bait_backup | Patronus to all Order members

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Patronus to all Order members

Public response is deafeningly positive. The entire country's either mad enough or desperate enough to take the Prophet's phony slant of everything being for our protection and not question anything they print. Registration will cost us every lead we've found and every suspect who has the means to get around this, and believe me when I say that's most every one of them. These Death Eater's have probably been using Dark magic most of their lives, nothing Barty or the morons in the courts do will change that.

This is a political blockade, pure and simple, against anyone wanting to defend themselves and anyone other than the Ministry who might take matters into their own hands when the job's left undone and shoddy. We can't fight, we can't defend, can't get word out or even escape in an incident, and all surveillance will be at a halt.

In a crisis most civilians would kill their pets if the law even hinted it would protect them. If we tolerate this, so will they, and Barty will keep playing his game of catch-up while those people die. If you do it and you're questioned, no word of any of the rest of us. It's time.

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*Moody's words are expected, but they still weigh heavily on Arthur. He convinced Molly to put off discussing the new laws until they'd heard from Alastor, and as the Patronus dissipates, he looks at her seriously across the living room. He knows what stance she's going to take, and it's a millstone on his conscience.*

...This is wrong, Molly.

*Molly's been sitting on the couch knitting with Ronald at her feet. The baby's engrossed in a wooden puzzle-ring toy, an old one of Bill's somewhat dented by the twins in their time. She frowns faintly down at him before setting aside her knitting on the side table--next to the issue of the Prophet hailing its 'bold new plan'. The look she levels at her husband is remarkably calm.*

It is.

And?

So is registering. Moody's right.

Moody doesn't have a family, Arthur.

What kind of lesson is that teaching the boys, though, if we back down?

*He's right, and she knows it--and Molly takes up her knitting again, needles clicking faster and faster.*

The kind of lesson where you still have a job.

*She's right, too, and Arthur knows that just as well. If he openly rebels, he'll lose his position, and they can't afford that. He watches Ron and leans forward with his elbows on his knees, fingers laced and pressed to his mouth for a moment.*

...I don't want them learning that the way to handle abuse of power is to roll over.

Then we'll shout into the wind? Send an owl, make a statement, owl Barty himself if you must, but refuse? What will that accomplish?

It's taking a stand, Molly, it's the whole point of the Order in the first place!

*Picking up on his father's agitation, Ron raises his little head and looks at Arthur; even the baby isn't accustomed to loud voices from him.*

*Frank's quiet for a moment in the wake of the message, the look on his face far too serious for a man in pyjamas and a bathrobe. He agrees with Moody wholeheartedly, but it's not so cut and dry as all that, not when trying to stay in close and buddy-buddy with Barty. Troubled, he stays where he is slouched down on the bed, his book forgotten across his chest, and looks to Alice wordlessly.*

*July is coming, and Alice is not prepared. Even though the birthdays are spaced well, she still needs to plan Frank and Neville's presents. Obviously she cannot work on Frank's in front of him, so tonight she is working on a My First Year scrapbook for Neville.

As the Patronus delivers its message and dissipates, she knows Frank is looking at her. It takes a moment to collect her thoughts - on registration, on Crouch, on her precarious position - because she knows their feelings match on this, and she can't follow through.*

I can't ask you to register for me.

And I can't leave you without backup.

You don't get better backup than the Minister of Magic.

*Sirius and Remus are both home, and even as the silvery thing dissipates, Sirius is frowning.*

Well. Bollocks to that.

*So is Remus. He'd been in the middle of looking for one of his Benny Goodman records when the Patronus showed up, and he's still sitting on the floor by the bookcase that holds the albums. The Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed" lies forgotten in his lap.*

Mm. I wondered what it would take to tip things to this point.

*Sirius is already shaking his head.*

I can't believe people are swallowing this. I can't do it. Even if it gets me fired, you know we can't do it.

*The look he gives Sirius is patient, but there's something bitter at the tightening of his mouth.*

You can't. I can't afford not to.

*Sirius looks at Remus, and then shrugs.*

Well.

You have to register a wand. Doesn't have to be the one you use all the time.

*He tends to come over particularly introverted whenever the lycanthropy laws come up, frustrated and embattled, but Sirius's words are enough to jolt him out of it. He watches him closely, wheels turning, working it through before he'll let himself get too hopeful.*

...A secondary one? Register mine again for everything above-board, and then use the new one for - ?

Buy a new one, register that, use it for day to day stuff like the dishes, say the other broke if anyone asks. I mean, you'd rather the wand you've had forever for fighting, wouldn't you?

...Oh, you're brilliant.

*The words are low, half rapidly thinking ahead and half open admiration. Every single combat situation for the last eight months has been a tremendous risk for Remus, and he's still not sure how he hasn't been caught out for being at the ICW, at St. Mungo's. He's officially on record as having performed magic at both those incidents, and if anyone at the Werewolf Registry had bothered to check, he could well be in Azkaban right now. If he was lucky. Registering a new wand won't totally eliminate the problem, he'll still be on two separate rosters for the Trace, but at least it'll give him a clean alibi if they bother checking his wand before deciding he's gone rogue. Remus is under no illusion that he'd ever get anything resembling a fair trial, but it's a risk he's willing to take, and this will mitigate it a little.*

Sirius, that's -

Don't get all excited yet, I mean, you've still got to use a new one for--you know, everything else.

*But he does look, at the very least, very pleased that Remus is so pleased.*

But that's fine, it makes it that much harder for them to pin anything to me - what's a few broken dishes while I'm getting used to it?

*Grinning now, he leaves the record on the floor and crosses to kiss Sirius briefly, but soundly, in thanks.*

Oh, you're brilliant. We should've thought of that months ago. And you? I suppose you're just - not going to do it, full stop, then?

Well, your regular Trace is just on you, but tracing just the wands makes it much easier to get around. I suppose I'll just have to make enough fuss for the both of us, yeah?

Oh. Please do.

*He sits by him, tucked back into the corner of the couch, watching him. He's still smiling, but there's a more thoughtful cast to it now.*

Really, though, what do you think the Department will do? It can't just be you and Moody who are refusing, among the Aurors.

Hm. Dunno. I don't hear any consequences in this mess yet, so who knows. I can't imagine the Death Eaters are too happy about it either, though. So that's helpful, I guess.

Well. We'll manage, whatever Scrimgeour does. I'm with you.

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