Lucius S Malfoy

Take care of her.

Tell Tosha - tell him - about Draco. Tell him Draco's body must remain in our crypt, at all costs.

Kill Mulciber, if you have the chance.

Ms Lamont,

As you no doubt saw, I was just speaking with Auror Crouch, on the matter of ... personnel turnover at the Ministry. He suggested I talk to MEU and naturally, you came to mind.

The Minister is concerned regarding a potential morale deficit with all the departures of the last year or so. He asked Administration to run a check and it seems that our friend Corax Mulciber's department, Protectorate Affairs - the department where you have been assigned oversight - has overtaken MLE as the department with the greatest turnover, including some quite high-profile positions. There was that fellow Cook who was exposed in the papers last week for his potions addiction and, oh, a few other prominent figures, along with several clerks and lower-level posts.

With Gauge's permission, should like to meet with you to-morrow to go over the files. Would you be free at teatime, perchance?

Shall we say Blaison at four o'clock?

Yours in anticipation,

Lucius S. Malfoy

Breakfast was illuminating, Barty, my thanks. As was adding Ned to my sparring session!


Have cleared calendar for the day after 9:00. Can rendez-vous with your team once trap is sprung.

Heard from source this after-noon that Harkiss has been known to breach protocols re: classified discussion in semi-public venues. Have you had any similar report?

Then again, same source thought Gibbon a potential security risk as well, which is more amusing than concerning.

Your man plans to tip off Maule when, again? And there's no question about the tale he plans to tell to draw him out? You're certain it will compel him to take your bait?


If we can remove M from the board before Christmas it will be a very jolly yuletide indeed.

Bellatrix, you've got Braithewaite to consent?

I've called Weasley in to work on getting the heads of the divisions so you can speak to them. Should he bring them to my house in St James or would you rather another location?

Plan to have him summon these:

Gauge
Brundage
Penderyn
Sawers-Cumming
Manningham
Wright
Mustinal
Craddock
Tally

Who else do you need on-board? And in what order? Not too familiar with who's in Mulciber's corner of late.


Will check with Ned to see how Sarah and Bettina are reacting.

Heads-up.

Corax Mulciber instructed by Our Lord to oversee Protectorate Affairs.

Likely he's enlisting Bill Weasley as aide. That could work to advantage; Weasley will have a window to their movements.

Still. Not sure of the full implications of this development.

Crispin, alert Rookwood if you will - quietly. Barty, shall arrange lunch or drinks alone with Cadmus and Ari sometime this week. See what you can learn from Yaxley.

Just finished with Rookwood. He sees the point in taking additional precautions and has agreed to alarm Mysteries to your sole attention, Barty. Rod, if you could assist him; fear he will need the extra wand (and memory) of one well-versed in protective spellwork.

Have either of you spoken with Bella? Received a message from her - cryptic, but in her usual direct tone - that she will join us late this evening and has 'news' for us.

Presumably that relates to who else besides Higgs may be implicated in -

--

Just thought of something. Barty, if you and Toshenka are available, could you meet me in the Blue Drawing Room?

Our Lord seems to believe that His wishes in the matter of Harry's education have been fulfilled. Her failure to appear this morning, coupled with the your account, Toshenka, Razzer's and Draco's, along with Harry's own, have satisfied Him that the maths do not add up - but in this case, they do not add up in just the way He would have it. He is fully prepared to declare the woman dead with no further fuss.

Nonetheless, Cornelius has been vexatiously vocal since Saturday about the need for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of her disappearance. (Naturally this must be accomplished with less meticulousness than he desires, since revealing to the public that a student took matters into his own hands - even when that student is Harry Marvolo - would set a precedent that neither the Board nor the staff would care to endorse.)

Still, he has a point about the process of jurisprudence and, to one degree or another, it would be advantageous were MLE able to undeniably rule the incident closed. Also, племянник, it occurred to me that we ought not refuse an opportunity to explore her office, given that such an examination might reveal information regarding her co-conspirators that shall be useful in discrediting them. To say nothing of the chance to debunk her opprobrious libel toward Razzer.

диктатор, what is your timetable for the week? See no reason to inconvenience ourselves by rushing to meet the Minister's requirement and cannot think the likes of Strangeweale would be able to access her office prior to our doing so. So long as the Floo has been closed up we ought to be able to take our time.

The worst is over.

There is still far too much to accomplish by way of rooting out the conspirators but we seem to have broken the core rebellion.

Will still be a few days here, cleaning up. Expect Fudge shall arrive by end of week.

Unsure yet about whether we need to reschedule our week-end; on one hand should dearly love nothing more than an island, a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and you; on the other, circumstances may dictate that I keep the journal open whilst there, which rather defeats the purpose of going.

Too tired to think clearly about it, at any rate.

Tosha has some of his fire back, though confess I was keeping half an eye on him the whole battle long.

Your sister was in her glory, my love: She claimed over 50 kills on the spot and believes that she took one of Dumbledore's old agents, along with some three or four others, with a curse of her own devising. Of course, time will tell on that one.

Rod, the Razzer and Barty all fine. Claudius - not so lucky. He's with Healers now. We should know more in a few hours.

Must go, darling, or drop where I sit. Have only until noon before I am due in the war room.

But know that I am, forever,

Yours.

-L

Your message's timing could not have been better. Cannot abide Madama Butterfly but it's one of Narcissa's favourites (though will say it is diverting to see the interpretation of a muggleborn Butterfly). Perfect excuse to step outside to the bar.

Yes, see no reason to cancel lunch on the 15^th (my apologies, again, for last month). But in advance of our meeting, would be most grateful if you could look into the deed history and provenance on several addresses obtained from Miss Blishwick - she continues to be an excellent source of information, if nothing yet has led to concrete evidence against Maule. Am forwarding an owl with the pertinent locations.

Regarding Saturday's invitation from Fleet, unfortunately, have had additional conflict arise and must decline. Do your best to assure him it is as much business as pleasure. Could send Weasley if you think some representation necessary, however, trust you to provide much better account of my absence than his presence would bring about.

Speaking of Weasley, you may wish to counsel him on his current ... domestic arrangement. He has been somewhat distracted by it of late. Confess that I had my doubts, for all that I supported his removal from that hovel his parents call a home. New London agrees with him; his particular living arrangements, I fear, may not. Have not wished to pry, as you know I pride myself on allowing him, as you, freedom to make decisions fitting an adult who needs no one to tell him what is best. However, the question of balance is, always, one we must wrestle at all times.

Pleased you found the introduction to Glozeman useful. He is a particular friend of Glendower's (the elder); see if you can parlay the one to bring you near the other. While the son is an utter fool, the father has ... protections ... which may prove valuable in time. (And of course, anything they can be brought to say about Strangeweale or Caldwell - particularly as it relates to whatever Dolores' plans are - would be most appreciated.)

By the way. Heard from Ned that you have been by his desk more than once to see if Barty has given him extra tickets to Puddlemere that he can't use; don't know if I mentioned that Cuthbert continues to send tickets on a regular basis and Weasley has little interest. Feel free to contact him if you're of a mind to go and Ned is not forthcoming.

As for Antonin Nikolaevich, rest assured, when the opportunity arises, shall arrange introduction. His time in New London is currently extremely limited, but even if there is no prior engagement which affords the occasion, he'll naturally attend our Christmas party, so it will come about, sooner or later.

Trust otherwise you are keeping well and look forward to seeing you, particularly since last month's meeting was irretrievably jostled.

Any progress?

Am clear to-morrow morning should it be useful to bait the trap.

Toshenka says you found him well and he you. Trust you thought the same.