Private message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_rabastan]

Rory -

Since I'll not be off to Hogsmeade tomorrow, I'll miss that drink at the Hog's Head. Too bad, as I've become very partial to that stout they serve (your fault, by the way. I'm usually a bitter man - if never a man who is bitter). I know it's a lot to ask of you, but if you find yourself with a spare bit of time, would you mind picking me up a flagon of scotch? I can give you the galleons at dinner tonight. Or, ah...after dinner might be better. I don't know how it is that Acton manages to snag a seat next to me at every meal. That's why I haven't put in an owl order for my scotch - if she sees that package arrive in the morning she'll be inviting herself over to mine for a nightcap. Ever since I accepted her offer to help run the Duelling Club she's been...well, persistent is the word that comes to mind. I'm not really sure how to best put her o

Ah sorry, my niece just came to my door, looking all long in the face. Moreso than usual, that is. I'd best tend to her but - get back to me if you've a chance!

-Raz

Comments

[alt_sinistra]

Raz -

Have no worry - I was actually going to stop off and ask you today, if I could find you without Acton or students around. I'll cheerfully bring you some back. Anything else I can get you, while I'm at it?

I've promised to help Pomona out with keeping an eye on everyone, but she'll understand the errand. (And the stout really is fine, yes. I'm glad you've seen my reason for getting you to try it...)

On Acton - I was wondering about that. When I've poked my head in during the Dueling Club briefly, she's been all over trying to be .. well, persistent, as you say. She's never been precisely my favorite person, though I was good enough at Charms in my day, but lately, she's been especially prickly with me, too.

(Incidentally: good job with the club. Not that it's hard to be an improvement on Lockhart, but the few moments I saw looked really quite good, and everyone seemed very taken with your explanation of how to choose between different distracting hexes.)

Don't worry about the galleons, either - if you want to come by after dinner, or have me come to you, either's fine, but I've got plenty of spare change at the moment, and it's not like I don't know you're good for it.

-Rory

[alt_rabastan]

Rory -

On everything else I'm as well stocked as I ever am, though I don't usually noticed that I need something until the moment that I need it, as luck would have it. Much appreciated, though - oh, and as to the brand of scotch, I'm not terribly particular (much to my brother's dismay), so go ahead and surprise me.

I could probably endure Ms Acton's persistence if she were actually helpful at the same time, but she's not very. I've gathered from some of the comments made by students that she was in pursuit of Mr Lockhart during his time at Hogwarts, as well. I've a feeling he was more welcoming of the attention.

Glad you thought the club looked good. It's going well overall, though with kids there's always the potential that the duel will turn into something more personal. I've tried to keep the pairings neutral for that very reason (the journals are really helpful in determining who's not speaking to whom, and who's out for blood against this or that poor sod, and so on).

I'll try to find you after dinner, if Ms Acton doesn't try to gnaw my ear off for pudding. Do you know that I've gone so far as to consider putting myself in that permanently empty seat next to the Professors Carrow, just for a bit of relief? That would only put me off my sup, though. Really appalling table manners from those two, and the ominous mutterings aren't my idea of pleasant dinner conversation, either.

Time to restrain myself from further gossip, I think, lest you form a poor opinion of me. I'm going for a fly around the grounds while the Slytherins have their practice.

- Raz

[alt_sinistra]

Raz -

I'll have fun picking something out, then. And if I see anything else that seems to want to come home with me. (Is it just me, or does that happen every shopping trip? More Flourish and Blots for me than Hogsmeade, but still.)

The attention to who to pair has not escaped me: you're right that the journals do make it immensely easier in that kind of thing. I'd much rather not pair people likely to throw a fit at each other while on the top of a tall tower with delicate equipment if I can avoid it. Much easier now than five years ago, when it was all guesswork and conversations with a few favorite students in each house, if they noticed.

On Acton - Merlin, don't let her chase you off to the Carrows. That's no fair to you. There's got to be some better solution.

If you wanted, I could put a word in Poppy and Pomona's ears that you're being pursued, and I'm sure they'd find you another spot nearer us, but I know they're not necessarily more to your taste. (I like them both, mind you, but I'm not sure that herbology and the infirmary potions are your favorite meal topics either.) Also, Acton might figure it out fast. By the by, if you think I'm opposed to gossip, you clearly haven't heard me at it myself: have no fear I'd think less of you.

I do have some sympathy with Acton - it's not like there's a lot of choices for companionship here, and I wonder if she's started getting the little period notes from the Ministry about how it's our duty to do our best for Wizarding England by having lots of children. The YPL work's helped keep them off my back, but I still get them - and still have the same problem, which is that I'll not give up my star-watching, and finding another position that lets me do the research and observation I do here would be quite hard. (Teaching - well, I enjoy it, when they listen, but it's not my driving passion either.)

Anyway, I ramble again. Hope your flying went well, and I'll be up in my office after dinner.

- Rory

[alt_rabastan]

R -

You'll have fun in general, I hope, even if you will be chaperoning.

Sitting next to the Matron and Professor Sprout would be preferable to the Carrows by several country leagues, I should think. I've no problem with those ladies whatsoever, only that they, like quite a few other members of the staff, remind me of my own school-boy days so much that I have trouble knowing how to address them, or what subjects make for suitable conversation (aside from the weather). But if I just busy myself with tucking into my food that shouldn't be a problem.

Ah, but see we've yet to do much gossiping on our visits to Hogsmeade together, so how was I to know you were at least a little partial to it? We've stuck to safe, civil topics like marking essays and favourite books. But we can only talk about those things for so long, eh?

I'm reasonably sure that Ms Acton is older than me by at least a handful of years, so she could very well be getting anxious about having children. I know that I'm getting anxious about it - by which I of course mean that there's really only so much longer that I can be written up as one of New London's most eligible bachelors before my family descends upon me en masse and presents me with a blushing, fertile bride.

The fly was brilliant, and I've worked up a massive appetite. See you at dinner, and then after.

- R