June 19th, 1945
Dear Sophie and Marcella,
I don’t know where to begin, but let me say this: The ship is huge! I’ve never been on something this large that moves before. It’s very nice having a room of my own and not having to share with those awful blighters back in the orphanage. Though sharing my room with you both back in Hogwarts was lovely. But the fact is, I’ve never had a room of my very own before, so the thought of being free is very sweet. I am free to do whatever I want when I want. And I don't have to face Madam Westyn’s wrath.
However, she is not one I want to think about right now as I’m beginning my new - and relatively happy - life. But I would be even happier if you both could be here with me. The sunrises and sunsets are truly amazing to behold, and I wish you both could see how amazing the view from the deck is. The sun looks as though it is merely sitting upon the water, leaving golden traces in the water below. The night is just as spectacular. The bright heavens above are so close that you think you can just reach up and touch them. I even saw a shooting star right above me. I made a wish, and I sincerely hope it comes true.
I’ve already met most of the people here on board, and they are very pleasant. I’ve even made friends with another girl here - my age - who is going to visit her relatives as well. But don’t worry about being replaced. You both are still my best and dearest friends, and I’m sure if you were to meet her, you’d like her, too.
I promise to write to you again.
With lots of love,
Miriam
June 21st, 1945
Dear Sophie and Marcella,
I miss you both so much. I hope you are still safe. Tom, no doubt, is probably still looking for me, so you must be careful. He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.
I fear you won’t be able to recognize me if you were to see me now, as I worry I might be putting some weight on. The food here is wonderful. I haven’t tasted anything as good since Hogwarts.
Sorry to end the letter so shortly, but dinner will be arriving briefly.
Hope you’re safe.
With even more love,
Miriam
June 26th, 1945
Dear Sophie and Marcella,
I’ve been here in America now for a day and a half, and I absolutely love it. Adora and Charlotte were quite surprised to see me so soon, as I had told them I would be coming sometime later this year. But they welcomed me warmly and offered me a place in their home.
Oh, how I wish you both could see them. They look so much like me. Adora has dark hair like mine (albeit shorter), and Charlotte is more brunette than anything.
I promise to send a picture of the three of us once I get settled.
Sending huge amounts of love to you both,
Miriam
Miriam read the letters each and every day, and each day, her friends sent her new letters. She loved that she could still be a part of their lives, even if she couldn’t physically be there with them. Each letter that came made Miriam miss England even more, but she knew that returning there wouldn’t be safe... at least not right away.
~*~
"Miriam, are you coming down?" asked Charlotte from the stairs. Miriam poked her head out from her room; her eyes locked onto those of her brown-haired cousin.
"Yes, I’m just finishing up a letter to my friends."
"Okay. Lunch will be done in five."
Smiling, Miriam went back into her room and sat down at her desk. The afternoon sunlight danced across her letter, making the ink shine. Miriam hurriedly wrote the last part of the letter before carefully folding it and sliding it into an envelope addressed to her friends. Coaxing Adora and Charlotte’s owl down, Miriam attached the note to its leg before sending it off with directions to deliver the note to her friends in England.
~*~
Months eventually passed, and it was through their letters that Miriam learned about Sophie becoming a Healer-in-Training and Marcella getting a job working in the Muggle Relationship department of the Ministry of Magic. Tom, according to one letter Marcella sent, got a job working in Knockturn Alley - or more specifically, Borgin & Burkes - much to Miriam’s surprise. But it was almost a year later when Marcella wrote again saying that he had quit his job in Borgin & Burkes after mysterious circumstances resulted in the death of an elderly lady whom Tom was the last to see alive.
Marcella went on to write in her letter that two days after he quit, the lady’s body was found with two pieces of her extensive wizarding collection missing. Miriam just couldn’t believe how Tom was carelessly throwing away his life, especially when he had so much potential in school to become something great.
To her, it was mind boggling to think why someone with brains like his would be wasting them working in a dingy little shop... not to mention committing murder.
~*~
More years passed, ten years to be precise. Miriam was now living on her own and completely happy in her life. Though Miriam’s friend’s letters continued to come without question, something about them had changed. Their once cheerful letters became steadily bleaker and more depressing. Miriam received a letter on her twenty-eighth birthday that deeply worried her:
Dear Miriam,
I hope this letter finds you well on your birthday. Though I don’t wish to depress you on such a happy occasion, I do want to tell you about the things that are taking place here in London. Very recently, there have been deaths that nobody can explain. It may be completely unexplainable to some, but I personally think it’s all Tom’s doing. Even the Ministry thinks it’s a wizard’s doing. Marcella agrees with me on this. People have been disappearing left and right, only to be found harmed in some gruesome way. Because of it, the streets aren’t safe anymore, and the Ministry is taking action against it.
But don’t worry about us. We can stay safe. Sorry to write such a sad note for your birthday. Hopefully our gift will brighten your day. I truly wish I could be there with you.
Many birthday wishes to you,
Sophie
But it was the letter that followed a scant week later that shook Miriam so badly, she immediately vomited after reading it:
Miriam,
We’ve been captured. Please help. Your brother ---
(The letter featuring Marcella’s familiar handwriting was cut out, only to be finished writing by someone Miriam never thought she’d hear from again.)
Dearest Sister,
A belated birthday wish to a coward. You may have escaped me, but your friends didn’t. If you wish to see them alive again, you will have to come back and face me or suffer the consequences. Meet me at the old orphanage in no more than a week’s time...
Miriam stared at the letter repeatedly, hoping and praying that it was just a trick of her mind. Despite being thousands of miles away from him, Miriam couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow, someway, her brother was watching her at that very moment. She felt violated at the thought of it. Yet she knew if she wanted to save her friends’ lives, she would have to go back and face the demon that tormented her all those years ago.