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[20 Jun 2011|12:23pm] |
With one game til mid-season, I find it disheartening - although not surprising - that Falmouth just clings to the middle third of the league by what I consider to be a thread composed of little more than good fortune. It's unearned, and if this weekend's match doesn't send them down where they belong with the likes of the Harpies (and for Merlin's sake, Ballycastle, whose implosion has been truly spectacular) it'll only be by chance. They deserve a place in the bottom, as little as it please me to say it. And the management deserves a place in the eighth or ninth circle of Hell, depending on weather you believe their incompetence derives from poorly-veiled ignorance or actual sabotage.
I'm inclined toward the former, since treachery requires a certain level of skill.
[Narcissa]
There. I'll promise now not to harp on about this over dinner again. I do notice when your eyes glaze over, you know.
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[12 May 2011|10:08pm] |
[Private to Narcissa]
I love you, my dear, but this is to inform you that if you attempt to convince me to go to some damned fancy dress party on a docked ship, I will start sleeping in the library.
[Private to Draco]
I've instructed my accountants to begin quietly pricing various franchises, but inside information can sometimes be quicker. Are you by any chance seeing Miss Parkinson in the near future?
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[05 May 2011|10:42pm] |
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Grand anniversaries aside, the bureaucracy has deteriorated severely since the last legitimate administration. In Bagnold's day - even in Fudge's - when one wanted something done, one was given the courtesy of a face-to-face appointment with someone qualified to make decisions, and not give the runaround and forced to climb a mountain of tedious forms. I really can't count the number of times I spoke personally with the Minister and his or her top-level cabinet, back when things were run according to the best principles - and that simply upon request. Men were never treated like numbers, as they are today. There was a sense of accountability that seems to have been lost entirely over the past ten years. It's a damned shame. I shan't be going back any time soon, I think.
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[17 Apr 2011|12:46pm] |
[Narcissa]
How does Falmouth suit you? I think I've found somewhere appropriately remote. Cliffs, waves, ocean breeze, etc. I daresay there are some backward (quaint?) locals to photograph, if you absolutely must leave the cottage.
[Draco]
I finally have a definitive set of papers drawn up for establishing a new club. Personally, I think it's rather daunting; the permits required would involve, I expect, a great deal of begging from various Ministry officials whom I have personally cursed with whom my relations are none too warm. We can discuss next week, if you like - your mother and I are (probably) off to Falmouth for Easter, but will return early next week.
Naturally, you're welcome for Easter dinner. I'm sure we'd both enjoy seeing you.
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[28 Mar 2011|11:19am] |
Blessed as I am with reasonable and obedient offspring, I sincerely doubt I'll ever have to arrange anything for him. But if I should have to twist his arm, I'd make damn certain the papers never got wind of it. How embarrassing - my condolences to the happy couple.
I see the Falcons have recovered from their brief bout of competence. Alas.
[Draco]
I've had my advisers draw up a preliminary set of papers; I'll have a copy sent. Setting up a new club isn't trivial, but I expect drawing in talent will be the only true challenge. We ought to discuss.
[Narcissa]
Do you have any interest in going to a benefit for the Pokeby Society at the beginning of April? Draco's planning on attending. I assume he'd rather do so unencumbered by his parents, but if you want an excuse to drag out the diamonds, there's no reason he shouldn't be disappointed.
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[03 Mar 2011|05:34pm] |
[Draco]
Your mother wants to go to America for the weekend; we'll return on Monday, I think. How much, exactly, did I throw away at the auction last week? I hope it wasn't too tedious.
[Narcissa]
As promised, we have a Portkey at eight o'clock Friday evening. I'm afraid the time difference is a little awkward, but - well. We have lunch reservations.
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[16 Jan 2011|08:42pm] |
Two hundred Galleons to anyone who can tell me why on earth Falmouth should be worth so much as glancing at this season. It's two hundred more than they ought to be paying their blockhead of a Seeker. I've been saying so for at least a year.
I mean - the Arrows. Really.
[Narcissa]
I realize we're throwing gold away on all sorts of wretched nonsense these days, but no doubt we've got enough left in the vault to have done with someone who's single-handedly ruining one of the greatest franchises in one thousand years of play?
I'm being mostly serious. Isn't there some hideous young woman we could pay to claim he's left her a destitute single mother? It seems less of an inconvenience than buying a share in the club.
What do you say to dinner on Thursday? I'm afraid this place is driving me quite insane.
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