Ma cherie, I trust you are yet doing well? How many weeks have we yet before we will be able to meet our Theodore?


Laelia has spoken to me about having the Rosiers over and I told her that a small dinner between our two families would certainly be suitable. She and Tristan ought to have the chance to speak some together despite the unfortunate circumstances that has overshadowed this arrangement. I told her that she should work with you -- perhaps you might even give her the opportunity to make some of the decisions regarding the menu and settings? You always do so well that I know she would appreciate her guidance, but it would be lovely for her to have the opportunity to practice further before she is the mistress of her own household.

And if have you not already been in your study, do check your desk when you go in there.

I am meeting with our Lord tonight. As per our conversation earlier in the week, I shall be bringing some names to his attention.

I believe it is also worth noting that young Mr Black has taken it upon himself to cut off his engagement with Miss Lestrange. His reasoning is that he wishes to devote more of himself to th cause. As such, I have increased our training sessions. I am certain that eventually this information will become public -- until then, your discretion, gentlemen.

Always so self-righteous, aren't we? And yet, if they were not given the rights to use unforgivables, perhaps young Evan Rosier would still be among our number. His death, and the death of Caracatus, have been avenged, and yet the loss is still felt.

Tie their hands, Wizengamot: Tie them up in paperwork and bureaucracy and ineffectiveness.

We have no such limitations. We will win this war yet.

This must not be allowed to stand.

Caracatus Lestrange has murdered by the DMLE. Isidore Mulciber is informing the family of the loss. This is a great loss and you may rest assured that it will not be allowed to stand and that we will have retribution.

In the meantime, please honour his memory by maintaining your trust in the Dark Lord and waiting for instructions along those lines.

Caracatus Lestrange was murdered this evening. I will be incredibly busy throughout this weekend, and will need the girls kept out of my way. Will you please take care of this, and sending our proper condolences to the family as soon as the information has become public?

He was a stronger man than I was. Perhaps even more firm in his beliefs than I am, and the cause will feel his loss. I will feel his loss. I feel as if any eloquence has left my quill at this moment: Everything is harsh edges and words.

This should not have happened.

Lucius, considering the work you have done thus far, I would like to have you gathering more information. The methods you use, of course, are at your discretion, but the keyword, of course, is discretion.

We have gathered information on Bones, already and it was put to good use if not as good as it. What Ii would like to have is further information on other senior Aurors and hitwizards within the department. Scrimgeour, Longbottom, Prewett, more on Robards, even Podmore - you know the full list of course, but these are all ones that have come up as being particularly dangerous.

Homes, families, weak spots, patrol schedules - anything that you can manage to get your hands on without compromising yourself. And do not compromise yourself, Lucius. I would hate to see your talents and ability wasted.

Perhaps we ought to take Tullia and Prisca to the play in Diagon?

Tomorrow evening? Are you free?

Congratulations, Regulus. Celeste Lestrange is a lovely and intelligent woman and it is an excellent match. However, I hope you will not allow yourself to be distracted from your work for the Dark Lord with wedding plans.

This coming week I would like for us to spend a bit more time on duelling. Thus, we will be doubling up during the week as well as during the weekend. Regulus and Persephone if I can see the two of you on Thursday. Rabastan and Lucius, on Tuesday. We will resume individual training the following week.

Questions?

Ma cherie, how are you feeling today? I trust that you would let me know if there was anything amiss, but I worry about you and our so child. I would like to take some wine in the study, but I could have the elves make you some cocoa if you would care to join me?

May I turn your prettily decorated ear on a topic of less romantic value and of a more intellectual nature?

How are you feeling ma cherie? Is there anything that you need?

I will be away again this coming Saturday night. I have managed to procure an interview with an individual who had provided an Oral History to the Museum of Quidditch. I will likely be a bit later on Sunday as I will spend as much time with them as I can. As I will need to portkey to Paris for this, if there is anything you would like for me to bring back for you or for our daughters, please let me know as soon as possible.

I cannot allow myself too much hope. Five months is absolutely nothing compared to what we have endured before. But she is pregnant. And if she is pregnant, perhaps a son - Truly there is nothing I would not do to make it so. Unfortunately there is little I can do but allow time.

She must rest, and have the proper food, healers, potions - I must see that she is taken care of these next few months and that there is no activity that is too strenuous. We will not lose this child.

I know that Prisca and Tullia enjoyed the theatre tremendously. Thank you for arranging it.

How frequently are you having the healer come in? I want you to rest and keep your activity and chores to a minimum the next few weeks. I know there is the school project, but much of that you should be able to do from home. I want nothing to keep you or our child from health in the next few weeks. And you are to have anything the Healer recommends - do not worry about inconvenience or cost. I realise that this may count as a production, but I do not wish anything to happen to you ma cherie.

You are all expected to attend the Masquerade this evening. Our Lord desires to make an appearance there and we must be available to prepare his way.

Barty has kindly provided us with information about the security that the DMLE has set up, which has assisted us in our plans for the evening. The Minister of Magic taking the stage to announce costume winners will be your cue. Those of us in the Inner Circle will move towards the door of the ball first where we will prepare a place for us to change from our Masquerade costumes into our masks and robes.

Then we will seek out those in the DMLE so that the Dark Lord can make his entrance without difficulty. There will be a large number of civilians at this event, and unless you know the civilian is a mudblood with absolute certainty they are not to be targeted. Without knowing who is under the mask, it is difficult to know if they would be a pureblood or of the proper viewpoints and the Dark Lord does not wish any of magical blood to be harmed unnecessarily. If they attack you, it does not mean you can not fend them off, but do not kill them.

After the Dark Lord places the Dark Mark in the sky you will be free to leave.

Any questions?

I believe that covers the event as we have discussed it?

Lucius, you will be assisting me with Imperiusing the DMLE guards around the entrance so you should move towards the entrance at the same time as the Inner Circle. Isidore will follow with a disillusionment charm allowing us to prepare for our Lord's entrance.

Barty, if you have discovered any additional information regarding security that you believe might be useful for us to know, feel free to share it with everyone now.

Do we all know our costumes at this point? Lucia has not yet shared mine with me, but I will share that information as soon as I have it. I think it would be prudent if we know what we are dressed as.

When do I get to see you in your costume ma chérie? I am certain you will be lovely, and I confess that I am quite looking forward to seeing my own as well.

I will see you tonight. I will be a bit late finishing up some research, but I promise I will not be too late.

How do you feel about Reykjavík?

Do you have an escort for the Masquerade, young Lestrange?

1. -Check Journal of Wizarding History for article by Stockhex, J.
2. Find references for "Wizards during this time found it could be dangerous to associate with Muggles", et al - check Ludwiffe - You've seen it somewhere in the past two weeks.
3. Find notes from looking at Killjoy's journals c. 1645 - Don't want to bother Brookstanton with that again at the moment - assuming the journals even survived Bellatrix's temper the mudbloods & blood traitors.

I have been working on a project with the permission of our Lord and believe it is time for us to all begin to discuss it in more detail.

In short, I have felt that the Outer Circle needs more direct guidance. While most whom have been in His service for longer are well prepared, there are still many who have been within his ranks only a year at most. My proposal to the Dark Lord was that those of us whom are among his inner circle would undertake the training and responsibility of those in the Outer Circle.

It would be our responsibility to keep our eyes on those whom are our Mentees. We would train specifically with them, look for weaknesses, and work to encourage more appropriate behaviour publicly when necessary. Although they would continue to answer to all of us, they would have the direct guidance of one of us in order to settle them and help them best learn to serve His will.

In preparation for this, I have begun working with names and considering how rightly to place these individuals in order to best facilitate their learning. For the moment, I have come up with some initial placements. I am of course, open to your suggestions or improvements. Naturally, all final decisions will be made by our Lord.

Will you ensure that Laelia has an appropriate costume regardless of what Mother may or may not have ordered? I am afraid Mother's expectations may be somewhat unlikely.

Also I have business Friday evening; you need not plan dinner for me.

For Friday:

The Lainsborough off Diagon Alley. 7pm. Give your name to the maitre'd. He will be expecting you.

Rabastan Lestrange.

It would actually be a marriage up, he has more maturity on him than Regulus and is a stronger servant to our Lord. I do not know why this is only now occurring to me.