Private message to Antosha Dolohov and Barty Crouch, Jr

[alt_bellatrix]

Advance warning:

Tonight, I will be writing to my sister and her husband in advance of official news. Wright and her team have finished up at the school, and I've been passing my eyes over final reports from Quartermayne, Gibbon, Pugh, and Revanche.

By tomorrow morning, MLE will pull an arrest warrant for Draco. He'll be a wanted fugitive, not a kidnap victim, though I do plan to reassure my sister that MLE will perhaps grant a full pardon in exchange for surrender under veritaserum.

One wonders how a child raised in such an ideologically pure home could be led so tragically astray.

I've seen it before - up close, even. But times were different then. Muggles and mudbloods crowding in on all sides, impossible to escape.

Even by serving us, as our Lord deems right and proper, they can still reach us. Should He feel compelled to exterminate them from our haven, once and for all, I would gladly squash the vermin from His sight.

Now. I anticipate that Lucius and Narcissa will respond with a level of denial and outrage that can only harm their already precarious position. We do not want that further weakened. Be prepared to assist them in keeping their heads.

Comments

[alt_antonin]

That is not encouraging news, but I cannot see any alternate interpretation of the evidence we have seen. Were it only the Nott boy's collection it could conceivably be an exceptionally well-faked campaign, but too many corroborating details have been provided for it to have simply been malicious fabrication.

What I cannot understand is Snape's purpose with the mudblood in the first place. That he would be drawn to Draco is no surprise -- given the way he used to trail around behind Lucius I am not at all surprised he made a play for Lucius's son -- but despite his own heritage I cannot remember Snape holding any affection for mudbloods, and in fact Our Lord was always most complimentary of Snape's devotion to the task of teaching them their place. His fall from grace aside, I am finding it difficult to imagine his having decided to embrace the role of teaching the girl, nor what his goals might have been. He is many things, fugitive from Our Lord's justice not the least of them, but one thing he never was, was stupid. Anything he did served at least two purposes, often more. I am troubled by the thought we might never understand what those purposes were.

I cannot imagine Narcissa will be anything but devastated. I will be certain to keep an eye out.

[alt_bellatrix]

Indeed.

I speculate that Snape (in collusion with Black, certainly) took in the mudblood as an accomplice and used it to reach out to Draco, thus ensnaring him, likely with intent to eventually ensnare Harry, too.

I can't imagine why Snape thought the mudblood would do the trick, but he can perform legilimency - perhaps he saw some horrific weakness lurking in Draco, and exploited it as he saw fit.

The Snape I knew would have no care for mudbloods, but would certainly use them to further whatever cause he had committed himself to. If he's aligned with Black, then his cause is treason of the worst kind.

[alt_antonin]

I am likewise troubled by the connection between Snape and Black. You were far enough ahead of their year that you likely don't recall, and Snape was not often forthcoming about the conflict, but my experience while tutoring Snape, and Barty and Regulus, made it quite clear Snape and Black loathed each other to the point of their feud consuming not only their own cohort, but the others around them; it far exceeded the sort of schoolboy rivalry Hogwarts produces and rose to the level of lifelong vendetta. I find the prospect of their making common cause exceedingly implausible.

I suppose treason makes strange bedfellows.

What a miserable clusterfuck this all is. I cannot help but think we have not seen the last of it. I trust you know that if there is anything I can do to be of use, you have but to say the word.

[alt_bellatrix]

We have certainly not seen the last of it.

There's more that I must leave unsaid about Harry. When I next see you,I'll reveal more.

[alt_antonin]

I am at your disposal.

[alt_bellatrix]

They've been informed.

Lucius is protesting, but his case is weak and I believe even he knows it.

Narcissa is at a loss for words.

[alt_antonin]

I see.

I will write them both and see if there is anything I can do to help, even if it is only providing another audience for Lyoushka's protests. Thank you for letting me know.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Have spoken with Wright. Says there've been no further messages and no demands from Snape to make the disappearance appear a legitimate abduction.

Shame about that.