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[alt_sally_anne]

I just wanted to mention that while I was in Hogsmeade yesterday Avery tracked me down while I was by myself to tell me I ought to break things off with Ron because he'll never get on the Council with a half-blood girlfriend, and I'm holding him back, and when I didn't seem properly impressed he said that everyone knows Lucius Malfoy is out of favour with Our Lord and if He wants to punish Mr Malfoy for something, Avery could see to it that it was Pansy who got hurt. Because she's more expendable than Draco, or Mrs Malfoy.

He didn't say who he'd tell them to hurt instead, if I went along with it and broke things off with Ron. I'm sorry I didn't think to ask.

Anyway

I thought I should tell, well, enough people that I didn't make this a PM to Mrs Longbottom (though I did tell Ron and Pansy last night).

Comments

[alt_alice]

I see.

I'm sorry, Sally-Anne.

Draco, Hyrda, have you any thoughts? Does this threat have some teeth behind it? Perhaps you might see what you can glean over the holidays.

[alt_draco]

Don't they always have teeth?

We're not the only ones being challenged, here. Our sponsors are, too - indirectly, yes, but even so. If Avery has spoken with both Weasley and Sally Anne about ending things, then I think it's logical to assume that he's being entirely serious and that he's reacting as such because he's been made to feel insecure or threatened about the candidates he chose.

Nevermind that there are half-bloods who are candidates and that it should therefore matter little if another one is dating one.

The proper thing for Weasley to do would be to break things off. In public, at least. I suppose Sally Anne could do it, too, though it doesn't send quite the same message.

[alt_draco]

Then again, it may be more advantageous for Sally Anne to do it, if only to appear as if she's a half-blood who knows her place and responds well to the suggestions of a pureblooded council member. Conversely, Weasley comes out looking like one who doesn't immediately cave in the face of Avery's threats, which is good.

He also comes out looking like a half-blood lover, but that can't be helped now, anyway.

Private Message to Draco

[alt_alice]

And what about his statements regarding your father?

I suspect Avery was posturing in order to intimidate, but it still doesn't paint a very pleasant picture regarding his current position.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

What about them?

What possible benefit is there to assume that Avery is posturing?

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_alice]

That's one reason I'm asking you to help me sort out these dynamics further. With Minerva's hands tied, we're blind in terms of the inner workings of the council. They've recently added a great deal of new blood, in addition to this contest business, and it is difficult sometimes to determine where these new political faultlines and allegiances lie and how they can best be exploited.

I'm assuming due to his only recently joining the council that his ability to bend the ear of Voldemort is fairly minimal. You're right in that perhaps it would be worth our while to learn more about those dynamics before jumping to conclusions.

Whatever you could find out would be useful.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_draco]

Even if Avery can't bend Voldemort's ear directly, there's probably someone else whose ear he can bend who is more higher ranking than he. Alliances and allegiances are crucial to most council members. The ones who don't have them end up like the Carrows.

I don't have much I can tell you that wouldn't amount to more than speculation, but I'll let you know if that changes.

Re: Private Message to Draco

[alt_alice]

Please do.

I know that this is a difficult time for you, and for your family, and that you face a very uncertain future.

Please let me know if there's anything that I can do.

And if what you truly needed was to keep your family safe, I would do what I could to help you. You are not alone, Draco.

[alt_ron]

Go bludger yourself, Malfoy! Obviously you don't care enough for anyone to stand up if there's a bit of pressure. Fine.

I mean, I'm sorry for anyone who thinks you care for them. Seriously.

But I'm not doing what Avery wants. Especially not now he's trying to throw his weight around. And I'm surely not doing it just because you think it's a good idea. I mean, of course you do.

You can't give in to people like that. Then they know how they can manipulate you forever.

[alt_draco]

You quite clearly care a great deal about Pansy, I see. Or don't you?

And you needn't get so emotional. More than half of our real lives are carried on in secret anyway, so what difference does it make if you and Sally Anne have a temporary falling out in public? There are dozens of ways to stage it so that Avery has no sure way to conclude that it necessarily had anything to do with his threats.

He already knows how to manipulate you; you're fooling yourself if you think he doesn't.

[alt_ron]

Of course I care about Pansy. That's really rich, coming from you!

But that's why we can't just give in to Avery, because then he'll know all he has to do is threaten Pans and we'll roll over. And then he's loads more likely to really do something to her.

The difference between public and private is owning up to what you care about. And if I break things off with Sally Anne that puts her in a really bad position. I mean, if Nott, say, or any of the rest want an easy target, it tells them they can go for her because no one cares enough to protect her anymore. And it maybe makes it tempting to show her what they think of halfbloods or to put her in her 'place', y'know?

[alt_draco]

Yes, I anticipated you would say that, which is why I suggested that you do it in a way that leaves Avery with no clear way to determine that the break-up was a result of his interference. Waiting a week or two, for example - or, better yet, have Harry make the suggestion. That boosts Harry's profile with Voldemort while at the same time making it clear to Avery who you answer to.

Also - contrary to what you, Sally Anne, or anyone else might embody or think, couples are actually constantly breaking up in this school, or going off and on in a variety of ways.

Sorry to say it, but you're most likely over-estimating how much your dating Sally Anne "protects" her. Her associations with Pansy, Hydra, Harry, and myself carry a great deal more weight with people like Nott. Though Nott likes to test those boundaries all the time, anyway, regardless of who he might offend.

[alt_ron]

Yeah, look. About that. It's not that I can protect her--you're right, I can't--but that dropping her would be a signal she's an open target. If you're going to step up and make it clear you're protecting her, then... But you're not. You don't. Pansy does, sure, but I'm not sure that would stop something happening if we set up a breakup and make her act like her pureblood boyfriend's decided she's rubbish. That's just an invitation for Nott or Montague or any of them.

[alt_draco]

It seems the only scenario you are imagining is one where you call her a slaggy half-blood in front of the entire school, or something. You don't have to announce that she's "rubbish." In fact, the scenario I propose with Harry would fully allow you to maintain a public friendship with her.

Is this about protecting her or about protecting your Gryffindor's sense of nobility and chivalry?

[alt_ron]

. . .