Letter to Tom about the Weasleys, Especially Ron
After taking care of the Weasleys here, Peter writes a note to Tom. He places a highlighting charm on it, and then puts it outside Tom's study:
Dear Tom:
Thanks for the note. I checked the Weasleys. You and Tonks did a marvelous job of emergency medical treatment. Chiron himself couldn't have done better.
Fred didn't have a concussion. He seems to have been grazed by a curse that didn't quite hit him--probably the Killing Curse. There's no lasting damage; he'll be fine. The shock of almost being killed most likely stunned him more than the spell itself.
Both the twins are recuperating well and should be able to return home soon.
Ron is not fine, but I don't know what to do in his case. He's exhibiting symptoms I've seen elsewhere at this bar recently--with Regulus and the muffins, and with Buffy Summers and her demon--changes in personality and behaviour, mostly.
For one thing, I've heard him cackle. Speaking as someone who lived with the Weasleys for twelve years, I can safely say that Weasleys do not cackle. Ever. They especially do not cackle when presented with images of agonising pain. His right arm goes from being covered with large red blisters to being perfectly healthy. And he's lied persistently--and badly, I might add--about about how the injuries have occurred. Bumping into a door. Being bitten by a doxy--even though there are no teeth marks, and Ron's showing no signs of nausea, which would both be normal with doxy bites. He's constantly hungry, almost starving...and this too is strange, as I know that Molly Weasley is an excellent cook and makes sure that her brood of seven is well-fed.
And then there's the strange thing that Ron--or something speaking through Ron--said to Anakin. It said, 'I know you can sense me, sha-man. But there is nothing you can do. The boy is mine.' And then it clawed Anakin's face open.
Together, Anakin and I figured out a few things about the creature. For one thing, it's bluffing. Why bother telling Anakin that there's nothing he can do before he even does anything? It's nothing but an attempt to trick him into defeating himself.
And it's the same with claiming that Ron belongs to it. There's no reason to say that, if it's true. Evil doesn't try to convince evil that it belongs to itself. There's no earthly point.
I think that the whatever-it-is wants Ron to belong to it wholly and completely. But he doesn't. Not yet.
And then there's the term 'shaman'. 'Witch-doctor or priest claiming to do magic and communicate with gods.' Kind of a primitive term. Sometimes the magician-priests of the American Indians or of African tribes get called shamans in books, but it's not exactly a term you hear around Europe every day.
What's really interesting is that it assumed--or knew--that Anakin and it were on opposite sides. And it gave him a title of authority. Probably the title of the person who would deal most directly with such a demon. Which might help narrow down where the creature comes from.
And it's Dark. Very definitely of the Dark, I'm told.
It's pretty clear that I think Ron is possessed, isn't it?
I don't know what to do about it, though. I'm no Catholic priest, and I don't know that it would recognise a Catholic priest as an authority, anyway. Nor did my lessons at Hogwarts include instructions on dealing with demons. And I can hardly tell Ron's parents that their youngest son is possessed. There's a certain credibility gap between me and the Order, these days.
I don't know if you know anything about demons or getting rid of them. I rather hope you do.
Please let me know if there's anything you know, or anything you can find, that would help in this situation.
Thank you for your quick thinking and healing last night, and for any assistance you may be able to give in the future.
Take care.
Peter
Dear Tom:
Thanks for the note. I checked the Weasleys. You and Tonks did a marvelous job of emergency medical treatment. Chiron himself couldn't have done better.
Fred didn't have a concussion. He seems to have been grazed by a curse that didn't quite hit him--probably the Killing Curse. There's no lasting damage; he'll be fine. The shock of almost being killed most likely stunned him more than the spell itself.
Both the twins are recuperating well and should be able to return home soon.
Ron is not fine, but I don't know what to do in his case. He's exhibiting symptoms I've seen elsewhere at this bar recently--with Regulus and the muffins, and with Buffy Summers and her demon--changes in personality and behaviour, mostly.
For one thing, I've heard him cackle. Speaking as someone who lived with the Weasleys for twelve years, I can safely say that Weasleys do not cackle. Ever. They especially do not cackle when presented with images of agonising pain. His right arm goes from being covered with large red blisters to being perfectly healthy. And he's lied persistently--and badly, I might add--about about how the injuries have occurred. Bumping into a door. Being bitten by a doxy--even though there are no teeth marks, and Ron's showing no signs of nausea, which would both be normal with doxy bites. He's constantly hungry, almost starving...and this too is strange, as I know that Molly Weasley is an excellent cook and makes sure that her brood of seven is well-fed.
And then there's the strange thing that Ron--or something speaking through Ron--said to Anakin. It said, 'I know you can sense me, sha-man. But there is nothing you can do. The boy is mine.' And then it clawed Anakin's face open.
Together, Anakin and I figured out a few things about the creature. For one thing, it's bluffing. Why bother telling Anakin that there's nothing he can do before he even does anything? It's nothing but an attempt to trick him into defeating himself.
And it's the same with claiming that Ron belongs to it. There's no reason to say that, if it's true. Evil doesn't try to convince evil that it belongs to itself. There's no earthly point.
I think that the whatever-it-is wants Ron to belong to it wholly and completely. But he doesn't. Not yet.
And then there's the term 'shaman'. 'Witch-doctor or priest claiming to do magic and communicate with gods.' Kind of a primitive term. Sometimes the magician-priests of the American Indians or of African tribes get called shamans in books, but it's not exactly a term you hear around Europe every day.
What's really interesting is that it assumed--or knew--that Anakin and it were on opposite sides. And it gave him a title of authority. Probably the title of the person who would deal most directly with such a demon. Which might help narrow down where the creature comes from.
And it's Dark. Very definitely of the Dark, I'm told.
It's pretty clear that I think Ron is possessed, isn't it?
I don't know what to do about it, though. I'm no Catholic priest, and I don't know that it would recognise a Catholic priest as an authority, anyway. Nor did my lessons at Hogwarts include instructions on dealing with demons. And I can hardly tell Ron's parents that their youngest son is possessed. There's a certain credibility gap between me and the Order, these days.
I don't know if you know anything about demons or getting rid of them. I rather hope you do.
Please let me know if there's anything you know, or anything you can find, that would help in this situation.
Thank you for your quick thinking and healing last night, and for any assistance you may be able to give in the future.
Take care.
Peter