alt_sirius | Order Only: Terry

Well, we found him.

Merlin. Hermione, your friend is certainly one stubborn little cuss. He wouldn’t come with us, no matter what Frank and I tried to tell him. Though, to be fair, I think we might have convinced him to go, but we were interrupted.

Let me back up and tell it in the right order.

So, first, last night, Frank and I arranged to ‘borrow’ the cart with Carrow’s food deliveries and Frank got us in with only a mild Confundus. I caught Terry’s scent just about immediately once we came through the gatehouse, and then we saw him walking on the wall. We headed straight up there.

He recognised Padfoot and I’m pleased to say he seemed genuinely happy to see me - but then he got very nervous about seeing Frank. Of course, Frank was polyjuiced. We ducked down behind the wall and I transformed, and introduced him to my companion. Frank reminded him about having met him before - something I’d quite forgotten about - and we added that we’d both been responsible for kicking Carrow’s teeth in last year. At last he visibly relaxed in front of us - and then we noticed what was wrong.

He’d been beaten. Savagely.

We healed him as best we could - my guess is that he had ruptured something internally - and Frank had to rebreak one finger so we could set it properly. I don’t mind telling you it crossed both our minds to go and find Carrow then and there. Must have shown on our faces because Terry immediately told us not to pay Carrow another visit. He also wouldn’t settle until we put some glamours on the wounds to make them look like they were still healing at a normal pace. Frank set them to fade over time and that calmed him down considerably.

He apologised to me - to me! - for not coming with me that day when I tried to rescue him, the day Carrow left the school. He stammered something about Alecto hurting Hermione. I guess they’ve brainwashed him pretty well on that score. Frank and I told him he shouldn’t have worried about that, that we’d never have let them hurt her. Showed a little pluck then, he did, and asked how we’d have managed that.

Well, that gave Frank the opening to give him the portkey - though we also offered that he could come with us right then and there, if he wanted. He shook his head, said Carrow’d already taunted him about some kind of tracking spell. Frank pulled out his wand to check, and the bastard hadn’t been lying. He’s done something to Terry - blood magic, I think, and it keeps tabs on the kid.

We gave him the portkey anyway, told him to hide it, and told him about our friends in Sherwood forest, so he can find them if he needs to do. The tracking spell’s a problem, but Frank and I figure we’ll know if he activates the device and we can make sure that if Carrow follows, he’s never coming back. (I also reminded him that the tracking spell might not hold if he can master the Animagus transformation. After all, changing seemed to break a few enchantments placed on me when Bellatrix was on my tail.)

Well, Terry got a funny look and he showed us a bracelet round his wrist. We hadn’t noticed it until he pointed it out - and that’s after running two checks over him for health and then that charm - but he told us his friends made it for him. (And he looked sidelong at Frank when he said it, Alice; I’m sure he meant to include Neville in that statement, but didn’t want to admit it straight out.) He showed us the bead that conceals where he keeps his wand and said he could get another one to hide the portkey.

‘Sounds like you have some good friends,’ I said.

‘Yeah. The best,’ he told us. Then another one of those sideways looks, this time at me. “I've kept your secrets. And I've kept their secrets. The thing is...some of them are starting to be some of the same secrets.’

While I was still trying to decide what to say to that, Frank asked what he meant. Terry talked about keeping his wand hidden and learning magic and such.

‘But my loyalties to you don’t conflict with my loyalties to them,’ he added.

I gave his shoulder a squeeze and told him no, I didn’t think they did.

I think he was about to say something else, and Frank and I were gearing up to try again to get him to come with us right then and there, but just at that moment we heard Carrow give a massive shout for Terry to come attend him. He transformed in an instant - fear, first, and told us to move, not to get caught - and then somehow he made himself look stupid, vacant and a little dead inside. I guess he’s had to learn how to mask his real cleverness over the years with that murdering son of a bitch.

There wasn’t any point arguing with him, not with Carrow bellowing that he’d have Terry’s head on a platter if he didn’t jump to. I reminded him to keep practising and transformed back to Padfoot. All we could do was complete the delivery and bring back the cart.

Luckily, the pub where we got it has a fully stocked cellar. Frank and I are agreed on the single best way to spend the rest of this afternoon. It’s that or talk our way back into that castle to thump Carrow again, despite what Terry asked us.

Hideout not drunk enough for this buggery

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_frank

took everything I had not to bring him with us right then and there.

carrow be damned.

the trace be damned.

his own wishes be damned too.

we let a child go back to his abuser, and I don't know if there is enough alcohol in the world to make me forget what we've done.

From:

alt_frank

poppy, I'm pretty sure it was his spleen. ruptured. and a rib cracked. nasty infection, too.

after we were finished his diagnostic charm came back green again, but I'm only good at rough patching-up, and I hope I caught everything.

From:

alt_poppy

You did all you could, Frank. And the diagnostic charm is a sound indicator, so I believe you can set that one worry aside.

The blood magic seems the more looming concern. What might it empower Carrow to do beyond tracing the boy? And would killing Carrow actually free him? I have only the roughest, most general knowledge of what is possible with blood magic, but I fear that it deepens the tie between them. Certainly it Darkens the bond with which he holds the boy.

I'm very glad you did not tempt Fate and attack Carrow today. Who knows what might come of that now.

From:

alt_kingsley

A blood magic trace?

I hate to say it, my friends, but the boy's probably right: if Carrow's slapped one of those on him, we couldn't have risked having him come with you. Too dangerous, both for us and maybe for him.

I'm no expert on the cruor veneficus class of spells, though. That's really dark stuff. Emmeline might know more.

From:

alt_bill

Dangerous for him...you mean, more than just he might get caught if he tries to get away?

From:

alt_kingsley

Maybe. Carrow could have laid some specific parameters within the architecture of the spell. Something like that the kid's insides will curdle if he gets more than a certain distance away from him. It can vary tremendously, depending sometimes on the power of the wizard.

And no matter how little we think of the man and his morals and methods, I'm sure that there's no doubt that he has enough power to make his spells pack a hefty wallop.

From:

alt_sirius

My father once told me a story about a warlock who bound his bodyman to him with blood magic. I remember that the servant rebelled anyway and tried to kill his master. He failed in the attempt; the master killed the servant for his betrayal, and then the master died himself, moments later.

He also told a story about two friends, so close they decided to bind themselves as blood-brothers when they went to war together. They survived the battle but later fell out over a woman. One of the blood-brothers came close to killing the other, but couldn't do it at the last moment and walked away instead. Years later, his blood-brother fought a duel and lost. Hundreds of miles away, the other warlock died instantly.

They were cautionary tales, he said, about why this type of magic is not to be trusted.

I don't half suppose Carrow's bright enough to realise how dangerous it is.

But I dunno. There are lots of different spells he could have used. Carrow doesn't seem the type to have made Terry his equal by exchanging and sharing blood.

From:

alt_poppy

If it is possible, I wouldn't put it past Amycus Carrow to have used the boy's blood to weave a curse that would injure the boy should he either rebel or try to escape. In fact, I'd think it exactly the sort of thing he would do.

What worries me is that he might also think of binding the child with a curse that would kill him if anything at all were ever to befall Carrow himself. Something like your first example (if it could be designed to avoid reciprocity).

Carrow's not the sort to leave his belongings for others to enjoy. As it were. Frankly, I've long wondered if he and Alecto have bound themselves with that sort of death pact. Did you have a chance to observe them together when you were in the castle, Sirius? It's unseemly in the extreme.

Your final point is a good one, though: mixing his blood with the boy's might, in fact, transgress Carrow's personal boundaries.

Or it might not. So much that we find taboo means nothing to him; I can't say with any surety where he draws those lines in his own sensibilities.

From:

alt_frank

one idea we had was to get carrow in a trap

take terry with us see if he'd follow

be ready for him once he showed up

but we didn't have enough bloody time

and the trace might've hurt him if we had taken him along

From:

alt_sirius

We're not drunk enough. I'm not, anyway.

Bugger the drinking. I only have a handful

but

From:

alt_frank

sneaky bugger.

better than bashing our heads against the wall

which was gonna be my suggestion

bring it over here

From:

alt_alice

What, exactly, are you two getting into now?

And Sirius, please, keep an eye on my Frank.

I know he tends to beat himself up over this sort of thing, and I hope

Just keep an eye on him, please.

From:

alt_sirius

he's ok

bett'rn ok

should get him looped m'roften

need supper

From:

alt_sirius

leas he's not punching anythin

From:

alt_alice

Oh, so he's told you about that?

Well, lucky for you. And that hotel owner. Seeing as the most punchable things he has around him right now is your face and the walls.

From:

alt_poppy

What on earth?

Sirius Black. If you are endangering your lives by ingesting some mind-altering substance, I'll have your hide. Both of you! I absolutely forbid you to do any such thing!

At least go somewhere safe first. (Tell me you have done. You're not out in some pub someplace with a crowd of people, are you?)

From:

alt_sirius

Safe's'ouses, Poppi

Took room f'night.

locked. in. saving poljuce.

From:

alt_frank

two beds

good thing

sheets not so clean

we'll manage

From:

alt_molly

Well, I certainly think it's a good thing the boy can't see you now! From what Fred and George say, he's had to clean up enough after Carrow's gone on a bender that I'm sure he'd be less than impressed with your mood-altering binge. Really!

From:

alt_frank

just twist that knife a little more, why don't you

From:

alt_frank

sorry.

sorry. I know you mean

different

but I think I've got quite enough guilt for one night right now

From:

alt_sirius

struth.

From:

alt_sirius

oh leave off

or nex time you can leave him to rot with that fucking maniac.

From:

alt_sirius

sorry hermione

From:

alt_sirius

sorry, molly

From:

alt_frank

haha wot

like booze?

cause thats what were having.

don't worry were not gonna try and go back there and kill him if thats what you mean

wed splinch ourselves

From:

alt_poppy

You are a poor liar, Frank Longbottom. And worse when you are intoxicated.

Adding tablets or capsules or anything else by the handful on top of the amount of alcohol you appear to have ingested is idiocy. Just the sort of idiocy the two of you seem to indulge nearly every time you are allowed to bludger off on a so-called mission.

From:

alt_sirius

Oh for

s'not a capsule.

Or a table. t.

s'organic. Oregano. Heh.

From:

alt_sirius

n'we're grown. men.

best way to avoid goin back therre

an to bury the

whatsit

failure.

From:

alt_poppy

A pair of grown men, are you?

Well.

Endeavour not to choke yourselves on the smoke, then. Or set off the fire wards.

Or set your bedding alight.

Dash it all. We ought to lock you up and not let you out at all ever.

From:

alt_molly

Oh, my.

I'm sure it must have felt dreadful to walk away without him. But you did find him, and you gave him the portkey. Surely it counts for something that you have given him hope, and some relief from his pain. If only for now.

Oh, I wish I could tell the twins. They've been so worried about him.

From:

alt_bill

Mum, Dad, I know you've said Fred and George have made friends with the boy.

I'm wondering. Do you think they're the ones who gimmicked up that bracelet for him? And if they were, do you reckon they know what Terry's using it to hide?

That's edging into some real dangerous stuff. It's one thing for us adults here in the Order to run risks. It's another thing if they're doing things like creating charms to help hide wands for muggleborns.

From:

alt_molly

Goodness.

I mean, they would maybe if they could. But honestly, Bill! With their marks in charms class? I hardly think so!

From:

alt_bill

Well, they're really the most likely, aren't they? I mean, from what you've said, they may be the kid's closest friends. Who else could it be?

From:

alt_molly

They--

Oh, I--

oh dear

From:

alt_alice

I'm so sorry to hear you weren't able to do all you'd hoped for.

From:

alt_severus

Or, instead of your given choices of attempting a conflict or drowning your reasoning abilities, you could return to familiar ground to further strategise without the double impediment of drink and temper.

From:

alt_alice

I would have to agree with you on that point, Severus.

And it is certainly the most logical choice.

But this sort of thing will not be solved in an evening, and planning while in the heat of the moment is an equally poor choice, so if we can't remove the temper, I suppose we can't begrudge the drink. At least not for now.

How have you been keeping?

From:

alt_severus

It is the potential combination of planning and drink which disturbs me. It has been many years since I have witnessed Mr. Black in particular under the influence of ... well, it was a fascinating cocktail of intoxicants, but regardless, I can still imagine with great vividness how the conversation would proceed. It would begin with "we should do something" and end in an embarrassing headline.

I have been keeping as well as one can under twenty-four-hour guard in the forest. I see you are well.

From:

alt_alice

Oh, I'm sure there will be much planning, but I am also equally sure that there will be no acting on said plans until a good bit of sobering-up happens.

I am well, yes. It hasn't been an easy ten-odd years, but I dare say it's been a good deal easier on me than it has on you.

From:

alt_sirius

Get bludged, grandpa.

From:

alt_alice

I think you're getting bludged enough for the both of you, love.

From:

alt_severus

Charming.

From:

alt_macnair

You got lucky when you thumped him before.

Of all my former associates, Amycus' brand of depravity exceeds that which you could possibly conjure up in your imagination. I saw how he looked at that ~~mud~~ kid when I was at Hogwarts. Seen what he did to others he looked at that way, too.

Instead of slipping him a portkey, might be more kind and merciful to slip him something that would take him quietly during sleep.

From:

alt_arthur

You could make an argument that way, yes, of course.

I would hope that our brand of 'mercy' would contain a little less of that taint of despair. Or what in Merlin's name are we doing this for?

He hasn't given up on himself, and so I don't think we should give up on him. At least not yet, until we've explored all the possibilities we can.

From:

alt_macnair

You'd despair too, if you'd seen Amycus Carrow at his worst.

Never said that my years with them would provide you with that kind of information that's comforting to hear.

From:

alt_hermione

He is stubborn!!

I'm so sorry you couldn't convince him to get away. He's being so stupid about Alecto Carrow. If nothing else she can't get at me here in Buckingham, not without getting in serious trouble, and I don't think that Amycus Carrow would do that, the only thing he loves is his sister, that's what Terry always says, but then Terry isn't exactly a Slytherin is he? Or a Gryffindor even. He just wants to be left alone to study and figure out how to fix things on his own, which is admirable I suppose but not when it means staying with someone who's hurting you!!!