Private message to Poppy Pomfrey

[alt_sinistra]

All hope of discretion lost, I'm afraid - Madam Headmistress was hovering in the hallway when I came out, and there's no hiding I was in to see you.

Sorry, I was hoping to keep you out of wand range. You and Pomona both.

I was thinking more about that weather and forecasting book we were discussing, and then I completely forgot to bring it up with Tosha. But that whole practical aspect - that bit you were talking about, with how much more Pepper Up you might need, depending on when the weather turns keeps nagging at something else I've read.

Well, and I'm contemplating finite scheduling versus 'this might happen, but we don't know when yet' rather a lot right now, anyway.

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Ah, well. Some things cannot be helped.

In any case, you needn't worry on my behalf.

I trust you found Professor Dolohov in good form tonight. I imagine he had any number of books he wished to discuss. I believe he was never without a book in hand when he was awake enough to read, and if I had a sickle for each time he mentioned wishing to discuss this or that with you, I'd be a wealthy witch!

As for the weather, do let me know if you've another resource to recommend. As I said, the Headmistress would like me to project exactly what portion of my stores and budget I will use for the remainder of the term, a calculation with rather a lot of variables, many of which depend to one extent or another on the weather.

Finite scheduling v. wishful contingencies. Indeed. I'm so sorry.

[alt_sinistra]

Tosha was very pleased to continue with our current project, though I had to stop earlier than our usual. Oh! I didn't tell you that: he's teaching me Arabic, which has the benefit of being distracting, and actually useful, since there's a number of astronomy texts that have never been translated into English. (Or Latin or German, for that matter, and if I'm going to learn a new language, might as well go for the original.)

I've gotten as far as almost making sense out of the alphabet. Maybe. Every time I turn round, there's some new bit to master, but that's mostly to the good right now. Anyway, your comment about the books makes me smile nearly as much as the memory of him singing children's songs to me (entirely straight-faced, mind you). We are, at least, never bored when we're talking.

Let me think about the weather question. I keep thinking there's something in the guild library I had my hand on, but I won't be back there for two weeks. Something about which pattern the winds are blowing at particular points in each season. I don't know, it seemed as much divination as anything, and I can't even remember whether what I heard about it was good or bad right now.

I do feel a little better now I've kept my promise to Delilah and come to see you (as she said Tuesday, she's a Healer, and can suggest, but she's not my Healer, with all that implies.) I just wish something could budge the real problem.

On that budget request: do you see an increase in other expenses once people are outside more? Which is to say, is it really that much more in winter than in spring?

[alt_poppy]

Arabic. Goodness. Well, if you reach the point of deciphering texts, I have a collection of recipes (fortifying draughts, mostly, I believe) that I would gladly let you practice on. I'd be interested in what you could make of them, even if it remained speculative and less than certain. Really, sometimes etymological quibbling of the sort one does when learning a language reveals cruxes in magical directions that go to the heart of things in ways one would miss altogether once beyond the questioning/struggling phase.

I know you dislike being a patient. I do appreciate your willingness to trust yourself to my care despite that. And, as you know, sometimes the mere act of talking through a matter will start the healing even without recourse to medicinals or other interventions. (All of which to say, I'm glad you came and trust that the benefits will be discernible soon.)

As for seasonal differences in my budget, I suppose it would stand to reason that injuries would increase as respiratory ailments decrease, but the truth is that young people will insist on going out into the weather and are more prone to accidents in winter, on top of their propensity for suffering flu and fever and frostbite. I'll grant you that the weeks surrounding exams tend to see an uptick in brainless bravery and the accidents that accompany such escapades.

Do you suppose the Arabs had or have a system of arithmantic equations for projecting the medicinal needs of a school population with all its variables accounted for? I understand they are credited with prowess in the mathematical arts.

[alt_sinistra]

I suspect it will take me rather a while to get anything useful out of text - but do ask Tosha, if you're interested. Or I will. He clearly finds it relaxing, and as he says, he rarely gets as much practice with it as he likes these days.

But yes, on the mysteries of the language. I learned Latin the hard way (and German), no translation spells, no magical aids, precisely because Alde insisted it was the only way to really understand the larger context of what the language was doing.

On the budget, no, I suppose that does make sense, really. That winter's additive, rather than alterative, or whatever the words I want are.

As to Arab approaches to arithmancy, I'd heard the same thing, but it's not something I ever covered. Septima might have, but it seems a bit outside her usual. I'll add it to my list of questions for Tosha, and see what he says.

On the visit, well. Trying not to make matters worse than they need to be, really. It's just so frustrating, knowing what would help, and not being able to do a thing about it. That said, I'm hopeful for tonight: two good conversations (you and Tosha), Cedric's up to lend a hand with the 3rd years, and all.

I just keep thinking back to the conversation Tuesday, I guess, and how ... trying to figure out what the Headmistress might decide to do next, in various directions. Which does not help with sleep one bit, really.

[alt_poppy]

Yes, well. That last is the equation I should most like to have: the one that would predict what she might do next and next and next.

I suspect that knowing the answers would not improve any of our sleep, however. Aeschylus was quite right, I'm afraid: To know in advance is to sorrow in advance.

[alt_sinistra]

Mmm. Quite. You'd think there'd be some way to

All right. I am slipping. I nearly said 'predict' and clearly aiming in the divinatory sense. Something is very much askew with my sense of the world.

(And it did turn out cloudy, so I can't even reassure myself the stars are in their proper places. Though as it means less standing in the cold on top of the tower, I suppose it's not entirely a bad thing tonight. I will be glad of the spring.)