My Dearest Zazuka,
I knew you would most likely be worried on your friends behalf but I beg you now not to be. Her mother finally saw sense, goodness knows what she was thinking all this time but she gave me permission to have Andromeda live here with me and to attend Hogwarts again next year.
I took her from the school as quickly as I could and not a moment too soon either. She looks so delicate and frail, barely skin and bone now. So unkept and wild looking as well. They abused her no end because of what she becomes, they have no tolerence what so ever for 'magical beasts' as they refer to them and cited so many laws and such to me that they were well in their rites for ... I don't know if I should even be telling you this but I know she won't and you must understand the extend of her captivity for that is what it came to in the end. They took her from her dormitory and put her quarters in the dungeon. She was only allowed out for class and then had to be supervised at all times, they banned her from using her wand even to practise with between classes until they eventually just took it from her and only gave it to her for Charms and Dark Arts class.
She has been gravely ill due to malnutrition and neglect and has been in bed rest for the past three days since she got here. My beautiful vivacious godchild seems to have disappeared for good and all I am left with is a shell of her. She does not talk, can barely eat and wakes with the most horrendous of nightmares. She will be spending the summer here recuperating before I allow her to go to back to Hogwarts in September. So any letter you wish to write to her send them here. I am sure she would love to hear from you. Visitors are out of the question though for now, she has been seen by two healers from St. Mungos and all they do is shake their heads and order bed rest and plenty of peace and quiet. So this I must allow her.
I am even considering bringing her when her health is much improved back to Ireland for a short visit to her grandmother and family. Perhaps her home country will do her the world of good. At least she is in good hands now and no more harm will come to her.
Yours Sincerely,
Essie Smickett