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alt_padmaDear Lana,
How are you? I hope you're having a good summer. It certainly seems quiet from where the rest of us sit, which must mean you Aurors are keeping us all quite safe!
I wanted to check in with you, as my sponsor. I know that now that I'm on the Council you're technically not responsible for me, but it was your confidence in my skills that helped Our Lord to notice me in the first place. And I know that my actions still reflect on you, so please believe I don't want to do anything that would damage your reputation among our colleagues in any way.
So, I thought you would like to know that since Seamus and I were Marked, Harry has been asking us to accompany him all round the Protectorate. We've been going to camps and schools and things. I think he's touring so that he'll be ready to assume some sorts of responsibilities once we leave school, y'know, and he wants to build up contacts and establish a profile all over the country with administrators and teachers and so on so that when Our Lord puts him in charge of whatever he's to take over, he'll already have relationships with people. Which is really rather clever, honestly. And I'm honoured that he's chosen me and Seamus to go with him, obviously.
But something odd happened when we were on our last outing. We were talking about Pavs' wedding, coming up, and out of nowhere, Harry said that now that I'm on the Council, I'd have to set aside our religion.
Well, I know he doesn't really have a religion, not the same way some of us do--although of course, everyone seems to celebrate Christmas and things like that--so I tried to reassure him that there's no conflict at all between observing my family's traditions and also being a devoted servant to Our Lord. And he sort of squinted at me, y'know, and said that he wasn't saying it as a suggestion.
I'm not sure exactly what he thinks he means by that--I mean, I know what he thinks he means, and I would never ever want to offend Our Lord by disrespecting Harry. It just seemed so very strange that he would focus on that one thing. And I mean, again, it sounded like the kind of thing that only someone who doesn't really understand a family's religious traditions would say. As if lighting incense or paying homage to our ancestors would present a problem for Our Lord.
But you didn't stop being Catholic just because Our Lord added you to His Council. And I know Professor Dolohov considers himself both Orthodox and Egyptian, so he technically observes two religions. And like I said, everyone celebrates Christmas and no one thinks that's an issue. I just don't understand why it would even occur to Harry to be so insistent about it. And I mean, he sort of was fierce, especially for him. I mean, I don't know how well you know him but you know he tends to be awfully, well, feeble when it comes to telling people what to do. I'm sure it's something he'll get better at doing, with time, and maybe he was practising? But he was definitely trying to be stern about it. Honestly it was hard not to laugh, because he was terribly sincere, and it's such a silly thing for him to decide to care about. Is it just because he doesn't know anything about Hinduism?
So, I'm not really sure what to do. I mean, Harry's Harry, not Our Lord, but on the other hand, he is Our Lord's son and I want to respect that, of course. But he just doesn't know what he's saying. Or rather, he doesn't understand why what he's saying is rubbish. And I don't want to upset or offend him but it's really rather ridiculous to take that sort of an order from him when it's not even something required of being on the Council. I'm trying to think of a way to explain that to him, gently, of course.
Unless, of course, Our Lord does feel that it's problematic? But if He did, then why wouldn't He have asked us to give it up before we swore our loyalty oath?
Well, anyway. I'm interested to hear what you think about it.
With great regard,
Padma
How are you? I hope you're having a good summer. It certainly seems quiet from where the rest of us sit, which must mean you Aurors are keeping us all quite safe!
I wanted to check in with you, as my sponsor. I know that now that I'm on the Council you're technically not responsible for me, but it was your confidence in my skills that helped Our Lord to notice me in the first place. And I know that my actions still reflect on you, so please believe I don't want to do anything that would damage your reputation among our colleagues in any way.
So, I thought you would like to know that since Seamus and I were Marked, Harry has been asking us to accompany him all round the Protectorate. We've been going to camps and schools and things. I think he's touring so that he'll be ready to assume some sorts of responsibilities once we leave school, y'know, and he wants to build up contacts and establish a profile all over the country with administrators and teachers and so on so that when Our Lord puts him in charge of whatever he's to take over, he'll already have relationships with people. Which is really rather clever, honestly. And I'm honoured that he's chosen me and Seamus to go with him, obviously.
But something odd happened when we were on our last outing. We were talking about Pavs' wedding, coming up, and out of nowhere, Harry said that now that I'm on the Council, I'd have to set aside our religion.
Well, I know he doesn't really have a religion, not the same way some of us do--although of course, everyone seems to celebrate Christmas and things like that--so I tried to reassure him that there's no conflict at all between observing my family's traditions and also being a devoted servant to Our Lord. And he sort of squinted at me, y'know, and said that he wasn't saying it as a suggestion.
I'm not sure exactly what he thinks he means by that--I mean, I know what he thinks he means, and I would never ever want to offend Our Lord by disrespecting Harry. It just seemed so very strange that he would focus on that one thing. And I mean, again, it sounded like the kind of thing that only someone who doesn't really understand a family's religious traditions would say. As if lighting incense or paying homage to our ancestors would present a problem for Our Lord.
But you didn't stop being Catholic just because Our Lord added you to His Council. And I know Professor Dolohov considers himself both Orthodox and Egyptian, so he technically observes two religions. And like I said, everyone celebrates Christmas and no one thinks that's an issue. I just don't understand why it would even occur to Harry to be so insistent about it. And I mean, he sort of was fierce, especially for him. I mean, I don't know how well you know him but you know he tends to be awfully, well, feeble when it comes to telling people what to do. I'm sure it's something he'll get better at doing, with time, and maybe he was practising? But he was definitely trying to be stern about it. Honestly it was hard not to laugh, because he was terribly sincere, and it's such a silly thing for him to decide to care about. Is it just because he doesn't know anything about Hinduism?
So, I'm not really sure what to do. I mean, Harry's Harry, not Our Lord, but on the other hand, he is Our Lord's son and I want to respect that, of course. But he just doesn't know what he's saying. Or rather, he doesn't understand why what he's saying is rubbish. And I don't want to upset or offend him but it's really rather ridiculous to take that sort of an order from him when it's not even something required of being on the Council. I'm trying to think of a way to explain that to him, gently, of course.
Unless, of course, Our Lord does feel that it's problematic? But if He did, then why wouldn't He have asked us to give it up before we swore our loyalty oath?
Well, anyway. I'm interested to hear what you think about it.
With great regard,
Padma
no subject
Date: 2014-07-18 10:50 pm (UTC)I'll grant you that's not something that seems to have come up before. It hasn't for me. Or Antosha, so far as I'm aware. He certainly is open about his religious practices.
...
Do you- Only, I wonder how Marvolo proposes to know if you continue. Perhaps all he's asking really is for you not to mention it? You do, sometimes, you know. Like when you and Rohani and Goshal would put lights out onto the lake. That sort of thing.
You don't think he means you oughtn't to be part of your sister's wedding, do you? Though...
That makes me think it's a sort of loyalty test. He's asking you to set aside something he knows you value, and doing it will show how much more you value him. If he were a boyfriend, I'd say you should drop him. But you see, don't you? That's the point of the parallel.
Whatever he means, you'll have to do it. That's that.
But you need to figure out what he really is asking and what you have to do to satisfy him that you're doing what he's said.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-18 11:22 pm (UTC)Only of course, the thing is that our gods don't work like that. Not exactly. I mean, there are hundreds of them, for one thing, and none of them are the most important compared to any other--I mean, some are more powerful or more important than others, naturally, but it's more like your saints, in a way. So of course Our Lord comes first (I mean, I told him as much).
And it's not as if I would ever not prioritise Our Lord's orders above observing Diwali (that's the one with the lights) or anything like that.
So I think maybe it's just that he doesn't understand how it fits.
But then the question is how to convince him that it's not as important as he thinks it is. I guess you're right and maybe a first step is to not mention it.
Only it's not fair thatThanks.
What have you been working on? If you can say, that is.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-18 11:59 pm (UTC)Mind you, what we got was nothing compared to the arrest Crouch scored yesterday: a major potions lab where they were making seriously illegal things. You're sure to read about that one in the papers tomorrow or Sunday.
How are preparations for the wedding coming? It's soon, isn't it?
no subject
Date: 2014-07-19 12:39 am (UTC)Pavs' wedding is in just about two weeks. Actually, Inderpal proposed Freedom Day because then, he says, the whole country will be having a party on their anniversary every year. (I think it's because then it'll be easier for him to remember.) But of course, we didn't know when they planned it then that I would be on the Council, so I know mum wanted to send out a load of last-minute invitations but I'm sure most everyone already has plans and responsibilities. (Did you and Ned get yours? It would be lovely if you could come by, even the reception. I think you'd really enjoy it.)
Pavs is going absolutely spare over every little detail. Yesterday she had one of the shopgirls take out a whole section of the embroidery on her sari because, she said, there was a missed stitch about half a foot from one seam. Mum's about to ban her from the shop if she makes any more changes to the charms on them, too.
But the flowers are coming along nicely and for once, mum and the aunts agreed that we should let the caterers do the cooking, because there's going to be mountains of food and we'd have to start next week if we wanted it all to be done in time. Let the hall take care of it, I say, I bet they have elves or mudbloods or something.
And Haruman showed me the dhoti sherwani he's planning to wear and if he doesn't make someone fall in love with him in that, then there's just no hope for him!
no subject
Date: 2014-07-19 01:35 am (UTC)Oh, we did receive the invitation. Ned opened it and didn't put it on the calendar. Honestly, sometimes. So, of course, we'll come! At least for the reception. I'm not sure what my work schedule will be, but we definitely want to come.