Letters From Home Solo

The Second Saturday of September

Rose ran to the tree, the one Gabe had dubbed the Moon Tree, and Frankie had said that that was not allowed, since it wasn't theirs. Gabe had retorted that it was, and that's when Rose had stopped them.
Her other three siblings were already there. Rose waved Jessica's letter over her head. Her little sister was the only one of them five that wasn't at Hogwarts, though she would be next year.
She also had a red checked blanket under her arm, for them to sit on.
They spread it out together, and Rose could almost hear Jessica yawning, her legs crossed and her back against the tree. Once they had spread it out, they sat in the shade of the tree.
Gabe lunged for the letter, but Rose yanked it away from him just in time. "Okay, I'll read it!" Rose said, opening the envelope and taking out one peice of parchment.
Rose began to read:

Dear siblings,
Everything is great here at home, though I had to look up how to use a toaster and burned my hand trying. I got your last letter.

And Gabe, I think you broke the Sorting Hat.

How in the world can you be a Ravenclaw? You're not smart! Quite the opposite, actually.

Anyway, Mom still isn't home as much as we'd all like, and even less than last year, which I find strange. Even stanger, though she's been gone from the house more, she has been strangely... smiley lately, whenever I see her.

Faith, how have you and Charlie been? Has he kissed you yet? I better get a good explaination when I see you again.

Frankie, how have you been? I feel bad for you, still having to share a house with Gabe.

And Gabe, go apologize to the Headmaster for breaking the Sorting Hat.

I love you all,
Jess

"That's what I said!" Frankie blurted when I finished, crossing his arms.
"Faith... has he kissed you yet?" Rose cut in, not wanting to let a fire burn between Frankie and Gabe.
Faith opened her mouth and closed it again. She looked down at her hands, sadness sparking in her eyes.
"Well?"
"Yes..." It sounded like there would be a but, but when Faith trailed off she didn't say anything else.
"But?"
Faith shrugged. "But nothing." Rose could tell she was lying and gave her a skeptical look.
Gabe ran a hand across the red checked blanket. "How come we're sitting on Gryff colors when three-fourths of us are not Gryffs?"
Rose glanced at him playfully. "'Cause none of you bothered to bring blankets."
Gabe rolled his eyes.
Jessica also, in her letters, enclosed something for Rose and Rose only. Rose took it out and read it quickly in her mind. It said-

Dear Rose,
Honestly? I haven't seen Mom all week. She comes back after I'm in bed and leaves before I wake up. Even on Saturdays, they're's not a hint of her. I am so so so mad at her right now, because, if anything, she should be spending more time with me, not less. And I can't imagine she would be this smiley if she had to work the entire time. She does do the shopping for groceries, but I have to make all three of my meals every day. I've been getting in trouble in class because I'm so human-deprived.

I miss Gabe, I'm so human-deprived!

It's like I'm the only person that exists in the world here, I hate it so much. I wish you were here... I wish someone was here. It's only been a month of this and I'm sick and tired of it- I don't know how much longer I can stand this.

Thank you for being here for me. I don't know what I would do without you, there's noone else I can talk to.

I look forward to your next owl.

Much much love,
Jess

This sparked more worry in Rose. She had thought that their mom would spend time with Jess, have a personal relationship with her, but instead, she disapeared. And Rose was mad. If her mom didn't up her game, Rose would give her a piece of her mind. Rose had already written to their mom three times, without a single word of response.
A tiny part of her told her to not be mad, their mom was doing the best she could.
But she ignored that part.
After Rose had finished reading, Frankie said, "Speaking of houses, how in the world could someone like Gabe be a Ravenclaw? It's... preposterous, that's what it is!"
"If you have something to say to me, say it!" Gabe demanded.
"All right, I will!" Frankie stood up and pointed a finger at Gabe. "You don't belong in Ravenclaw- you aren't smart. You disgrace the name of Ravenclaw, and you must have broken the Sorting Hat. You don't belong there."
"You say that like you know anything about me!" Gabe stood up in turn. "Name one reason I'm not as smart as you were at my age."
Frankie started counting on his fingers. "You got C's and D's in your classes, you went to Summer School since mom made you-"
"And do you know what I got in summer school?"
"Barely a B I'd guess."
"I got straight hundreds in every single class."
"I could do that in real school!"
"You know what you can't do?!" Gabe punched Frankie in the face. It hit him in his jaw and Frankie fell back on his behind, only to quickly jump up and lunge at Gabe.
With a growl, Rose jumped up and broke them apart. "Stop, now! This is absolutely ridiculous. Apologize."
"Yes, mom. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
Rose knew they really weren't, but she let it slide. "Go away, Faith and I need to talk."
The boys set off toward the castle.
Rose sat across from Faith and gave her The Look. The Look that says, "I know more than you'e told me."
"But?" she repeated from earlier.
Faith sighed. "Charlie broke up with me," she wailed.
Rose sat with her as she cried, which lasted about five minutes. Rose shushed her, attempting to comfort her. Once the crying had died down, Rose said, "When?"
"Yesterday."
"Why?"
"He didn't tell me, just that..... he didn't love me anymore and we were done." Faith sniffed. Rose hugged her some more.
"If he doesn't love you, he's crazy," she started. "Just you watch, he will have asked another girl out, and she either will say no or not be as amazing as you are. And he's gonna come running back and you'll know to turn him down."
Faith froze. "Turn him down?"
"You're a girl, not a welcome mat he can walk all over. If he dumps you for someone else, then he needs to learn to keep you while he has you."
She sighed. "You're right. I'm so glad I have you."
Rose smiled, glad she could help.
Faith thanked her and asked her if it had looked like she was crying. Rose said no and watched as she walked away.
Her heart sank as she wondered if there was someone she could trust with her deepest darkest secrets, or if she was just helping everyone else, asking nothing in return.