Huh.

[kiya]

I'm trying to figure out if Mulciber saying 'muggleborn' is interesting character nuance or player forgetting to use 'mudblood'. ;)

Comments

[stinaleigh]

I wonder if that 'Muggleborn Labor' isn't the official name of the department. Yeah, they are referred to as mudbloods, but everyone knows it's a slur that may not be respectable outside the Protectorate. Also, doesn't that department handle actual muggles too?

[cheyinka]

The whole conversation was pretty awful to read - squibs being "closer to actual people than muggles are", for example. Brrr.

[kiya]

Bill is playing his job terrifyingly well, and I expect will have need of a stiff drink very soon.

[teceler]

My brain seems to have taken one look at that conversation and gone into 'interesting characterization (Mulciber) and world-building stuff' mode (with a side of 'Bill is doing a good job with his cover')

That seems to have helped some.

(Lucius and Mulciber's conversation, on the other hand... well, I'm glad the Weasleys have escape plans.)

[stinaleigh]

Yes, Mulciber and Lucius. I can't imagine this iteration of Mulciber enjoying a conversation with a five-year old.

[capericious]

After reading this, I am concerned that their escape plans may need to be enacted sooner rather than later-especially if suspicion turns to Minerva and the Hogwarts book. Given that the Council doesn't necessarily believe that Muggleborns steal magic, even that defense is sort of out.
I would say that my heart is in my mouth, but that has taken on a uniquely distasteful meaning in light of recent events... so let me just say that I am very very nervous.

[stinaleigh]

That makes me nervous too. Besides the issues with the Order, Mulciber is sure to wonder why Lucius hasn't seen or reported on that issue before now.

[teceler]

Actually, that's a rather good question. Why hasn't he? Just because it's spread out?

[adeliej]

Thankfully, it looks like he's attributed that to the success of the Protectorate's breeding/separation programs.

Although, of course, with Lucius there are probably at least three reasons under that.

[capericious]

See, given what Rosier said to Bill a while back, it just makes me wonder what the long game is in pretending that Muggleborns steal magic and that keeping them in the camps somehow prevents that. I mean, do some of the less sophisticated Death Eaters--Corax rather comes to mind--actually believe it? Does Voldemort? Is this a rehash of when Bellatrix was sure she had killed Sirius? Mysteries probably doesn't honestly believe that birth rates would be tied to the new policies, since they're sort of working on stealing magic back.
Or are they so eager to believe that it is true that they'll accept the lack of baby Muggleborns as proof, which is how it looks right now? Because that could certainly work to the Order's favor.

[teceler]

Hm. How could they explain it?

Well, in theory, the book might have started ignoring muggleborn children. I don't think the DEs have anyone capable of picking apart the charms enough to tell that that wouldn't happen.

Or one of the DoM's various projects in the camps might have accidentally managed to stop births/stunt magical potential at least for a while. (I was going to suggest Y2's plague, but that was a year after the starting point he's noting)

I mean, we know neither of those is true, but they might be passable explanations.

(On the other hand, dramatically, Bill is in a good position now to fill in some of Minerva's intel if she is no longer in a position to give it. Which in itself is worrying with this development. Remember (in retrospect) how they set up Nick Towler to do that for Arthur?)

[kiya]

Mulciber is now making me laugh, I'm afraid, in that "Oh gods, the pointy-haired boss is a DEATH EATER" kind of nervous way.

[elisem]

:giggles:

Yeah.

[kiya]

It was the "I don't like my chair, give me yours" bit that did it for me. I swear I've read that in a Dilbert collection.