OWLS: Oh really now? You want what? Hmmm, I'll have to think about it
Date: June 18, 2005
Characters: Rita Skeeter, Julian Avery
Location: Their respective locations
Status: Private
Summary: Julian wants to know the apparition coordinates. Rita has them. She is rather pleased by this turn of events.
Completion: Incomplete
The letter had come in sometime over the weekend, but Rita, having arrived home late Sunday evening after a day of showing Irma 'her' version of Paris - less tourist attractions and history than colour and vibrancy; places off the beaten path that she'd discovered while roaming the place in her youth - was too tired and in too pleasant a mood than to even open an owl that had clearly come from Julian Avery.
She hadn't even bothered to pick it up until Monday. The man had finally decided to owl? Well, he could wait. She certainly wasn't about to jump up and dash off a reply.
It was on Monday evening, fairly late - after opening a bottle of sweet Russian red wine that she'd bought at an import store in Paris - that she sat down at her writing desk and opened the seal.
Dear Skeeter Rita Ms. Skeeter,
No doubt you're surprised to hear from me after the last ten days. I am, however, home now, permanently and never with the intention of being otherwise. I've been informed some of the chaos that's taken place in my absence. Aside from leaving for France, everything else has been completely misconstrued.
I can hear your scepticism now, but I'm so certain of the truth that I'm willing to prove it. All I need is a bit of information. As I said, I've been told some of the particulars of this drama. I know you have knowledge of where to apparate to find him. Neither one of us may be inclined to do the other favours, but we both have a common goal here. Gilderoy's well-being matters greatly to us both.
He's come a long way in his recovery from that accident. There's no use in pretending, however, that he isn't fully suited to be by himself yet. Yes, of course, he's not completely alone if you have the means of visiting him. But ask yourself this: is that enough to solve the problem? And can you always be there with him, such as he needs? What wounds him deepest only I can remove. It's answers he wants, understanding he needs. Regardless of what he does with the truth, he cannot do anything without it. If I can give him nothing else, I wish to give him this bit of peace. I cannot do that, however, if I cannot go to him to explain.
I know we've shared little fondness, and even less trust, but this isn't about you and I, Rita. Or more precisely, it is about you, and your capacity as a sister to help your brother heal. He deserves to have the poison of Doubt removed. Please Please, I'm not asking for more than a chance to explain the facts to him. Whatever he does with the information, you have my wo you have my word I will honour his wishes. I simply want him to know.
Julian R. Avery
Rita couldn't help a tiny curl of a smile, a slightly predatory sort of annoyance. Oh, she could see what he was trying to do. He was courteous enough, and she could read the worry in his words, but there he was at the end, trying to make her feel guilty. The tone was just a touch too confident, not nearly acknowledging enough of the fact that she had all the power here. And that just wouldn't do.
She knew exactly what would happen if she gave in straight away, if Julian went over there now. A few darlings and muffins and I love yous, and Gilderoy would give in completely. He'd accept without question what Julian had to say, because anything that made it all better and stopped him feeling sad would be enough for him. He'd conveniently forget his conspiracy theories and questions about why there had been no contact in favour of Julian's obviously logical explanation, and there'd be no maybe Rita wasn't lying to me, maybe she was making sense, maybe she was telling the truth about Deatheaters and maybe I should stop presuming everyone is out to wound me. It would be nauseating, and Gilderoy would go back to thinking that Rita somehow wanted to break them up and wasn't to be trusted.
And Julian Avery would not have Gilderoy think that of her again. Not after everything she'd said to defend the man.
Rita lifted her quill.
Mr Avery,
You seem to believe Gilderoy is some sort of child who needs to be constantly looked after. I am aware of his medical condition, and why he should not be alone, but I assure you he is not. The house-elf Knobby is taking good care of him, along with two others who remained on his estate in his absence. He is well tended to, and if at any point he ceases making contact, I know where to find him. He has asked me not to share the apparition coordinates with anyone, and I feel I should respect his wishes. He is an adult, after all.
In regards to knowing the truth, you may be right. He does need some explanation - from you - about what happened, because he is quite convinced that you decided to stay in France with Carolyn and not come back to him. It was impossible to suggest other possibilities to him, and believe it or not, I did try. I am a journalist, after all, and your letter was incomplete, as as such offered only part of a story, and Gilderoy's interpretation was only one possibility of many. I did attempt to offer others, because to see him so dejected and miserable in his belief was rather painful.
It is for this reason, however, that I am most inclined to respect Gilderoy's wishes. He needs time to think. He needs an explanation. I don't see why such an explanation cannot be made in writing, by owl. As far as I know, Holly is making daily trips to the Gildery Shoppe, and it is quite possible for you to send a letter via her.
Seeing you is probably the very last thing he needs at the moment, because I suspect that doing so would complicate the explanation you were trying to give him. He was morose, staring at a picture of you from Hogwarts, and quite frankly I doubt that you would not use his relief at finally seeing you to your advantage.
Unless you can think of some other reason why you might need to physically be in his presence to make such an explanation, I think it would be best for me not to betray my promise to Gilderoy by giving you the information he asked me not to share with anyone.
Rita Skeeter
Rita read the letter over once, smiled, and sent it off with Gilda.
Characters: Rita Skeeter, Julian Avery
Location: Their respective locations
Status: Private
Summary: Julian wants to know the apparition coordinates. Rita has them. She is rather pleased by this turn of events.
Completion: Incomplete
The letter had come in sometime over the weekend, but Rita, having arrived home late Sunday evening after a day of showing Irma 'her' version of Paris - less tourist attractions and history than colour and vibrancy; places off the beaten path that she'd discovered while roaming the place in her youth - was too tired and in too pleasant a mood than to even open an owl that had clearly come from Julian Avery.
She hadn't even bothered to pick it up until Monday. The man had finally decided to owl? Well, he could wait. She certainly wasn't about to jump up and dash off a reply.
It was on Monday evening, fairly late - after opening a bottle of sweet Russian red wine that she'd bought at an import store in Paris - that she sat down at her writing desk and opened the seal.
Dear Skeeter Rita Ms. Skeeter,
No doubt you're surprised to hear from me after the last ten days. I am, however, home now, permanently and never with the intention of being otherwise. I've been informed some of the chaos that's taken place in my absence. Aside from leaving for France, everything else has been completely misconstrued.
I can hear your scepticism now, but I'm so certain of the truth that I'm willing to prove it. All I need is a bit of information. As I said, I've been told some of the particulars of this drama. I know you have knowledge of where to apparate to find him. Neither one of us may be inclined to do the other favours, but we both have a common goal here. Gilderoy's well-being matters greatly to us both.
He's come a long way in his recovery from that accident. There's no use in pretending, however, that he isn't fully suited to be by himself yet. Yes, of course, he's not completely alone if you have the means of visiting him. But ask yourself this: is that enough to solve the problem? And can you always be there with him, such as he needs? What wounds him deepest only I can remove. It's answers he wants, understanding he needs. Regardless of what he does with the truth, he cannot do anything without it. If I can give him nothing else, I wish to give him this bit of peace. I cannot do that, however, if I cannot go to him to explain.
I know we've shared little fondness, and even less trust, but this isn't about you and I, Rita. Or more precisely, it is about you, and your capacity as a sister to help your brother heal. He deserves to have the poison of Doubt removed. Please Please, I'm not asking for more than a chance to explain the facts to him. Whatever he does with the information, you have my wo you have my word I will honour his wishes. I simply want him to know.
Julian R. Avery
Rita couldn't help a tiny curl of a smile, a slightly predatory sort of annoyance. Oh, she could see what he was trying to do. He was courteous enough, and she could read the worry in his words, but there he was at the end, trying to make her feel guilty. The tone was just a touch too confident, not nearly acknowledging enough of the fact that she had all the power here. And that just wouldn't do.
She knew exactly what would happen if she gave in straight away, if Julian went over there now. A few darlings and muffins and I love yous, and Gilderoy would give in completely. He'd accept without question what Julian had to say, because anything that made it all better and stopped him feeling sad would be enough for him. He'd conveniently forget his conspiracy theories and questions about why there had been no contact in favour of Julian's obviously logical explanation, and there'd be no maybe Rita wasn't lying to me, maybe she was making sense, maybe she was telling the truth about Deatheaters and maybe I should stop presuming everyone is out to wound me. It would be nauseating, and Gilderoy would go back to thinking that Rita somehow wanted to break them up and wasn't to be trusted.
And Julian Avery would not have Gilderoy think that of her again. Not after everything she'd said to defend the man.
Rita lifted her quill.
Mr Avery,
You seem to believe Gilderoy is some sort of child who needs to be constantly looked after. I am aware of his medical condition, and why he should not be alone, but I assure you he is not. The house-elf Knobby is taking good care of him, along with two others who remained on his estate in his absence. He is well tended to, and if at any point he ceases making contact, I know where to find him. He has asked me not to share the apparition coordinates with anyone, and I feel I should respect his wishes. He is an adult, after all.
In regards to knowing the truth, you may be right. He does need some explanation - from you - about what happened, because he is quite convinced that you decided to stay in France with Carolyn and not come back to him. It was impossible to suggest other possibilities to him, and believe it or not, I did try. I am a journalist, after all, and your letter was incomplete, as as such offered only part of a story, and Gilderoy's interpretation was only one possibility of many. I did attempt to offer others, because to see him so dejected and miserable in his belief was rather painful.
It is for this reason, however, that I am most inclined to respect Gilderoy's wishes. He needs time to think. He needs an explanation. I don't see why such an explanation cannot be made in writing, by owl. As far as I know, Holly is making daily trips to the Gildery Shoppe, and it is quite possible for you to send a letter via her.
Seeing you is probably the very last thing he needs at the moment, because I suspect that doing so would complicate the explanation you were trying to give him. He was morose, staring at a picture of you from Hogwarts, and quite frankly I doubt that you would not use his relief at finally seeing you to your advantage.
Unless you can think of some other reason why you might need to physically be in his presence to make such an explanation, I think it would be best for me not to betray my promise to Gilderoy by giving you the information he asked me not to share with anyone.
Rita Skeeter
Rita read the letter over once, smiled, and sent it off with Gilda.