impure_tale

I preferred last Halloween, and I look forward to returning to the CES with Renate and not having to worry about cleaning ash out of my suits. I have the strong impression that more was going on than the garden variety holiday silliness, and I feel compelled to thank everyone involved in getting this ship back to normal -- not only the Admiral but everyone that made an effort to clear all of this putridness away, Wardens and Inmates alike.

I would also make an effort to more eloquently criticize those Inmates that accepted a 'deal' with the new Admiral if I had the knowledge and the will to do so. I have no idea what he offered you and have only secondhand information. The only course for me is to tell myself that you were all very desperate for whatever it was. Otherwise I would have to question the intelligence of any person that could look at the state of the Barge at that time and feel confident to seek any sort of reward from its engineer.

On that subject, I suppose it is now time to address the behavior of my Inmate, and at this point I will even go so far as to pray he has had the opportunity to learn what stitches are since his visit to the infirmary. A blade in the back is a terrible thing to endure, but what have we to fear when we're just as easily mended as a torn piece of cloth?

This may sound as though I am mocking your pain when really I am doing precisely that. You were going to kill me, as you recall, and I warned you about what would happen if I saw that wand drawn as a weapon. What's worse, you did it not because I was any particular threat to you, but because Madame Lestrange had made a deal with the false Admiral and you were hoping to reap some of the benefits after a bit of dogging on her part. You need to pick better friends, and not ones so beyond the control of their own emotions that they tend to dance about as though they need to urinate when they've been left idle for too long.

I do not condone the behavior of the individual that attacked you even though I must credit her with my lack of 'death toll'.

(and would ask that the keeper of the very young and very deadly little girl in question corral her and confiscate her weapons immediately)

Your punishment -- yes, you're still getting one -- comes in three parts. First, your magic will be reduced to a level that I feel is appropriate, given your recent behavior. Copping to pressures by your peers is schoolyard idiocy and your effectiveness with a wand will now reflect that. Second, for the next month, you will be rising at 4 am for custodial duties in the public lavatory, and I encourage everyone to enjoy seconds and thirds at dinner and dessert. Third, you will be joining the kitchen staff until further notice.

[Private to the Admiral]

From now on Lucius Malfoy's wand is to only have the capabilities of standard 'First Year' spellwork.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Professional courtesy and respect.

He has attempted to broach the subjects of my politics, my time here as an inmate, and my...'questionable' decisions where personal relationships are concerned. I agreed to speak with him at a later time. I wrongly supposed he would remain calm and there would be no issue with simply laying the situation out for him.

However, in light of this new turn of events, I am reluctant to proceed until I have some word from you on the matter.

While you're at it you might also confirm for me that Voldemort was, indeed, a "Half Blood". He became rather livid when I suggested such a thing.

Yes, I imagine he would be furious to hear such an allegation.

Anything more?

You will keep me abreast of how that conversation goes, I should hope. Protect yourself how you see fit, but try not to worry.

If an eleven year-old wizard cannot cast it then he won't be able to, either.

You would be surprised what first years can do.

I'm hardly worried - not for my own sake. Yours, however, is a different matter.

I am not afraid of him, Severus.

I didn't suggest you were. He can still do you considerable harm, whether you fear him or not, however. Enlisting Bellatrix to do his dirty work for him isn't something I would put past him, for example, and she doesn't rely solely on a wand to - play with her food before she eats it, as someone once described it.

Oh, I look forward to many future interludes with her, I assure you.

Be thankful you're assigned to Lucius and not her. I don't envy Mr. Connor.

I suspect I would only make her worse.

Setting aside the knee-jerk response that such a thing isn't possible: how?

You know me. I enjoy baiting far too much to be constructive.

You have your moments.

However, Bellatrix's prejudices run far deeper than Lucius'; I suspect finding something in common with her (or rather, allowing her to find your commonality) would be a chore.

She need have nothing in common with me save my sudden unwilting desire to insinuate my presence upon her every waking hour.

Amusing as I find the notion, I suspect you would break long before she did. And I say as much without any of her allies aboard the ship. Lucius doesn't count.

Imagine if she had someone to instigate and enable her behaviour.

You must watch a master at work.

If I can handle Arthas, then I can handle her.

If such a thing occurs, I'll watch with decided interest.

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