Order Only Private Message to Albus Dumbledore

[alt_poppy]

Albus. You are a difficult man to catch in person, so let me see whether you might respond to a written approach.

I need to consult with you.

Comments

[alt_albus]

On what topic, dear lady?

I have been rather busy this weekend, with one thing and another.

[alt_poppy]

Well, then, I've yet another to add before it's done.

Nymphadora Tonks has asked that I examine her to be sure that all is well with her pregnancy because she has reason to think that it might be extraordinary in certain respects that do not bear sharing with her Healer in St M's ante-natal service.

I need you to tell me what sort of rite she and Charlie Weasley carried out on Beltane that resulted in her being pregnant. And then perhaps I will have further questions about what range of outcomes or surprises might be expected to ensue as that pregnancy follows its course.

[alt_albus]

That will not be relevant for months yet. There are quite a few other matters of greater urgency at the moment.

Since you ask, however.

The ritual itself may or may not have worked, one cannot tell until there is a child. I do have some experience in this area, and the last paired experiment has apparently worked well enough.

If there is a healthy child, and if I have adequately translated the perceptions of both parties - shades of green, scents of flowers, and numbers of sides in a geometric construction being rather more nuanced than academic magical research prefers due to the varied perceptions of individuals - then there are better than even odds that a child conceived in such a ritual might be useful in removing at least one layer of wards.

The pregnancy itself should present no particular challenges, though I suppose if you wish to consult, I am sure Alice would be obliging with additional details under the circumstances (since dear Lily, alas, can not assist.)

Is that sufficient?

[alt_poppy]

...

You are telling me you've meddled in this way before? With Alice and Frank and James and Lily. What was the aim in that instance, may I ask? Not wards.

Wards? What on earth have babies and wards to do with one another?

And pairs--'the last paired experiment' Does that mean there've been others that were not in pairs? since? prior? both? And does that indicate that this time we're dealing not only with Nymphadora and Charlie but with some other couple? In that case who?

Relevant.

Relevant?

Albus, that's well and good for you to say as you're not the one with a child growing inside your body who may or may not be... extraordinary in some respect that could produce unexpected, awkward, alarming, unhealthy, or otherwise abnormal twists in the course of things between now and birth, during birth, or thereafter. She's a right to know what could happen and to have well-founded advice on what's likely to happen. If I tell her that what's likely is that nothing will be out of the ordinary, I should like to make that promise from a position of knowledge. If I cannot make offer that reassurance in good faith, I will not, but you know the result will be to introduce worry into the equation. Worry respects neither the sides of a geometric construction, the possible shades of green, nor the scent of flowers.

[alt_albus]

Given Sybil's most - specific - utterances, I am sure you can make sense of the timing of the two children in question. (Which is to say, that has not come to fruition yet, but it has also not yet failed. Magic on this scale is rather inexact.)

As to the wards, the theory is that if one takes a particular magic on a specific harmonic frequency, and one takes other potent acts of magic (children conceived harnessing the energies of Beltane and particularly positions near the leys), the result might allow for adjustment of the leys, the wards, or other such things.

As to the other couple, I suppose I could mention it to them. You would want me to respect their confidentiality, surely.

For your last, it is simply an expansion of the potential of the moment that anyone might harness, done consciously. An ancient tradition, in some places, that day and that act. Thousands of children born such, I'm sure. There is a chance the child might be more sensitive to some kinds of magic - to the leys, in this case, most likely. But nothing that should affect the mother or child notably before birth.

Really, dear lady, I would have mentioned such a thing at least briefly when I made the request of them, if there might be a significant concern.

[alt_poppy]

The Prophecy.

You mean to say that the child (children... you're saying that Neville Longbottom is also a child of that Prophecy?) Paracelsus. You're saying that they weren't yet conceived when Sybil had her prophetic turn? It was before-? And you-?

Albus Dumbledore.

Well. Wards seem a small target by comparison. Scarcely worthy of your efforts.

The mind boggles.

All right, then. Given all this.

Is there any reason to think that Nymphadora might suffer any complication or symptoms at Samhain? Or at any time were she to approach a ley? Any ley? Certain leys? What about the disturbances that have occurred when these ward stones, these octobori, have been added to the set. They're close to finishing that set, aren't they? According to what we've been able to glean of their plans? I confess I've forgotten the details of Mr Stretton's report.

Or-. Oh, Albus. Which wards are you aiming for? You don't plan to sacrifice this child, these children, to counter the blood rite that created the Irish wards? A mother was killed to create those. A child to undo them? No. Surely not.

[alt_albus]

Children, indeed.

Born in love, and choice. We know rather little, all told, of the great magics that hem us in, but it has seemed to me that a child of love and desire might do a great deal to act against magics born in fear and death.

I had in mind the Octobori stones, in particular, but possibly also the wards set in 83.

As to Nymphadora, I do not think Samhain will produce any particular unwanted effects, if she has not experienced them to date. I have been endeavouring not to bias her experience (and it is not as if this is her first child, I trust she will inquire if there is something unexpected).

Though it is fortunate that New London is not particularly near any of the octobori sites, really.

[alt_poppy]

I don't know what has led her to ask to see me. It's possible she has had some reason for concern. I will know more when I've seen her. And I suppose you've given me enough to inform my examination.

So long as she doesn't offer to assist with the surveillance of the Octobori, then?

And, yes, I will consider what you're suggesting about not prejudicing her expectations.

Thank you, Albus.


Have you had anything from our friends in Dorset? Any news of your salvage operation?

[alt_albus]

I visited our friends in Dorset this afternoon. They have, indeed, retrieved it, and I left it safe with Severus earlier this evening. I have some further research left to do, from today's tests, but it seems worth the effort of retrieving it at the very least, and I hope a great deal more.

(Anna is delighted with the skrewts, I gather.)

It would be rather simpler if we had kept one of the horcruxes for testing, but that does present complications in several directions.

As to the rest, I will make you a copy of my notes, if it will ease your concerns, though there is a great deal of shorthand amongst them.

[alt_poppy]

Oh, that's excellent news! And explains why I had no success, knocking on your chamber door at several points today. My congratulations on obtaining the thing. May it be as effective as you hope.

(Anna is a piece of work. I'm pleased that she's pleased.)

And, yes, please. I would appreciate any documentation you're able to share. The threat of your shorthand doesn't frighten me, old man.

[alt_albus]

I will have the notes for you tomorrow evening, if you wish to come by.

And we will see what comes of the stone.