Operation Dinner Party

[Thom Pettigrew]

August,

I heard about a restaurant in Portugal which just opened this year. It's a magical place which serves spectacle, really: desserts engulfed in edible flame, color-changing wine, seafood that crawls onto your plate and cracks itself open, rice ssculptures which change based on your current topic of conversation. Anyway, it sounds like a delightful evening, and I want to go. It'd be good for the two of us to have a night out, don't you think? We haven't properly spoken since before the summer, really.

Do you think I ought to invite Leon? Of course I want him around, but I'm not sure whether he'll want to bring Mrs. Lupin, and whether it mightn't be a bit awkward for her to be the only female present. I can't really go about inviting women to dinner in Portugal, for appearances' sake, at least not until I'm out of mourning in a few months.

You could invite some feminine company along, though, and that would give Mrs. Lupin some companionship; you have a female cousin or two, don't you? It occurs to me that the best way to add women to the party without making it an altogether too large event is to invite some young women; no one who would need to drag a husband along, of course, just someone lively and witty. Your relation would make you a suitable chaperone, I think, or your sister.

Yes, I believe that's just the thing for it; find an unmarried young cousin of yours and I'll get in touch with Leon. When would be best for the dinner, do you think? I shall arrange the transportation.

T. Pettigrew

@August Echelon-Arnost
Yes, this entire letter is an elaborate ploy to get @Hannah Echelon out to dinner even though he's in mourning.
Also @Caroline Winthrop

  

[August Echelon-Arnost]

Thom,

November 2nd

That certainly sounds like an interesting restaurant! You should of course invite Leon - he'll enjoy the wine for sure - and I'm certain that Elsbeth will be interested as well.

I have acquired the consent of one of my half-siblings to allow my niece to come; she will, I think, enjoy a restaurant in Portugal. I am not sure how she will take to Elsbeth but that will at least prevent my dear sister from being the only female at the place.

It should be held on a Saturday; my niece is at the Pendergast School for Young Roses, and I do not believe that they can be removed otherwise, even with parental consent.

August

[Thom Pettigrew]

August,

I'd heard a bit about that school, but nothing substantial; what exactly do they teach the girls? Is it just a way to keep them occupied until they're married or does it have some purpose? It's fairly new, isn't it?

This cousin sounds ideal for the occasion. We'll fix the date for this Saturday, then. I'll have a portkey arranged. Would it be easier for your niece to depart from Irvingly, rather than Wellingtonshire? Of course she could Floo over, but it'd be a shame to have her arrive covered in soot. Young ladies can be particular about their appearance, even at casual events such as this.

Thank you for arranging things for your niece; this really does complete the party prefectly.

T. Pettigrew

  

[Thom Pettigrew]

Leon,

I've stumbled upon the grandest concept for a magical restaurant, which just opened in Portugal; it goes beyond "dinner and a show" to "dinner IS a show." August and I are going this Saturday evening, and of course you're coming, too. It would be silly not to share our portkey and even sillier to miss out on dinner; the place really does sound like quite a bit of fun. August is even bringing one of his nieces so that Mrs. Lupin will have some company. We've obviously thought of everything; we'll see you both Saturday at six.

T. Pettigrew

@Elsbeth Lupin

  

[August Echelon-Arnost]

Thom,

November 4th

I think that the school is supposed to transform them into the best debutantes possible, or something similar - I suspect that my uncle was just trying to keep his daughter busy and out of the house, or else to improve her marriage prospects by keeping her away from her mother.

I think that Irvingly will be easiest. I'll see you then.

August