Surrey

Little Whinging

Number 4, Privet Drive

June 23, 1991

...

Foucault County

At the filthy riverside bridge hole

To Miss Lilian

...

Dear Miss Lilian,

Hello, I was very happy to receive your letter! I am Harry Potter, uh... I mean, I am the Harry Potter who lives under the staircase that you mentioned.

It's strange, I don't know how you knew I live under the stairs — Dudley jumps on them every morning, and all the dust falls on my face.

Aunt Petunia says I'm soon going to Stonewall High, and she's dyed Dudley's old clothes for me to wear. Honestly, by the time I can fit into those oversized clothes, I'll probably be too big for this cupboard.

Maybe they'll give me a spot on the balcony upstairs by then?

But I still want to share with you about today — the day I'm writing this letter. The speed of post is so unpredictable, I only received your letter on June 23.

I wonder if it'll already be July by the time you receive my reply.

Today is Dudley's birthday, and I got to go to the zoo with them, but unfortunately, I think I messed it up.

There was this huge snake — it said it's from Brazil.

Of course, Uncle Vernon said if I dare say such weird things again, he'll send me to the hospital to have my brain pried open.

But... it was amazing!

The Brazilian snake (let's assume it's from Brazil), which never went to Brazil, wasn't very lively, so it completely ignored Dudley's loud banging and shouting at the glass.

But then!

At that moment, the glass pane completely disappeared.

Yep, completely vanished.

Dudley fell headfirst into the water.

Hahahaha... Okay, although it's bad, I really felt happy. So much so that even being locked up at home, I felt it was a perfect day.

Of course, your letter made the day even more meaningful.

Dudley always bullies me, and I can't beat him.

That's a really frustrating topic.

Uh, sorry, I went off-topic again.

What I mean is, how did you know about me?

What does "The Boy Who Lived Through Great Hardship" mean? I guess you know about the car accident my parents had? So you called me that.

And Mr. Sherlock Holmes, is he famous? If you still need to find him, I can help ask around.

But pray it's not too far, I don't have money for the bus...

As for those American superheroes you mentioned, oh, that's too far. I haven't even left London, sorry I can't help you.

But that's okay.

Because I've never received a letter from anyone before, Dudley and Simon said it's trendy to have pen pals now, are we that?

Don't you have a place to live?

How old are you? I hope you're about my age, because Dudley always mocks me at school, and I don't have any good friends yet.

(Of course, if you're older, I don't mind, please don't feel awkward)

I want to repeat, I'm really surprised.

I'm enclosing three pence.

Hope you don't feel looked down upon, I secretly earned this money by mowing lawns in the farther Moline district.

I was planning to use it to buy myself a small cake — my birthday is coming up this summer. You can use this money for stamps and paper.

Hope to receive your letter again.

Yours faithfully,

Harry Potter