Slytherins come back - New Tangent; Rallying the Troops

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 180301

---  "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

bboyminn:

As always, or usually at any rate, I agree with Carol, and even
more so, as usual, I am off on my own tangent. Further, is am
somewhat keeping in the spirit of my 'rewrite' thread.

...
> Carol- in part:
>
> Slughorn did *canonically* accompany his own students to the
> Hog's Head (as well as younger students form other Houses). 
> ... Harry's *interpretation* that the adults he sees are the
> parents of kids who, not having cell phones, had no way of 
> contacting their parents (they weren't allowed to send owls) 
> makes no sense....
> 

bboyminn:

So, exactly what did happen at the Hog's Head, in Hogsmeade, 
and in the wizard world while Harry was distracted by the
on-going battle at Hogwarts? How did Slughorn, or who ever,
manage to gather together so many people so quickly? Though,
notice, it wasn't really all the quickly.

Let's start with Slughorn and Slytherin House existing the
Portrait at the Hog's Head. What happens next? Do they all
go down stairs and order a butterbeer? 

I suspect, especially knowing that more student would be 
following them out the portrait, that the existing student
began to disperse right away. I think some apparated, though
very few, other would leave by Floo Network. However, Floo
would be very slow with only one fireplace and hundreds of
kids pouring in to the Hog's Head. I suspect Slughorn orderd
the Prefects to take as many students as they could to the 
houses and shops of Hogsmeade, explain the situation and
asked to use their fireplaces.

Now we have the word spreading around town quickly; students
are being evacuated and locals are being rallied. I further
suspect that Slughorn told everyone who came out of the 
portrait to rush home and explain that Hogwarts was under
attack, and that anyone who wanted to defend Hogwarts should
return as quickly as possible. 

Note, though I should have mentioned this earlier, we know
that DE's were patrolling Hogsmeade, but it is very unlikely
that they are still there. Most likely the abandon the town
to go and fight at Hogwarts. So, no DE's to interfere with
evacuation or rallying the troops.

Now as the evacuation is becoming complete, more people are
beginning to return to join the fight. Perhaps even a few
centaurs came to the village to see that things were going
well and to do their own part to gather forces against the
DE's. 

Organizing and controlling a group like this, especially one
that spontaneously forms is no small task. I suspect it
took a while to get very one organized and ready to move as
a group.

Note that some student may have elected not to go home, but
to merely stick their head in the Floo fire and give their
warning and rallying cry, and immediately return to Hogsmeade.

Also note, that members of the Ministry, as representatives 
of the Ministry, were conspicuously absent from the fight.
True there were some Aurors there, but they were members 
of the Order. There were some Ministry members there but
only the ones controlled by DE's. The Ministry itself did not
join the fight, as it were, until it was over and Shacklebolt
took charge. (Can you spell FEMA?)

So, the absents of cell phone only means that you are looking
at this from a muggle perspective. There are several means of 
communication and transportation available to those fleeing
Hogwarts, and I can see them rallying a force to defend 
Hogwarts reasonably quickly.

Just rambling as usual.

Steve/bboyminn