Tuesday ....
Tea with Ari, thank Merlin. Just the ability to go to the club, where one will not be pestered by meddlesome insects, is enough to give one strength for the next sally.
Per my instructions, Crispin had arranged meetings with several prominent family heads for the purpose of filling the medical supply gap at Hogwarts. Dionysia Bobolis, Nicodemus Frobisher, Lionel Moon, June Calderwood and Inigo Sandoval, each for various reasons, have a vested interest in seeing the school well-quartered when it comes to its pharmacopoeia, and the Commerce Committee stands a better chance of granting exceptions for the importation of the necessary elements with a guarantee that the endowment on the school shall not be beggared in order to protect the children from common (and uncommon) ailments.
Narcissa offered to lunch Madam Calderwood and Mrs Bobolis yesterday, with unsurprising results. Their enthusiasm was great; their ability to finance is limited; they remember their duty and will endeavour with all diligence; etc. (One would think the Bobolis clan as a whole could see to it that at least a half-share is raised. Circe knows enough of their progeny is currently enrolled that, were anything epidemic to catch, there is a statistical probability one of their issue will contract whatever it is!)
I had decent hope that Moon and Frobisher would contribute without much convincing (Frobisher stands for nomination to the Board of Governors next term, of course, and Moon - well, I know his character and his ambitions, shall we say) and I was to meet with each of them to-morrow. Yet, quite without a credible explanation, Frobisher has postponed our appointment. Things come up, naturally. Somehow I rather got the impression he intends to put it off indefinitely. Moon sent an owl, received yesterday afternoon - through the excuses, it was clear he means to skive off altogether.
This morning I met with Sandoval - being a shrewd businesman, he immediately saw the advantage to his own prospects and readily agreed to stand to a share of the expense, should it be approved by Commerce. I had not returned for a quarter-hour, however, before my concentration was interrupted by raised voices in the house. The number of callers who would cause Crispin to shout may be counted on one hand, so I came down to see what the matter was.
The moment she caught sight of me, Skeeter began a barrage of impertinent and even salacious questions. She even had the temerity to claim that Lovegood had sent her (as if he would have risked his livelihood for a little mud-raking)! Made short work of her disruption and have instructed Crispin, in no uncertain terms, that if she again sets so much as an uninvited foot on the premises, he is to curse first, ask questions later.
Per my instructions, Crispin had arranged meetings with several prominent family heads for the purpose of filling the medical supply gap at Hogwarts. Dionysia Bobolis, Nicodemus Frobisher, Lionel Moon, June Calderwood and Inigo Sandoval, each for various reasons, have a vested interest in seeing the school well-quartered when it comes to its pharmacopoeia, and the Commerce Committee stands a better chance of granting exceptions for the importation of the necessary elements with a guarantee that the endowment on the school shall not be beggared in order to protect the children from common (and uncommon) ailments.
Narcissa offered to lunch Madam Calderwood and Mrs Bobolis yesterday, with unsurprising results. Their enthusiasm was great; their ability to finance is limited; they remember their duty and will endeavour with all diligence; etc. (One would think the Bobolis clan as a whole could see to it that at least a half-share is raised. Circe knows enough of their progeny is currently enrolled that, were anything epidemic to catch, there is a statistical probability one of their issue will contract whatever it is!)
I had decent hope that Moon and Frobisher would contribute without much convincing (Frobisher stands for nomination to the Board of Governors next term, of course, and Moon - well, I know his character and his ambitions, shall we say) and I was to meet with each of them to-morrow. Yet, quite without a credible explanation, Frobisher has postponed our appointment. Things come up, naturally. Somehow I rather got the impression he intends to put it off indefinitely. Moon sent an owl, received yesterday afternoon - through the excuses, it was clear he means to skive off altogether.
This morning I met with Sandoval - being a shrewd businesman, he immediately saw the advantage to his own prospects and readily agreed to stand to a share of the expense, should it be approved by Commerce. I had not returned for a quarter-hour, however, before my concentration was interrupted by raised voices in the house. The number of callers who would cause Crispin to shout may be counted on one hand, so I came down to see what the matter was.
The moment she caught sight of me, Skeeter began a barrage of impertinent and even salacious questions. She even had the temerity to claim that Lovegood had sent her (as if he would have risked his livelihood for a little mud-raking)! Made short work of her disruption and have instructed Crispin, in no uncertain terms, that if she again sets so much as an uninvited foot on the premises, he is to curse first, ask questions later.