Five. [Video]

[sophically]

[A bright otter bounds down one of the hallways, pausing here and there to investigate the sources of odd smells. Then it turns quickly, leaping into the air to swim on its back, feet paddling the air. As it nears the communicator, the tip of a wand can be seen.

No words are uttered; there is merely a bright pulse of light - much like the otter's own glow - and suddenly the creature forms words in the air:

A success.

The little creature flips and then disappears in a puff of glowing vapor. Hermione turns the communicator towards her, smiling faintly.]

I know how they did it now. Why couldn't I have discovered it sooner? [There is something extraordinarily clever by its simplicity.] He would make it into a challenge. If he were clearer, anyone could have intervened.

Not that I'm terribly clever, mind you, but -

These are things I can discover through pure logic. I wish I had told Harry before he left.

[That part is said mostly to herself, her eyes unfocused.]

Anyway, she belongs to me. If you see her, I've sent her your way. There will be a message attached unless I'm...under extreme duress. She will show you the way to me...or safety. Patronuses are useful things. They reflect the user. I suppose mine is an otter because we share traits.

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audio;

[sophically]

[The fish guy. Right. She finds herself smiling faintly, baffled at how he phrases his thoughts.]

They can carry messages - as you can see - but they are connected to the will of the one who created them.

[Meaning they can't act on their own. Rather they reflect the desire(s) of their caster.]

[dogbane]

The will of the maker, [William says, thoughtfully.] Some limitations make sense, of course. Can't have totally autonomous creatures fucking around.

Can they perceive, though? Like, uh, if you sent it over could I tell it something and it brings it back to you, and tattles about whether I looked really hungover at the time, or some shit.

[sophically]

...right. [She stifles a small laugh behind her hand.] Not... No. If you were a Wizard, you could send your Patronus back to me with a new message, but mine is attached only to my will. I won't know what you want to say beforehand, obviously.

[A one-sided conversation would be boring.]

[dogbane]

That's a pity, but I s'pose you can't always have fine control over bloody everything.

[William sits back and hums thoughtfully.] Is there any way to facilitate patrols and that sort of thing using only magic? Like so a live person hasn't necessarily got to be there if shit happens. With people getting lost in the corridors all the bloody time, it could be helpful. Not that I'm sure the ship would let it work without fail, but you know.

[sophically]

That's how anything goes. I've overcome a milestone by merely discovering how to relay a message with them. It isn't easy.

[Baby steps, William.] Wards would serve you better in that case. You can embed messages in the spells and show people the right way to go.

[dogbane]

That's fucking clever.

[William looks impressed.] I thought warding was for protection, though. In the traditional sense of the term, you know. 'Warding off danger,' that kind of thing.