alt_hermione | Order only: cruciatus

I just found out I'm to be cruciated as punishment for Harry doing everything that we all did. Draco is too.

I don't think he means anything else by it, but I don't know, and I can't get out of it, and I don't know what to do, except think innocent.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_sirius

What?!

That slimy -

When do you go?

Minerva, can we get her anything to dull the pain?

Merlin, what if he uses legilimency?

From:

alt_bill

You mean...in front of Him?! They're hauling you in front of Him to do it?

Shite!

From:

alt_bill

When? When is this supposed to happen, Hermione. Do you know?

From:

alt_hermione

I don't. I don't even know if it'll be at the same time as Draco, or if it'll be soon or anything. He didn't say, but it can't be too long from now - Harry doesn't think so anyway.

From:

alt_sirius

Bill, do you think we could give her some sort of occlumency talisman? I dunno - a bead or a quill, something she could keep on her, that would help protect her from someone penetrating her thoughts?

Hermione - has he ever tried to probe your mind before?

From:

alt_hermione

He hasn't. I think he doesn't think it's worth it. I don't know though, he's gotten very strange, and Harry is worried too and he says he doesn't think he'll try to legilimise me but he can't know for sure...

From:

alt_frank

don't think anything like that exists, least not that I've heard.

you're not going to like this idea, but I'm going to see if Snape has any thoughts about it.

From:

alt_sirius

I'd be surprised if something did exist. But it should be possible to rig something.

From:

alt_frank

I agree. worth it to check out all our options. and kingsley knows a little, but snape knows more.

From:

alt_kingsley

You'd better tell me that both of them are sleeping right now, if you and Sirius are busy writing in your journals at the same time.

From:

alt_sirius

Yes, they're both kipped.

Well. They were. Frank's rousing Snape.

From:

alt_frank

one of us should stay behind and watch macnair while the other two see if snape knows anything.

From:

alt_sirius

That'd be me, I suppose.

From:

alt_frank

right.

From:

alt_kingsley

Do you want me to call in Benjy or Caradoc as reinforcements? Because I can, you know. Or we could get one of Turner's people in.

From:

alt_frank

macnair's still sleeping, and we'll still be in earshot if he needs any help.

From:

alt_sirius

I thought we didn't want to introduce them to anyone else just yet?

From:

alt_hermione

That's what I meant by 'think innocent.'

From:

alt_sirius

It might not be that simple.

Besides, it's harder than you'd think, to keep your thoughts focused while you're being tortured.

And yes, he can do both at the same time.

From:

alt_bill

There's another thing...Hermione's own Unbreakable Vow. If he breaks her mind open, she would be, in fact, revealing information about the Order. Could the vow then could kill her right there, even if it wasn't voluntary on her part?

From:

alt_sirius

Circe. You're simply full of uplifting revelations, Bill.

Morgana, I want a toke.

From:

alt_bill

Yeah, well, if I had one, I'd give it to Hermione instead, for when Voldemort's through with her. She's the one who has to go through this.

Bugger.

From:

alt_molly

Oh, Hermione!

How did you find out, dear? What do you know? Surely..surely we can...I mean, there must be something we can do!

From:

alt_molly

Alice, Frank...could Stephen prepare something, some potion, that she could take right beforehand?

From:

alt_arthur

Or could Poppy?

From:

alt_kingsley

I've never heard of a potion that does much at dulling cruciatus. And if there were one, I'm not sure it would be something that Poppy could brew.

Hermione--I don't even know what to say.

Bloody hell, we did all we could do to prepare Aurors to face that, back when we were doing training. But you're just a kid.

From:

alt_frank

I'll check.

dunno if any potion would help against legilimency, but we can get her something for the pain, or to relax her muscles.

maybe

I'll check.

From:

alt_frank

she's got her portkey.

cold comfort that.

sorry really doesn't do it justice, kiddo.

damn.

damn.

From:

alt_bill

But how could she activate it if--forgive me--she's writhing on the bloody floor? And if he uses legilimacy on top of that...he might crack her open and empty her mind before she could even react. And then it would be too late!

From:

alt_molly

Bill, that's just--don't be so cruel as to say such things!

Oh, this is horrible.

From:

alt_sirius

Yes, it's horrible, Molly. But it's also - and unfortunately - a real possibility.

Maybe she can avoid it by - I dunno, offering to take some other punishment?

Not that any of them should be punished.

Wait. WHY are you being punished, Hermione? I mean to say, what are they saying you did wrong?

From:

alt_frank

or she can get out now and avoid it altogether.

you'd have a place with us, hermione. you'd be safe. and you wouldn't have this sort of thing hanging over your head all the bloody time.

From:

alt_sirius

That's what I just said, Frank.

She should leave now.

From:

alt_sirius

Because the thing is, why punish them if they don't know that they had anything to do with Snape and Macnair getting away?

And I don't see how they could know that.

They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, is all.

From:

alt_kingsley

I'll remind you that you took an unbreakable Vow to keep from hurting Harry Marvolo, didn't you? If you persuade Hermione to disappear now or assist in her getaway, wouldn't that mean a world of trouble for the Marvolo kid? Would your Vow rebound upon YOU if he then gets in further trouble for that?

It's a long causal chain of events I'll admit, my friend. But I'm not in favour of anything that results in you dropping dead.

From:

alt_frank

that's pretty tenuous, mate.

what if it's me that persuades her instead?

From:

alt_sirius

It's my understanding that Hermione's being cruciated because for whatever reason, Voldemort won't cause physical harm directly to Harry.

So if she disappears, someone else might get hurt on his behalf but he won't suffer any harm himself.

I nominate Lucius Malfoy. Maybe it'll make him think twice about calling in Dementors when there are kids roaming about.

From:

alt_molly

Well, I think she should leave by portkey now!

From:

alt_kingsley

Merlin knows I don't want Hermione facing cruciatus. But if she does use the portkey, you realise we may never again have another opportunity to place someone so close to the heart of Lord Voldemort's court. It would be a huge loss for our intel.

From:

alt_bill

Damn you. Because you're right.

From:

alt_sirius

I'm not using a child to get us intelligence. Not like that.

From:

alt_frank

agreed. not bloody worth it.

no way.

From:

alt_nymphadora

I agree too.

I know you had to think of it Kingsley, and I don't blame you for having to say it, but I don't care two stitches for intelligence.

We have to get Hermione out, because it's not right that she has to go through this!

From:

alt_frank

he'd get information out of her, but she might have enough time to get away after.

at this point I'm not looking for her to get out without spilling anything, I'm looking for her to get out alive.

fucking hell, man, I really do not need that image in my head.

From:

alt_frank

knowing her, she's too bloody stubborn to just get out now.

goddamn.

From:

alt_bill

If he gets anything out of her, even if she escapes by portkey, it could compromise any of our Order operatives that Hermione knows about. And that means Minerva, or Kingsley, or the people at Sherwood. Or dammit, Mum and Dad and me.