Order Only: Gareth Archer

[alt_gredforge]

We noticed Ron was just about drooling into his soup at lunch, he was so tired, so we asked him about it. He told us he was up most of the night with Gareth Archer. Guess Archer woke up with a nightmare, and the shouting carried all the way up to Ron's room and woke him, too. So the two of them went down to the Common Room, playing chess and talking. Sounds like the poor bloke had some stuff he needed to get off his chest.

Of course we couldn't say it to Ron, but we saw it when we went back and read the Order Only posts. His dad died for the Order, didn't he? So we figure...we owe him. The Order does. And he's having a hard time of it. That Charlotte-whosit's journal raving like that stirred up a lot of stinking stuff for him, sounds like. It's eating away at him, according to Ron. Thinking his Dad was a traitor.

Dunno. Just wanted to put it out there. Don't know what anyone can do about it. (Ron says he suggested that Archer could maybe go see Madam Pomfrey, but he hexed that idea down flat.)

We'll look out for him, maybe try to get him to play with chess us, too. Get him to open up a bit more, if we can. At least that's something.

Maybe N

We just thought you lot should know.

Comments

[alt_bill]

Bugger. I don't like it, but yeah, I want to know.

Aloysius was one of mine. I do feel responsible.

Minerva, could we...bloody hell. No. It's not like we can give him a bloody pension, for the support of Widows and Orphans of Fallen Order Heroes.

[alt_bill]

And he was a hero. One I was proud to know.

Dammit. His son should know that.

[alt_arthur]

Someday he will, dear boy, if we have anything to say about it.

[alt_mcgonagall]

I shall call him into my office at the first opportunity and try to set him straight—as best I can.

[alt_bill]

If you can do it without alarming him. Or giving him the idea that someone peached on him.

I suppose with Dogstar in the news that might be an excuse to check in with him.

[alt_frank]

not exactly.

but the twins can keep an eye out for him at school. and when he leaves, we have people who are out there like you, and your dad, and Remus and Tonks who can see that he's able to get a job if he needs it.

and if he's ever ready to hear the truth, we'll tell it to him.

[alt_molly]

Oh, the poor boy. How very sad.

I've never met him, even though he's in Ginny's year, isn't he? But I've never heard her mention him.

[alt_gredforge]

Yeah. He keeps pretty much to himself, most of the time.

[alt_gredforge]

We've noticed.

[alt_arthur]

Well, thank you for speaking up, boys. I'm not sure what we can do, realistically, but...

At least Minerva and Poppy and Pomona are aware of the situation. And maybe they can keep a bit of an eye on him, too.

Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

Dad.

Have you ever

have you and Mum

Never mind.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

I think I know what you are getting at.

I suppose now that you're in the Order you understand why your mother goes through periods of watching that clock so closely.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

All right. Since we're laying our cards on the table.

Have you thought about it?

Sorry. That's a brainless question. Of course you have.

I guess we mean...what HAVE you thought about it? Getting caught? What you would do, we mean?

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

Your mother and I have discussed it, yes. At great length. And lay awake thinking about it, in the dark watches of the night, believe me.

Our first concern, of course, would be getting as many of you to safety as we could. There are safeguards in place at Hogwarts. It does my heart some good to know that at least you know now, so that you could maybe help herd the others to Minerva or Poppy or Pomona.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

The chief difficulty is Percy. Unfortunately.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

Yeah. We can sort of see that.

And maybe even Ginny, too. It's hard to tell.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

Yes, I'm afraid so. It may become clearer in a year or two.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

And if worst came to worst...?

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

That's between your mother and me, boys.

But we would do what we would need to do to keep from betraying the Order. Whatever it takes. We have different contingency plans in place, and believe me, we have discussed every scenario we can possibly imagine, exhaustively.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

Yeah, but Dad...what if the whole Order goes down?

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

Then Merlin help us all. We go down as bravely as we can.

And others will pick up to fight after us.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_arthur]

That's what we did for Aloysius, after all.

Re: Private message to Arthur Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

Bill was right.

There's more to adulthood than getting your apparition licence.

[alt_poppy]

I can't say that I know the Archer boy well at all. I've seen more of the girls--cousins, I think.

Of course, I treat all alike on my ward, but if any of the Archer children were in need, I would certainly hope to help.

[alt_kingsley]

The aurors had a tradition about this, back in the day. Whenever an auror fell in battle, afterward the spouse would be given a pin. Either a tie tac, if the spouse was a man, or a small brooch if a woman. It showed two crossed wands. Usually it was done privately at some point at the funeral: the general public never knew about those pins, but the aurors all knew.

So if you saw someone wearing that pin, you would instantly know the situation without anything being said, and were supposed to look out for the wearer. Whether it meant giving up a seat at the Knight Bus, or silently arranging for payment for a meal in the Leaky Cauldron, we'd do it. A grace note, if you will, to acknowledge the sacrifices of the families of the fallen.

Not sure if the aurors bother with that anymore. The culture's changed enormously in the department a lot in the last ten years, of course, and it doesn't strikes me as the sort of thing that Voldemort would encourage.

[alt_molly]

That's lovely, Kingsley.

[alt_mcgonagall]

But we cannot do such a thing—can we?

It would be far too dangerous for young Mr. Archer.

[alt_kingsley]

I'm afraid not, no.

I just hope we can all look out for him in other ways. See that he has no trouble landing a job when he leaves school, for example. That sort of thing.