Order Only: the Flamels

[alt_arthur]

I am afraid that I have extremely bad news to report. Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel are dead. I received an early morning patronus from Bill informing me of the fact this morning. He went in the dead of night last night to their home to check on them (and Molly is ready to wring his neck for taking the risk, since we had already suspected they were being watched or in danger somehow when Nicolas didn't go to pick up Sirius' package). Bill arrived to find the back door of their home ajar and went in.

They've been dead a couple of days, Bill thought. Nicolas was--well, not a mark on him, so Bill suspects Avada Kedavra. But Perenelle had been tortured. Bill was quite badly shaken up. Someone has obviously been through their home, very thoroughly, but whoever did it is long gone.

Bloody hell.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

Arthur - bloody bad news, indeed. Albus, if you're reading, I'm sorry about your friend.

I know none of us wants to think it, but we had best be prepared. I'll lay odds it was my murderous she-snake of a cousin, and whatever else I may say about her, she's damn good at her job. So we'd better take what precautions we can, at this point.

Minerva - what did Flamel know about our defences? Is it possible he gave any of us up, or the location of the artifact?

We ought to change all our codes as well, Arthur - can you get word to Bill without too much notice?

Kingsley - you and the rest of Peacehaven - are you quite concealed as you are?

Stay safe, all of you - Alice, that goes double for you and the kiddies.

[alt_arthur]

Yes, Bill and I have already spoken about codes (I ostensibly took him out to lunch today, just a little father/son outing outside the Ministry, you know. He's going to plead fears he might be coming down with the flu and take the rest of the day off. That way, he'll be able to knock off some more warning contacts with various operatives this afternoon and, well . . . he really was quite badly shaken. Molly insisted he come over for dinner tonight. I think she wants to relieve her feelings by feeding him, her usual recourse when distressed.)

I didn't say it in my original message but yes, Albus, I'm dreadfully sorry to be the bearer of this news.

[alt_mcgonagall]

I suspected as much, and yet - I still haven't the foggiest idea what to say.

[alt_mcgonagall]

I doubt he did give us up. He was so at peace with the idea of death, and Perenelle as well - which I do believe is the only reason they were able to achieve the heights of alchemy in the first place.

The codes are the only thing that I can imagine he might have divulged. If we change them, perhaps we can smoke a Ministry spy out: Bellatrix wouldn't tell me if she were venturing such a thing, so this might be our only way of recognizing a snake in the grass.

I had not seen him for quite some time, you know. Nor Albus either - not for years. They were quite alone at the end, which may have made them more vulnerable, but I don't see what else we could have done. Certainly not spirited away such famous figures to Moddey Dhoo.

[alt_frank]

we're double and triple-checking all the wards. and, for the time being, not going out-of-doors. the kids won't stand for being cooped up for long, but we'll tread carefully and lay low.

If she were to act on any information she might've gotten, I'd reckon she'd move fairly quickly on it. we should find out soon if she knows anything of value.

[alt_alice]

I'm sorry, Minerva.

From the little I knew of the Flamels, they struck me as very independent, very brave people. I'm sure they knew the risks they were taking, and I'm sure they stayed true to themselves (and us) until the end.

[alt_poppy]

Apart from reading about Flamel and his life-extending elixir during my training, I can't say that I knew him at all. I'm horrified, though. We've known what we're up against, of course, but it takes something like this to demonstrate just how thoroughly we are all in their grasp: the Death Eaters (call them Aurors or Protectorate Defence or Hogwarts staff, if you will) the "Protector's" Death Eaters are simply playing with us like cats with a bag of mice. They bat at us or bite us or kill us as it suits them.


And if this is what happens to the most ancient pureblooded couple in this country, what hope is there we'll find poor Terry Boot alive? Oh, Minerva, I can't stand it. I... I dreamt of confronting Carrow, forcing him to talk, but he just laughed. Laughed. I really feel as if I could do him violence.

[alt_poppy]

All day, I haven't shaken that dream. My gracious, I'm strung tighter than a bow with worry about this rescue attempt. I can scarcely pry myself away from this blasted journal!