Order Only: We've found Ivy Lovell
May. 8th, 2012 12:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_kingsleybut she won't be joining Moddey Dhoo. We were right; she's with a Travellers family.
Our contacts directed us to meet with them in Machynlleth, Wales. She is not a muggleborn, actually. She's a half-blood, but her mother, Phoebe Hearn, never attended Hogwarts, although she did receive the letter. They just didn't want anything to do with gaje like us, and given the events of the last decade, who could blame them? Emmeline and I started out by talking with Phoebe and her husband Nathaniel, but although they allowed us to see Ivy, they became distinctly less friendly with us once we explained why we were there. Before we knew it, they had called several other members of the family in, and suddenly there were three other very business-like wands pointed at our throats.
We kept our cool and made no sudden moves, and eventually things calmed down when we convinced them we weren't with the Ministry, were working against them, in fact. I'm sorry we involved others than the parents in the explanations, but we really were not given much of a choice. Emmeline and I eyed each other, and she mouthed, 'what do we do?' as a fierce argument broke out in a language we couldn't understand.
The matriarch, Vansi Lovell, Ivy's great-grandmother, finally called for a deck of cards. She quickly laid them out in a spread I've never seen before. It wasn't a tarot deck like we use in divination, but a standard playing deck, except with less cards than we use, only seven and up. She spoke in her own language, but the man next to me, seeing that we didn't understand, pointed along and gave us a whispered translation or two. I remember that when one card was turned over, the King of Clubs, there was a sigh, and people relaxed a bit. ('That's the card for you,' our interpreter whispered, indicating me. 'It means a loyal man of good character.') I remember he said that the seven of spades meant a decision to be made, and when the nine of spades was turned over, everyone shook their heads gravely. Vansi Lovell looked over at Emmeline and me and said, 'The baby will not be going with you.'
Phoebe and Nathaniel Lovell looked relieved.
'And yet--' Vansi turned over one more card, the seven of clubs, and tapped her lips with her finger. '--the cards say that if we help you, the investment will give us a good return. So. How may we be of assistance to you?'
We've spent the past three days with them, talking over possibilities with Vansi and her son Moti. They may be able to help with surreptitious supplies for Sherwood, and possibly with reconnaissance. I need to talk with Davidson, and his lieutenants.
But at any rate, that's one crib you won't be filling, Alice. I've no doubt, however, that they will keep the baby safe. They have some seriously skilled magic users in that family.
Our contacts directed us to meet with them in Machynlleth, Wales. She is not a muggleborn, actually. She's a half-blood, but her mother, Phoebe Hearn, never attended Hogwarts, although she did receive the letter. They just didn't want anything to do with gaje like us, and given the events of the last decade, who could blame them? Emmeline and I started out by talking with Phoebe and her husband Nathaniel, but although they allowed us to see Ivy, they became distinctly less friendly with us once we explained why we were there. Before we knew it, they had called several other members of the family in, and suddenly there were three other very business-like wands pointed at our throats.
We kept our cool and made no sudden moves, and eventually things calmed down when we convinced them we weren't with the Ministry, were working against them, in fact. I'm sorry we involved others than the parents in the explanations, but we really were not given much of a choice. Emmeline and I eyed each other, and she mouthed, 'what do we do?' as a fierce argument broke out in a language we couldn't understand.
The matriarch, Vansi Lovell, Ivy's great-grandmother, finally called for a deck of cards. She quickly laid them out in a spread I've never seen before. It wasn't a tarot deck like we use in divination, but a standard playing deck, except with less cards than we use, only seven and up. She spoke in her own language, but the man next to me, seeing that we didn't understand, pointed along and gave us a whispered translation or two. I remember that when one card was turned over, the King of Clubs, there was a sigh, and people relaxed a bit. ('That's the card for you,' our interpreter whispered, indicating me. 'It means a loyal man of good character.') I remember he said that the seven of spades meant a decision to be made, and when the nine of spades was turned over, everyone shook their heads gravely. Vansi Lovell looked over at Emmeline and me and said, 'The baby will not be going with you.'
Phoebe and Nathaniel Lovell looked relieved.
'And yet--' Vansi turned over one more card, the seven of clubs, and tapped her lips with her finger. '--the cards say that if we help you, the investment will give us a good return. So. How may we be of assistance to you?'
We've spent the past three days with them, talking over possibilities with Vansi and her son Moti. They may be able to help with surreptitious supplies for Sherwood, and possibly with reconnaissance. I need to talk with Davidson, and his lieutenants.
But at any rate, that's one crib you won't be filling, Alice. I've no doubt, however, that they will keep the baby safe. They have some seriously skilled magic users in that family.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-05-08 08:30 pm (UTC)I'm glad to hear she's safe, and that we've made a good contact. Thank you, Kingsley.