ORDER ONLY

[alt_frank]

been talking to snape. he said there weren't any easy solutions, that putting up those sorts of barriers takes lots of practice, and that there weren't any easy fixes to this one. he also said that the idea of resisting Him was pretty helpless regardless -- that he suspected only a handful of people could.

he did say he knew how to make a pain potion that had long release so Hermione could take it beforehand, but it could dull her reflexes, which would make her less likely to be able to resist legilimency as well as move quickly should she need to activate her portkey.

he's also been more than a little interested in kingsley and me writing in our journals. hasn't asked about it so far, but you can see the wheels turning.

Comments

[alt_bill]

Shite. Again.

Sirius, guess you know him best of the three of you. Think he's telling the truth?

[alt_sirius]

Well.

I agree with everything he's saying, I'll give him that.

Still, a skilled Occlumens could probably rig up some sort of protective spell that could be transferred to an object. Might take some trial and error but maybe.

[alt_bill]

Yeah, well, it's not the sort of thing you can do as a trial run.

[alt_frank]

exactly how much time do we have here?

doesn't mean we can't try.

I'd say the pain potion might be too dangerous, seeing as how she'll need to keep sharp if she needs to get away quickly, but Hermione, if you want it, you let us know.

my vote is for just using the portkey now, though.

[alt_poppy]

I've only now seen this, I'm so terribly sorry.

Honestly, whatever he said about a delayed or prolonged pain potion can only help her in the aftermath. The pain of Cruciatus is not physical. Not originating in the bones or muscles or organs, though it feels acutely to afflict all of them at once.

The Cruciatus curse affects the mind. And cannot be dulled or escaped.

I've said to Miss Granger on her entry that if we were there, we might find a way to put her in a stasis state and make him think her incapable of suffering that way, but only for the time that would last. And yet, the more I think of it, the more I realise that's a nonsense theory: she would suffer equally well whilst in stasis, because Cruciatus would seize her consciousness without regard to the physical effects of the potions. It would only make her more vulnerable because we'd have trapped her in a body she couldn't control to run, jump, flinch, scream, cry. I'd think that prospect might make Voldemort the more viciously pleased to prolong his torture of her.

It's horrible. Too, too horrible.

[alt_sirius]

Maybe we're thinking about this all wrong.

Not that we want our Hermione Cruciated. But --

I keep asking myself what this punishment is about, really. And I keep thinking that perhaps it's much more minor than we're making it out to be.

From their perspective, Harry and Draco went where they weren't supposed to go. They nearly got themselves 'killed' and - possibly - their actions resulted in the loss of a magical creature. I'm not even sure they know that that was Harry's original plan, freeing Buckbeak.

So. He might not have any reason to legilimise her, mightn't he? Not that he needs a reason, mind you, but she did say that usually he considers her beneath his contempt.

We could be panicking over the wrong thing.

[alt_frank]

what should we be panicking over, then?

you might have a point about him not having the motive to see what she knows, though. that doesn't mean it isn't a possibility, still.

[alt_sirius]

I agree, Frank - I'll support her using the portkey now if she wants to do.

But I can understand if she wants to stick by Harry. And while I can't say I'm happy - in the slightest - at the prospect of her being tortured, and we can't take the risk of her revealing anything about the Order, willingly or un- ... well. Having her portkey away does make it clear that she's been contacted by Voldemort's enemies.

And that might actually convince him to probe deeper into what Harry - or any of his mates - knows.

Merlin. It's a clusterfuck.

[alt_arthur]

Merlin, I hope you're right, Sirius.

Hermione, let us know what you find out...when it will be, and if young Marvolo has been told anything else about the, er, specific reasons given for this. And we'll proceed from there accordingly.

[alt_arthur]

And Alice, let us know if Stephen can add anything, as far as helpful information with regards to potions.

[alt_alice]

Shall do, Arthur.

This is awful.

Private Message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_molly]

Arthur, if it all goes quite terrible, and we have to flee...

I mean, I know Alice and Frank would welcome us to Moddey Dhoo, if there was no other way, but...what about Percy?

Re: Private Message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

I don't know, Molly.

We can only hope it won't come to that.