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[alt_alice]

Our summer is progressing quite nicely. We're in full harvest, and thanks to Regina and Lisa's tireless work, have quite a bounty. Sherwood, Aldrich, Bedford, and Saltash are likewise thankful for their efforts. We've had to make several supply runs to supplement everyone's current canning materials (which were considerable to begin with), and Victor's been making the rounds to pass along his expertise. It's a trickier process in Saltash, because proper sterilising is difficult to do without magic and it's not easy to bring the entire operation down to the caves, but they have been working on a set-up that should suffice.

We have four new wand-holders this year, Franklin, Melissa, Lucy, and Sarah. They've all been adjusting rather well -- Franklin held off for a year to work more on his diction (and we thought it'd be best to let him settle a little), and it seems to have paid off rather well for him. Alec has decided to join his brother at Sherwood, which means that Katherine and Ian are utterly despondent -- Laura was worried they'd both run off and join him immediately, but I believe we've convinced them to wait until they can Apparate and have developed their defensive skills more. Laura's still rather furious about the whole idea, though.

Our relationship with the centaurs continue to progress smoothly -- thanks to Charlie and Fu Lee, we've got our hands on some needed materials, and they have a supply of iron-tipped arrows and some custom made iron and leather front panels. They were rather adamant about not allowing anyone of-age into the Forest, which excludes Neville right out, and we've got to train up some of our younger Moddey Dhoo members more before they'd be ready, but Colin, Luna, and Evelyn certainly have things in hand for the time being.

We've a few short weeks of summer left before the Autumn term starts at Hogwarts -- I'm hoping we'll have a safehouse ready for our galleon holders by next week at the latest, so that you'll have time to show them the location before the term begins.

I'm sure we have no end of things to wrap up before the term begins properly -- if there's anything time-sensitive that needs our attention, please don't hesitate to speak up about it.

Comments

Private Message to Molly

[alt_alice]

Molly, love, I hope you'll come by for some proper tea. Honour Milliband has been asking after 'the Molly lady', and she's drawn several pictures she's just aching to show you.

Re: Private Message to Molly

[alt_molly]

I'll try, Alice. In a day or two, when Ginny's birthday is over.

I feel--I haven't been able to even think about it. It's dreadful. I haven't even been able to think of what to give her for a present.

I've made it to the building a few days, but there are some days I can barely force myself to get out of bed at all. Ginny's been doing most of the cooking and all of the chores. I haven't even started my canning.

Sometimes all I can do is to sit at the kitchen table with tea and stare into space for hours.

Luna has come a few times and simply read aloud to me. It's...restful. It keeps me from thinking too much.

Until the nights. The middle of the nights are the worst.

Oh, Alice. I didn't think I could survive losing Arthur, but I managed to pull myself together, with a lot of help from Bill and Fred and George. But this...this feels as though I'm right back at the bottom of the well again. And I don't know how I'll manage to convince myself to climb out this time.

The worst thing is feeling that I've failed Arthur.

And the hatred I am feeling for Dolohov...well, I'm afraid it might consume me entirely.

I'm not making much sense, I'm afraid.

Re: Private Message to Molly

[alt_alice]

You've just lost a child, Molly.

It's an enormous, awful thing.

Time will help, I hope. And so will being around people who love you. I'm sure Ginny wants very much to do whatever she can to make things easier for you, and I'm so glad Luna has come by.

Arthur has been a near-constant presence these last few weeks. I keep wondering what he would've thought and done, and I miss him terribly and wish he was here to provide us with his steady common sense.

He would've been devastated at Percy's death, and he'd be angry, and frustrated, and heartbroken, and worried about you. But I truly and deeply believe that he'd see this as a tragedy rather than think either he or you were to blame, or that you'd failed as parents. Percy was wrapped up in something much larger than himself, was cruelly used by powerful people who cared nothing for him, and it was all done in a way that gave you little to no choice in the matter -- where all your options were impossible.

Re: Private Message to Molly

[alt_alice]

And yes, you have every right to be angry.

It's a powerful force. It can be harnessed to seek a bloody revenge, or it can be put to work to build a more just world. The former is destructive, the latter is healing. I very much hope you'll choose to put that energy to good use.

Private Message to Albus and Remus

[alt_alice]

We've got our firecrabs, Albus. Hagrid's caring for them until you have the chance to pick them up. I'm sure he'd be happy for a visit.

Please let me know once you obtain the device.

[alt_severus]

Muggles have canned things successfully for hundreds of years without access to magic. If none of them at Saltash are sufficiently familiar with the Muggle methods for same, perhaps we ought put out a call on the radio.

[alt_frank]

yeah, there's a few of them there who know a thing or two, and vic's doing what he can. but he says it's trickier without modern ovens. not to mention they're working on a bigger scale than home cooks are used to.

[alt_alice]

It might be worth our while to put out a call for someone with a bit more expertise in that area, then, to oversee all of it. Dr Williams was quite worried about bacteria.