The priceless thoughts of Mr R.B. Lestrange

Rory -

Sorry to bother you so early, but I wanted to write before I got drawn into other activities and fully forgot. I wanted to ask you if my niece has been looking a little off to you lately?

We had tea on Sunday and aside from being slightly desperate to spend time with me, she appeared to be in good spirits. Something of a relief, since she's had that trouble with Carrow, you know. I did note that she didn't eat a single one of the biscuits I dished up, but didn't think much of it since I know she's just been to the Matron to have some of her teeth fixed.

Then, after the incident with Miss Frobisher yesterday, I happened to stroll by the Slytherin table at dinnertime and noticed that Hydra was barely eating at all. She also looked especially pale, but maybe it was just the lighting in the Great Hall? I can't tell if she's lost weight or not, since she's always looked like a breeze could carry her off, but it got me to wondering if she's trying to copy some of the older girls and their reducing regimens? But since the girl's had one of the biggest appetites for sweets since I can remember, this is just well bloody strange.

I wasn't here last year when all that business went down, but if something's wrong now, I won't let it go unnoticed again.

- Raz

I know you're probably in the field, but word about this will get back to you sooner or later, and I'd rather it be sooner.

Carrow was attacked while wandering outside, drunk on booze and potions. It was night before last, somewhere between the edges of the school grounds and the road to Hogsmeade. I've seen him myself and have spoken at length with the Matron. His injuries are quite extensive, but curiously, few of them were done by magic. It doesn't look like the work of highly trained fighters, but certainly fairly strong ones. Right now I'm considering the possibility that some unhappy seventh year students cornered him when he was pissed and kicked the ever-loving arse out of him.

The real problem here is that he's claiming it was Sirius Black who attacked him - two of them, to be specific. I've seen the man when he's been imbibing and I've no doubt that he's prone to hallucinations, and I wouldn't put it past a foolhardy student to dress up as the traitor to add insult to the man's injuries...but I don't want to dismiss anything out of hand. The fact that it was two Blacks, well, I can't help but think of how one Snape plus one Macnair equals two. Macnair, of course, wouldn't need a wand to physically demolish anyone, but he's better trained than what these injuries would suggest. Unless, of course, he was trying to make it look like the work of a student. Then there's the possibility of the Dementor handlers being behind this. Carrow was showing some rather intense interest in the creatures, it's possible that he was becoming a bother.

To top it all, Alecto is being a persistent claw in everyone's side, even going so far as to contact Lucius to complain about how no one on staff is taking the attack seriously. If you came in for even just an hour or two to question Carrow about what he saw, I think it'd go a long way in easing his sister's mind. Plus, it'd help me to have someone knowledgable around that I can discuss the case with. Tried doing that with Dawlish and he was a bit of a help, but there is a reason the MLE dropped him, I reckon.