The poor fellow was considering selling his ancestral home? What a dire situation it must have been. I say, you don't mean Mr de Ballena, do you? The chap with the skeleton collection?
Being alone is rotten, but if you have friends then you aren't really alone, are you?
I think it would be tremendously good fun to transform into a bear! Miss Prudence must be very magically talented. Ought I to stay out of her way, if ever I were to visit you?