“beyond wandpoint” 083a by gingerbred
Mar. 22nd, 2019 07:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beyondwandpoint“11 11w Tuesday - Snakes' Nest” Part 1
Pansy Parkinson 7S (Prefect), Alberta Runcorn 7S, Tracey Davis 7S, Daphne Greengrass 7S, Millicent 'Millie' Bulstrode (Reserve Beater), Róisín Rosier 6S, Hestia Carrow 6S (Chaser), Flora Carrow 6S, Valerie 'Val' Vaisey 6S (Chaser), Ella Wilkins 6S (Prefect), Sharon Shafiq 1S, Astoria 'Tori' Greengrass 5S, Ava Avery 5S
Harper Hutchinson 6S (Prefect, Chaser), Aaron Avery 6S (Reserve Chaser), Sheldon Shafiq 6S (Reserve Beater), Hunter Hutchinson 4S, Bartholomew 'Bart' Burke 5S, Crankshaft (Harper's half-Kneazle)
Mentioned: Draco 7S (Prefect, Team Captain, Seeker), Theo Nott 7S, Blaise Zabini 7S (Keeper), Vincent 'Vince' Crabbe 7S (Beater), Morag MacDougal 7R, Michael Corner 7R, Terry Boot 7R
Originally Published: 2018-08-04 on AO3
Chapter: 083 part 1
The original version of this chapter exceeded livejournal’s maximum post length. It’s been split in two parts.
A/N:
For emjrabbitwolf, Madameslytherin, Grooot and all the others who like to watch their Snakes being Snakes. hissssssss
"Well, Pansy, what do you want?" The Slytherin girls have all gathered now in the seventh years' room and scattered themselves across the floor and the five beds, and Alberta sounds more than a little peeved. Truthfully, she's mostly annoyed with herself for appearing to be at Pansy's beck and call - she really needs to learn how to manage appearances better, damn it - but she's happy to take that out on anyone who gets in her way.
"I'm so glad you asked," Pansy replies over-sweetly and not a person in the room thinks she means it. It helps that 'Slytherin' is everyone's native tongue. "I was speaking earlier with some of the others about what the Serpents had to say, and the consensus was we should take measures. We must take measures." Róisín Rosier, clearly one of those 'others', nods supportively from where she sits beside Pansy on the Prefect's bed, and a few conclusions are drawn as to which parties had been consulted, and of which leanings they might be.
The tension in the room immediately ratchets up. This seems ridiculously dangerous, thoroughly out of bounds, and a conversation that most definitely shouldn't take place in public. They have something by way of a tacit agreement in their House to avoid politics where possible, and this... This appears to be heading straight into the thick of it. All but one of those Serpents had been sent by known Death Eaters. How are they supposed to speak of this without at least touching on that?
Interpersonal connections, alliances are of great importance to Snakes. Merlin knows, Professor Slughorn had elevated making them to an art form, hobnobbing, quite literally, with the best of them. Even if he wasn't as good in the Potions classroom as their Head, it had been very instructive to watch the wizard in action. Their biggest problem in making these alliances, naturally, and certainly in trying to emulate old Sluggy, is that their House isn't particularly... integrated with the others. It's true for most Snakes that they don't form many... associations with members of other Houses until after they've left school, when the true... utility of the individuals becomes mutually more clear. Not surprisingly, those individuals are mostly Ravenclaws.
Naturally the situation while still in school isn't helped in the least by the pressure they exert on one another whenever one of their own looks for... attachments outside of their House. It's ultimately counterproductive, but the not remotely unjustified siege mentality makes it practically inevitable. They're outnumbered and need each other. These are their connections. They won't be receiving help from other Houses. They never do. They can't afford to not be able to rely on one another, and they do their best to discourage anyone from straying. It's fairly effective.
For the time being, for the students, that means they go to lengths to avoid forcing one another to take a stand on politics. With very few blustery exceptions (somehow Vince springs immediately to mind at that description), few make their positions overtly known, and there's an uneasy truce between the different camps. This approach allows them to continue to coexist. If they only have each other, they won't countenance the loss of even a single one of them.
So almost everyone, regardless of their personal beliefs on blood purity or You-Know-Who, is extremely uncomfortable at the topic Pansy seems about to raise.
That doesn't stop her. She doesn't even hesitate.
"Those measures will be less effective if we aren't all on the same page," Pansy continues. The younger girls begin whispering quietly amongst themselves, the older ones show more self restraint, but their demeanours become surprisingly neutral as if by command.
"Is it really... wise to discuss this?" Tracey thinks she should at least try to put a halt to this, again feeling forced to be the voice of reason as she had been at lunch. It's not that she doesn't feel strongly about what action should be taken; she does. But candidly talking about it is a completely different matter. She can't picture it ending well for easily half of them, no matter which way this goes. Sometimes her Housemates think things through so poorly, she still can't believe that they weren't all sorted into Gryffindor. Idiots.
Pansy's family has exceptional connections to many of the more fanatical pure-blood families, without being too closely involved in the current upheaval themselves. It's brilliant really, a fragile balance, elegantly maintained. Mere prejudice isn't prosecutable. The Parkinsons will come out on top no matter how the chips fall. It was no coincidence that she hadn't demonstrably taken a stance in the school's politics until the Ministry was involved; certainly no one will ever be able to fault her for being faithful to the Ministry. Not that it hadn't cost her dearly, it had, but the important thing was how blame would be apportioned. She emerged smelling like a... Pansy.
The seventh year Prefect sometimes forgets that not everyone enjoys the same position. Tracey's family certainly doesn't. Currently, graduating and seeking an apprenticeship abroad seems the wisest course of action for her. She only hopes that things don't explode before she's sat her N.E.W.T.s. That's looking increasingly less likely.
Ironically, Tracey sometimes overlooks that not everyone has her marks or will have the sort of opportunities those afford her. Few have the wherewithal to be confident they can simply leave this all behind them and go elsewhere and make a clean start of it. In fact, most are quite certain they can't. In many respects, this gives Tracey freedoms the majority don't have, much as Pansy's situation does for her.
Pansy meets Tracey's eyes and twitches a wry eyebrow, trying to silently convey she hasn't completely lost the plot, but nevertheless finds some amusement in Tracey's worrying she has. "Why don't I go over some of the facts first, and we'll see if we're in agreement? Just the facts. There should be no harm in that. And then we'll take it from there if it seems sensible?"
That's met with cautious nods, and Pansy continues. She handles it adroitly. She's learnt some things from her father's managing of their family's public stand on the war that's sure to come. They acknowledge that the individuals who sent the Serpents, no names are mentioned (imperative, given the audience, as half are wanted men, escaped from Azkaban), are most likely in a position to know what happened. Legilimency is mentioned as highly probable to have been employed to verify the facts. (The passive voice once again proves useful.) They've all heard the terrifying rumours. They are positive, those facts were accurately relayed. And they all know that the senders must be convinced of the truth of their claims in the Poste Serpentes. If they say the boys were at fault for the Head's bonding, all can agree, the boys most probably were.
Opinion is also unanimous that the Head wouldn't have chosen to be bonded - no one chooses to be bonded, ergo, he didn't either - and certainly not to Granger. In an effort to avoid divisive subjects best left untouched, there's no mention made of her blood status. As they're agreed Granger would never have been Professor Snape's choice in any event, they needn't expound on the various reasons why not; the end result is undisputed.
A little more cautious manoeuvring - a few of the younger girls are less clear as to the reasons and require... judicious explanations - and they manage to also concur that this is clearly down to more of Dumblebore's twatwaffledom, placing the blame squarely at his and the boys' feet.
The boys had obviously done... something, and the Headmaster had made these demands of their Head in response.
Easy peasy. Even Tracey has to admit Pansy's handled this well. So far.
There probably isn't much they can do about the Headmaster, although more than one serpentine mind has begun to consider the possibilities, but the boys are a whole different story.
Having decided action is justified, practically demanded in response to the situation in fact, the question now remains - what should they do?
"Well, why did they resort to a bonding?" Sixth year Flora Carrow asks, and the tension returns.
There are several objections, mostly asking her to please stick to what measures should be taken, but her twin sister Hestia, less retiring by far and better acquainted with her sister's strengths, raises her voice to override the rest, "Let her speak."
"Thank you," Flora gives her sister a small but appreciative smile. "When was the last time any of you heard of someone being bonded?"
A few heads turn to Roísín, and atypically subdued she answers, "My aunt Rosemary. A year before I was born." Not coincidentally, also the year her aunt had died. Róisín never knew her.
Most of them are aware the bonding had ended in her death when she and the Wilkes boy had joined their magic. That's the sort of story that gets told and retold, entering firmly into lore. Flora hadn't intended to put her on the spot like that; she'd meant her question rhetorically. "I'm sorry for your family's loss," she apologises sincerely, and anyone less cognisant of what had happened now feels they can connect the dots. There are some clear advantages to working with a room full of Snakes.
Flora has a gentle way about her that makes it easier to forgive, to assume she hadn't meant to harm. Róisín nods her acceptance and Flora proceeds. "And no one has tried since to our knowledge. We agree we'd probably know if that weren't the case? Bonds are registered with the Ministry after all. Sooner or later, they'd get noticed..." She looks around at those gathered, and more girls nods. Certainly no one objects. Between them, they have many, excellent contacts within the Ministry, and come almost entirely from families that set a lot of store by tradition; had there been bondings, it would have been mentioned. These girls, more so than any other single group in the school, would know. "So why did they resort to bondings now?"
"Dumblebore," Alberta offers a bit gruffly, still annoyed at being there, even more so that Pansy is proving to be in the right, and irksomely unable to escape as they're all gathered in her room, damn it. But Alberta's correct in that that single word explains a multitude of sins.
"Bonds can't be dissolved," Daphne answers, more than a little worried about why that might be necessary, especially as the witches were all Muggle-borns, and thinking again about how the ranks of the Death Eaters will ultimately be filled predominantly with the boys they've grown up with. She shivers slightly, involuntarily, at the thought.
"The Vows," Pansy and Tracey answer simultaneously, trying to draw attention away from Daphne's suggestion to safer terrain. Normally that would have been an argument against a bond, to imply it's a benefit... Yes, they feel that's a very alarming train of thought.
"And which Vows seem probable?" Flora prompts.
"Protection" and "Fidelity" are proposed by so many of the senior girls that no one can tell who has made the suggestions. But it doesn't matter. It's greeted by more nodding. And tittering from some of the Firsties, presumably due to the mention of a Fidelity Vow. The fact all of them know what it is speaks to their House's fondness for tradition.
"If we ignore the likely Protection Vow for the moment..." Flora begins, but Tracey interrupts her.
"We really shouldn't. Having taken a Protection Vow, for the benefit of a Muggle-born..." Again, the tension is palpable and the group begins shifting uncomfortably where they sit. Tracey could half kick herself, she knows, she knows they shouldn't go there - hell, she'd tried to put a stop to the whole conversation herself, hadn't she? - but now that they have gone there, she can't not mention it. It angers her too greatly. And she'd had some success with this at lunch. Perhaps she can phrase this as neutrally as Pansy has, casting no blame, taking no stance on blood status or the treatment of the Muggle-born, and still get her point across. "That particular combination could easily be a death sentence."
It's a harsh truth, and the girls look to one another, appalled. But there's no dissension there either. Tracey's right. No matter how they feel about the justifications for how You-Know-Who would treat the Muggle-born given free rein, and there is quite a range of personal convictions, one thing is clear, those of non-wizarding descent are at great risk and that Vow is a horrible liability. "I just think we should keep that firmly in mind, whatever we decide for the boys," she wraps up somewhat less strongly, but her point carries.
Flora tries again, a little more sure that Tracey's point will help her make hers, "If we consider the Fidelity Vow the Professor undoubtedly took," several girls, in good Slytherin form, pink only ever so slightly as they try not to consider that in too much detail, but Flora ignores it, lifts her chin a mite defiantly and goes on, "then I think it might be appropriate to respond to the boys in kind."
"Wait..." Pansy begins to balk. She and Blaise had come to something of an agreement, a highly... satisfactory agreement, and it was looking rather promising that it would continue. This is sure to bollocks that up.
"No sex?" Daphne seeks to clarify with all too typical glee, which garners her a little disdain and has a way of making people overlook the fact she actually got the point significantly before they did.
There's quiet giggling amongst a couple of the first and second years, the word 'sex' appears to work its own magic, but they're rapidly silenced by less than subtle elbows to the ribs from their classmates. They're pleased to be allowed to be present for such discussions, all of them, but some lack the maturity to deal with it well. There's an attempt within the House to treat the younger girls as equals and not draw some arbitrary age line to determine when they'd be ready for such discussions. But they've found it helps not to stigmatise their burgeoning sexualities. And treating each other as adult has the effect of making them more so.
"You're suggesting we freeze them out?" Alberta asks, surprised this would occur to Flora, and trying to weigh what this might mean for herself. She might have started something with Vince at some point this year, but it wasn't imminent and it's not like she has to... And he does work her nerves sometimes, and not in a good way. Still, he was there. Available. Her other preferred options aren't at the school. There is something to be said for sex on tap.
"Lysistrata," Ella offers.
"Isn't that the witch who runs Dogweed and Deathcap?" Valerie Vaisey asks, thoroughly confused.
"That old crone?" Róisín, recovered a bit from the mention of her aunt, queries with her usual disdain.
"More or less," Flora answers Ella, confusing Val more. "More punitive, less ploy, and no negotiable reprieve."
"That would leave us with nothing but Ravenclaws," Tracey sounds horrified as she sits there considering the options. Boot? Corner? Since Pansy and Draco had definitively put an end to things, she and Draco have been casually sniffing about each other and weighing the risks of coming to a mutually agreeable... arrangement. Politics aside, Pansy had had... good things to say about the blond. And it's not like MacDougal presented much of a threat. She's just toying with the Slytherin. It was extremely improbable Draco would ever land there. And even if he could, which Tracey doesn't for a moment believe, it was highly unlikely the bigoted pure-blood would actually actively pursue a Muggle-born. No, it was little threat to her sought after 'acquaintances with benefits' arrangement. Tracey most assuredly hasn't the time or inclination for anything more.
It's interesting that no one disagrees with the 'Ravenclaw' aspect of the statement, as it leaves half the school unconsidered. But then, they probably haven't considered that either.
"Ravenclaws!" Róisín scoffs. "They are but bad shag; they are no able witch's wizards," she quips to general amusement and some agreement.
"There's always the sixth years," Daphne suggests in a conciliatory tone, but pinking just a little.
"Who? Aaron? Sheldon? Harper?" Tracey does not sound appeased. Well, there's her sex life. Buggered. Well, not buggered. Scotched. Because Flora is absolutely right, hang it all. Damn.
And damn again.
"Hey!" Sharon Shafiq, one of the previously elbowing Firsties, protests in defense of her older brother, now earning her own elbowing for being too loud. They're right of course, as her 'Hey!' can now be heard echoing in the other empty rooms, tannoyed through the girls' dorms. She does need to be more mindful of her volume. Chagrined, she shuts her mouth so quickly there's an audible 'clack' of her teeth.
"No offence," Tracey placates with only moderate success. Sharon really isn't sure how not to take offence on Sheldon's behalf at that. By contrast, Ava Avery, seated on the floor near the other fifth years on Daphne's bed, had merely snorted her amusement at Tracey's remark, feeling little need to defend her brother Aaron.
"Harper is nice enough," Ella objects, defending her longtime friend and fellow Prefect.
"And yet I notice you didn't do more than have tea at Madam Puddifoot's," comes Alberta's pointed reply.
"Of course not. That would be too much like dating a brother..." Ella tries to explain, but Hestia calls them back to order.
"Flora's idea is sound. Like for like. It seems fair." With a snort she adds, "And it would leave them with no one but the Ravenclaws, too." Considering their classmates amongst the Ravenclaws (and thoroughly ignoring MacDougal's enviable lippy, especially as no one's gotten up the nerve to ask her where she bought it), there's some laughter at that. Hestia makes an excellent point.
Less happily than when she started, Pansy turns her head, making a circuit of the room, collecting votes. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm she announces, "Then we're agreed. No sex with the seventh years." She sighs.
Everyone nods except Daphne who interjects, "But what about Theo?"
"Oh? Do you have a tendre for Theo?" Alberta sing-songs, teasing. She does that a lot.
Daphne blushes again, she really isn't a great Snake, most Firsties have better control over that reflex than she does, and it isn't even true, but she manages to square her shoulders and answer, "No, but I do like being fair. There were no accusations levelled against him."
"She's right," Pansy interrupts the argument that's otherwise likely to follow. "But we don't know for sure. I'd suggest treating him like the rest until Professor Snape gives us some kind of indication how to deal with him."
"Do you really think he can?" Tracey asks incredulously. She's so over the stupid Death Eater games. And likely not to get shagged until Christmas. Her mood isn't great. Pansy gives her another significant look, she's right, naturally, Tracey's being stupid and skirting issues best left alone. Damn. Fine. "Whatever. Blaise did mention that Professor Snape had told him to take his example from Theo."
There's some muttered agreement, until Pansy points out, "But that was when they were caught duelling. It might only have applied to that. And we only have Blaise's and the other boys' word on that. They're compromised; we can't trust it. Or them, at least not on that subject." There's some debate, but she puts a quick end to it, "Was anyone planning on dragging Nott into an alcove or broom cupboard any time soon?" They look from one to another, even the younger girls pretend to consider the option seriously before solemnly shaking their heads. "Then it's moot."
And just like that, the first decision is made. It's simple. Not one of those boys is having sex this year if any of them have anything to say about it. And as they rarely... date outside their House, they in fact have a great deal of say about it.
"Is that all we're going to do to them?" Tracey asks, thinking they'll get off too lightly. Well, perhaps they won't be 'getting off'... But were that all to befall the boys, there's a disturbing, niggling thought that the girls would be every bit as much the recipients of the punishment as they are. (She thinks of the sixth years again with a shudder.) That seems somehow less than satisfactory. For more than just the... obvious reasons.
There aren't any immediate suggestions, so Pansy takes the rudder firmly in hand once again, steering them back to safer waters. "Apply yourselves to the problem. We have time. They're not going anywhere. We'll see what we can come up with. And it needn't be a group effort, after all. We're of the opinion action may be taken and we needn't fear reprisals from one another?"
"Most likely needn't..." Alberta inserts with a pointed look and shrug. Pansy should know better. If the others get carried away disciplining the boys, some of them will be expected to respond.
"That's fair," Pansy readily acknowledges. "No reprisals unless it goes too far, that is. Is that acceptable?"
"If we took things too far, that would only cause the Professor more work, which seems rather self defeating," Tracey argues in support of Pansy's restrictions. It's all vague enough that's it's hard to disagree with it, and so the Prefect's proposal stands.
"And what do we plan to do to make the Professor's life simpler?" Flora asks, encouraged by winning her last point and Tracey's mention of his dire circumstances earlier. Of course, looking at Tracey's expression, at this point she's less likely to agree with anything else Flora says tonight just on principle. She mouths 'Sorry' at Tracey, and the older girl responds with a grimace, but finally nods, albeit somewhat grumpily.
There's some mumbling, a few useless suggestions, and finally Hestia takes up the challenge. "Tracey had the right of it. The Protection Vow is dangerous. We could..." Bloody hell, this is tricky. "We could try to see to it he isn't called to... act."
That's met with an explosive response, characteristically rather soft-spoken, but laden with feeling, and she leans back and allows the other girls to argue themselves into a calmer state. They'd agreed today to publicly support Madam Snape and to take a demonstrative stand against any abuse. But this? Goes too far. It sounds very much like Hestia's been thoroughly Confunded, and there's a quiet riot of dissension. Flora shoots her twin a nervous look, but Hestia shakes her head slightly. She has no problem weathering the storm. They'll wear themselves out.
It doesn't even take them long.
Once they're quieter, Hestia starts again, "I'm not suggesting we act as her protective detail..."
"Do you know, I think the Baron already is," Daphne interjects. Ella slowly nods her agreement. It sort of fits really. The ghost had kind of appeared from nowhere to request assistance for Granger-Snape... Hermione, and if he'd been present to know about the previous injury, presumably he's kept a bit of an eye on her... Tracey, still in a bit of a strop, somewhat sulkily nods her agreement as she considers the Baron's appearances that afternoon. He'd certainly made an impression on their way to Herbology.
"But can he really do anything to stop a Curse?" Millie wonders.
"I'm sure he can make you regret casting it," Pansy smirks, but it's friendly. "Very much so, in fact. But you're absolutely right, Millie, in that he might not be able to stop things from happening that would cause the Vow to force the Professor to have to respond. That might be relying too much on common sense in the heat of the moment."
"Uncommon sense," Tracey corrects mostly to herself.
"We don't even know that he took a Protection Vow," Alberta practically whines, already not liking where she sees this inevitably leading.
"When you can give us a compelling explanation for why there was a bonding without the need for a Protection Vow, I'll happily revisit that with you, in the meantime..." Pansy shuts her down. Millie gives Pansy a soft smile. She likes that Pansy is gentler, more patient with her. And honestly she likes that Panse is less tolerant of Alberta. She tries not to smile too broadly, and if she weren't in a roomful of Snakes, the effort might even be deemed a success.
"So can we agree that we should see about helping to ensure the Professor isn't forced to act on that Vow?" Hestia looks at the others, but they're less sure about this. This... this kind of action could get them in trouble, and doesn't sit well with many of them for all too obvious reasons. It's far easier to condemn themselves to possible celibacy than... well, this. They're effectively agreeing to protect a Mudblood, Muggle-born, whatever. There's a lot of head shaking. "I'm not suggesting we take an Oath on it, but..."
"Merlin's bollocks, people," Tracey interrupts, losing patience. She does well avoiding the issue. As long as no one starts, she's fine; in fact, that's a good part of the reason she tries to deflect from conversations like these. But Merlin knows, once they do get started, she has a thin veneer of control and it's been sorely tried today.
Well, she'd basically started them down this path, it's only right she stand up for it before it fizzles and dies. "Don't you understand? A Protection Vow is basically a Geas." That's met with a lot of stricken looks. The very notion is appalling. As it should be. "Hestia's suggestion has nothing to do with Madam Snape and everything to do with him." It doesn't matter if that statement is true or not, they simply need a defensible party line that works for everyone. Unfortunately, that's generally more difficult than people imagine.
The House's official version of events, their 'truth' is Professor Snape had bravely fought in the last war - for the winning side - as a spy for the Order. Every single one of them pays lip service to it, evincing a conviction that other Houses find rather unexpected on the topic, but quickly learn not to openly challenge. Of course, they're missing the point. Fair enough. It's complicated.
Roughly half of the Slytherins believe that narrative, Dumblebore's Legilimency skills serving as proof. They also largely assume their Head is continuing in that capacity. The opportunity for him to do so is afforded by the degree of stupidity - rarely paralleled - that some of the pure-blood supremacists regularly exhibit. (Again, Vince comes unbidden to mind.) That stupidity is generally met with some disdainful smirking about 'inbreeding', which is naturally what comes of crossing their bloodlines too often in increasingly shortening cycles.
Unsurprisingly, this half is comprised of disproportionately high numbers of the half-bloods and skews more strongly towards the younger students.
The other half believes their Head had cleverly fooled the powers that be to escape punishment after the Dark Lord fell. To a witch, they don't find it disloyal that he lived to fight another day. Anything else would have been foolish. Pointless. This group is divided on his current role, however.
A few hope he's stayed out of it; they're generally pitied as simple. Some feel he might have now changed sides, relying on a repeat of the last outcome and working for Dumblebore from the outset this time around; they're seen as completely ignorant of the Dark Lord's power. Many of the rest assume he's gone back to working for the Death Eaters, spying on the Order, and a very few of them are sure of it. Whether they approve of the affiliation or not, they feel the proof is found in the improbability the Professor (or anyone else) would be able to trump the Dark Lord's reputed Legilimency skills.
The remainder assumes he came to regret the... unfortunate choices of his youth (and then look askance at the seventh year boys), but that he now has no option of sitting this one out. Their presumption is he's now forced to play both sides, possibly indifferent to the actual party doctrines, and simply hopes to come out of this alive. They can't help but notice that he treats the half-bloods amongst them every bit as well as the pure-bloods, and for the most part shows no great deference to bloodlines. And when he infrequently does, or rather: appears to, that supposed deference is frequently a very mixed blessing. It also hadn't escaped them that the abuse Pansy had taken as a Prefect her fifth year was a fate Tracey by contrast had been spared. Just for the sake of her CV, it would hardly have been worth it. This group tends to keep their thoughts very much to themselves, and as such aren't judged for them by the rest. They're wide of the mark on several counts, obviously, but Severus would approve of their shrewdness.
For the most part, the argument, never explicitly conducted, boils down to whether one believes Dumblebore or the Dark Lord is more easily fooled. And that's where many of the Slytherins miss the point: all that matters is that the opposition, whoever that ultimately is, can be fooled. It isn't at all about measuring the strength of the opposing sides.
Tracey has a better read than most on the dynamics of the fragile truce within their House. She's needed to have it because she is very aware of her family's lack of connections. She's a half-blood who can't point to the presence of any member of the Sacred Twenty-eight in the family's recent past, and - worse - they happen to think the pure-blood rubbish is complete bollocks. Hmm. Yes. But she's probably one of the brightest in their House. She can do this.
"If we agree that the Head deserves our loyalty," she pauses and waits for the other girls to nod for her to continue. "And if we agree that his situation, as we understand it, is perilous," the nods are more reluctant now, not because they disagree, but because that agreement will probably cost them, but they do agree. Unanimously. "Then we should probably also agree to make an effort to help him. Especially as we also are agreed this was not his fault."
There's no explosion this time. There's a lot of looking back and forth, but no one has a counter argument they'd care to offer to those statements. Tracey was banking on it. It's equally problematic in their midst to admit a concern for having to justify effectively protecting a Mudblood as it is a worry that shielding a Muggle-born will put them more probably within the sights of Death Eaters' wands. Neither side wishes to clearly proclaim their colours.
Tracey's 'should' is really the only issue up for debate.
But then matters of ethics aren't the easiest of debates. Especially when they're unable to truly discuss the consequences openly. They spend much of the evening weighing their individual responsibilities in this while dancing adeptly around the manifold topics they mustn't mention.
Despite leaving so much unsaid, this is the most honest group discussion that any of them can remember. Pansy had learnt a valuable lesson from their negotiations at lunch today and applied them well to this new problem. It leaves the girls feeling more united, which is fortunate, as the boys' nebulously defined involvement in the bonding had threatened to be highly divisive.
Bit by bit, they coax each other out of their reserves until the girls ultimately reach an agreement that, to the extent they safely can, certainly as far as they easily can, they should indeed make an attempt to keep the Head from having to act on his Protection Vow. And if standing by their Head's wife projects an image of House loyalty, there's no harm in that. Merlin, they'd decided that much before the Serpents had hissed a single sibilant tone. Nothing they had to say changed that. And even the boys at the centre of this had seemed to feel it was right.
And the girls agree, if their actions benefit a single Muggle-born, it could hardly change the course of things, now could it?