22 Jun 2025, 09:31
Wilted Gardens, Waiting Shelves
@Edith AlarieProfessor Samuel R. Sauber
Office of the Potions Master
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Scotland
June 10th, 2025
Mme. Édith Françoise Alarie
Vézelay, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Vézelay, France
Édith,
I trust this letter finds you well and alive. It has been some time since our last correspondence—too long, by any reasonable standards, I'm aware. I hope that France continues to be tolerable, or at the very least amusing in its excesses. I would ask about the garden you used to cherish, though I suspect you might have turned them into something enviable by now. I imagine, as ever, you remain the only reason they haven't collapsed into complete disorder.
Allow me to provide you with necessary updates from my end.
I have, at long last, severed ties with Ministry. It was neither dramatic nor mournful. Only inevitable. I submitted my formal resignation months prior and received confirmation soon after. They attempted to delay it, however I left behind no letters of recommendations, no farewells and certainly no regrets. The climate there had long since grown stagnant. I find myself, surprisingly, better for it.
You may raise an eyebrow at what comes next, unless news has travelled faster than my expectations. I now serve as the Potions Master at Hogwarts.
Before you ask, I have not lost mind nor have I abandoned reason. It is not as intolerable as I imagined. The staff are surprisingly competent. I even found an ex-ministry employee. However I would consider it a sin towards me were you to compare me and him, just from the vast difference in our stature and work. The students however are equal parts detestable and fascinating.
These facilities are outdates, but I am correcting those one at a time. It is peculiar, yes, but the work is honest and far less entangled in politics than I have known for years. I enjoy, albeit begrudgingly, a measure of peace here that I had believed unattainable during my ministry tenure.
It is on this point that I write to you with more than just pleasantries.
There is an opening here for a librarian. I'm sure the faculty would desire someone orderly and capable of managing both texts and students who maul them. It reminded me of you, I leave it to you to determine whether that description flatters or insults.
If you find yourself growing bored of France and Its particular blend of inefficiency and sentimentality, I would recommend you consider the offer. "Manifest it". You would be well-suited for the post and frankly it would be useful to have one more individual on staff whose understanding is closer to my own train of thoughts.
In the meantime, do write. I would rather not send letters into the void of you've already run off to some other country or turned yourself into an animal as I once threatened you.
With reluctant affection,
Samuel R. Sauber
Seven Minutes is all I can spare to grade your HW.
[ sta ] 10 [ eva ] 15 [ str ] 01 [ wis ] 20 [ arc ] 10 [ acc ] 14
23 Jun 2025, 03:24
Wilted Gardens, Waiting Shelves
@Samuel Sauber
Vézelay, France
At Vézelay, 13th of June 2025
My dearest Samuel,
Your letters are always welcomed. It has been a long time since we last spoke, much less written to each other. I was beginning to think you had taken on another mission, though it appears from what you wrote in your letter that now your missions revolve around the youth. I trust that the wonderful creatures have been treating their professor well.
I would hate to see you grouch.
The last thing we need is for a frowning wrinkle to form on that handsome face of yours. Granted, I may have forgotten how you look. That is my own fault; I lost the picture we had taken when you first stopped by the flower shop. I may need to drag you here so I can have a new photograph of you with the flowers, or I might confuse you with the ex-ministry employee you mentioned. Speaking of flowers, yes, the garden has grown since your last visit, though I would not consider it enviable. Calming perhaps? Oh, I am sure you would have loved the spring's bouquets. They were quite popular with the older ladies at the festival.
One of them had asked for you.
The baker's wife handed me a loaf of bread and chatted away about how time has flown by in the wink of an eye. I suspect they get sneakier as they age, for she asked in such a way that it caught me by surprise. At the time, I did not know how to answer, so I spoke truthfully. I did not know what you were up to, but I had assumed that the Ministry decided to keep you occupied.
I cannot say I was surprised to read that the Ministry had attempted to delay your departure from them, after all, you have always been one for efficiency. They must have been in quite a rush to figure out a way for you to stay, but I am glad that you cut ties with them. I never did understand why you worked in such a stress-inducing job.
The Potions Master at Hogwarts has a nice ring to it. The role oddly suits you. I imagine you in a classroom teaching a bunch of awestruck children; it is quite a sight, but I hope you are not scaring those poor young children. Remember, they are bound to make a mistake once in a while; they are not as smart as you yet. Even we as adults are still making mistakes.
Before you say you do not, need I remind you that you mistook two flowers after telling me you knew the difference. It still makes me laugh to this day, but I digress.
I have thought over the offer, and the idea of moving to Scotland sounds like a fun adventure. Not to mention the temptation to see how well you deal with children swarming you with inquiries about their assignments or extra credits. Do they still do that? I recall some professors doing that... but then again, I did not study at Hogwarts, as you already know. While I know you do not believe in manifesting something, I still appreciate the thought. Just like how I appreciate the flattery, it is nice to know you think of me from time to time.
Even if you only remember from your threat to turn me into an animal.
Always so caring, even if you deny it til your last breath. But that is alright, I will choose to think positively. I have decided to take you up on the offer; perhaps a new change of air and views may be good. France may be inefficient by your terms, but it still has its perks; you cannot deny that, Sam. Yes, I called you Sam, and you will deal with it. I had been dying to call you Sam since the beginning of this letter. I am sure you must be rolling your eyes right about now, perhaps... could it be? A smile?
I know, I know, I am pushing it, but before you do whatever it is that you do to your mail, I would like to say that I look forward to seeing the young Potions Master of Hogwarts in action.
With much affection,
Every soul is an ancient story.