The 'Master-Apprentice'-Type Relationship

[alt_moderator]

Alternity dealt with themes of education - formal, informal, and via one-to-one tutelage. Which makes terrific sense when you're writing a story that encompasses the span of schooling for its young protagonists. But in Alternity, the scholarship relationships outside of the classroom offered opportunities for characters to work side by side - and often, secretly at cross-purposes.

Through the magic of my phenomenal alt-moderator powers, I have the pleasure of being able to introduce to this thread some very special guests. These individuals forged deep, close connections with each other in either actual or virtual master-apprentice relationships.

We invite you to ask any questions you may have - about their training, about their relationship, about their suspicions, about how their training prepared them for the fights they eventually fought, or lessons they learned that they would pass on - whatever you want to know! Time and space are immaterial here; the individuals who are participating are free to answer in whatever way they see fit, depending on what's called for in your questions.

Please welcome:

Antonin Dolohov
Justin Finch-Fletchley (Noble Arts)

Severus Snape
Hermione Granger (Potions)
and
Draco Malfoy (Occlumency)

Aurora Sinistra
Evelyn Longbottom (Astronomy)

Barty Crouch, Jr.
Hydra Lestrange (Death Eaterdom)

Savitha Desai
Ron Weasley (Auror training)

Poppy Pomfrey
Sally-Anne Perks (Healing Arts)

Comments

[alt_justin]

Антонин,

Interesting. And you still make the mistake of thinking that because my conclusions were different from yours, I must not have been engaging in self-reflection. Or perhaps I wasn't engaging in the right self-reflection, I'm not entirely sure which way you would put it.

I had no illusions about what I was doing. None. I had no illusions about the compromises I was making in order that Albion succeed in its missions. I never believed myself morally superior to my enemies because it was patently obvious that our side needed someone who was willing to abase himself in order to fight at their level. I tried--I say, how I tried!--to remind myself that I was carrying out orders, that I was targetting victims who had committed far greater crimes, for far longer, and that I was saving lives in the process. I arranged my assassinations--with two exceptions--to cause a minimum of pain and distress in my victims. As for those exceptions, and any other signs along the way that I was, as you put it, taking satisfaction from my use of the Arts--well, as I say, I am entirely aware of my failures. But deluding myself was not, in fact, one of those failures.

If anything, the problem I faced was that the path on which you set my feet, and from which I found I could not in good conscience turn, still was as anathema to me at 19 as it was at 15. Yet there was no alternative, and no one else left among the Order or Albion MLE who was as well-trained in what had to be done.

And, by the bye... above reproach? Hardly. I came to Hogwarts a pacifist; I left this world as a murderer. I reproached myself every day.

There's very little to that trajectory except reproach.


As for my use of the book, as you put it--well, there, учитель мой, I fooled you. At least, on that night, I did. I admit I did begin looking for some spell or key that would enable me to defeat you and Bellatrix once and for all--preferrably something not as drastic as killing another unicorn, what--but when you reacted so strongly to my quotation, I knew I had shaken you.

I hadn't planned on using any spell in that book--that night, or ever. You fell for the bluff, old man.

However. I will admit this much, since you seem convinced I was unable to turn my gaze inward without fooling myself about the resulting reflection: Had I had to retreat again, as the night before, I likely would have looked still further. And had I defeated you that night, survived and not been shot in the back Cursed by Bella, it's entirely possible that in time, I would have returned to that text. Years later, perhaps, unless I'd been able to take your advice and burn it immediately. So perhaps it's for the better that I was not offered the opportunity to study it, even as an academic exercise.

But I would not have felt the need to take such drastic measures, had you and your lot not clung so desperately to your hold over the Protectorate. And I would not have had the least interest in, nor belief in my ability to protect myself from, such a dangerous text, had you not primed me so well in the Arts.

-F-F

[alt_crouch_jr]

I would not have felt the need to take such drastic measures, had you and your lot not clung so desperately to your hold over the Protectorate.

Nor, indeed, if your lot had lived peaceably in the Protectorate as law-abiding citizens.

So many words. Excuses, justifications, self-delusions.

[alt_hermione]

Yes, because life in a continued Protectorate was about as peaceable for 'our lot' as gazelles on the Veldt.

What about your excuses and self-delusions, then, Crouch? You're happy to put down the others but we haven't yet heard what you have to say about training Hydra.

Were you ever suspicious of her? What did you think training her was going to be like, compared to how it went? And if she hadn't killed you, would you have eventually reached a point where you would have been satisfied?

[alt_terry]

Yeah. You, Crouch, don't even consider those of 'our lot' who weren't even citizens, who never had the choice to live 'peaceably' in the Protectorate.

Talk about underestimating.

And self-delusion.

[alt_crouch_jr]

Expect no apologies or explanations from me, Filth.

As for Hydra, training her was far more worth the time invested than I imagined. Have no regrets, however, that she was the only trainee I was ever pressed into taking. (Mentoring was not my métier.) I was less surprised than you may suppose re. Hydra's rebellion--have you met her mother?--and after the marriage came to light, its likelihood rose.


Re. satisfaction: I can't say that I died satisfied, but in that last moment I wasn't dissatisfied, either. I chose the place and mode of my death quite deliberately.

[alt_antonin]

If that is what you need to tell yourself to come to peace with matters, than far be it from me to contradict the dead.

But take it from me: "there is no alternative, and I am the only one who can do what needs to be done" very rarely ends well for anyone in the end.