Order Only: Private Message to R J Lupin

[alt_sirius]

Just passing along a message. I was talking with Terrie last night and she said she'd heard about how you got sacked from Hogwarts, at the end of Harry's first year. And she said that she sort of figured when you disappeared that you'd joined 'my organisation'.

Of course, I told her I couldn't tell her the names of anyone else in 'my organisation' (and really, I can't seem to get anyone round here to understand that I'm certainly not in charge of the Order!).

She gave me that smile - you know, the one where the tips of her teeth show and she looks about half an inch away from throwing a hex - and she said, 'Right, but you were best mates, and no one ever believed that sniping act you pulled in the journals. So where else would he go? You and Alice thought up some way to hide him. And I know, you can't tell me if you're working with Alice, either. But it makes sense, you have to admit. Anyway, if you are, and you happen to talk to them, however it is you talk to them, tell them well done. And I miss them.'

I changed the subject, but I'm passing that along.

She's off at work now. I guess now I know how you feel watching our Dora go off to the Ministry for her shifts ... only I don't think there's anyone at the Ministry aiming to molest Dora on a regular basis. Merlin, I'd like to punch that Birchmore bloke - and that was before she and I - er, reconnected.

Anyway. Looks as if I'll be round here for a bit, but I could probably come down for the full moon. If you liked, that is.

Comments

[alt_lupin]

I don't know that I did anything much to be congratulated on, just skipping out on the mess that followed after everything with Walden Macnair, but it's kind of her to think of me. I suppose it'd be terribly unwise to confirm anything by passing a message back, but whether she knows it or not, I'm glad she's.. all right doesn't seem accurate, given the circumstances she's found herself in, but I'm glad she's hanging in there. And I'm glad she knows there's a real reason to have hope for the future.

I am you glad you've found her, you know. For you, as well as for her.

If there are any wandering hands at the Ministry, I rather doubt Dora would tell me. She and Alice already think I'm overreacting about all this. They don't seem to understand, it's not that I don't trust her to take care of herself, or that I think she can't handle the risk of working clandestinely, and it's certainly not because she's a woman. I just know how much risk we're all in, and how quickly it can all go wrong.

If she gets into trouble, I'd rather it be when I'm there with her to throw myself in front of the hex. You know?

Dora thinks I'm just being old fashioned about it, but it's not that at all. I'd do the same for you if you were in trouble. Or Alice, or even Harry and he probably still thinks I was in on Macnair's plot to kill him. That's just what you do for people you

Anyway, yes, suffice to say I'm always very relieved when she arrives back home safe and sound, as I'm sure you are when Terrie's day reaches an end.

We meant what we said before, you're always welcome. Any time. But full moons especially. A little company does make it that much easier to endure. And we'd both be very glad to see you.

[alt_sirius]

I think she just meant that anytime the Death Eaters don't get what they want - whether it's smuggling a muggleborn child out of the camps or keeping you out of the werewolf enclaves - it's a good job.

We've been talking about what sort of information she could provide that wouldn't put her at any greater risk. That's really the only thing holding her back, you know. Her mum's still alive, which I didn't know before this week. And she's terrified of losing the ground she's regained. Though from the sound of it, Birchmore's hardly the kind of boss who'll help her gain more than she's got now. I've left off, for the time being, saying anything about how many have less than she; Merlin knows she sees it every day. I just hope she'll see that the relatively small amount of risk she'd be undertaking could mean huge benefits to the rest of us.

As for finding her, well, yeah, it's a decent place to stay, now the nights are getting cooler. It's rather good to kip the same place more than a couple nights running, too. And not begging for scraps from local pubs. But don't think it means we're planning to build a summer house or anything.

I do know what you mean, though. I'd take a curse for you, too, or Alice. Circe, I'd take one for Frank and he's never quite forgiven me for offering myself to Allie as a backup if anything ever happened to him. Reckon I owe you a few, anyway. But from what I've seen, Dora's got more than enough of the Black stubbornness to want to do things herself. And you should let her; she's all right. You can't fool me, though: You were always old-fashioned.

So, full moon, then. Have to make sure leaving for London doesn't set Terrie off to thinking I'm doing a bunk, but that shouldn't be an issue. If we're still on by that time. Never can tell.

[alt_lupin]

It's understandable, I think, that she doesn't want to take unnecessary risks with what little she has, especially if she has family relying on her as well as herself to think of. We may be at risk ourselves, but at least we have our freedom. Terrie has only what her masters allow her. I don't envy her in the slightest.

If wishing to protect those you love from harm makes one old fashioned, I shall resign myself to it, and happily so. It seems Dora's more than modern enough that we balance out between us in the end anyway.

Don't write Terrie off so easily, Padfoot. I have it on good authority that these things tend to catch you when you least expect them. You never know, she might just be the one.

See you soon.

[alt_sirius]

You think Dora's your one, then? I mean, I'm not blind, I know she fancies you quite a bit, but - I suppose I didn't realise it was deep as all that.

Full moon, yeah. See you then.

[alt_lupin]

Well now. I didn't say that. I just meant you never know what might happen. Don't write off the possibility.