Letters of Faith
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My dearest mother,
You mustn’t be too angry when you read this. I know you counseled prudence and patience, but due to the recent circumstances we feel that time will no longer wait for us. My darling Beth and I have eloped, and by the time you find this we shall be married and I the happiest man in our whole world.
I know the timing is not ideal as I must leave you both to finish my training. But in the current state of uncertainty neither my darling Beth nor I wish to be parted without some chance of securing our future happiness. She will wait for me while I finish this last year of Auror training, awaiting my return with “patience and hope” as you always say.
Please don’t be distressed mother, but instead welcome your daughter-in-law with open arms. We shall not be leaving you too far behind. We have procured a small home in Godric’s Hollow, barely a fifteen minute walk from you. It really is a lovely old house, with a garret for my writing and a garden for my Beth.
Oh mother, if only you knew how wonderful it feels to pen those words, my Beth, my dearest darling wife, you would quickly forgive any rashness we may have shown. We will return in a week and a day, and beg for your blessing and forgiveness in running off like the errant children you so often accuse us of being.
Your loving son,
Ethan
Mother,
I pen this note in haste as I have been called to leave within the hour. I am sending this note over with my Beth. She does not know why I’m writing, only that I must leave her soon. I must refuse to believe what you have seen, and do my duty for our world. To do what is right is far more important than to do what is safe. Do not worry about me mother, I have always come through unscathed.
I beg of you mother to keep Beth with you. I shall feel safer if I know she is under your protection. Please do not let her stay alone in our home; it is not safe any longer. I don’t wish to frighten my Bethy but I worry about her so. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. That is why I am being called in on permanent duty. He revealed himself at the Ministry of Magic. If a place such as that is not safe, I know for certain our home is not. I’m sure this shall all be in the Daily Prophet by tomorrow. Use this to convince Beth to stay with you. Try to quell her stubbornness and pride. Take care, and write me often.
Your duteous son,
Ethan
My darling wife and dearest mother,
The war has begun. I am sorry to open with such bleak tidings but I feel you must know so you can prepare. I have been called upon to join one of the elite squads of Aurors. I believe it is mostly in father’s memory, and their hopes that I may turn out to be like him, that they have done so. It is a great honor for one as young as me, and I can think of no better way to protect those I love. I cannot tell you much in case these letters ever fall into the wrong hands, but I will try to lay to rest every fear which you last wrote to me.
I am safe for now. The station which we share is small and cramped but secure. I share a room with three men in the squad; Tom, Jack, and Perry. Tom is the oldest, almost fifty, with graying strands in his hair. He took me under his wing almost at once, as a favor to father who he claims once did the same for him. Jack is rather jolly but he has a very maudlin temper when he is drunk. Perry is the youngest but me, and he is also recently wed with one child and another on the way. Sometimes on these last two weeks when I get to missing you too strongly, my darling Beth, we would sit together and share stories while practicing spells.
At night I turn in to my bunk, which is a simple wooden frame with a thin striped mattress and sheets smelling strongly of mothballs. Jack has the bunk above mine, and I go to sleep each night to the music of his snores. Oh Beth, how I miss having your arms wrapped around me under the sheets, and your head resting on my shoulder, your breath whispering in my ear. Mother, I understand now how you felt when father was gone so often.
Each morning we rise early and train before our breakfast porridge. After that we clean equipment and study maps to learn everywhere by heart for immediate apperation. Our squad has been promised a mission soon which should relieve this deadly monotony and boredom.
Ever and truly yours,
Ethan
My dearest Beth and loving mother,
Words cannot express how overjoyed your last letter made me. My darling, that you are to be a mother and I a father… it is inexpressible. I can only hope that this shall all be over and I will be home when it is time for the child to come. I am doing my best to make this world a little better place for you and our unborn to live in.
We have moved again, but I cannot say where, only that it is more secure than the last was believed to be. Tom has taken to teaching me chess in our spare time, he says it’s good to think about something other than the war. I’m trying to trust his word, but the war has become so consuming. It is like a monster, swallowing good men whole in their blind devotion.
You-know-whose followers have started their rein of Muggle torture. Often now when we get to a house and the dark mark floats above in all of its eerie repugnance, it is already too late for those inside. So often in my dreams now I see the faces, the children especially, which I couldn’t save. They hover, ghost-like, small eyes staring into mine and hands open imploringly. It is so much to bear. I do not mean to distress you dear one. Only being surrounded by this pain makes it so much to bear sometimes.
I long for you, only to see you for a moment, kiss your cheek. Heart’s dearest, be strong and bear up for me, and know that I am thinking of you every waking moment and dreaming of you in my sleep. You have always been my saving presence. Pray for me now, and I shall breathe easier knowing I am in your thoughts.
Mother, watch over my darling. I miss you both so very much. Even now I wish I was at the table with you, enjoying our usual Saturday night dinner. Right now you would be taking the roast out of the oven. Beth would be setting the table, filling each glass, and touching up that large bouquet with fresh flowers from the garden. I can almost smell the succulent juices of the meat, that gravy like smell which warms and permeates the room. Oh what I wouldn’t give for one of those roasts right now. Cook tries, but somehow his food never live up to your own, mother.
Be safe my darlings, take the precautions provided by the ministry. I couldn’t bear it if anything were to happen to either of you. I must go, the mark has been spotted again.
Your own loving,
Ethan
Mother and my dearest love,
Thank you for the package you sent for my birthday. It reached us only yesterday. We have had to change bases twice more since I wrote to you last. Again there is nothing I can tell you but that I am safe and miss you both sorely.
Darling Beth, thank you for the robes, I shall think of you every time I wear them. I can smell your fresh scent of roses from the petals you folded into them, just like you used to. My mates called me sentimental, yet I gathered up every one and placed them in the pocket tied up in a small square of fabric I tore from one of the sheets. It helps me to almost believe I am home again. But most precious to me is the small picture you sent. I keep it always in my breast pocket to remind me that what I do here I do for you. Oh my Beth, no man ever had a better wife. Take care of yourself and the baby. I wish I could be here to see you through this and ease your way. Pray that this is over soon.
Mother, I think you will be glad to know that your cooking was well received by all the men in the squad. I shared the cake among all, and as such you have become a current favorite. It is hard to believe that this is the first year which I haven’t shared the first slice of cake with you, in all of its rich and chocolaty glory.
Perry received word from his wife yesterday. She had a son. It was the first time I have seen him break down and cry. We shared a bottle of firewhiskey while he told me how much he wished he could have been there for her. It was well after midnight before he was drunk enough to sleep soundly and calmly. I only hope I can bear up when our time comes dearest. It looks like the war will drag on much longer than we had thought before. I think of you by day, and pray for you by night.
Your very own,
Ethan
My loving wife and caring mother,
Do not be alarmed at reading this for I swear to you I am all right. Last night our mission was ambushed. I have been hit by a hex and wounded. Do not cry and fret my darlings, for although rather blighted in spirits I shall recover and be well before the month is out. It was Tom who saved my life and Perry’s. He made sure every man in the squad made it to safety. That is every man but himself.
I do not know what the squad will be like without him. Even now I remember the look on his face when they brought him in. He was so pale, the stark white against the black-red of blood which flecked his face and chest. The healers carried him in on a stretcher like they do the rest of the wounded. But it was far too late for Tom. He had stopped breathing long before they arrived. His funeral is tomorrow. At it he shall receive an Order of Merlin, first class if the squad and I have anything to say about it.
As soon as I have recovered, I am to take charge of the squad as senior officer. They will be sending us someone new, some rookie, to replace Tom. I would rather not have anyone at all. I will try to lead these men as Tom led us, but I am afraid. I am too young, too inexperienced, what if I fail? Yet failure is not a luxury we have available to us, so I will do my best and live by the example he set us.
Oh my darling Beth, I know now that I shall not be home when it is your time, but I cannot leave while I am so sorely needed. I will not allow our child to grow up in a world ruled by the dark. Mother take care of my darling, and be proud that your son is at last following in the footsteps of his father. Don’t worry about me. Dearest love to you both.
Your ever loving,
Ethan
My darling wife and dearest mother,
My Beth, mother of my child, you are magnificent. He is a darling boy, I only wish I could have been there with you. Our little Rob. How tiny he looks in the picture you sent, how fragile. I never knew how delicate a life really looked. If only this war would end. I do not want to miss a moment more of our son’s life.
Mother you are a trump to get Beth through this. Are you not proud of your grandson? You must remember to tell him all of the stories you told your own little boy who remembers them still. And mother, you do not mind that we named him after father, do you? I did not think you would.
The squad celebrated with me when I opened your letter. Dan, the newest member broke out a bottle of firewhiskey, and we all toasted to you my darling, and an end to the war. I am getting on all right as leader, making a few mistakes as Jack assures me is only natural, but no man has yet been harmed.
On a more somber note, I am sure you have heard of the recent tragedy. The greatest wizard of our time, Albus Dumbledore, was killed last night at the school. We flew there as soon as possible after hearing news of an attack, and helped to scatter the Death Eaters, but it was too late to save him. Because of this, I must abandon my plans to take leave and see you and our son. The battle is now in earnest, and no one shall leave until it has reached its final conclusion.
Now I must go. There is little time for anyone to rest. Wait for me. I shall return to you when our world is a better place for our son to grow up in, and us to grow old together. I love you all.
Your very own,
Ethan
My dear Madam,
Your husband has been killed in service of country. He saved the lives of two men in his squad before his demise. He was a brave and valiant man, and will be awarded an Order of Merlin, third class.
He is buried in the new graveyard started near the tomb of Albus Dumbledore. Personal effects have been gathered and sent to you.
He was loved by his men, and shall be missed by his country. You have my deepest sympathies to your loss.
Rufus Scrimgeour
Minister of Magic
To those who loved Ethan,
Us men in the squad just wanted to say that we are real sorry for your loss. Ethan was a great man. He saved each of our lives at least once, and he must have saved mine a dozen or more times. I know how it feels to go off and leave behind a wife and baby, and it tore him up as bad as it did me. Ethan never let a day go by when he wasn’t thinking of you or talking about you.
He always knew that there was a chance he would never come back, and he gave me these letters to send to you if such a thing happened. If he lived through the week I was to destroy them, and each week he wrote a fresh set. He was a good man and I would have given my life for him if I could.
Perry Boot
My darling Beth,
If you are reading this, than you know that I have passed on from this world. It is given to very few men to know the hour of their death, but I have always known the risks I take in order to keep you and little Rob safe. Do not bemoan this shortening of my life, and although twenty-two seems far too little time to live, I do not regret a moment of it. Know that I cherish every minute of the year we had together before I was called away. I would not trade a second of that time for another fifty years without you.
My only regret is that the spell which has bereft me of my life has also bereft our son of a father. I wish I could have met our child just once, and seen you hold him in your arms. But if the cost of my life has brought about any change in the downfall of evil, than I am willing to pay that cost.
My darling, heart’s dearest, know that I love you now and forever more. I beg you to use the strength and courage which I always loved in you so, to go on with your life. Raise our son in happiness, and do not let sorrow blot out your youth and joy. I will always be with you, like the whisper of a gentle breath in your ear, waiting with patience until we are reunited once more in a better place.
Yours in love, from now to eternity,
Ethan
Mother,
That which you once saw and have always feared has come to pass. Do not grieve, but know that I chose my own destiny. I am sorry that war has torn from you first husband, than son, but I must do what I feel is right. Watch over my wife and child, and help your grandson grow into a man as you so often helped me. Know that I have made my peace, and used the sense of right you instilled in me from the very beginning to do good. Tell Beth and Rob how I loved them, and why I did my duty even unto death.
Your loving son,
Ethan