Order Only: Private Message to Sally-Anne and Draco

[alt_hermione]

Mrs Longbottom asked me and Pansy to talk to the house-elves and find out what sort of magical compact binds them, in case we ever need them to work against a future Headmistress or Headmaster.

I tried to tell her that it just doesn't work like that. Isn't she pureblood? How is it possible she doesn't know that house-elves don't have written compacts? Or is it more that because she's a pureblood she's never even given a thought to what binds house-elves to their masters?

I mean, look at that miserable elf of Sirius's--he'd like nothing better than to stab Sirius in the heart and run to your mother, Draco--but he can't.

Now Pansy and I have to sweet-talk the elves to try to find out what the limits of their obedience are and it's a colossal waste of time.

Comments

[alt_sally_anne]

Did she grow up with elves? You're dead right about Creature, or whatever his name is. OH HOW MY GOOD OLD PUREBLOODED VOLDEMORT LOVING MISTRESS WOULD WEEP TO SEE FILTH TRACKING MUD ONTO HER CARPETING or whatever it was he was wailing the last time we were there. Did you point that out to her?

Though, Sirius knows that Creature hates him and is very, very careful about what orders he gives him. I mean, I assume he is, anyway. If there were a new Head they would assume that the Elves were on their side. The thing is, the Elves WOULD be on their side -- they weren't with Umbridge, but Umbridge was really a special case. Not least because the school itself didn't consider her the Head.

What elves mostly want is to take care of people. The ones at Hogwarts take care of students. But it would be pathetically easy for a new Head to say, 'Part of taking care of students is looking in everyone's trunk for seditious material, because we need to protect the good students from the wicked ones!' ... I mean, they'd have to give the elves a really clear explanation of what they MEANT by seditious material, but they'd be happy to check everyone's trunk, and keeping them out of places is HARD.

[alt_sally_anne]

Though you know it's probably not a terrible idea to put some thought into exactly what the risks would be, from the elves, if someone else took over as Head. We've never put a lot of thought into making sure the elves don't spy on us, and if the Head were loyal... that could be really dangerous.

[alt_draco]

What, I wonder, is the point of such efforts? Most of us are leaving Hogwarts in just over a year. If a new evil Headmistress or Headmaster is actually appointed in that amount of time, we'll deal with them the way we dealt with the last one.

I know that Mrs Longbottom is just trying to be proactive and protective and all that but can't we please, once and for all, stop shoring up the brick and mortar that's crumbling around us and just assassinate the Lord Protector?

I know, I'm getting ahead of things. But I feel like it's never discussed, or not nearly enough.

And of course Mrs Longbottom's privilege blinds her to the realities of house-elfdom. Purebloods have never NOT had house elves, as far as collective memory goes. And house elves have never not had us - that's the other angle to think about.

[alt_hermione]

Well, I think if anyone could have thought of a way to kill him, they would have done it. Oh, wait: Someone did kill him. He came back, remember?

Anyway, you'll be gone in another year but Evelyn and Luna will still be here. And Hydra. And...and I do think Mrs Longbottom's right to worry about Professor McGonagall. But I don't think the house-elves will be nearly as much help as she thinks.

[alt_draco]

You just said that talking to the house elves is a colossal waste of time. I'm AGREEING with you and you're chastising me for my excellent point that we need to focus our efforts elsewhere. Why are you even asking me for my advice and input if you just want to critique it every which way from Sunday?

[alt_hermione]

I'm not saying we shouldn't focus elsewhere! But it's not as if we can just walk right up to Voldemort and kill him. Maybe with one of Fred and George's joke hand buzzers? Or have you some brilliant idea in your pocket for when He puts the Mark on you?

And anyway, it's not that I don't understand why she'd want the house-elves but I was asking you because--oh, forget it.

Whenever there's anything to do with Grand Wizarding Tradition you always seem to know how everything's meant to work so I thought maybe, perhaps, you'd come up with an argument to Mrs L that would make sense to her. Obviously that's too much to ask while you're focusing on winning these ridiculous contests that require everyone to behave abominably, so fine. I never asked.

[alt_draco]

I never said I had all the answers or ideas, but we never talk about it - not nearly enough. Snape is the only person who's discussing my future on the council with me, the only one who's been honest about what that sacrifice will mean, and how important it is. Not that Mrs Longbottom hasn't tried - she has - but it isn't the same.

You overestimate how much I understand about the so-called Grand Wizarding Tradition. It's tradition not because it's deeply understood, but because that's just how it's always been. That's how they get you not to question it, after all.

And just tell her you don't want to do it. Just that. You're not her mudblood. You're not anyone's. If you don't want to do something, don't do it. Just don't.

[alt_hermione]

I'm not doing it because I'm a mudbl muggleborn. I'm doing it because she's the head of the Order and she asked me to do it.

Even if it's a colossal waste of time.

[alt_draco]

Yeah? Well enjoy that.

Private Message to Draco

[alt_hermione]

And.

About the Council.

If there's something you want to discuss.... Well, you could, you know. I mean, I'd listen. It just always seems like you'd rather not.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

I don't want you to try to talk me out of it.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_hermione]

But we've been through all that. I don't have to like it, any more than I like Mrs L asking me to talk to the bloody house-elves, but that doesn't mean I can't support you while not necessarily fancying the choice you've made.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

Every once and a while I get this very certain feeling. It's a foreign feeling, but certain just the same... I'm going to fail. I'm going to fail if things don't - if they don't change. I can't explain what I mean by that, though - not exactly. Not to you.

I think I just need to go to sleep for a while, or something.

I didn't mean to start a row with you, though.

[alt_sally_anne]

EXACTLY. Assassinating the Lord Protector, I mean.

[alt_sally_anne]

Um.

I mean, I agree with both of you.

You added those other things while I was

[alt_draco]

I'm just sick of planning for all these "what if" scenarios. Forget about what ifs...we have a big "what is" that keeps getting postponed and delayed because of one reason for another. Even if an assassination attempt failed, at least Voldemort would know that people want to kill him. That it wasn't just Selwyn, but all sorts of people, from the lowest low-life to the most "loyal" council member. At least he would know that whatever he does, his days are numbered.

[alt_sally_anne]

Most of us can't even get near him, is the thing.

You or Harry could try. But you're not even of age yet, and then if you fail (which -- no offense, you probably would) you'll be dead and useless to the Order for spying or anything else and for that matter it'll probably point Auror Lestrange toward all your friends, and

Yeah.

But

Mrs Longbottom doesn't like taking risks, she wants to talk and plan and try as hard as she possibly can to make these things NOT RISKY and meanwhile even if our people aren't dying, plenty of other people are. Only they're not in the Order, so.

[alt_draco]

I fully aware of the fact that I am being pushy, insistent, and unrealistic, but it's borne of a desire for more discussion, more planning - anything, even if none of it is feasible. Because isn't that the biggest goal of all? And don't we lose sight of it if we keep waiting until the time is right, or we have more intelligence, or whatever else?

Sorry. I'm really tired.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well don't we have to deal with that thing Dumbledore told us about that let him come back to life? I mean there's no point in sacrificing our lives to kill him if he's just going to come back AGAIN.

Then again I don't know what the Order is doing about THAT, either.

[alt_draco]

Horcrux.

Well, he had to exist inside Bellatrix for a little while. That's got to be pretty miserable, right?

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't know if making him miserable is exactly productive.

Besides, it almost certainly was the PEAK EXPERIENCE OF BELLATRIX'S LIFE.

[alt_draco]

And she has that ghastly silver finger to show for it.

But you know, at that moment, he was technically still alive, but he was considerably weakened and vulnerable. At the very least, we could discuss what we would do - could do - if that happened again.

[alt_sally_anne]

Like kill Bellatrix?

I think I'd be in favour of that on general principles.

[alt_sally_anne]

(It's rather odd calling her Bellatrix, I nearly always call her Auror Lestrange, even under the lock. I think part of me imagines she'll KNOW.)

[alt_draco]

Ha - if you think you're nervous, imagine Hydra. Even if she does have the benefit of being a natural occlumens, it wasn't always so.

Kill all of his followers, while they're all worked up trying to restore him to his body. That's why we need someone on the inside, isn't it?

[alt_sally_anne]

But that includes

Ugh.

Maybe. I guess.

What about your