alt_nymphadora | Tea Appreciation

Tea Appreciation

After you lot came last week and we talked about everyone's favourite biscuits, I did a bit of looking at recipes.

Ellie and I decided to try lavender biscuits and lemon shortbreads for this week--two different recipes each, so you can help us decide which are best. Or if none of them's worth making again, you can tell us that, too! And we have more of that nice rosehip tea for those of you who liked that one so much.

We do enjoy seeing you all when you come. Cousin Hydra, you especially! I know it was Freedom Day last Wednesday and you had other things to be doing, but Bea's been asking all weekend if you'll come again soon, so I hope you'll be able to this week. It makes her day to see you!

All of you, really. We're looking forward to Wednesday!

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Let me know, please, if you are all right. Or if you need help.

I'm worried about you. (Your friend, Ron Weasley, told me that you're in a bit of trouble and that he is worried that it might be serious. That has me worried, too, naturally.)

I hope it's all worked out, but if it hasn't and if there's any way I can help, say so.

I'm alright. Justin has to duel Daddy in the morning, and I don't know what that means, if he has to prove his worth or if Daddy wants to scare him, or hurt him.

I'm glad to hear that you're alright. And sorry to hear the other.

I hadn't thought about duels like that, but you're right, your father could have other aims than to hurt him. But if you don't know which he means to do, I don't know who could.

I wish I knew something to say or do that would really help this.

I can tell you that though I don't know Justin very well, he's struck me as extraordinarily talented at keeping other people calm and soothing tempers. Mind you, an angry father would be quite a challenge, but if anyone can talk his way to a truce, it will be Justin. Don't you think? That's one of his real talents.

And he has other strengths. I've seen him duel: he's very solid with his protective manoeuvres and his shield spells. I don't expect anyone his age would stand much chance at overpowering a wizard like your father, but maybe that's not what he needs to do.

You must know other advantages he has. Don't lose hope.

And don't give up thinking what you could do to influence what happens, either. Do you think your father means for you to be there when they duel?

I don't think he will let me be there. As Auntie Narcissa might say, I'm liable to do something that will soften his heart.

Do you think I'm horrid?

I was hoping he maybe wouldn't think of that.

Would he come see you before the duel, then? If you were very clever how you asked him? Because softening his heart is definitely a strength of yours that might help here.

And I think you've been perfectly reasonable for someone that's well and truly in love. Not horrid in the slightest.

I don't know but I'll try anything. Only I hope it doesn't go wrong and make him more cross than ever.

Follow your instincts about that. If you think it might go wrong, then it's not the right plan.

I think you know your father really well. Use that whatever way you can.

Any word this morning?

I'm thinking of you.

Terry's informed us of what's happened.

Any word yet?

Have either of them used their galleons?

I just heard from Remy. Jugson. From Justin's foster family.

He said Justin's not home, he's not been home since breakfast, and Mr Jugson was on the Floo with Mr Lestrange after tea and has stayed in his office ever since.

Harry?

What's going on with Justin?

Lestrange ....

Someone had better start explaining. Quickly.

Wait. What? What's happened?

To whom?

I've been trying to get you to come into the office so I could tell you. Where did all these people come from on a Monday night, anyway?

Simple. It's a Monday night when it isn't raining or hotter than Morgana's fiery cauldron.

Tell me what?

Rod Lestrange caught Justin and Hydra together. Together, apparently.

I'm not sure the kids really wanted every adult in the Order to know that, though. But they're worried. Really quite worried about what might have happened. They haven't heard from either of them since Hydra wrote to say they'd got in trouble. But then she was interrupted, I guess, and couldn't finish what she was writing.

Are you having me on?

Are you fucking joking? No, you're not. And neither's Harry.

Are they MAD? Are they completely, totally INSANE?!? What in the name of every wizard ever to grace a Chocolate Frog card POSSESSED them to do something so mind-numbingly STUPID?!

Bugger. Bugger bugger bugger.

If he lives through this I'm going to kill him. Both of them.

If it weren't actually bloody serious, I'd laugh at you.

What possessed them? The same thing that's possessed every wizard to ever have her face on a frog card--and all the rest, too.

I expect you've never taken stupid risks for a shag, have you?

Not when I was their age, no.

Definitely not for their kind of Romeo and Juliet deathwish, either.

Well, I agree that Justin's picked the absolutely most dangerous person he possibly could have to fall arse over teakettle in love. Given his situation.

But then, I don't know many people who've consulted their better judgement before going all in for love. Mum certainly didn't. Nor me. Nor you.

I don't see as we've got much space to fuss at them.

And all the reason in the world to want to help them if we could. But I'm blessed if I know what to do.

Of course, the dead traitor Black could pen a threat to dangerous Mr Lestrange, warning him not to lay a finger on the lad. Only that's not likely to help matters, is it? What ideas have you got?

Barking at the customers seems the most likely course of action.

I ....

No. Bad idea.

What are you thinking?

Something we can't risk.

Kreacher.

Maybe if we don't hear anything by morning.

News: Ron Weasley's written back and says that Hydra's writing to Draco, so she's alright. Well enough to write, at any rate.

Justin, though, is locked up somewhere in Rod Lestrange's dungeon. And Lestrange is planning a duel. Mind you, that's third hand, and could be what Hydra fears rather than what's really happening.

But, well. What do you think?

And now I've got it from Hydra herself. About the duel.

Though she thinks he might have an aim other than harming Justin. A lesson. Or a chance to prove himself worthy.

I want to think she's right, but it sounds more wishful than likely to me.

Hydra's okay. Justin's in the dungeon, and there's to be a duel tomorrow. With Mr Lestrange.

I see. Thank you, Harry.

Thanks, Mrs Ponds.

I know it's supposed to be about the tea, but I'm sort of a biscuit bloke, myself. You can count on me to test any new recipes you and Ellie want to try!

See you Wednesday.

Please let me know if you come up with something at Grimmauld, or have a better idea of what sort of support we can provide.

It's difficult to sit on one's hands in this sort of situation, but I'm not sure how serious a danger Justin is truly in.

Have you seen what Justin's written?

It seems a bit unreal if what he says is true: Lestrange didn't do him any serious damage. That's a relief. I honestly expected... much worse.

I wasn't quite sure what to think. My family never stood too much on ceremony when it came to these sorts of things.

I'm glad the whole endeavor seems to have satisfied Mr Lestrange for now, and that no-one was badly hurt.

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Tea Appreciation

Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

Re: Order Only Private Message to Hydra Lestrange

ORDER ONLY

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Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Are they MAD? Are they completely, totally INSANE?!? What in the name of every wizard ever to grace a Chocolate Frog card POSSESSED them to do something so mind-numbingly STUPID?!

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY Private Message to Sirius and Remus

Re: ORDER ONLY; Private message to Mrs Longbottom

Re: ORDER ONLY; Private message to Mrs Longbottom

no subject

ORDER ONLY: Private Message to Tonks and Sirius

Re: ORDER ONLY: Private Message to Tonks and Sirius

Re: ORDER ONLY: Private Message to Tonks and Sirius