Order Only: Private Message to Draco

[alt_hermione]

It's so quiet when Mr Lupin's off being a wolf, isn't it?

Have you found a good house yet? I was thinking that we don't want anywhere more than a mile or two outside the village, in case people have trouble Apparating. But far enough away that it's not obvious where we've gone. Maybe we could trek up round Upper Feldring and see what we find?

Oh, and I was reading some of Professor Dumbledore's notes about Tom Riddle. I think we should go to Little Hangleton, you know, just to have a look round and see if we can find anything there of interest.

Comments

[alt_draco]

Yes, but he's so tetchy beforehand that I take the quiet as a welcome relief.

Not yet. I know just the sort of set-up we need, but I've not come across it. I'm envisioning a tasteful sort of country house with some out buildings that no one will notice if one goes missing. Not right away, at least. Some place where the owners don't come 'round too often. Trouble is, it's a small village and almost everyone knows everyone, and they're all probably just itching for something to gossip about.

Does that mean you want to take off soon? Little Hangleton...home of Salazar's ancestors. Bet it's a right cheery place, that. Do you suppose it's too much to hope that Tommy Riddle hid a part of his soul in warm and sunny Ibiza?

[alt_hermione]

I wonder if--no, nevermind. Awful idea.

I've never really thought about what's near Hogsmeade that's not within the village itself. It seems to me there have got to be other places not too far away.

And yes, I think now that people are back at school we should at least try out our disguises and see what we can find out.

I feel bad for Harry, stuck there with just Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle. But I'm not really sure what to tell him about our plans, either. It seems like we'd just be gloating that we get to search and go on missions and he's got to keep up with lessons and such. Of course I wouldn't mean it like that but that's how it would probably sound.

Anyway, I imagine Little Hangleton's not going to be very informative, I mean, if it were, Professor Dumbledore would have told us already. But I just have a feeling we ought to see it. For ourselves, that is.

[alt_draco]

Yeah, I do want to see it, even if it ends up being decidedly not cheery. We can consider it a practise run to see what it's like to introduce ourselves to people as amateur artefact collectors, and ask them questions, and in general just get a sense of what it feels like to make ordinary conversation with wizards and witches who aren't in the Order.

Do you think it will feel strange for you to make that sort of ordinary conversation? Since you always had to present yourself as a downtrodden mudblood in public before, I mean. I suppose I will find it difficult not come across as some massively entitled prat. You'll have to keep me in line.

And what's your awful idea, anyway? You know I have to ask, now that you've said it.

[alt_hermione]

Oh, my idea--well. It was whether I could find a way to get my Wolfsbane potion to--to the Smythstone enclave, you know, and if--if anyone would use it if they got it there.

But see, that's really not a realistic idea, is it. So forget I said anything.

I don't know. I think what I'm worried about most is that I'll start a conversation and not be able to stop myself, after so many years of not being able to really talk to anyone. And I guess we'll just have to tell people that your family are well-connected or something, but I'll pinch you if you ever go too far.

[alt_draco]

Why don't you ask Black and Lupin? I don't know if it's realistic or not, as I know very little about the werewolf enclaves. But it never hurts to ask.

Alright, and I'll...pinch you, if you start doing that babbling thing you do.

Want to plan it out in more detail in the morning? I'll make breakfast. Really, I'm getting better on the scones, honest.

[alt_hermione]

Well, perhaps. I've a feeling I know what she--what they'll say.

And you don't have to learn to cook. When you tell Kreacher to bake things he does it and doesn't even burn anything. You can just use spells when we're on the road, if you like. But yes, let's go over our stories in the morning, and think about the sorts of antiques we're meant to be looking for.

I'm going to bed now, though. See you tomorrow.