Order Only: Private Message to Hydra
Aug. 10th, 2015 02:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_justinDux,
I say, how are you feeling today? I wanted to stay but I felt I've shirked long enough, especially now that Madam P assures me you're past the worst of it.
So, as you know, I'm currently on assignment impersonating Cedric, trying to go to conspicuous places and attract attention. Luckily, his injuries make flying somewhat impractical, what. I'm bally well certain he could do anything necessary on a broom in a pinch, but my meagre skills would surely strike even the most casual observer as amateur.
However, looking like Cedric shouldn't preclude me from writing to Dolohov. Rachel's taken me up on my offer to draw him out, as you did Crouch. I thought I'd start by telling him the progress we're making at disabling his wards on the Headmaster's office. Perhaps indicate we're destroying volumes of his library. But I don't know how well that will lure him; after all, Hogwarts is still a seat of power for the Order and I very much doubt he'd come there on the strength of one or two taunts.
Whatever did you say to finally get Crouch to come after you? (And how did you take him, in the end? The last time I asked you, you weren't altogether comprehensible on the topic.)
-Justin
I say, how are you feeling today? I wanted to stay but I felt I've shirked long enough, especially now that Madam P assures me you're past the worst of it.
So, as you know, I'm currently on assignment impersonating Cedric, trying to go to conspicuous places and attract attention. Luckily, his injuries make flying somewhat impractical, what. I'm bally well certain he could do anything necessary on a broom in a pinch, but my meagre skills would surely strike even the most casual observer as amateur.
However, looking like Cedric shouldn't preclude me from writing to Dolohov. Rachel's taken me up on my offer to draw him out, as you did Crouch. I thought I'd start by telling him the progress we're making at disabling his wards on the Headmaster's office. Perhaps indicate we're destroying volumes of his library. But I don't know how well that will lure him; after all, Hogwarts is still a seat of power for the Order and I very much doubt he'd come there on the strength of one or two taunts.
Whatever did you say to finally get Crouch to come after you? (And how did you take him, in the end? The last time I asked you, you weren't altogether comprehensible on the topic.)
-Justin
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:06 pm (UTC)I'm still not sure who was luring who. But after he killed everyone inside the Three Broomsticks, he could have hidden his tracks into the Forest, but he didn't. So I knew then that it was either a trap or an invitation. Maybe a little of both. I decided to regard it as both.
Of all the private messages I sent him, he only responded to the last one. In that one, I told him that I'd heard Antonin Dolohov's last thoughts, and that they were of Barty. Which was true, and Barty knew it. To that he wrote "See you in hell."
Barty and Antonin had a relationship that was built upon absolute devotion to each other above all else, even logic and good sense. So you might try to aggravate Antonin's sense of desperation to find Barty, or to know how he met his end.
Actually, I have something in my cloak that might be useful. Are you coming back to the castle at all?
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:13 pm (UTC)Yes, his desire to recover Crouch would be a powerful draw. He'll know it's a trap whatever one does, what, so I suppose it doesn't much matter what the message is so long as it's effective.
-J
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:18 pm (UTC)Barty's bracelet with the wooden bead - it's his proof of life charm. And a small pendant of an ankh, given to him by Antonin.
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:15 pm (UTC)It also might help to know what worked so that I've a hope of beating him in an open duel. (Yes, now it's my turn to doubt that I can do it.)
-J
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:41 pm (UTC)If he's so obsessed with the Gods and the Afterlife, then he should join them voluntarily. Barty's waiting. So is everyone each of them ever killed.
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 10:09 pm (UTC)As is the idea that Ginny hasn't already told him where to find Crouch's remains, which makes it likely he will go there before the ground can be properly laid for a trap. In any case, I'm on my way there as soon as 'Cedric' can disentangle from his current duties.
-J
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 10:46 pm (UTC)Barty had been performing Dark ritual magic for days. I knew I wouldn't be a match for that, so I took steps to change that. It was -
The Unicorn Draco found with Unit 1. That was me.
I'm not sure how long the fight went on but it seemed like it could have been minutes or days. I think probably hours. The Forest provided cover, but it provided other advantages and disadvantages, too. I almost had a tree drop on me, almost turned my ankle in some creature's burrow.
As for Barty, at some points he acted as if he were still training me, which was both reassuring and infuriating. And I was doing what I usually do. Dodge, dodge, stay alive. And the whole time I kept getting hit by waves of his rage and grief, which were enough to nearly throw me back. But at some point - I think I was suffocating, actually. He hadn't disarmed me, but all my air was gone, and things were going black. He was doing something to me. I knew then that I could only stay alive if he died. And I was overwhelmed by the sound of his heartbeat. I mean to say, I could hear it inside myself, not just with my ears. So I focused on that, only that.
And then his heart exploded in his chest, and he died.