Order only: The Headmistress
Feb. 15th, 2014 08:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_terryCedric and I were finishing breakfast at his Hogsmeade flat yesterday morning when there was a rap on the outer door. I quickly transformed, Cedric did the transfiguration spell that turns my fur black, and then opened the door. It was Headmistress McGonagall.
I heard him offering her tea as he invited her inside. She came in, took one swift look around, and spotted me sitting on the floor. 'I appreciate the offer, Diggory, and perhaps another time. Today, I am here to borrow your dog.'
She was staring hard at me, and I suppose she must have seen the split-second of blurriness around my edges, for I was about to change back to speak to her. But she put up her hand and said, 'Your dog.' I trotted over and she let one hand fall onto my head. 'There are days,' she said, 'when what serves one best is the quiet companionship of an animal.'
'Of course,' Cedric said, and shot me a look. I was reminded that he hasn't been in the Order for all that long, and he's known Professor McGonagall mostly as Headmistress and Death Eater. I had smelled something strange when she touched me -- something that worried me. But I wagged my tail and sat down at the Headmistress's feet. Whatever she was asking for, whatever it was she wanted -- there's very little I wouldn't do for her.
'Come, sirrah,' she said to me then. 'Heel properly, on my left side, if you please.'
We walked up to the castle, straight up to her rooms, where she found an old tartan blanket and put it down for me under the desk, where I would be hidden from visitors. 'Stay,' she said, pointing at the blanket. I lay down curled at her feet. Minutes later, there was a knock at the door and I heard her say, 'Do come in, Antosha.'
Antonin Dolohov was here? I froze under the desk, and pricked my ears to listen. They chatted about tea, marzipan, and the books he had brought for her. 'Tell me, my friend, of your audience with Our Lord,' the Headmistress said, and I thought this must be why she'd brought me here -- to eavesdrop. But he said nothing of particular substance -- merely that they had discussed research. It was clear Dolohov was upset about the disruption to his classes, though he didn't come out and say that. I could smell a hint of fear as he thought about that audience with the Dark Lord -- and I heard him make a sound of frustration -- but nothing beyond that. Then Dolohov said, 'But I have not seen you in His presence in quite a while.'
'Well,' she said. 'I lost His trust -- deservedly -- last year, when I was duped by Dominic Selwyn and used in his plot. I was a fool -- walking down the path of friendship into destruction....Yes. I see you understand.'
'But Our Lord -- ' he said.
'Our Lord was more merciful than I could have asked,' she said. 'He spared my life, and withheld the punishment that was my due. Instead, he gave me a gift.'
'A gift,' Dolohov repeated. 'May I see?' I heard a rustle, and wished I could see out from behind the desk.
The Headmistress added, 'He fastened it upon my wand hand Himself. Oh, take a closer look, if you like, Antosha. Just don't touch it.'
They were silent for a long moment and he said, simply, 'Yes.' I could have sworn his voice was sad.
'When I stray from Our Lord's path, it tightens on my wrist. I believe if I were truly foolish, my wand hand would be the cost. Or my life, perhaps.'
'Perhaps,' he said, quietly.
'I am honoured,' she said, 'as a vessel of His research. Though He cannot see my thoughts, I believe this bracelet allows Him to see ... much. If He is pleased, perhaps He will design similar gifts for His other closest servants. That He may know our hearts at all times. That He need never worry about another Dominic Selwyn.'
Another very long pause. 'I will think on this, kotonek,' Dolohov said.
He stayed for a little while after that. He seemed to make an effort to speak of light and impersonal things--a book he found at his favourite bookseller, his plans for a lecture series he hopes to deliver. Finally he said that he had essays he had to mark and she walked with him to the door leading out of her office. She came back and sat slowly back down at her desk and looked down at me.
'Good dog,' she said, and reached down -- with her left hand -- to give me a pat. 'I'll take you back to Cedric now.'
As she led me down the stairs, she kept me on her left side again, but her sleeve fell back from her wand hand as she waited for Cedric to answer her knock. There was a silver bracelet on her right wrist, and when I sniffed, I realised what I'd smelled before. It was the same smell that came from the gravy of the meat that was served at the feast the first year the Lord Protector came to Hogwarts -- unicorn blood.
And there was a drop of her blood on her wrist, as well.
I heard him offering her tea as he invited her inside. She came in, took one swift look around, and spotted me sitting on the floor. 'I appreciate the offer, Diggory, and perhaps another time. Today, I am here to borrow your dog.'
She was staring hard at me, and I suppose she must have seen the split-second of blurriness around my edges, for I was about to change back to speak to her. But she put up her hand and said, 'Your dog.' I trotted over and she let one hand fall onto my head. 'There are days,' she said, 'when what serves one best is the quiet companionship of an animal.'
'Of course,' Cedric said, and shot me a look. I was reminded that he hasn't been in the Order for all that long, and he's known Professor McGonagall mostly as Headmistress and Death Eater. I had smelled something strange when she touched me -- something that worried me. But I wagged my tail and sat down at the Headmistress's feet. Whatever she was asking for, whatever it was she wanted -- there's very little I wouldn't do for her.
'Come, sirrah,' she said to me then. 'Heel properly, on my left side, if you please.'
We walked up to the castle, straight up to her rooms, where she found an old tartan blanket and put it down for me under the desk, where I would be hidden from visitors. 'Stay,' she said, pointing at the blanket. I lay down curled at her feet. Minutes later, there was a knock at the door and I heard her say, 'Do come in, Antosha.'
Antonin Dolohov was here? I froze under the desk, and pricked my ears to listen. They chatted about tea, marzipan, and the books he had brought for her. 'Tell me, my friend, of your audience with Our Lord,' the Headmistress said, and I thought this must be why she'd brought me here -- to eavesdrop. But he said nothing of particular substance -- merely that they had discussed research. It was clear Dolohov was upset about the disruption to his classes, though he didn't come out and say that. I could smell a hint of fear as he thought about that audience with the Dark Lord -- and I heard him make a sound of frustration -- but nothing beyond that. Then Dolohov said, 'But I have not seen you in His presence in quite a while.'
'Well,' she said. 'I lost His trust -- deservedly -- last year, when I was duped by Dominic Selwyn and used in his plot. I was a fool -- walking down the path of friendship into destruction....Yes. I see you understand.'
'But Our Lord -- ' he said.
'Our Lord was more merciful than I could have asked,' she said. 'He spared my life, and withheld the punishment that was my due. Instead, he gave me a gift.'
'A gift,' Dolohov repeated. 'May I see?' I heard a rustle, and wished I could see out from behind the desk.
The Headmistress added, 'He fastened it upon my wand hand Himself. Oh, take a closer look, if you like, Antosha. Just don't touch it.'
They were silent for a long moment and he said, simply, 'Yes.' I could have sworn his voice was sad.
'When I stray from Our Lord's path, it tightens on my wrist. I believe if I were truly foolish, my wand hand would be the cost. Or my life, perhaps.'
'Perhaps,' he said, quietly.
'I am honoured,' she said, 'as a vessel of His research. Though He cannot see my thoughts, I believe this bracelet allows Him to see ... much. If He is pleased, perhaps He will design similar gifts for His other closest servants. That He may know our hearts at all times. That He need never worry about another Dominic Selwyn.'
Another very long pause. 'I will think on this, kotonek,' Dolohov said.
He stayed for a little while after that. He seemed to make an effort to speak of light and impersonal things--a book he found at his favourite bookseller, his plans for a lecture series he hopes to deliver. Finally he said that he had essays he had to mark and she walked with him to the door leading out of her office. She came back and sat slowly back down at her desk and looked down at me.
'Good dog,' she said, and reached down -- with her left hand -- to give me a pat. 'I'll take you back to Cedric now.'
As she led me down the stairs, she kept me on her left side again, but her sleeve fell back from her wand hand as she waited for Cedric to answer her knock. There was a silver bracelet on her right wrist, and when I sniffed, I realised what I'd smelled before. It was the same smell that came from the gravy of the meat that was served at the feast the first year the Lord Protector came to Hogwarts -- unicorn blood.
And there was a drop of her blood on her wrist, as well.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-15 11:34 pm (UTC)Yes. Thank you, Terry.
Private Message to Minerva
Date: 2014-02-15 11:36 pm (UTC)I don't know if you can even read this.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-16 12:22 am (UTC)She must be utterly terrified. Just risking this much to find a way to tell us ....
Merlin.
We'd better find creative ways to look at the book, and soon.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-02-16 01:01 am (UTC)Bless. This explains... much.