SIRIUS BLACK: 12 November, 1973
The Good Lady Snuff
Back Cupboard by the Kitchen
12 Grimmauld Place
London
Snuff~
Sorry for the over-length of parchment. I couldn’t be bothered to do a severing charm and besides I rather like the way it folds better when there’s more of it, you know? Plus it’s not like we’re exactly hard-up for this sort of stuff. Father provides well for us in all things.
But the reason for my owl. When you packed my trunk at start of term I went into it when you weren’t looking and took out a number of jumpers that I was sure I wouldn’t need (I was actually hoping to make more room for sweets). Isn’t it just my luck that this is one of the chilliest falls on record here at school? While warming charms are all well and good, nothing quite beats a lovely, well-made jumper to keep a lad comfortable in frosty corridors. If you wouldn’t mind wrapping them up and owling them off to me in the next few days I would be a much happier boy for it.
Please let Mother and Father know that I asked after their health.
P.S. Well wishes to you, my dear - you know you were always my first love. So I know you feel the same, why not be a good girl and give us a kiss (just like on my cheek, lovey!) just here.
You do love me, don’t you? I’m just so bloody ingenious.
So you should be able to see the rest of it now. I’d imagine that after having Regulus and me in the House for so long, you know better than to read things in plain view if they have the smallest scent of magic on them. I know you’re far cleverer than that foul Kreacher that Mother took on and we’ve been friends for years now, haven’t we, old girl? So, here’s the thing.
I’m giving you a Direct Order as Heir to the House of Black that you’re not to show this to anyone, nor should you speak or write of it (nor anything else) except to me. Mother and Father might get a bit twitchy if they knew I was sending you to poke about in some of the older books, so this is best all around if it’s kept between us. Deal?
The odd-looking stuff below is for a school project my friend is working on. He asked me to help because he knows about the Black library. We have a lot of things the library at Hogwarts doesn’t and I was hoping (since I can’t get home to look at them before his project is due) that you could do me a favour and look up the phrases and symbols I copied over from his Un assignment. Take a look for me, will you and see if you can’t translate them, or at least let me know what sorts of spells they’re usually used for, alright?
Ta, Snuff. You’re a life-saver.
