Order Only - Private message to Sally Anne Perks and Ron Weasley

[alt_draco]

Hey, Hermione said you two came round earlier today looking for me? I was out at Moddey demonstrating the new brooms. Except for the Selwyn kids, most have never experienced what a real racing broom can do, so those who want to use them are going to need a few lessons first - otherwise, the new brooms will be smashed before they're ever properly broken in.

Oh, and speaking of, did you get your broom back in one piece, Weasley? Thanks for the thought, it was generous of you. Only while I was out replacing the one half-way decent (but basically rubbish) Moddey broom I wrecked, I figured why not get one for myself, right?

Anyway, was there something you wanted to see me about? Oh, and Hermione says she's sorry, and that she would have welcomed you in herself if Mr Snape hadn't had her occupied with some complicated brewing.

Comments

[alt_ron]

Yeah, no worries about the broom. Glad to have it back.

[alt_sally_anne]

Tell Hermione we're sorry about interrupting, we didn't mean to be a pest. It's a really big house and we were trying not to disturb Mr Lupin.

Anyway, we dropped by to let you know that Daphne wants to join the Order. She's coming over to Pansy's tomorrow night, and Mrs Longbottom's going to come to talk to her. I thought you ought to know now, and not be surprised by her suddenly posting on the Order lock. (Or by her popping through the floo to 12GP, because I think Mrs Longbottom wants her to be able to get there if she needs a safehouse.)

[alt_draco]

Daphne knows about the Order?

When did that happen?

[alt_sally_anne]

Well

You know how I told her you were dead, so that she'd hear before it was in all the papers? She didn't believe me. And PMs weren't being monitored.

I told Mrs Longbottom right away. And I posted last week about how she was coming over to talk more! We did tell her there was an organisation, that it wasn't just the galleon people.

Daphne wanted to know if people would try to keep her safe if she joined, and if we really thought she would be useful (and how).

[alt_draco]

Okay, Hermione just pointed out that I completely missed the journal entry you made about Daphs and the Order, and her coming over to talk to you about it. Sorry about that.

So, she wants to join. Did she say why she wants to join?

And do you really think she knows what it entails?

Because Daphs could, if she wanted, have a relatively comfortable and trouble-free life, merely waiting behind the curtain while we either take down the Protectorate or die trying.

[alt_sally_anne]

She said she was tired of being protected.

[alt_ron]

Look. After what's happened. To you and your father and... all of it that she knows about, she figures there really isn't a way to just live it out somewhere safe and not be affected, y'know?

I mean, maybe if you hadn't died.

A bit ironic, right?

I mean, on the one hand she really wants to think you didn't, but she doesn't know. And that's kind of the last straw, I think. But once she knew enough to ask questions, then... I think it wouldn't change her mind now to know for sure you're not.

[alt_sally_anne]

And the thing is -- do you think she'd turn away from someone who needed help? If it were a runaway muggleborn or someone trying to escape MLE?

She wouldn't. Because THAT bridge is crossed.

[alt_ron]

No. She wouldn't turn away.

We all know that, right?

[alt_draco]

Okay, yes. I'll concede that there are a number of very good reasons for why she would want to know, as well as why she should know.

But when I think about how much some of us have changed in these last years, and what some of us have had to lose... It's just hard to think about someone like Daphs getting hardened, or cynical.

I know it's not my decision to make for her, by any means.

Oh, bloody nightshade.

[alt_sally_anne]

I know.

I know.

The thing is, Mrs Longbottom would never send her out to grab babies from a muggle camp or any of the really dangerous missions. But she's never sent me out on a dangerous mission and that didn't stop me from going with Ron and Pansy and you and Harry to try to save Arista and Hector Selwyn from the Department of Mysteries and almost getting myself killed. Being in the Order -- well, or the ISS, because we weren't in the Order yet -- it changes what you think of as possible. It changes what you think you're capable of.

[alt_draco]

It's Hermione. Draco looks as if he's just come down with an awful headache. And he's muttering a bit. If you ask me, he's a little ashamed to see Daphne again.

Anyway. I told him that someone like Daphne isn't going to be fully content until she knows the whole truth behind the scenes, if you know what I mean.

I just hope you're right about

It's not just Draco who'll feel awkward, you know.

I mean, everyone feels a little awkward when someone new joins. But I have a feeling Daphne and I will have reasons to feel especially awkward.

Oh, well. We'll get through it.

[alt_sally_anne]

Half-measures like the galleon group work best on people who aren't very inquisitive, or who aren't very clever, or who really truly DON'T want to know.

And yes, it'll be awkward. Not half as awkward as it was when Draco joined, though, and we all managed, both in ISS and in the Order.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. Now that was awkward.

And look how well it's going.

Heh.

[alt_draco]

Well, if she wants to join then that's that. The possibility of her being cross with me is hardly a good reason to oppose it. Nor is the possibility of enduring any awkwardness.

The fact that she's a pureblood Slytherin isn't a problem for anyone?

[alt_sally_anne]

I think you, Pansy, and Hydra broke them of the idea that pureblood Slytherins couldn't be trusted. No one's said a word about it, including Mrs Longbottom.

[alt_sally_anne]

Unfortunately the Gryffindors have a large head start or we might eventually overtake them.

[alt_ron]

Not likely.

[alt_draco]

Ha. Gryffindor is home to our newest, and probably most dangerous, council wizard.

Who would have thought?

[alt_ron]

You don't have to live with him. No surprise to those of us who do.

Which is a lovely thing to be reminded of.

Cheers.

[alt_draco]

I meant Finnigan.

Your brother is more "in danger" than "dangerous."

[alt_ron]

I meant Finnigan, too.

Haven't had to live with Percy for a couple of years. Hard to say which one's worse.


And, yeah. If he's in danger... that's his lookout. It's not like he wants help with it if there were even anything we could do, y'know?

[alt_draco]

The one you're related to is worse. It always is.

Funny, but I had to come to a similar conclusion about my Father. Well, I'm sure you saw when I wrote about it in my journal, to the Order. That doesn't mean it was an easy conclusion to arrive at, though.

[alt_ron]

No. I know it wouldn't have been.

I'm sorry you're losing your father, y'know. It's complicated. I'm not sorry what's happened to him, really. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I were. But he's your father.

And it's horrible.

Won't go on about it, though, alright?

[alt_draco]

No, I wouldn't expect you to feel any personal regret over that. Just as I imagine you won't expect me to feel any personal regret when you brother meets his inevitably bad end.

And that, too, will be horrible.

So yeah, enough said. I'm with you there.

[alt_ron]

Say. Do you think you want to be there when we bring Daphs over to Grimmauld tomorrow night?

I mean, maybe you do, but it's one thing to know it's going to happen and another to be there when she finds everything out all at once.

Your call, though.

[alt_sally_anne]

I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean it's up to Draco, but Daphne might not really want to -- well, if he does want to be there we should definitely let Daphne know he will be, before we take her to Grimmauld.

I mean the other thing is that we're going to be telling her a load of stuff to remember, like who the Order teachers are and how to get to the safe house and all that. If she sees Draco, none of that's going to stick.

Maybe I'm not giving her enough credit.

[alt_draco]

You know, I'll need to face Daphne, no doubt, but I'm not certain that the night she (most likely) gets sworn into the Order is the best time for a reunion.

And she'll need to be properly introduced to Hermione, and get acquainted with Mr Snape, and... does she even know that Sirius Black is with us? Because if not, that will probably be a shock, too.

So maybe one thing at a time, yeah?

[alt_sally_anne]

She doesn't know about Sirius. I didn't have permission to tell her that so I didn't think I should.

[alt_draco]

It can wait.

I can, that is.

[alt_ron]

I mean, we've got Hermione. And that counts triple.