Order Only: Private message to Daphne

[alt_harry]

Hey, Daphs. On Saturday, Justin and Ron and I met up with Draco at the safehouse in Hogsmeade and we watched the omniocular recording he made of one of the inferi attacks.

We're pretty sure -- all of us were pretty sure -- that Barty Crouch has one of Voldemort's horcruxes, and has been using it to control the inferi. It's a Roman Eagle on a staff. Have you seen it? Do you know where he keeps it?

I wanted to let you know. And see if you had any ideas about how we might get to it, to destroy it.

Comments

[alt_daphne]

Yes, I've already had my suspicions about that particular artefact. He keeps it somewhere in Marlborough House, though I couldn't say where. That's where we stayed for part of Easter hols, he only goes to retrieve it when he's called out on one of those midnight raids that involve inferi.

I saw him come back after a raid with it, once, and he left for some upstairs room to put it away. But he seemed different. While he had it, I mean. And afterward, too.

[alt_harry]

What do you mean, different? I mean -- that was part of what we saw when we looked at what Draco recorded with the omniocular, but what was it that you noticed?

[alt_daphne]

He's a difficult man to read, but I've watched him closely. For a long time, now.

On both occasions I saw him leave to go fetch the thing, he seemed relieved, somehow. As if some small part of him had been counting the hours away from it. But it was an odd sort of relief, I think. Maybe the kind you feel when something you dread has finally come about?

The one time I saw him return with it, he scarcely seemed aware of me. All of his attention was on the staff, and it wasn't until he'd returned from locking it away that he even said a word. But he wanted a cigarette, of all things, even rolled one himself and puffed it down like he was starving for it. He's not the sort of person who smokes, except maybe a cigar at a party. That sort of habit is a sign of weakness, for someone like him. And he kept pacing about and said that he wanted to leave and go to Cottesmore. And then when we got there he went straight for the whiskey. A little while later, he seemed back to himself.

[alt_harry]

Well, if you've ever heard Hydra talk about the diary, or Ginny talk about the diadem -- the diary possessed Hydra. The diadem didn't exactly possess Ginny, it made her feel beautiful and powerful but also made her feel like she, and it, were the only things that mattered.

Anyway. I think we're right about the eagle. Would it be safe for you to try to find out any more about where in Marlborough it's kept?

[alt_daphne]

I'm not going to ask Barty about it, if that's what you mean.

But that doesn't mean I'm not trying to think of other possibilities.

Wherever it's kept, it will be protected by the strongest wards and spells imaginable, whatever's required to make it so that no wizard can get it except for Barty or the Lord Protector himself.

[alt_harry]

No, I don't think asking him about it would be a good idea.

If Mrs Longbottom wanted to send people to break into Marlborough, though, would you be able to tell her when he definitely wouldn't be there? If they burned down Marlborough with Fiendfyre, it wouldn't look like an attempt to destroy the horcrux, it would look like someone was trying to attack Crouch. (Someone who didn't know much about his habits.) On the other hand, Voldemort would certainly know afterward that this horcrux had been destroyed. Which might inspire him to check on the others and realise what we were up to.

[alt_harry]

Also. Congratulations. I heard you and Crouch are engaged.

You know, you don't

[alt_daphne]

Harry. Pardon me, but are you quite mad? No one can "break into" Marlborough. But he's almost never there, unless he's picking up the staff or locking it away. We only spent time there because of the party; usually he lives at Cottesmore.

[alt_harry]

Snape and Rachel and Draco broke into the Ministry and cast Fiendfyre on the journal archive. How much harder could one Councilwizard's stately home be?

[alt_harry]

And Dogstar burned down Cadmus Mulciber's house.

Though Cadmus Mulciber is a bit of an idiot. I imagine it would be a lot more difficult to pull that off with Barty Crouch's house.

[alt_daphne]

The Ministry is a place that is at least marginally open to the public, and Rachel works there.

But it sounds as if you're quite anxious to do things your own way, and soon. Just know that whoever gets sent out on that particular adventure is putting themselves at extreme risk. The Mall in general is heavily patrolled, as you know, and at the first sign of something suspicious they'll call Barty in.

[alt_daphne]

Yes, we are. Thank you.

[alt_harry]

I'm not the one who'll be making the decision of what to do or who to send.

I think Mrs Longbottom will want to do it in a way that won't put you at risk, though.

[alt_daphne]

You won't?

Because that's not what it sounded like.

Give me a few days to think of what else I might not be considering. I'm sure there's something.

[alt_harry]

Okay.