Order Only: Private message to Alice, Remus, Sirius, Weasley family, Communications committee

[alt_bill]

Right.

We've still heard nothing further on Ginny's fate. I've been mulling over making this journal entry all day, and it makes me rather sick to write this down, and I'm sorry, but I think we're going to need to talk about it. Bluntly. Make some plans, so we'll be ready to respond to whatever happens next.

My first desire and priority, as a member of the Weasley family, is to rescue Ginny if at all possible. If not now, later. If that's not possible, and I realise it may not be, I want to give her as much support as we can, whatever way we can. Through surreptitious means, if we can manage it, without endangering either our personnel or our sources. Through the journals, doing what we can to give her hope and courage, despite the fact that Bellatrix will be privy to anything she reads there. Through any other avenue we can figure out.

At the same time, I want to protect this process we're undergoing, to rebuild Albion. I want us to continue to work on winning hearts and minds, to convince both magical and non-magical folk not to be frightened of us, to protect the people for whom we have accepted responsibility. To behave in an ethical manner, as much as we can, so it makes an actual difference to people which side succeeds in winning this war.

Bellatrix Lestrange, obviously, wants to scuttle both these hopes. Getting her claws into Ginny has opened several opportunities for her, and she won't hesitate to use them. Assuming Ginny isn't already gone--I'm sorry, Mum, but it has to be faced--Bellatrix won't hesitate to use this development in any way she can to thwart our goals, whether by killing or capturing any of us who attempt a rescue, getting the people of Albion to turn against us, or egging us into fighting with each other.

Last night Rachel outlined for Mum some of the ways she thought they may try to use Ginny. There are at least three possibilities, frankly, all of them ugly, and they will require different responses. (It may be that Bellatrix will pull something even more diabolical out of her arse that hasn't even occurred to us yet, and we'll be scrambling to catch up, but for now let's start here.) Personally, I think that Bella won't keep the fact that they're holding Ginny a secret. It makes me almost physically ill, as I said, to actually put this down into words, but capturing my baby sister is a public relations coup for our enemies, and I expect them to do their best to exploit it.

One: Ginny could be put up for a show trial, maybe even publicly killed, as a warning example to anyone else thinking of resisting them.

Two, she can be kept as an unwilling hostage, and they'll use the fact that they have her in their clutches to influence our movements or decisions.

Or three, she can be kept as a hostage but presented as someone who's seen the light and returned to the pureblood fold, ostensibly joining them willingly. I don't think that we can discount that third possibility, as it would obviously suit Bella's purposes beautifully and at the same time be a huge blow to us. We know perfectly well that they have no scruples whatsoever about lying the press.

In all three of these scenarios, I imagine they will try to strip her of any information they can gain from her regarding our tactics, our security procedures, our plans, our allies, or anything else that Bellatrix thinks she can learn.

I want us to spend some time thinking about how we can respond to or counter each one of these possibilities. (Even better, I would strongly like to get out of the role that Bellatrix seems determined to stick us in, to be reactive rather than active.) Again, I hate this like poison, but it must be said: whatever we decide to do and however we choose to respond to the situation publicly should probably be coordinated between the family, the Order leadership, and our communications/press staff.

If Ginny is allowed to read any private messages we send to her, obviously they can't be kept private from her captors. Despite this, it's my personal opinion that we should still write to her, but we should be cautious about what we say to her, and those messages should be kept on a private lock. Bella may legilimise my sister's mind but I'll be damned if I'm going to give the bitch any opportunity to chime in with helpful written comments to what I might say to Ginny.

I'm going to suggest a meeting tomorrow morning after breakfast to discuss these issues. We can convene in the work room just off Mum's quarters. I understand that not everyone may be able to make it, but leave a written comment if there is anything you want us to consider. It's probably going to be an ongoing conversation.

Thanks.

Comments

[alt_rachel]

A couple of things.

First of all, if there's an opportunity to rescue Ginny, it's likely to happen under very tight security. That means no one who doesn't absolutely need to know will hear about it until it's over. Alice, Remus, and Sirius will know, and whichever Aurors are personally involved. Not the Weasleys, other than possibly Ron, since he's an Auror who might be involved.

Second, I'm not going to tell you not to write her private messages. But even if you write them solely to Ginny, you need to imagine yourself including 'and Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch, and Antonin Dolohov' on each and every message. And if you get a reply, you need to understand that it might be dictated at wand point.

[alt_bill]

On number one: agreed, absolutely. We don't need to know, and I don't want us to know if that would compromise the security of the operation.

On number two: understood. Some of us discussed this yesterday already. I will probably run whatever I say to her by you, first, just to get a more detached professional opinion about it: I don't want to say anything in the journals that would rebound to make her situation worse, and you may see things that won't occur to me. Mum has told me that it's her intention to limit herself to telling Ginny that she loves her. She doesn't want to add more that Bellatrix can use to twist Ginny's head around.

The only hay I can think of that Bella could make of that is, 'If they love you, why haven't they rescued you?'

[alt_rachel]

Also, a few things I learned today.

They've restricted themselves to cruciatus. Interrogations in the past have certainly relied on it as a core technique, but Truncheon and Bellatrix would frequently switch it up with more damaging physical assaults, things that might leave scarring or permanent disability. With Ginny, it sounds like it's been exclusively cruciatus, which suggests some public use for her. Maybe a trial, maybe that third option. This may also indicate they're planning to keep her alive for a while.

It also sounds as though they're still cruciating her even though she's told them everything she knows.

Also, Crouch's Aurors have apparently got some of her old magazine spreads on hand. Which also points to a plan for some sort of public use.

[alt_molly]

Thank you for telling us that.

While it's hard, please don't be afraid of telling me things. I'd rather know the worst than agonise in darkness. Knowing this gives me a little hope that yes, they'll keep her alive for awhile.

[alt_sirius]

Bill,

Understand that no one misjudges how difficult this is for all of you. But coordinating this effort is not your job and it shouldn't be. The best thing you can do, besides supporting one another, is focus on the work to be done and let the other communications experts help decide what should or should not be said. Naturally they'll come to you when they want or need any of you to take specific action.

We all want to get ahead of Bellatrix, of course. It's part of the same problem we face with the False Phoenix attacks, and it will be addressed appropriately.

We all want Ginny back with her family. She knew there was a risk in going to talk to the Puceys and she thought it was worth that risk. I'm so sorry that you're having to go through this, truly. I know the hardest thing to do is nothing.

[alt_bill]

Well, I don't want to coordinate it, Sirius. Yeah, the communications people absolutely should take the lead.

I wrote the post exactly because I don't want one of us hot-headed Weasleys sabatoging things for either the Order or Ginny in our anxiety to get her back. I'll step back entirely from this point if Alice, Remus and Rachel thinks that best. Someone else can run the meeting, too. But I do think we should have it.

[alt_bill]

OH, and I just realised: something Fu once told me sprang to mind. There's another excellent reason for us Weasleys to step back out of the picture as much as possible.

Ginny's a soldier. She fought at the Battle of Hogwarts. I believe there are protections, international protections, for prisoners of war, and the Order should absolutely state that, as publicly as possible. They can't be tortured, and they cannot be used for propaganda purposes. If we Weasleys publicly leave statements and decisions to the government of Albion, that will mean that Bellatrix is forced to deal with you as a government. That will give the Albion government legitimacy. And if they violate those protocols, well: bystanders will notice, particularly the older, Muggle ones who lived through the second muggle war.

I would suggest Fabius as a person to lead the communications team on this, by the way.

[alt_bill]

Although--come to think of it, that cuts both way, dammit.

I don't want negotiating with them to give them legitimacy.

[alt_bill]

Sorry, correction: not Fabius, since he hasn't thrown his lot in with us publicly, yet. He'll be good for brainstorming behind the scenes. Arca or Lee, possibly.

Heading to the meeting room now.

[alt_lupin]

You're speaking of the Geneva Conventions when you say she's a prisoner of war, yes? This is a rather more complicated issue than I think Fu realises -- or rather, whether Ginny is in fact a 'soldier' is a complicated issue. These laws were written for muggles, and focus on issues like whether the captive was carrying a weapon and wearing a uniform. Ginny was carrying her wand, obviously, but she was not, to my knowledge, wearing any sort of uniform when she visited the Pucey's.

In any case, this is largely academic given how few wizards are even familiar with the Geneva Conventions. Wizarding Britain was never a signatory. We had our own set of accords, which in fact is how the Cardinals were declared Unforgiveable, among other things.

Anyway -- rattling on about the Geneva Convention is just about as likely to be persuasive to the wizarding community as pointing out that Bellatrix uses Unforgiveable Curses. And do the muggles really need to be talked into staying on our side vs. Bella's?

[alt_lupin]

Well, we had our own set of accords and I guess they noted that the Unforgiveable Curses were unforgiveable. In any case, they're not all that relevant since they got tossed with the Statutes of Secrecy.

[alt_rachel]

I looked this up after you brought it up at the meeting.

I'm not agreeing to treat their side as Prisoners of War as defined in the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 (that's what we're talking about? I found a book that explains it.) No way.

Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_rachel]

The intel came from Nick Dyson.

Justin and Ron got hold of him and questioned him. Which in retrospect was a mistake, I should have gone to take care of the questioning, but I'm overwhelmed I didn't want them to think I didn't trust I didn't. Dyson realised that Ron was Ginny's brother -- not hard, given the hair -- and apparently told him that Ginny offered him sexual favours if only he'd stop cruciating her.

He definitely knew Ron was an animagus, and turns into a snake -- he threw that out as proof that he wasn't bluffing about Ginny spilling everything she knew.

In any case, Dyson killed himself shortly thereafter -- it's not just our side that carries the means. So I didn't get the opportunity to have Hydra legilimise him.

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_rachel]

Also, I think I would prefer being offered in trade to Bellatrix for Ginny over going to that meeting tomorrow. Is that an option?

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_alice]

Sirius, you were spot on earlier.

I will strongly recommend that Arca, Astra, and Lee take point.

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_alice]

And no. I do not anticipate it will be particularly pleasant for anyone.

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_alice]

I see.

You're certain he killed hims

I assume there will be changes in protocol for the future.

I agree with your assessment -- that they're possibly going to set an example by her, or use her for public relations purposes.

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_rachel]

I examined the body afterward; it was definitely a suicide. He had taken an Unbreakable Vow that he could break without much difficulty, in a pinch. (He also carried poison, but that was found right off and confiscated.)

Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, and Sirius

[alt_rachel]

Oh, and forgot to mention this bit -- they know Arista Peel was involved in Crispin's abduction. And they're going to get her and make her pay, etc. I've passed the word to her so she knows to watch her back.

[alt_ron]

The thing I think we need to be doing right away is doubling down on security at all locations we hold. Particularly ones Gin's been to. So, the castle, obviously, but I know she's been making trips out and about, too. Did she visit any of the fidelius communities? Or any of the clinics?

Thing is, we rely on people knowing a protocol for coming onto the grounds here, but once they've read Gin's thoughts, DEMLE will know that as well as we do.

How close are we to having our own anti-polyjuice device? Anti-glamour charms aren't going to be enough. And we need to be on the alert for animagi. If we can use that advantage against them, they can as easily use it against us, and these grounds are full of animals all the time, so recognising an animagus when you see one won't be easy.

[alt_rachel]

We're changing all the security procedures. That's in process. Not as quickly as I would like. She visited some of the Fidelius communities but as long as nothing happens to the secret keepers, those remain secure. I need to talk to Honoria and make a proper list but that's been a lower priority than the security for places like Hogwarts.

[alt_sirius]

I heard that passwords are already being changed in the camps; they're distributing new ones on the button network and elsewhere. Fidelius communities are safe within the boundaries, but yes, the word's out to be on alert coming and going.

We can start casting the Animagus reversal on animals, particularly any animal that's too close to our perimeters.

The device is trickier.

[alt_alice]

We can resort to hour long waits for incoming visitors to all camps if necessary.

Private message to Padfoot

[alt_lupin]

I was trying to think about this last night and I kept thinking about the Map, instead. How much fun it was to make.

If we had five minutes to breathe maybe we could come up with something. Though part of me thinks we need five minutes to breathe, and James. And maybe that miserable bastard Peter.