Private Message to Lucius Malfoy

[alt_crouch_jr]

Have just had a visit you might find interesting.

Stint.

Said he thought I might help him with a project of his by filing an objection to the treatment provided to my father by the Hogwarts Matron.

Told him I thought there was little she could have done wrong under the circumstances. After all, there's little one can do to worsen the condition of a corpse.

Seems that's not what he expected I'd say, and he wasn't prepared to take no for answer. Asked me if I didn't think it odd that my father was in the forest just beyond bounds of Hogwarts when he died. Observed that it was interesting the papers aren't reporting that fact.

I asked him whether he'd considered the consequences of meddling in an ongoing investigation. And sent him packing. (Did not tell him that Forney's already filed her report and sealed the file.)

Have sent St Mungo's and the school governors a note of appreciation for the Matron's cooperation with MLE on the night in question. Will be interested to see whether Stint attempts to leverage this with Our Lord. He'll be disappointed if he thinks I've not informed Him fully.

Comments

[alt_lucius]

Barty.

Accept my sympathies for the revelations that precipitated your action. Hope you do not mind that Narcissa shared some of the details which were not in other reports. She was ... most distressed by the true circumstances of Norah's accident.

But to Stint. Intriguing. And well done on your response. We really must speak at more length about the changes in Our Lord's Council since you have been unavailable. Stint, Maule and Strangeweale have all been assiduously busy. Consequently any measures to contain them are welcome. Suspect that he has chosen Hogwarts as a point of entry given this and previous interference in which he has engaged.

Can you meet? Name the place.

[alt_crouch_jr]

I could clear my schedule for this afternoon-- what remains of it--but I've got an appointment tonight with someone from Ardenia's. Gareth or Gaheris or something Do you know anything about him? Apparently, I'll bring shame to Our Lord's proceedings if I'm not properly remade.

At any rate, if this afternoon isn't possible or tomorrow's simply better, I need only be available for the evening ceremony. Well, and some touch up immediately before, but I'm sure that could be skipped.

Agree it would be advantageous to consult before tomorrow's business. .

[alt_lucius]

Whose hair-brained idea was it you need a style makeover prior to to-morrow's events?

No matter. We missed each other, apparently; did not see your reply until I was already embroiled in our evening's agenda. Am free to-morrow before luncheon but heard from Travers that Yaxley's calling everyone in for much of the day.

Unless you care to meet in person with what remains of the night, suspect we must trust the security of the journals. Have reason to believe Selwyn's people were long ago given instruction to ignore posts from the loyal among His circle, at any rate. Will that suit?

[alt_crouch_jr]

As for place. Sandoval's salon top floor at Harrods. He's laying out the spread for tommorow. No one will think twice if we're seen, and we won't be overheard.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Sorry. Entirely underestimated the time and degree of attention required for last evening's business.

I've several things to write and send off this morning, but will be at your disposal after that.

[alt_lucius]

That sounds appropriately ominous. But then, anything from Ardenia's requires an altogether different brand of courage.

But this afternoon shall be impossible for me to meet; Dominic and Stephen apparently require my assistance with my brother-in-law before he finalises preparations to return to France on the 15^th. Consequently we have arranged a brief luncheon with him and Amanda to discover the source of his discontent and quash it.

Well. Perhaps it would be easiest to ask what you've already heard or been informed regarding the efforts of the second set (Parnassus, Strangeweale, Maule, e&c.). We may be able to exchange the essentials more quickly than feared.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Honestly, there are few places I would hesitate to enter, but Ardenia's spa is one of them. That said, last night was not what I'd feared.

I have heard rumblings--mostly from Travers and Truncheon--and only as asides to other things. Oh, and full disclosure: Glendower's been trying to 'take me to lunch' to 'bend my ear about a thing or two' off and on for months. He called again Wednesday to get on my calendar, now that my 'great business has wrapped up' and I can apply myself to other things.

Any guesses what his business will be?

[alt_lucius]

Careful, or next you'll be making appointments at Elysian for manicures and scalp treatments.

Glendower has his uses, in point of fact. True, he could talk the wings off a dragon. However, have found that he can be relied upon to offer information on Maule's strategy, fairly consistently, in his attempts to 'bring me round' to their school of thought. Have sent him back hearing nothing from me that I do not wish Maule to hear; the result is another meeting in which Parnassus again repeats what Maule has told him and learns nothing which he can then bring to Maule. It would be rather comical if it were not so time-consuming.

In any event, Parnassus is an annoyance but not a problem. Strangeweale is gaining ground (and Stint is wholly his, I believe). Suspect he's put another Hogwarts Governor in his camp and at present cannot discover which one. Believe there is some discontent with the YPL's direction (again, no good toehold there. Perhaps you can induce Razzer to tell you his little astronomer's grievances. Narcissa flatly refuses to report on their interactions save that it amounts to female bonding of one type or other and 'could not possibly concern' me). Am fairly certain Stint's attempt to discredit Madam Pomfrey comes at Strangeweale's direction. Possibly they mean to undermine Minerva, though Merlin knows she does enough of their job for them. Otherwise, know that he attempted to invite Gibbon and Mulciber to some function (which they declined, naturally) and has been trying to buy Runge for some time.

Our Lord recently remained uncharacteristically silent on the question of Harry's activity over the summer. Believe his patience with the appearance of parenthood wears thin, especially as Harry grows more independent. You may have some sympathy for the strain fathers and sons experience as a boy reaches his majority. Our Lord has some expectation that following the Final Task, Harry may be better disposed toward upholding his duties; if he is not, am not entirely certain how He shall react.

That continues to be my largest concern: Our Lord's ... health. While we have always found Him unpredictable, He has grown more and more ... inconsistent. Cannot be certain of His grace on any given day. Goes without saying that the machinations of the others would be trifling were it not for the ... remote, admittedly, but nonetheless, present ... possibility that He might well re-organise the Council on a whim, rather than to a specific purpose.

You've been away and your return has grown fraught with complications but - tell me, if you will, what you think of the changes you perceive? It is easier to discern them after periods of absence than when one sees them occurring gradually.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Never.

All right. I'll keep the lunch date, then. And see if I can turn him to use against Maule. Would like nothing better than to have that head on a spit.

Stint is a biting fly someone will swat. Sooner or later. For now, I'll put in a word and see if I can't interfere with whatever his scheme is at Hogwarts. Just on general principle.

Strangeweale may bear watching. Do you really think there's a chance it will go differently this time? Our Lord has always strung him along but never relied on him.

As for Our Lord-

You're right, of course. The changes are obvious. And troubling. Gather between the lines that Yaxley's found himself on the sharp end of it. And Malvasius--says he's grown a new appreciation for Reg.

I've heard from others that He's become 'volatile', 'disengaged', 'capricious'. It's difficult to tell what lies beyond those observations, though. Corbyn thinks He's slipping. I'm not sure whether he meant mentally or magically: I didn't give him a chance to finish the thought.

Whichever. I think Corbyn's got the wrong idea. We've seen Him have bouts of this before when He's been deeply engaged in experimentation.

Admittedly, the physical alterations make the non sequiturs and sudden attention shifts more unsettling, but I suspect it's more likely that He's deeply ... involved in something He's not shared with the rest of us than that He's ... diminishing somehow.

[alt_lucius]

No, not diminishing. If anything, His capacity grows stronger.

Of course, Corbyn and his ilk have had fewer occasions to appreciate Our Lord's sense of propriety. But. Would agree that while He has always been quick to anger, He has nonetheless generally been more cautious in terms of maintaining His relationships - within and without the bounds of the circle. It is concerning that His current state, whatever its source, seems to leave Him unsure of old loyalties.

That is my primary worry: Our Lord's ear is bending toward those whose respect is questionable, who would dare to use His goodwill for their own petty purposes.

[alt_crouch_jr]

You think it's more than His testing us... in order to keep us keen?

Agree, though, that we've got to respond as though it may be more than that.

[alt_lucius]

That's just the trouble: Responding to their schemes and strategems has required increasing concentration and effort in the last three months, particularly. The business of the realm begins to suffer - possibly that is the aim, not sure. With Yaxley, Bella and both Traverses occupied elsewhere on vital work of their own, and now Stephen and Dominic both in major posts at the Ministry, we are all stretched rather thin, with less time than one desires to maintain Our Lord's rapport.

He has always tested us, true. But this ... feels different. As if He grows bored of His old guard.

Or perhaps I am imagining shadows. Either way the light has been growing dimmer of late.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Oh. Meant to ask about Latimer Caldwell. He's asked for a meeting next week.

Not sure what I've got to offer his department.

He's not another of Strangeweale's pawns is he?

[alt_lucius]

As to Caldwell ... no idea. Might it have to do with your father's business at Hogwarts on the night you ended him?

[alt_crouch_jr]

That's an interesting question. I rather hope you're right.

Would very much like some insight into what took him there.

You've seen the report, I think? When I arrived in the clearing, father wasn't alone. Whether by design or by chance, he was there with Karkaroff. They were already parting, and I allowed K to go. My business was strictly with father. But I would like very much to know what business he could have had with K. If any.

Two more names came up in what followed: Snape and Dumbledore. Not that he said anything coherent about them.