Huffily Puffily || Golden Trio

Dra-gone || xx

Dear Lucille:

I'm glad to hear you've been behaving at your new school. You seem to be maturing in a new environment.

By the time you've returned to Wool's, I will be gone. I cannot keep up with the work these days, so I will be moving back to Scotland. But I can answer your questions.

One other child at Wool's Orphanage has attended your prestigious school. His name was Tom Riddle. I could not forget him, because he was such an unruly child. He always talked back, and there was something wrong about him. I can't recall anyone named Quirrell ever visiting or living at Wool's Orphanage. I took the liberty of checking through the records, too.

Although I will be gone when you get back, make sure you drop this old lady a line every once in awhile. It is a great pleasure to have a child succeed from Wool's Orphanage. From what I hear Tom Riddle wasted the opportunity he was given and worked in a shop until he died.

Well, that's all I can think of. I hope I could ease your mind.

Next time you write me, please do so without a bleeding owl. If Nathaniel hadn't been here to explain the strange bird-training your school partakes in, I'd have beat the owl to death with a broom. 

You make sure to keep up with your schoolwork, you hear? Not a TOE out of line.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Cole

Lucy read the letter a few times over before she was satisfied. She'd received it the night before, but she hadn't gotten a chance to read it since her dorm mates were getting ready for bed— and they really did get nosy about letters. She had to start hiding the ones she got from Nathan because they thought she had a secret boyfriend. Nathan was definitely not her boyfriend.

Well, at least that was one question answered. Quirrell hadn't gone to Wool's Orphanage. Unfortunately that raised another question— how had he known about the secret passageway? Mrs. Cole mentioned Tom Riddle, but she doubted he had anything to do with it. Sounded like a loser, honestly. She didn't pay that name much thought; if Mrs. Cole didn't like him and thought he was dark, it probably meant he was a normal boy.

She shook her head, smiling at the thought of that old bat. She and Mrs. Cole had a turbulent relationship over her lifespan, but she was glad the woman was retiring at last. She really was ancient.

The movement of her shaking her head made Grayble peak one eye open at her to give her a disapproving look. Every night, he would snuggle against her neck. Pulling him off in the morning was always a wretched task that made Lucy feel like an absolute monster. Luckily, it was Saturday morning, so she wouldn't have to go through that arduous task.

"Sorry, Graybie," Lucy smiled and ran her hand down his back.

He closed his eyes and purred, nuzzling in further.

She closed her eyes. For once, she felt utterly at peace in the world.

Then her door was literally broken down.

"WANDS DOWN! It's the Breakfast Aurors, here to make you answer for your crimes!" Anthony shouted, charging into the room like a mad bull. Megan ran in behind him, pushing a cart filled with plates of food.

Lucy jumped up and pulled the terrified Grayble close to her chest. She stared at Anthony in absolute horror. Her heart rate felt like it was going to stutter and fail with how fast it was going. "What, and I cannot stress this enough, the bloody HELL are you doing?!"

"Delivering the Princess some breakfast, of course!" Megan said happily. She bit off a piece of bacon and grinned at Lucy's still horrified face.

"You scared Grayble!" She accused. The cat in question let out a sad little mew for dramatic effect. "My little Graybie Baby! My precious little baby boy!"