The Shoebox Project

Part One; The Letters of Summer, '75

Sirius Black to Remus Lupin
August Fifteenth, Summer of 1975

M--

Well we are having all kinds of fun here WITHOUT YOU of course. All the livelong day we do nothing but
frolic in the sun and dance pastoral dances and sing merry drinking songs, you can imagine, we are sloshed
ALL the time without your improving influence. You need to hurry up and get out here mate, else we shall be
forced, FORCED I say to get you on the NEW MOTORBIKE and steal you away to our tropical paradise, if by
"tropical" you mean "Devonshire" (and I do.) We fly it constantly, it frightens the shit out of birds which you
can imagine is exactly what I look for in a mode of transportation.

James has got his head stuck in a window, what the hell

Everyone here needs help ALL THE TIME. James's family are off their collective nut, they eat the weirdest foods and his dad's a total madman. He's read every book in the world and goes absolutely blue in the face over Muggle saxophonists. He's a cool bloke, I think when you're old and mad you'll be very like him except less hairy and owning more sweater-vests.

I've got to go help James, speaking of which he says "hello moony! tell him I'm doing great and I want him to send back my jacket." This is of course not true. He is not doing great, he is stuck in a window. WEIRD BLOKE THAT JAMES POTTER.don't send him the jacket, I bet its cold in Latvia. Stupid research, stupid Ministry, stupid everything, COME
BACK OUR MOONY WE ARE DEVASTATED WITHOUT YOU but I hope the clinic is good and you are doing well.

Three more weeks till sixth year. o tempora o mores!!

--P&P

Remus Lupin to Sirius Black
August Seventeenth, Summer of 1975

Most Illustrious P(&P),

Cannot be leaving anyone out now can I. Must be sure not to ruffle very easily ruffled fur or get anyone's antlers
in a joint. &c. &c. Will now attempt to coherently address your points as they
were made in chronological order; will no doubt give self impressive headache trying.

Hopefully you are keeping your frolicsome natures decent and not entirely natural. Have images of you &
Prongs over there leaping about like monkeys in the buff -- an expression; by no means a compliment -- and have lost half tonight's cocoa just imagining the scene. Do please try not to be arrested. Have no money to bail you lot out. Will just sit here in James' jacket (very comfortable by the by, and send another thankyouverymuch his way) and laugh arse off.

Oh look there it goes now.

Do not put me on motorbike or harbor misimpressions of putting me on motorbike. Motorbike is a grave menace to society. Am surprised you haven't broken something semi-useful in flying it about as you do. Frolicsome creature that you are. Poor birds. Don't envy them one bit, though I know well their woes. Send them my regards and assurances. I have to deal with you the rest of the year in any case and they've only a short vacation of it. Nonetheless: my deepest bird sympathies.

Latvia is very QUIET. The concept of which I am sure seems very foreign to you. Foreign Latvian custom, this QUIET. Something to do with No Sirius Black and No James Potter and No One Getting Stuck In Windows Through Own Ineptitude. Have read seventeen books already without anyone's chin on my shoulder. These Latvians could teach you a thing or two. I suggest next summer you vacation in Latvia. Where it is QUIET.