Private message to Barty

[alt_rodolphus]

Good to see you at the lecture, friend. Hope you didn't find the delivery pedestrian, since it was crafted with an audience of students in mind. Saw your interest provoked by the shadow caster, in particular. Any time you'd like a closer look, say the word. Provided, of course, you don't get too close.

Thank you, too, for keeping my daughter company. What do you know of the other two, Patil and Finnigan? Don't believe Hydra counts them among her friends, even if there is the Rosier family connection, with the Finnigan boy.

Did prod her to introduce me to the Head Girl, who she has some level of companionship with. She's Victoriana Greengrass' eldest. Seems quite poised and polished, worthy of the position.

Which brings me to a curiosity. The June before last, Raz went to Fletcher to request a paternity evaluation. For whatever reason, be it Raz's insistence or Fletcher's own foresightedness, Fletcher mocked up the (negative) results and discarded the samples. My investigations these last weeks have led me to conclude that it was the Greengrass girl who Raz suspected of being his progeny. The one he "ruled out," as you said. Given my recent conversations with Fletcher, it seems she can't be ruled out, after all.

Comments

[alt_crouch_jr]

The lecture was excellent. Inherently interesting material, well presented. Presenter seemed to intrigue the audience in his own right, by the way. (Really not in a position to judge that aspect, myself. Merely saying: I've never heard Fudge conjure appreciative sighs from a crowd. Just for instance.)

Greengrass. Really? Not surprised Fletcher provided whatever results Raz wanted or seemed to want.

Inclined to pursue it?

[alt_rodolphus]

So I rate above Fudge? What a profound relief.

As for Miss Greengrass: yes. Terrible thing about those school robes is how they attract stray hairs - terrible for a girl, useful for my purposes. Her eyes are very very light, I noticed. Much like Hydra's. Razzer will have done well, if she's his.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Well, we'll see what Whirl has to say.

I hadn't noticed her eyes. But now you've invited the thought, it's true she's attractive.

Have you turned up any other grafts on others' tapestries?

[alt_rodolphus]

I'm too old and too married to rank as most eligible anything, but yes, we shall see.

Not surprising. Victoriana was a beauty and Raz no slouch himself, though in the girl's case I'm reminded of my own mother's very very light eyes. Perhaps. We'll see what Fletcher's evaluation yields this time around.

Can't say that I have; as point of fact, Fletcher's mocked up report implied that Raz's potion regimen would have made siring a child unlikely. That may explain why his carelessness didn't result in a string of bastard children all over the Protectorate.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Too married, possibly. Too old, hardly. If one believes the rags, age enhances wizards. Word Has It ran a feature in August about Wizards who've aged like fine wine. (Seriously.) And you're not old enough to have made that list.

Mind you, they included Gus Rookwood and left Toshenka off. I think the author might have been afraid he'd object. (Which shows what magazine writers know.)

As for Razzer and sprogs. Could be the other way around: the sustained lack of bastards gave him license to be careless. Either way. You're right: he could have fathered a school-full of bastards.

If he had, though, at least one would have pursued him for recognition, surely.

Still, there's always the chance.

[alt_rodolphus]

I'm not ready to be hung up in the broomshed yet - good to know that my fine wine years are still to come.

I'll let you know what Fletcher's report says. And then - well, if she is a Lestrange, I'll follow up as needed.