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Apparently the Ministry is finding their plan of turning Xeno's paper into a propaganda tool for the Ministry very uphill work. I overhear the most fascinating bits through the Floo connection (whenever Luna steps through to come over for lessons, or pops back home for a moment to fetch a book, for example.) Two days ago, I heard a shrill stream of complaints, followed by what sounded like a crashing tea cup, flung against a wall, perhaps. When Luna arrived in our kitchen a moment later, she merely said, 'Oh, that's Ms Skeeter. She doesn't exactly share Daddy's editorial vision.'
At least one of the people who have been assigned to 'work for' Xeno (really to oversee him) has already quit in disgust. Frankly, I'm surprised the boy lasted a week. Judging from a chance remark or two dropped by Luna, I suspect Xeno's dottiness had driven him almost completely mad.
Xeno came over for dinner last night, supposedly to treat us to a dinner of vegetarian shepherd's pie (inedible, trust me), but really because he wanted to show off the first issue. Stylistically, it doesn't look very different, still with that eye-popping typeface, although Xeno says there will be a new design for the masthead within the next issue or two. As excited as he was at first about resuming publication, he was thrown into complete gloom by the content of the articles, which he certainly didn't write. Really, they are perfect specimens of the worst Ministry drivel. But by the end of the dinner he was brimming with another idea: he wants to insert faked letters into the letter column, 'to liven things up a bit' and, apparently, work in some of the mad 'anthropological and zoological breaking news' he is convinced his readers are simply panting to read. I was astonished to learn that the letters in previous issues of the Quibbler were NOT fakes. It seems that there really are people out there who write into the Quibbler who are as dotty as Xeno is.
Well, I hope he doesn't get TOO carried away. If he starts making too much mischief in the letters column, the Ministry might step in, which might, in turn, draw uncomfortable attention to their Classifieds section. It would be a pity for the Order to lose that avenue for sending coded messages.
Otherwise, we're bearing the dead of winter as best we can. The weather's not been too bad, but the damp and the cold is depressing all of us. We have enough fuel, but we're being stingy with it, worried about how long winter will last. Ginny and Luna and I wear shawls and slippers and drink endless mugs of hot drinks (tea for them, coffee for me), trying to stay warm. Once in awhile, we'll roast some chestnuts or apples, to put something warm in our bellies as we work. History and remedial potions in the morning, mathematics and literature in the afternoon. (Really, convincing Luna to study literature is not the problem; the bigger problem is nicking whatever book she's reading and keeping it out of her reach when she's supposed to be working on her multiplication problems). Me, I've been working on quilts and more knitted socks for the children of Moddy Dhoo (they have less access to fuel this winter than we do), and a layette for Alice's baby.
Arthur is still working appalling hours, the poor man. He's been fighting a cold again this week from being so run-down. I need to dose him with some Pepperup Potion.
At least one of the people who have been assigned to 'work for' Xeno (really to oversee him) has already quit in disgust. Frankly, I'm surprised the boy lasted a week. Judging from a chance remark or two dropped by Luna, I suspect Xeno's dottiness had driven him almost completely mad.
Xeno came over for dinner last night, supposedly to treat us to a dinner of vegetarian shepherd's pie (inedible, trust me), but really because he wanted to show off the first issue. Stylistically, it doesn't look very different, still with that eye-popping typeface, although Xeno says there will be a new design for the masthead within the next issue or two. As excited as he was at first about resuming publication, he was thrown into complete gloom by the content of the articles, which he certainly didn't write. Really, they are perfect specimens of the worst Ministry drivel. But by the end of the dinner he was brimming with another idea: he wants to insert faked letters into the letter column, 'to liven things up a bit' and, apparently, work in some of the mad 'anthropological and zoological breaking news' he is convinced his readers are simply panting to read. I was astonished to learn that the letters in previous issues of the Quibbler were NOT fakes. It seems that there really are people out there who write into the Quibbler who are as dotty as Xeno is.
Well, I hope he doesn't get TOO carried away. If he starts making too much mischief in the letters column, the Ministry might step in, which might, in turn, draw uncomfortable attention to their Classifieds section. It would be a pity for the Order to lose that avenue for sending coded messages.
Otherwise, we're bearing the dead of winter as best we can. The weather's not been too bad, but the damp and the cold is depressing all of us. We have enough fuel, but we're being stingy with it, worried about how long winter will last. Ginny and Luna and I wear shawls and slippers and drink endless mugs of hot drinks (tea for them, coffee for me), trying to stay warm. Once in awhile, we'll roast some chestnuts or apples, to put something warm in our bellies as we work. History and remedial potions in the morning, mathematics and literature in the afternoon. (Really, convincing Luna to study literature is not the problem; the bigger problem is nicking whatever book she's reading and keeping it out of her reach when she's supposed to be working on her multiplication problems). Me, I've been working on quilts and more knitted socks for the children of Moddy Dhoo (they have less access to fuel this winter than we do), and a layette for Alice's baby.
Arthur is still working appalling hours, the poor man. He's been fighting a cold again this week from being so run-down. I need to dose him with some Pepperup Potion.