October 31st 1981
My Dearest Francesca,
It has been years since we last spoke. Over thirty to be correct, but everyday I miss you more and more.
I seem to be the only one, as everyone effortlessly moved on from your death.
Abbie and Rosy didn't marry, that love story ended swiftly with the arrival of the beautiful French witch, Claudia Chevalier, the woman he was betrothed to.
An unhappy marriage they have. I know that deep down, he regrets agreeing to his father's wishes. Because Rosy married someone she grew to love.
I met him a few times, his name is Huan Chang, a Scottish-Chinese fellow.
Abraxas still has his Lucius, though. He's also a grandfather now. A first born named Draco. But I am not sure that I'll see that little one grow up.
Remember my awful sister? She's certainly happy now without me. A well educated and wealthy son, Arius and his wife, though Muggleborn are high ranking people in the ministry. Those two had a son, Noah I think his name is. He's about five now.
I heard this through Mulciber, out of all people. Because even after I told her what he did to me, Carolyn still blamed me for it ever happening.
And now she refuses to let me meet my great nephew. However, I really want to.
Ulysses and I have two sons. Rodolphus and Rebastian. Two strong boys with the wit of their father. Roro is married to Bellatrix, the sister to Lucius' wife. A real virago she is.
Tom is at his highest now. His army of followers so strong that people are scared to say his name.
Those were once my dreams. It's why we worked together, but as I kept assisting him, I realised he was just using me.
However, I know how to stop him. His biggest secret. The Horcruxes he's making. I don't know how many he has, but it was more than one.
Especially after he murdered you.
It was all for nothing. Your death was for nothing. You shouldn't have died, Fran...
I wish you didn't, so I could be in your arms again and stroke my fingers through your soft hair. My chest aches when I wake up from a dream about you. I cling onto my pillow, imagining it to be your body. Grown up, aged like you wanted when you unknowingly made a deal with the devil.
I smell the letters you send me the summer before our last months together. Your tiger lily fragrance has faded, though I can still smell it if I put my nose close to the envelope.
Ulysses thinks it's unhealthy that I hold onto every last memory of you. I hate that he says that while he assisted your death.
He knows I had a love for you beyond friendship. It has made our marriage strained. Yet I do not hate him. I hate myself for loving a woman while being with a man. And I don't know whether or not these feelings are new, or have always been there.
I know that you are gone and I'm sorry for not helping you while I could. I was too angry at how he manipulated you to hurt me.
But I was also selfishly indulging in my own desires. To be better than Voldemort, above him. To lead and be feared.
This sacrifice was just another plan for him to hold power over me. He knew that taking a friend of mine, especially someone as "useful" as you would make him able to control me.
But hopefully one day, someone will make an end to what Voldemort is building.
It'll sadly not be me because I know my end is near, though I promise I have been trying.
Friendly regards,
Your old friend Alexandra
Alexandra Soots died that evening, right before Lord Voldemort murdered James and Lily Potter.
He used the same spell that killed the parents of the boy who would ultimately kill him.
This letter was found in Alexandra old home by her great niece, Natalie Soots, searching for old photos of her family.
Alexandra had loved for Francesca, perhaps in love without realising, or knowing it but hiding that part of herself. In her quest for being one the people would bow for, she had been blinded to one thing she once cared for.
Her Francesca, her dearest love.
