Order Only: Molly

[alt_poppy]

Molly, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to write any sooner. I know you must be terribly worried.

She woke for me, but made very little sense--nothing more than disconnected phrases. She said everything looks fuzzy to her, and she seemed to indicate that her vision was blurred before she lost consciousness. As you've undoubtedly seen, Miss Perks has reported that there have been other spells of memory loss and unusual behaviour.

I've given her something to ease her confusion, but I will be keeping her awake tonight. Losing consciousness bears careful watching. She'll stay here where I can keep an eye on her through tomorrow at the least.

I know this is not as much reassurance as you'd wish, but I promise you, Molly, that I will take very good care of her.

As for the other child, he is alive, but like Mr Boot, he's been completely petrified. It's perfectly maddening, but there's not a thing we can do for either of them until the Mandrakes mature in spring.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

I hope there's more that can be done than simply wait, Poppy.

What has been done to actually investigate all this so far, then? What have Malfoy and his bloody, Medea-cursed Governors done to find the actual source of the attacks?

[alt_poppy]

Merlin's eye-glass, Sirius.

I hope you know I meant that there is nothing Healing magic can do until the Mandrakes are available.

I know that Minerva is attending to this as best she can, but I really think she will have to answer you about the Governors--and about her own investigation, for that matter.

[alt_sirius]

I know, I know that's what you meant. I don't expect you to march out, wave your wand and find the culprit, of course.

I just ... you know, I've been thinking all day about this business of Harry speaking Parseltongue. Now this. Someone seems to be going out of their way to put him at the point of every incident.

And anytime that Malfoy turns a blind eye .... Do you think there's any chance Voldemort is orchestrating all this to make Harry seem more formidable?

[alt_poppy]

Do I think...

How would he manage that? Through Carrow, perhaps.

To make the boy seem more formidable? What an utterly repellent thought. Though, I admit, it might be exactly the sort of thing he would think.

Gracious.

[alt_poppy]

Well, Sirius, you seem to have put your paw on it: have you seen what Minerva says below of her firetalk with Himself? Supremely unsurprised and not concerned in the slightest.

If you could see the look of utter horror frozen on the Stebbins boy's face. If there were any justice in the world, that monster would one day learn how it feels to experience such terror.


Sorry. I missed all thirty winks last night, and I'm afraid it's showing.

[alt_molly]

Thank you for giving us a report at any rate. If there's a mystery afoot there at Hogwarts--and Merlin knows there is--we would rather have Ginny in your hands than anywhere else, even St Mungo's.

Let us know how she does in the morning, and tell her I'll be sending her an owl she'll get with her breakfast.

Minerva, have you managed to learn anything more?

[alt_arthur]

Thank you indeed, Poppy.

I've brewed one of Molly's calming tisanes for her to help her sleep--she was very upset--and I hope we'll both be able to sleep soon. But don't hesitate to send us a patronus during the night if there is any drastic change.

[alt_bill]

Dad, I was out tonight, meeting with one of my analysts and just saw this. Do you want me to come home to the Burrow to be with you and Mum tonight?

[alt_arthur]

I appreciate it, Bill, but I think no. Your mum needs to sleep more than anything. But she said she'd love to see you at breakfast, if you come over then.

[alt_bill]

I'll do that. I can go over some of the analysts' reports with you both then.

[alt_poppy]

Thank you, Molly.

I hope I will deserve your trust. I will certainly do my best, though that falls short all too often.

[alt_mcgonagall]

I've been ignored on this issue for weeks, now; but last night I finally put in a Floo call to the Lord Protector himself, and damn the consequences. I know it's counter-intuitive that I should want to speak with him, but really, Harry Marvolo is at the school and surely, surely he would be concerned, one would think.

'Your concerns do you credit, Minerva,' he said in that unctuous way of his, 'and I knew I should have to speak with you eventually. But you needn't fear. My child is quite safe, as are all good and pious citizens of the Protectorate.'

Well, I don't know how little Bobby Stebbins wasn't a good citizen, but one can't contradict the Lord Protector. And now at least I know why none of my inquiries have been achieving anything: as I've been assuming that everyone will be properly terrified by the Petrifications. But now, too, I mustn't pursue it further, or I shall be putting myself in the Lord Protector's line of fire.

As far as I can tell, this must mean the Lord Protector is behind the attacks somehow. Otherwise he would be frantic over Marvolo's health and safety. But he hasn't traveled within the boundaries of the wards in months; they warn me when any Death Eater does. He may be powerful, but I doubt even his ability to operate entirely from afar. So there must be a hidden Death Eater within the school. One of the seventh-years, perhaps? Or - and this frightens me, I shall admit - has he given special orders to Carrow?

I shall have to think, hard, on what my next actions shall be.

[alt_poppy]

Mordred.

Well, it comes round again, does it not? There's no protection against the Protector.

[alt_sirius]

You can't even conduct your own ....?

That tears it. That's

I'm

I'd like to sink my fangs right into that pasty throat.

My Galleons're on Carrow. The way he manipulated that duel, or at least that's what I could make out. That other professor was there, Brutka, wasn't he? Minerva, were you? Can you at least find out what he thought of the matter? I know he's fiercely loyal, there's no zealot like a convert, but surely he can be objective about the way Carrow pushed himself forward and made his pupil conjure that snake. It's like he was trying to force Harry to use that damned snake-talk. So the other students would fear him.

That's what I'm coming to think: They're making Harry out to be some dark wizarding talent. Talented maybe, but dark? Never.

By Circe, I'm sure poor James is turning in his grave at the thought.

Well. Something has to be done. I mean have you glanced through the journals this morning? I've counted at least a dozen entries by students all worried they could be next, but afraid even to say that because someone might think they're an 'enemy of the Protectorate' - oh, it's just ridiculous. I mean, this Bobby Stebbins kid aside, how can a cat be an enemy of the state? For Merlin's sake.

Well, there's something I can do, anyway. I just hope it does more good than harm.

[alt_alice]

The thought of it alone makes me ill, Sirius.

What if he's trying to position Harry to be the "True Heir of Slytherin" and all that rot? You saw how hard he pushed for Harry to be in that House first year, even though he wasn't sorted there. Perhaps this is the next step in his plan?

[alt_alice]

Molly, dear, I'm sorry about Ginny. She'll be home soon enough for Christmas, though, and that has to be a comforting thought.

[alt_poppy]

She's resting in bed this afternoon after a day full of visits from her brothers and friends. I do believe she is past whatever episode she had yesterday, and I don't see any reason for further concern about the knock on her head. I do, however, intend to keep her here overnight again so she can have a good night's sleep before I allow her to return to her routine.

I suspect that the problem is sheer exhaustion. She concedes she's not always been sleeping well, and it's no wonder: it's always like this at end of term, even for the first years, who often seem to absorb and amplify their older peers's anxiety. And, of course, this term there are other, very good reasons for all of our students to feel fearful and stressed.

I am going to insist that she come to the hospital wing every night for a Sweet Dreams draught: it's a very mild sleep aid that shouldn't cause any daytime drowsiness, but it should help her rest. I will also instruct her that she must come to me at once if she has any further episodes of blurring vision or gaps in her memory. I'm hopeful that there will be none and that she will do just fine until the holidays begin.

Obviously, you should expect that she may require many extra hours of sleep in order to catch up: even adolescent girls have a tendency to wake later than they did as children. (I feel sure you'll have experienced this pattern with your sons.) I'd suggest that you accommodate her need to sleep later at least for the first week she's home. (And, of course, she may surprise me by bouncing back immediately. It's impossible to predict these things.)