ORDER ONLY: Help with wands

[alt_hermione]

I've been trying and trying to put this off, because I've been afraid of what you all will say, but I simply have to tell you, now that everyone's going home - 

Terry and I have a few friends who are helping us hide our wands. They're in these little braided bracelets and they come out when we need them. We couldn't have done the charms work ourselves. But we promised them we'd never tell anyone who they are so I can't tell you! I mean, they think that someone must have given us the wands, but they don't know who or how, or how many of you, so they're really afraid that you'll get caught and tell someone that they helped us, so I can't tell.

I hope it's all right. I don't see how else things would possibly have worked. But you must understand that I simply can't tell who they are, I can't, they trust me not to...

Comments

[alt_frank]

hey kid.

good to know you've both got some friends there that you can trust like that. and yeah, it's a bit tricky to sort out who will keep you safe, but you're pretty smart about that sort of thing. and it might be good to have some kids your age that will cover for you if you need it. just be careful is all.

you're pretty good at keeping secrets, after all, you've done a good job keeping ours. and you know what it would mean if either of you got caught, so by my reckoning, it's good you're taking precautions and all. especially Terry -- never know what'll happen with that bastard Carrow out of Azkaban.

any road, I trust you.

[alt_hermione]

Thank you - it means ever so much - I mean, I'll try not to let you down.

[alt_kingsley]

It's not you letting us down that worries me so much as your friends letting YOU down. And therefore endangering us all.

A chain will break at its weakest link. Can you really trust your friends that much, Hermione? Trust them with your and Terry's lives? Because that's what you're doing, letting them know you have a wand. (Or did you not reveal that?) I doubt you have the same protection that we do, that there's an Unbreakable Vow involved.

(And if there is, I have a hunch Minerva would hex you pretty thoroughly.)

[alt_poppy]

I'm not certain how I feel about what you say here, but I will take your word that you have not compromised our secret in this. I do appreciate how difficult your situation is, and it is heartening to think you have friends beyond the Order.

But, Miss Granger, what you say is also worrying. I take it that these friends are students. In fact, I'd be alarmed if that is not what you mean. But I must ask you, please, to consider showing your bracelet to the Headmistress before you leave school tomorrow. While I know that some of our students are very accomplished, I should not feel at all comfortable trusting your safety to the soundness of the spellwork you describe. You know what peril it would be to reveal to the Lord Protector that you have a wand in your possession, and you know how penetrating his scrutiny can be. Trust me when I say that he can pierce the deflecting magic of even very accomplished spells with a casual glance. I also know that you have felt in the past that He does not pay you any mind, but you must not count on that always being so. It would take only a moment of his attention and all might be lost.

This is my request, then: please make time to see the Headmistress before you leave school tomorrow. I'm sure we can arrange something to cover for that visit. Allow Professor McGonagall to examine the enchantments on your bracelet, and if she believes them to be sound, I will accept her judgement. Otherwise, I urge you not to take the wand with you to Buckingham: the result could be calamity for you and for us all.

[alt_frank]

good advice Poppy.

[alt_hermione]

All right.

Only I don't think that I can get Terry to do it without tipping him off that the Headmistress is in on it! I mean, he's got one too, and even if mine's faulty his might be, and I know it's not so bad for him because he doesn't have to go to Buckingham but I'd still be worried. I mean he might run into anyone too, it's not as though the Lord Protector never comes to Hogwarts, and he'd be doubly at risk if I was discovered, wouldn't he?

[alt_frank]

you're right -- yours is more important to check of the two. and if the same spells are on his, and yours passes muster, that should be good enough.

[alt_arthur]

I'll admit, my first reaction upon reading this was shock, as well as a little bit of anger. After all, we entrusted you with some extremely important secrets and it was painful to think you might have revealed them to someone else.

But Molly and I have talked it over, and, well, I think I have a bit more perspective after going through what we did with Ron at the beginning of the year. In fact, secrets ARE sometimes too big to bear alone, and giving you a wand did put you (as well as Terry) in a difficult position, especially given your precarious legal status. I'm afraid I didn't entirely consider all of the ramifications in that light.

But the fact that you took an Unbreakable Vow to safeguard the secrets of the Order (and you're still alive and well) makes that it quite clear that you haven't betrayed us. Of course, Minerva and Poppy and Pomona would do everything they could to keep you safe. But I must admit, the idea behind the bracelets as you've described them is quite sound, and a sensible further precaution. In fact, I'm ashamed we didn't think of ourselves.

I would say 'do be careful, Hermione.' But the fact that you and your friends dreamed up these bracelets and you were honest enough to be truthful with us about it shows that you are being careful.

I do believe I chose very well to recommend your induction into the Order, my dear. Well done.

[alt_molly]

I agree.

I must say, I'm quite eaten up with curiosity about how the bracelets work. You say the wands 'come out' when needed? How does that work? If it's a charm, it sounds like a rather advanced one. Did you think of it, or Terry, or was it one of your friends?

(I do hope there aren't too many other people involved! The fewer who know, the safer you and Terry will be.)

[alt_sirius]

I think it's very good news, indeed.

First off, it's a genius solution - which straight off the tick is going to appeal to me. I'd love to know more about how it works; might be useful if we're going to get more wands to more people who might have to hide them.

Second, I think Moony would agree that friends who will keep your secrets even when it means breaking the rules (and hiding an occasional illegal and dangerous magical item) may be the best friends you'll ever have. (Though that's not to say that they might not betray you, given the right circumstances, so keep a weather eye out for anyone who starts to get twitchy.)

Third, it's the best reassurance I've had in a while that the Death Eaters haven't won, and will not win, not as long as there are students at Hogwarts who are determined to be decent to you and Terry and anyone else in your situation. That's better than knowing you've got a safe way to keep the wand - and knowing that is extraordinarily good news.

That said, I guess I have to agree with the others that you need to be careful. But if you're already communicating openly enough that they'd construct these devices for you, I think you all already know that your safety is in each others' hands. It's true that the consequences for you or Terry would be more severe than your friends - but that's not to say that they don't stand to lose a great deal if their collaboration were discovered.

Anyway - good on you all for figuring out the spells, and have a good summer, kiddo. And tell Harry - well, if you get a chance, tell him you're sure his real dad would have been proud of him this year.