Therapy and Reunion

[Mima Scarlet]

Mima twirled her brown locks around her finger as she stared absently in to space. She'd never been the best writer, by any means, and she didn't often put her thoughts down on paper so clearly as she endeavoured to now. When she wrote letters, they were usually just idle musings on school life. Mindless pleasantries, that sort of thing.

She had begun to try to express how she felt in more detail to her friend and confidante, Sabrina, but she always found it difficult to form words. It wasn't for a lack of intelligence - Mima wasn't a genius by any stretch of the imagination, but she wasn't stupid either. It was just hard to say what was in her mind, when she was so used to keeping things bottled up inside.

As it happened, however, this was one letter she wouldn't be finishing, as the arrival of a raven with a letter for her surprised her enough to cause her to forget what she was doing.

 

[Markus Schwarz]

Having returned to New Zealand, and with a new lease on life, Mark put quill to parchment and began to write a letter he'd sworn, fifteen years ago, that he'd never write.

Mima,

I suppose you hardly remember me, though I have no doubt you know exactly who I am to you. I know we've never really spoken, nor have we seen each other in many years, but I have recently had the realisation that I should take the time to speak of a few things to you.

So first of all, how are you, how have you been? I have heard that you are attending Hogwarts. Your aunt Gretchen informed me that Durmstrang did not agree with you. It is understandable. Durmstrang is a harsh school, and you never seemed to have the constitution to handle it.

It is hard to write pleasantries to a fifteen year old daughter I feel I should've gotten to know long before, I know, but do humour me, Mima. Forgive a washed up old man who's wasted the better years of his life for never being there for the people who needed him. Forgive me, I know how your mother is and I know you probably needed someone there for you, and I never could've been the parental figure you needed.

Apologies are also difficult - it is a matter of pride, and had you been raised as a Schwarz, you would have pride to spare - but I suppose what's done is done.

Promise me this, Mima. I would hate to know that my own daughter - I've never been a father to you and I don't expect you to think of me as such, but you are of my flesh and blood - would waste her life, would fall off the beaten path only to wake up, years later, knowing that her life was irrevocably damaged.

You don't have to write back, you don't even have to read this damned letter, for all the good it will do. I suppose I just wanted to apologize for bringing someone in to the world and then leaving them alone. If you wanted to know, your father's alive and as well as can be expected, although this letter severely wounded my pride.

Be strong, Mima, and perhaps one day we will see each other again.
- Markus Schwarz