TBAY: A new room (was: MD and theories)

[Melody <Malady579@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49133

"The Safe House is open to all spying and/or conspiracy theorists,
whether or not they decide to wash their own dishes.  I think anyone
with a theory that Lucius Malfoy has secretly taken over St. Mungo's
and is using it to hold inconvenient witnesses incommunicado is pretty
far along the 'secret conspiracy of DE's to take over the WW' route.
So, I think we have a vacancy," said Pip as she sat back in her
favorite chair.

Melody looked over at Pip and opened her mouth to say something but
thought the best to keep her mouth shut.

Annemehr, blind to the world, was beaming.  She rocked on her heels
and squealed, "Oh really?  Oh, I don't have much stuff, and I will try
to stay out of the way.  Oh, let me go get my things."  Annemehr
jumped up and bolted out the front door to the amusement of all in the
living room.

"Well I hate to run off as well, but I have to get back to the Big
Bang.  I left Derannimer in charge, so I am afraid the whole thing
might be covered in lurid pink hearts by now," Cindy said as she
raising herself out of the chair with a look of disgust that would
outmatch Snape's any day.

"Oh, is it that late?" Eloise asked looking at the safe house's
grandfather clock (muggle version).  "Oh sugar, I have got to leave
too.  The castle gets so creepy after dark.  Oh, but I rode with you
on your hobby horse Elkins.  Do you mind?"

"Oh, of course not, Eloise.  I should probably be going as well.  Not
quite sure where I live, but I should be going back to it
nonetheless," Elkins said reaching for her coat.

"Well then ladies, it has been a pleasure," Pip said showing them the
door.  Melody dawdled along behind them and bullied up a smile and a
wave good bye.  The normal farewells were given and the three guests
were off.  Pip closed the door and went back to the living room to
clear the coffee table with Melody dragging a bit more than normal
behind her.

"Ok Mel.  What is wrong?" Pip asked collecting the teacups.

"Nothing," Melody said flopping on the couch looking away from Pip.

"Oh, don't give me *that*.  You were quiet during the whole time she
was here, and now you are pouting on the couch.  What is wrong?" Pip
asked again with a hint of annoyance.

Melody flipped over and rested her chin on the arm of the couch.  "You
just invited her to stay with us.  Just like that.  No house meeting,
no questionnaire to fill out.  She just can move in."

Pip sighed and put down the tea tray.  "Melody this is not your house.
 And besides, she *does* qualify.  Her theory is spy worthy.  You
know, I think you should be the one to show her to her new room.
Seeming that you will now be housemates."  Pip picked back up the tray
and turned back to the kitchen.  The tone of her steps told Melody
this was final.

"Fine.  Just fine," Melody pouted and looked around the room.  Her
eyes feel on the ax, and she deeply wished she could lift it.  A small
knock was heard on the front door followed by Pip calling "Melody, get
that love."

Melody rose up and pounded her way to the door.  She opened it large
to see Annemehr there with a small suitcase.  "Come in, Come in.  I'll
show you were you can stay," she growled slightly under a forced
smile.  She may not like this arrangement, but she still had to live
with her.

Annemehr, still on her non-orphan status high, bounded into the safe
house and followed Melody through the foyer firing questions along the
way.

"Do only the three of you live here?" Annemehr asked looking up at the
vaulted ceiling.

"No, there is the RATS room around that corner where Meg and Frankie
stay, but they tend to keep to themselves.  Pip's room is up those
revolving stairs, and I live up the stairs to the back of the house,"
Melody explained as she pointed to the rooms absentmindedly while they
walked to a side corridor.

"And where does Grey Wolf live?" Annemehr asked with great interest.

Melody lifted her hand to her right and pointed, "Up the stairs to the
west wing of the house."

Annemehr eyes got big.  "Is he there now?"

"Yeah, but he is in a sort of hibernation.  He tends to be
nonresponsive right now, and he won't remember any of this till
Spring."  Melody turned left down a long hall.  Annemehr skipped a
little to keep up.

"He is very courteous," she nodded.

"Who?  Grey?" Melody asked a bit surprised Annemehr saw that in him.
"Yeah he can be.  Just don't put masking tape on his tail.  He hates
that."

Annemehr stopped and looked at the girl.  "You did that?"

Melody paused and looked back at Annemehr with a mischievous grin.
"Only once.  Here - this is your room."

Annemehr stepped into her bright, cheerful room.  "Oh this is perfect."

Melody leaned against the doorframe.  "You can decorate as you wish.
And don't feel you have to jump in to defend the dishwasher.  You can
stay here even if you wash your dishes by hand," Melody repeated from
Pip's speech.

"Oh, but I do like MD.  I do.  It is just..." Annemehr said placing
her suitcase on the bed.  "Can I ask you a question that you did not
answer before?"

Melody nodded.

"I certainly believe in the Safe House, and I like the fact that the
dishwasher is here. And, I am prepared to defend its existence if it's
attacked.  But I don't see how I can choose it over the other
two.  They are all perfectly valid under canon as far as I can see.
So am I really a candidate for the Safe House or a friendly visitor
when I come to the 'BAY?" Annemehr asked without a breath.

Melody finally relaxed and smiled at the new occupant.  She remembers
once what it was like to be so new to it all too.  "Well, Pip invited
you to stay, so you *are* welcome here.  Really anyone here *is*
welcome to stay at the safe house as long as they work within the
realm of spies or conspiracies.  But, please don't feel you *have to*
defend the dishwasher.  A room in the safe house does not mean you
must be a card carrying member of MDDT.  That is not a requirement for
a room at all.  In fact, those other two women that I mention that are
in the RATS room just support the theory and cheer from the sidelines.
 Maybe you would rather be a part of our cheerleading squad.  They
practice out on the lawn every Wednesday.  But seriously, just make
yourself at home and go about theorizing at will.  No pressure."

"Ok, then I have one more question about MD," Annemehr said refolding
her clothes into the dresser.  "Do you believe that MD is THE correct
theory, until proven otherwise? - or is it just A valid theory to you?"

Melody shifted her weight and leaned her back against the doorframe.
"Well - I think we of MDDT do believe that MD is *the* correct theory.
 There are patches to it, but the basic premise, we do firmly believe
in it.  Part of the reason we defend it so strongly, and *I* think it
is rather a requirement to firmly believe in it in order to join MDDT;
however, I am not the one that has the power to make that
restrictions.  It is more a way of how it is, since so many then
attribute the theory to you.  That way if the dishwasher suddenly
breaks, (Heaven forbid!) it is only MDDT that is on the line and not
the supporters.  I guess I am giving you a life raft really.  Pip,
Grey, and I are past that point.

But, those that *just* support it do not have to be that strict in
their views.  You can like MD and others if you wish.  In fact, you
can jump in and out of the different theories throwing your support
wherever you want."

Annemehr smiled and went to open the curtains to her room and admire
the view.

Shuffling her feet a little at the door, Melody asked, "May I ask
*you* a question about your theory about Lucius and Longbottum?"

"But of course Melody," Annemehr said giving the girl a peculiar look.
 "I was wondering why you did not pip up before in the living room."

"Involuntary vow of silence I guess," Melody sniffed, "But I was
wondering why Mrs. Longbottum had to be insane in your theory?  Why
must she also have the same fate?"

"Well, that is why I was asking for a mast and sail.  I don't really
know.  Or rather, the canon is still vague on that part," Annemehr
frowned as she sat on her bed.

"I guess most assume the DE's think Frank told his wife secrets and
things that could damage them, but that is not like spies or secret
agents to do that.  They want to protect their family, right?  So I
wonder why torture her in the first place on the off chance that she
would know something.  That seems rather odd to me," Melody said
sliding her back down the doorframe so she could sit down comfortably.

Annemehr let her eyes glaze over a bit.  "Well they are DE's.  They
*like* torturing people.  But really this comes back to why Lucius
would sic the DE's on the Longbottoms in the first place."

"You could say they are related," Melody offered.  "Kind of a blood
brothers sort of thing maybe or actually they could be fully related."

"But what proof is there in that?" Annemehr asked leaning back on the
pillows.

"Hmmm, what about the fact the Longbottoms and Malfoys are both from a
long line of wizards and witches.  Yeah, that could work," Melody said
counting on her fingers, "Seems there would be enough inbreeding that
the Longbottoms and Malfoys could be very well related to a degree
that Lucius would not want them dead, but just incapacitated."

"I'm not sure if I want to go that direction, but it is possible,"
Annemehr said cautiously.

"Really Annemehr, you have so little canon it is hard to say a true
motive.  I mean it could be the basic, 'Frank has really good dirt on
Lucius', or even 'Lucius is jealous of Frank's popularity', or the
long shot 'Narcissa and Mrs. Longbottom entered in a bake off where
Mrs. L's sparkling brownies won first prize against Mrs. M's lemon
squares'."

"You're definitely from the South, Melody," Annemehr said shaking her
head.

"Hey, the bake offs at the state fair are a *big* deal down here, and
don't even get me started on the cheerleading tryouts," Melody said
shuddering but smiling.  This new housemate might be ok after all.

"Do you think my theory has a chance of actually getting more canon in
the future?"  Annemehr asked as she breathed in deeply and watched a
bird fly past the window and then looked over at Melody.

Had Annemehr not looked away at that moment, she would of seen quite a
sight as Coney jumped deftly in the air after the small bird in a
beautiful arch.

Melody blinked a bit wondering if she should introduce Annemehr to
Coney but decided she better wait after she cleans Coney of the bird
feathers.  "Yeah I think we can bank on that Annemehr.  I think we
can.  There is a reason they are still alive I believe, and your
theory is a good one.  Maybe it is best you put up the mast and sail
in a guesture of good faith to there being future canon on the
motivation.  But for now, you can only have a few sketched out as
possibilities."

"Hey!" Melody said as a thought popped in her head.  "We have Lucius
and Arthur and the whole imperious threat.  So maybe there is another
parallel between Lucius and Frank.  A kind of threaten the pureblood
family type of thing, so that the Malfoys have the distinct title of
being the oldest pure blood family.  That could be a possibility."

"It is possible," Annemehr offered but with not much certainty.  "Oh
dear, there are too many options to choose from."

"I guess mostly it lies around these few facts," Melody reached over
to the desk in Annemehr's room, opened a drawer, and took out a
chalkboard and chalk.

1.  Malfoys and Longbottoms are pure blood wizard family
2.  Malfoy - DE  :  Frank - Auror
3.  Narcissa and Frank's wife are probably close to the same age
4.  If #3 is not true, then their kids are definitely the same age
5.  Longbottoms - popular then  :  Malfoys - well connected now
6.  Lucius - has a thing for torture  :  Longbottoms - tortured

"Not too much, but enough to work with I think.  Here, you can write
more as they come to you.  Have I helped at all?" Melody asked
earnestly and handed the chalkboard to Annemehr.

"You have Melody.  You all have.  At least, I have more to chew over.
 And a place out from the cold," Annemehr smiled as she took the
chalkboard.

"Then I will leave you," Melody curtsied and walked to the door.

"Oh, and Annemehr," Melody said as she crossed the doorway and turned
and smiled.  "Welcome to the safe house."


Melody  :)