Private Message to Toshenka and Barty

[alt_lucius]

Have just returned from White's where Ptolemy asked his father and me to join him. Showed us his new Mark.

If he thought Ari would embrace him with paternal pride he was sorely mistaken. He has only just reconciled him-self to being a father-in-law! He was entirely unprepared to see Ptolemy undertaking Our Lord's service so young or so soon after marrying.

Took quite a number of rounds to calm him down. Might have been one too many for Ptolemy as well. (At any rate he took my advice and has gone home with his father rather than surprise his new wife with a late-night carouse.)

Cannot blame him. Barty hears about Ned second-hand, and Bella about Lana. Claudius was not present at Sarah's induction; now Ari and I both blind-sided by Ptolemy. If my clerk's petition is granted before the end of the summer we may all be sure the ranks are being diluted to a purpose - though what He intends I could not pretend to guess.


There was something else.

Can't


Oh.

Covington. Augustus says he checked the log book. Covington's not been to his lab since Friday after-noon. Odd because Covington typically works at least one day at the week-end and for the past three weeks has been in by 7:00 a.m. on Mondays.

Also, Barty: Augustus had something new about Bale.

Comments

[alt_antonin]

So. That's six, then: Ned, Lana, Sarah, Ptolemy, plus Jason Montague and today, Rufus McLaggen.

I have an exceptionally bad feeling about this. And yes, the pattern does seem to suggest Our Lord is deliberately keeping those closest to His new recruits away from the pleasure of standing at their initiation. I cannot imagine for what reason.

Barty beat the bushes about Covington today as well, with similar negative results. Did Gus have any idea what he was researching?

[alt_crouch_jr]

Married, then Marked.

And hardly out of nappies.


Tell me about Bale.