Order Only: Private Message to Ron

Ron,

I say, best wishes tomorrow on your retest! I'm sure you'll ace it this time round, what.

I stayed at Grimmauld again last night. Sirius and I talked more about my plans for the summer. I've written to Mr Pontner to confirm that I do want to go back to the Ministry and I've already informed the Jugsons I'll be moving out. I wanted to talk to Sirius about how he made arrangements when he was younger, what, although he pointed out that he got his first flat before he was even of age.

In any case, we talked about my living at Grimmauld most of the time but agreed I shall need an official address, and I was thinking.... What would you say to being flatmates?

I'll be able to pay most of the rent, what, out of my monthly allotment, so you'd only have your own expenses. And those might well be covered by the stipend. I thought, if you're serving with the Aurors, you shan't want to Floo or Apparate all the way to Ottery St Catchpole every day. Staying somewhere in New London would be loads more convenient, what. Besides, if I spend most of my evenings at Grimmauld, then you and Sally-Anne would have the run of the flat, if you follow me. I mean to say, she'll likely be staying with Pansy but you might want more privacy than either Pansy's or your mother's could afford.

And that way, the flat will be occupied most nights, in case anyone from the Ministry comes looking.

I say, you're not allergic to cats, are you? Only Hydra had Draco bring me our cat so her brother wouldn't claim him for his own, what, and he'll have to come along wherever I move. (I had him with me at Grimmauld last night. Ordinarily he helps me sleep, what, but last night I think he was bally well irritated that we'd introduced him to two new environments in a day. Unfortunately he expressed his displeasure by means of spraying one corner of my dresser, what! But that's not normal for him.)

Think about it, old man. If you decide you don't want to leave the Burrow, I say, that's perfectly understandable.

I'm off to Saltash again. I was there for a few hours this morning, came back to Moddey for lunch and I'll likely stay until supper, what, or even later if it's needed.

-Justin

Private Message to Professor Dolohov

Professor,

Thank you again for the loan of the books and for the pleasant afternoon's conversation last week. I'm quite enjoying the D'Angier-LeBrun, what; his depictions of the use of battle magic on a mid-19^th century campaign are jolly well evocative. And it's been some time since I had a chance to read in French. I've gone through the first three exercises on the Arabic figures, as well. I'm afraid I've not yet started Norton's Impractical Duellist but I expect to get to it by Thursday or Friday.

I hope you spent a pleasant Easter Sunday and Monday. (I had meant to look for a modest service in New London but didn't find one to my liking. I expect it's even more difficult for Eastern Orthodox, what. Perhaps by next year I shall have found a parish. Though I'm aware that's not fashionable in the Protectorate, it somehow feels wrong not to go a few times a year.)

I say, I had a question related to our project for the end of term. I was flipping through ibn Waḥšīya's Commentaries and I know we've not covered Essay #24 yet, but, as you know, our group work figures heavily on Calidus' instruction regarding the use of compulsion magic in combination with elemental intensifiers, so I thought I'd see what ibn Waḥšīya had to say on earth elements. But in the third section--I say, it seems as if it could be a translation irregularity. He's discussing the effect that certain wand woods (oak, thorn and yarrow, specifically) may have when the spell being attempted also includes metalliferous components (iron, for the most part, what, but also in certain cases silver or gold). Footnote number 17 mentions using quartz as a focus to balance the effect, but, I say, from the context, I wonder if it's more accurately translated as any sort of crystal? If it's an accurate translation then could you provide any insight as to why aiming the spell through quartz would produce a more reliable, powerfully-focused spell than, say, diamond or glass? (One can well understand why a coloured stone would taint the result, what, but it would seem that if clarity is desired, any type of clear crystal would do. Quartz is notoriously not perfectly clear, however, which makes one wonder why it would intensify the spell effect or nullify the interaction of iron with a wand of yarrow, for example.)

You see my confusion, what.

Perhaps there's another resource that addresses this same anomaly? If so, I should be very interested in reading it. I'm sure it will be pertinent to at least a portion of our survey.

Looking forward to your answer,

-Finch-Fletchley