A/N, March 2020: Finally! The first fully updated chapter of the story is up and running! Many thanks to TheFrumpologist and Ravenslight for all the help they've given me as I try to make this fic into something wonderful. I hope you enjoy the story!

For the man who made me but never wanted me,

I know you expect nothing but a slew of scornful abuse for abandoning me, but that's not why I'm writing. While I admit that your absence has left a hole in my life that I at times have struggled to fill, it also taught me some crucial lessons. I think the most important ones were that emotions like anger and bitterness only ever hurt me, and that I gain nothing by obsessing over the things in life that I cannot change. These lessons inspired me to finally write you this letter.

This might seem a bizarre thing to do, but I would like to begin by thanking you for shirking your fatherly duties. From what I've gathered over the years, the people close to you are often tangled in unfortunate situations because of your constant lack of consideration. That's not exactly hard to believe, given my existence. I want you to know that I appreciate the health and freedom you unknowingly gave me by removing yourself from my life, as those two are worth more to me than any last minute gifts I might've received. My childhood was happy and uneventful. I have you to thank for that.

Your anonymity was also a blessing once my first school letter arrived. My academic achievements could not be attributed to my bloodline. No one could take my triumphs and spin them as part of someone else's legacy. I've never been showered with undue praise and blatant favoritism. Most importantly, I was never vilified by my schoolmates. Instead, I've managed to establish close friendships in all four houses. My life outside of home has been a good one. Better than the one I would've had with you in it, I think.

I also don't believe I would've been nearly as well-adjusted as I am had you taken the time to be my father. It certainly doesn't seem to be the case with my half-siblings. The Wizarding World just loves to have a chuckle over how unruly they are, but I don't find the behaviour nearly as amusing, I'm afraid. I believe I would've struggled to get along with them. We are far too different to coexist. Truthfully speaking, I'm relieved to not have to deal with awkward visitations and arguments over my less than cordial behaviour towards them. I would rather have no memories of you than be forcefully encumbered with unpleasant ones, you see.

Do you know what else I'm exceedingly grateful for? Despite having someone like you for a father, I somehow managed to end up with a mother that I'm thoroughly convinced I do not deserve. Nothing I do will ever be enough to repay all the sacrifices she's made to provide me with a stable life. Her hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity have shown me just how selfless love can be. And if I manage to be even a fraction of the parent she is when life decides to hand the reins of parenthood over to me, I will consider myself a success.

I could go on about Mum for an eternity, but there's not enough parchment left to describe just how much she means to me. It's not just the taxing shifts she works to provide for us or the little presents that find their way into my hands when I least expect them. It's the warm embrace when nothing seems to be going right. It's the way her eyes glitter with pride whenever she looks at me. It's the encouraging letter tucked inside my trunk every year, and the hand-knit scarves and hats she owls to keep me warm during winter. She's stood by me during every important milestone of my life. You've never been there, but you have not been missed.

I wasn't always aware of how lucky I am. It took me about a year, but I realized that the table at home had always been full, never a person short. I realized I did not need you to make things better during the trials and tribulations life sent my way. I didn't need you to hold my hand when I was scared. You never sat by my bed until sleep claimed me when I was plagued by nightmares, weren't present with words of encouragement when I botched my first attempt at flying. You weren't there, but I was never alone. I had Mum.

You're probably wondering if she's ever said anything negative about you. She hasn't. I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't have loved it if she had, though. I spent a long time wishing she would slip up and say something so dreadful about you that I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from hating you. Something I could cling to in order to excuse all the bitterness I had bottled up inside me. She never did. Instead of using your mistakes to turn me against you (and I do believe the list is long enough to encircle Hogwarts several times over), she decided to ensure I avoided the pitfalls you so loved diving into during your youth.

I think we can safely assume that she succeeded in her endeavor. Maybe I'm biased, but I truly believe that I've been better in my youth than you ever were. I'm not as impulsive or intolerant. I'm less willing to judge others and more willing to aid those who are in need of assistance without questioning their motives. While you don't get to take credit for the man I am becoming, I still believe it's something to be proud of.

I suppose I should thank you one last time.

By giving me nothing, you really gave me everything. I wouldn't have been blessed with this wonderful life had you not denied me the chance to be a part of yours. Your absence showed me that I can thrive without a surname to pave the way. It taught me to make better decisions for myself, and made me a better person as a result. My world was not stunted the day you left, and it will continue to flourish without you.

I sincerely hope you've found some semblance of happiness with the choices you made – because I've found mine by the side of the one choice you never fought for.

Forever Grateful,

The Undaunted

A/N: And that's one chapter down! :) Until next time!