of the package. It was from home!
Eagerly, he tore into the brown wrapping paper and lifted the lid of the shoebox, beaming at the contents he found inside. A few plastic baggies of assorted Muggle-brand candies and chocolates. A pint-sized Mason jar filled with chocolate chip cookies - his sister's homemade, signature kind. And four distinct envelopes. . .
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Last edited by Andrew Vance on 21 Oct 2019, 02:46, edited 1 time in total.
Andrew Vance
21 Oct 2019, 02:45
Family Package
The first one was a plain white envelope, containing a few sheets of white bond paper. No doubt his dad had typed up his letter and printed it, for sake of convenience, since he worked in front of computer anyway.
Attached with the letter were several photographs of his family and pets, followed by two more sheets of white bond paper containing the pasted emails from his Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Baylor, repeating more of the same concerns and well-wishing.
The second envelope was purple and had Stacy written all over it.
The third was a piece of green paper, folded into an origami envelope. Definitely Kyle's handiwork. Unfolding the paper, he saw what was written on the backside:
The fourth envelope, if the floral pattern was anything to go by, must belong to his grandparents. Specifically from his grandma, since she had always been the one to write letters on her and Grandpa's behalf. Unfolding the letter, sure enough, it was his grandmother's handwriting. Her large, italicized cursive was near-illegible. Andrew had to squint hard and tilt the paper every which way to be able to read it. Reason why he had saved this letter for last, it would take him at least twice as long to get through the whole thing, compared to the others. If only his dad was here to translate - he was the only one who could decipher his own mother's handwriting. By the end of it, Andrew had given up trying to interpret several words that were still too smooshed for him to make out, leaving gaping holes in his grandmother's letter. Aside from the hydrangeas and delphiniums being in bloom and Grandpa working heavily in the yard, there was little else that hadn't already been expressed to him in the other letters from his family.
Unscrewing the lid of the Mason jar, he took a bite of a chocolate chip cookie. Still relatively soft and fresh, since the container had been sealed tight. All it lacked was the warmth of an oven. And a glass of milk. So long as he compensated with an extra serving of veggies for dinner, he was sure his parents wouldn't mind him munching on cookies this early in the morning.
Reducio
Andy,
Thank you for keeping in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you every day. Even if it's just a word or two to let us know you're safe and doing well. Don't let the pressure of writing letters to us distract you from your studies.
We showed your letter to everyone in the group and it brought smiles to all of us. We will be bundling everyone's replies together and sending them all at once, so forgive the delay, since we'll be waiting on Grandma and Grandpa's letter to arrive, which could take a few days. Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Baylor will be emailing their letters for us to print out and send to you, which shouldn't take as long, thanks to the convenience of modern technology.
We are grateful that Emma is around to help you, and that you are no longer sick. Remember to eat plenty of healthy foods to boost that immune system. Don't forget your vegetables!
We look forward to seeing you at Christmas. If you can, do show us pictures and mementos from your school, that way can see a little of where you are and what you're up to.
Enjoy your school and your new friends. Please be careful. Always be mindful of where you are and who you're with. Let us know if there's anything you'd like from home that we can send to you.
Love, Mom and Dad
Andy,
Thank you for keeping in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you every day. Even if it's just a word or two to let us know you're safe and doing well. Don't let the pressure of writing letters to us distract you from your studies.
We showed your letter to everyone in the group and it brought smiles to all of us. We will be bundling everyone's replies together and sending them all at once, so forgive the delay, since we'll be waiting on Grandma and Grandpa's letter to arrive, which could take a few days. Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Baylor will be emailing their letters for us to print out and send to you, which shouldn't take as long, thanks to the convenience of modern technology.
We are grateful that Emma is around to help you, and that you are no longer sick. Remember to eat plenty of healthy foods to boost that immune system. Don't forget your vegetables!
We look forward to seeing you at Christmas. If you can, do show us pictures and mementos from your school, that way can see a little of where you are and what you're up to.
Enjoy your school and your new friends. Please be careful. Always be mindful of where you are and who you're with. Let us know if there's anything you'd like from home that we can send to you.
Love, Mom and Dad
Attached with the letter were several photographs of his family and pets, followed by two more sheets of white bond paper containing the pasted emails from his Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Baylor, repeating more of the same concerns and well-wishing.
The second envelope was purple and had Stacy written all over it.
Reducio
Andy!!!!
You're alive! I can't believe you're actually there! How is everything, being in Slytherin? You said your dorm/bedroom is like a dungeon/aquarium? Ooo, sounds spooky. Like a haunted underwater castle, haha. Reminds me of Halloween that's coming up. For the costume parade, it's finally decided:
Me & Gemini = Rapunzel & Maximus
Lizelle & Rex = Mulan & Khan
Sierra & Magnus = Merida & Angus
I wonder what you'll be doing for Halloween at Hogwarts. Let me know!
How's Wysteria? You still have her with you, right? If it's possible for you to take pictures of her around Hogwarts, like one of those traveling toys, that would be awesome! Then you could put them in an album and show them to me. (Are there magical cameras at Hogwarts? Seems like there should be…)
I don't want to repeat the same questions Kyle's putting in his letter, but ditto everything he's written down so far. And thanks for the licorice wands! Mom, Dad, Kyle and I shared them. Do send more! Of whatever candies/treats/edible things you can find over there. Anything you can send. And I'll see if I can bake some chocolate chip cookies today and send them to you.
Tell Emma I say hi!
Love, Stacy
P.S. Found any unicorns yet?
You're alive! I can't believe you're actually there! How is everything, being in Slytherin? You said your dorm/bedroom is like a dungeon/aquarium? Ooo, sounds spooky. Like a haunted underwater castle, haha. Reminds me of Halloween that's coming up. For the costume parade, it's finally decided:
Me & Gemini = Rapunzel & Maximus
Lizelle & Rex = Mulan & Khan
Sierra & Magnus = Merida & Angus
I wonder what you'll be doing for Halloween at Hogwarts. Let me know!
How's Wysteria? You still have her with you, right? If it's possible for you to take pictures of her around Hogwarts, like one of those traveling toys, that would be awesome! Then you could put them in an album and show them to me. (Are there magical cameras at Hogwarts? Seems like there should be…)
I don't want to repeat the same questions Kyle's putting in his letter, but ditto everything he's written down so far. And thanks for the licorice wands! Mom, Dad, Kyle and I shared them. Do send more! Of whatever candies/treats/edible things you can find over there. Anything you can send. And I'll see if I can bake some chocolate chip cookies today and send them to you.
Tell Emma I say hi!
Love, Stacy
P.S. Found any unicorns yet?
The third was a piece of green paper, folded into an origami envelope. Definitely Kyle's handiwork. Unfolding the paper, he saw what was written on the backside:
Reducio
Dear Andy,
I'm writing this on green paper because green is the color of your house.
That's so cool you're at Hogwarts now! How are your classmates? Have you learned any spells yet? Have you been on a broom? What kind of classes are you taking? I wish I could be there with you.
Missing you lots and I can't wait for you to come back for Christmas so we can go back to Diagon Alley again!
Love, KYLE
P.S. Thanks for the licorice wands. They were tasty.
I'm writing this on green paper because green is the color of your house.
That's so cool you're at Hogwarts now! How are your classmates? Have you learned any spells yet? Have you been on a broom? What kind of classes are you taking? I wish I could be there with you.
Missing you lots and I can't wait for you to come back for Christmas so we can go back to Diagon Alley again!
Love, KYLE
P.S. Thanks for the licorice wands. They were tasty.
The fourth envelope, if the floral pattern was anything to go by, must belong to his grandparents. Specifically from his grandma, since she had always been the one to write letters on her and Grandpa's behalf. Unfolding the letter, sure enough, it was his grandmother's handwriting. Her large, italicized cursive was near-illegible. Andrew had to squint hard and tilt the paper every which way to be able to read it. Reason why he had saved this letter for last, it would take him at least twice as long to get through the whole thing, compared to the others. If only his dad was here to translate - he was the only one who could decipher his own mother's handwriting. By the end of it, Andrew had given up trying to interpret several words that were still too smooshed for him to make out, leaving gaping holes in his grandmother's letter. Aside from the hydrangeas and delphiniums being in bloom and Grandpa working heavily in the yard, there was little else that hadn't already been expressed to him in the other letters from his family.
Unscrewing the lid of the Mason jar, he took a bite of a chocolate chip cookie. Still relatively soft and fresh, since the container had been sealed tight. All it lacked was the warmth of an oven. And a glass of milk. So long as he compensated with an extra serving of veggies for dinner, he was sure his parents wouldn't mind him munching on cookies this early in the morning.