Private message to Bella and Savitha

[alt_antonin]

Just got word from the castle wards: Sprout is dead. Meet me back in the office.

Comments

[alt_savitha]

Dead! Are you

I will be there immediately.

[alt_antonin]

What an absolute clusterfuck.

[alt_savitha]

So Pomona was no mere common thief, but a traitor? Is that -- established? Or merely rumour among the Enforcers?

[alt_savitha]

Did she kill herself, to escape Truncheon's attentions?

[alt_antonin]

Not only rumour, no; Bella was not able to break her occlumency shield entirely, but there were one or two slips. Apparently it was not only Pomona, but Aurora as well -- Bella reported a brief thought of Pomona regretting that she'd gotten Aurora involved in all this. And, from what happened afterward, one must presume Poppy and David were both involved as well. (I cannot make that much make sense. Poppy and Pomona were inseparable, of course, and Auri was close to them both, but David was never particularly part of their circle.)

We'll need to question everyone left. And talk to the students, as well. This is going to be miserable to clean up from.

[alt_savitha]

David's connection is certainly a puzzle. Did he have any close associates? He was always so amiable, it made it hard to remember how little he ever shared about himself.

And -- actual treason. Really? Not just a number of friends with access to Hogwarts purchasing budgets, lining their pockets?

[alt_antonin]

As near as we can tell, she was supplying Black and his crew.

[alt_savitha]

For how long?

And Tosha. That must be heartbreaking. I know you felt as if you could trust Aurora. She was married to one of our Brothers in Service. At least ... well.

[alt_antonin]

I don't

Well. Grief takes us all in different ways, but I never would have thought it could lead her that far astray. I cannot imagine what Raz must be thinking, in the worlds beyond.

We shall see what else turns up. At this point I will not be satisfied with anything less than a full legilimantic examination of the entire staff; we cannot afford to continue finding out these things in bits and pieces.

[alt_savitha]

I think that's an excellent idea.

What about the students? That would take some time; there are quite a few more of them. But it could be done, given time...

Hmm. Tomorrow's supposed to be a Hogsmeade Day for the students, isn't it. Perhaps you should cancel it, as unhappy as it will make them. You don't want to make it easy for students who might wish to evade any questions about this evening's events.

[alt_antonin]

If Bella agrees, I may ask Hydra to sit in when I speak with those students who were particularly close to our birds who have flown the coop; Bella is tracking down other leads, and would undoubtedly balk at being asked to interview dozens of students, but Hydra ought to be willing.

And yes, good idea on Hogsmeade. I'll announce the cancellation at breakfast tomorrow when I make the announcement about tonight's events -- obviously I don't want to give them too much detail, but telling them nothing will only lead to mass panic.

[alt_savitha]

When one teacher who is also a Head of House is dead, and two others plus the matron have disappeared, and your clerk has been kidnapped, you can hardly tell them nothing.

How much of your affairs did Diggory know? Do you think they expect to be able to squeeze useful intelligence out of him?

[alt_antonin]

More than I'd like, but less than it could be. I keep Council business and Hogwarts business separate, at least, and the few times I've pressed him into service for the former it has been with as little information as possible.

I'm more concerned on his behalf. He's been recovering, but he's still not at full strength. If they treat him poorly --

Well. For all that British culture concentrates upon the debt of someone whose life has been saved, to the person who did the saving, my upbringing adds the obligation the other way around, as well: once you save someone's life, you are responsible for safeguarding it in the future. If they have hurt him, or if they refuse to accept he does not know anything more useful to them, it will go exceptionally badly for them once I track them down.

I have some ideas for how we can avoid having the entire student population in hysterics. At least it was not Our Lord's action this time; that gives me much more leeway.

[alt_savitha]

Well, you have all the support I can give you, of course.

[alt_antonin]

I am counting on it. And I appreciate your support, immensely; I am so glad you agreed to come back to Hogwarts again.

(Oh, Salazar's scrotum, we're going to need to hire for those positions as soon as possible to minimise disruption to the students' education. I don't suppose you know anyone who'd suit.)

[alt_savitha]

Herbology, Transfiguration, and Astronomy? Well, and a Matron. I assume you'll call St Mungo's about that.

I might know someone who could teach Transfiguration.

[alt_savitha]

At least the timing is fortuitous; it's almost time to send the children home for the holidays. So at least you'll have a few weeks to consider candidates without anyone falling behind.

[alt_antonin]

Yes, that is the one small bright spot in all this mess. Fractional though it might be.

Let me know who you have in mind. I can appeal to St M's for names to consider for Matron, and the Astronomer's Guild for Astronomy, but Transfiguration and Herbology lack a centralised body; any leads will help.