Safe in France
Jun. 17th, 2009 10:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_luciusA most hectic few days, but we are firmly ensconced now and beginning to establish a routine.
I declare my mother and sister have scarcely left Draco to himself with fussing over him. (Naturally, he chafes outwardly and attempts to hide that he secretly enjoys the attention.) Our arrival was met with a second sort of birthday party; Mother held off sending anything to Draco earlier in order to celebrate with all the family together.
Of the many things we have improved upon in the Protectorate, our curbing of the press has been a major triumph. They are much more forward here; it has been some time since either Narcissa or I had to contend with wizards popping photo bulbs in one's eyes.
Of course, it is to be expected, given the way in which the newspapers and wireless here have ben treating our visit. According to Amanda, there has been some sort of anticipatory story every day for the last week! One wonders whether they have any of their own news to report.
In any case, the official welcome at the French Ministérie went extremely well. If all of our itinerary goes as smoothly, we shall quite enjoy the month to come.
To-morrow we have a number of formal calls to pay and I believe Narcissa and Amanda have planned their first excursion to the wilds of the Paris shopping districts. I am not certain whether Draco can be pried away from his grandmother to go on either outing, even if he wished to do. She claims it is only the accumulation of ten years of being unable to spoil him rotten. I would say rather that it is ten years of being unable to compete (directly) with Druella.
Apart from that, Mother is virtually unchanged. A little greyer, a little more tired, but still the same. I'm pleased to see that Amanda seems much matured since last I saw her. There's something altogether grown and steady about her now, most unlike the flighty little sister I remember. Have a horrible feeling she'll fill Draco's head full of horror stories about how she ran her prefects ragged at Hogwarts. He finds trouble perfectly well on his own with no need for encouragement!
Of the Hogwarts Board of Governors' meeting Monday, the less said the better. I hope the recommendations for next term see improvement in the situation; it is in no wise appropriate to entrust young minds and bodies to the care of a staff who maintain vigilance nine months of the year, only to prove derelict during the very moment they are needed. Perhaps this year was an aberration. However, I fear that for the next several terms, Hogwarts will become a more complicated place than the administration are used to overseeing. I should hate to see those we have invested succumb to the weaknesses to which they are prey.
Well, it grows late and the delegations expect intelligent conversation to-morrow (in French, yet). Therefore to bed.
I declare my mother and sister have scarcely left Draco to himself with fussing over him. (Naturally, he chafes outwardly and attempts to hide that he secretly enjoys the attention.) Our arrival was met with a second sort of birthday party; Mother held off sending anything to Draco earlier in order to celebrate with all the family together.
Of the many things we have improved upon in the Protectorate, our curbing of the press has been a major triumph. They are much more forward here; it has been some time since either Narcissa or I had to contend with wizards popping photo bulbs in one's eyes.
Of course, it is to be expected, given the way in which the newspapers and wireless here have ben treating our visit. According to Amanda, there has been some sort of anticipatory story every day for the last week! One wonders whether they have any of their own news to report.
In any case, the official welcome at the French Ministérie went extremely well. If all of our itinerary goes as smoothly, we shall quite enjoy the month to come.
To-morrow we have a number of formal calls to pay and I believe Narcissa and Amanda have planned their first excursion to the wilds of the Paris shopping districts. I am not certain whether Draco can be pried away from his grandmother to go on either outing, even if he wished to do. She claims it is only the accumulation of ten years of being unable to spoil him rotten. I would say rather that it is ten years of being unable to compete (directly) with Druella.
Apart from that, Mother is virtually unchanged. A little greyer, a little more tired, but still the same. I'm pleased to see that Amanda seems much matured since last I saw her. There's something altogether grown and steady about her now, most unlike the flighty little sister I remember. Have a horrible feeling she'll fill Draco's head full of horror stories about how she ran her prefects ragged at Hogwarts. He finds trouble perfectly well on his own with no need for encouragement!
Of the Hogwarts Board of Governors' meeting Monday, the less said the better. I hope the recommendations for next term see improvement in the situation; it is in no wise appropriate to entrust young minds and bodies to the care of a staff who maintain vigilance nine months of the year, only to prove derelict during the very moment they are needed. Perhaps this year was an aberration. However, I fear that for the next several terms, Hogwarts will become a more complicated place than the administration are used to overseeing. I should hate to see those we have invested succumb to the weaknesses to which they are prey.
Well, it grows late and the delegations expect intelligent conversation to-morrow (in French, yet). Therefore to bed.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-19 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-19 02:58 pm (UTC)Don't fret too much about being separated this summer; I am certain once you settle in to your new routine the month will be over before you know it.