Chapter 54: His Master's Owls
O Great One,
We have followed your orders faithfully, and send you now the report of what we have seen.
Upon arriving at the raid launch point, Your servants reviewed their assignment. All present agreed that the large number of potential witnesses along the motorcycle race's route would make an undetected attack exceptionally difficult – particularly given the instructions to make it look a nonmagical accident.
A significant delay in the planning and launching of the raid was caused by the failure of one of Your servants, Malfoy, to arrive in response to Your summons. During this delay, a discussion ensued as to what would be done if Malfoy never arrived. Scouts-in-training Wilcox and Stanleigh being present, the question came up as to whether they should be allowed to attempt the task of scouting for the attack. Some of your Your servants felt Wilcox and Stanleigh were simply not ready for scouting duties and that they would do more harm than good if sent out. Others felt that You would be displeased with a lack of results, and that Stanleigh and Wilcox must do their best if there was no other choice, lest You be offended. See attached list of the persons taking each side in the argument. More detail in the full transcipt (see appended).
In the end, a potential attack point was chosen along the target's approach to the starting line (see attached map) and Stanleigh and Wilcox were sent to attempt reconnaissance. In parallel to this, those who remained behind were to make prayer for Malfoy's re-summoning, which if granted and successful would allow for Malfoy's being on hand as a backup scout. See summary of all roles and instructions attached.
The delay, the argument, and the decision making process took a total of one hour and eleven minutes.
Stanleigh and Wilcox were each required to demonstrate their Animagus transformations to the satisfaction of the others before they left, which they did, and which took an additional three and one half minutes.
Stanleigh and Wilcox arrived at the final jump point safely but Stanleigh was unable to immediately perform the transformation to canary form again in the new location, and Wilcox while able to transform to squirrel form, remained man-sized which was judged too likely to provoke unwanted Muggle attention. They instead continued to the proposed attack site in wizard form.
Once there, they made the decision to abort the intended use of that location, as the area Muggles seemed too vigilant to allow an attack. The scouting run, including the transformation attempts and return trip, took 23 minutes.
In addition, whilst the scouting run was in progress, Your remaining servants made prayer for Malfoy's resummoning, which as You know was granted and as You know was also unsuccessful.
We swear to you that everything we have reported in this letter is true and complete. We await your further bidding, Great One.
Signed,
(Automated Scry Reporter)
Most Powerful of Leaders,
I humbly submit that the automated scry report, while technically accurate, left out some nuances that perhaps only a living witch or wizard could have picked up on. Far be it from me to criticize, as I know how difficult it is to set up automatic scrying enchantments and I could certainly do no better myself. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to report the missing details as they may be of some significance in Your calculations. To whit:
1) Stanleigh's inability to "immediately perform the transformation to canary form again in the new location" occurred in the context of taking a running leap off of a rooftop waving his arms as if in flight. Some two hundred Muggles witnessed this event, and shouted in horror believing he would plunge to his death. Fortunately he landed atop a portable food cart which had stopped by for the event, and although the cart itself is somewhat the worse for the wear, it did break his fall enough to prevent serious injury. Stanleigh's quick thinking in running away before the Muggles could surround him afterward likely prevented matters from becoming even worse.
2) I'm afraid Wilcox's transformation went slightly further awry than the phrase "while able to transform to squirrel form, remained man-sized" suggests. While this is indeed what happened initially, his attempt to reverse the accident also only half succeeded, in that he regained only the lower half of a wizard, and this stark naked. In addition, I must reluctantly report that the phrase "which was judged too likely to provoke unwanted Muggle attention" rather overstates the amount of time spent studying this issue on a purely theoretically level rather than putting it to a practical test. That is to say, Wilcox panicked and ran nearly a block through the Muggle crowd before finding a secluded alley in which to finish his transformation. It is believed that many individual Muggles with cell phones were able to record his headlong flight. One can only hope they mistook the squirrel upper half for some sort of costume.
3) As far as my sources have been able to determine, the phrase "they instead continued to the proposed attack site in wizard form and on foot" refers to the aforementioned fleeing from the sites of their initial transformation attempts, and then subsequently finding one another. The mention of "vigilant" Muggles would then, it seems, be in reference to the many witnesses to their lack of success.
Again, I certainly do not wish to give the impression of finding fault in anybody involved, leastwise anybody privy to this message. I only wish to ensure that all the information is in hand when attempting to decide what to do next in the development of our strike force's latest incarnation. Please accept my apologies if any offense was inadvertently given.
Signed,
(Unsigned)
O Great One,
We have followed your orders faithfully, and send you now the report of what we have seen.
Upon the scouts' return to the raid launch point, a further discussion ensued. The suitability of the first location having been called into question, a new attack point was chosen along the route shown in map #2 (see attached). This was again on the way to the race's starting line, but much farther along. Some of Your servants, apparently spooked by the unfortunate events of the first scouting mission, recommended that Stanleigh and Wilcox be sent not to scout the attack point, but to locate and fetch Malfoy so that he could do the scouting instead. At length it was determined that the downside risks of skipping either mission were too great to accept, and a decision was made to dispatch Stanleigh to do the scouting run, and Wilcox to locate and fetch Malfoy.
The discussion and change of attack point, as well as new and successful demonstrations of Stanleigh and Wilcox's transformation abilities, from the time of the scouts' return until they left again, took 35 minutes.
Upon reaching the new jump point, Stanleigh was able to transform successfully into a canary. He continued on to the new attack location at once, arriving just in time to encounter the target passing through en route to the starting line. Although it was too late to plan any sort of attack there, he was able to positively identify at least one of the wards on the target's motorcycle.
Meanwhile, Wilcox first attempted to locate Malfoy using magical means, but was unable. He then made prayer for assistance, and as You know, he received the revelation that Malfoy's last known location was his office at Batwing. Wilcox proceeded to Portkey to Malfoy's office. When we attempted to follow his progress, we discovered there were new wards on the office that had not been there earlier in the day, and we were unable to scry what then occurred. However, we observed from outside those wards that there was a pigeon asleep on the office windowsill which appeared to have been ensorcelled. See pictures and further analysis attached.
Wilcox returned after 18 minutes, appearing considerably rattled. He reported that he had found Malfoy there, unresponsive and at first appearance having been drinking. However, a Suddenly Sober Curse cast by Wilcox failed to return Malfoy to consciousness.
Wilcox then examined the situation more thoroughly. On this second inspection it appeared Malfoy may have been attacked. There were bruises and puncture wounds suggestive of magical bonds, and although the disarray in the room could have been caused by Malfoy himself, it could also have been believably caused by a struggle. Furthermore, Malfoy was half undressed and his Memoralias Charm was in plain view, which Wilcox did not think could be explained by ordinary drunkenness. Also from what he could see of the wards on the office from the inside, they were not in his opinion of a type Malfoy would have chosen on his own.
Wilcox observed also that Malfoy's unholy bonds with his Surrogates had been activated, judging by the appearance of their marks on his back. However, it did not appear they were drawing exessively upon the boys, and a medical charm cast by Wilcox showed no wounds or damage which would prevent sustaining life.
See a full transcript of Wilcox's report, and his answers to questioning by the others, appended.
After providing the report, Wilcox went on to collect Stanleigh who had completed his own mission, and together they returned to the launch point to report their findings. This outing lasted seventeen and a half minutes.
We swear to you that everything we have reported in this letter is true and complete. We await your further bidding, Great One.
Signed,
(Automated Scry Reporter)
To He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, et al;
What on earth have you got writing these scry reports, a Dribble Pen?
Allow me to apply my codswallop interpretor:
Stanleigh "encountering the target" and "identifying a ward" basically means he flew out of the alley and smacked headlong into the target motorcycle's windscreen, setting off a Bug Zapper Ward.
Wilcox "collecting" Stanleigh consisted of picking up his burnt-bald unconscious bird-body and slipping it into a discarded paper sack for the trip back to the jump point.
Signed,
Annoyed
P.S. Don't bother arguing, I have a witness who saw the whole thing.
P.P.S. Not sure I want to know what caused Wilcox to need 17 minutes to perform said "collection" duty, but I'll bet a round of ale it was a cockup of one kind or another.
Supreme Commander,
Allow me to clarify on a point or two in the last scry report.
The "further discussion" which occurred after they got back the first time was rather a heated one, with argument about the choice of initial attack point, the choice of second attack point, and also the capability (or lack thereof) of Stanleigh and Wilcox to do the scouting. The failure of the automated scryer to report a detailed transcript of this argument seems a notable omission. Particularly if it went missing in order to protect the nature of words that were said, or indeed the persons who said them, from Your ears. I am curious as to what was audible via the statue at the launch point.
Be that as it may, Wilcox's questioning by the others after his return from Batwing did have a full transcript as would be expected. After re-reading these questions and answers several times, I find the following thoughts on my mind:
Firstly, I concur with those who said the wards on the office would have to have been cast by someone other than Malfoy himself. As mentioned by several present, these so-called "sticky wards" are a type he has no knowledge of or interest in, and therefore has never researched or learned. In addition, the lack of noticeable sigil marks around the "sticky" foci of the wards suggest considerable skill on the part of the caster, which could hardly have been attained by someone with no interest in the subject.
The pigeon on the windowsill appears to be a Covert Ops tail. There are several who can take on a pigeon form. I believe that Malfoy lacks the skill with such bindings to have performed such a feat himself. The most obvious explanation would be that this binding was cast by Malfoy's attacker, or an accomplice.
One further note: I happen to have had a witness on the ground at the jump point and can offer some explanation as to the time taken for the final part of Wilcox's mission. When he reached the jump point, which was located in the alley, he initially climbed into a rubbish bin and closed the lid. This was in order to perform his transformation in private, in case it left him half-naked again. Unfortunately he then was unable to re-open the top of the bin while in squirrel form, as it was too heavy and too high up. Only after several attempts to transform in different configurations and orders-of-operation and open the lid in different ways, did he give in and return to his wizard form to leave the bin. At that point he was able to go and rejoin Stanleigh. Or perhaps "rescue" is more accurate?
Very Respectfully,
(unsigned)
O Great One,
We have followed your orders faithfully, and send you now the report of what we have seen.
Following the scouts' second return, a quite heated discussion ensued. There was a good deal of raising of voices and various of Your servants questioning the motivations and loyalty of others, as well as a not inconsiderable amount panic as to the mission's imminent failure and how Your presumed subsequent wrath would manifest. See detailed transcript attached.
During this delay, one of Your servants, Dunston, took it upon himelf to make prayer for some of the Elixir for the purpose of reviving Malfoy, which as You know resulted in a drop being given. Dunston interrupted the others to show them, at which point Your servants took this as a sign of Your intent and sent Wilcox and Stanleigh back to retrieve Malfoy bodily. This they did and in three and ½ minutes they returned and brought him to the place of reverence so that he could be prayed upon by all and receive a full measure of the Elixir.
Based upon their whispers after the prayer (see transcript attached), it was apparent to all that You were either not able to read his Memoralias Charm through the statue, or had much to sift through upon it, or had much to think upon. After a delay of two additional minutes, the Elixir was granted and Malfoy was duly brought to combat capability.
Regarding the mission: Malfoy first scouted the starting line, and discovering that the target's racing heat had already begun, he chose the finish line as the best available attack point and scouted that before returning to the launch point. Once presented with their assignments, Your Servants carried out the raid at once. See attached list of who was assigned to which duties.
Several meters before the finish line, an underground explosion of Muggle building-heating fuel occurred and blew a manhole cover into the sky, striking the motorcycle and causing a second explosion, this time of motorcycle propellant fuel. The other contestant in the heat also crashed in the ensuing confusion. Afterward it was discovered that the target had been killed, to all appearances by the combination of manhole cover impact and explosion. The only injuries to other Muggles were due to motorcycle crashes or burns, and none were killed, nor were any harmed in any detectible way by magic, and the explosions in both cases were fueled by Muggle substances. The target was quite cut in half, something the Muggles as yet have no cure for, and the large number of witnesses and the large law enforcement presence which followed would have made it impossible for the target's wizard friends to intercede in time to save him even if they'd been able to immediately locate his upper half where it landed in the canal. The raid was, therefore, 100% successful as assigned. See performance analysis attached.
We swear to you that everything we have reported in this letter is true and complete. We await your further bidding, Great One.
Signed,
(Automated Scry Reporter)
O Lord,
I have read the scry report you forwarded to me and while I agree that Wilcox and Stanleigh are not yet ready for prime time, I also beg you to remember what Malfoy was like when he was their age. Everybody has to start somewhere.
Sincerely,
(unsigned)
Lord,
I can confirm the target was hit by a modified Explatteratus, not actually sliced in half by the muggle manhole cover alone. However, the timing was sufficiently close that this is unlikely to come to light. Also, the actual cause of death was the Killing Curse. Of this I have recorded proof. (see attached)
Yours in unsurmounted loyalty,
(unsigned)
Most Great and Terrible Leader,
I have examined the transcripts and scry report and I believe that Malfoy put in a good faith effort on this raid. His initial failure to respond, and indeed his failure to inquire when he was not initially called, appear to have been due to incapacity, not unwillingness. He was, after all, found unconscious.
What concerns me more is our inability to touch his Memoralias Charm via the statue until after the Elixir was ingested, which suggests his binding to it had been severed and had to be consciously reinstated by him once he was revived again. This is consistent with the evidence of tampering we found there. Clearly several incidents from the last week were erased, including much of whatever happened earlier tonight. It is my opinion that he was attacked and forcibly deprived of several memories of interest to his attacker, as well as any memory of the attack itself.
Does this not suggest we had best discover the identity of this attacker, and the nature of the erased memories, and determine whether that person or persons are of danger to You? In any case, I do not think Malfoy should be punished for failure to respond.
Of course, any decision on this matter is entirely up to You.
Your Servant,
(unsigned)
The way he dove into the canal to make sure of the target's upper half with the Killing Curse – I'd like to see Wilcox or Stanleigh do as much.
Best Regards,
(unsigned)
Master,
We have confirmed the Muggle with the Always-Winning Motorcycle was killed and the machine's magic damaged beyond Muggle ability to repair. The wizards who ensorcelled the motorcycle are in the process of fleeing the country. Our man at the Ministry has verified that the Muggle authorities feel it is a non magical incident and have declined assistance. Despite the initial difficulties, the mission ended as an unqualified success.
Your Most Loyal Follower,
(unsigned)
O Most Powerful of Leaders,
I have read the letters You forwarded to me several times. My concern is that Malfoy appears to have picked up a powerful enemy who is neither one of us nor one of the Aurors. Not knowing who it is, we have no way of knowing this entity's motives, intentions, or - most importantly - schedule.
We can all agree that Malfoy has nearly reached the end of his useful life, and can soon be dispensed with for the safety of everyone concerned. However, we should probably consider finding a way to temporarily protect Malfoy from this new and additional threat until Wilcox and Stanleigh have finished feeling their way into their role. Otherwise, we risk ending up with weeks of raids as bad as the first half of tonight, and no backup in sight.
Signed,
(Unsigned)
To Whom it May Concern,
Am I the only one who is convinced all of this has something to do with Hermione Weasley?
Signed,
(unsigned)
Walden,
No.
Sincerely,
(unsigned)