A week in New London
Jun. 17th, 2011 08:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_percyI am genuinely grateful to my brother Bill for putting me up in his flat this week, to give me an opportunity to look around New London a bit. And my brother Charlie's here now, too! It's wonderful to see him again, and he's looking good, barring the usual singed patches. It seems like we've been all over the city. New London is certainly looking splendid, with all of the renovation that's been going on. Much more green space, and of course, much less crowded that London has been historically, I understand. Truly, this is the way a city is supposed to be!
I had been rather, well, reclusive during my last week at Hogwarts and rather thought I'd be in the same mood this week. But Bill took me the first day to see the Protectorate Retrospective: The First Decade, an exhibition at University College. It was so interesting I was quite seized by an interest in history that's got us out and walking to see the sites around London almost every day this week. We took one of the pre-arranged tours on Tuesday, but then on Wednesday night we went on our own to see Protector's Square, and the Triumphal Arch in Green Park, and so on.
I took Penny to the New London Philharmonic on Wednesday night, using the tickets that Mr Malfoy had so kindly provided. It was a world premiere, the Albion Symphony, by Eustace Euphonious. I freely admit that my knowledge of music is rudimentary at best, but even to my amateur ear, the performance was splendid. Very moving. I was so glad to be able to share it with Penny.
Penny also joined the three of us today when we went to see the gardens at Kensington. I had started to feel that perhaps I'd been a bit too ambitious with the walking tours, but that was certainly worth the trip, a highlight of the entire week.
I've tried to squeeze in a few visits with friends and acquaintances. Mr Crispin, my mentor from my internship last summer with Mr Malfoy, was gracious enough to meet me for breakfast this morning, and I had lunch with Ned Pennifold earlier in the week.
Still, it'll be a nice change to be sitting still tomorrow. Bill's gotten us tickets to see the Wimbourne Wasps play the Appleby Arrows.
I had been rather, well, reclusive during my last week at Hogwarts and rather thought I'd be in the same mood this week. But Bill took me the first day to see the Protectorate Retrospective: The First Decade, an exhibition at University College. It was so interesting I was quite seized by an interest in history that's got us out and walking to see the sites around London almost every day this week. We took one of the pre-arranged tours on Tuesday, but then on Wednesday night we went on our own to see Protector's Square, and the Triumphal Arch in Green Park, and so on.
I took Penny to the New London Philharmonic on Wednesday night, using the tickets that Mr Malfoy had so kindly provided. It was a world premiere, the Albion Symphony, by Eustace Euphonious. I freely admit that my knowledge of music is rudimentary at best, but even to my amateur ear, the performance was splendid. Very moving. I was so glad to be able to share it with Penny.
Penny also joined the three of us today when we went to see the gardens at Kensington. I had started to feel that perhaps I'd been a bit too ambitious with the walking tours, but that was certainly worth the trip, a highlight of the entire week.
I've tried to squeeze in a few visits with friends and acquaintances. Mr Crispin, my mentor from my internship last summer with Mr Malfoy, was gracious enough to meet me for breakfast this morning, and I had lunch with Ned Pennifold earlier in the week.
Still, it'll be a nice change to be sitting still tomorrow. Bill's gotten us tickets to see the Wimbourne Wasps play the Appleby Arrows.
Order Only
Date: 2011-06-18 04:26 pm (UTC)It's certainly been illuminating.
I think that for Percy, a week in New London was definitely the right idea. He was very quiet when he first arrived, but I think the exercise from all the sight-seeing has been good for him, and now he's definitely coming out of his shell. We're spending more time with his girlfriend than I expected, but that's no hardship. Charlie and I both like her, and she's obviously concerned about him. Mum, I hope you get more of a chance to see her this summer, but based on a few remarks Percy's dropped, I suspect you will. They seem to be quite serious about each other.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that it's crystal clear to me that you can't breathe even a hint of your involvement with the Order to him. His loyalties are solidifying, and I'm afraid your fears were justified. Listening to his comments made when we were looking at that historical exhibition was nauseating. He's swallowing the regime's propaganda hook line and sinker. I think part of the problem is that he idolises that berk, Lucius Malfoy. It's not so much what Lucius represents, understand. He hasn't thought very deeply about it. But he's dazzled by the man's money, his influence, the fact that he's at the center of power.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-06-18 04:40 pm (UTC)Has he unburdened himself any about what happened with Carrow?
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-06-18 04:44 pm (UTC)He hasn't said so, and I'm not sure he's entirely articulated it to himself. But I'm beginning to wonder whether what really shook him about it was that he liked it.
No, the temptation to cause pain isn't what's going to get Percy into trouble.
It's the temptation of power.