Letter 22: Arsenius Jigger to Hermione Granger, 20th March 1998

A/N: For simplicity’s sake, titles of books, journals etc are underlined and emphases 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 and a little OOC.

In order not to weary the reader’s patience, a number of letters from the series of correspondences have been suppressed; those only have been given which appeared necessary to a complete understanding of the events in this group. 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 22: Arsenius Jigger to Hermione Granger, 20th March 1998

Arsenius Jigger

c/o University of York,

School of Magical Arts

Faculty of Alchemy,

Potions Research Centre,

York,

United Kingdom

Miss Hermione Jane Granger,

Hogwarts Castle,

Head Girl’s Room,

Gryffindor Tower,

Scotland,

United Kingdom.

20th March 1998

Professor Snape has alerted me to your excellent progress in your present research endeavours. Your comments on the arrowroot article were most insightful. I shall make the suggested emendations to the article. While your corrections were very helpful, I take issue with your opinion on the research material quoted by Laird. You did not satisfactorily consider all the other factors in his paper.

By the bye, I have not heard your personal reports on your academic progress for a long time. Has your supervisor been giving you so many problems? Or have you decided, in the time honoured tradition of cretins and intellectual poseurs everywhere, that you have changed your mind on the potions project? Or has your infatuation for the subject waned and died like the ridiculous sentiments espoused by creatures your age? Come now, true passion does not die. When I was your age, I was never fickle. I knew what I wanted and went after it. Academia is a serious pursuit; it is a jealous mistress. You do not abandon her when she reveals so many facets of her character in all her glory to you. She does not lavish her attentions on merely anyone. Do not tell me she has wasted her efforts on you? If I had known that to be the case, I would not have bothered to send you the new edition of Magical Drafts and Potions. I ought to have sent Dark Potions to a more deserving recipient. I doubt you have taken the time to read it. If you have read it, you would have noticed that Chapter 10 deals with lycanthropy and its effects. Chapters 11-13 deal with possible methods through which lycanthropy can be alleviated and dare I add – perhaps cured. It postulates that arrowroot and mallowsweet could be brewed in our present wolfsbane formula. However, seeing how much you have strayed from the path of virtuous knowledge and educational decorum, you will undoubtedly no longer be interested in this fact or in aiding Professor Snape’s work. You could just apprise him of your erring changefulness. I am sure he will be more than happy to release you from your unpleasant shackles. He will, no doubt, welcome his regained liberty. Also, if you do not want the books I have sent, you can always return them.

A. Jigger.

Footnotes

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

Notice “Jigger’s” curt sign-off. Whatever does this mean? That, dear readers, is for you to discern. What does it portend for the correspondence? *gasp*