Chapter - 52 : Resurgence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content and early access to new chapters
50+Advanced Chapters there.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
patreon.com/Kun_Blig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Miss Iris Potter, ma'am!"
A single long spindly finger delicately poked Iris in the shoulder, the only part of her body below her head not hidden by the blankets. She groaned, unwilling to leave the comforting depths of her deep slumber.
"Miss Iris Potter, ma'am!"
"Bleergh," she responded, opening her eyes a fraction and looking through her eye-lashes at what monster dared rouse her when she had finally gotten to sleep and had not yet been woken by nightmares.
Two overly large eyeballs stared at her inches from her face.
"Gah!" she cried out, scooting backwards until her back met the cold wall through her nightshirt.
"What the- Dobby?" she asked hesitantly, finally able to take in his entire face with the greater distance. "What are you doing here?"
"Dobby is sorry to wake you, Miss Iris Potter, ma'am, but Dobby had to wait until the nasty spying man was gone."
Her heart, already pumping rapidly from being scared awake skipped a beat. "Nasty spying man?" Was there a Death Eater nearby?
The elf shuddered. "His eye is elf's-sized and sees through pillowcases, Miss Iris Potter, ma'am. Very creepy."
She blinked. "You mean Moody?" Iris slowly let out a breath before shuddering herself. "Yeah, that thing has always creeped me out."
Dobby nodded rapidly in agreement. "Tonight he is wearing an eyepatch like a pirate but Dobby knows that it is there and can see right through so Dobby made sure he would not be seen."
Iris smiled faintly at the thought of Moody aboard a ship with his peg leg and an eyepatch, cursing and hexing everyone and threatening them with walking the plank for improper wand handling.
"He's missing a beard," she said with a yawn before stretching like a cat. She reached for her glasses on the nightstand, finally able to dispel the last vestiges of fear when she could see clearly.
"It's good to see you, little man," she said softly. "What brings you to the smarmiest suburb in Surrey?"
Dobby blushed like he always did at his nickname, ever since she had bestowed it upon him in second year. "Dobby is delivering a letter, Miss Iris Potter, ma'am." He fetched an envelope from somewhere in his pillowcase and held it out towards her.
"A letter?" she said curiously. "And enough with the Miss Iris Potter, ma'am, already. Don't you have anything less of a mouthful to call me?"
Great ears flapping, Dobby shook his head. "Miss Iris Potter, ma'am honours Dobby by calling him friend, even addressing him like..." - his voice lowered to an awed whisper - "like a wizard."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Is that why you blush every time I call you little man?" He blushed again and nodded. "Huh. Well feel free to think up a nickname for me as well." Her eyes narrowed and she wagged her finger at him threateningly. "Nothing little, though. I don't like being short."
Dobby got an expression of utmost concentration on his face before it suddenly lit up. "Big Miss Iris Potter, ma'am?"
Iris stared at him before yanking the envelope out of his grasp with a pained smile. "Why don't I read this while you think of something better. Much better."
She unsealed the envelope and upended it on her mattress, eyes widening when, aside from a letter, a stack of muggle bills fell out. Hesitantly she reached out to run her fingers over the familiar paper.
"Someone's being generous," she whispered as she grabbed the accompanying letter.
Dear Miss Potter,
Allow me to begin by saying I am so sorry about your godfather. While Sirius was proud of the Gryffindor courage that allowed him to avoid the path his parents chose for him, don't forget that Hufflepuff would have suited him well: his loyalty to you was tremendous. Never doubt his love and that if he could have chosen his end, going out saving your life would be his wish. Honour his sacrifice by living well and laughing but do not mourn him, for he will mock you and call you names in the presence of your parents as they all watch over you beyond the veil.
What would not please him, however, is the neglect of your guardians and your isolation by the Order. That the world at large seems to forget you are a person is a despicable thing and while the aid I can offer is limited, it is freely given. You deserve better than the treatment that you get.
From what little I know of your situation you probably do not have enough to eat, so here is my first contribution: one hundred pounds of Muggle money. Accepting food or drink from strangers would be the height of foolishness considering the circumstances but this way you can at least go buy some for yourself. Please do. The fact that you need to at all is a mark of great shame on your caretakers.
Secondly, you need someone to talk to. You can write to me at any time, but for all my secrets that probably won't help much at the moment. You need a friend. Therefore my second contribution is a telephone card, along with Miss Granger's listed number. Find a phone booth and call her. She is your friend and using such Muggle methods for contacting her are reasonably safe. Unburden yourself and let her, or any others help you. You deserve to be able to talk to your friends and perhaps you may consider that they too deserve to hear from you.
Finally, I remind you of house-elves and their many strengths. Dobby is fiercely loyal to you and is probably willing to do anything you ask. Hopefully he agreed to deliver this letter and is currently waiting and hoping that you have a few jobs for him to do.
I would ask that you keep this correspondence secret. Know that I hate the Chief Death Eater and his mortuary dining companions. I loathe the Ministry and the useless bureaucrats and rule-followers they employ. Finally, I despise Dumbledore, his fiery fowl club and his methods. I have no wish to be caught in any of their nets.
The help I can give is small, but the offer is to you as a person, not to a tool of theirs.
Yours sincerely,
Anonymous Samaritan
P.S. Any ideas on signing an anonymous letter without coming across as a pretentious twit?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content and early access to new chapters
50+Advanced Chapters there.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
patreon.com/Kun_Blig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~