So much has happened . . . HELP!

[Sia Riversend]

Sia stepped into the owlery with some apprehension. The last time she'd been in here, she'd been arguing with her long-lost relatives, and she doubted this visit would be any more cheerful. Sia was sorry about the bluntness of the questions in her letter, but she needed to know what was going on, and it wasn't easy to ask nicely. Hopefully her parents would be able to shed some light on the mystery, confusion and heartbreak happening lately.

Sighing, Sia carefully tied her letter to the leg of a snowy owl.

Dear Mum and Dad,

School has been hectic, but quite enjoyable. I've been making friends . . . and meeting relatives, which I feel I need to ask you about. Is Eliza Beth Stewart really Uncle Pierre's daughter? What happened all those years ago? Why did you abandon Melodie? I know you wouldn't have done it on purpose, but there's so much I don't understand.

I wish you could have been there at the wedding, when the groom abandoned Melodie. Why weren't you; what happened? Has any light been shed on who tortured her? Abathyn took me to visit; did you visit her too? All these questions seem repetetive and accusing, and the only one I really want to know the answer to is what's going on?[/ Please help me.

Love, Sia.

 

[Alyca Lowe]

Alyca awoke to a light piece of parchment fluttering towards her delicate fingers. She looked up just as a snowy white owl flew out of her bedroom window. The woman pulled her white-blonde hair back with an elastic band ans snuck a look at her complexion in the mirror. Even with her morning eyes, her natural veela beauty seemed to shine. She wiped the sleepy dust from her eyes before uncurling the sheet of parchment. She looked over to her husband, luckily still deep in slumber next to her. As Alyca skimmed the letter her heart sank, she had kept too much from Sia and now she had begun to demand answers to the questions that had been avoided. The older woman dipped her quill into the inkwell and began a reply.

I know I haven't been completely truthfull with you, but you have to understand I was only trying to protect you. Its too much for you to understand. But yes, Eliza Beth is your cousin. I think you mean Peter darling, he changed his name. Eliza's mother and father ran away with us, but they didn't make it. They were killed by death eaters. You see the family has been hunted for many years because of something your grandfather did (which I am not getting into) Your father and I left Melodie with your grandmother so she would be safe. We didn't want to, but we had no choice. And to answer your other question, yes we did visit Melodie in hospital. Oh Sia it was horrible! I couldn't bear to see her like that, so we only visited once. Of course we attended the custody trial and you know the outcome of that. I hope this answers some of your questions.
Love always, mother xx

Alyca immediately sent the letter away, hoping her husband wouldn't find out what she had told ther daughter. She arose from her bed and went to take a shower. She hoped Sia would understand her actions and not try to question them.

 

[Sia Riversend]

Sia read her mother's letter, and instantly felt ashamed.How could she have been so impatient, so demanding? Sia knew Alyca loved her, and must have loved Melodie too. Leaving the child behind must have been the hardest thing Sia's parents had ever done. Sia didn't think she could bear to do the same, even if it had been for Melodie's own good. Sighing at her own idiocy, Sia sat down and began to compose a reply.

Dear Mum,

I am so sorry for my last letter. I reread it, and I sounded like a petulant five-year-old. I wonder how you ever dealt with me when I was that age.

I realise now how terrible it must have been for you. To leave a daughter behind . . . How did you cope? How are you coping now? Everything is so confusing, I can barely concentrate on my schoolwork. I still have many questions, but I promise I'll be more mindful of your feelings when asking them this time.

Love, Sia.

Sia tied the letter to the leg of that same snowy owl, and watched it sadly as it flew away towards Alyca.

 

[Alyca Lowe]

Alyca was pleased when she read Sia's reply, she was happy that her daughter understood what she had been through and wasn't going to ask so many questions of her anymore. Derek was out once again, probably with his favorite bottle of beer in his hand. It had become a hobby for him since Melodie's accident and the court case. As much as the veela hated it, she knew how much he had gone through, after all he hadn't treated Melodie the way he should have as a child out of resentment towards what happened with Abathyn and her adoption. Alyca retrieved her quill once more and began to write in her perfected linking.

I am pleased that my letter answered some of your questions. You did act a little irrationally, but that is entirely understandable under the circumstances. I realise it must be a struggle for you at school, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea to draw attention to you by pulling you from class. Besides, things between your father and I haven't been going so well since the attack, it wouldn't be a good environment for you darling.

I dealt with you just fine with you when you were that age darling. I can assure you, you were much easier than our Melodie was at that age, mind you I hardly saw her, she was always out with that boy Izaak. Didn't I tell her he'd break her heart? Well mothers are always right aren't they? I suppose I am coping the best I can right now. I am back at work and am trying to keep my mind off it all. I am still very worried about you my darling. How are you?

Love mummy xx

Alyca tied the letter with a small pink ribbon and sent it away with the owl immediately. She hoped it would reach Sia before her lessons started. She did worry about how her daughter was coping with it all. But she had to move on. So the blonde pulled on a jacket and made her way to work. She couldn't save Melodie, but she still had to save others.

 

[Sia Riversend]

Sia was in the common room doing homework when she recieved Alyca's second letter. The beautiful owl tapped against the window beside which she was sitting, and Sia opened it eagerly. The bird fluttered in, and landed imperiously on Sia's open book. Sia laughed, and opened the letter. Reading it, she realised that her mother was just making reassuring noises, and not really saying anything meaningful. Understandable, but still frustrting. Easing her quill out from under the owl's smooth feathers, Sia immediately began writing her reply.

Dear Mum,

I am doing fine at the moment, and keeping up with my schoolwork rather better. How are you? And what do you mean "haven't been going so well"? What's going on at home? Is there anything I can help with? I'm sorry that this is once again a letter filled with endless questions, but there's not much that I have to say and, well, you know me. I'm always curious; I can't help it no matter how much I want to.

Were Melodie and Izaac best friends when they were little too? I know he's been doing a lot to help her after that 'fateful night', and that it was him who rescued her. I met Izaac at the wedding, you know the one that didn't happen, and he seemed pretty nice.

And . . . I know it must be awkward to talk about it, but why did you have to run from the Death Eaters fourteen years ago?

Love, Sia.

Feeling slightly guilty about the contents of her letter, Sia sent the owl away once more.

 

[Alyca Lowe]

Alyca sighed at the reply she got from Sia. She uncurled the parchment and sent the snowy owl out of the window, she didn't want Derek coming in and complaining it smelt or there was too much noise. Alyca had to tiptoe around her husband lately, trying not to irk or disgruntle him, out of fear he would rage up again. She took out her quill and silently replied, her lips pursed together as she concentrated on the matter at hand.

Your father and I have been fighting lately, but its nothing to worry about, I am sure we will work it all out. Its not your fault. It can't be helped, but we are both under a lot of pressure and stress and we tend to take it out on one another. Don't worry yourself though darling. We look forward to seeing you home soon as I understand the school year is almost over. Perhaps Melodie might visit too, that would be nice wouldn't it?

Yes Melodie and Izaak have been friends since I can remember, they were a couple for a long time too. But I'm sure you should ask your sister about all that hm? Yes he is very nice, but he needs to get his prioritories straight. Anywho, I'd better hurry along with your next question, your father has arrived home.

Your father and I left France after I had put one of the most notorious death eaters in Azkaban for life, it was a triumph among the auror community, but it spelled trouble. His friends came after me, your cousin Eliza Beth's parents got involved with trying to protect me and ended up having to come with us to. We left Melodie for her own safety, it was the right thing to do, but it still hurt me.

I have to go now, talk soon
xx

Alyca hastily sent the letter away as her husband opened the front door and greeted her with a drunken kiss. The beautiful woman often wondered how they had managed to stay together, true love must have been it. She still remembered completely defying her parents and running off with the muggle. She even remembered how displeased they were when she didn't give birth to a pureblood baby, in fact one of only half blood. They had been through alot, but had stayed strong. They would get through this too.

 

[Sia Riversend]

Sia went into the Owlery with vague reluctance. It was the first time since the holidays that she had written to her mother, and she was inexplicably nervous about it. Thankfully, the issues brought up by Alyca's previous letter had been (at least partially) resolved over the holidays. However, that did not prevent their letters from being as dramatic as any gathering of the family usually turned out to be.

Dear Mum,

My first week back at school has been confusing to say the least. I can't get used to being a Second Year. It feels so weird. Any why did no-one think to tell me that Melodie is the new Divination professor? I got sent to the office of "Professor Low", and I was so worried that I was in trouble. I don't even take Divination! I definitely will next year, now.

It was extroadinarily confusing though. Honestly, one minute I was anxiously wondering what I was there for, and the next Melodie was offering me a cupcake! She told me that Abathyn's joined the Death Eaters. How do you react to this?

Love, Sia.