I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_harry]

I talked to Siz and Raz, and they seem to think they won't have any more trouble with blackmail. And if there was going to be anything She planned for if she died suddenly, it would've happened already. Maybe. Or she'd have to really die. I don't know.

But.

We need to decide what to do with the plate.

I can keep it, I guess, but yeah. I don't think that'd be good. Just to keep it secure, you know? Because even though it's a plate, it's a person too.

So we could give it to the Order. Or Sally-Anne had the idea that we could give it to Dolohov.

Comments

[alt_terry]

Why Dolohov? I'm curious about the reasoning behind that idea.

[alt_sally_anne]

I figured he'd keep it safe.

He was the one who passed on the socks, you know.

[alt_sally_anne]

I mean we could give it to the Order but what if they want to let her OUT?

[alt_terry]

Uh, actually, the Order are willing to keep prisoners for a long LONG time if they need to.

[alt_terry]

On the other hand...they DID have a prisoner who got away from them.

[alt_harry]

Who?

[alt_terry]

It was Pleniloquence Ridley. The one they called the Dogstar Alpha.

To be fair, she didn't escape, not exactly. But she pulled a trick that turned the tables on the Order while they were guarding her, and that forced a stand off. The Order eventually agreed to give her a wand and let her go, with the understanding that neither would tell the other group's secrets. And it seems to have worked pretty well. They're still cooperating with information exchanges.

The Order wasn't very happy about it, though. Especially about the wand.

Of course, Ridley was fighting the Protectorate, too, so she had a reason to make that agreement. Umbridge wouldn't. On the other hand, it's harder to imagine Umbridge pulling a trick and getting away, since she's a toad stuck in a plate. And I bet the Order would take more precautions if they're guarding something now. Or someone.

Maybe that's what the Order should have done with Ridley--stuck her in a plate! Although I guess that some of the information she's passed along since getting away has been useful.

[alt_harry]

So do you think they'd keep Umbridge as a plate?

[alt_terry]

I think if you ask them to do so they'll tell you straight if they would. They won't lie to you. And since YOU captured her, your wishes would carry real weight. It's a pretty merciful option among all the things they could do.

And they know they can't let her go, since she saw Hermione's wand. And plenty of them are hacked off at her too, for sacking the Headmistress, and Madam Pomfrey, and for what she did to all of you.

They have every reason to keep that plate very, very safe.

[alt_sally_anne]

Do we know if she can hear or see anything?

I mean, it's bad enough she knows Hermione has a wand, but what if she spies on the Order? And then gets out. Or if they let her out for some reason and then she gets away.

[alt_harry]

That's a good point, yeah.

[alt_sally_anne]

So here's the other thing that worries me.

This was a spell designed to work on animals -- it was used on cows and goats and so on and Umbridge used it on kittens.

And obviously she was a toad when she got put into the plate but she is not REALLY a toad. Are we 100% sure she won't eventually be able to figure out a way to get out?

I'm not saying we have to give her to Professor Dolohov. But he'll definitely keep her somewhere that even if she DOES get out, she'll be secure, you know? Because he WOULD. Especially if there were a note, you know, explaining things just a little. And if he thought it was me or Justin

[alt_harry]

He'd be careful, yeah. I think they would too though. Mr Snape would.

And there would be less to explain with them.

[alt_ron]

See, that's where you're wrong. You don't know my mum, mate.

[alt_justin]

Hullo, Harry,

Whatever we decide, I don't fancy our options. Then again, I didn't much fancy imprisoning her in the first place--though I well agree, Sally-Anne, Hermione, it was perhaps the best alternative anyone had at the time.

We certainly can't risk letting her go, what? I say, the advantage of Professor Dolohov (and I bally well can't believe I'm saying this, what!) is that he'll not scruple about keeping it as a trophy, nor would he ask too many questions about how we came to have such an artefact. I think only the professors here who are in the Order would take a similar view--at least so far as questions, what, though I say, they might well look dimly on leaving her there forever.

But if we gave it to someone in the Order, it might make a splendid gesture, what? Sort of a 'Thank-you' and a sign that we'll trust them as they're agreeing to trust us. I suppose then if they decide to reverse the spell, it would be their choice.

-J

[alt_evelyn]

I don't like the idea of her being a plate forever. But I'm not sure what else we could do.

Even if we say that she'd stay a plate until she can be put on trial properly, it would still take years and years even under the best of circumstances, and might not happen at all.

The kittens don't seem worse for wear. But we don't know what it's like for a person.

[alt_harry]

No, we don't know what it's like.

But you're right. There's not a lot else we can do about it. If she gets out, she's dangerous.

So this is the best we can do for now.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. Too right.

We can't risk her getting out.

[alt_neville]

I agree, she's awfully dangerous, with what she knows. I'd rather give her to someone in the Order, I'll admit. They have more reasons to keep her locked up in the plate because they know the knowledge she has, like that she saw Hermione's wand. The only thing that would make Dolohov keep her locked up is that he hates her. Well, and that he likes us (or at least some of us) and wants to keep us out of trouble.

But here's the thing: Dolohov is quite close to Barty Crouch, isn't he? So what if he lets Barty Crouch know about her, and Crouch says, "We'll, we won't let her go, but I just want to question her, now that she's in our power." They think they can pick her brain for secret stuff from back when she was Minister of Magic. And Dolohov might let her out if Crouch asked him to, since he doesn't know how badly that would bite us. And the instant Umbridge gets out, she's gonna start yelling about Hermione having a wand. Do you think Crouch would overlook that because Dolohov asks him to. I don't.

I suppose, if we gave the plate to Dolohov, we could do it with the condition that he never let her out. But there's no way we could force him to abide by it; I get the impression he's the type of person who maybe follows rules only when they suit him. Worse, giving him a condition like that might make him curious. Which might be disastrous. I think a curious Dolohov can be very dangerous.

I suppose it's really your decision, Marvolo. You managed to capture her, and you want her kept safe as much as any of us. But anyway, it's something to think about.

[alt_harry]

Good point. About Dolohov and Crouch, I mean.

Not liking her might not be a good enough reason to keep her there.

[alt_sally_anne]

If it's going to an Order member I would prefer it be Headmistress McGonagall.

[alt_sally_anne]

And we COULD give it to Professor Dolohov to give to the Headmistress.

Because he wouldn't let Umbridge out to question her if he knew the plate was supposed to be a present for Headmistress McGonagall.

[alt_harry]

Yeah.

Okay.

That works.