Private Message to Ari Baddock and Antonin Dolohov

[alt_lucius]

Ari, received your owl. Have been working on arrangements at this end. Chiefly, just came from a meeting in Paris: ICW will extend emigration rights to those of our cohort who can manage to make landfall in Europe. No extradition back to England. We just have to produce evidence that you have not played a significant role in the events following the fall of the previous regime, or that you have been coerced to commit acts in the service of the current one. Simple enough.

On the topic of Ireland, Tosha, have advised them to recommend that it be completely removed from the ICW treaties for the present. No qualified representatives are in any position to negotiate there and it's unlikely there will be for some time to come. Uncertain they will follow my guidance but at least the head of the coalition for Irish Affairs was inclined to caution. Suspect they will drag their feet, if not comply altogether.

Oh, and Ari, you asked about the Secret Keeper for Dover: No, sadly, they were reasonably careful not to provide us with a name or face. We were blindfolded and he came into the room to tell us. Can confidently state it was not Diggory, however. Have you been chasing him all this time? You ought to have asked weeks ago.

If the situation has indeed devolved as far as that, then by all means, get out. It is the only sensible course.

If Dover is not available, you might try Penzance. The stone there was diamond. They likely have it under guard.

As for the territory here: We are both well, considering. Though it is quite a different landscape, in which increased interaction with Muggles is the norm. It is not without - benefits, however. One didn't realise all the things one missed.

Gentlemen, if you can escape, do. It may be the healthiest move any of us have made in years.

-LM

Comments

[alt_antonin]

That's good news about the ICW, yes. Although one wonders how much they are attempting to play both ends against the middle; from what I've managed to glean from my ongoing repartee with Finch-Fletchley (he has yet to realise how much he gives up to me whilst he is busy castigating me for my moral and spiritual failures) their own negotiations are ongoing as well. If you've any intel on what's going on in Ireland that might bear fruit, let me know -- it has been damnably difficult to get news.

Ari, I saw he had written to you -- if you are willing to share, let me know.

I am as well as could be expected. Cleaning up my messes, as much as I can. I have not yet ruled out escape, but not without fixing a few more things first -- of which F-F is one.

[alt_lucius]

What is there to fix, Tosha? Have you any indication he would follow if you simply melted away?

You must do what you feel necessary, of course, but allow me to caution you not to take foolish risks, nor to jeopardise your chances of convincing foreign soils to believe you were blameless in all that went on since May.

Private message to Lucius

[alt_antonin]

The experience of having been dead -- and the prices demanded of me immediately thereafter -- made it quite clear how much of this mess can be laid upon my shoulders. I've been working down the list of those mistakes. Halfway there, or thereabouts. And yes, I am doing so quietly.

I doubt they will believe my innocence no matter what, but I've enough old friends who might be willing to tip the scales in my favour. Or if not, there are still places in this world where the ICW holds little sway.

Re: Private message to Lucius

[alt_lucius]

Of course, you have resources; I thought of it even as I was putting the finishing touches on the last reply.

Still ... as tempting as it can be to assume the blame, Tosha - walk away. I know how difficult it seems, that one feels one must put all to rights. But - it will never be right. There will always be another score to settle, on that path. Turn and find another while you have the option.

You will doubtless say I've grown feeble and you may be entirely correct. Even so. You are not responsible for all this. None of us is blameless, but none of us is entirely to blame, either. Walk away.

Re: Private message to Lucius

[alt_antonin]

If I were a smarter man, I would agree with you wholeheartedly, my dearest of brothers. But if there is one conclusion I have come to by now, it is that I am not as smart a man as I have always believed myself to be.

One of my children wrote me when I was dead -- well, several people did, but I am thinking of one in particular. My Healer-to-be, Miss Parkinson's bosom friend. She said that I ought to have been on their side from the beginning, that I ought to have seen the lie in he-whose-name-I-will-not-write's promises, that I ought to have seen the Abomination's flaws and committed myself to his destruction. It was the anger of an idealist, thwarted and frustrated as only an idealist can be, and while I will never agree that we were wrong to try and I will never agree that our efforts were doomed from the start, I cannot help but agree that I ought to have made so many choices differently. I kept myself from seeing the truth for far too long out of the belief that the fault-lines were ignorable, and I have only myself to blame for at least some of the detonations that resulted.

That they will win -- have nearly won -- is nigh-inevitable at this point. And if they are to win, they will be the ones to rebuild, and there are those who should not be allowed anywhere near that task. I will not leave without attempting to secure some future for those who stay -- no matter what their allegiance might be.

If I'd had any sense I would have coshed you and Narcissa and Barty over the heads and had you safe and far away from here ten minutes after the Abomination undid Dominic's sacrifice -- and that you and she are safe and far from here is more of a comfort than you can imagine.

Don't worry about me, dearest. I know what I have to do. A smarter man would have recognised the reality of the situation a long time ago. But I am not that man, and if I've any hope of living with myself later, this is something I need to do first.

[alt_antonin]

Yes, well, that's precisely the sort of taunting I meant, and thank you for the transcription.

I am sorry to say that from everything I hear, he is correct at laying the blame for Montague's death at Bella's feet. The rest of it ... I do not know. They have Finnigan and Patil, and from journal message headers both of them at least are still alive and still have access to their journals, but I have no means by which to evaluate the sincerity of this particular offer. My instinct, of course, is to distrust it as much as yours is, but they are infected of a Hufflepuffian strain of 'fair play', so Salazar knows.

I agree with Lucius; escape is the sensible course. And I wish you the best of luck in attempting it; if there is anything I can do, just say the word. I do not think I will be far behind you.