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_macnair]

No one defends you because no one takes Black's accusations against you seriously. It's known that his grudge goes beyond reason.

[alt_pomona]

I scarcely match the description either, Severus, if anyone were to suspect me.

Did I fail to thank you sufficiently last night? It was a help. I had rather gathered you were capable of defending yourself, though. On the rest: I've been thinking this afternoon. I would prefer to think it Acton or Hooch, but to be completely fair, I've been thinking about Aurora.

I truly believe this is not her. She'd have no need to use Alecto's fire, as she's quite territorial about the privacy of her tower.

But I also can't help thinking of that investigation this spring. She's told me a few more details than I think she told either Poppy or Minerva. I suppose, in all fairness, it is a possibility that she made some sort of agreement to pass information back in exchange for keeping leadership of the YPL. I know one of her great fears is what it might turn into in other hands.

On the third hand, she has particular reason to hold a grudge against Alecto, I can't imagine she'd speak about Minerva in quite that way, and while she's a better hand with a wand than many people guess, her skills do not immediately suggest themselves for this kind of search.

[alt_gredforge]

Hey, we only learned there was an Order, much less two resident spies, a mere two days ago. We're also busy catching up on our reading. Give us a week or two.

[alt_alice]

I would agree with Walden in that I didn't see Sirius's baiting as something that warranted a response.

You two pick at one another so often that I've grown quite used to tuning it out.

And now that you are aware that there is a spy, you are in an infinitely better position than anyone else to be able to find out further what is going on.

[alt_alice]

So it's between Acton, Hooch, and Sinistra, then? Which of the three do you think the most likely?

That, or they shared the password with a friend...

[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_macnair]

Hooch. Or Sinistra.

That's me, then.

[alt_alice]

Fair enough -- why not Acton, then?

[alt_macnair]

She forges ahead by one path only, the social ladder.

She'd also be more syrupy with the person she reported to, whereas this person sounds as if she were brusque. No nonsense. That's not Acton.

[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]

Good point.

And you'd think that'd carry over even if she was very hurried, or nervous? Do you think she's able to turn on and off, perhaps?

I don't mean to put you on the spot, I'm just trying to see if we can't really dig out who it might be.

[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_macnair]

I can't say with absolute certainty, but I believe so.

[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]

Well, Pomona and Poppy seem less inclined to think it's Sinistra. So, Severus, I'd start with Hooch and see if you can eliminate her definitively or not.

[alt_macnair]

And mind yourself. I wouldn't call Hooch dangerous. Friendly enough, even. But she can definitely be intense. And unpredictable.

[alt_alice]

Point, love.

[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.

[alt_alice]

And we can't leave out Vector. Poppy mentioned her elsewhere too.

[alt_severus]

For once, Black intuits something correctly.