The Dungeons

Dear Lucius,


I hope this finds you well. We've been very busy with a our campaign to increase St. Mungo's endowment, and your help with our fundraiser last month was much appreciated.

We'll need to raise at least 60,000 more Galleons to reach this year's goal, however, and the Minister hasn't been as helpful as one might wish with the necessary building permits, etc., not to mention an increase in their contribution to our capital budget. Surely a new ward to treat wizards and witches suffering from dementia and loss of magical control would be more important than yet another generous cost of living increase for Ministry officials.

But I digress. I'm writing in the hope that you could bring me up to date on the Board of Governors. I was sorry to miss the Spring Board meeting, but as you may have heard, my sister Leticia's been quite ill in recent months, and I was called to her bedside that morning and by the time the crisis was past, there was no point in my coming up to Hogwarts to catch the last thirty minutes of the meeting. Nothing pressing was on the agenda, at any rate.

But Edwin came to see me yesterday, and some of his news was rather disconcerting. Rufus told him recently that one of the Hogwarts faculty, Severus' son, has recently become involved in what is (if the allegations are true) a very unsuitable relationship. Severus either doesn't know, or doesn't care, according to Edwin. Normally, I'd dismiss this as more of Edwin's wittering, you know, but the fact that it's Severus' son makes me wonder. As you know, I've always been very uneasy about the fact that one of Severus' instructors is also his own son: that is definitely unsuitable, and exactly because it might lead to difficulties if that instructor's job performance was below par. We'd never tolerate that at St. Mungo's.

As you know, I have always had the greatest confidence in Severus' abilities. He doesn't possess administrative temperament, exactly. But his devotion to the school has been unswerving, and he's appointed a very good Deputy Headmaster. But do you think that perhaps his recent illness might have led to a certain inattention to detail? Or perhaps Edwin is entirely mistaken.

At any rate, Rufus is apparently proposing an emergency summer meeting of the Board, and I wondered if you knew whether any such thing had been scheduled. Coming up to Hogwarts during August would be most inconvenient. Lysander and I had planned to go take our granddaughter Phyllida to Switzerland next month, to spend some time with her before she takes up a position at Durmstrang next fall. Rufus simply can't go dragging us all in for meetings in the middle of the summer without very good cause, don't you think?

If you could let me know what in the world is going on at Hogwarts, and what Edwin is talking about, I'd be most grateful. Perhaps if I hadn't missed the last meeting, I wouldn't be so uninformed, so perhaps it's my own fault. But I'd be grateful for any news you had on these matters.

As ever,

Lavinia

Dear Colin

I've just finished looking through the additional photographs you took at Scorpius's party and I do like them. The slightly fantastic feel to them works much better in that party atmosphere, I think. It's more whimsical than ridiculous. I like them, and indeed I like them enough that I'm happy to include a selection of these and the earlier ones.

Which would you choose? I thought perhaps we might let the Quibbler choose from ten or a dozen, but as photographer if you'd rather select a smaller group that you think best represents your work then I think that's your right. Of course, I do want to check that I'm happy with your selection. The only ones I would particularly want included are the photograph of Harry and I on the lounge in the conservatory, and the photograph of Severus and Scorpius lit by the fireworks. Almost every picture of Lily is equally good, but then she does love to be photographed. I do like the one of her in the rosegarden, but I'm not sure if it is a good idea to include even a particularly favourite house elf in family images. Some people would respond to it very well, but some of the older families will think it in poor taste.

Could I personally have a copy of of the photograph of my parents on the daybed by the lake? How typical of them to be so perfectly colour-coordinated for just such a shot.

Do you think you might decide on a selection by tomorrow or Tuesday? I want time to ensure the copy is also properly approved by me and the Quibbler is suggesting that they might publish them this Friday. For various family reasons I think sooner will be better than later. If you're not terribly busy perhaps you might come and have lunch with me tomorrow. Everyone else will be out, except for the children of course.

I hate to close with anything as gauche as reference to payment but I think your work is worth a great deal more than we originally agreed. Consider your fee doubled. I will arrange it.

Sincerely,
Draco Malfoy