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Return to Routine
I dare say I've never felt more pleased to see the long vacation end and term begin. I have filed the materials from my summer courses, unpacked the supplies that were delivered in my absence, and set this ward to rights.
And have had not a spare moment since!
I forget that as much as this school is my home, the place I miss dearly when I am away, it can seem a strange and foreign place to those newly arriving on its docks and doorsteps. My first official duty of the term was to assist those of our newcomers who found the water journey discomfitting. And, of course, there have been the usual weeps, wobbles, and wettings, but on the whole I'd say we've had no worse a first night than usual.
Welcome to those joining us for the first time, and welcome back to the rest.
Do not hesitate to come if you need my care.
And have had not a spare moment since!
I forget that as much as this school is my home, the place I miss dearly when I am away, it can seem a strange and foreign place to those newly arriving on its docks and doorsteps. My first official duty of the term was to assist those of our newcomers who found the water journey discomfitting. And, of course, there have been the usual weeps, wobbles, and wettings, but on the whole I'd say we've had no worse a first night than usual.
Welcome to those joining us for the first time, and welcome back to the rest.
Do not hesitate to come if you need my care.
Private Message to Aurora Sinistra
Among the things I brought back with me were some very nice scones from my favourite bakeshop in Shrewsbury. They're freshness charmed, of course, so whenever you have a free hour, they and I will be ready for our first tea of the term.
Re: Private Message to Aurora Sinistra
I will, I am sure, be keeping up with New London visits this term. (Though for wedding planning, rather than meetings, which is at least something of an improvement. I think.) Certainly not this week, though. Tuesday afternoon, and we can have a nice chat? I seem to think you should be past the first thrust of back-to-school difficulties if this year goes as in the past.
I am so very relieved you are back, as well. And that ... well, the dire things that might have come to pass did not.
Private Message to Pomona Sprout
I'm afraid there was a bit of confusion at the shop, despite your having sent the order to them directly. I think we got it sorted, but I'd feel better if you'd let me know whether they were really the ones you meant.
Do you know, I nearly wept just looking out over the lawns from my window up here. I will happily trade all the vistas of Snowdonia for this dear, familiar view.
Re: Private Message to Pomona Sprout
I did see, and they are the right thing. That shop. I like them for other reasons than their ability to keep any kind of order, but there are limits.
As to the view, well. This is home and center and many wonderful things. And now, think, you can go into the year without Stint looming over your head. Perhaps you will have the luck you deserve, and his replacement on those committees will be more favourably inclined to you.
Aurora's due down here any minute, and I do intend to bend her ear about our new Professor - from what little she said at lunch, she and her Raz had quite the chat of a Friday evening with him.
Private Message to Miss Sally Anne Perks
If you could stop up once you've got your timetable for the term, we could discuss which hours might best suit your schedule.
And not to worry if your interests have changed or if you simply can't spare the time this year. You've OWLs ahead, haven't you?
Private Message to Poppy Pomfrey
Allow me to say up front -- my request is by no means urgent and I do not wish to disturb you in your start of term preparation; the children's needs should certainly come first. (I do fondly recall your dedication to the students under your care from my own school days, and suspect your skills both in healing and in bedside manner to have only bloomed over the years.)
That having been said: no doubt your experienced eye has noted signs of my condition; I took damage from an unknown curse at end of June. I am under treatment at St Mungo's (and suspect, given the clear fascination aimed in my direction by the Healers I have seen, and their tendency to multiply in progression as each one calls in a friend to marvel, that my case is more interesting than they're willing to admit in the patient's earshot) and have seen a number of their specialists, following up on my initial care in France. I mention this not to imply I would receive better treatment elsewhere than in your infirmary, but to reassure you I've no intention of burdening you with the overseeing of my convalescence.
With that as a given, it is the sad truth that the teaching of my subject does tend to result in situations in need of healers' ministrations with distressing frequency, no matter how cautious one is about classroom safety and firm about classroom discipline. It would be foolish of me were I to withhold information on the state of my treatment so you were not fully informed in the event immediate intervention is required. To that end -- I am uncertain about the procedure for having records copied from St M's to your attention, but would be happy to follow whatever instructions you may have. I do have the list of potions I am taking, both on a regular and an as-needed basis, and the (exhaustive) list of admonishments on which symptoms should be considered an expected part of recovery and which are cause for concern.
I also wished to assure you that I've no intention of making additional work for you this year in another fashion. While my practical lessons will of course involve spell-work, student safety is one of my utmost priorities -- if you would find it helpful (or reassuring) I am happy to consult with you once a month or so to inform you of my plans, and to adjust those plans if you feel a particular bit of work would be courting disaster beyond my ability to unravel or your infirmary's ability to heal.
With warmest regards,
Antonin
Re: Private Message to Poppy Pomfrey
I appreciate your letting me know the facts of your condition, and I agree it would be a wise precaution if you would let your principal healer at St Mungo's understand that you have authorised me to see to any immediate care that might be needed here if you were to take a turn for the worse.
I assure you that with the magic of the Floo at our disposal, I have managed rather a number of cases here while receiving close consultation from the specialists at St Mungo's. And, of course, when necessary, we've transported patients there (or specialists here).
Let's hope none of that is necessary, but if you would, do please initiate the basic protocol of authorising my assistance in your care.
As for your offer to warn me in advance with respect to the risks your lessons might entail for students, well. Would that your colleagues would show the same wisdom! Thank you.
Do send along the list of your prescribed potions and any other information on your condition that you are able to share. I hope that we have opportunities for fuller acquaintance, but I understand that walking this castle from end to end is not yet on your list of therapeutic activities, so I do not anticipate seeing you here in person.
In that regard, please let me know (the fires work internally here) if you require a visit from me. In circumstances like yours where mobility is an issue, I am happy to make a 'house' call--provided, of course, that things are quiet here on the ward.
Wishing you continued and steady healing,
Poppy
Re: Private Message to Poppy Pomfrey
Madam PomfPoppy --(I am likely to have the same trouble with you as I appear to have with
Professor SHorace. I beg your leave as I work to retrain old habits.)I shall write to St M's directly, then, and authorise you to receive information on my care. (And once you receive it, I would be ever so grateful if you'd confirm my suspicions as to whether I am being treated as an interesting subject! It's not that I mind -- I've a researcher's bent myself -- so much as a man does like to be warned before he finds himself a published case study.) So as to save you the trouble of copying information from journal to file, I shall duplicate the potions list and the list of cautions myself; if you plan on being at table tomorrow for supper, I will pass them along then; if not, I shall press one of the children into service as runner for their delivery. (You are quite correct that I am looking to condense my regular range into as small a footprint as possible!) I also hope that if I've need of your services it will not be on an urgent basis, but it is very good to know the option is available -- I thank you in advance for your consideration even as I hope there'll be no need for me to rely upon it.
Your good wishes for my healing are greatly appreciated, as well. I am better than I have been, less recovered than I hope to be. (Isn't that always the way?)
As for class -- it will be several weeks before we move to practical application and I do intend to start slowly and with areas of study that have not been foregrounded in the schoolroom thus far (and, as I'm aware of -- let us be kind and call it "past classroom trauma" -- for the most part when a human partner is required they will be practising their casting on me, rather than on each other, until they are more comfortable with their skill, so I've extra incentive to choose spells with less chance to go wrong.) But I am well aware of several -- difficulties -- to have come out of Hogwarts' programme of study in the Arts these past several years, and so my curriculum is designed to be strong on variety while seeking to avert potential harm at every opportunity. I shall hope I am significantly less of a burden on your resources throughout the year than you may have been fearing.
With warmest regards,
A