Settling into the routine
Jul. 9th, 2010 03:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_percyI've been here enough days to draw a deep breath and take stock of what's happened so far. I feel extraordinarily lucky to have had this opportunity and I've already learned so much.
Mr Malfoy's St James' offices are indeed a very pleasant place to work, and Mr Crispin, Mr Malfoy's personal secretary, has been entirely kind and helpful. I share an office with him, overlooking the quiet tree-lined square outside. I am most impressed with Mr Crispin's breadth of knowledge and the myriad ways that he makes himself useful to a man of Mr Malfoy's standing. Being a personal secretary does not mean merely scribing letters and reports. No, indeed! There are so many people vying--quite rightly--for Mr Malfoy's precious time and attention, and so much information that flows through his office. An effective personal secretary needs to help sort out which people must be seen immediately and which turned away, and he needs to triage the reports, memoranda, articles, media, correspondence, etcetera, somehow distilling the information down so that it is available at Mr Malfoy's fingertips at a moment's notice. Sometimes the pace seems quite brisk--I never saw a place that received so many owls or floo calls--but somehow Mr Crispin manages to keep track of everything. He assures me that it all becomes easier with practice.
I have had the opportunity to meet so many exceedingly interesting people. Directors of various corporate boards, officers at the Ministry, members of the Court at Buckingham, and, of course, always the press. This week has had additional activity, what with the family wedding this weekend. Mrs Malfoy stopped earlier today, to have lunch with Mr Malfoy. I had never met her before, but she could not have been more gracious. I can certainly see why she is considered one of the most important hostesses of society.
It is always a rather curious feeling to leave each Friday. After the week spent here, at the heart of the Protectorate, the Burrow always seems strangely...remote.
Mr Malfoy's St James' offices are indeed a very pleasant place to work, and Mr Crispin, Mr Malfoy's personal secretary, has been entirely kind and helpful. I share an office with him, overlooking the quiet tree-lined square outside. I am most impressed with Mr Crispin's breadth of knowledge and the myriad ways that he makes himself useful to a man of Mr Malfoy's standing. Being a personal secretary does not mean merely scribing letters and reports. No, indeed! There are so many people vying--quite rightly--for Mr Malfoy's precious time and attention, and so much information that flows through his office. An effective personal secretary needs to help sort out which people must be seen immediately and which turned away, and he needs to triage the reports, memoranda, articles, media, correspondence, etcetera, somehow distilling the information down so that it is available at Mr Malfoy's fingertips at a moment's notice. Sometimes the pace seems quite brisk--I never saw a place that received so many owls or floo calls--but somehow Mr Crispin manages to keep track of everything. He assures me that it all becomes easier with practice.
I have had the opportunity to meet so many exceedingly interesting people. Directors of various corporate boards, officers at the Ministry, members of the Court at Buckingham, and, of course, always the press. This week has had additional activity, what with the family wedding this weekend. Mrs Malfoy stopped earlier today, to have lunch with Mr Malfoy. I had never met her before, but she could not have been more gracious. I can certainly see why she is considered one of the most important hostesses of society.
It is always a rather curious feeling to leave each Friday. After the week spent here, at the heart of the Protectorate, the Burrow always seems strangely...remote.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-07-09 08:59 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-07-09 09:00 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-07-09 09:02 pm (UTC)I'm sure you'll be very careful during those lunch conversations. But anything you can glean about his state of mind, your mother and I would be glad to hear. He might be more open about talking about certain opinions with a brother than with his parents.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-07-09 09:03 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-07-09 09:03 pm (UTC)