Dear Lark,
My name is Anna le Roux, we met in January when I was in the care of your guardian, Healer Fortescue.
I wanted to write to introduce myself and to say hello. It was very lovely to meet you, and you were so kind to read to me. I enjoyed it very much.
I am now living in Wellingtonshire with a lady called Miss Moira Faulkner, and her family. She has a dog called Bailey and he is very, very dear. When he chases a stick it is very funny.
Do you like animals? I think I love dogs the best.
Yours sincerely,
Anna
18 March 1883Dear Miss le Roux,I apologize for the delay in my response to your letter. I was most pleasantly surprised when I received it. It's wonderful to hear from you! I am most happy to know your name at last and I am so glad that you are well.Mr. Fortescue told me of your going to live with Miss Faulkner. I am sorry that I haven't visited you. I shall make every effort to call on you very soon.I do love animals! Mr. Fortescue has a dog, too, who's named Campion. He is a very gentle soul and his best friend is my cat Merle. Mr. Fortescue and I also have two horses: Philip and Agnes. I love all of them dearly.Campion and Merle sleep on my bed. Does Bailey like to sleep on yours?I almost forgot! Mr. Fortescue has adopted me, so I am now NadÃge Fortescue. I haven't yet adjusted to the idea of calling him "Papa" though. He's still "Mr. Fortescue" to me.Your friend,NadÃge Challis
Dear Lark,
Thank you for your letter - you have such lovely handwriting. I can do joined-up too, but it takes a long time.
May I please still call you Lark? It is such a beautiful name, but if you would rather I called you Miss Fortescue now of course I shall. And you may call me Anna or Annie.
You are most lucky to have all those animals. I should very much like to meet them some day. If you are allowed to visit Mr Faulkner's house, perhaps you shall be permitted to bring Campion? He could play with Bailey.
Bailey sleeps on Miss Faulkner's bed. If he were to sleep on mine I fear I would not get any sleep, I would just want to play games with him.
It is most exciting that you have a new father! Do you think you shall grow up to become a Healer like him?
Love,
Annie
19 March 1883Dear Annie,Of course you may continue to call me "Lark." We're friends, after all!It is wonderful to have so many furry companions around. I think the only person who disapproves of there being so many is Mr. Jacobs. He isn't a very approving person, but I think he has his heart in the right place.I will be certain to ask Mr. Fortescue if I may bring Campion with me when I visit you. I'm sure Campion would be happy to have another friend. Merle is quite used to dogs now, but we keep him inside. I don't like having him wander around outside. There are too many dangers for a small cat like him.I don't know if I want to be a Healer like Mr. Fortescue or not. I love books and reading! Maybe I'll become a librarian or professor at Hogwarts when I get older. If it means I always get to read books, I imagine I would be very happy like that.What about you? What would you like to be when you are older?Your friend,Lark
Dear Lark,
May I ask where you got the name "Lark"? It is so sweet. Miss Faulkner says a lark is a songbird. I think I must have heard one before.
Who is Mr Jacobs? I am sure he secretly loves animals. I have seen some gentlemen behave as if animals are not very cute. But I think it is silly for gentlemen to behave this way, for all animals are cute, and everyone must know this.
I think you would be a marvellous professor or librarian. You are a very good reader. I have learned to read faster now, but I still enjoy illustrations very much. When I read, I like to stop and look at the pictures. If I did not, I think I would read faster.
I should like to be a lady when I grow up. I am excited to be one, and I am already practising.
Love,
Annie
19 March 1883Dear Annie,My middle name, Alouette, means "lark" in English. It was a nickname my maman chose for me. She called me her "Little Lark" because I liked to sing. Larks are very plain birds, but they sing beautifully. I'm certain you've heard one before; they're not uncommon.Mr. jacobs is Mr. Fortescue's manservant. He is very loyal to Mr. Fortescue and for that I must admit that I admire him. Otherwise, we don't get along at all, really. It's sad, but it's simply Mr. Jacobs's way.I think you will make a beautiful lady! Your manners are very pleasant already. I can only imagine you becoming one of the most sweetest and most beautiful ladies in Hogsmeade! My maman was raised as a lady and she meant to raise me to be one, too. But I always admired my maman for becoming a teacher, even before life demanded her to take an occupation. She had a love for children and a love for teaching. She still continues to influence me, even though she's gone.Your friend,Lark
Dear Lark,
"Little Lark" is so very sweet. It almost makes me sad. Miss Faulkner says your name is French, and I know "maman" to be French. Je parle un peu fran?ais, mais je fais beaucoup de fautes!
Thank you for saying I will make a beautiful lady. You shall too, and sooner than I. A fine singing voice is much desirable in a lady. I would love to hear you sing one day, if I may. Perhaps I could accompany you on the piano.
I am sorry your maman is gone. My papa is gone too. Is it truly okay to think and speak about a person who is gone? It hurts very much, so I feel like it must be wrong.
Love,
Annie
20 March 1883Dear Annie,Oh ! Tu Ãcrit trÃs joli en franþais ! Je suis trÃs heureuse ! Si tu pratique, tu dois alors Ãtre compÃtente.Before my father died, Maman had taught me how to play piano. I don't play it very well, but Mr. Fortescue does have a piano. Perhaps I shall ask him if I may practice on it. If I remember how to play, perhaps we could play a duet! Wouldn't that be wonderful?Thank you for your sympathy. You have mine, too. I am most sorry to hear about your father. But it truly is a good thing to talk about those who has passed on. It is painful and the pain never really does completely go away, but it is very good to talk about them. It shows that we remember them and love them. And even when they're gone, they can still teach us and our friends lessons about life; they can still encourage us and help us go forward. They continue to be with us, even after they're gone.Your friend,Lark
Dear Lark,
I would love to play a duet with you. We could perform for Miss Faulkner and Healer Fortescue.
It does not feel like papa is with me. It feels like he is still stuck in the fire, forever, and I cannot get him out. But I don't cry so much any more. I used to cry all the time about the fire, and I have spoke often with Miss Faulkner about it. But it is feeling more in the past.
I think that one day there will be a way to stop the fire, and papa will be able to come back to me. But not yet, because I am happy with the Faulkners. When he does come back, I think he will like Miss Faulkner very much, and they shall be friends.
Miss Faulkner says that papa is gone, but I think this is just for a time. I can feel that he will come back, but not yet. I was confused about how he should come back, but I have learned so much about magic that I know it is magic that will bring him back. He will be so surprised! He did not know that magic exists.
Love,
Annie
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