Regards, Mother ~ by Brandyllyn

18 October 1992

Neither dear nor darling Severus,

Don’t get stroppy with me young man. The tone of your last letter was quite uncalled for. I have half a mind to travel to Hogwarts and curse some sense into you. I most certainly did not purposely send that letter to Prof. Lockhart. I must have simply been thinking of him when I addressed it. Please convey my apologies, I certainly never meant for him to read this old lady’s ramblings on his person. (And if you must know, I read about the poltergeist incident in Gadding with Ghouls. And, no, I was not present for the occurrence. But I have absolutely no reason to doubt its veracity. You should learn to be a bit more trusting.)

And I know you extended no invitation for us to stay with you at Christmas. But I also know you meant to and thus I have taken the liberty of accepting it. You should be happy that your mother takes it upon herself to make your life easier by denying you the need to extend your own invitations. Your utter lack of social grace would mean that you would have absolutely no company - at Christmas or otherwise. And even you must agree that that would be a bad thing.

Louise – of the Hendricks down the road, you remember don’t you? They have that beautiful black poplar growing in their front garden – I believe I remember you stealing some bark from it once – has apparently received a rather disturbing owl from her son. He’s just started his first year at Hogwarts and, to hear him tell it, you have been an absolute monster to him. While I am not one to disparage or condone your teaching methods, Louise’s voice is rather shrill and I would much prefer not to have to spend much time in the future listening to her disparage my only son’s character.

Regards,

Mother

P.S. For the record, I will be at Hogwarts this Christmas come hell or high water. Rampaging lethifolds could not keep me away.

P.P.S. Is October 3rd such a truly difficult date to remember? Your father will begin to think you do not like him at all.

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