Letter 2: Hermione Granger to Arsenius Jigger, 27th November 1997

A/N: For simplicity’s sake, titles of books, journals etc are underlined and emphasises are italicised. In reviving the old tradition of epistolary novels, I understand the plot may be a little slow, laborious and difficult to follow. Some might consider it AU or a little OOC.

In order not to weary the reader’s patience, a number of letters from the series of correspondences have been suppressed; only those which are necessary to a complete understanding of the events in this group are reproduced. For the same reason, some letters from the actors in the events of this drama have also been suppressed.

Proestigium or What the Seasons may Bring

Letter 2: Hermione Granger to Arsenius Jigger, 27th November 1997

Miss Hermione Jane Granger,

Hogwarts Castle,

Head Girl’s Room,

Gryffindor Tower,

Scotland,

United Kingdom.

Dr Arsenius Jigger

c/o The Publisher,

Esotericae House,

An imprint of Obscurus Books

18a, Diagon Alley,

London,

England,

United Kingdom

27th November 1997

Dear Dr Jigger,

I have long admired your work in advanced alchemical theory. However, this is not another letter extolling your intellectual genius.

Forgive my audacity, but I feel it my duty to point out an inconsistency in your book Magical Drafts and Potions. In chapter 5, page 78, you wrote, “Arrowroot is renowned for its great restorative qualities. Lesser known, however, are its preservative powers. This accounts for its usage in the stasis solution used for preserving and maintaining the samples of highly degradable bats’ liver and hippogriff heart.” Yet, later on page 90 of the same chapter, second paragraph, third line from the bottom, it is stated, “The Stasis solution is unsuited to the preservation of delicate ingredients such as lacewing flies’ wings and dragonfly wings. When these gossamer ingredients were soaked in the stasis solution made from arrowroot, they degraded into a thin film. Given that the rest of the ingredients, as outlined above, viz., early morning dew, ground crab apple seeds, Peruvian dragon blood and mandrake juice, it is likely that the degradation is caused by the arrowroot binding to the dragon blood.”

However, sir, in Dumbledore and Flamel’s Uses of Dragon Blood, the authors’ state, “It is conclusively proven that dragon blood is a catalyst rather than a binding agent. Its chemical composition is a covalent bonded double tetra-hexagonal cat-ion, which prevents its breakdown into simpler forms.” This is in the second edition of Dumbledore and Flamel, page 143. In light of the fact that dragon blood cannot be broken down into the basic ionic compounds, it cannot bond chemically to arrowroot or its extracts. Arrowroot, regardless of its extracted form, can only bind itself to an HQ negative ion in the compound. Regardless of the species of dragon, dragon blood, according to von Blundt-Stätgarken, Extracts of Dragon Blood, is the same in consistency.

At first, I was in doubt as to whether von Blundt-Stätgarken’s theory held water. I was also confused as to the conflicting theories suggested by yourself and Dumbledore et. al.; as such, I conducted an experiment in my 7th Year Independent Study Module (ISM). Using the hybrid atropa-Sudan test, I substituted the various types of dragon blood (kindly donated by my module supervisor’s private stores) ceteris paribus. And I found that both Dumbledore et al and von Blundt-Stätgarken were correct in their assessment of the properties of dragon blood. I also took the liberty of creating a stasis solution from the various samples of dragon blood in which I soaked the other ingredients for preservation. The following observations were made:

1. the complete dissolution of lacewing fly wings

2. the dissolution of the gelatinous material of dragon wings.

Therefore, it leads me to extrapolate the conclusion that the arrowroot powder (which is the only non-liquid component of the stasis solution) contains a compound that breaks down the cellular structure of the gelatinous fibres of insect wings and other ingredients of similar molecular composition based on the CP-K-HN anion.

However, I am as yet unable to verify this theory as Hogwarts does not provide the facilities for student experimentation in breaking down potion ingredients. After presenting my finds to my supervisor, Professor Snape, I suggested that I ought to be permitted to access the staff research rooms to prove/disprove my theory. He has denied me the permission to use his personal workspace and dismissed my presentation (I believe, unfairly) on grounds that it discredits other factors. When pressed as to what these other factors were, I was hastily given an ‘Outstanding’ for this project. I plan to pursue my hypothesis to its logical conclusion in the Independent Potions Study Module for my next project. However, I am uncertain whether I will indeed have access the necessary research and experiments by the NEWT examinations. I am aware that you, unlike my supervisor, may instruct me to take this matter up again at a higher level, as my present abilities and knowledge maybe insufficient for the cause. But I assure you, I am keen on the subject and the results of this experiment. After what can be best described as a brief consultation with Professor Snape, he suggested that I “write to Dr Jigger of your findings so as to receive the set down you so richly deserve.”

As you can see, I have already taken the first step and have apprised you of my research findings. Perhaps you would (if you think it not too impertinent for me to ask) like to conduct an experiment on your own. If you do so, could I beg your indulgence to share the findings with me? You have my assurances on my discretion. I know better than to intellectually rob someone of their work.

I thank you for taking time to read this instead of dismissing this as a (1) fan letter, or (2) a letter written by an ignorant schoolgirl. If I should be in error in my descriptions or my hypothesis, kindly disabuse me of my preconceptions. I apologise for taking up your precious time. I earnestly hope that you will look into the matter I brought to your attention. It was neither my intention to disparage you nor become a pest.

Yours very sincerely,

Hermione Granger.

Footnotes

Proestigium is Latin for illusion. Ironically, the English word Prestige derives from it.