Private Message to Barty Crouch

[alt_narcissa]

Lunch, soon? I feel just about ready to face the world again so we needn't meet at Cottesmore if you are craving daylight, or I can arrange to have it delivered there if you still need rest.

I promise to tell you all about a visit I had from Ursula Avery, if you promise to tell me all about the clearly fascinating Hogwarts Head Girl. Really, dear, it's none too subtle.

Or are you still cross with me for ignoring you at Christmastime?

Comments

[alt_crouch_jr]

Cross? Merely busy. Still digging out from backlog of work. And other business.

I'm fine. Entirely.

Yes to lunch. Where?

You had an interesting visit from Ursula? Surely not interesting enough to be fair trade for my intriguingly unsubtle dealings with this season's ingenue?

[alt_narcissa]

Oh, if we're going to attract reporters - which you know we will do, both of us in public so blatantly - we might as well cause a stir. Let's book a private room at the Rookery.

Not cross, then - let us say put out enough to cast your eye on the ingenue in question. And I thought you just might be different from other men, but it seems you all do look for the young ones once you reach a certain point in life.

And yes, I believe Ursula's visit was interesting. At least, there's something about it that puzzles me enough to need to talk it through with someone more sensitive to the current configurations and divisions within the Court.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Consider it done. Does Wednesday suit? (Wednesday is not often one of the days Our Lord chooses for His field assignments.)

I consider myself an equal-opportunist. Remains to be seen how long youth can hold the attention. The novelty is appealing. That may be all there is to it. I don't see any reason to look too closely at its reasons or merits.

No reason for you to feel put out. Now that you've noticed.

But Ursula--it's something to do with Lucius, then?

[alt_narcissa]

Wednesday suits perfectly.

Novelty lacks experience - unless you think in this case there's reason to think she knows or is willing to do anything to please. I should think the appeal of training her to your tastes might be outweighed by the tedium of doing so. But it's useless to tell you not to have your fun, so enjoy it.

Yes, she made it sound like she was there, when Our Lord received that message from Lucius' kidnappers. (Was she? It might be useful to confirm that.) She feigned concern that they would only offer to give him up if he had already cooperated with them, which of course is quite impossible to conceive, let alone credit. I said as much, that Lucius has always been one of Our Lord's most capable servants, as anyone could tell from the way things have been declining since he was sent to await Our Lord's pleasure. One need only look at a Prophet or listen to the wireless to realise how cannily Lucius kept the line between public affairs and private ones well-drawn.

She asked whether I was suggesting that Our Lord had miscalculated by sending Lucius to Azkaban in the first place. Well, you can imagine the trap I thought she was laying for me, so I said, Our Lord could do as He thought necessary, but that I had fervently hoped Lucius' past service spoke for itself, and that to keep His secrets secret, He would do better to move heaven and earth to restore Lucius to his rightful place at Our Lord's side.

Something about her manner seemed - I don't know, a little off, after that, as if she were hoping I would reassure her that Lucius would die before he would tell that nest of traitors anything remotely useful. Honestly, as I said, it's utterly unthinkable he would do anything else. As much as I detest thinking of them torturing him or mistreating him for information, I know he can withstand anything they might dole out.

But it was more than just worry for the Protectorate. It was as if she worried Lucius might know something to threaten her position, specifically. Which he may but I can't see how it would matter to the traitors in the slightest. I can't put my finger on why she seemed so anxious, though.

[alt_crouch_jr]

She was present, yes.

It's difficult to tell with Ursula. Particularly since Julius' idiocy. Don't suppose she wishes L particularly well. It was more than that?

[alt_narcissa]

No, you're right: I'm sure she would hardly weep if Black and his associates murdered Lucius in some travesty of imaginary justice. I wouldn't have been surprised if she were trying to winkle out a confirmation that Our Lord was displeased with Lucius for defending himself against her son, or anything that suggested I might be less than perfectly loyal. That's just where I thought she was going, at first. This was ... something else.

You don't think it's that she's actually a traitor, herself, do you? That would be too much to hope!

[alt_crouch_jr]

Queerer things have proved true. Ursula has kept herself to herself with respect to alliances. Obviously she distanced herself from Gaude long since. There was a time I'd have speculated she and Yaxley were allied, but she plays her hand well. And she must have been clear of any damning link when Y fell.

Really, it's an interesting proposition. I did wonder about her reaction when Julius threw himself away against Lucius. I expected she might have demanded some satisfaction, but L indicated she wouldn't. Seemed certain of that. And so far as I'm aware she did nothing.

That doesn't prove L had something to hold over her, and it doesn't prove she's a traitor, but it also doesn't eliminate either possibility.

[alt_narcissa]

It's a fair point about not seeking retribution. I simply thought Our Lord made it clear He had had enough of His followers taking their politicking to the level of duels to the death. At least, at that time.

Still, now that you mention it her reaction was much more what one might have expected had it been Gaude, and not Julius, who had duelled Lucius and lost.

Well, what do you recommend? How should I string her along to find out what she thinks I might know?

[alt_crouch_jr]

That's it exactly about her reaction.

Recommend that you do nothing to string her along. If she believes she's stalking you for prey, you'll catch her by staying aloof and letting her take the initiative. Perhaps she'll give herself away in the process. The trick is to give yourself no chance of doing the same. (Not that you're a traitor, yourself, but if she means to twist any hint into the appearance of treachery, then you should not give her any more opportunities than strictly necessary.)

[alt_narcissa]

Of course.

You'll make an operative of me yet. One does get so terribly bored, is all.

Until Wednesday, then?

[alt_crouch_jr]

Wednesday.

Sleep well.