Lucius S Malfoy

Dearest, trust you and Hydra can attend tonight's performance on your own; unfortunately some matters require attendance. Have decided to dine here and work straight through; will likely be unavailable until well into the third act.

Nothing to trouble you: Just correspondence that must be completed before week's end.

I've been neglecting these updates as the last few days have been most hectic.

On Thursday I took a meeting with Pius Thicknesse and Rufus Scrimgeour regarding the simple necessity of allowing the Aurors authority to force confessions via Legilimency.

Veritaserum, of course, is growing steadily more impractical. There are too few qualified Potions Master-brewers to keep the Department in supply. Ever since the Minister ratified our proposal for tighter controls on importation - which were absolutely warranted, given the trouble ensuring qualified products and no undesirable additives - many brewers have focused on potions with less arduous processing requirements. (Only four Master Brewers are active at the moment, including Horace, who is far too occupied with his pupils.) The price and trouble involved in bringing moke kidneys and demiguise eyes into the country in sufficient quantity to provide every Auror with serum is extraordinary, at any rate. And of course, there's the problematic matter of contraband, which is so often associated with the potions trade.

But I see no reason at all why qualified Legilimens should not be allowed to practise in their discretion. It would save time and expense if the Ministry authorise Legilimency in the field. This business of conducting all Legilimency inquiries only with a Wizengamot representative present is an inane exercise at best and a deliberate attempt to limit the mandate of the Aurors. The Wizengamot ought to be supporting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, not controlling it.

Scrimgeour had some rumbling to do about the role of the Wizengamot as an independent and neutral branch of government; I reminded him (and Thicknesse) that the Lord Protector, as the ultimate head of both the judiciary and the constabulary, has every right to expect that both branches will do what is necessary to create a seamless organisation and to ensure harmonious co-ordination between the departments. The Wizengamot is not an oversight committee. It is an arbiter of evidentiary support for guilt and of appropriate punishment for infractions against the Protectorate.

I believe I made my point clearly. Expect that within the week, Thicknesse will loosen the Wizengamot's strangle-hold on the MLE and allow our Legilimens-certified Aurors to get on with a little less red tape.

Thursday evening I arrived back at the Manor to find that Narcissa's luncheon meeting for the planning of the St. Mungo's benefit next month had run overlong. I try to stay out of the way of these sessions, if only because I am, I confess, useless when it comes to choosing china patterns, table linens, menus, or other such elements. Invariably, if I am unlucky enough to encounter the group, I am asked my opinion on some detail and I'm utterly unable to give any sort of intelligent answer. Economies I understand; orchids are altogether out of my experience.

I think next time Mrs Brown shall think twice about whether she really wants my input on floral arrangements. I had no idea before Thursday last how many colours and breeds there are of Anthemideae, and I wish I still didn't.

We received our weekly owl from Draco and there is the usual amount of schoolboy shenanigans. Not surprised he and the Longbottom boy are at odds; Frank Longbottom was always a bit of a fool, and from what Amanda used to say, it seems he gets a stubborn, mulish streak from Alice. I recall that in her second year, Maurice Thomas kept trying to partner her at Herbology. She quite sensibly told him that she didn't want any quarter-blooded wizard for a partner. I heard about it when Amanda wrote to me complaining that Alice had chased her into Myrtle's toilet every day for a week over the incident. The cheek! It was a private matter between Amanda and Thomas, yet Alice (Cadwallader as she was then) put her wand in where no one asked it to go. (Amanda eventually took my advice and hexed her soundly to make her stop. Even if I had still been at school and Head Boy to boot, I should have told her the same. Running to the Prefects over a bully is a surefire way to prove weakness.) The Weasley boy appears to be beyond help, but between Harry and Draco and his own brother, perhaps he can be made to see reason. He is, after all, still very young, unduly influenced by those parents of his.

At any rate, Draco seems to have run through his care package rather more quickly than Narcissa anticipated. Advised her to supply him again, of course, but with a reminder that he must learn to restrain his appetites and apportion his treats more prudently.

Pansy is experiencing some pangs as well, it appears. Rosalind asked Crispin for time in my books to discuss the child's homesickness, but I assured her via Floo that Pansy will adjust quickly enough. (I sent her a little something to help that along, too.)

It had to be Floo, and not a personal appointment, owing to an urgent alert from the Prophet that the latest edition of The Quibbler has arrived at the central owl office to be distributed to subscribers. Xenophilius has apparently filled his newest edition with outlandish ravings about Black's recent denunciation of the Lord Protector. I shall not dignify this ... publication ... with a quote, but suffice to say that the articles ranged from a point-by-point analysis of Black's broadcast to an investigation of Black's suspected whereabouts, to an 'exposé' of Black's history, including unfounded allegations that his family are still supportive of his 'resistance efforts.' Unless Alphard's ghost has come back to give Lovegood an interview, it's simply ridiculous - tantamout to slander.

I told the owl office that by no means were they to release the owls until I had reviewed the edition. Then, of course, I had to have Dolores issue an injunction against it and order the copies destroyed. I felt it only right to inform Walburga, which resulted in a number of visits on Friday to appease her nerves. All she kept asking was when Regulus would turn up. Thought of loaning her one of our elves, as hers seems ... less than up to the task of attending her, but she insisted that no one but myself, Narcissa, or Bella was to visit, unless Regulus should suddenly wish to honour his previous promise that he would return soon.

... And miraculously, he has done exactly that. He arrived sometime over the week-end, and only moments ago called for his cousin. So I daresay that Walburga is, if anything, even more at her limit than over the attention levied upon her disowned eldest.

As for The Quibbler, as I said, the libelous copies have been ordered held in a Ministry warehouse awaiting destruction. Scrimgeour appealed to Minister Umbridge against arresting Lovegood, arguing instead that a fine should suffice and would, in addition, provide the Department with some additional discretionary funds. Seems to be an appropriate penalty ... provided it remains an isolated incident.

Might instruct the Prophet Board tomorrow to consider purchasing The Quibbler outright and overhauling it to fit in between Witch Weekly and Proper Warlock. Perhaps as a vehicle for Skeeter; get her off the pages of the respectable paper and into the gossip columns where she belongs.

Meanwhile, am most anxious that Narcissa heeds Regulus's call to help him calm Walburga's considerable anxiety at his sudden reappearance in Grimmauld Place. I shall offer to call upon her tomorrow as well, to see what I may do to smooth ... and soothe ... her frayed constitution.