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Eliciting Aid (AJ)
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 12-23-08 18:53
Note: This post was co-written with Griffin Price,
The house AJ's searching for now is much easier to find than Hester Rackharrow's had been, probably because AJ had owled earlier in the week asking for a meeting. This is where he was told to come.
Walking up the sidewalk that's got a charm on it to keep it magically swept clean of snow and another to help reduce the ice on it to a minimum, AJ can't help but grin, this time at seeing a few Muggle struggling to manually clear their their walkways and what he seems to recall are called driveways. Seeing as how they don't actually drive in them, AJ doesn't really understand why they are called driveways.
Knocking on the door, AJ stands on the porch stamping his feet against the ever intrusive cold. The door is opened by Griffin Price, whom AJ knew as a student at Hogwarts. Ancient Runes hadn't been one of Griffin's classes but Griffin had played Quidditch for Gryffindor. When a student is on a house team, it makes the student easier to remember.
Then again, when a student turns out to actually be a spy, that tends to make the student memorable as well.
AJ decided to arrange this meeting with Griffin because at the recent Hogwarts Career Day, Griffin represented the Ministry's Department of Magical Transportation. That alone might not have had AJ coming to Griffin but he'd learned that Griffin has a small son. He hopes to appeal to Griffin's paternal sense.
"Come in, Professor Hodfuffer," Griffin says, stepping aside.
"Thank you for seeing me and please, call me AJ."
Griffin leads AJ into a living room, warm both in temperature and in the welcoming sense. A little boy plays on the floor with a cat and a much older gentleman is dozing near the fire.
"Have a seat, unless you wish to talk more privately. You can speak freely around Alun," Griffin says, nodding at the older man.
Alun stirs at the sound of his name. "You say something, Griff?"
"No, sorry to have disturbed your nap."
"Quite all right." Seeing AJ standing there, the man half rises, "Hello, Alun Hanham."
The name Hanham rings a bell with AJ but just this moment he can't place it. "AJ Hodfuffer."
"This is the Hogwarts professor I mentioned, Alun," Griffin says, gesturing again for AJ to have a seat.
AJ sits only to have his lap immediately filled by the cat. The little boy giggles as the cat swishes its extremely fluffy tail in his face. Griffin says, "And meet my son Tristan and the cat is Seeayetee."
AJ strokes the cat's soft fur with one hand, eliciting a deep purr, and with the other, reachs out to tousle the boy's hair. "Hallo, Tristan. How old might you be?"
"I two," Tristan answers, holding up four fingers.
Something in the boy's face reminds AJ of a student he had. A student who was expelled from Hogwarts the same year that Griffin was a student there. A student who was also in Gryffindor House.
The reason Alun's last name of Hanham rings a bell is now clear. He asks Alun, "I had a student named Carys Hanham-Beauvais. Are you related?"
Alun says somewhat proudly, "My granddaughter."
Looking from Tristan to Griffin, AJ says, "We professors were under the impression that one of the German triplets,"
"Yes," Griffin says, cutting AJ off, "but it was an incorrect impression."
"Did Carys and you marry? Is she here? I'd love to say hello."
Alun mutters, his face clouding with anger while Griffin shakes his head. "Carys is among the missing. Do you mind if we just get to the reason why you wanted to see me?"
AJ doesn't answer right away. He's letting this new information sink in. If the anger Alun showed just now and the pained look on Griffin's face is any incication, it seems he's come to the right person afterall.
"AJ? Professor?"
"Sorry. I came to ask your assistance. I wasn't sure I could trust you but now I think I can. You aren't in favor of the Nons being carted off, are you?"
"Hell no. Bloody rotten policy," Alun barks then more quietly says, "Sorry, shouldn't talk like that around Tristan."
"Griffin?"
"You might think you can trust me but how do I know I can trust you?" Griffin says, skirting around a direct reply to the question.
"Point taken."
AJ gently moves Seeayetee from his lap and sits forward. "Two children, their names are Jade and Hunter, were removed from their home and sent to what the Ministry laughingly calls a community."
With this bit of information, Griffin and Alun exchange looks. Griffin then says to AJ, "Go on."
"It's a place called Camp Lollipop. The warden's name is Hester Rackharrow. Jade and Hunter managed to escape, Flooing from Camp Lollipop to Rackharrow's home. From there they made it to a Muggle bus and took it to someplace they thought they might get help. They were right. Jade and Hunter are now safely in America."
"How were they able to take the bus?" Griffin asks.
"Hunter had Muggle money hidden in his shoe."
"And how is it you know their story?"
"Because my family helped them get to America. I have family in Camp Lollipop and others missing. Two were recently rescued but others are still unaccounted for."
"Rescued?" Alun asks at the same time Griffin asks, "Rescued from where?"
"School age children categorized as Nons were at a place called Happy Haven School For Nons. A student who is an animagus was sneaking out and in contact with some who were able to help her. They in turn contacted others. A rescue was planned and successfully carried out. All but one child was saved and that child was lost long before the plans were in place."
"So that's why the increased security measures," Griffin murmurs.
"Increased security measures?"
"Yes, I was ordered to go to some of these communties to check that the Floo Networks were secure."
"A direct reaction to the two breakouts," AJ nods.
"Two?"
"Oh, sorry, yes. There was another succesful, mass breakout at a place called The Mews. It was the day before the one at Happy Haven."
"How do you know this?"
AJ shrugs, "A finger in the Resistance."
Alun snorts with humor, "Sounds like more than a single finger."
"What is it you are wanting of me, AJ?" Griffin asks.
"Is there some way, through your work at the Department of Magical Transportion for me to get to Camp Lollipop via Floo? I was thinking if necessary, I could use the one at Hester Rackharrow's house. I know where the house is located."
"You couldn't go looking as you are."
"I know but that would be the easy part, right?"
Griffin purses his lips in a grim line. "Possibly. I'll see what I can do. Now, tell me more about Camp Lollipop. What exactly is it?"
"Is where all the small children are. Jade even said at one point a newborn was brought, taken from its mother shortly after she'd given birth."
There's a sharp intake of breath from Alun and Griffin looks even more grim. He reaches for his son, bouncing the toddler on his knee. "We'll need somewhere to take all those little ones once we've rescued them."
AJ says, "So you're in then?"
"I'm in. I'm definately in."
(Community Q) Such An Idiot
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 12-24-08 00:15
Harry grips one end of the fishing net, trying to unsnag it from where it seems to be caught. He says to Aaron Miller, "Okay, try again."
Aaron starts cranking the winch, shaking his head once more. "No good."
This is one of the few times Harry's been in fishing assignment so of course the net is going to be a pain. He looks over the side of the boat, saying with resignation, "Over the side I go."
Harry's already shirtless, the one he'd been wearing had become so shredded that this morning he tossed it. He's not due to be doled out another for a couple of weeks so unless someone has a spare he could have until then, Harry's out of luck in the shirt department. It's too bad really because out here on the water the sun is even more relentless, the rays reflecting off the water and no cover to be had. Come to think of it, a dip in the water might not be so bad afterall.
As Harry goes over the side of the boat, he wishes he had some gillyweed. Whether he had a wand or not, gillyweed would work to help him breath underwater if this task ends up being difficult. He follows the net down, down, down, thankful that this is a relatively shallow section of the lagoon. Still, Harry's having a hard time finding the problem. Resurfing, Harry takes a couple of deep breaths then calls to Aaron.
"I'm going to need the hose."
The hose is just that. There's nothing special or fancy about it but it does allow someone to dive deeper and have access to air. As he dives again, the hose trailing in one hand, Harry wonders if there is a Wizarding equivalent of scuba gear. It's not something he's ever thought about before, not even when he was trying to figure out how to get through the second task of the TriWizard Tournament. Harry's thoughts go off on the odd tangent of wondering if the TriWizard Tournament he was involved in should be referred to as the QuadWizard Tournament.
Deciding that he is well and truly going mental, Harry starts to snigger only to end up with a noseful and mouthful of water. Exhaling, Harry brings the hose to his mouth to draw oxygen in again. About the same time he sees what's snagging the net. It's a rusted anchor that's been down here who knows how long. Harry has to work hard to get the net free then does his best to leverage the anchor into a different position so it doesn't snag the net again.
By the time Harry resurfaces, he's tired and panting. Aaron helps Harry back onto the boat and together they hoist the heavy net out of the water then swing it over the deck. They then have the chore of sorting through the haul, tossing overboard at least 75% of what they'd caught. This is because Warden Bulstrode has a list for of what's to be caught. It's a pointless waste to bring anything else in.
As they work, Aaron asks, "Did you ever get an answer to your Patronus question?"
Harry shakes his shaggy head sending a spray of water flying. "No, nothing definative. Hagrid's seen something as I have but he said that whenever he's sent one a long distance, as far as he knows, it was definable enough to be distinguished as a Patronus."
Aaron laughs, "Knowing Hagrid, I somehow doubt that's exactly how he put it."
Harry chuckles as well. "No, but that's what he meant. Hagrid also said that he's received Patronuses that traveled a long way."
"So in other words, distance doesn't affect them?"
"He never actually said that, so I guess it is possible that a Patronus traveling a long way isn't as strong or well formed as one going a short distance."
"No one else knows?"
"No one I've asked so far. I suppose it's because manifesting a Patronus isn't something Witches and Wizards do on a regular basis and even less use a Patronus as a means of communication like the Order of the Phoenix does."
"I'm sorry I don't know anything about Patronuses. As I told you, I came to all this late in life. Of what I have learned, I picked up fairly quickly so I'm lucky in that regard. When we get out of this, I'll have to learn cast a Patronus. How is the spell said?"
"Expecto Patronum. It helps a great deal to think of happy things when casting it, particularly if dealing with Dementors."
"The form it takes is always an animal?"
"Usually. I don't know of anyone's who has something other than an animal but I've been told it's possible. Just don't ask me for examples of what else one might be because that I wasn't told. At the time I so busy just trying to learn it successfully myself."
"What form does yours take?"
"A stag."
Aaron stands to dump a bucket of smaller culled fish overboard. When he doesn't immediately return Harry glances over to where the other man is standing. Aaron's looking northeast, across the water, his head at an angle that suggests curiosity about what he's seeing.
"What is it?" Harry asks, joining Aaron.
"There," Aaron points. "That silvery thing. It appears to be moving towards it."
They stand staring, trying to figure out what they are seeing and if they need to move the boat. Harry's jaw goes slightly slack and he leans heavily on the side of the boat. "I'll be damned."
"What? What is it?"
"That's a Patronus. I was right. Someone is trying to contact me."
Harry straightens up, studying the Patronus as it closes the distance. "Oddest looking Patronus I've ever seen."
Aaron tilts his head one way then the other. "What exactly is it?"
"I'm not sure. It looks like it's breaking up some as it gets closer."
"Has to be because of the magical wards around this place. Is that a otter's head?"
Harry's busy tilting his own head this way and that. "Yeah, I think so. Hermione's Patronus is an otter, but if that entire Patronus is an otter, it's one weird looking otter. Is that... is that part of a horse?*"
"Ummmm. Maybe? The tail end looks more dog-like though."
"Ron's Patronus is a dog. I think Ginny's is a horse."
"What's the rest of it though?"
"I have no idea."
The Patronus is upon them but looks as though it's about to dissipate entirely. Before it does, Harry hears its faint but distinct message. Summon Pinky.
The Patronus nothing more now than an afterimage on their retinas, Harry leans on the rail and bumps his head against it several times, saying, "Oh, I am such a complete idiot."
"Harry?" Aaron asks, pulling Harry away from the railing.
"I never thought to try calling one of the House Elves. The message said Pinky but there's also Dobby."
Aaron says, "Sorry, I'm not as up on the ins and outs of House Elves either. I mainly know there are some that cook and clean at Hogwarts and that their magic is a little different from ours."
"Someone who owns a House Elf can summon the House Elf and if at all possible, the House Elf has to go to the mistress or master. I own neither Pinky nor Dobby but have a strong personal connection with each."
"So what are you waiting for?"
Harry grins. "See, told you I'm an idiot."
Taking a deep breath, Harry clearly states, "Pinky, come to me right now."
*In the movie Order of the Phoenix, the Patronus Ginny manifests during one Dumbledore's Army practice session is a horse.