:::::--------------
Chapter Two: Journals
:::::--------------
NEVILLE
Dear Journal,
I don't have a clue what's going on. One minute, I've got a letter from Gran saying I have to stay at Hogwarts as she's ill, next thing I'm in this old house with Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys, being taken care of by a load of You-Know-Who fighters who knew Mum and Dad.
Oh, I wish I were to be an Auror. Madam Marshbanks told Gran I was only three points off an O in Potions! That's a comfort, it really is, but Snape only takes Outstandings into the NEWT class. Worst of all, he goes back and forth between here and Hogwarts! What'll I do if I meet him?
Did I mention that this is Sirius Black's old house? There's a portrait of his mother in the drawing room and she does nothing but scream insults at everyone. And they're all talking about this mad old House-elf that supports You-Know-Who. Apparently, Sirius Black wasn't a Dark wizard at all, but his family were. I don't know.
Harry showed me a picture of the people who fought You-Know-Who last time. Mum and Dad were in it. It must've been taken before I was born. It has that man in it again - the one that's in Gran's picture of my parents' wedding. He looks a lot like Mum, but nobody ever talks about him.
I hope Gran's all right. Ron let me borrow his owl to send her a letter. His mum's really nice, and her cooking's much better than Gran's. We're going to Diagon Alley on Tuesday to top up our supplies. Mrs Weasley said that Hogsmeade is no substitute for the kind of variety you get in London. I think we're in London, because I saw a bus go by and it was going to Paddington Station, which Hermione says is in London.
How'll Mum and Dad react when I don't turn up to visit them for Christmas? I doubt they'll notice, really, but I still like to see them. Now I think about it, this house belonged to cousins of the Lestranges. It makes me want to break something.
They're the reason I wanted to be an Auror - to catch them, to beat them once and for all. If only I'd got the results! I wonder what everyone else is doing with the rest of their lives. Not that it's something you just ask a person.
Too tired to write any more,
NL
+++++++++
HARRY
Dear Journal,
It's good to be back. It feels like I've got Sirius here with me again. And I'm so happy to be in the running for Auroring! It seems like my destiny is to get rid of Dark Wizards, or die trying. What am I on about; it is - Trelawney's first prophecy. But even before that, I don't think I could have done anything else.
I wonder what my parents did for a living. Why haven't I thought about this before? Being in the Order, I would have guessed that they were Aurors, but now I'm not so sure. I mean, Lupin, Snape and McGonagall are all teachers; Mr Weasley works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office; Dung Fletcher does something or other at the Ministry, too; Sirius was a - actually, I don't know what he did, either. I must ask Lupin about that.
I wonder what Lupin does when he's not here. He'd have a job going undercover - Ron just asked me something - unless he's out recruiting werewolves, but I doubt that. Wonder what Hermione and Ron want to do. It's not like the Muggle world - wizards just don't talk about careers. It's a real taboo, like Voldemort's name. I'm glad Hermione is using it.
This whole girlfriend thing, it's confusing. I'm still not sure how it changes our relationship, other than snogging. Ron - does he feel left out? Neville wants to go to sleep so I'll have to blow out the candle.
Harry P.
+++++++++
RON
Dear Journal,
How am I going to stick it? Cooped up here with my family, the lovebirds and Neville? I mean, I'm happy for them - I really am, but it's easier for them to escape for a lovey-dovey moment at Hogwarts. Here, it's different.
Harry's musing - he just said he had to ask Lupin about 'that'. He says 'careers'. Like he needs advice. He was born to be an Auror. Speaking of jobs, Mum keeps asking me what I want to do. Truth be told, I wanted to be an Auror as well, but that's not exactly going to happen.
I had thought about going into the Ministry, but after the whole Percy thing I don't think Mum and Dad will encourage that. Oh, by the way - Dad put some sort of charm on the house; this alarm that tells us if someone visits the Burrow. Mum said it went off yesterday. Percy came home, but there was nobody there. Bill said it was only a matter of time before he came crawling back, once Fudge saw You-Know-Who in the Ministry. It's only taken him six months.
I was thinking about doing something like Bill, working for the bank. He said they don't like paying wizards a lot of money - goblins are just like that, so it's something you do for love of the work, not for money. He's stopped giving Fleur 'lessons'. They're going out properly now. Mum's not pleased. She said that Veela are nothing but trouble and that he should cut his hair. Bill said she's only a quarter Veela and that he likes his hair the way it is. He's started locking his bedroom door in case Mum tries to give him a trim when he's asleep. Wouldn't put it past her.
Fred and George are coming round tomorrow, for Christmas. They're doing really well out of their joke shop and apparently Zonko's are getting desperate - Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are putting them out of business! Dad said they've stopped wearing those hideous dragon hide coats (thank God).
It's good to be back, though. Neville's mumbling about something. Gotta go.
Ron
+++++++++
Coming up next: The Girls' Diaries.
Please keep reviewing!
Chapter Two: Journals
:::::--------------
NEVILLE
Dear Journal,
I don't have a clue what's going on. One minute, I've got a letter from Gran saying I have to stay at Hogwarts as she's ill, next thing I'm in this old house with Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys, being taken care of by a load of You-Know-Who fighters who knew Mum and Dad.
Oh, I wish I were to be an Auror. Madam Marshbanks told Gran I was only three points off an O in Potions! That's a comfort, it really is, but Snape only takes Outstandings into the NEWT class. Worst of all, he goes back and forth between here and Hogwarts! What'll I do if I meet him?
Did I mention that this is Sirius Black's old house? There's a portrait of his mother in the drawing room and she does nothing but scream insults at everyone. And they're all talking about this mad old House-elf that supports You-Know-Who. Apparently, Sirius Black wasn't a Dark wizard at all, but his family were. I don't know.
Harry showed me a picture of the people who fought You-Know-Who last time. Mum and Dad were in it. It must've been taken before I was born. It has that man in it again - the one that's in Gran's picture of my parents' wedding. He looks a lot like Mum, but nobody ever talks about him.
I hope Gran's all right. Ron let me borrow his owl to send her a letter. His mum's really nice, and her cooking's much better than Gran's. We're going to Diagon Alley on Tuesday to top up our supplies. Mrs Weasley said that Hogsmeade is no substitute for the kind of variety you get in London. I think we're in London, because I saw a bus go by and it was going to Paddington Station, which Hermione says is in London.
How'll Mum and Dad react when I don't turn up to visit them for Christmas? I doubt they'll notice, really, but I still like to see them. Now I think about it, this house belonged to cousins of the Lestranges. It makes me want to break something.
They're the reason I wanted to be an Auror - to catch them, to beat them once and for all. If only I'd got the results! I wonder what everyone else is doing with the rest of their lives. Not that it's something you just ask a person.
Too tired to write any more,
NL
+++++++++
HARRY
Dear Journal,
It's good to be back. It feels like I've got Sirius here with me again. And I'm so happy to be in the running for Auroring! It seems like my destiny is to get rid of Dark Wizards, or die trying. What am I on about; it is - Trelawney's first prophecy. But even before that, I don't think I could have done anything else.
I wonder what my parents did for a living. Why haven't I thought about this before? Being in the Order, I would have guessed that they were Aurors, but now I'm not so sure. I mean, Lupin, Snape and McGonagall are all teachers; Mr Weasley works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office; Dung Fletcher does something or other at the Ministry, too; Sirius was a - actually, I don't know what he did, either. I must ask Lupin about that.
I wonder what Lupin does when he's not here. He'd have a job going undercover - Ron just asked me something - unless he's out recruiting werewolves, but I doubt that. Wonder what Hermione and Ron want to do. It's not like the Muggle world - wizards just don't talk about careers. It's a real taboo, like Voldemort's name. I'm glad Hermione is using it.
This whole girlfriend thing, it's confusing. I'm still not sure how it changes our relationship, other than snogging. Ron - does he feel left out? Neville wants to go to sleep so I'll have to blow out the candle.
Harry P.
+++++++++
RON
Dear Journal,
How am I going to stick it? Cooped up here with my family, the lovebirds and Neville? I mean, I'm happy for them - I really am, but it's easier for them to escape for a lovey-dovey moment at Hogwarts. Here, it's different.
Harry's musing - he just said he had to ask Lupin about 'that'. He says 'careers'. Like he needs advice. He was born to be an Auror. Speaking of jobs, Mum keeps asking me what I want to do. Truth be told, I wanted to be an Auror as well, but that's not exactly going to happen.
I had thought about going into the Ministry, but after the whole Percy thing I don't think Mum and Dad will encourage that. Oh, by the way - Dad put some sort of charm on the house; this alarm that tells us if someone visits the Burrow. Mum said it went off yesterday. Percy came home, but there was nobody there. Bill said it was only a matter of time before he came crawling back, once Fudge saw You-Know-Who in the Ministry. It's only taken him six months.
I was thinking about doing something like Bill, working for the bank. He said they don't like paying wizards a lot of money - goblins are just like that, so it's something you do for love of the work, not for money. He's stopped giving Fleur 'lessons'. They're going out properly now. Mum's not pleased. She said that Veela are nothing but trouble and that he should cut his hair. Bill said she's only a quarter Veela and that he likes his hair the way it is. He's started locking his bedroom door in case Mum tries to give him a trim when he's asleep. Wouldn't put it past her.
Fred and George are coming round tomorrow, for Christmas. They're doing really well out of their joke shop and apparently Zonko's are getting desperate - Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are putting them out of business! Dad said they've stopped wearing those hideous dragon hide coats (thank God).
It's good to be back, though. Neville's mumbling about something. Gotta go.
Ron
+++++++++
Coming up next: The Girls' Diaries.
Please keep reviewing!