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[alt_alice]

Jason and Ethan are both here, safe and sound. That leaves Puneet, Ivy, and Sirius. (It feels so odd, writing that last one down!) Have we located Sirius and Ivy yet, Arthur?

Ethan has thus far proved to be a completely normal and happy baby, and his parents were not only blissfully unaware of the associations we traditionally have with Leap Year children, but hadn't noticed a thing out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, I've been sure to put him in Jacinda's nursery, as she's the nursery worker with a wand, so she can closely supervise him.

We've got a full house and no mistake. We've already expanded our nursery space into two more rooms, and I think that if we have the same number of babies next year, we will have to get at least one or maybe even two more people to help with the under fours group. Our two new nursery workers have proved to be excellent additions to our little community at Moddey -- although they are both a bit quiet at our group meetings, which I hope will improve with time, they get along well with Jacinda and are both very hard workers. Candace has recovered significantly from her ordeal, although we must all continuously remind her to not work quite as hard, and that her stay at Moddey is not contingent on her speedy recovery. I was initially worried about her ability to work with the babies after losing her own, but from what I've seen of her, she's been good with the children and seems to be content. Her aunt Florence is quite a rock and a good woman, and I'm so glad Candace has her for emotional support.

We've also been talking about long-term plans, and how many more people we can expect to sustain with our current space. We've been keeping on top of crop production, and goats and chicken and fishing along with supplements from smuggling have helped, of course, but we have to continue expanding all of those sources of food continuously every season, which requires increased efforts. Enough of the adults and older children have wands to make the burden a bit easier, of course, but Arabella's coming up with some projections for the next five years about the acreage we would need (as well as how much space and food the goats and chickens would require) to keep our increasing numbers comfortably fed.

Our young people who have their wands have been proving progressively more and more helpful -- although I am loathe to cut into their (much-needed) magical education with work, they have all been able to apply the magic they have learned to help around the castle, and have also been incredibly good about pairing up with the younger children to provide them with some much-needed attention, supervision, and help with lessons. We've also made a decision as a group to include those who are of age join in on our group meetings and have full rights for voting on decisions -- even though they are still learning, we thought it'd be important to respect their role as adults within Moddey Dhoo. It's all due to Fred and George, really, so thank you, both of you.

The castle will need some serious renovation or construction of a new wing sometime soon to anticipate increased numbers of new children, in addition to the aging and growing children we already have requiring more space. And supervision. And adults to supervise them. We may need some help this summer with construction projects if any of you can be spared.

On another note; Fred and George -- I must make sure that you are aware that our Neville is taking occlumency lessons from Severus. If we are to limit any additional connections your group of friends will make between Molly and the Order, it might be best to not let him know that you are also planning on taking lessons, as that would lead to questions about how you would have known to go to Mr Milland. Also, unless Severus has chosen to tell him, Neville remains ignorant of Severus's identity -- only that we wished him to take occlumency from Mr Milland.

Comments

[alt_molly]

Alice, on the issue of garden acreage: on some of my barter network visits, I've met a number of people who use some rather ingenuous methods to grow crops vertically, using just a narrow bed. They set up a framework of pipes and strings and train the crops to grow up the strings. This can be done with things like tomatoes, peas, squash, cucumbers, climbing beans and so on.

Another quite clever method was to attach a row of gutters on a wall, set at a bit of slant so they could drain: then each could be used planted with a different sort of salad green.

Both of these methods might save you a bit of space.

I can send you some sketches.

[alt_alice]

We'd be on a bit of a larger scale, naturally, but I'm sure that Regina would appreciate the plans. She and Arabella have been tossing around all sorts of ideas, and adding this to the pile would most certainly be helpful.

[alt_sirius]

I don't think we've found a confirmed location for Ivy or Sirius but our going theory is that they're already safe from the Ministry; I agree, though, it'd be nice to know for sure that we don't have to worry about them.

You know, hearing about the way you continue to expand makes me wonder how you'd manage if we ever brought someone to Moddey Dhoo who simply would not contribute or who caused you lot nothing but grief. We've been lucky, I think, in not taking in someone like that but it's also largely down to you, Allie, and Arabella and the way you have of gentling people and bringing them 'round.

[alt_alice]

That's sweet of you to say, love.

We've had a few problem spots here and there -- Mr Turner was quite the malcontent when he first arrived, for instance, and some of our young people have required more gentling than others. Some of our group meetings can be quite lengthy and involved before we all come to a consensus as well. But I think that everyone understands what we have here, and that even though we don't always all agree with what would be the best way to move forward, we are all coming from a place where we genuinely care and want the best for Moddey Dhoo and the people in it. And that makes all the difference, I think.

I wonder if that will change once we add more people. I hope it doesn't.

[alt_alice]

And I agree with Ivy and Sirius; but the question would be do we leave them on or off the book?

On, and someone might make more of a concerted effort to track them down. Off, and if they're caught, it could bring the entire book into question.

[alt_kingsley]

I say we keep hunting for them for now.

Emmeline has been doing some trips to check in with her contacts with ties to the Travellers. She's trying to trace any with the family name of Lowell, and tells me she hopes she'll have something to report by the end of the week.

[alt_poppy]

Arthur, perhaps you can say for certain: my impression from within the St Mungo's realm is that the Ministry genuinely ignore the Travellers and Roma, so long as they keep themselves to themselves--and the Ministry are well aware that those clans are mixtures of magicals and what the Ministry choose to label as squibs. I think it's very rare that one of their children does make itself known in our book, but not entirely unheard of. So, I don't really believe Alice's worry would pertain to Ivy Lowell if we do determine she's of Traveller or Roma stock. If she were ever found, she wouldn't be expected to be in the book, and in any case, it's not likely a Ministry employee or a Healer who came across her would feel inspired to intervene.

Now. We know that could change. It's certainly true that those groups suffer harassment and discrimination. I can't say entirely why the Ministry have not chosen to intern them. Certainly, there's historical precedent, but blessedly we've chosen to think it was a Muggle atrocity to persecute and shun such people.

But that's only Ivy Lowell. And only if she is, indeed, a Traveller or a Roma child. There's still our wayward Sirius whose surname I've forgotten. That's not the problem is it? Might we have been wrong about such an important detail? I wish I'd thought of that before I went and had a look at the book. (There are no new names, by the way.)

Supposing, however, that we haven't found him because his parents are in hiding, then that presents exactly the dilemma Alice has laid out.

[alt_lupin]

I don't suppose there's any chance we could convince the Trustees that thanks to the efforts of the Protectorate, the Book has begun to list only those children who BELONG at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

[alt_lupin]

(That's certainly worth a try, as a stratagem, should a muggleborn child be found by the Ministry at some point.)

[alt_gredforge]

We'll be happy to help with farming or contruction, whatever you need, this summer. Can't wait to see the place.

And yeah, noted about Neville. You don't need to worry, by the way: he's never hinted the slightest bit that he was in any contact with you. We'll talk to Severus Snape about it. We need to talk to him anyway, after we pitch our potions proposal to Professor Slughorn.

[alt_molly]

What potions proposal?

[alt_gredforge]

We're going to ask to be allowed to join the NEWTs class.

[alt_molly]

But you didn't get enough on your OWLs, and I don't see why he'd let you in. Anyway, you'd be a year behind!

[alt_gredforge]

We're going to pitch it to him as a challenge, a contest. Tell him to give us ten really fiendishly hard potions to study over the summer, and then he can test us on them when we arrive next September. We'll study with Severus Snape to catch up. If we manage it, then we'll join the NEWTs class.

[alt_bill]

Huh. What makes you think he'd bend his own rules and go for that?

[alt_gredforge]

Because we're showing real motivation. We're hoping he'll admire it as an original approach.

We also plan to suck up a lot if necessary. He likes that, too.

[alt_severus]

How lucky that I am present and able to read about your plans.

Come see me tonight at four o'clock to discuss this matter. You have detention for general weaselly behavior, if anyone asks why you are seeking me out.

[alt_gredforge]

Could we make it just a little later, sir? That's the time we've set for our meeting with Professor Slughorn. But we will come to see you right afterwards.

(You can increase our detention for being late.)

[alt_bill]

That's the first time I've ever seen them volunteer for detention, Severus.

Maybe they really are turning over a whole new leaf.

[alt_severus]

Five o'clock then.

[alt_gredforge]

Thanks. We'll be there.