Chapter 13: Write Back Soon
Harry Potter
12 Grimmauld Place
Wizarding London, UK
18 June 2005
Blaise Zabini
Villa de Zabini
Wizarding Nottingham
Dear Blaise,
I hope you have been quite well and have not been worrying over your wedding. I'm sure everything will work out in the end and that Draco is quite safe. As for me, I miss Hermione awfully- she was supposed to spend part of the holidays with Ron and I at The Burrow. We were going to take Ron and Ginny to visit parts of the muggle world they had never seen before. I tried to bring them on my own but we kept thinking about her so in the end, we just ended up staying at home.
I managed to teach Ron how to use a computer. I brought my lap-top computer along to The Burrow and the Weasleys were fascinated by it. Do you know what a computer is? It's a kind of electrical box with words that can appear on the screen and there is a place where you can press in words to spell them out. You can also play games on it. Not like Quidditch, but moving-picture games like Quake and Warhammer.
In the end, I had to teach Mr Weasley how to use it too. He kept begging me too and was really keen…actually, he's much better at it than Ron! Ron keeps getting all the keys muddled up. Mr Weasley's going to buy one for The Burrow now. I don't think Mrs Weasley's all that pleased, they cost hundreds of galleons. Mine was Dudley's (that's my cousin) old one so it was free.
I went to watch Ron at a few practices. He's really good but you should see the other England players. The coach tried to get me to sign on as keeper but I told him I already had another job.
Am I boring you? Maybe I should stop here. I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Ministry. I know you're going to be working in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creature. I'm going to be in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement so maybe we can have lunch sometime? I start July 18. When do you start? Look after yourself and do write back soon.
Regards,
Harry
PS: Ginny has an extra ticket to Celestina Warbeck's concert on July 12 and asks if you would like to go with her. I can't stand Celestina Warbeck, unfortunately!
**********************************************
Isen Guard Insurance
24, Rashun Alley
Wizarding London, UK
25 June 2005
Mr and Mrs G Granger
15 Kellet Mews
Surrey, UK
Dear Mr and Mrs Granger,
RE: Insurance Pay Out for Completely Out-of-the-blue Magical Accident Under Clause 5.53 Of Your Premium Protection Plan
We have been informed by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry about the unfortunate disappearance of your daughter Miss Hermione Granger on Monday, 20 May 2005, during her Potions NEWT. Our investigations show that this qualifies as a Completely Out-of-the-blue Magical Accident Resulting in Loss of Life or Limb under Clause 5.53 of your daughter's Premium Protection Plan which she was automatically covered by as a student in Hogwarts.
Under the circumstances, you are entitled to a pay out of 100,000 galleons with no terms or conditions attached. Please collect the pay-out from us in person anytime during working hours. We require you to bring along a copy of your passports as proof of identity.
We understand that your daughter has a high possibility of re-appearing in the near future. Upon this happy occurrence, you will be pleased to learn that you are still entitled to keep the pay-out. Should you require any legal assistance, please address a letter to us via owl and c/c it to our legal department.
Our greatest sympathy on your sad loss.
Yours Sincerely,
Jeremiah Higgs
Claims Manager
Isen Guard Insurance
************************************************
Blaise Zabini
Villa de Zabini
Wizarding Nottingham, UK
30 June 2005
Ronald Weasley
The Burrow
Ottery St Catchpole
Wizarding Devon, UK
Dear Ron,
Thanks for your last letter. I am thrilled that you now know how to use the contuper. Are you sure that's how it's spelled? Harry wrote telling me he taught you and your father how to use it and he spelled it differently in his letter. Thanks for offering to teach me, I would be happy to learn.
It's really strange that you and Harry should both mention contupers in your letters. There has been a big blow-up in my household about contupers. You see, Mr. Edward Montague is Draco's lawyer and since he disappeared, Mr Montague has been administering the Malfoy estate. It happens that Mr Montague is an old friend of my father's and, my father managed to persuade him to release some details of the Malfoy fortune on the grounds that I was Draco's wife-to-be. Mr Montague really didn't want to, of course, because of confidentiality and all that, but my father can be very persuasive.
Anyway, it turned out that in the last year, Draco had re-invested millions of galleons of the Malfoy fortune into these contuper industries. He also pulled out Lucius' deposits in Gringotts and put it all into the muggle music industry. I'm only telling you because you and Harry seem to know what these contupers are. Did Draco make a big mistake? My father seemed to think so- he really thinks Draco should have stuck to investing in our traditional wizard resources like Spell Research and Real Estate.
My father is not taking the situation very well. He's still worried to death that with Draco gone and no one to take charge of the Malfoy fortune, it will decline rapidly. The good thing is that he's agreed to let me go to work at the Ministry for as long as Draco is not around. Then he says I must give up my work to run the manor.
I am looking forward to my first day at work- I've always loved working with Magical Creatures. I start on the same day as Harry and have already written to ask him out to lunch on that day. Shall I tell you a secret, Ron? I've always wanted to be …a dragon handler! You must be laughing at me when you read this, but it's true. I know your brother Charlie is one, do you think you could ask him more about it for me? I would really like to find out more about it.
It was really sweet of you to send me the musical box for my birthday. How did you even know it was my birthday? I think it's really pretty and I shall take it to work to put in my new office.
By the way, don't worry about Hermione. Draco is not as bad a person as you wrote in your letter. I'm sure that if the situation calls for it, they'll get along. Anyway, from what I know of Hermione, she's more than capable of handling Draco by herself!
Do write back soon,
Blaise
***************************************************
Ron Weasley
The Burrow
Ottery St Catchpole
Wizarding Devon, UK
12 July 2005
Harry Potter
12 Grimmauld Place
Wizarding London
Dear Harry,
Great news…I saved five great goals during the friendly against Wales yesterday. In the end, their seeker caught the snitch though, too bad. Quidditch practice is awesome! You should see the stunts they make us do here…I had to practice hanging upside down from my broom for ten whole minutes yesterday. I heard we're going to play the Chudley Cannons in a practice match next week. I'm really nervous about that one. Me, Ron Weasley…play against the Chudley Cannons!
Dad finally bought the computer. I realized I'd been spelling it wrong for ages after I looked at the box. He's been at it every spare moment of his time for the last week. It's driving mum nuts and he took it to the office to show off. Last I heard, mum's borrowed some Gagging Gluey Bubblegum from Fred and George to paste the sides of the computer together. Now dad can't open it for at least three days. I'll bet he gets a shock when he tries to open it at work today.
I've written to Blaise to tell her everything I know about computers. She's really quite keen on it and, do you think she would mind if I asked her over here one day to teach her more on Dad's computer? It'll have to be after the Gagging Gluey Bubblegum wears off, of course. How was your first day at work? Blaise mentioned she met up with you and Seamus and Mandy Brocklehurst for lunch. Wish I was there, I kind of miss everyone. Of course, Quidditch is great but it does get kind of lonely sometimes. Maybe it's because I keep thinking that Hermione's not here. Do you still miss her a lot Harry? It's too bad that as Dumbeldore said, they'll have to wait till Samhain to perfect the Reverse Thyme Eliminus. I bet she's having an awful time with that slimy git.
Anyway, that's all for now. Mum's going on at me about leaving my muddy Quidditch boots in the hallway.
Ta! Ron
PS: Thanks for asking me to your birthday party. Of course I'll be there. Did you ask Blaise as well?
****************************************************
Harry Potter
Ministry of Magic
Level 2 - Department of Magical Law Enforcement
(Auror Headquarters)
Wizarding London
18 July
Ron Weasley
The Burrow
Ottery St Catchpole
Wizarding Devon, UK
Dear Ron,
Hey old chap, I'm really busy with at work right now. Kingsley Shacklebolt just gave me a whole lot of maps to plot werewolf territory on and I have to send it out by owl to the various alert-stations by tonight.
I'm just writing to say that I got your letter and thanks a bunch! Wish you would write more, but I guess I am in no position to do ask that seeing as I don't write regularly either ha ha! Guess what, I bumped into Terry Boot yesterday (he's at Catastrophes in the Ministry) and he said that Draco Malfoy is sitting on the director's board of several muggle companies. Apparently, he invested heavily in them after Lucius got sent to Azkaban and they were all asking about his disappearance. Huge job to cover that up and Terry said that he and the chaps at the Muggle Worthy Excuse Comnittee were working overtime to sort that mess out. Fancy that- a Malfoy investing in muggle companies! Lucius would have something to say about that I'm sure.
Anyway, the real point of this letter is to let you know that I did invite Blaise to my birthday party. I'll see you all at the Black Salamander at 8 pm. Please tell Ginny to bring along my blue jacket, I just remembered I left it somewhere in her room when I was at your place.
Cheerio
Harry
*****************************************
Ministry of Magic
Level 3 - Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
(Research and Testing Department)
Wizarding London, UK
20 July 2005
Professors Albus Dumbledore/Severus Snape
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hogsmeade
Wizarding Edinburgh, Scotland
Dear Professors Dumbledore and Snape,
RE: Micro-Analysis Result of Thyme Eliminus Potion Sample
We refer to the sample of Thyme Eliminus Potion which you sent to us for Micro Analysis on 30 May 2005. As you requested, an extremely detailed Micro-Analysis of the sample was carried out by our experts. We are pleased to list a detailed breakdown of the potion components below:
Thyme Eliminus Sample Breakdown:
Active Components Standard
dove feather – 16.17 % v
(litha) fernseed – 4. 83 % v
(samhain)heather – 2.35 % v
(samhain)mullein – 2.65 % v
(samhain)patchouli – 3.26 % v
(samhain)sage – 1.74 % v
fay dust – 0.50 % x
dried thyme – 29.00% v
Inactive Components
Wood ash – 5.62 % v
Water – 30.38% v
Microparticles – 3.50% ---
Your sample has been forwarded to the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad for their action although the presence of non-standard components in the sample could mean a delay in final results.
We are pleased to be of assistance to you.
Regards,
Alix Zeller
Head of Research and Testing Department