lightning_war [irrgarten]

Lightly warded and sealed with the family seal; the signature and postscript are a scrawl, very different from the carefully written body of the letter, which was probably written by someone else.

Dear Ambrose and Callista,

It is my sad duty to inform you that your father, my brother, William Arundel Lovelace, and his wife, and your elder brother William were in Calcutta last week during the rioting on the 10th of September on family business, and that they have been killed. You have my deepest sympathies at this difficult time. You will, of course, be coming back to the house in Londinium to live with me during the funeral, after we have recovered them; and also, after the holidays. I will be moving out of my flat and into the house this week.

I know there is no consolation I can offer you that will make up for such a devastating loss, but if there is anything I can do for you, I am at your service; they have made me your legal guardian. By the time you return to the household, Miss Rennell assures me that she will have hired a governess to look after you. I trust her judgement implicitly. I will also be there for you when you require it of me, and I am informed that you, Callista, have already taken an interest in what we actually do, so perhaps I can tutor you in those matters.

Your uncle Francis and aunt Sophia wish me to convey to you that you are of course welcome to live with them, and that they are also very concerned about you; but I would not like for you to have to leave your home in addition to all of your other losses.

With deepest sympathy,
A. Howard Lovelace your uncle Howard

PS: Ambrose, you know you'd be miserable with Francis and Sophia. I don't even really know you, and I know that. And nothing I've heard about Callista makes me think she would be happy there. Stay with me and let the solicitors fight it out, because you know what they really want--even if you think you like that sort of thing. Let's get our money and people the hell out of India and concentrate on the family business here. We've got a contract with Kyteler; we don't need to be fucking around over there when we could be helping them win this war. Callie...I'm sorry. Don't know what else to say.

lightning_war [dux_bellorum]

Using secure Ministry wards and ciphers, sent by Floo, in reply to his dispatch of 15 September:

Rosenthal,

That's interesting about Mlle de Kernoël.

I'm sending Saunders after Miss Black de Malfoy, and I'm going to send you with him, but Lavinia wants you to come here and talk to her first. She says this won't work if I don't send you in, so I'm ignoring my better judgement and sending you, even though I'm well aware of the history.

Make the usual arrangements with Abbott and Pryce.

Kyteler Dux Bellorum

PS: Better men than either of us have foundered on the shores of wishful thinking. She is not the same person she was when you left. I know you know this, but it bears repeating.

lightning_war [jenica]

Strongly warded, using hunters’ wards:

( To Marek Červenka: )

lightning_war [stepan]

Warded strongly, with hunter's seals, in reply to his last owl:

Miláčku,

We've spoken to Červenka and he's asked us to go up to Hogwarts so that's where we're going. Kyteler has given us permission; we've just been finishing up some things here in Bath and West Wycombe. I know you're more interested in West Wycombe, but we made a lot more progress in Bath.

Your sister's not receiving us, but if she's spending a lot of time with our father that's probably why. I don't even want to think about the conversation he and Vilém are going to have, because Vilém took every word he ever said to us on faith, like it was revealed gospel truth, and that's why he left Zsuzsanna to go back to that horrible place, and now that he knows Tata lied to us? Oh, no. I want to keep them apart as long as I possibly can. I'm not even hoping for words rather than fists; I'm hoping for fists rather than gunfire. I do not want to have that confrontation. I have my own set of things that I'd like to say to our father but it can wait till Vilém is calm enough that he might not kill him before I can say them.

We love you; you know this. We will help you and your brother. We'll talk to Hadrian and Jon and Nadya and Jenica if you're not there when we get there, tomorrow, but I hope you are because I always want to see you again. And if you're not we'll head out to the Manor eventually, though Vilém will be utterly thrilled about going somewhere that he can't bring iron. I forgot that Andromeda Tzitzinia was Melina's mother, but yes, she is. You should talk to her if you can; she's got a gift a lot like yours, and she might be able to help you.

Many kisses for you, from us all. Be careful and stay safe, sluníčko.
Stepa

lightning_war [dakini]

Securely warded and sealed:

( To Endymion Dashwood: )