Order Only: Observations

[alt_sirius]

Hullo, all.

Just wanted to say that I can confirm Poppy's observations about the general mood in the countryside. I've had to skirt the Dementors' feeding grounds a couple times already and I've only been back in the neighbourhood for a few days.

The handlers keep moving them about. I think that may be why the effects keep reinforcing themselves. Proximity keeps changing.

Luckily one side effect is that people are more apt to toss out the papers. I know the entire wizarding world is focused on Narcissa's show of Friday, but I read three rather more interesting items in yesterday's paper:

1. Malfoy wasn't at his wife's big night - not until after it started. Mr Patil was also hardly mentioned, did you notice? He was there, at least, but it seems like he's been told to keep his opinions to himself. After all, part of Narcissa's strategy, I'm sure, was to arrange the collaboration to distract everyone from my brother's involvement in the Patils' son's death. I wonder if Mr Patil has forgiven her quite as readily as his wife has done?

But as for Malfoy, what do you suppose could have kept him away? 'State business' was all the article said. France, perhaps? or something else?

2. I don't know if any of you noticed but there was a small piece about the village schools in Devon undergoing some 're-training'. Meaning what? It says it's part of a new programme starting there and will be rolled out to all the village schools. Don't like the sound of that. Any thoughts?

3. Best for last: The Telford Camp Administrator resigned. Arthur, did you know about this before it happened? The article makes it sound like he was considered too soft on his charges, and a possible 'Black sympathiser' - but there's also a passing mention of this Dog Star Company being involved. Well, we're meant to think that the Company are so addled that they couldn't keep their association with his bloke secret. But that's daft. They had to know that if they came out in support of the fellow, he'd be removed. So I'm thinking. What are the chances that they discredited him deliberately? What's the advantage - unless perhaps they know his replacement? Of course I'm sure the Death Eaters have thought of that, as well.

Anyway. I'm off to meet my contact. Frank, I'll let you know how that goes.

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Do you really suppose the French are going to overturn Muggle rule and follow our path politically? I should have thought them opposed on principle to anything English in origin. Even if some of them could see self-advantage to be seized in the process.

You would know better than any of us what has been taking place there. Would there be sufficient support for such an endeavour?

I did see the piece about re-training primary teachers. I wonder why Devon, though. I shouldn't have thought them any more heterodox or in need of intervention from the Ministry, but I feel sure that's exactly the project. That's Molly and Arthur's bailiwick; perhaps they'll have a better idea.

As for your third item, I don't see how this Dog Star Company could have had any hand in determining who would replace that sacked administrator, but I suppose it's at least useful to have their activities make the papers. Dangerous to them, but useful insofar as it reminds us all that not everyone is willingly following the Ministry's line.

Finally. I dislike your secrecy about this contact of yours, Sirius. Or are you merely checking to see if we're actually reading your reports?

[alt_sirius]

I've not heard from Justin Finch-Fletchley in some time. He didn't know my real name, of course, but he would presumably have heard the news when my cover as Nigel was blown - and of course, the French have reported my death there as well. (I'll bet his mum's thanking her stars she didn't succeed in hooking me, too!) But as I say, I've only had intermittent reports from Aleks and nothing from Justin, so it's hard to tell where the French position is lately.

I can say fairly reliably that they've increased their blood-purity standards rather a lot in the last few years. I do think that it's possible they'll make things more difficult. What form that would take I'm not certain. I doubt they'll imitate Voldemort's hostile coup, though - that much I think I'm safe to predict.

As far as the schools - I had rather the opposite thought. It could be that Devon is the place to start because it's already further along than some other areas, instead of in more need of remediation. Does that make sense? I mean to say, one could push the students faster if they're already predisposed because their teachers are particularly zealous. Or maybe I'm being pessimistic. Perhaps it's something innocuous, like Devon is where one of the education administrators lives, or something.

From what I've seen of the Dog Star Company thus far, they're not exactly the most cautious bunch. Still, I suppose you're quite right and they can't possibly have a hand in the replacement. Which makes them doubly reckless, doesn't it, if they let their connection to that administrator leak. Daft.

Of course I'm checking to make sure you're reading. But don't worry. Even if I were at liberty to tell you, which I'm not, it wouldn't matter. I'm not sure you'd be quite able to understand him if he did make himself known to you.

[alt_frank]

let me know what you find out.

Private Message to Frank and Alice Longbottom

[alt_sirius]

It was Carrow, no question.

My spy in the castle tells me (at least I think I have this right) that Carrow must have cast the Imperius curse on a Gryffindor student (one who has a tendency to eat a lot of onions, I gather) in order to get the cat out of the Gryffindor dormitories. Well, he said that the onion-eater set out a fresh mouse in the common room just the night before Evelyn's cat went missing. And that the next day the onion-eater had a note from Carrow excusing him from some assignment he'd failed. So it was either blackmail or a bribe to stay quiet, but one way or another he arranged an accomplice.

I could probably have him tell Minerva, if you like. Dunno what she'd be able to do about it. Honestly I think the best solution is to sneak in there at night and slit the bastard's throat - but that would cause her no end of trouble and we can't afford that.

There's also my contact, who tells me that Carrow's getting even more dangerous than usual. He practically attacked me when I suggested I could get access to Carrow's office myself. Said that Carrow spends more and more time tracking the Dementors, always comes back with that musty smell like he's been digging in a mothballed wardrobe. Says even Alecto has been treating him with kid gloves. Promised he'd overturn every suit of armour in the castle to put the house-elves on my trail if I tried to put my wand in directly.

At least he did agree to tell the ghosts and see if they'd be willing to ensure Carrow doesn't get a decent night's sleep for the next month.

I know it's not much, but until and unless we can pull him away from the castle, it's dangerous to exact revenge since it'll put Minerva in an awkward position.

Merlin, makes me want to strike at something, though. Frank, fancy a week or two with Turner? I'm sure he'll have some target we can help hit.

Re: Private Message to Frank and Alice Longbottom

[alt_frank]

bloody hell.

it's what I expected, but still.

damn.

if he's out wandering the grounds, I don't suppose he could have a bit of an accident, could he? all sorts of rocks out there he could trip over.

or we could just blast some trees to bits. that works too.

and min should know. for certain, I mean. give her an idea what she's up against.

Re: Private Message to Frank and Alice Longbottom

[alt_sirius]

You do have a point. The grounds are dangerous, especially at night. And the forest, for certain. Anything could happen.

I'll pass on the report to Minerva, anyway. Maybe she can conduct inquiries among the students and find out which one eats too many onions.

Re: Private Message to Frank and Alice Longbottom

[alt_frank]

you going to tell us who this contact of yours is?

Private Message to Frank

[alt_sirius]

Tell you what. If you get up here on that unscheduled detour, I'll introduce you.

[alt_poppy]

All right, you. I've waited twenty-four hours and still no word from you.

'I'm off to meet my contact, whose name I won't tell you and about whom I'll only say that you wouldn't understand him if you met him.' And then you leave us hanging, wondering whether you've gone and got yourself killed by persons unknown.

Well, I for one am not having it.

If you are not dead in a ditch somewhere, you can jolly well write and tell me so. Even if it's just a paw print.

[alt_sirius]

[alt_poppy]

You are a scoundrel, Sirius Black.

But I'm very glad to know you've still got at least one paw to your mangy frame.

[alt_sirius]

I'm not mangy!

You said a pawprint.

[alt_poppy]

Eye of the beholder.

I did, indeed.

[alt_arthur]

Forgive my delay in getting back to you on your questions, Sirius, but that isn't a camp I've worked with much, so I don't know the staff well, and I've been having difficulty extracting any useful information on the subject. No, I didn't hear a whiff of any kind of rumour beforehand.

Bill, do you know anything more?

[alt_bill]

No, I'm afraid not.