alt_sirius | Order Only: Need a hand

Quickly, anyone who's available: What do we know about loyalty compulsions?

I've stupefied Strangeweale. He was supposed to be visiting his father but it turns out he's safeguarded his home by keeping Timothy under some sort of compulsion that makes him unnaturally loyal whenever his 'master's' safety is threatened. (It's almost admirable how effective it was: he went from complaining about Strangeweale to the friendly hound, to hounding the dangerous fugitive while setting off a notification spell on his wrist, in about a second and a half.)

I had to stun him. Fortunately it wasn't much of a fight. But by then, Strangeweale had come through the Floo. Of course, Timothy was no longer awake to warn the bastard that I was standing ready to stun him.

So, anyway. I've got an unconscious Strangeweale here to be interrogated when we like. But meanwhile we've got to do something to reverse what he's done to Timothy. I don't dare let him wake up, either, until we've got an idea how to keep him from fighting us all the way.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_lupin

Are you still at Strangeweale's house? We should get all of you out of there, surely. Are there any other servants?

As for loyalty compulsions -- funny you should ask, that book we found last week has a whole chapter on them. Did it seem to be specifically triggered by danger?

From:

alt_sirius

Yeah, still here. He's the only servant, remember? And Strangeweale can easily disappear from the Ministry for a few days - tomorrow's Friday and it's a holiday week. He keeps his own hours, anyway.

There is the question of whether his father might try to find out if everything's okay. I think keeping them locked up here is better than moving them, for the moment.

If we could get word to Rachel she'd have a chance at that interrogation she wants.

From:

alt_lupin

So loyalty compulsions: there are loads of possibilities, unfortunately. There are charms (curses, really), which usually have to be periodically renewed or they fade in strength. You can make someone wear an item -- check him for jewelry, but if you find something don't take it off, sometimes it's cursed in such a way that the person will die if the item is removed. There are potions.

I can come right now if you need me. Otherwise I'll come when the beer garden's shut up.

From:

alt_sirius

For jewellery, there's the bracelet he touched to signal Strangeweale for a strong candidate. Also a talisman on a leather cord round his neck.

I don't think there's an urgent need; I've tied them up for now, in different rooms, and reinforced the stunning spells.

From:

alt_lupin

Mm. You probably don't want to touch the bracelet.

What does the talisman look like? (Don't touch it, either.)

From:

alt_sally_anne

It MIGHT be the talisman but it's not going to be the bracelet because the imperatives are too conflictory, 'loyalty' and 'message sending,' the magics get in each others' way and there's no particular reason it would HAVE to do both, you know?

It probably is not the talisman because this sort of magic works best if it's something that encloses. Like a bracelet, or a ring. Although the talisman might reinforce some other magic on him.

But if I wanted to put a loyalty spell on someone with an object it would always be a ring. Rings are much better suited to that sort of magic than pretty much anything else. Oh, wait, or an earring. Something that went INTO your body like an earring might also work pretty well.

From:

alt_sirius

Yes, but he's also a muggleborn. No earrings, no rings.

The talisman looks like the head of a bull. Maybe it's his astrological sign? Hard to tell.

I've a feeling it's not something he's wearing, too. He seemed to be fighting himself when he was alerting Strangeweale, as if he really wished he weren't doing it.

It did remind me of a house-elf going against orders.

From:

alt_sally_anne

It wouldn't matter if the person were a muggle, muggleborn, pureblood, if you were giving them a magical object to make them loyal the same principles apply. You want it to be worn constantly, you want it to be difficult to take off, the circular nature of a ring or a bracelet significantly enhances the magic because it 'encloses,' and -- oh, the other reason it wouldn't be the bracelet he used to send an alarm is that the materials would be different. For loyalty magic you want gold or iron and you want a pure metal whereas for communications magic there are loads of things that will work but you usually want a MIX of materials and not pure gold or pure iron.

The talisman, hm, I mean you CAN make a talisman with that sort of magic on it but I also don't think you'd use a bull. And especially if the person were able to fight AT ALL a talisman would just be stupid, because they could pull it off. Rings, you can make them impossible to take off. (You can make them really hard to take off even WITHOUT magic.)

Anyway my point is just that it's probably not an object. Unless -- well it could be invisible or with a VERY strong notice-me-not charm but then you wouldn't be able to tell without touching. If you DO want to check him over with your hands use a silk cloth so you don't touch the item accidentally and DO NOT touch the bracelet even with the silk cloth.

From:

alt_alice

It could enclose something else, though -- an ankle, perhaps, or a toe.

From:

alt_lupin

The person who would probably be the most help to you is Severus, I'm sorry to say. He's a legilimens AND if it's a potion-based loyalty compulsion there's no one better for working out how to reverse it.

If it's a spell or something he's wearing -- I'm not even sure, but you could certainly do worse than Severus.

From:

alt_sirius

If he volunteers to come I'm not telling him to nose out.

From:

alt_bill

I'll get word to her.

From:

alt_bill

I've established contact with her and am on my way to meet her. Sirius, should I bring her?

From:

alt_sirius

I suppose. If Snape comes we've got our Legilimens.

From:

alt_bill

Right. On our way.

From:

alt_kingsley

I can come help, too, Sirius, if need be. Let me know.

From:

alt_sirius

Kingsley,

Thanks. Probably when we've woken Strangeweale and questioned him, we'll need to decide what to do next. Might be better for him not to see you until then, though.

From:

alt_kingsley

I'll be standing by, my friend. Just let me know.

From:

alt_alice

Keep us informed, Sirius.

From:

alt_severus

There are many, many options it could be. ~~The easiest option is to leave the servant unconscious while interrogating Strangeweale, then kill him to break the spell once you are certain you've learned everything you need~~

A legilimantic examination could rule out many options. I am free if Albus is not.