Looking aHead Girl

I'm sorry, Ned. I didn't realise you wanted time alone last night or I wouldn't have told Vani to meet us at Blaison.

But we'll be together again tonight, and it's sleighing! I can't wait to see how Whitacre's got up the hunting lodge, too. I think it sounds so charming. And romantic, too. I mean to say, Epping Forest is lovely this time of the year, all wrapped up in snow.

I'll expect you at half-five, and we'll Apparate together.


Now, we do need to get our diaries straight for the coming weeks. Wright knows that I plan to accompany you to the Malfoys on the 23rd, and there's the St Mungo's gala, but I'm not going to be able to make the Philharmonic, I'm afraid, or the Consort's programme on the 11th, which I'd really hoped we'd be able to hear. (That's all right, though, as they're playing for Papa's festivities at the store, so we'll hear them there. You are able to come for that, aren't you? On Wednesday.)

Do you have any conflicts with Mama's supper before the Opera on the 10th? (Do try to make supper even if you have to meet Mr Crouch later; it would mean so much to my parents if you were there. But. If it's a choice between that and twelfth night with my grandparents, you know TN's much more important, right? Abuelita is still so fragile, but they're determined not to break tradition.)

Then there are two potential conflicts: on the 9th, Sophia Novello's having a soiree and one doesn't like to offend Whirl's society writer, and accepting might mean she'll give more space to Papa's guests on Wednesday. So I've said yes, but the Faust-Mackrells have also invited us that night, and, of course, Jacqueline Mackrell's important. I know Mr Crouch will expect you to be there, and it will be packed with people from the department. So we'll just have to juggle a bit that night.

It'll be a bit easier on the 16th, which is Sarah's gallery party, but Bobolis has also invited us for cocktails. I hear his penthouse is amazing, so we shouldn't miss that. We can stop in there and go on to Sarah's as soon as it's polite to run off.

We've also the MLE gathering and the Ministry party to attend, but for those, schedule isn't an issue. If either of us is on duty, it'll be an excuse to just pop in and out, and that's all that's really necessary for those.

Oh, and there's the Yaxley's party on Boxing Day. Are you able to make that?

And I'm still poking Orion about having something small at ours, too: if we made that the 18th, could you be there?

Let me know about these dates, will you? And I'll see you at half-five!