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Alice, others, can we come up with some suitably obscure name that does not make it obvious that we have a committee for wards and the other arcane magical idiocies we keep finding? Or who's on it. "Private message to the work group using the first Astronomy Tower workroom" lacks something, but it's about all I can think of that might work.

Similar names for other working groups might be handy, now I think about it.

I'm getting some interesting commentary out of Rookwood. (I'm playing it as 'your demands touch on my interests, and I happen to be willing to talk to you, but please do explain it from first principles', and seeing what I get.) He's confirmed several of our conclusions about the interactions, and mentioned several things we hadn't been able to confirm but seemed likely.

Along with some rather more dubious data. (You all know he's had decided ups and downs for several years at least, right? I'm fairly sure this is a coherent day but that just means he might be deliberately misleading as opposed to accidentally.)

The two I want to ask about: he mentioned that the earliest wards had something to do with a 'muggle replant function'. I've asked him about that, but no idea if he'll answer.

Also, do we know if anyone has made it between Ireland and elsewhere since December 1995 who is not of Irish descent? He said: "There was a rite performed that winter that makes it nigh impossible for those of Irish blood to travel to England. It also makes other travel between the islands difficult at best."

Wards and other magical oddities group: I've an observation to do tonight, related to this. Meeting at 1 tomorrow, when we might know a bit more? I'll post a notice in the workroom, and see if I can catch the people who can't see this before supper.

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Charlie, I'm going to come see if I can track you down so you can read exactly what he's said about Stornoway over my shoulder.

Apparently the dragons were tied into the wards, along with His Noselessness, and what Rookwood would like to do is have them take more of that strain, and move the functions of the first wards to the Octoboros.

He asks specifically: "How many of the dragons at Stornoway had to be put down after he died? How many are critically injured or appear magically off?" I've said I'd need to consult with Stornoway's representative, it might take a while, etc. etc. so we have some time to decide what to tell him, if anything.

Otherwise, I am obviously assuming he's not telling us everything, but the basic theory makes sense from his end. I'm still thinking through the implications on our end, and whether that's desireable, as well as asking a question that I hope will draw out whether he's aware there's a 9th stone.

I have a spot of observation to do in Dover tonight, and I'd like to ask Evelyn to do the 9th stone. Rachel, is there anything about security I should be aware of? We'd be coming back around two, maybe three this morning. Both stones are under Fidelius, so I'm not worried on that end.

And if anyone has anything to go to Dover that needs hand-carrying, I'd be glad to take it.

As far as the wards go, we can see if you can talk to Sean Finnigan about his experiences crossing the wards -- but it might be different due to familial ties. He can also talk somewhat about the impacts it had on the people he voyaged with, too.

Would it address the issue you were concerned about, in terms of the buildup of pressure that could lead to earthquakes?

Talking to Sean Finnigan would be a great help. After tomorrow afternoon, ideally, so we can have a reasonably complete list of questions.

I'm still thinking through the implications.

First, I don't think it's as simple as he's suggesting, to transfer the first wards to the third ones. (And in particular, I wonder what happens with the outside world? Does it affect all the locational magics again, portkeys and floo and so on?)

On the other hand, we should - bearing in mind we're mucking with a complicated magical circuit with no direct knowledge of how they designed it or all of what they intended - have more ability to manipulate the Octoboros, if that becomes the working model, than we do the 83 wards.

On the third hand, we're comparing one thing we can't manipulate, and where most of the people who worked on it are decidedly dead, with another thing that we can maybe manipulate, but we're not sure if we've got all the pieces sorted yet, or what happens if the energy surges. It's not really a fair comparison.

And on the fourth hand, I don't think anyone in the country knows the whole of all three sets of wards anymore, if anyone ever did, and I am increasingly doubting that. I'm actually doubting there's anyone who knows the whole of any one set of them and the relevant interactions.

Anyway. Yes. Plausibly, what he's suggesting would ease the buildup. But whether it's actually critical before summer solstice, or whether he's just pushing for something that will get him more control, I can't figure out just yet.

At least we have the ninth stone in our back pocket.

Right. We did the observations last night, and I'm pleased to report that the 9th stone is showing the same sparks as the other 8, which means - well, presumably it means it's nicely in sync. Among other things.

He asked after the state of the opals in the Dover stone: I am stalling him, but I actually would like someone with a better eye for stones to have a look at them. If the stones are not strong enough, trying to run magical energy through the circuit at high stress might be utterly disastrous.

I half-heard something at a meal a day or two ago (it was either a spouse of one of the Enforcers who came over, or maybe someone now at Aldrich?) being a jeweller, but I can't remember who. Or who said it.

After the working group meeting today, I think my first priority is to talk to the people we took from Mysteries in more detail, and then, if it's possible, to talk to the people from Mysteries being held at Stornoway. (Are any of them being remotely cooperative?)

I'm still - dubious, perhaps, is the word - about his idea. I'd much rather continue to pursue a solution for the Ireland wards, if we think that's desireable for other reasons. And he was fairly clear that it's that set that caused the tension problems. But I hope that with the above, and the conversations today, we'll have a better idea of the risks and benefits for each possible plan by Sunday or so.

There are days when I think my entire education has not been about astronomy, but rather about how to translate Slytherin researchers talking about their priorities, and unravel the various threads of subtext. (On a good day, it's half a dozen, on a bad one, more like two score.) I think Rookwood's actually a Ravenclaw, but soaked in the water of 'why tell anyone anything you don't have to'.

I must say, I found both Alcor and Alde much more pleasant in both content and manner, though he's not being nearly as condescending as he could be, really.

Which is to say, he finally wrote back. He:

- Dismisses the idea of undoing the Ireland wards entirely. 'not presently feasible' and 'why would you want to' in specific. I made noises about being a thorough sort of researcher checking all the options, and left it at that.

- Provided some reasonable information about charms to continue stabilising the opals, so that's something. (I already checked with the library and Irma.)

- There would be risk to the dragons with his plan, and if I'm reading him correctly (again, Charlie, will come find you, let you read it yourself), rather more than he's saying. He considers it an acceptable risk. I'm not sure I do. He'd also love it if we would let his people do the evaluation, and I didn't bother to answer that, just said talking to Stornoway, taking time.

- Yes, whatever we do is going to mess up the locational magics again (floo, portkey, apparition by coordinates, some kinds of warding, possibly other things.) How much depends on which option we take.

- He explained the muggle repelling charms a bit further - specifically, he says: "Therefore we made it so they had trouble noticing the absence or remembering us after we won our righteous victory. Those most closely tied to the former country remembered more, but ask the average muggle in Poland about the Union of Kings they'll shrug, uninterested."

I've asked him to explain more about the risks if we don't do something before this solstice, and wait for the next one, etc. etc. We'll see what he says. I should have a more coherent description of the various options, risks, and benefits by Monday or so and the variables that might affect things.

~~Assuming we don't have another all-hands crisis~~

Evelyn, oh my apprentice - fancy a spot of observational field work tonight?

Specifically, I want you to observe the eyes of the 9th stone at astronomical midnight and some minutes after, and measure precisely with a chronometer I'll give you. The eyes of the snake may sparkle 11 minutes after astrological midnight. Or they may not.

Cedric, I'll be doing the same thing in Dover. I don't need anything other than access to the stone there, but if there's anything you need from here, I'd be glad to bring it down with me.

Evelyn, here to Dover is an awfully long apparition. My thought is to stop by Moddey Dhoo and check in, and then you can go to the 9th stone and me to Dover, and I'll meet you at the 9th stone and catch my breath after.

Excellent. I can most certainly do that.

Since Albus is not here to make a suggestion of this sort himself, I will take the liberty of saying that were he able, he might well suggest naming our working groups after such obscurities as favourite sweets (the 'Ice Mice Working Group' has a certain ring to it) or giving them pleasantly absurd titles (' the 'Oddments Group'). He might have been inclined to suggest bird names, but one imagines the interest that should be raised by PMs to the Magpie Group or the Phoenixes.... Possibly we should avoid that.

I rather like the 'Fizzing Whizzbees Working Group' myself. We can get quite effervescent, after all!

I like that idea rather a lot. And the sweets do give one lots of scope, really.

While being utterly annoying to people trying to track message traffic. Which is all to the good.

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Private message to Alice, Remus, Charlie, and Rachel

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Re: Private message to Alice, Remus, Charlie, and Rachel

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Private message to Evelyn and Cedric

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