Order Only - candidates and sponsors

[alt_draco]

After last night's mixer, I compared notes with a few people and was able to put together what I believe is an accurate list of council candidates and their respective sponsors. Should it be of any bloody use at all. Note that I am unsure what order each candidate was chosen in, though it is safe to speculate the order in some.

Ned Pennifold
Draco Malfoy
Cormac McLaggen
Pansy Parkinson

Lana Sandavol-Pennifold
Hydra Lestrange
Padma Patil
Greg Goyle

Julius Avery
Ron Weasley
Vince Crabbe
Zach Smith

Ptolemy Baddock
Richard Vaisey
Katie Bell
Dean Thomas

Sarah Yaxley
Teddy Nott
Blaise Zabini
Lares Tamblyn

Jason Montague
Alfred Montague
Heph Bobolis
Linus Moon

Virgil Crispin
Seamus Finnigan
Samantha Montgomery
Lizzie Stevens

Comments

Private message to Snape

[alt_draco]

When you have a moment, I would like to meet with you about the possibility of training in legilimency.

I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that I've decided to follow this opportunity to the end, and intend to take the Mark.

It is not lost on me that some of the others may believe that I am doing this to sneak back to the side I was born on. I suspect Hermione may believe that. I am willing to endure the suspicion. If anything, it only shows me that I have just the right presence to carry this off.

Re: Private message to Snape

[alt_severus]

I would be more surprised had you decided not to.

It is good that you are already prepared for suspicion and doubt. The life of a double agent is exceptionally uncertain, and often measured in months and years rather than years and decades. Be certain. Occlumency is a necessary but not sufficient protection: I endured twelve years in Azkaban for having uttered a single unguarded syllable, and it was luck alone that the Dark Lord thought me useful enough to imprison, rather than kill outright, in a gamble that he would need my skills again in the future.

Yes, I will teach you. You will need to learn both quickly and flawlessly. See me after supper, when you can get away. I recognise you will need to keep up appearances and that it is often difficult to escape the eyes of your fellow students; I will speak to Minerva about arranging a method by which we might meet without suspicion.

Re: Private message to Snape

[alt_draco]

I am certain, and have been for some time.

I would like to know, though, what this unguarded syllable was that ended you in Azkaban, so that I can avoid similar error. I don't think that he would find me at all useful enough to bundle away for later use.

And yes, a method to explain the meetings will be necessary. I appreciate it.

Re: Private message to Snape

[alt_severus]

The full truth of why I was imprisoned is known only to two men besides myself: Albus Dumbledore and the Dark Lord. And even Albus does not know the entirety.

I will break the silence of years and tell you, yes; I am an excellent cautionary tale. But first, we must have a conversation about secrets and trust, and whether we both can have the latter before sharing the former.

Re: Private message to Snape

[alt_draco]

Those are the only two people? I see.

Yes, sounds like that conversation is in order.

I should tell you that I'm not a particularly open person. You probably can tell. I'm willing to expose myself to whatever discomforts necessary to do this, though.

Re: Private message to Snape

[alt_severus]

In that desire for privacy, at least, we are similar.

I will expect you when you are able to get away.

[alt_sally_anne]

So during the soiree last night I slipped into the boys' dorm and got a look at a few other letters. (They all say such different things, I thought it might be useful.)

Teddy's sounded like it was written by someone who'd drunk a bad batch of Dreamless Sleep:

Dear Theodore and I call you Theodore and not Nott, for if you succeed, you will be my brother in His Service),

Of all Our Lord's devoted and loyal subjects He chooses but a handful to honour, to choose for His inner circle; He trusts us with His work, graces us with His attention, and placed His Mark upon our bodies.

In this winter He has invited some of us to choose candidates we believe might be worthy. Worth is measured in many ways, not merely strength in a duel but also strength of mind and spirit and purity. Strength to know that which must be known and to see with clarity what must be seen. Worth is powerful. Worth should be treasured.

I believe you may be worthy and so I present to you this Ouroboros pin as a symbol of your worth and your willingness to prove it. To test it, to defend it, to demonstrate it before the eyes of all that look and judge. Wear your pin night and day, that all may see it, that all may know that you test yourself against others chosen to compete for this honour.

There will be challenges. There will be tests.

Walk with care. He will not Mark a corpse. Nor a fool.

Twenty-one have been called. Seven will be sent into the presence of Our Lord. Whether He chooses to Mark or to cast aside will be His will.

Don't shame me, Teddy Nott.

Sarah Yaxley

Greg's was from Lana Sandoval but it was really different from the one Hydra got:

Dear Greg Goyle,

I'm sending you this pin to wear while you compete for a chance to take Our Lord's Mark. You will have to fight if you want to win this favour. You will notice that a number of other students will be wearing similar pins. All of them have been invited to compete for the same honour. Very few will make the cut.

My advice to you is that you do whatever it takes to crush your opponents.

I'm entirely serious.

Your sister in Our Lord's service,
Lana Sandoval-Pennifold

Also, I went to talk to Professor Dolohov because I thought he might know something. He didn't know anything -- well, I guess we all know that by now? But I didn't, when I went to talk to him. Anyway no one told him this was happening and he doesn't know what's being planned, why they chose candidates this way, any of it. The thing that was most striking was how very, very careful he was about exactly what he said. He's not usually terribly worried about saying the wrong thing, even to students -- he has books you aren't supposed to have, and I don't mean Dark Arts books, I mean he once loaned me a book written by an American muggleborn (at least I was pretty sure from the little biography of the author that he was a muggleborn). He was being really careful yesterday, picking his words in a way that would ensure that even if we were being watched by Bellatrix she'd find nothing to take exception about, you know? Like he feels the ground shifting under his feet, and is being very careful about where he steps until it stops moving.

[alt_draco]

They just left those lying about? Morons.

Interesting about Dolohov. I haven't had a chance to speak with him yet. I know we've spent a lot of time speculating why the Lord Protector sees it as advantageous to have his followers off-keel, but I think I've finally sussed it out.

He wants them in a position where they feel insecure and are literally willing to do anything to win his favour. On top of that, he throws out the occasional reward to keep hope alive. Even if all the back-and-forth that means that a few of them might turn against him, like Mr Selwyn, he'd rather risk that than having his followers get too comfortable. If they get too comfortable they might start thinking about themselves, their own wants and needs, instead of putting him first.

[alt_sally_anne]

I thought Greg might. I mean he left his JOURNAL lying around where Mr Snape picked it up, remember? And it was sitting on his desk, I didn't even have to touch anything.

I think Teddy's fell out of his pocket, I found it on the floor, folded into little squares.

[alt_draco]

Teddy's might be a fake, but then again, Sarah Yaxley is a little mad and that sounds a little mad.

And precisely, you'd think Goyle ought to have learned by now. Well at this rate he won't pose much of a threat, at least.

[alt_sally_anne]

Well, it wasn't Teddy's handwriting. And it looked like a woman's writing, though there are men with very pretty penmanship.

[alt_draco]

If you're talking about me, it's my Mother's fault. Penmanship was always a part of my lessons, even from a young age.

Teddy can be quite clever. At any rate, I'm not sure that the content of the messages tells me anything useful about my competition. Surely we all know more about Goyle than Lana S-P does. But she is advising him to not hold back and to be as brutal as possible - and we know that HE knows how to do that, and do it well.

Private message to Draco

[alt_sally_anne]

I didn't mean you, your handwriting isn't girly! Anyone who said so was looking for an excuse for his own atrocious chicken scratchings.

I was thinking of Justin. I would NEVER know he wasn't a girl, if I had just his writing to go on.

Private Message to Draco

[alt_pansy]

I've been giving some thought to my role in all of this.

I know I don't have the same expectations placed on me as you do. I know how some people are going to perceive me. But I also know how much more important it is that you succeed.

Tell me what you need me to do, and I'll do it.

If you need me to be a visible ally, I'll be there. If you need me to appear to keep my distance, I'll do what I can behind the scenes, and would understand your reasons for it.

This is bigger than either of us. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help you.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

Appreciated.

I won't know what I need until we see what they want us to do.

It's a distinct possibility, however, that I will have to behave, in public, in a way that is hurtful - be it physically hurtful, or emotionally. You have to know that none of it is authentic, and convince the others if they suspect that it is. I swear I will only resort to it if I see no other option.

I might as well get accustomed to it now.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_pansy]

I

Yes. I see.

And of course it wouldn't be real, Draco.

I know you.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

Yes. Well Well, not everyone else does.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_pansy]

Their loss.

[alt_justin]

Draco,

I've been looking at your list and trying to deduce their motivations, what.

Avery and Montague were the only ones to nominate Hufflepuffs, or who have more than two Houses represented. However, Heph Bobolis and, sad to say, Zach, were involved in the duelling club. (In fact, all Jason's selections were in the club. I say, it seems to me as if he's simply choosing chaps who'll work well with his brother.)

Avery chose Ron, what, but he also chose Zach and Crabbe. Perhaps he hopes that Ron will succeed and keep Crabbe out of the running for the time being? Zach's well insufferable about the whole business but I suspect he'll change his tune dramatically once you lot start up these challenges. Right now, I think he's simply bally well chuffed someone thought of him; I'm sure he never remotely considered it for himself, what.

Neither Hydra nor I are surprised Sandoval made a play for her. It's almost certainly intended to please Auror Lestrange. As for Patil, that's another obvious choice on Sandoval's part, though I'm well surprised she rewarded Padma's loyalty all these years. I'd rather got the impression from our revision sessions last term that Sandoval had all but dropped Padma when she left school. (Today, of course, there was no escaping an endless stream of 'Sandoval says'--and dash it, it's just occurred to me that I shall be the only one in our revision group who is not in the running for this bally old 'prize'--oh, bother it. Can't be helped.) Goyle's an odd choice for her but perhaps she's hedging her bets with someone who values brawn over brain. Then again, he is frightfully clever when it comes to Dark Arts, so perhaps that's her logic as well.

I say, Ned's your cousin, isn't he? And Crispin used to work for your father. Ned chose both you and Pansy, what, which makes me think perhaps he thought it would please Mr Malfoy to see him supporting the two of you. And McLaggen's brother was a Councilwizard so that's a safe third choice, what.

But Crispin seems to have avoided choosing you (assuming he had the choice, and wasn't he Marked prior to your cousin? Unless they used some other order besides precedence, what). Perhaps he's aware of the dangers of this sort of initiation and thought to ingratiate himself by sparing you? Or perhaps he's trying to create separation between himself and Mr Malfoy, as he'll be guiding his charges to best you. In either case, he's got a dedicated choice in Finnigan. I say, it seems to me he might have picked Lizzie and Sam because he knows they work effectively as a team? I can't think why, otherwise.

I think Yaxley's choices speak for themselves: They're all fairly flamboyant, in their way. I'm sure that appeals to her artistic spirit, what.

That leaves Baddock. Vaisey's a fairly obvious choice, of the seventh-years. Bell--perhaps he thinks her connection to Harry will work in her favour, as he's judging so many of the challenges? And Thomas....I say, he's the most unsettling candidate, what, because one never seems to be able to guess on a given day which way his head's going to turn. Sometimes he's a decent enough chap and sometimes he takes the bit in his teeth and plunges hell for leather, what. I should think Baddock's other choices being safe meant he thought he needed a wild card to show he's not wholly risk-averse.

If these seven who've chosen this lot are same people who'll be setting your challenges, one might be able to think strategically about how they'll be judging your efforts, which in turn will help us skew the results, if you follow me.

-F-F

[alt_pansy]

I wonder.

They said seven would be chosen, but did they clarify that it was one from each? Or that it'd just be seven total?

I'm inclined to think it'd be seven total -- where more than one from each person could potentially go up -- but I'm not sure.

[alt_justin]

Pansy,

Yes, that does rather make a difference, doesn't it. I'm inclined to think it's the sort of decision they prefer not to make until necessary, simply because the goal here is not to raise one new initiate per sponsor but to present Voldemort with the best this group can produce.

But given that so many of the letters seem to stress not bringing shame onto the sponsor, what, one presumes that each of them hope to present someone suitable. Which means they may want one 'strong' candidate apiece and let the others jolly well rot.

-F-F

[alt_draco]

Before we go reading too much into intentions, we ought to keep in mind that these fresh young things may have been just as caught off guard as Professor Raz, Professor Dolohov, and my own Father were.

Imagine Voldemort summoning them and saying "give me the name of three Hogwarts' students you would sponsor for our council. Oh, and you have five minutes."

[alt_hydra]

Yes, but they may have had a lot of time to decide, which means that Justin's logic might have some validity.

Right?

[alt_justin]

Oh, I say, is that what you think happened? And was everyone unaware of this before it started? That might change things yet again.

Still, even if these are simply the first names that sprang to mind, it tells us something about their creativity and how well they know (or don't know) the current slate of students.

-F-F

[alt_draco]

I don't know. It may be, like Hydra said, that they had time to mull and deliberate, but perhaps not.

I only have it on good authority that neither my Father, Professors Raz and Dolohov, and (I believe) the Headmistress had any advance knowledge.

[alt_sally_anne]

Do you think Mr Crispin would have at least warned your father, if he'd known about it in advance?

I think your theory that they weren't given much time may explain some things.