Private Message to Barty Crouch, Jr.
Oct. 18th, 2010 10:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_luciusLong discussion with Narcissa this evening, but she has agreed that it is better for the Prophet to assist in a controlled campaign to dispel the rumours than allow the gossip rags to run rampant with indiscriminate stories. I've booked in with Fudge to-morrow morning to brief him on approving your proposal. Let me know if Scrimgeour gives you any difficulty; heard from Hopkirk that she'll endorse whatever plan you devise. We can meet with Bole to-morrow afternoon or Wednesday - as your diary allows - to cover the permissible details.
Perhaps Travers ought to provide the Prophet with a selected analysis of the false tracts. Nothing too supportive to Black's originals, of course, but enough to reduce the matter to one of mockery and disdain - and naturally the passages that are least likely to emanate from one with his history or background. Bole can provide follow-up articles linking the sightings to Zuckerman's theories regarding Snape, which should further deflect the rumours and remind the public to report any suspicious encounters.
The whole business makes me wish for the days of Monitoring spells again. Pity it's completely unrealistic to put the topic into a Taboo, especially considering that the terms are so common. It was burdensome enough in those early months. Still, it's a comfort to think that anyone attempting to resurrect Black by attracting attention will eventually gain yours.
One favour, if you don't mind: She has said nothing to me directly, but I recognise in my wife the signs of ... let us say, optimism, at the implications of some of your team's reports. She may well take the notion that if this mysterious figure is in fact real, is alive and has enough similarities to Black to pass for him .... Should she come to you with any such ideation, I hope you will not encourage her. I think neither of us would care to see her return to the distress she suffered at either of Regulus' infamous disappearances. Dementors aside, by summer's end I had thought her much recovered; this newest development may set her back if she is allowed to run away with false hopes. To say nothing of the consequences (potentially from more than one source, if you take my meaning) were her belief to become known, especially after the job we had explaining his instabilities. I am sure I can rely on your discretion to handle her with care should she impose upon your sympathies with any outlandish thought that Regulus might have slipped his bonds a second time.
Let Crispin know when to have me at Bole's - no, on second thought, better tell us both; he missed my instruction to push back the appointment following your brief on Friday. Lucky it was only to the club for Mulciber. Well. I shall sort Fudge in the morning, and then my clerk, make no mistake.
Perhaps Travers ought to provide the Prophet with a selected analysis of the false tracts. Nothing too supportive to Black's originals, of course, but enough to reduce the matter to one of mockery and disdain - and naturally the passages that are least likely to emanate from one with his history or background. Bole can provide follow-up articles linking the sightings to Zuckerman's theories regarding Snape, which should further deflect the rumours and remind the public to report any suspicious encounters.
The whole business makes me wish for the days of Monitoring spells again. Pity it's completely unrealistic to put the topic into a Taboo, especially considering that the terms are so common. It was burdensome enough in those early months. Still, it's a comfort to think that anyone attempting to resurrect Black by attracting attention will eventually gain yours.
One favour, if you don't mind: She has said nothing to me directly, but I recognise in my wife the signs of ... let us say, optimism, at the implications of some of your team's reports. She may well take the notion that if this mysterious figure is in fact real, is alive and has enough similarities to Black to pass for him .... Should she come to you with any such ideation, I hope you will not encourage her. I think neither of us would care to see her return to the distress she suffered at either of Regulus' infamous disappearances. Dementors aside, by summer's end I had thought her much recovered; this newest development may set her back if she is allowed to run away with false hopes. To say nothing of the consequences (potentially from more than one source, if you take my meaning) were her belief to become known, especially after the job we had explaining his instabilities. I am sure I can rely on your discretion to handle her with care should she impose upon your sympathies with any outlandish thought that Regulus might have slipped his bonds a second time.
Let Crispin know when to have me at Bole's - no, on second thought, better tell us both; he missed my instruction to push back the appointment following your brief on Friday. Lucky it was only to the club for Mulciber. Well. I shall sort Fudge in the morning, and then my clerk, make no mistake.