I am gratified that at least the spirit of my defence was appreciated. I also appreciate your tact in kindly pointing out, however, that the hastiness of my words undercut their effectiveness. Mr Malfoy, who has been labouring for a while to teach this Gryffindor a modicum of subtlety, has already pointed this out to me, I assure you. I do have a temper, I'm afraid (the famous Weasley temper, shared by my parents and all my siblings. In our weaker moments, we blame our shared heritage of red hair.) It is a young man's tendency, as you note, and I will continue to work at it.
While I understand that my reaction seemed excessive, perhaps it will seem more proportionate if I point out that I wasn't simply reacting to just this most recent screed. That renegade journal (or whoever is posing behind it) has been spewing its disgusting bile for months now. I suppose my outburst was the accumulated frustration of reading this as just the latest example of every sort of intemperate accusation.
Yes, I suppose I should have trusted more in the utility of dignified silence (my brother Bill, who worked in the Communications department before switching to his current position as Mr Rosier's aide, has often given me lectures on the proper use of press and public statements). After all, you do not need to be defended by the likes of me. Yet it did irk me that no one else was speaking up for you publicly.
Because I do realise that you have doubtless been forced to do difficult things, in times of war, in our Lord's service. I respect you all the more for admitting it. I share your hope that as the Protectorate grows stronger, those awful times will recede into the past. Yet those times cannot remain in the past if we who are young (brash and imperfect as we are) refuse to learn from those who kept the faith with Our Lord during those difficult times and coped with making those sometimes brutal choices.
In that spirit, I hope you will be pleased to hear that I have been avidly working my way through the books you kindly gave me. I confess I find some of the exercises in Mastery Over Self exceedingly puzzling, but I am persevering.
I do find myself becoming nostalgic, at this time of year, for the halls of Hogwarts. I am sure the new Head Boy will do well; Diggory always seemed to me to be a good sort, very confident with his spellwork. I trust the teaching is going well. I gather from the chatter on the journals from the students that they are finding it a vast improvement. (But I'm sure that is hardly a surprise to you, given the unfortunate nature of the previous instructor!)
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Date: 2012-09-09 05:31 am (UTC)I am gratified that at least the spirit of my defence was appreciated. I also appreciate your tact in kindly pointing out, however, that the hastiness of my words undercut their effectiveness. Mr Malfoy, who has been labouring for a while to teach this Gryffindor a modicum of subtlety, has already pointed this out to me, I assure you. I do have a temper, I'm afraid (the famous Weasley temper, shared by my parents and all my siblings. In our weaker moments, we blame our shared heritage of red hair.) It is a young man's tendency, as you note, and I will continue to work at it.
While I understand that my reaction seemed excessive, perhaps it will seem more proportionate if I point out that I wasn't simply reacting to just this most recent screed. That renegade journal (or whoever is posing behind it) has been spewing its disgusting bile for months now. I suppose my outburst was the accumulated frustration of reading this as just the latest example of every sort of intemperate accusation.
Yes, I suppose I should have trusted more in the utility of dignified silence (my brother Bill, who worked in the Communications department before switching to his current position as Mr Rosier's aide, has often given me lectures on the proper use of press and public statements). After all, you do not need to be defended by the likes of me. Yet it did irk me that no one else was speaking up for you publicly.
Because I do realise that you have doubtless been forced to do difficult things, in times of war, in our Lord's service. I respect you all the more for admitting it. I share your hope that as the Protectorate grows stronger, those awful times will recede into the past. Yet those times cannot remain in the past if we who are young (brash and imperfect as we are) refuse to learn from those who kept the faith with Our Lord during those difficult times and coped with making those sometimes brutal choices.
In that spirit, I hope you will be pleased to hear that I have been avidly working my way through the books you kindly gave me. I confess I find some of the exercises in Mastery Over Self exceedingly puzzling, but I am persevering.
I do find myself becoming nostalgic, at this time of year, for the halls of Hogwarts. I am sure the new Head Boy will do well; Diggory always seemed to me to be a good sort, very confident with his spellwork. I trust the teaching is going well. I gather from the chatter on the journals from the students that they are finding it a vast improvement. (But I'm sure that is hardly a surprise to you, given the unfortunate nature of the previous instructor!)
Thank you for your note.
I remain, etcetera,
Percy Weasley