𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎:
Sunday Letters
(Summer of July 1972)

VIVIANE EAGERLY ANTICIPATES SUNDAYS.

No. It's not because of the Traditional Family Sunday Dinners—absolutely not. It's what happens after enduring those Sunday dinners.

Letters.

Weeny delivers Viviane the letters her friends had written for her for the week.

Of course, the threat to her safety is still much of a concern after someone tried to destroy their wards, which someone did so and horribly failed. Now, the person is buried six feet under the ground after painfully dying due to being burnt to death.

The wards sense hostile intentions and dark magic. And has tendencies to—no, not tendency, can actually bring a threat to a witch or warlock's burning death, and because of the wards, the wizard, yes, the Aurors have identified it as a wizard, but unfortunately, that's the only thing they can identity from him because his face is burnt, his whole body is burnt leaving him unrecognisable to everyone.

Luckily, Viviane did not witness such a mortifying death that could potentially traumatise her to no end as she was sleeping peacefully in her bedroom with Hades sleeping beside her. Her bedroom is also strongly warded because of the Ward Specialist, and if trespassed, the Aurors will be alerted immediately.

So, yes. The Hawthorne Manor is un-trespassable.

The only visitors or guests that are allowed to enter are her daily visitors, who are Viviane's Ballet Mistress, Private Tutor, Etiquette Instructor, Language tutor, and Music Tutor.

For their usual Manor guests—the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black family members, specifically her cousins, Sirius and Regulus—for a short amount of time, Narcissa, Andromeda, and sometimes Uncle Alphard or Aunt Walburga whenever she fancies checking on Sirius whether or not her cousin is causing troubling mayhem—which he kept to a minimum because of Viviane's mum, Christine.

Then her grandparents returned from their anniversary last month. After catching up, they never failed to remind Viviane how much she has to live up to their unreachable expectations as the Hawthorne Heiress.

Now, the letters, which Weeny as instructed by Viviane, even if she trusted her friends, are heavily inspected for any harmful charms or potential contact poisoning—it's just protocols to mediate her Father's paranoia.

Finally, she read the first letter in the stacks of letters in front of her. With her bedroom doors charmed locked and shut—no one her age is allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, but after receiving her magic lessons at the age of 5, the Ministry of Magic allowed Viviane to use magic during the summer after her Father sent them a letter about the matter of using magic at such an early age.

Viviane first read Myra's letter.

Dear Viv,

My beloved Viv! How are you? And how has your week been? Mine had just gotten better! But first, I learned a new hobby; you know, my insistent need to learn every hobby there is because I'm terribly bored of doing nothing with my spare time—which is all the time during this summer, to be honest. It's been terribly dull without you girls.

I learned pottery! How bloody amazing is that? It took me almost two weeks to learn how to make an adorable small flower vase and cup bowls with little designs on them, too! So with this letter, there's an adorable wrapped flower vase for you in your favourite colour, periwinkle! And I painted some clouds around it and some tiny stars, speaking of paint. It might be the new hobby I'm trying out. I also sent the girls the vases I made with their favourite colours!

What got me so excited in my first paragraph is that we're having a holiday in the Philippines! Our beloved Inang Bayan (mother country), and I can't wait! It's been two years since my family and I visited. We'll stay in our house in the countryside, which, believe me, has such a wonderful breath of fresh air away from London's pollution.

My cousins and I planned to help with my grandparent's farming since it is harvest season, so expect me to be a bit tanner than usual when school starts! I will bring you girls pasalubongs (gifts) when I get back next month—or next week? Can Weeny travel internationally? If so, I can give her your letter for the week and the candies I would have bought for you that I think you would like! I'm going to send you my address in the Philippines for Weeny!

I can't wait for school to start so I can hug the living shite out of you again. I love you, Viv!

From,
Myra <3

Viviane smiled ear to ear when reading Myra's letter; it's always so entertaining because of how much Myra uses the exclamation point in each sentence. Viviane could practically hear Myra's voice as she read the letter.

And Viviane, too, is excited about Myra's vacation in the Philippines, which Viviane hadn't done so. Because her Father doesn't want to and whatever her Father says goes—unfortunately, but she hopes she can visit soon. Viviane intends to explore the Philippines and experience her own culture, but it'll only be wishful thinking for now.

Viviane opened the wrapped package beside the stack of letters; after ripping the wrapping, Viviane took out the adorable periwinkle flower vase designed with little clouds and tiny stars. Viviane brought it to her desk, and she oaths to remember to put a flower on the vase, maybe from one of her Mama's gardens.

She walks back to her bed. And opens another letter, which is from Dorcas.

Dear Viv,

Hello Viv! I missed you, I know; I received your letter for the week, and I'm sure we are reading it at the same time because we share the same trait of being night owls, do we not? I had a wonderful week with my sister. We went to a muggle theatre house, and it was bloody wonderful!

They played this muggle Broadway show named Grease. Apparently, it's an American Broadway Show that's only here for a week. I'm so glad my sister and I got an opportunity to watch it. You know, my love of anything musical; it just brings me so much joy and brings me to life. And I learned how to play some of their songs on the piano and guitar; maybe I'll serenade it to you girls when we go back to school.

Oh, how I want to bring you, girls, to Muggle London and the opera and theatre part. Although, it may take some time to convince Aurora. You know how much she's still adjusting to her pureblood beliefs since she's been with us.

Anyway, That's all. I'm glad to catch up with you this week! I'm going to anticipate the letter for next week. Stay safe, love you always.

From,
Dorcas

Dorcas's handwriting is getting neater and can finally be read much easier after Dorcas practised her handwriting during the Holidays last year after she saw Viviane's handwriting and grew embarrassed about hers.

And Viviane wants to go to Muggle London as well, and she noted to herself that if she has the opportunity to do so. She'll ask Dorcas to come with her.

In their little friend group, even though they are all from  pureblood families, they never share the same pureblood ideals as other pureblood families and will never instill them in their children.

The Meadows are neutral to muggles. And that has gained a bad reputation for their family in the Wizarding World, but they don't care.

Dorcas knows plenty about muggles and always informs them of anything muggle, especially Aurora, who had a difficult time understanding it and slowly removing certain beliefs; it's a process for the girl, and they certainly support it. Aurora tries to hide her fascination whenever she listens to Dorcas's stories about muggle London, but Viviane can see right through the eagerness in those brown doe eyes.

Dorcas's week seems so entertaining, and her love for music has never failed to impress Viviane. She had heard Dorcas sing before, and she sounded heavenly. Her friend is musically inclined, as Dorcas mastered almost every musical instrument she laid her hands on.

And finally, the most anticipated letter is from Remus. Viviane feels quite giddy when she thinks of Remus. Whenever she thinks of him, she has an unexplained rush of excitement and fluster.

Dearest Viv,

Do you know that Sundays are my most anticipated day of the week? Not only do I get to write you a letter. I'll be able to read your letter too. It's the day that always brings a smile to my face. Because it's probably the most enjoyable day of my dull summer, and because of your letters, it isn't so dull anymore.

Viviane felt herself blushing, the tips of her ears flaring pink. Merlin, Remus always has a way with words and is actually flirting with her. Viviane just knows that Remus doesn't even know that himself. He's just being honest in his letters because writing is how he can truly express the thoughts that he cannot express himself in person because he can organise his thoughts well when writing—-it's one of the things Viviane learned last year.

Remus is a quiet boy, often keeping it to himself because he's shy. When he does talk, he has a tendency to have a nervous stutter. Still, Viviane thinks he'll grow out of it once he becomes more comfortable around people and gets used to being in others' presence.

I decided to start a book; it's a book from my bookshelf that I haven't touched in quite some time. My mam always read it to me before going to bed when I was four, but of course, I have grown out of being read to for bed.

It's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by a muggle author named Roald Dahl. Daresay it's my favourite children's book. I just remembered the first time my mam read this to me. It gave me a tremendous sense of comfort because of how beautifully well-written it is and how it captivated me as if I were part of the story. I predict that this book will be one of the classics someday.

In this book, Charlie, a small child who lives in poverty, is the main character. He discovers that in order to enter a contest and find one of the five Golden Tickets that are available worldwide, one must purchase a Willy Wonka chocolate bar. Charlie wins a lifelong supply of Willy Wonka's chocolate bars when he finds one of the tickets in his chocolate bar, along with an invitation to visit the factory with four other people. At the conclusion of the tour of the chocolate factory, Wonka also declares that there will be a winner who will receive a special prize.

And I won't bore you with the details, but I think you would like to know more, with your curiosity and all. I know you.

I gave you my copy of the book, with some notes about some explanations of muggle words that you might need help understanding. I do hope you like it as much as I do. And it's yours if you want. I think you would appreciate it more than I do.

My letters always contain a short summary of the book I read for the week, and I just noticed it. I hope you don't mind. I don't really have entertaining activities this Summer or every Summer. I'm always at home cooped up in my room, reading a book or two. As I said, your letters are the highlight of my weeks, and I wish the week could come by faster so I can read another letter from you.

With love,
Remus

Viviane released a giggle and plopped herself down on the bed as she hugged Remus's letter to her chest with burning cheeks with the tips of her ears turning pink. Viviane feels like floating. She kicks her legs as she releases another soft giggle, smiling. She sits on the bed and takes the book that Remus mentioned in the letter.

Viviane opens the book with the first page written with Remus's familiar scrawny handwriting.

Property of R.J Lupin.

Viviane bit her lips as she carefully flipped through the old browning pages; she brought the book to her nose and took a deep whiff as the scent of old pages wafted her senses; she closed her eyes in delight when the smell was mixed with Remus's scent.

She closes it and lays it on the bed; she purses her lips to the side as she goes into deep thought. Viviane could not keep something so sentimental from Remus's childhood; she just couldn't; maybe she should just buy another copy and send it to Remus for him to annotate and back his copy of the book.

From how Remus wrote it in the letter, the book is special to him, one of a kind, and she could never take that from him, even if he wanted her to have it. Viviane thinks she doesn't deserve such a valuable item.

Viviane intends to talk Andromeda into buying her a new copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. She could do it in one of their sleepovers next week.

Viviane read the rest of the letters, and after that, she went into her walk-in closet. There was a hidden shoe box with a disillusionment charm and a notice-me-not charm that contained the letters that her friends sent to her during the Holidays and this Summer and where she'll continue to hide their letters. She doesn't want her Father snooping about her things.

Viviane placed Remus's book inside her bedside table and then prepared her parchment and quill and write the first half of her letter as a reply to the letters she had read a response, and the next half, which she would be writing next Sunday before Weeny sent it to her friends.

First, Viviane wrote Myra's. Viviane is so excited about Myra's trip to the Philippines. It wishes for her safe travels and to enjoy her time in their motherland. She adored the adorable periwinkle flower vase and would put a flower from her Mama's garden. And answered her question that Weeny can travel internationally—that elves have their own travelling ways that Viviane cannot explain herself. She just knows that Weeny can apparate internationally. Thanking Myra in advance for the pasalubongs (gifts) she plans to give to Viviane. And how much she misses Myra's hug of death.

The second is Dorcas's letter. Viviane requested that she re-enact the scenes that Dorcas loved from the Broadway she watched with her sister. How much Viviane had missed her angelic singing voice that she should consider being a singer, and that Viviane was sure she'd be known worldwide because of her talent. And that she can't wait to go to muggle London with Dorcas someday and experience the Opera and Broadway side of the muggle city.

Thirdly, to Remus. Viviane first started by assuring Remus that she did not mind reading Remus's book reviews for the book he had read that week. She found the books he had read quite interesting and intriguing and how well-written his letters were.

She told him she could not get enough of his letters and that it was also her most anticipated letter of the week. Viviane said to him that she'd return the book and expressed her reasons and that she'd buy a new copy for him to annotate and for her to read.

Lastly, to the letters from Calista, Althea, Aurora, James, as a shock, Peter too had written her a letter, Emmeline, Philip and one of the most entertaining letters that are written in one letter but composed by two people, from the Prewett twins—this too came by as a surprise and somehow managed to convince Calista to sent her letter with theirs—Viviane doesn't know that Calista and the Prewett twins too are close, but, oh, well.

After reading the letters from her friends, Viviane felt the tension and fatigue from the traditional Sunday family dinners melt away. She feels utterly content at the moment.

And she cannot wait for next Sunday.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

━━ I am establishing a new rule that I won't update any chapters until the previous chapter I posted isn't receiving the amount of attention/hype (comments & votes) I would have preferred, so this time I know that ya'll actually want to read my updates. This might get a weekly update if I am satisfied with the feedback!