Justin Finch-Fletchley

JUSTIN FINCH-FLETCHLEY watches over Hydra for the rest of her life, occasionally wishing she could hear when he observes, 'Oh, I say' in response to one or more of her actions.

He jolly well hopes that she can hear him when, every night, he wishes her sweet dreams.

Rachel,

He's written again. You ought to see it.

I think....


I do believe he's going to try for Penzance. Tonight. This very moment, most likely.

Let me go. We'll not get another chance.

-F-F

Ron,

Rachel just caught me coming out of the salle; she's heard from one of her informants and has reason to believe that the Baddocks--or possibly someone else on our list, what, but most likely the Baddocks--are going to attempt to break through the wards tonight.

I'm going. The intelligence she got suggests they'll be trying to leave through Penzance. We know the name of the vessel they chartered.

If you want to come along, I'll not stop you. If you'd rather not, I quite understand.

Hydra, all my love. I should be home later if all goes well.

-Justin

Good morning,

I'm writing because, after spending a good deal of time speaking with Miss Parkinson last night, I believe you may be a man of more sensibility than most who joined Voldemort's ranks. As such, perhaps you will receive what I have to tell you in the spirit in which it is meant.

We know that you've had to remove your family from New London. I say, on the whole I believe you're much better off outside of the madhouse run by Bellatrix Lestrange, what, but I think you knew that. The problem is that you're now running from her, and from the Order as well.

You might recall that Rachel Brodie (Lamont, as she was known to MLE) offered an opportunity for Aurors and Enforcers to turn themselves in, in exchange for clemency. We've been fair to everyone who has joined us, and indeed, extended rather more mercy than might strictly be called for upon occasion. Ask Seamus Finnigan, if you don't believe me, or your oldest friend, Lucius Malfoy. They're both free, when by rights they should have been punished much more severely.

Your family are blameless. Your daughters and sons have lost friends and roommates. Yet you've all survived. It's a miracle you've kept them all together and relatively safe, for so long.

I've some bad news for you, however: Ptolemy is not getting out of this alive. I'm terribly sorry but it's a foregone conclusion.

If you are not already aware of his crimes, then you ought to know he has violated a girl barely older than your daughter, taking advantage of her trust in the most reprehensible manner. Consider what you would do to a man who would rape Lucy, and then ask yourself if you can condone such behaviour in your own kin.

However, you've a chance to save yourself, your wife, your daughter-in-law and your remaining children. If you surrender, turn yourself in, I can promise no harm will come to them. You will have the opportunity to defend yourself in court, a venue to which you are accustomed, and may well escape the worst judgement.

For Ptolemy there will be no such quarter, but his actions have sadly determined his fate. If you, on the other hand, reject this chance, then I'm sorry to say you'll share his fortune.

As a man of reason, I implore you to do what is right. You have every grounds to accept.

If you believe you'll receive better at the hands of your erstwhile friends, allow me to describe Bellatrix Lestrange's treatment of Jason Montague's brother. You likely haven't heard that when Jason's family ran, Freddie elected to stay.

Our head of MLE received Freddie's eyes, nose, ears, tongue and fingers via owl post.

I say, he had been alive when they began the process of removing them.

I can promise you, at least, that no such brutality awaits you in Albion's hands.

Regards,

-Justin Finch-Fletchley, Auror

Good Afternoon,

Have you missed anyone yet today? Everyone reporting in as expected?

I say, I realise I've been unspeakably rude, not inquiring after your health. I know we've never really become acquainted, but as you are part of the extended family, and about to extend that family even more, it would be remiss not to express the hope that everything is going well with Hydra's soon-to-be half-sibling.

I do trust the stress of running MLE in your condition hasn't adversely affected anything. Do you know, back when Hydra thought I came from Squibs, one of the things we discussed was that her father's rather significant prejudice against them was not merely academic. Apparently the Lestranges were jolly well prone to the birthing of Squib children, not too long ago.

Now, for us, of course, that wasn't an issue. I'm not one to complain about a lack of magic in the family, or any of its descendants, what. Hydra has quite rejected all her family's ridiculous notions about blood purity or magical ability. But for someone like Rodolphus, who sets so much importance on his lineage, it must be a bally well tense time indeed. One can't imagine he'd be pleased with anything less than a perfect heir. Pity. I was always under the impression that the best parents pray only that the child be whole and healthy, and that mother and infant both thrive afterward.

I'm curious: Did you look into spells to assure that the child will be male? Antonin might have helped you there, if you'd asked him.

I say, come to think of it, has he been of much help, at all, since Barty's demise? Or is your husband's former wife keeping Tosha too busy with her own errands?

Well, don't let me take up more of your valuable time. It can't be easy or comfortable getting round at present and I'm sure you've loads of things to attend to.

NL 021, by the way.

Regards,

-Finch-Fletchley

Rachel,

I've crossed another off our list and if it's all right with you, I'll be coming home for a day or two.

I don't know if Draco's told you yet, but there's meant to be a festival of some sort next weekend. Perhaps we could organise a disturbance there?

At any rate, I'll be available to debrief tomorrow. Apologies but I'm far too bally well knackered at present to be of much coherence.

Good morning,

You are losing followers.

NL 065


-Finch-Fletchley

Blast.

He did come to the Forest, and we missed him. I just found out about it. I wish--

I feel I'm going about this business all the wrong ways. Blundering like a bull in a china shop.

Is it too late to come up to see you? Well, we'll see if they don't let me in.

I need to ask you more questions about what happened in the Forest. I'm sorry; I know you'd probably rather not discuss it. If it weren't necessary I wouldn't press.

-J

We've managed to remove a few of the curses protecting the cases on the left-hand side of your old office.

I recommended burning سحر عميق القلب، العقل، نموذج وظاهرة. I say, that's the one with three chapters on muscle calcification and variant spells, isn't it?

There are a few others in that section that promise similar levels of danger. I'm looking up the surest ways to destroy them. It's not quick progress, what, but it is methodical, painstaking, careful and safe.


Does it eat at you, knowing what's left of him is out there? I imagine more than one creature has eaten at him, by now. I thought you'd have made more of an attempt to recover him, honestly.

Perhaps it's not as important to you as you made the others think.

Hullo.

I miss you. What have you been working on?

Mine's virtually unchanged, what. I know it seems as if this is taking forever but I remind myself I really am making some progress. I've been to a number of the shops Draco mentioned and from there I got leads on a few more. I've even managed to turn a few neighbours into informants, of a sort. That is, I've given them a parchment which they're to burn if they spot my chap. I've a corresponding rune in the back of my field notebook and it will notify me the name, time and approximate location. With luck I'll be able to get there before the quarry leaves again.

I'm also learning a great deal more about his routines, since I'm leaving Draco to tell me if he stops in at the Elysian. I've gone round his home several nights now, to get a closer feel of the wards. I say, I do think I could break them, given time. Easier to bluff one's way in with the wife, what, but I'm well loathe to sink to such methods as to threaten his family.

Speaking of family, you saw Mrs L's announcement, I presume. Or heard about it, I'm sure. I say, I think it's about time I sent that letter I've been thinking about. I don't want her to think it's safe to come home just yet, what, but--well. It's high time she heard she has a daughter-in-law, at least.

I say, I don't think I'll mention just what it is we do for Albion, however. I'll simply say we're like Police, that will make enough sense to her for now. Would you read it, before I send it off?

Oh, and I think they are planning something here, for the weekend. Over the last few days I've seen some areas around County Hall being cordoned off, as if they're erecting a stage or some stalls or similar. I say, I'm sure there will be security measures but perhaps that's another opportunity to finish this assignment and move on. I've included it in my latest report to Rachel, by owl this morning, what. Perhaps she'll have an idea how to use it to advantage.

Otherwise, I'd surely come home. One rather wishes we could declare a cease-fire for Harry's remembrance, if nothing else.

I miss you. Did I mention? And I love you and hope to see you soon.

Always your

-Justin