Cicatrices- Marks That Remain

Post

Happy Wonderful Sunday and I hope you are all happy to be back with a chapter!As promised, this is the First of Two chapters that will be posted today. I am going to leave an hour or so gap between postings just because I have a lecture to attend. I wanted to get something out to y'all asap, though, as a thank you for your lovely patience.

Please, let me know what y'all think! I will be back soon with the next chapter! And, as always...

Enjoy!

Harry,

Happy Christmas. It's Dudley. How are you?

Honestly, I don't know how to really write this. I've tossed about 5 papers in the bin figuring it out, but I've given up on throwing papers in the bin, so this is going to have to be the one I send.

I should start by saying I'm sorry. For everything. I think I started to realise when we were about sixteen that I didn't treat you the best. It took me another year or so to realise that my parents were completely horrendous to you, and then it took me another to stop feeling like I can't ever reach out to you because of it.

You didn't deserve how we treated you, and I think about it all the time. I wonder about how you're doing often. I reckon it's tough, growing up thinking that you were a waste of space. I remember the day we left. I hope you believed me when I told you I don't think that about you. I wish things had been better. Maybe we could have grown up like proper cousins.

I met a woman who grew up similar to you. Abused. It hurts just to think about it. We met after moving from Privet Drive. When we began to date, she told me about what her father did to her and her mother, and I told her about you because it reminded me of you. I hope that's okay. She agreed to stay with me if I promised to start seeing a therapist, like she does. She doesn't like Mum and Dad too much, but she puts up with them because they're always kind to her and they helped us move out on our own.

Mum and Dad don't bring you up much. Sometimes you come up at family dinners and it's always tense. Once, I asked what happened to you after we left you at Privet Drive. Mum always gets a sort of haunted look about her when I bring you up, but she never talks about it. The closest I got was around Halloween. I asked about you again because I was fixing to reach out, and she told me that she didn't know much, but that you'd told her how to send post, for emergencies.

Well, you must not hate us too much if you did that. I hope it's alright I sent you this. I'm writing because I think you might be the only person who can help.

How do you know? When someone is like you? It's something in your blood, right? Which means it's in my blood, too? Because of Mum?

I hope I don't offend you. It's just I've got my girlfriend pregnant. We're planning to get married soon, but I can't stop thinking that the kid might turn out with magic like you. It's kept me up at night. Are there some sort of tests that can help us find out? Is it something we can fix? Will the baby have a tough life because of it? Is it something I should worry about?

My girlfriend is normal like me, so I haven't told her anything. Actually, I don't know what or how to tell her.

What do I do if the baby does turn out like you? What will happen? Will the baby be taken from us because we're normal? What if my girlfriend doesn't want the baby if it turns out different? I haven't told Mum or Dad yet. They know they're going to be grandparents, but they don't know what I'm thinking, or that I've written to you about it. I'm a bit scared to tell them, knowing how things were with you.

Do you think we could meet and talk? I'd appreciate it. Write back with your answer and hopefully we can find a time.

I've written my number and my address at the bottom. Do your kind use phones? I don't live with Mum and Dad anymore. I don't mind meeting at yours or in public, but if we meet at mine, I don't want my girlfriend home. Just in case.

I'm very lost, and a bit scared. Please help.

Thanks.

- Dudley