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[alt_sirius]

It was so hard to read it may have slipped past you, Poppy, but Terry wrote -- tried to write, anyway -- in his journal last night. Can't say exactly when, but it looked ....

I'm quite worried for the lad. Was he able to report to you this morning? If not, you'd best go see if you can fetch him out of whatever hole that damned devil stuffed him in.

I had only meant to check on things before heading off to Athens, but I can get breakfast, I suppose, while I wait to hear.

Comments

[alt_frank]

Alice has asked Minerva too.

evil fucking bastard. he ever gets in my sights, Merlin help me, he's going to pay.

[alt_sirius]

I think there's going to be a line out the doors of Hogwarts, mate - and not just us lot. I'd imagine many a parent will wish for a shot at that maniac.

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[alt_poppy]

Carrow broke the boy's arm.

He arrived on time for work this morning, pale with pain, his arm hanging in his sleeve. He told me nothing, of course; he never discusses what Carrow has done to him. But I was able to heal him, and he insisted on working his shift.

The boy seems oddly content with the outcome of things--I could hear him whistling (quietly) while he cleaned bed pans for me. I suppose he feels that the score for the term is now running against Carrow and for the children. I hope he is right about that.

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[alt_lupin]

Is there really nothing we can do for that poor boy? Sneak him out of the school and whisk him away, to London or Moddey Dhoo or anywhere really, just away from Carrow? There must be something, there simply must.

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[alt_poppy]

I keep running over and over all the possibilities I can conjure. I would be the logical one to take the boy, if we were to attempt it. I would be immediately suspected if he were to disappear, of course, so I might as well be the one to take him away.

But Carrow's privilege with the Protector is such that the bloodhounds would surely be loosed and the pursuit would be hot. In the old days London was a place one could disappear, but today? Am I mistaken, Remus? There aren't enough people now to allow for one (let alone two) to hide in plain sight.

And I can think of nothing so likely to set in motion the chain of events by which the protections on the Sanctuary might ultimately be penetrated as if I were to take Amycus Carrow's servant there. Unless something alters his standing with You Know Who, I fear we cannot risk turning all of the resources and powers of that very One on our most important treasure.


Honestly, Remus, the only solution I see is one I'm not yet able to reconcile with my conscience, though if I thought I could be certain of success, I'm not sure I could help but try it.

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[alt_molly]

No, Poppy, I agree with you. We certainly cannot risk Moddey Dhoo for one individual alone, no matter how desperate his situation. But I hadn't quite realised until now how Carrow is using your role to torment the boy further. I can see how this makes a truly dreadful ethical dilemma for you. (How horrible, that your mercy turns into a tool in his hands for his twisted purpose!)

Minerva, surely there must be some repercussions for Carrow in all this? Perhaps . . . if you can't rid yourself of the monster entirely (and I understand how he's rather a loathsome pet of the LP), might this incident serve as an excuse to get his claws out of Terry, at least for awhile? After all, he was, from their point of view, messing with the property of the LP's son. Could you argue that Carrow should be relieved of his own property as a punishment? At least temporarily? Could you persuade them to reassign Terry to you or Poppy, at least for awhile?

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[alt_sirius]

I was thinking something similar, Molly.

Minerva, did I see correctly that Malfoy's willing to stand with you on this issue? Perhaps he can soften the ground and press the argument?

Not that I have a lot of hope that spineless git can be coaxed to do anything that might bring himself under fire from Voldemort, but he seems to have his own reasons for wanting Carrow out of the way.

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[alt_lupin]

Surely children in his situation run away every day. Couldn't we arrange something for a time when you're all in the Great Hall, with an airtight alibi? We could arrange for him to sneak out of the building, and Frank or Kingsley could be waiting outside to get him away without putting you or any of the others at risk?

I know it probably wouldn't be safe for him to come here, in case anyone were ever to pass by the shop, or come in to it, and spot him. As you say, there just aren't enough people down here for anyone to hide properly. But is he really so recognisable? If we gave the poor child a bath and some clean clothes, I doubt even Carrow would recognise him. And surely even running the risk down here with us would be better than being stuck there with that awful man and his awful sister.

Moddey Dhoo would be even safer, of course, and probably much better for him to be with other children. If Frank can get me over there, I'm sure he could get Terry across safely. Unless Carrow has some sort of tracking charm on him, I don't see how he could be traced.

But then, Carrow being the sadistic bastard that he is, he probably does have a tracking charm on the boy, and god only knows what other charms and controls. It wouldn't be wise to do anything unless we know for certain how it might affect Terry. What we absolutely don't want is to make his life worse.

It just makes me so angry, Poppy!

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[alt_sirius]

It does for all of us, Moony. I'm with Frank; if there were some way to arrange a likely accident, I don't think I'd lose a minute's sleep over it.

I suppose we could test the tracking theory, if Poppy or Pomona or Minerva were willing to be on-hand just in case. I dunno, it's a little risky. Let me think on it.

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[alt_poppy]

Merlin knows what charms are on the boy.

I can tell you that if the boy were spirited away, I expect Carrow's reaction would be fearsome. And that his targets would be children. Oh, Minerva and I might be somewhere down his list of people to slyly stalk for cold revenge, that doesn't concern me. But I truly believe there would be no stopping his immediate reprisals against those least able to defend themselves.

Whatever we aim for with respect to Mr Boot, I cannot say forcefully enough that we must first deal with Carrow--both of them, really, because if we manage to leash Amycus, Alecto may well leap into the breach to take up his wand, as it were.