Order Only - Private message to the Juniors

[alt_sinistra]

I know what the Headmaster was trying to avoid with his punishments. I don't know if you want to hear it. I do agree with him that there are things that would be much worse. And he was afraid of those.

I tried to explain this, yesterday. To Alice and Remus and Albus and Poppy and Pomona and Severus. It went - badly.

It was suggested that I should ask you. Quite right, that. I'm sorry I didn't earlier. Had to find words. Get time to think.

So. I'm asking you what you want. What punishments you're willing to bear and what you aren't. When you do things that are going to get a punishment, no matter how much they matter and how much they're right. (Because if he doesn't punish some things, that'd be a whole other set of problems, and I think not the ones you want. Maybe I'm wrong.)

What you think works here, in this school, right now. Not the one we had when I was a student, or the one from six years ago or six months ago. Or even six days. We don't live there anymore.

He may not ask my advice or tell me in advance what he's planning (he didn't Thursday). But I do think he'll listen. And that maybe I can nudge things, if I know what would help your plans, in a way that'd help. Think about it.

Last spring, Raz and I started talking a lot about how our generation had failed you. All of you. Too many ways. The more things I see, the more that's right. You all deserve better. I'm sorry for my part in that.

Comments

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you both. For putting what you choosing so clearly.

[alt_neville]

I'll add, that I'll take Crucio, too, no problem, for the same reasons that Ron says. But I do want to protect the younger kids as much as possible. If you have any influence over him, nudge him into going for the kids in the upper years, if he's gonna punish anyone. It makes sense in a way: kids aren't picked as prefects until fifth year because they're seen as more responsible at that age.

What he may not fully realise is what he's doing to the reputation of any of the kids he orders to be put under Crucio. Those who are completely loyal write us off as traitors, but since there were enough in that group who were obviously innocent, more are starting to see through the lie 'they were punished so they must be guilty.' When we show him--show everyone--we can take Crucio, well, the younger kids look at us who underwent it a little differently now. If they grasp that we're taking the punishment to protect them, it'll mix a little gratitude in with the awe, and that's a good recipe to prompt them to look to us older kids as leaders.

Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_neville]

I'd rather take it then subject Evelyn to it, every time.

[alt_sinistra]

Your point about protecting the younger students is a very good one (and I think, not difficult to manage, assuming there's nothing that forces his hand there.)

I do agree he didn't think through the implications of unfairness and casting a wide net, and I do agree it has some benefits. (Above and beyond the fact that I still think any kind of serious investigation would have escalated things dramatically and not at all well.)