In case you haven't spotted it

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

Just was re-checking the friends page and realised Arthur's post has a new comment, which goes someway to explain how Minerva managed to keep such a privileged position despite her previosu close links to Dumbledore etc :
http://alt-arthur.livejournal.com/1372.html?thread=8284#t8284

Comments

[wintercreek]

Oh, Minerva.

Thanks for pointing this out - I would have missed it.

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

No problem, I try to remember how many comments recent posts have, and recheck if they have more! It is both shocking and unsurprising, but explains why the Dark side are trusting of her.

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

That makes her especially dangerous to have in the Order -- uniquely valuable, of course, but also very dangerous.

In canon, of course, Snape is in the Order despite his Mark, and Rowling goes to great lengths to note that he can only manage this because of his extraordinary skill at (gifts for) Occlumency. I wonder if our Minerva is similarly extraordinary in this regard. If not, she possesses an awful lot of information that will be vulnerable the moment the Lord Protector turns his (almost) unparalleled powers of Legilimency her direction. We haven't yet had any indication that she has any special immunity beyond being tucked away at Hogwarts far from His daily presence. The LP's visit to Hogwarts will be very interesting in this regard.

I have wondered with respect to Bellatrix and the plot line about Aurors being given the authority to use Legilimency to interrogate suspects whether in this AU Legilimency and Occlumency are somewhat less rare than they seem to be in canon. I'm intrigued, too, by the degree to which the game's (former?) Death Eaters are working within the bounded powers of the Ministry rather than using the methods they prefer in canon (particularly the Unforgiveable curses). Why lobby for expansion of interrogation powers over Legilimency? -- Why not ask for authorization to use Crucio? Why ask at all?

My own guess is that we will see this restraint strained and then broken as the game moves forward. I think we are entering this world at a moment when the Lord Protector has recently solidified his hold over all aspects of British wizardom and that we will soon see him and his subordinates expanding his powers, breaking down the last shreds of privacy- and personal-rights, beginning to exercise whim and wrath without worrying about public perception and without regard to "legality." But at this first moment, it's intriguing to see the ways in which they still seem to find it necessary to work around the law, to wheedle authorities like the head of MLE and the members of the Wizengamot, to whinge about what they're not permitted to do.

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

It makes a new regime seems all the more reasonable and in some ways, normal as opposed to exreme, to work within the current system rather than creating a new order. Less work in some ways too - in terms of the chaos that comes with any implementation of a new system. But yes, a marked different to canon in that regard.

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

It seems like the Order would have taken the time for her to learn Occlumency before stepping into that role--it seems like she would have been exposed while taking the Dark Mark otherwise, because V. routinely probes the minds of his followers.

[jenett]

It's also good to remember that in this version of the world, the LP's been in power for 11 years or so - it's entirely possible he (or someone else) was checking on Minerva regularly for a while, but she's been so above suspicion for years that the checks are now fewer and far between.

Also, one wonders what the functional protections are on Hogwarts - there may be stuff that even the LP/Bellatrix/whoever can't easily bypass.

McGonagall's long been my favorite character, and one of the things I'm loving about this is getting to see more of her private thoughts (and public actions). Even if she's also breaking my heart.

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Yes--McGonagall is both fabulous and heart-breaking--it's really interesting how she handles some of Snape's canon role. I hope we get the backstory eventually on how/why she brought Hermione into the Order so young, as well.

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

It's also good to remember that in this version of the world, the LP's been in power for 11 years or so - it's entirely possible he (or someone else) was checking on Minerva regularly for a while, but she's been so above suspicion for years that the checks are now fewer and far between.

That makes perfect sense to me. I think there are a numbers of ways in which explanations could be woven for her. (Perhaps her status as an animagus gives her some resistence to Legilimency that is not, strictly, Occlumency, but is a more "natural" or structural resistence in that she is partly cat if mostly not.) I'm here registering a desire to have this explanation suggested at some point in the game. I think JKR was wise to hold Occlumency and Legilimency as skills that most wizards have little aptitude for even with training and that few ever really master, and I'm hopeful that this remains the case in game. So then, I'm hoping for some whiff of explanation eventually if Minerva is going to turn out to have this important power in-game. (She would surely have been Harry's Occlumency tutor over Snape in canon if she could have done it. Or if we argue that it's Snape because he so far and away the best at it, then she'd have been a quick replacement once it became clear that Harry and Snape couldn't get beyond their antagonism.)

I'm with you in wondering what protections are woven into Hogwart's fabric in this AU. I'd buy some special protection on the Headmaster/mistress, at least or especially in her office. Perhaps she always contrives to meet or firechat with the Protectorate while ensconced there. But Voldemort's attendance at the upcoming feast will smoke her out at least for a while... (so broader, building-wide protections would be nice if they existed!)

I love McGonagall, too, and it makes her even more interesting to imagine her Marked in this situation.

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to remember what protections Hogwarts had on it in Canon. The only one I can think of is if a muggle were to stumble upon the castle they would see a pile of ruins with lots of 'Danger:Do not enter' signs on it. And things like the automatic portraits of previous Headteachers. Though I am unsure whether portraits of headteachers who have not died have their place on the wall too?

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

There are the anti-Apparition charms that prevent anyone from Apparating into, out of or within the school and its grounds.

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, that rings a bell. Is there one that stops electrical appliances from working too... something about magical energy interfering with the electricity.

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

Or just no outlets?

[frozen-jelly.livejournal.com]

That too, of course.