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[alt_poppy]

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.

Comments

[alt_bill]

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

[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.)

[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?

[alt_molly]

Oh, I can only hope so!

[alt_bill]

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

[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.)

[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?

[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.

[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?!

[alt_alice]

I've just had a thought.

What does Brutka look like? Poppy? Pomona?

[alt_gredforge]

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

[alt_molly]

Old! Since when is forty old?

[alt_gredforge]

Oh.

Sorry.

[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.

[alt_molly]

My goodness.

[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!