Escape ↣ Harmione

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter 45 - Plots and Lies

If it had been a meeting between different people, there might have been shouting, or at least loud exclamations of disbelief, and impertinent questions over the sanity of certain well known characters. As it was, the group mirror call included Severus Snape, and therefore was never going to descend into hysteria. It also contained all the Grangers, who greeted the news of Albus announcement by Minerva with silence so absolute, that Minerva found herself asking if they were still there.

"Yes," John replied. "We're still here. I'd like to say we're shocked by his behaviour."

"That seems unlikely," Minerva replied drily.

"Yes, exactly."

"It's a bluff," Severus said. "Mr Weasley was attacked, Minerva said the members were getting fractious and questioning things, so he threw them something they wanted to hear. That way he gets more time to fix the problems while looking like he's done the impossible and found you."

"But," Harry protested. "He can't know that I am coming back, that we are coming back."

"He doesn't need to Potter; he's not planning on living past Christmas. His grand finale includes a plot that is meant to drag you back to Britain on a quest for vengeance. He'll be dead. If you do or don't turn up, that's no longer on him," Severus drawled, his tone bored.

"That's," George said. "I mean that's brilliant, but..."

Severus shrugged, then remembered that connected to as many mirrors as they were, the image had stopped working, and they were only able to hear each other. "Albus is no slouch. Why admit he's failed and reduce morale when he can lie? No one will question it, and by the time it's exposed, he won't be able to answer to it."

"Can't we, I don't know, tell them he's lying to them?" Harry asked.

"To what end? Honesty? Since when has honesty served you? They don't want the truth, they want to be told everything is progressing nicely and that it will soon be over," Severus replied.

"By citing your safety as the reason you are not making an appearance, he does seem to have sewn it up nicely," Minerva mused.

"So in real terms, nothing has changed?" Helen asked.

"Correct," Severus replied. "While it is useful to keep you abreast of the happenings here until we have our pieces in place, nothing will change. The Dark Lord is now moving to force Albus out or change the status quo to the point where Albus will be required to do something. In the meantime, Albus needs to hold the Order together until his plan can come to fruition. We still don't know who he is going to hand the Order over to, he's made no mention yet."

"He's handing Hogwarts over to me, at least until the Board of Governors ratifies the decision or appoints someone else. I would not be in a position to take over the Order as well. I also do not think they would follow me. Kingsley would be the next logical leader; Alastair is too controversial," Minerva explained.

"Hypothetically, would Kingsley work with us or continue with the status quo?" Helen asked.

"He is more reasonable than some," Severus said.

"Well that's something," Helen replied.

"Only if he's appointed," Minerva pointed out. "And then he may feel differently. Supposition is as much as we have."

The meeting wound up, and Fred, George, and Hermione promised to put their heads together and fix the multi-connection image problem.

Fred sat back in his chair fiddling with the detritus on the work bench.