Site Selection

[alt_lucius]

Have been discussing Narcissa's continued quest for a holiday late this month. Shall need to be sure we have all Draco's books and such prior to the trip as there will not be time between returning and his departure for his third year (impossible as it seems to credit that he will begin third year!). I understand that she, Barty and the Razzer made great use of their four hours yesterday to evaluate three of their remaining possible sites. Had hoped to have a decision by the end of the week; doubt this will be possible given that none of the three of them were able to break away to-day for any other visits. Still. The list has been gleaned, and likely will again, before we must simply choose among the best of the bunch.


First of the month accounts have been settled; Wizarding Wireless board met on Monday with no particular news of moment. Except perhaps that there is a proposal to create a second signal with varied programming. It is felt that this will create jobs and satisfy the growing demand for additional (wider) range of programmes. Lively discussion: I do not think old Glendower has stirred himself to such animation in perhaps twenty years! Appreciate the desire to increase the market for jobs, particularly with the numbers of halfbloods who have been unable to return to work and subsequently lost their previous positions; not convinced that expanding the WWN is an appropriate response.


Received post from Amanda: back from the honeymoon and busy settling into their new home, closer to Beauxbatons. She enclosed a photograph taken at the Jiaohe Ruins near Turpan and promises Narcissa a length of silk, a ginger jar and a tea set in bone and silver, as well as carved bone haircombs 'as soon as ever they can be unearthed from the packages' and sent through the post. She does sound as though they spent a lovely time, and notes that 'Etienne collected some near-perfect early Tang scrolls which he hopes to incorporate into his lessons very soon.' Reading between the lines, it seems Mother has apparently already begun to wonder how soon she will be a grandmother again. (No need to rush, my dear sister!)


Narcissa informs me that this autumn will be as busy a season as the summer: We have received invitations to no fewer than four weddings, three engagement parties, three coming-of-age presentations, five birthday celebrations and eight anniversaries before Halloween! Clearly we shall have some difficult decisions to make as they cannot all be satisfied.


Minerva, I hear that congratulations are in order to you, as well, having made your selection of a home in town. Though perhaps 'in town' is a misnomer. Chiswick, really? And you are leaving it open to touring hours? I shouldn't wonder if you need to hire in a hit-wizard to guard your doorstep against petitioning parents wishing to bring their complaints in person. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing you in residence from time to time. I do hope you have received the figures we discussed at the last Board of Governors' meeting. As it is the summer holiday, I should expect that the staff have had no pressing demands and have been able to fulfill the Board's request.

Comments

[alt_percy]

The idea of expanding the Wizarding Wireless to perhaps a second signal is certainly an intriguing one, sir.

I have been rather struck at Hogwarts at times by the fact that the students do not perhaps listen to the Wireless as much as their parents do. Perhaps a program to appeal to them particularly might not be amiss. One thing I've heard complained of a time or two is that it is sometimes rather difficult to learn about new music, the very latest efforts of brand new bands. Often the music programming on the WWN caters to perhaps an older demographic, shall we say? Or at the very least, it plays mostly music by bands that have been established for five years or more. Perhaps a music programme might be included in the expanded line-up that focuses on brand new bands that might particularly appeal to youth, say of Hogwarts age?

Merely a suggestion, sir. Please, make use of it only if you think it might be of practical application of course.

[alt_lucius]

An intriguing suggestion, Weasley. Of course in Parnassus Glendower's day, wireless sets were not allowed at school. I daresay even in my time, while they were no longer contraband, they were ... frowned upon. And there were so few of them within the castle that I should have been shocked had the WWN ever considered the student demographic, as you say. Have matters changed so much in a single generation? And how much time may the average pupil spend in listening to such programmes, when he ought to be revising, writing essays or practising wandwork?

As for making the WWN a platform for new groups, that may be worth exploring - though it is fair to say that there are reasons groups must establish themselves before earning the right to be heard on so wide a distribution as wireless. Still, if there is shortly to be another signal with hours of airtime to fill, there may be an opportunity to showcase trending groups without their failures reflecting poorly on the network, while simultaneously capitalising on their successes.

Nolan may be interested to discuss it. Perhaps in the next quarter.

[alt_pansy]

Oh, Lucius, it isn't as bad as all that. You've read about my and Padma's music parties and things. And we sometimes turn on the wireless or play records in the common room you know, just for background music when people are feeling social, like after a Quidditch game, or when it's rainy outside, or on the weekends. And if people need quiet, they just say so and we turn it down, or they go to the library or their rooms or something.

I think it's a good idea, Percy.

I had no idea you couldn't even have a wireless back then.

[alt_lucius]

I was given to understand that your parties mostly comprise music you select and play, rather than the wireless. I'm quite sure I've seen others comment to the effect that certain students brought wireless receivers with them, most not.

Still, I think you'll allow that even totting up the hours one spends in the Common Room, the opportunity to listen - and certainly to listen on a regular basis - is limited.

But if you think the market has grown so substantially ... perhaps.

[alt_pansy]

Well, that's sort of the point Percy had, isn't it?

We listen to records quite a bit because the music we like isn't playing on the wireless as much.

I'm not sure it would be worth the cost of an entire new station for just a few hours of listening after dinner or weekends for just Hogwarts, but if there does end up being a new station, I think it'd be nift to think about including some different sorts of music than Celestina Warbeck. Who is liked by lots of people, you know, it's just not everyone's cup of tea. And it'd give a lot of new bands a chance to get heard, and you know how much I like that!

[alt_lucius]

No, no-one would suggest creating a new station simply for Hogwarts' benefit. Though it must be said there are those who have recently left Hogwarts, entering the workforce, who would have similar tastes.

And Miss Warbeck's music is best appreciated by housewives of over 14 1/2 stone, aging warlocks who are hard of hearing and a peculiar subset of younger wizards who seem to idolise her as much for her sense of fashion as for her emotive properties. I have it on good authority that your former professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, was quite a fan - a status that his memory loss has, sadly, not improved.

[alt_narcissa]

I've no doubt we can reach a decision in plenty of time to make the arrangements, dearest. Already I have eliminated half the short list and between Barty and the Razzer we have only three more sites to evaluate. It should be no trouble to complete our visits by the weekend.

As for the social calendar, we are always awash in more invitations than we can possibly accept. It is only that we have been flooded this week. I think the months of enforced travel restriction have resulted in rather a lag on planning, such that everyone is only just catching up. Already I anticipate a bevy of birth announcements to begin flowing in from now until Christmas!

[alt_mcgonagall]

Touring hours when I am not in residence, Lucius.

You know how much I abhor ceremony and to-do; it was the only option that presented itself that was not positively enormous. You do well enough in palaces; I am a school teacher and would only make myself ridiculous.

I shall talk business with you as soon as may be; we've several meetings scheduled, I believe.