The owl arrives during breakfast. The letter is neatly written on purple parchment.
M. Elliot,
The cobwebs,
Leachway Lane,
Dunchideock,
Devon
Professor Storm,
Hogwarts School,
Scotland
8th January
Dear Ignan,
(I guessed I should call you that since you’re now my stepfather)
I thought I should write to you to welcome you to the family and give you a few pieces of advice.
The most important thing is that you haven’t just married my mum and that’s it. She may not have been the best mother in the world when I was growing up but she’s actually making an effort with her granddaughter. Therefore, while you have become a husband to a woman obsessed with work, you’ve also become a grandfather to the most important thing in my life. This little girl, like me, no longer has a father; that means she will probably look up to the closest thing. You.
My mum seems strong. I know people call her all sorts of things because she’s a hard boss and seems really detached. But she doesn’t cope with loss. When Dad died she was a broken wreck and when her brother was murdered, she was worse. So please don’t leave her. I don’t think she’d cope with losing another husband.
I heard you didn’t get along well with my grandpa when you met. He was mad. Watch yourself. He has a lot of influence and, not to mention, he’s basically Mum’s boss.
I don’t know you but I’ve heard about Professor Storm and Witch Weekly definitely doesn’t paint you in a good light. I know it’s you behind suggesting to Mum I pay rent. It’s also a strange coincidence how you appear on the scene and Bug vanishes. I don’t have to like you, but Mum obviously does enough to marry you.
Please don’t mess it up,
Maya x
Welcome Stepdaddy [Ignan]