Order Only: Ellie Summer

[alt_sirius]

Well, she's here, currently kipping down in the cellar where we'd made up the 'room' for the Ministry to see.

We've been doing a good deal of talking about how to go about having her, now that we've got her.

Arthur, can you perhaps reassure us we were assigned one of our choices so quickly due to your handiwork? I have to admit I'm a bit suspicious that it fell out without any seeming false starts. But if you plied a wand to making sure it went through without any hitch, then I think we'll all feel a good deal more at ease she's not some Ministry spy.

Of course, we're assuming she is a Ministry spy - that is, we're assuming she's been indoctrinated and warned and bribed to report anything she may see that doesn't add up - but we're just a little nervous to make sure she is who the Ministry and her profile said she is.

In any case, our current plan is to pretend that we're exactly what we've told the Ministry we are, at least through the weekend, and see how she does. If she doesn't set off any alarms in our estimation, we'll try her letting her in to a small violation of Ministry codes and judge her reaction to that.

Unless Arthur or Bill tells us there's a reason to be extra cautious, in which case we'll reconsider how to proceed.

Comments

[alt_arthur]

I did ply a wand in order to ease your way, in fact. I also arranged to have this placement assigned to me, and I found nothing worrisome within her file. Forgive me for failing to mention it to you, as I could have put your minds at ease. However, I do think you are very wise to be cautious around her, especially at first. Certainly there is no guarantee that interested other parties haven't told her to keep her nose out for anything suspicious.

I do hope she settles in all right. If you have any problems or questions, do let me know.

Or...I wonder. Perhaps if I were to drop by some time in the next week and speak with her privately? I could pretend to her that it's part of the department's settling in routine, and if I give her an open-ended invitation to chat, we might see if she's inclined to blurt out anything worrisome? What do you think?

[alt_sirius]

I think that would be brilliant, Arthur.

[alt_lupin]

Perfect.

Perhaps we should tell her something a bit compromising first, just to see? Or let her observe something?

[alt_sirius]

What do you have in mind, Moony?

[alt_lupin]

I don't know. Maybe we could 'accidentally' let her see that muggleborns who arrive at the shop on errands are encouraged to relax for a bit? Or we could let her find out that some of our stocks are smuggled in.

[alt_nymphadora]

All right, you lot.

I think we've worked out her robes and how she's to stand and what she's to say to you when she comes upstairs.

I didn't realise she'd be so worried about so many things, but it seems there are supposed to be loads of rules and instructions, and I've been making things up all over the place. So follow along and pretend you know exactly what we've decided on. She's just washing her face now, and then we'll be up.

No jokes, if you please, Mr Ponds. I don't want her going to bits on us.

And we're a bit worried about that dog, so maybe he could have a care not to terrify her straight away?