Letter 32: Arsenius Jigger to Hermione Granger, 17th June 1998

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 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 32: Arsenius Jigger to Hermione Granger, 17th June 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,

21 Fullers Road,

South Woodford,

London, E18 2QB,

United Kingdom

17th June 1998

Miss Granger,

I have received your draft three chapters for the Love Potions book. They shall be duly incorporated into it. You will have, by now, received my literary agent’s name card. If you have any queries on the publication, you would do well to consult him.

Your lesson plan is feasible. My only reservation lies in your desire to finish your entire honours course in 2 years. Do you think you can cope with your workload?

While I own myself flattered by your suggestion to meet up to discuss your academic work plan, I must decline your offer. I am an old man and a recluse; I do not change my habits for anyone. Your attentions to my person are misplaced, child. It would not be appropriate for us to consort informally. I prefer to keep all my academic relations strictly professional. If I had given you cause to think otherwise of my intentions, I apologise.

You must learn to curb your strong feelings, Miss Granger. You must learn how to govern them. Too much sentiment leads to thymos, or spiritedness, which in itself could lead to anger. This question of sentiment, be it eros, philia, agape or even storge is an important one. I encourage you to inculcate some scepticism on the matter of human sentiment, and its place in academia and politics. Sentiment of all sorts is very exclusive and very private – that’s why academics and politicians in our world are rarely married. We academics love knowledge, our books and the things that we do. However, most academics do not wish to be lovers in the conventional sense of the word. Why don’t we want to be lovers? Because we want to be successful conquerors of the academic world. We can only be successful if we are not distracted by conventional affection. Channel your eros to your work. You must not allow your focus to wane or be distracted. Sometimes, it is better to admire a beautiful object from afar. In so doing, you will not allow it to blind you and blight your life. Do you understand me, Miss Granger?

We shall discuss the matter of your thesis in our next letter.

I have heard about the successful wolfsbane-mallowsweet potion. Convey my compliments to Professor Lupin on his recovery.

Yrs.,

A. Jigger

Footnotes

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

In British universities (and universities in the Commonwealth), the undergraduate degree course lasts 3 years if you are interested in an ordinary Bachelor’s degree (e.g. B.A.) without honours. An Honours degree (e.g. B. A. (hons.)) would take an additional year. However, students can accelerate their degree programme if they so wished (as I did).

Readers familiar with my work will know that my interpretation of eros is not sexual love – rather it is the love for beautiful things. It can be something ‘intangible’ like virtue (though how one defines virtue is another can of worms and not for the footnotes).

Philia is love among friends and family. It is a type of love that demands something in return and can thus, die.

Storge is an ‘instinctual’ love, i.e. the love of a parent for a child. It is a type of love that demands something in return and can thus, die.

Agape is often understood as a kind of spiritual love, but I interpret it as affection to do with charity.