Private message to Poppy Pomfrey

[alt_lupin]

I've been thinking about something you said last night, about who was waiting for word of Finch-Fletchley's wellbeing.

Are you saying that Ron Weasley has now added Hydra Lestrange to his group of friends?

That's rather...concerning. Not that I'm quite as suspicious of Hydra as Sirius is, but she is, as he so regularly points out, Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter. She could present a far more harmless facade than the reality beneath, and I'm not sure a 14-year-old Gryffindor boy would necessarily unravel the potential levels of duplicity. Even if we assume the best of Hydra, Bellatrix is an accomplished legilimens and I very much doubt she has any respect whatsoever for her daughter's privacy.

Just how close do you think Hydra is to Ron?

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Hm.

I cannot honestly claim to be very knowledgeable about the social alliances of our students--even the ones I've most reason to watch out for.

I did not have any sense that there was any romantic link between Miss Lestrange and Ronald Weasley. On the contrary, she was clearly there because she's involved with the Finch-Fletchley boy. They went together to the ball, you know.

As for friendship, I'm not certain. Last evening, it was Miss Lovegood who was assisting Mr Weasley in bringing the injured boy to me. I gather this was because those two reached him first when he wrote in his journal for assistance. As you will have seen, he directed that appeal to Mr Weasley, so I think we may infer that those two wizards are developing a trusting friendship. I'm not certain how close or coincidental Miss Lovegood's connection is with either of them.

Miss Lestrange arrived later in the company of Miss Perks and Miss Parkinson, her Housemates. As you must know, there is a close, if puzzling, connection amongst Mr Weasley and the latter two. I did not have the sense that Miss Lestrange is on the same footing as the others.

In fact, now I think of it, I would say that there was distinctly more reserve amongst the group last night than between Mr Longbottom and Miss Parkinson on the occasion when they turned up here together needing me to reverse that young lady's case of Junior Auror Blue Scale.

That's a long and tentative answer to your question, Remus, but my observations (admittedly scattered and occasional) lead me to believe that there's a strong and well-established connection between the Weasley and Longbottom lads and the two young witches from Slytherin House, Miss Perks and Miss Parkinson. Miss Lestrange, I believe, is connected to the other girls, but not substantially connected to the two young men.

Mr Finch-Fletchley, however, appears to be cultivating connections with each and all, so you may have increasing reason for concern in future. Or not. Children's affections being what they are.

[alt_lupin]

Well, that's reasonably reassuring.

Hydra Lestrange becoming close to Miss Perks and Miss Parkinson is both heartening and a little troublesome. I suppose there's not much we can do about it in any case. Children choose their own friends, sometimes despite the prejudices of their elders, sometimes deliberately to spite the prejudices of their elders. Sirius turned out all right, despite his family.