alt_sirius | Order Only: Mysteries

Listen. Remus and I took ourselves on a jaunt last night.

We thought, with the school pretty nearly empty, we could dash in and hide a book in the library stacks. Then when they're back, Fred and George could 'find' the book and use it to work on Occlumency. And boys, if you happened to share some of it with your other friends, well, that would be just fine.

We got up to Hogwarts and used the second-floor tunnel (the one that opens up under the portrait of Maghnus the Munificent) and we were on our way to the library when we saw a door about to open. So we hid.

I'm still not sure I want to contemplate why a witch would be leaving your quarters, Snape, at that hour. But off she went and she wasn't even retching. So maybe you weren't in and she was trying to spy on you. Or 'Milland' as the case may be.

Well, obviously we had to follow her to find out her game. We kept a safe distance and she led us into an office - Alecto Carrow's, but it wasn't Alecto Carrow we were following. But she let herself in and immediately got on the Floo to make a call.

We had to lurk in the corridor - in fact the one time Remus tried creeping closer he nearly got caught - so we could only catch a few phrases. They were dead interesting phrases, though:

'I need more time' (for what?)
'You've no idea the paranoia around here'
'They all support Minerva even if she's a drunkard' (Sorry, Minerva!)
'No, I don't know who's poisoned Alecto' (emphasis mine)

So. Yes, we did something on our own; it was dangerous; we're well chagrined we didn't seek permission or let anyone know. We thought you'd all rather maintain plausible deniability.

The important thing is: You've got a spy at Hogwarts. A female, anyway. Doing something to undermine you, Minerva.

And someone's poisoning Alecto Carrow. Is it too much to hope they'll succeed? Kill the Secret Keeper and that ends the Fidelius. We could get to Terry.

Of course, perhaps whomever's working on her is thinking just that. But who? DogStar? Not sure they'd care about one little muggleborn teenager. Crimson Company? They have a completely different agenda, it's all about reassignment of wealth with them. Merlin knows the Carrows have enough enemies between them, it could be anyone.

And I also find it singularly interesting that our resident spy at Hogwarts, the one who went there on his own authority precisely because he could be so useful, either didn't know any of this - or didn't bother to tell us. Which was it, Severus?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_poppy

Goodness, what a story.

You thought you could break into Hogwarts and leave a book hidden in the library shelves for Fred and George Weasley, did you?

Because it would not have been at all sounder, quicker, or more direct to convey such a book to them directly by meeting them somewhere as you did earlier this week, or if that seemed too difficult to arrange, then via their parents either by having Dora give it to Arthur at work, or by leaving it in a safe drop, or by taking it to the Burrow or to Bill's flat, which you've only just visited and thus should know perfectly well how to find again.

Oh, yes, I entirely believe you.

From:

alt_frank

regardless of their reasons for being there, you've got to admit that they've overheard something important.

and you couldn't see her face clearly?

what was her body shape? hair colour? what was she wearing? any distinctive verbal tics?

it does seem like whoever she is, she hasn't sorted out what min is involved in, so that's some sort of relief. and yes, I'd be interested to sort out if the carrow woman is being poisoned, and if so, by who. poppy, have you noticed anything unusual about her lately?

From:

alt_poppy

I have the same questions and was just writing them to ask...

What did this spy look like? Was she tall or not? Broad or slight? Was hers a high-treble voice? or a low-pitched one?

It couldn't have been Aurora Sinistra, as she's out of the castle at the moment. And must have been someone who knew that Alecto's left. Off to visit the other one, presumably.

As for Alecto, it's quite true that she's ill. Won't let me near her, however, and I've not pushed. If she chooses to suffer, that's her lookout.

From:

alt_pomona

Wilhelmina's gone too - off to see family. Not that I'd suspect it of her, of course.

I'm thinking through the others, but I admit we're not always the most gregarious with sharing plans.

From:

alt_macnair

"They" all support Minerva...

Sounds like someone on staff's been planted as a spy. Who's the newest hire? That woman who teaches Creatures, isn't it?

Must say that it's a daft sort of way to deliver a book. If the twins want to learn occlumency they'd get much further with Snape than with any old book, But maybe you were bored. Should have taken Dora along, she can disguise herself without the waste of polyjuice.

From:

alt_pomona

Wilhelmina, yes. But besides the fact I know she's gone this week, I can't imagine it'd be her, given her past.

From:

alt_macnair

Why not? What's her past?

Based on the phrases Black reported, it sounds like the spy might be under orders or otherwise coerced, and being known as "gone for the week" actually gives the spy a perfect cover.

Sinistra's another to think about. Made a lot of new friends lately. Who knows what they have her up to.

From:

alt_pomona

Wilhelmina? I suppose she and Amelia Bones did keep things rather quiet, but under the circumstances, I would think she'd be a difficult person to coerce reliably and securely. I can't confirm easily right now, without obviously prying, but I could once Susan Bones is back from holiday.

As to Aurora, I'm almost certain she's in New London. Given more than a few things she let slip, I can't imagine she'd travel back so quickly. I can inquire, though, naturally enough, next time we talk.

From:

alt_macnair

She'd travel back quickly enough if it were on another's orders.

From:

alt_sirius

Too right.

But I don't think it was someone as ~~plump~~ old as that.

From:

alt_macnair

I meant Sinistra.

From:

alt_sirius

Oh. Yeah. Her, definitely.

Specially as she's all cosy with your former mate Razzer, eh?

From:

alt_macnair

When you get in bed with one, you get in bed with them all.

From:

alt_mcgonagall

I must agree with you on every point—though I doubt Professor Grubbly-Plank's involvement. But who is beyond suspicion? No one, I suppose, except us.

Mr Black, Mr Lupin—what were you thinking?!

From:

alt_gredforge

Don't suppose you actually left the book for us anywhere, did you? You didn't say one way or another.

As for a spy, well, maybe we could help with figuring that out? When we get back, that is. We can come see all the Professors for office visits since we're burning to improve our academic performances. Maybe we could sneak a peak around.

Well, the professors we're taking classes for, that is. Coming up with an excuse for a chat with Professor Vector, say, might be a bit dodgy.

From:

alt_molly

You are NOT to go snooping in the Professors' offices! Let Minerva and the rest of the staff handle this!

From:

alt_gredforge

Well, it may not even be a professor. What about Madam Pince, for example?

From:

alt_lupin

It could have been Pince, at that.

From:

alt_sirius

I think that also qualifies as 'not helping,' Moony.

From:

alt_pomona

All right, thinking through.

I know Septima's staying much of the holidays (sheer bloody-mindedness, trying to get a student to standard.) And Hooch has been around, muttering about getting some good distance flying in. (She has been in a snippy mood recently, though I put that up to the lack of Quidditch this year.)

I try not to pay attention to Carpenter or to Acton, truth be told. They're both vocally loyal, and Acton far beyond that.

Bathsheba, I'm less sure of. She keeps to herself, quite a bit. But she did mention some sort of consulting visit, if I overheard correctly last Friday. (Aurora's on better terms with her than I am, I admit, and I wasn't paying much attention.)

From:

alt_sirius

Sorry. We had to take a kip before facing customers.

She had a cloak on, so she might have come from outside or just used it to conceal herself better. (Which means it doesn't rule out your Professor Siz, sorry to say. She could've popped back from London, same as we did.)

As for physical description: Brown hair. I think it was brown. Could have been dirty blonde, it was hard to tell in the torchlight.

Average height and build, I'd say. Not heavy. Moved pretty quickly.

Could have been anyone of those except Babbling. She's much shorter than the figure we saw.

From:

alt_pomona

Aurora's the blondest of the bunch, so that's one thing. You're right that build doesn't rule out much.

As to the travel - well, I don't think apparition at distance would be her preference this week, she's that worn out. And I know she hates flooing with a passion. Not impossible, I admit, but unlikely.

I will ask, when I've an excuse. I was thinking of writing after this camp visit trip, and sound her out about what they actually got shown.

From:

alt_macnair

Could be Hooch. Her hair's close enough to brown, and she moves quick.

From:

alt_poppy

That rules out Irma Pince, then. She's wiry enough and can move quickly, though with a very particular gate, but her hair is quite definitely grey.

And besides, you surely checked that she was safe in her rooms before you broke into her library. Except, no, you didn't actually go to the library, did you?

And Wilhelmina doesn't colour her hair, either, though hers is salt and pepper, so I suppose in the dark the silver might not show. Pomona's right, though, I believe Wilhelmina is with the Bones for the holidays.

You haven't said about the voice, though, have you? Carpenter and Acton's voices are on the high side, Babbling's voice is lower. Hooch's voice is quite resonant, even when she speaks quietly, though one rarely hears her speaking quietly.

What would lead this person to use Alecto Carrow's fire for the call, though? Carpenter could easily have used her own without worrying anyone would overhear her: her rooms are high in her own tower, away from the rest of us.

Vector. We're forgetting her. And she might need to use another Floo, as she has at least one student sticking close to her this holiday. If she wished to make a dodgy call like the one you described, that is.

From:

alt_mcgonagall

Well, and to raise the stakes on the matter—she is being poisoned; Amycus Carrow has noticed, only now noticed; insulted me gravely; and I may have challenged him to a duel.

I am not sure it was wise, but it was satisfying. Of course I doubt he shall follow through.

From:

alt_mcgonagall

But a spy. A spy. I honestly do not know who it might be. Acton seems likely, but she's too flamboyant to hide her actions; she'd Floo as herself, from her own grate, not sneak into others' quarters.

From:

alt_molly

You challenged Amycus Carrow to a duel?

From:

alt_mcgonagall

It seemed like the only possible course of action at the time.

From:

alt_gredforge

Brilliant! You're gonna do it, aren't you, Professor?

From:

alt_sirius

She'd have to get in the queue.

From:

alt_gredforge

Right. We want a crack at him, too.

From:

alt_molly

Boys!

And Sirius, you are not helping!

From:

alt_gredforge

Especially if he didn't even leave the book behind for us.

From:

alt_lupin

We'll owl it to you.

Maybe it would be better to say you found it at Flourish & Blott's, anyway.

From:

alt_sirius

Now why didn't we think of that last night?

From:

alt_sirius

Wot? I meant me and Frank and Remus and Dora. There'd be nothing left for Fred and George.

From:

alt_mcgonagall

Assuming the coward doesn't back out.

From:

alt_frank

he would if he knew what was good for him.

you could kick his sorry arse from here to france.

and he's probably out of practice.

too busy beating up on a kid who can't defend himself.

fucking monster.

From:

alt_frank

sorry hermione.

From:

alt_kingsley

Well, one thing I want to know is, if you find out who the spy is, what are you going to do about it, Minerva? I suppose it depends on who it is, because that will determine if you'll be able to come up with a good excuse to sack her--but assuming you CAN find out: perhaps it would be better to leave her in place and feed her disinformation?