ORDER ONLY: Still alive

[alt_sirius]

I haven't been assassinated yet. I did spy a wizard in Marrakesh who was following me, but it turned out the chap only wanted Nigel's autograph.

Arthur, you've got the package. Excellent! I'm surprised it passed through so quickly. The Owl Office must have received notification that Laszlo Ltd's paperwork has cleared. I'm curious: did the Swiss chocolate make it through intact or not? Hopefully, they didn't confiscate the deck of cards I included for you. Don't shuffle them! They're in a particular order. The confirmation code I sent you is really a coded message - a test of sorts. The key is in the order of the cards in the deck. I thought it might come in handy just in case we need to send messages to someone and can't use the Order Only charm for some reason.

At any rate, you can decrypt the code key using the cards. Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, 1-26 and 1-26. Count down the number of cards that corresponds to the first letter in the code (i.e., E = 5, so count to the 5th card). That card's number when transferred to the 1-26 position as above will give you its real letter. Once you know the first letter, you will be able to decode the rest.

This is a relatively simple code, in which all the letters are in the same key. We could, if we needed, change keys every word or even every character for better security.

Anyway, let me know if you think you and Molly have the code puzzled out. I've been busy with Quidditch and keeping Nigel in visible cover, so I haven't had the time to look for Kingsley that I'd like. (Sylvie hasn't helped either; she's in the region, of course, as her team is playing the tournament. It's very difficult to skulk off for espionage when one is also performing the role of attentive beau.)

Comments

Order only: Package

[alt_arthur]

Starting from the side which is face down or face up?

Re: Order only: Package

[alt_sirius]

Hold the deck face up, yeah, and count down from the top. Sorry, should've said.

Re: Order only: Package

[alt_arthur]

Aha! Decoded, the message reads "POLYJUICE POTION."

I hope you're not raising my hopes unnecessarily.

Re: Order only: Package

[alt_arthur]

And yes, the chocolate came through intact. Molly was absolutely delighted. We'll send some along to Moddey Dhoo, where it will undoubtedly help raise Alice and Frank's spirits, too.

Re: Order only: Package

[alt_sirius]

You're stretching that stuff far, all right! But yeah, I remember Lily went through a sweets stage with Harry. James woke me up in the middle of the night once to ask if he should buy stock in Lindt.

Anyway - the code. All you do is shuffle the cards. Cut the deck on either side of the Jokers (leave them, obviously, and keep track - red is 1 and black is 2). Then count up the number of cards that match your first letter. Take the number of that card, and count down as many from the top. Use that card's letter as the first in the code. Figure the rest of the letters based on that first one, just as the letters in mine were coded.

We can complicate further if necessary, including using the cards themselves if need be. But that's the gist.

Oh, and don't worry about the shuffle. The decks are linked with a charm. If you tap them with your wand before you shuffle, my deck will change to match.

Fairly clever, isn't it?

Re: Order only: Package

[alt_sirius]

Well, I'd rather hoped the customs officials would let the thing pass through. They did; that gives me a little more confidence about sending along the black-market prepared potions.

Still, best not to put all the dragon's eggs in one fire, right? So it will come a little at a time, but it'll come.