Private message to Auror Crouch

[alt_hydra]

Lana Sandoval-Pennifold tells me that Percy Weasley froze when confronted with a muggle at Snowdonia, and that the muggle, who was armed, took that opportunity to kill him.

She's making it sound as if it was all Weasley's own doing. Failure to take appropriate action. I suppose that's going to be the "official" cause of death.

Anyway, she seems to believe I made the right choice to train with you over joining the hunt.

(Do you know she would have given her eye teeth to have worked with you? Are you terribly flattered?)

I'd be curious to know how my aunt is feeling about the news of Weasley's death, if she's heard of it by now.

Actually, I'd be curious to know if my aunt would like to speak with me at all. I haven't heard from her since before Uncle Lucius was imprisoned. Not even on my birthday.

Comments

[alt_crouch_jr]

Weasley was a chit in Mulciber's manoeuvring against your uncle. Nothing more.

Suppose he was adequate as a clerk, though there was little enough to distinguish him. The deficiencies were obvious from the start (entirely blind to his own limitations; pretentious; ambitious for things beyond his capacity). I suppose your uncle found him easy to manipulate. So, as it happens, did Mulciber. Lucius should have known better.

Expect Mulciber would have discarded him quickly enough--and perhaps he did--an enemy's unreliable servant is a single-use commodity.

As for the investigation, such as it was, MLE filed the report last evening. Which is to say, it was M's gathering and M's investigation. No surprise the finding was 'accidental death'.

Regret your choice to stay behind? What of value did you take away from yesterday's patrolling? You did well enough. Are you able to identify your weakest efforts? Most successful?

(Flattery will do you as little good as it did S-P. She should get over her disappointment. She's done well enough.)

Try writing your aunt.

[alt_hydra]

I suppose it serves as a reminder not to dismiss or keep your back to those who are easy to manipulate.

I only regret having to hear things second hand. If I'd had the opportunity to ask Lana for details in person, I would have. Such proximity provides me with a much clearer picture.

Not, I suppose, that a clearer picture is needed.

Yesterday only served to remind me of what I still need to work on. Initiative, primarily. I am good at following orders and responding to suggestions, but am too disinclined to take the lead.

Successes: Once I do act, I don't hesitate. I don't feel the need to impress anyone. The best spell or hex to get the job done, effectively and quickly, is all I need.

And yes, I do think that I will write my aunt.

From,
Hydra

[alt_crouch_jr]

Yes. It's always worth your while to mine for your 'clearer picture', but don't ever allow this department to think that's your only value. (And don't imagine your mother will advertise your other abilities: her attention's focused on your legillimency. You know that.)

Prove your other skills. What is your strongest? (Don't answer in generalities.) (Hint: your best skill is not articulation. Or persuasion.)

And what are we working on first thing tomorrow? (If you say 'initiative' or 'taking the lead' again, you'll find yourself running for life and limb in front of a pack of hellhounds tomorrow. Have a care.)

[alt_hydra]

I know that. But I also know that this department does think that legilimency is my only value. That, and perhaps my last name.

I can't really blame them, knowing what they must see when they look at me.

But I also know that I will change their mind and prove them wrong. I already managed to do that with someone I thought I would never be able to convince, and after that person, the rest of the department doesn't seem that much of a challenge. I don't say that out of over-confidence or bravado, but because it's a truthful description of how I see it.

That man - the one we caught peddling illicit potions from the back of his kiosk? - when he came at me with that stinging hex, I returned with a joint-cracking curse to his wand arm, so that he kept incompletely casting the same stinging hex, again and again, until I was able to him down with Cruciatus.

So, my strongest skill is that I execute finesse and forethought when returning enemy fire, and in face-to-face combat. I can sometimes even back my combatant into using the same spell again and again, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.

But when we had to chase the man's partner, I had trouble landing a simple trip hex on him.

My weakest, then, is lack of precision when I cast on the attack, or while in pursuit. I think this may be due to my involuntarily opening up my legilimency during the moment of confrontation. While in pursuit I also tend to lower my wand arm instead executing proper extension.

We'll be working on that tomorrow.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Acceptable.

Six o'clock. Ouroboros. Prepare for the chase.