Beginning of the summer

[alt_sinistra]

I was reminded this weekend that I’ve been teaching seven years now - long enough that I remember this past year’s 7th years being Sorted, and now they’re on to bright and wonderful futures. I cannot imagine where the time’s gone.

Right now, though, I’m glad enough to be settling the final details for the YPL summer events. After several years of doing this, we’re in good shape for the camping week and the New London trips, but the CCF programme continues to grow and develop, which of course takes more planning time.

CCF students: you will be getting further information on Wednesday, but I can mention a few things now. First, you’ll need to find time to come to New London to be fitted for uniforms (provided by the programme) in the next fortnight or so - the letters home will have more details.

And second, I know you’ve all been attentive to physical fitness, but your planned schedule is exhausting to read about, never mind experience. You will likely be grateful to any attention to building stamina and strength between now and then. Your activities will also include a number of water-based events, so if you are not already a strong swimmer, you’ll benefit from practice. (The notes home will list a few instructors glad to assist. If you do not swim at all or need assistance arranging instruction, please let me know promptly.)

Finally, a note of thanks to Miss Padma Patil for a suggestion that’s being incorporated extensively into this year’s CCF programme.

Comments

Private message to Raz

[alt_sinistra]

Oh, good grief. My morning started with a ten-minute rant from Stint on how I wouldn’t know decisive leadership if it stared me in the face. Due to floating the proposed changes back in May. He's clearly entirely in a mood, though I don't think it's just me.

And yet, I had to smile and make nice. Dolores Umbridge is in here observing again. Latimer Caldwell made it very clear to me first thing this morning that it would be best for me if I put a pleasant face on it and made her welcome. (And would he answer on whether the board wishes to meet for that further conversation about an assistant they wanted to have? No, he would not. And if I press him too far, he could make things sticky for Mum, since he’s in charge of her division.)

Every time I started trying to get Stint to wind down, so we could get on with things, Umbridge would wind him back up again, or insist I let him speak. (What a hypocrite, she is, after telling me last week I should be more firm in keeping to our scheduled agenda.)

Thankfully, Campanella takes lead on a lot of the CCF planning we’ve been working on this morning, and Stint’s less obviously difficult with her, so that went better and we actually finished a little early for the morning. (The discussion has also turned up a little more data for my worries: more later on that.)

I’m meeting both Mum and Dad for lunch, which will help - just waiting on them now. (Though Dad’s being near as protective frustrated about this as you are, and if I vent too much, it’ll be bad for him.)

Just getting very tired of this, really.

Re: Private message to Raz

[alt_sinistra]

Will be later than I expected.

Umbridge insists she must speak with me about several things, and since I already had lunch plans, she is firm that we must have tea. We’ll be at that little place across from the Ministry (she must keep them in business single-handed - the one with the pink and the purple and the flowers on everything. Flora’s Garden, I think the name is?)

If I’m not back at Spence by 6, would you send out a search party, or show up or message with somewhere we simply must be that she can’t argue with, or... something?

Mum and Dad send love, and ask if we might find time for supper with them sometime this summer. (You might like a fly round the area in summer, and I'd love to show you the orchard in decent weather.)

Private message to Padma Patil

[alt_sinistra]

Miss Patil -

As I promised, we have indeed put code analysis on the schedule for this year’s CCF, and I’m now quite confident you’ll be pleased at the end result. It’s taken more than a little coordination, but it’s been decided that that will be a notable part of this summer’s training, and some of the Proectorate’s best have offered their time.

Thank you again for the suggestion, and your patience, and I look forward to finding out what you think of it.

Re: Private message to Padma Patil

[alt_padma]

Professor,

Really? That's wonderful! I'm really ever so thrilled to hear it. It was just a thought, you know, and I'm surprised anyone even remembered to think about it again.

But I'm well pleased it's being incorporated; I think cryptography is just fascinating and honestly, learning to break codes, well, it's part of how MLE helped bring down groups like the DogStar, isn't it? And I mean, not that we'll all become amateur code-breakers on that sort of scale, of course, but it's the sort of thing that helps us all become better subjects of the Protectorate. So wow, thank you so much for pursuing it. I'm sure it'll be amazing, Professor.

You work so hard on our behalf and the programme probably wouldn't be half so great if it weren't for you.

Re: Private message to Padma Patil

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you for that - always pleasant to hear (and the moreso after a long day of meetings.)

It is part of my work to keep track of those kinds of things - the suggestions people make for future events and all.

The trick, of course, is that if people know how the code-breakers spot them, they can come up with different methods that might be harder to spot. So a lot of the discussion has been about how to share useful information with the CCF students, without giving away all the methods the folks at MLE use. And that's part of why it's easier to do over the CCF weeks than it was to arrange during the year.

I do hope you're having a good summer, and continue to do so.

Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_poppy]

How is your business going?

And the members of your committee? All making only positive contributions, I hope.

(Of course, I know better.)

I have some news to share if you could spare the time. I don't suppose you've time for supper or a drink tonight if I were to come down to meet you?

I believe I'm on my own recognisance now, finally. Save for a set schedule and the requirement that I keep St M's apprised of my whereabouts when I am not at the school.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_sinistra]

I could only wish they were all positive. (Three rants about my lack of leadership, from two different sources today, plus the usual nonsense.)

I'm still out to tea with Dolores Umbridge, though I'm hoping to make an escape in the next half hour or so. Better not use you as an excuse though - I'd hate to get you on her radar as well as a certain someone's. (She spotted a colleague she needed to have a word with, so I've a moment now, at least.)

Could it wait till tomorrow? We'll be done by half-five at the latest, because three of the committee have evening obligations. Or I'm entirely free Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday at the moment.

If you want an excuse to come down, that Museum of the Natural World has several exhibits I've not seen - one more my line (planets and their moons), but a couple more up your alley - a display of glass flowers improving on a Muggle display in America, and what I understand are some very nice exhibits of endangered magical plants.

If it's urgent, though, I'll make even more excuses to Raz - I honestly expected to be back at Spence an hour ago.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_poppy]

No, of course it's not urgent. I'm not sure that anything I could report would spare you whatever a certain someone might cast your way. Sounds as if you've already had several blasts from that wand, in any case. For which, my condolences.

Shall I Floo call the tea room and ask to speak with you? I could tell them I'm your mother. Or your Headmistress. Probably best not say I'm Auror Lestrange.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_sinistra]

Thanks for the offer, but I managed to make my escape finally. An hour and a half of that, honestly. As if meeting all day weren't enough.

Back at Spence now, at least, safe from impossible personalities of several kinds.

I would love to see you, though, and talk through further - there's some things I'd love a second viewpoint on. If you can get free, museum and lunch sometime this week? Or propose something else if you'd rather. I'd love to show you my favourite cafe, anyway. I expect to be in there for breakfast tomorrow, and I can see if I can book one of their private rooms.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_poppy]

I'd quite like to see that exhibit on magical plants, and I'd happily accompany you through the astronomical gallery.

The glass flowers might best wait for another time, though. I'm afraid in my present frame of mind, I couldn't appreciate them properly. Fortunately, I haven't the power to damage things merely by force of thought, but if I had, a display of beautiful glass would be the last place I should be trusted this week.

Let's say Wednesday, then. And a meal at your favourite spot sounds most appealing.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_sinistra]

That bad? I quite know the feeling.

Shall we say lunch at half-eleven and miss the crowds, and then the museum?

As far as getting there, it's about halfway between St. Mungo's and the Ministry - the owner's journal has regular ads with apparition directions, or they're on the floo. (Well, I say owner - it's a women's collective owned sort of place, but it's Tamsin Overby who's the face of the business. The Archetype Cafe, anyway.)

I've been in there quite a lot this past term - it's where I meet friends when I've been in Tuesdays, and they're quite sensible about designing for privacy, the food's good, and the people are pleasant. It'd be a pleasure to introduce you, anyway.

At least that's something nice to look forward to and get me through tomorrow.

Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra

[alt_poppy]

A women's collective, you say? Good for them. I'll look forward to it!

[alt_ginny]

Professor,

When will the fittings start? I will be in New London this weekend for an event. Is that too soon to be fitted? Will the fittings take place in the same shop when get our school robes fitted, or is there a special outfitter we need to see?

Ginny

[alt_sinistra]

I don't have all my notes handy at the moment, though I'll check for you in the morning. But I do believe they might be available for fittings as early as this week.

There is indeed a special outfitter - there's a need for some specialised gear for the CCF programme this year. Fabric that can take some specific lasting charms, that kind of thing. (I should note here, before anyone has any other questions, that the programme is covering the costs.)

Private message to Campanella Wright

[alt_sinistra]

Thanks for today - that was flying against a head wind, really.

Can we meet at eight tomorrow and plan a better method of getting things done? I saw Helena on my way back, and she suggested it might help to coordinate - planning for next year’s always easier to derail. The Archetype’s just started doing breakfast as well as lunch and supper, and I trust the privacy there over most places. I’ll treat, since I’m dragging you both out early. (And perhaps the murals will inspire me. I do like that determined one of Boudicca.)

Honestly, I still haven’t the faintest what to make of Umbridge. Tea this afternoon was a lot of her talking at me, not to me, but not in any direction that made any real sense. She’d go on about one thing for a minute or two, then change subjects. And running through it all sorts of comments about the trials, only some of which I’ve any kind of control over.

At least now the summer plans should be entirely sorted except for individual department details. I’m honestly looking forward to the camping as a break from Stint and Umbridge and being pestered for details all the time.