Re-Opened 6/22/24 You are Not Alone PV Marietta Griffis

Dear AF,

Oh my, I'm so sorry to have caused you distress! I hope my sadness didn't put a damper on your evening. I truly thought I was alone, that's why I was singing. That said...

Thank you, thank you so much, I really did think I was alone that day... in more ways than one. I also appreciate you not walking in. I likely would have made an absolute toad of myself. Claiming I was quite fine despite my face being red and puffy. Usually I'm not honest with people when I'm feeling blue but I feel like its okay to be honest with you. [espicially because this is a letter and you can always stop reading it and throw it into the fire.]

I've felt like I was alone since last year, I try to do all the things parents tell you to. Be friendly, be helpful, be kind, and that supposedly makes you lots of friends. After meeting people though- I almost never see them again. Its like they vanish... or start actively avoiding me. I know its a very self centered thought. I mean, what if they just got gravely injured and lost most of their short term memory? Still its happened so many times that its hard not to wonder, is it me?

Anyways, thank you so much for this letter it made me feel a lot better. As did the badger and cookie! You essentially bundled together my three favorite things together here. Friendship, cuteness, and sugar! What better birthday present could I ask for? I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you in return. Hope agreeing to the offer of friendship is enough!

Thank you again!
-Marrietta Griffis

P.S. Archimedes is gorgeous!! I wanted to give him head pats, but I know some owls don't like that, does he like head pats?

Hello, Marietta!

I am so pleased the letter and badger and cookie cheered you up as that was the general plan! I understand how hard it can be around Hogwarts. I definitely get it, but do not give up on it... or your fellow classmates. I am sorry that your friends have come and gone. It sounds like you are doing the right things. Sometimes circumstances just work against us, and maybe there are things working in the background that make that ultimately better for you, whether you know it or not now, or ever.

So, I will make a proposal to you. I generally run in the mornings or practice my casting before breakfast. If you are interested in either of those things, feel free to meet up with me at o'dark-thirty, any morning but Sunday. If you see me in the Library or in the Corridors... or anywhere really... please say hello, and I will promise to do the same. We have "seen" enough of each other around campus that maybe it is time to take it beyond smiles and nods and owls. If you need a study partner, I can be a good one. If you just need someone to talk to, I can be that, too. I will not push you, but I do not want you feeling so alone and isolated while thinking that condition is somehow a fault of yours. It is not.

If moving beyond owls sounds like anything you would be interested in pursuing, let me know. It can be anything else other than what I have mentioned, so fret not. I am easy-going with whatever you wish to do, or not do, about any of it.

I am going to make this a bit short as my boyfriend has been sick and I think I have now caught whatever it was he had. Uggggghhhhh. So if you do not see me around, I have not left Hogwarts - I promise! I am likely just curled up in my room (or the nurse's office) hibernating and healing.

Hope to maybe talk to you in person soon,
~AF

P.S. Thank you. I think Archimedes is a quite handsome owl myself. I secretly sometimes think he thinks so, too. He does not really like to be patted on the head, but he will be your friend forever if you gently rub his breastbone in an up and down motion with a couple of fingers. You know he is enjoying it when he begins to close his eyes or gives a deep, resonating kind of chirp. Then you are golden in his eyes! Whatever you do, however, never offer him food without a leather glove on your hand. If you do, then it will be you healing and hibernating in the nurse's office.

@Marietta Griffis

Hey AF!

Sorry for the late reply, you'd think that classes wouldn't get harder till June but nooo. I really need to get my grades up so this weekend was spent studying, sigh. Sometimes I wish I could have brought my switch. Sorry, a muggle game that I quite enjoy, with me. Though, if we're being entirely honest, I likely wouldn't have gotten anything done if it had come with me.

Thank you so much for that proposal! I would love to take you up on it! I'll admit I tend to sleep in as late as I can [especially in these winter months-] and get my outdoor air in the afternoons. However it would probably be a good idea to break that habit and start getting up earlier [so I don't have anymore close calls for breakfast]!

While I'm sure we've seen each other plenty of times... I regret to admit I don't know who you are. I'm terribly sorry! But you never wrote your real name and I'm afraid I can't think of anyone with those initials. I'm really terribly sorry, I should be more conscious of my surroundings. Should this proposal remain open nonetheless, I will make sure to seek you out and join you on that run in the mornings and keep a better eye out for you.

Oof, sorry to hear your feeling unwell! If that's still the case I would be more than happy to drop by with a treat or something for you! Really if there's anything you need, just ask! I would be happy to help, especially after everything you've done for me! So cool that you have a boyfriend though, my dad has forbidden me from dating until fifth year. At first I thought that was a bit weird, but after seeing some of the... customs that Hogwarts has, especially regarding ballposals, I think that's for the best. I bet the guy your dating is great though!

Hoping to see you as well!
Lots of care and healing
-Marietta Griffis

P.S. Hes so Soft! I hope you don't mind I gave him a dried rat or two. You must tell me how you got him! I almost got an owl myself, but was informed that I should get a therapy animal that I can keep with me at all times. So I got my very prestigious cat Jello; who we are pretty sure is cat royalty of some sort

@AngelFyre McCubbin