alt_poppy | Order Only

After the St Mungo's contingent left me alone, last night was reasonably quiet. Today? Chaos.

This always happens when exams and lessons have finished and the pupils have nothing in particular to occupy them, but it's far worse today than I remember it. The Maze has inspired mayhem. Pranks of sundry sorts and duelling in the corridors--either in imitation of the Champions or in furtherance of disputes about their conduct. (I've had no fewer than seven Durmstrang students in here with hex injuries because it's alleged that Viktor Krum used unsportsmanlike tactics against the Hogwarts champions. And there have been altercations between the French and others, though I cannot tell whether it was the task or the defection that set them off.)

Most spectacularly, someone managed to replicate the fire-breathing dragon illusion and set several of them racing through the corridors. I have been treating the singed and trampled for the past hour and a half, and have only now got through the lot of them. Meanwhile, my reception has filled up with other duellists, plus those with sun poisoning and other ailments attending on various overindulgences.

Which makes me think. Minerva, I would feel very much better if you would check in with me and let me know whether you are in need of my care.

Sirius. It was good to see you.

Kingsley. How goes it with your guest?

Albus. I would appreciate a word at your earliest convenience. Today, that is.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_pomona

Who on earth managed the dragon illusions? Quite a bit more complex than our usual run of pranks.

I've been trying to clear the chaos as best I can but we've had any number of high spirits nearer the outdoor plantings than I'd like. And especially with various staff not so available as might be. (Minerva. Albus. And Aurora and her Raz for other reasons.)

And then, while we've not foreign students in our common room, a good dozen students wanting a word with me about our new addition one way or another. I am glad to report that Diggory's being his reliable self, which is a blessing.

I am also curious as to the answers to your questions.

From:

alt_poppy

NEWTs, one supposes. Can't imagine anyone younger could have done it. Could have been from one of the delegations, I suppose.

Speaking of which, have you heard any of the rumours about Karkaroff? Wild things are apparently being said. About Krum, as well.

Not in realm of rumour: we're lucky to have Minerva and Professor Lestrange back with us today, however delicate their conditions. They were fortunate to escape.

I wonder if Aurora will feel she can trust either of us with any of that.

Mr Diggory more than proved himself last night.

From:

alt_pomona

I'd assume, yes.

On the rumours, not that many, though that was one of the scrambles outside. All sorts of accusations that Krum cheated, then that he was under Imperius. And no one seems to have seen much of Karkaroff at all. I admit I have not gone looking.

On the fact, quite.

I saw she messaged you earlier, but I gather not on that topic? She stopped by briefly this afternoon, but she was more tight lipped than I'd expected. She half looked as if she wanted to talk, and was working herself up to it, only then we got interrupted and she slipped out. I'll try again, if I get the chance.

From:

alt_pomona

How badly off is Minerva? I'm at the point where I scarcely know what to say.

And this matter of Albus. Well.

From:

alt_poppy

In layman's terms, she's a wreck.

I believe that seeing the others tortured and worse last night caused her to re-live her last, quite terrible experience of the same at the end of YKW's wand--in the autumn, when He was so severely displeased about Mr Diggory's name having emerged from the Goblet. She was badly traumatised.

Is.

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, she was completely incoherent when I woke her this morning to check that she was breathing. If I do not hear something from her soon, I will brave her lair once more.

And, yes. Albus. If I hear nothing from him this evening, I shall take a more direct approach. Would you care to partner me in that mission?

From:

alt_pomona

Goodness.

I have all the sympathy in the world for her position. (And Merlin knows how much worse things might be if they replaced her.) But this is less and less tenable every day. At least the end of the year is nearly upon us, and perhaps she can have a chance to regroup.

As to Albus, I'd be glad to assist. Let me know when you'd like me to come up.

From:

alt_poppy

Agree on all counts.

Why don't you stop up at half-eight if you haven't seen him answer me here.

From:

alt_pomona

Right. See you then, I suspect.

From:

alt_gredforge

For once, we can truthfully claim that the mayhem wasn't due to us! We've been keeping our noses really clean since joining the Order.

But we must admit a sneaking admiration for whoever pulled off that dragon illusion (if sorry for the extra work it gave you).

From:

alt_poppy

I'm glad to think that it was not your work. Given the number of injuries it caused.

Even Peeves fell foul of the ghastly things. That was a first: I've never patched up a poltergeist before.

From:

alt_sirius

Poppy, I just saw Justin's declaration. Bugger all. I truly thought he'd come to his senses and realise how foolish it is to stay.

Just as I'm coming to realise how foolish it was not to stay. At least not without trying to see Albus. Ask him what in Merlin's name he's doing, leaving Harry in the hands of that madman. In person. Though of course, I'd welcome your answer anytime, Albus, if you'd care to share it.

I can't even begin to think how Harry's coping with it all. I know Hermione tried to report what Harry was able to tell her but it's even worse than she described.

Voldemort tried to make Harry cast the Killing Curse on Ms Ridley. And when Harry wouldn't do it, Voldemort made to cast a spell against him - to punish him or to force him, he wasn't sure which. He cast a disarming charm purely by reflex and the spells met. Their wands .... It had to have been Priori Incantatem, from the sound of it. Harry said all sorts of horrible things started streaming from Voldemort's wand, screams from people he'd tortured, aftereffects of the spells he'd cast. Harry wasn't sure that's what it was until Warrington's shade came out, from the gladiatorial games at the Frost Faire. He wasn't sure what to do and was afraid to break the contact.

That's when Albus showed up, told Harry to run for cover. He started duelling against Voldemort himself. Eventually he grabbed Ms Ridley and disappeared. (Feel free to jump in, Albus, if you've anything to add.)

After that ... Voldemort had summoned all his Death Eaters and they arrived just in time to miss seeing Dumbledore leave. Guess he did his nut, screaming at them that they were useless and traitorous. He singled out Rabastan for the Cruciatus, as punishment for failing to protect Harry. Then he told everyone that Albus had actually been there, called out Malvasius Travers and killed him where he stood.

And then if you can believe it, he looked straight at Harry and said, 'That is how it is done.' He knew Harry was there and he wanted him to see him murder someone.

Next he chose to direct his anger at Lucius Malfoy but either he remembered that he needs the great poncy git or else he was getting bored, because he tortured him rather than killed him.

Well, after that he really did get bored, apparently, because Harry says he stormed out. No one followed him. Raz brought Harry back and I've no idea what else might have happened.

Albus. Do you want to tell them about taking Harry to Godric's Hollow or shall I?

And you might share with us how you've managed to change your appearance so thoroughly without Polyjuice. We could all use the ability now and then.

From:

alt_bill

What do you mean, without polyjuice? It didn't occur to me it could be anything else.

From:

alt_bill

And by the way, I met Percy for lunch today and got from him that Lucius has been a bit of a wreck himself today. Percy thought he was sick.

(Hope Malfoy's spent the day realising he's been an idiot for pinning his hopes on that psychopath. Although that's probably too much to ask.)

From:

alt_sirius

I'm sure it's too much to ask, Bill. But yeah. I hope he had a miserable day.

Well, so long as he doesn't take it out on Percy. Or do you think that might convince Percy he's pinned his hopes on the wrong psychopath?

From:

alt_molly

Oh, I can only hope so!

From:

alt_bill

And I'm sorry about Harry, Sirius. Merlin, what a nightmare for the poor kid to be subjected to!

From:

alt_pomona

I've been thinking about that.

Besides the obvious supply problems - Albus came, as Brutka, to the World Cup last August. And we all know the security precautions they took there.

(Beyond whatever the security to enter the wards must involve, and I'd assume those were more invasive and more stringent.)

From:

alt_bill

Wait a minute.

I was wondering...if it's polyjuice, where the REAL Brutka? Does he have him locked in a trunk somewhere or something? I mean, he had to get the hair from somewhere.

But if it ISN'T polyjuice, how did he manage it?

From:

alt_sirius

Harry says not. When he got to the centre and the Cup, there was an object on the ground that he said sort of compelled him to touch it. And that's when he found himself at Godric's Hollow with an old man with a long white beard who introduced himself as Dumbledore. Harry began to panic, saying he had to get back, and Albus told him not to worry, that he'd send him back by way of a Time-Turner (another useful toy, Albus, that you could share with the rest of the class!) but that first he thought they needed to have a chat.

And Harry told me that by the end of that chat, Albus told him he could seek him out if he needed, because he was nearby. And he did something and suddenly Harry recognised him as Professor Brutka.

Harry's used Polyjuice. He'd have known if Albus drank something or changed under its effects.

From:

alt_bill

I'm so confused.

So...he must have been presenting himself as Dumbledore when he grabbed the Alpha. He must have, as I assume no one's showed up to arrest the Hogwarts Transfiguration professor today. Or at least if they have, we haven't heard about it.

Damn. I hate scrambling to try to catch up.

Hasn't ANYONE tried to beard the gent in his quarters? What, is he busy grading papers?!

From:

alt_alice

I've just had a thought.

What does Brutka look like? Poppy? Pomona?

From:

alt_gredforge

He's old. Like at least forty. And he has red hair. Clean shaven. Blue eyes, a few sort of faded freckles.

From:

alt_molly

Old! Since when is forty old?

From:

alt_gredforge

Oh.

Sorry.

From:

alt_alice

Watch your tongues!

Perhaps Brutka is a younger Albus? I mean to say, maybe there is no Brutka?

I know the blue eyes and red hair fits.

From:

alt_molly

My goodness.

From:

alt_gredforge

Whoa, that means that this bloke that Voldemort hates has been teaching here the past three years? Because that's how long he's been here.

And he never let any of you lot know? Wicked!

From:

alt_alice

Merlin.

Sirius, love, I'm so sorry. That must have been hard to hear.

Why on earth did he want Harry to kill Mrs Ridley? I don't suppose it has to have any reason, but how awful.

And I wonder what was happening with those wands. I'm not sure if I've ever heard of that before. I'll ask Mellisandra what she thinks.

From:

alt_sirius

I'm not at all certain, Alice. About the murder, I mean. I can't make sense of what Harry told me. He said that Voldemort told him he had a present for him, and he held out the very first Snitch Harry ever caught in a Quidditch match. He wanted him to hold the Snitch and kill Ridley. (Though from the sound of it, wanting to murder Ridley is a desire not exclusively Voldemort's. Tell Frank to tell her that her 'lover' says hello.)

Anyway. There was something about a potion that he wanted Harry to drink after the murder was done and a bunch of other instructions but Harry'd already decided he wasn't having any of it. He said he faked the spell as best he could, figuring it would be better to 'fail' than to refuse.

As for the wands, Allie, like I said, I think the description sounds like Priori Incantatem. I've heard of it but never seen it. (I mean to say, other than deliberately casting the charm. I've seen that. But I've never seen it happen accidentally.)

From:

alt_alice

Sounds like a Dark rite. None that I'm familiar with, though. We might have to do some research.

Severus, Walden, any insights as to what he might've been doing? Does it sound like something he's had people do before?

I've briefly popped into Mellisandra's work room, and described what happened, and she said it sounded like the wands are linked somehow. What's Harry's core?

From:

alt_gredforge

Whoa.

Poor Marvolo. No wonder he didn't seemed chuffed in the least for winning the tournament.

(Priori Incantatem? What's that?)

From:

alt_alice

It shows the last few spells any given wand has performed.

For instance, if we were to perform it on your own wands, a dragon would not be one of the things that would emerge.

They usually look like ghosts of the spells used -- sometimes sounds, sometimes even smells, even though they're faint.

We used it at the MLE quite often back in the day, but I've never heard of it happening quite like that.

From:

alt_kingsley

It's more than that. It's really rare, because it can only be performed between two wands that are brothers.

From:

alt_gredforge

Huh? How can wands be brothers?

From:

alt_kingsley

That means that they share wand cores...like you have a wand and the other person has a wand with unicorn tail hairs that were taken from the same unicorn.

You can see how low the chances are of something like that happening, between two random wizards. That's why it's an effect that you hardly ever see.

From:

alt_gredforge

Except thsse aren't two random wizards. Are they?

From:

alt_kingsley

No, they're not.

I wonder...did Voldemort make sure, when Harry got his wand, that he would be given one that shared the same core? Why would he do that?

From:

alt_alice

Yes, Mellisandra suggested as much.

From:

alt_sirius

Well, the unintentional variety of it, yes.

And yeah. I didn't know that Harry's wand core matched Voldemort's so precisely.

Allie, can you ask Mellisandra what she thinks that signifies?

From:

alt_alice

I'll corner her for a proper chat, and see what she's able to tell us.

From:

alt_kingsley

Frank's made his own post about the run around we've been having with Ridley. As he mentioned, we'll probably need a medical opinion from you, as soon as you can be spared. I'm concerned over the question of whether her suspicion and paranoia are to be expected, given what she's gone through, and she can recover--or whether MLE permanently scrambled her brains. I couldn't begin to venture a guess, after today's interrogation.

Frank's being a pro about it in front of her, he always is. But when he's out of her sight, it's obvious he wants to put a fist through a wall.