Private message to Daphne Greengrass

[alt_rabastan]

Miss Greengrass,

I've been meaning to get to you all week, but it's been one thing after another. Anyway, yes. We have a matter we should discuss.

Come by my office before supper?

-Prof Raz

Comments

[alt_daphne]

Am I in trouble, sir?

I know I haven't properly thanked you, for helping with the... situation that I had. With Barney, I mean. I'm sorry, I should have shown more gratitude, and sooner. But I've been trying not to dwell on the whole thing.

[alt_rabastan]

No, you're in no trouble.

You're welcome, but I wasn't going to have you to my office just to thank me in person.

We need to talk about what's to be done about the issue of paternity.

[alt_daphne]

Oh, that.

Professor, I was very upset when I told you about that. I wasn't thinking clearly, and under ordinary circumstances I would never have said a word. I'm very sorry to have troubled you with my silly notions at all.

[alt_rabastan]

Look now. I know this is an awkward matter, but you don't have to try to sweep it away the way your Mother does

I've met with your Mother and she's more or less admitted to me that she doesn't know who your Father is. I get the impression that she hopes that it's me, yet she insists on not finding out one way or the other.

I don't know about you, but I want to know. I deserve to know, and I know that you do, too.

Once we have the answers... well, if the answer is yes, then I guess we'll have to figure something out. I don't know what just yet.

And if the answer is no, we can resume life as usual. I'll leave it up to you if you want to tell your Mother or not. I don't care if she keeps her peculiar hopes, so long as she never breathes a word of them to anyone again.

[alt_daphne]

She only told me because I wheedled it out of her. And then - that's why I snooped around your office, to see if I could find any proof. I tried to get Mother to tell you, too, and she became cross and stopped speaking to me.

I don't know why you were ever with her. I know she's beautiful, but she can be such a child!

If we do find out... I don't want Father to ever know. I can't bear the thought of him looking at me and not seeing me.

What do we need to do?

[alt_rabastan]

Well, I was just a kid back then, too.

I'll just be needing a little snip of your hair. That's why I wanted you to come to my office. I know someone discrete who can give us the results by Monday.

[alt_daphne]

Precisely just the sort of news one wants to receive before their exams.

But I do want to know, too. So I'll be by before supper.


And - thank you.

[alt_rabastan]

Don't mention it Daphne Miss. See you this evening.