ORDER ONLY: Private Message to Neville and Evelyn

[alt_alice]

Hello, dear hearts.

We've all had quite a time of it these last few weeks, haven't we? We've got quite a lot to sort out in order to figure out the next step of things, and I'm hoping the waters will calm down for long enough for us to right our boat and adjust our heading.

I'm very much hoping we'll all be able to get together for a meeting and for a remembrance of sorts this upcoming weekend, but I also very much want to see you both beforehand, and I'd love to set up regular visits this summer. We could certainly use your help expanding the greenhouse for the new batch of fluxweed plants, Neville, love, and Evie, I know the Octoboros working group would appreciate your insights. Not to mention, I'm terribly selfish and want to see you as much as possible while we all have the time for it.

And may I say, I've been so very pleased about you've managed the Forest. Colin has told me he thought you all should go during the week, as so much of our other activities may center around weekends this summer, and I quite agree with him. I must admit, your father and I are a little anxious now that you will no longer have the portkey (but so very glad it was put to good use!) -- however, all four of you have handled yourselves quite well, and I know you'll take proper precautions. It is an enormous help, and I'm so proud of all of you for taking that task on.

Your father sends his love, and his appreciation for your letters. He and Kevin are both doing marvellously, and want very much to see you both.

I miss you and I love you both beyond measure.

Comments

[alt_evelyn]

All of that sounds absolutely lovely, mum.

We'd have to be careful, of course, but I cannot wait to see you, and I want to see you as much as I can this summer too.

Not to mention, I've got to sort out Apparation. I don't think it'll take much longer.

[alt_evelyn]

And yes, we were hoping to go out on Wednesday.

I don't know if that'll throw the centaurs off too much, but we'll be especially careful just in case. We were joking around the last time that having loud and obvious conversations about our plans was probably best, because they might be listening in, so we'll just talk a lot about coming during the week instead of the weekend over summer, and about Neville's upcoming birthday, where he comes of age, and hope they catch it.

[alt_neville]

All the projects we've talked about for this summer seem dead interesting. Mrs Lee-Wilson has promised to lend me some of her books about plant--oh, I always forget that word. Plant jenitics? Yeah, we want to see you, too!

Does the fluxweed look all right? Professor Sprout and I packed it really carefully, but I worry about how they handle the uprooting. And the soil for them at the sanctuary isn't really ideal for them there. But an expansion of the greenhouse will help.

Tell Kevin I'll set aside a plot for him, and we can pick out some of the plants and seeds for it. I mean, I know you're practically in the middle of your growing season, but there's still some things that sprout quickly, that might interest him. He's at about the age I started getting interested in digging in the dirt to make things grow, and not just making mud-and-muck pies.

[alt_alice]

That's a brilliant idea for Kevin, love. I'm sure he'd bask in the attention, and he would certainly have plenty of energy for it.

Whether he sticks to it is another matter altogether, but I think we can help keep him involved enough to feel like he had a real hand in things.

And yes, the grand majority of the plants are in decent shape. Severus was quick to take any that appeared to be faltering to use in a batch right away, and only a few had to be discarded outright. The expansion will help a great deal, yes.