Private message to Raz

[alt_sinistra]

Raz -

I have another one to add to the pile of Pink Parchments.

But, oh, it’s nasty. Mean-spirited. And more than a hint of obsession. Apparently my eyes lingered on you for thirty seconds too long in the hallway on Tuesday, and I smile too much when I sit next to you at meals. (There are uglier things, too, but I shan’t repeat them here.)

And this time, I’m sure it’s a student - it was dropped into a pile of assignments sometime earlier today. Besides my classes, there’ve been hordes of students in and out all afternoon, so not much chance of narrowing it beyond that.

It also had a harsh little hex on it that would have left my fingers sore for a few days. (Have no worries: I spotted the hex before opening - I’m suspicious of all pink parchments these days. I opened it with tongs rather than disarming it, so you can look for yourself.) I do think it may be the same as one of your Pink Parchments - the hand looks familiar.

Any chance you’d be up to taking a look at some point? I’ve got double sessions tonight and marking I really need to get ahead on, so tomorrow’s better for me.

(My other mail brought me another five invitations, and we should probably talk about two of them. Also - and far more welcome - a package from Mum, with a bottle of scotch she suggests you might like. I’m not sure what to make of that. I think she’s trying to be friendly without being pushy. Or something.)

Comments

[alt_rabastan]

Well bugger all. I'll have a look tomorrow- depending on what hex was used, it might tell me if the student is enrolled in newt-level Dark Arts (assuming that the student is newt-level, which is what I'd wager).

I know I warned you ages ago about the press, but I honestly didn't foresee something like this. Not really sure what the solution is, either. All I can say is that you ought not change your behaviour around me on account of an obsessed student's hateful notes. Unless you went so far as to hex me to my face, she'd probably always find your actions to be too familiar, or some other imaginary detail to critique.

Good of your Mum to send the scotch.

I'm sorry that you're becoming more visible than you probably ever expected to be, at least not for these sort of reasons. If you... Well, I hope you don't, but if you want to take a break from things, I would understand. Not like it much, but yeah, understand.

[alt_sinistra]

Most important first: I do not want to take a break from you. I'm not that easily put off by a few notes. (And besides: I'd probably still get the nasty notes and then not have the good times with you. Which would not do at all.)

I don't particularly plan to change my behaviour either, except for being a little more watchful about who can get near my things. I'm careful with my rooms and office when I'm not in them but I've been less attentive to piles of assignments.

(And especially this week: I've had half the fostered halfbloods in the castle with any hope of going to the Ball in this week so far, and none of them are happy with the options.)

You did warn me, and I thought a lot about it before saying I wanted to give us a try. All of the reasons I love being with you are still true, and that doesn't change just because some people don't like it.

[alt_rabastan]

Really? Good then. Merlin, I was hoping you'd say that, but reckoned it was only fair to give you an easy out, should you want it.

You know, you could always plant a nasty little hex of your own amongst those assignments. Not your style, I know, but if you feel pushed to your limit, I think you'd be MORE than well within your rights. Or, you know, if not a hex, something like what you have on your door, with the purple. Then we might be able to suss out who it is..

But planting a hex in a pile of parchments that you yourself plan to be rifling through at odd hours of the night...yeah, maybe not such a good idea, now that I think on it.

[alt_sinistra]

Certain.

As to planting a hex of my own - you're right, too many ways it could go wrong. And too many students do such odd things when they're dropping off assignments, too, and I'd hate to do that to someone for no reason.

Is there a way, do you think, to keep track of who's near my desk without tipping them off? Or does that leave too many possibilities, given the course of a day? In some ways, I don't want to push whoever it is to be more subtle: if they're going to leave the nasty things in pink parchment that is obviously not a school assignment, it's much easier to avoid their attempt to hex, after all.

(All right, and there's part of me that thinks that as tedious as this is, if I can't outthink a schoolgirl, I should not, perhaps, be teaching.)

[alt_rabastan]

No, you've the right idea there, really. More subtle would probably equal more unpleasant, which is not what we want.

(Ha, and don't I know it! "Defence Professor utterly unsure what to do in the face of girlfriend's stalker." NOT my finest hour. But then we want the whole thing to remain discrete. That's the real tangle here, innit?)

[alt_sinistra]

You're doing quite well so far, really.

You have made thoughtful suggestions. (I like those.)

You have restrained yourself from any impulses you might have about coming straight up here and making it all better. (I'd appreciate the sentiment, but that isn't the thing I either need or want.)

And I'm sure together we'll come up with some other ideas.

Besides it's hardly urgent we solve the problem tonight. It's a letter. A small-minded and hateful little letter with a nasty bite, mind you. But it's a piece of paper, and it's not going to do any harm sitting safely in my rooms until you can look at it properly.

That said, I do see your point. And it's not even like I can talk to Minerva about it, really, at least not without it happening more than once.

[alt_rabastan]

Well, on the impulses, you have double sessions tonight. So while I certainly have impulses (many of them), there's that whole discretion thing, and snogging you in front of your class would rather put that all to shambles, I think.

And you're right it's not an urgent problem. I think the real matter (for both of us) is that it's coming from one of your students. Someone who is apparently smiling to your face and then dropping you nasty notes when you're unawares. It all feels quite a lot more personal than what the papers write.

[alt_sinistra]

Snogging me in front of my class would rather complicate things, yes. And I do have things to teach them, too.

You're right about the real matter, too. It is a lot more personal than the papers.

It's easier there to say "That's not someone who knows me, that's not someone I've tried to teach about what I love." and let it slide off my back. It is hard to think of someone smiling and smiling, and then turning around, and... ugh.

I don't think I like that train of thought anymore, really.

[alt_rabastan]

Oh-ho, we could teach them a LOT, though. Enough to make their eyeballs fall out.

(Leaving the other train at the station, then, since I'd rather make you laugh with my crass innuendo).

[alt_sinistra]

I laugh, I laugh! (Actually, I almost snort my tisane.)

Thank you for that image, love.

Now how am I supposed to get up in front of them and talk about Perseus and Andromeda, hmm?

(You know, I had not realised before this year quite how many of the myths built into our stars are things that might warp young minds. If they weren't already warped, anyway.)

[alt_rabastan]

Whatever we think might warp them they're sure to find utterly wiz-nift-snitcheroo.

Point of fact, I often find those mind-warping things pretty snitch myself. The trick is to not let the students see that, if I can help it.

I shall leave you to Perseus and Andromeda then, love, and do try not to inhale too much tisane beforehand.

See you tomorrow.

[alt_sinistra]

I look forward to it. And your impulses. And mind-warping.

Sleep well, love.