Letter 40: Severus Snape to J. Alfred Prufrock, 8th December 2000

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 40: Severus Snape to J. Alfred Prufrock, 8th December 2000

Severus X. A. Snape

Malmaison,

Alecto's Way,

Leicestershire,

UK.

8th December 2000

It is all over. It is settled and peace can return once more. No more incessant presumptuous orders from you on what I ought to do! Put yourself at ease. I replied to Miss Granger this week. We were able to establish some form of agreement.* You need no longer worry. Everything has since been settled. What do you take me a fool? I do things in my own way, in my own time. I do not like having you or anyone else breathing down my neck. Do not patronise me in that vulgar manner again, Prufrock! Damn it, man! Do you think me so weak?

I shall be away for the next few weeks on some private business. Send the attached to Philosophical Alchemical Theory for me. It must go out TODAY. Do not question me. I have sent the raven on an errand and he will not be back till late. You have two bloody fat owls, think of it as exercise for them. It has to reach the editors of Philosophical Alchemical Theory by this afternoon if it is to be printed tomorrow. If I receive the journal on the 14th of December without that message, I will hex you into a Quintaped! Don't just sit there? Send an owl – NOW!

S. Snape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Philosophical Alchemical Theory , Vol. 67, No. 12.

Arsenius Jigger's December Message to the Readers

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Fortune has indeed been kind to the alchemical field, as we have had a year of tremendous breakthroughs in philosophical alchemy by new talents. Of the new talents in the field, the most notable has been Miss H. J. Granger. Organised to acknowledge this new talent, December's issue of Philosophical Alchemical Theory showcases a collection of papers on her theories in ancient and medieval epistemological potions. Louise Durkheim's Sur les règles de la méthode alchemique dans Hermione Granger analyses the train of thought and influences inherent in Miss Granger's writings. Ignoratio elenchi as favoured by Miss Granger's study of the ancients is explored by Ernest Mach in his article, Against the Irony of Illation. Sociobiology's role in Miss Granger's potions brewing is studied against her works in mallowsweet and wolfsbane in Gottlob Frege's Rational Practicality in Modernist Potion Brewing. Hans Feuerbach's Episteme in Alchemical Theory considers the cross-disciplinary applicability of Miss Granger's understanding of epistemological alchemy. Whither the unsophisticated sophistication? written by myself closes the selection of essays in honour of Miss Granger by extrapolating the theories in her revised 'Affectations of Li and Ren' potions and applying them to present political case studies.

On account of the new discoveries of mallowsweet properties, the March issue welcomes articles on that topic. Many will recall the debate on that topic in April's edition of Philosophical Alchemical Theory . Another non-speculative study of mallowsweet would be needed to bolster our understanding of this versatile substance. New contributors would do well to write to the journal at the address on the back blurb.

Women in alchemical studies will be the topic in our next issue. Instead of concentrating on women's discoveries in potions studies, the topic will encompass feminist theory in philosophical alchemy. Likely to be controversial, this new area of studies within Alchemy will undoubtedly be of much interest to true lovers of the discipline. Lately, this subfield has been rendered all the more important with several studies on the treatment of women in the theoretical alchemical writings of the ancients. Yesterday's notions of alchemical women are considered alongside modernist interpretations. Overarching this new subfield are two schools of thoughts: (1) the ancients were misogynists, and (2) some ancients were fostering radical feminist theories. Undoubtedly, the debate that will grow from the next issue will continue to a matter of discussion for most scholars in alchemy. Considering this then, it pleases me to announce that the Oxford University's Beaufort College is offering a summer programme on feminist alchemy theory next year. Early applicants will enjoy a fee waver.

As 2001 is also the year where we commemorate the 50th year of the discovery of the uses of dragon blood by Dumbledore and Flamel, Cambridge University's Wizarding Colleges are offering a special course on this topic. Severus Snape, D.Mag.A, will be guest lecturer for the session that will open during the Easter holidays on the misuses of the compound. East Anglia Wizarding Institute will send Professor Clifford Irwin. Peter Hildebrand from the University of Bristol will be chairing the session on the healing possibilities of dragon blood. Esther Maybank, an M.Mag.A student from Radcliffe College will be the discussant. Sessions on the by-products of dragon blood as well as the uses of cross-bred dragon blood will be run by Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. The sessions last a full day and should terminate shortly before dinner. Ethereality in carbonised dragon blood will be the chief workshop at the seminar and should last 3 days. Remus Lupin, M.Mag.A in theoretical dark arts, will be chairing the workshop on the applications of stale dragon blood in the field of the dark arts. Ivan IlyichYoussoupov from the Perershof Institute in Russia will host a special workshop on dried dragon blood and Herbology. Netherlands' George Mittlelalter will also chair a workshop on the versatility of Snape's tri-dragon-blood solution for healing and cleansing. Gretel Meyer, a sub Dean of the Alchemy faculty at Cambridge will treat the participants of the dragon blood seminar and workshops to a musical night where she will play Mahler's 4th on a piano constructed with vials of dragon blood. Mezzo-soprano, Ophelia Polonius will accompany her. Elson Wong, the head of the Alchemy department at Cambridge's New College will also unveil his latest publication on the by-products of distilled dragon blood. Interested participants must send their applications to "Dragon Blood Seminar and Workshops, c/o Miss Frances Price, General Secretary, New College, Cambridge University, Alchemy Department, Cambridge, United Kingdom." Fortis tenebra should be marked on the top left hand corner of the parchment. Interested participants are requested to submit their applications early. Closing dates for submissions are February 5th for international applicants, February 9th for applicants living in Scotland, Yorkshire, the Lake District and Wales, and 10th February for applicants residing elsewhere in Britain. Applicants are also advised to enclose a brief 2 page Curriculum Vitae. Participants in the seminar are expected to be self-funded. Institutional funding from New College will only cover the participants' board and food; transportation allowances cannot be claimed. Trinity College's Alchemical Research Institute, Cambridge, is presently running an essay competition, where the top 5 entries will obtain full funding for the seminar. Undergraduates are also encouraged to apply to attend the workshops if they are interested. Late applications will not be tolerated.

Alchemical research this year, though novel, could be considered an extension of work that has been previous collated by scholars of renaissance Italy. This is entirely fitting given that the fact that the works of the past are still relevant today. Every previous study was grounded in its belief that it was relevant to its modern environment, the issues covered at the conference and this issue of Philosophical Alchemical Theory are no exception. Very pleased am I to see such interest in the controversial debates surrounding this oft neglected field of the magical arts. Every effort has been made by present day scholars in rendering their work exoteric and readable. Research in esoteric alchemical theory has also seen a visible amplification due the work of recent scholars. Yvonne Roche, the editor of the Cambridge University Press's wizarding imprint states as much in her special introduction to this issue of Philosophical Alchemical Theory . Within the realm of the magical arts, I believe it is justifiable to call alchemy the most esoteric of the exoteric fields of study. Esoteric scholars of the Frankfurt school may decry the present trend of extrapolating alchemical theory, but I urge all the readers to embrace it. Little has been said thus far as to the importance of obscure philosophical texts on alchemy as a subject, as such, I feel that it I time that the field has broadened its scope. Lately, this has been occurring at a frightful pace. This, then, means that we must strive to read the ancient texts slowly so as to capture as their true meaning. Hence, this will enable us to discover the virtue of knowledge for its own sake. Esoteric and exoteric discussions of alchemy aside, I am confident that the discoveries made in the field will engender further debates and more discoveries. Now, I think we have arrived at a better understanding of this complex field.

In this hectic year, the discoveries and debates have truly taught us to question the fundamental truths that we have taken for granted in the alchemical field. As testament to that, this issue showcases some of the theories posited by the discipline's up and coming scholars. Contrary to expectations, I will not launch into a further explanation on the various theories that have been in constant discussion this year. Exponents of philosophical alchemy and theoretical potions may be disappointed on that account. Permit me then to wish one and all a good holiday. Thank you for the lively debates and intellectual exchanges.

Arsenius Jigger,

Editor.

Footnotes

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

Ignoratio elenchi literally means "misconception of the refutation" in Latin. This is where an author argues against something that the other party has not proposed; in doing so, the author anticipates the criticisms of his/her work. This has been done most effectively by Plato, Xenophon, Mo Tzu and Han Fei Tzu.

* Please note that Severus is lying in the letter. He still has not (1) replied to Hermione's letters, or (2) seen her. He is lying to Prufrock to keep him off his back, so to speak.

D.Mag.A – is the wizarding PhD

M.Mag.A – is the wizarding MA

Yes, I know I have appropriated the names of many philosophers, political theorists and literary characters in this. If you like, I can give 'pretend' points for this.

If you extract the first letter of each of the review's sentences (notice that I stress sentences, not every capital alphabet), they read, "FOOLISH WOMAN! WILL YOU CEASE PESTERING ME IF I CAPITULATE? VERY WELL THEN, I ACCEPT."

Readers have been asking me why HG and SS are communicating through journal articles rather than letters. The answer is simple – SS refuses to reply to HG's letters, instead he chooses to reply to her in kind through journal articles. Why journal articles? She started the ball rolling with the article annexed to letter 35. I assume as should you that SS and HG read, subscribe and contribute to several alchemical/potion journals.

By now, you should have realised that "corresponding" through journal articles is extremely tedious because HG and SS have to comb through all the potions and alchemical journals, find the other party's articles, decipher the message (if any) in the article and write a response to the person and the alchemical community. But when dealing with a stubborn man like Severus, what else can one do?