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alt_dracoAll right, I stayed up late to finish looking over Bum's parchments and nodded off before I could get through them all. Woke up early to get through the rest.
We snatched a whole stack of them, and since they were right on top, most seem to be recent. I think the very top stack are things she meant to send to someone soon, and the stuff on the bottom are things she just recently received in the owl post. Some are letters, and others are detailed notes about the school that she drew up, presumably to be sent off to someone else. Though who knows, I suppose it could be for her own records. We pulled from two parchment piles but had to hide before really processing how they were organised.
A few of the letters are to people she considers chums, and are written in that sick, simpering way of hers. Short and not very interesting; talk of the weather and "how is your dear Father's spattergroit?" Addressed to people with names like Aggie and Rina. In addition to those there's a lot of other rubbish. A tonne of order receipts for rosewater sweets and "ladies pink foundation garment, size 'well fluffed'." Those should be enormously useful, emphasis on enormous.
Now, I did find a few letters from Strangeweale, the Councilmember. They're all more or less requests for "progress reports" on something or another. Some seem to laud her for her "assistance in the matter," and others seem a little pushier, with him saying things like "refocus your efforts," and reminding her to keep "their mutual goals" in mind. Most curious of all, there's one that seems to be all about OWL exams, which contains this bit: "Related to our conversation about charms related to exam performance, here's a list of 5 that would make it impossible for someone to write a coherent theoretical exam."
So, it seems that Bum wanted to see certain of the student body fail OWLs. Colour me shocked. Oh, she also has a letter of complaint to some shopkeeper about how "these blood quills aren't proving a successful deterrent for wayward students. Please do send me a more severe prototype at your earliest convenience." Are we really sure we don't want to drop the plate?
But anyway, Strangeweale's letters are otherwise short and banal. Possibly encoded in case of interception (though it'd have to be a fairly uncomplicated code, for her to suss out). It seems he didn't really want to chat with her about how the weather's been in New London, or whether or not her well-fluffed foundation garments itch or not. Fancy that.
And as I said before, she was keeping notes, and some of them are on expendable people - halfbloods, in this case (though neither the word expendable nor halfblood appear in the notes). On the list we've got, there's Hopkins, Stebbins, Capper, Fawcett, Li, Bundy, Corner, Jones, Perks, Summers, Brocklehurst, Midgen, Stein, Zimmerman, Finch-Fletchley and Lovegood. On a separate parchment, she'd put together notes on each person from the list. She mentions how Hopkins, Stebbins, and Summers all come from negligent foster families who barely write, don't keep their fosterlings well-clothed, and so forth. She notes how Capper's exam anxiety could be used against him for expulsion. She also mentions the families of Midgen and Corner and how they do care for their charges since both live with actual blood relatives; she adds, though, that their families aren't "the least bit well-connected." Last on that page she mentions Luna Lovegood, who she notes is "actually a pureblood and may, for that reason, be even better suited." So, good news, Lovegood. Someone still thinks you're a pureblood.
Then, on the second page of the list, she has details about the rest. Sally Anne, she says you've become too well-connected, but she also points out that the Strettons don't like you one bit. For Megan Jones, Bum remarks that she's become "so very useful," and says that she hopes she can be allowed "this one little indulgence." And then there's an extra long bit about you, Finch-Fletchley. About how you'd be such a fascinating subject, given your background and parentage; unfortunately, she also seems to think that you're too high risk, and that if anything happened to you there'd be inquiries.
My own conclusion is that the lists of expendable people are connected to whatever Strangeweale is working on and was writing to Bumbridge about. Still, there's not really solid evidence connecting the two together. And we still don't know what, exactly, he was doing. Is doing.
We snatched a whole stack of them, and since they were right on top, most seem to be recent. I think the very top stack are things she meant to send to someone soon, and the stuff on the bottom are things she just recently received in the owl post. Some are letters, and others are detailed notes about the school that she drew up, presumably to be sent off to someone else. Though who knows, I suppose it could be for her own records. We pulled from two parchment piles but had to hide before really processing how they were organised.
A few of the letters are to people she considers chums, and are written in that sick, simpering way of hers. Short and not very interesting; talk of the weather and "how is your dear Father's spattergroit?" Addressed to people with names like Aggie and Rina. In addition to those there's a lot of other rubbish. A tonne of order receipts for rosewater sweets and "ladies pink foundation garment, size 'well fluffed'." Those should be enormously useful, emphasis on enormous.
Now, I did find a few letters from Strangeweale, the Councilmember. They're all more or less requests for "progress reports" on something or another. Some seem to laud her for her "assistance in the matter," and others seem a little pushier, with him saying things like "refocus your efforts," and reminding her to keep "their mutual goals" in mind. Most curious of all, there's one that seems to be all about OWL exams, which contains this bit: "Related to our conversation about charms related to exam performance, here's a list of 5 that would make it impossible for someone to write a coherent theoretical exam."
So, it seems that Bum wanted to see certain of the student body fail OWLs. Colour me shocked. Oh, she also has a letter of complaint to some shopkeeper about how "these blood quills aren't proving a successful deterrent for wayward students. Please do send me a more severe prototype at your earliest convenience." Are we really sure we don't want to drop the plate?
But anyway, Strangeweale's letters are otherwise short and banal. Possibly encoded in case of interception (though it'd have to be a fairly uncomplicated code, for her to suss out). It seems he didn't really want to chat with her about how the weather's been in New London, or whether or not her well-fluffed foundation garments itch or not. Fancy that.
And as I said before, she was keeping notes, and some of them are on expendable people - halfbloods, in this case (though neither the word expendable nor halfblood appear in the notes). On the list we've got, there's Hopkins, Stebbins, Capper, Fawcett, Li, Bundy, Corner, Jones, Perks, Summers, Brocklehurst, Midgen, Stein, Zimmerman, Finch-Fletchley and Lovegood. On a separate parchment, she'd put together notes on each person from the list. She mentions how Hopkins, Stebbins, and Summers all come from negligent foster families who barely write, don't keep their fosterlings well-clothed, and so forth. She notes how Capper's exam anxiety could be used against him for expulsion. She also mentions the families of Midgen and Corner and how they do care for their charges since both live with actual blood relatives; she adds, though, that their families aren't "the least bit well-connected." Last on that page she mentions Luna Lovegood, who she notes is "actually a pureblood and may, for that reason, be even better suited." So, good news, Lovegood. Someone still thinks you're a pureblood.
Then, on the second page of the list, she has details about the rest. Sally Anne, she says you've become too well-connected, but she also points out that the Strettons don't like you one bit. For Megan Jones, Bum remarks that she's become "so very useful," and says that she hopes she can be allowed "this one little indulgence." And then there's an extra long bit about you, Finch-Fletchley. About how you'd be such a fascinating subject, given your background and parentage; unfortunately, she also seems to think that you're too high risk, and that if anything happened to you there'd be inquiries.
My own conclusion is that the lists of expendable people are connected to whatever Strangeweale is working on and was writing to Bumbridge about. Still, there's not really solid evidence connecting the two together. And we still don't know what, exactly, he was doing. Is doing.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 03:07 pm (UTC)I think the creepiest turn of phrase has got to be 'such a fascinating subject.' Sounds like something Carrow would say. Amycus, I mean, not Alecto.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 03:20 pm (UTC)Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:33 pm (UTC)Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:48 pm (UTC)Only they're in Draco'sI'm in the library, in the back near 'Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins.'No one ever looks anything up there.
Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:50 pm (UTC)Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:11 pm (UTC)And no, that's not me "wanting" something from you - it's just the sort of thing you're good at and enjoy doing.
Only Sally Anne's asking to see them now, but I can always say that you wanted to have a go first.
Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:16 pm (UTC)Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:19 pm (UTC)Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 03:49 pm (UTC)And she thinks I already have them.
Re: Private message to Hermione (and Harry)
Date: 2013-05-01 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 03:58 pm (UTC)I say, at some point I should like to see what she's written about me. I suppose it's well reassuring that she was interested because she believed the story about my background. Still, one likes to be prepared for any plots that might direct themselves in one's path, what?
And well done, looking through them all like that. I'm sure it wasn't the most pleasant or scintillating reading!
-Justin
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 04:01 pm (UTC)All that work and there was no mention of me anywhere at all (though Harry's name did show up a few times). You can't imagine my disappointment.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 04:08 pm (UTC)Are you truly surprised she wouldn't dare go after you? After all, old chap, you might be a tempting target if one's looking for purebloods but surely the reasons she couldn't touch you are obvious?
Or.... I say, perhaps you're feeling a let-down after the excitement last night?
-Justin
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 04:19 pm (UTC)Oh, was last night exciting? I suppose it was for most. It's that influence of that Gryffindor defect that's going around.
Private Message to Malfoy
Date: 2013-05-01 04:28 pm (UTC)I mean to say, Auror Crouch isn't an easy man to fool. Nor Professor Dolohov or your father--
Oh. Oh, I say. Malfoy, I'm dashed sorry. I don't think any of us thought how awkward that must have been for you.
-Justin
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 03:59 pm (UTC)If Mr Strangeweale were to show up at the school and invite me to take a little walk with him, I don't think I'd be inclined to go with him.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 04:54 pm (UTC)I didn't know that about their foster-parents.
Is there any way Strageweale could interfere with exams, now that she's gone?
And better suited for what?
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 07:54 pm (UTC)No?
Yeah I don't really think so either.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 08:43 pm (UTC)And. Don't they have enough people they think are expendable already?
They aren't going to be left with anyone to rule over at this rate.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 09:34 pm (UTC)It was a letter from someone (probably Strangeweale). You can't read the whole thing, just bits where whoever it was pressed a little harder. So we got:
running out of time and money
serve Our Lord's purpose
not interested in squibs, you chattering idiot
optimal age (and then later on the same line) NEWTs are too late
NEXT TIME (that was in all capitals) bring the expendable DIRECTLY to (and then you can't read it, we spent a lot of time trying to make that appear but it just wouldn't) and then, at the very bottom, 'routing through the camps merely' and then 'awkward to dispose of the bodies later.'
Also just to be clear we were sort of filling in. 'NEWTs are too late' actually looked more like 'EWT cre tc late' and it was all like that. If anyone else wants to have a look they can.
I'm quite sure about that last line, though. The bit about it being awkward to dispose of the bodies.