alt_poppy | To the Hogwarts Community

To the Hogwarts Community

I write you all from the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where a terrible crime against our youth has been committed by the forces of the so-called Protectorate in the name of a now-deceased and discredited tyrant.

We ask your assistance in locating the families of those of our children and staff in distress. We need most urgently to hear from the families of the following:

We regret to announce the deaths of certain members of our school community. Please join me in expressing sympathy to and concern for the surviving families and friends of the following children:

Likewise, I wish to extend condolences to the surviving families and loved ones of the following recent and former members of staff:

It is my duty to care for the wounded here, to comfort those in distress and extremity, and to preserve the dignity of the dying and the dead.

We here at the school urgently wish to hear from any parents seeking information about their children, particularly those families listed above, but including all others needing to be reunited with family members. I regret that the situation here remains rather chaotic in the aftermath of last evening's events.

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That is the list insofar as I am able to assemble it. I have listed as deceased only those whose families I am certain we have informed. For the rest, as you see, I've requested that the families make contact to receive information.

I'm afraid I'm leaving it to you to communicate the list of those who remain missing.

Giving up on sleep for the moment.

The ghosts found two more overnight, hiding still. Jammed into tiny spaces, no journal and no idea it was safe.

I don't think we'll have a complete list of the missing for days yet, there was too much chaos. But we should have made at least two attempts to contact the students and families by later this morning, journal and owl, asking - well.

The standard note says 'working to reconnect everyone at Hogwarts that night with information about their friends and family', and a bit about how we want to make sure there aren't still people who need help somewhere in the school. And being really clear we don't care where they are, just tell us if they're alive.

(And then we have to match handwriting samples: there's at least one who - well, someone wrote on their behalf and then we found another body.)

Alice, we're not directly asking the question, that's too hard, but as people tell us things they saw, we're wriiting it down. In case it helps later. About who was where, when. What happened. Who did what.

I am so sorry for your loss.

I think he was trying to protect Betsy.

Michael was not a member of the Order, but he was a member of a larger, affiliated group of students who gathered to read forbidden books and talk about life in the protectorate. (So was Betsy; she might be able to tell you more about it.)

Michael was clever, thoughtful, kind, and resourceful, and I was glad we were able to stay friends. Mrs Corner, I still have the necklace he gave me, the amulet you made. If you'd like it back, as a memento of him, or if Betsy would -- let me know.

I am so sorry about Ed. I don't even know what to say.

And Zach. And Megan.

But especially Ed.

Haven't been able to think about it or write.

I'm just

No

For the moment I have resumed my former role as secretary to the school. I am one part of the team working to reconnect families. Please contact me with any questions and concerns.

Susan, Justin, Sally-Anne, Ron, (and Pansy, if you're up to it.)

Can you spare an hour or two this morning? I need your help with finding spells.

I'm told you all learned Whitfield's Pendulum in class this spring, and I'm arranging the needed items.

Is that what Dolohov told you?

Yes, we learned Whitfield's Pendulum this spring. We've been using it. There are quite a few things that can mimic a ward against sympathetic magic, is the problem, and almost any defensive spell will function as such a ward, so if they cast Protego and never dismissed it...

Well, if you've rounded up some more silver rings for us we'll give it another try.

It is.

And he also said about the wards. But also that if we can get a close family member to cast it, it might work even with the wards. (Ron, Justin, he suggested you both could teach it.)

I want to try everything we can. Working on the family members we can get. And silver rings all round.

maybE we should wander around aiming at random walls and saying 'finite'?

wheRe is the map? the nifT one? does hermionE have it?

or iS it with harry's things?

I'll ask her.

Also, the secreT room's always liked us. maybE, I don't know, we can use it somehoW?

The MAP.

Oh. Yeah. Hermione, do you know? My guess is it's with Harry's things, which are probably still up in Gryffindor Tower unless MLE took them. Maybe Ron can check?

That's certainly not what he used.

He said that the other things he'd suggest, it's not like we'd grant him amnesty to come try them.

Which is true enough.

been talking to the head house elf, bindle.

they'll Redouble efforts on their end, But that it's difficulT without the Headmaster, as the castle is Uncertain all is safe and 'not likely to Reveal its greatesT treasures easily.'

I suggested Breaking it down by micro-gridS to be systematic and thorough about it, and cover every inch possible. he seemed to think that was sensible enough.

Do you think it would help if he made some formal resignation of the Headmastership?

I don't know if he will. But maybe.

worth asking. vector's in poor shape, but she's here and awake, you knoW? shE Might be able to swinG something. but it'D be easier for her if he resigned.

I've asked.

No go, but he is instructing the elves to give every assistance in finding students. That much and no further.

Pardon. Going to go take a short walk before I do something decidedly unhelpful.

The Board of Governors could meet and sack the son of a bitch.

Who's on it, these days? Did they ever get around to kicking Lucius Malfoy off?

Don't know who might cooperate, given who appointed them. Or who'd even talk to us.

I mean, there's Lionel Moon. Very glad Linus and his other children are safe, but Karo's married to Ptolemy Baddock, and I can't imagine he'd risk her by being seen negotiating with us.

Most of the others are like that, too.

Josiah Peakes might come round (Dean Thomas was his foster-son.) Maybe a couple of the others. I doubt enough to make it binding, but I am pessimistic at the moment.

Evelyn, could you ask Septima for a list of the board she can remember?

And it might be worth asking Lucius or Narcissa anyway. They'd know the people, even if they don't know the recent details.

Can do.

Yes. Let's show him how little of a mandate he has.

Remus, talk to Narcissa. There may still be students alive and trapped. Time is of the essence. If that does not sway them, they can all go join Dolohov in hell.

Tosha says: "I would advise you, meanwhile, against trying to enter any part of my office other than the receiving room. Please warn Mr Finch-Fletchley in particular that when I am away from the castle for longer than thirty-six hours, the wards all reset themselves, and all access is revoked, until I am able to disarm them; he will be very badly injured"

Was the Book in the receiving room? We can at least make an attempt on that.

Also. He says nothing about his personal rooms. I have an idea or two there, but I think it can wait.

Also, I said that if at any point he wanted to discuss amnesty or surrender, I'd play messenger owl. Because he could be useful, outside the wards.

He made it clear he won't, that he would rather go down fighting than otherwise. And that he's clear that Barty is very high on our list of people to kill.

And "Tell Alice Longbottom I look forward to matching wits and wands with her."

I'm cross-checking anything he says. I can't tell any more what's reasonable paranoia or unreasonable paranoia. I haven't told him details about anyone who hasn't already been public, but he's clearly guessed or heard about a number of students on our side.

He left his students under armed guard. The ones he professed so very much to care about. Was tasked with keeping safe. Harry was important, yes, but did he give a thought to the rest?

And should Harry not have shown? What then? Would he have stood there while they were executed? Would he have saved a handful of his favourites and counted it a success?

So many. So many children dead.

Their blood is on both our hands.

I see.

Likewise.

I didn't say we'd give it. Just that I'd be messenger.

Because I don't know what other lives we could save, if he helped. None of us do.

I keep thinking about Severus and choices. And so many other people.

Oh. Family funerals. Um. Today is Monday. Wednesday afternoon, Mum said. I won't be good for anything then, or that evening, if I go, I'm sure.

Yes.

Of course.

By then, we ought to have things better in hand here. I'll make sure everything's covered.

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To the Hogwarts Community

Private Message to Alice Longbottom and Aurora Sinistra

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Private message to Mr and Mrs Corner

Private message to Susan

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no subject

Order Only

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Private message to Alice, Cedric, and Justin

Private message to Alice

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