January, 2064
Hi, Olive.
Everyone talks about the letters they've sent to you over the years, and I suppose it's probably my turn, right? I don't know why I haven't before. Actually no, I do. It's because that was then and this is now, and on this side of now you're not here. It's been fourteen years since you left us and I suppose it's only now that I've wanted to go back because well, I'm the same age you were Olive.
It's my birthday next month, but you are always stuck at 30. I'm the same age you were when you saved Amortentia and Felix from whatever happened that night. I'm the same age you were when you were engaged, planning your wedding to West. You were no older than me when you tried to teach me to drive, or when you congratulated me for becoming Head Girl and I threw it back at you. You'd spent the previous sixteen years before that bringing me up, doing the job that mom and dad failed at. If you weren't with me, you were with the students, or your own family. You never had time for yourself. You never had time at all.
Ten is almost sixteen now, Felix a teenager too. I'll tell you about them, and the others too, because you've never left our lives, not really. Maybe it's a curse that we while we may move on, we can't forget you and the impact you had on everyone. But perhaps it's a blessing because it reminds us that we have to live now, because not all of us get to see past 30. I tried for years to figure out why things had to be this way and what happened that night, and I know I wasn't the only one. All we can do now is make peace with the fact that we can't go back and instead all we can do is keep moving forward.
We don't talk to mom anymore. We haven't since the funeral when she tried to send Wendall away. As far as I know she's still working in real estate but since cutting contact it's hard to tell. Wendall stayed with us in the end. I say us, I mean Mervyn and I. We lived together after graduation, and Wendall stayed with us until he graduated too. The day Mervyn and I got married I wished you'd been there to see it. Monty gave me away of all people, but I'm glad he was there to. Wendall married his long-term girlfriend that afternoon alongside us, the cheeky beggar. I think you would have liked Mary-Lou, you both would have had a great time baking for the children. What are the children of your cousins called? Either way you have three of those as well. Felix babysits for them sometimes and by the sounds of it they can be a handful. They're like mini Wendall's except way way cuter.
As for Mervyn and I, we stayed together and adopted his little sister, Eluned. She reminds me a lot of you, but only in the way that I want to help her like you helped me. Mervyn told me once he felt bad about asking me to take care her in, but I did because I knew you would have done the same. You did do the same. A few years later, Mervyn and I had children too. You're an aunt now, and the girls are already growing up so fast. We named Livvy after you, although she doesn't act like it. Sometimes I think having Ned around has given the girls a bad influence, but I know in time they'll be grateful to have an older sister. Merv's great with all of them, honestly, I think being a girl dad was what that man was born to do.
Ned and Ten, they're best friends now too. Ten and Felix stayed with us so often that they practically grew up together too. I don't know whether or not that's a good thing, I don't think anyone would look at me and consider me to have maternal instincts, but I'm grateful we've stuck together even if it's been hard. Both the girls are going through a strange phase at the moment but who am I to judge them for that? I remember exactly what it was like, too well. Felix seems to have come out of his shell too since starting at Hogwarts, although I'm not yet sure which one takes more after you.
I'm not sure how to end this - How do you just stop talking to someone that you know won't reply? I suppose at least this is a good reason for me to write again. That was then, this is now, but then we are lucky to have what comes after.
For you.
Your little sister,
Leda.
