Order Only—Accusations

[alt_severus]

I notice that none of you have seen fit to come to my defence. I also find it curious that no-one seems to wonder how Minerva—also a spy at Hogwarts, and indeed the mistress of this place—would not know of shady dealings within the castle. Proof, I think, that personal dislikes are at play here: even Mr Black understands that it is impossible to track the activities of every one of the hundreds of people here. At least without using some of his more dangerous toys.

As for what I was doing last night, Professor Sprout shall confirm that I was helping her harvest flowers from the Night-Blooming Flitterweed until three o'clock in the morning. I then patrolled the castle—teachers usually refuse to take the shift between three o'clock and six o'clock in the morning, leaving me short on sleep—and returned to my quarters exhausted. I did not discover that the ring of master keys was missing from its hook until the morning; whoever it was reset my wards cleverly enough, though not seamlessly.

The person in question discovered my password, apparently—although fortunately not the password to my inner quarters. There are several women who have had the opportunity to learn the outer password in the past week. They are

Professor Acton
Madam Hooch
Hermione Granger
Professor Sinistra
Professor Sprout

I trust that Miss Granger and Professor Sprout do not seem suspicious to you, my dear canine? Or do you believe that through association I have corrupted them? 

I am disgusted with all of you.

Comments

[alt_alice]

Well. If she's a spy, she might be particularly good at putting on a face, but this spy seems rather inept if they can be so easily followed and overheard.

Good at wards, but not perfect.

Nervous. Refers to paranoia. Bitter with Minerva. Does that strike a chord with any of them?

The nervous might be just due to the fact they are sneaking about, but the rest seems difficult to keep to oneself all the time.

[alt_alice]

The comment about Minerva might also indicate some sort of sanctimoniousness when it comes to vices, or general avoidance of alcohol of any kind, if that sounds like any of them.

And who is she spying for? The Carrows? If she was able to enter Alecto Carrow's office and use her floo, it's a fair assumption she was talking to Amycus, isn't it?

[alt_sirius]

I don't think it was Carrow, Alice. There probably would have been a good deal more shouting.

My theory is that she went into Alecto Carrow's office to search it for the source of poison.

[alt_alice]

Still, Alecto's office was bound to have protections on it as well, and unless she gave explicit permission for this person to be there, that means the spy was either able to break both Severus's and Alecto's wards (which means she is a bit more competent than I'd thought originally), or Alecto's fallen so ill she no longer keeps up with them.

[alt_sirius]

Not necessarily. If Snape's 'master keys' are Filch's old master keys, then they can break any charm on any door in the castle.

[alt_alice]

Point, love.

[alt_severus]

For once, Black intuits something correctly.

[alt_pomona]

I rather agree that it sounds like Hooch is a good place to begin.

Aurora's scarcely bitter with Minerva, and definitely not sanctimonious about alcohol. (Paranoia is a more complicated topic, mind, but isn't that true for us all?)

As to putting on a face, well, the advantage of Aurora is that I've known her since her school days. While there's certainly been surprises from her (her relationship with Rabastan, for one), I also haven't seen the kind of drastic change in personality that would come from that kind of bitterness.