A/N: Ok, I sort of had writer's block so that's why it took a little longer for this chapter. I think I'll have my co-auther write the chapter I was thinking of doing. Also, the words that are underlined are meant to be striked-through, but this site won't allow that formatting so I had to underline them instead. Just remember those words are meant to be crossed out when you read them. Thanks for reading and reviewing:)

Oh and there will probably only be a few more updates in the next few days, and then another long break. My co-author and I are going back to school after a nice month long break, but unfortunately a new quarter is starting and we will have lots of homework and reading, so not much time for writing. :( But expect more near the end of March during our spring break! Thanks!

Chapter 42: The Journal of the Half-Blood Prince (Entry #2)

Dear journal,

I have since forth decided that a diary is a far too feminine object to keep, therefore now I spend my lonesome nights writing my innermost thoughts and desires in a very manly journal. Top quality dragon-hide, might I add. Wait, why am I telling myself this? I bought the darned thing. Come to think of it, I do not like the beginning of my entry. I've just realized that I've been using the word dear, a word whose meaning I cannot comprehend. What is dear? Certainly not anything or anyone I know. Hem, let's start this thing over now.

To my dear journal, (oops)

To my journal, (no, no, still too personal)

'O little journal of mine, (hehe, just kidding on that one)

Journal,

The Dark Lord has been worrying me of late. He still is in a mad constant flux of personality changes, and I never know how to react around him anymore. While I was at Hogwarts, it was not so hard to deal with him. So yeah, my Dark Mark would occasionally flare up, but that was nothing I couldn't handle. But once I came to stay with him in his home after I "killed" Dumbledore, I've had to endure hours of nonsensical behavior. Occasionally he will act like the Dark Lord all of wizard-kind has come to fear, but he has six other personalities which I believe the public would find even more frightening.

For instance, just the other day I came home late from a Potions-making seminar, and the Dark Lord treated me as if I were his young son, reprimanding me for being 'over curfew' and not calling to tell him when I'd be home.

Other days, he'll sit in front of his enchanted mirror all day long and simply gaze into his own eyes, smiling and winking. It still is beyond me what he sees in himself.

Curiously enough, despite being the most feared wizard in the world, Voldemort still seems to be able to find time for tea in the afternoon, never forgetting to bake fresh scones and inviting over his "dear friends," as he so calls them. Ugh, not that word again.

The rest of the time, he either acts all macho and lover-boy-like (particularly when Bellatrix is visiting); or hippy-psychedelic (in which some thick, nauseating smoke emanates from his room, punctuated with several 'groovys' and 'sweets!'); or of course, his most annoying mood, that of the paranoid freak. Honestly, he shrieks like a girl anytime someone enters his room while he's in this mood.

Curiously enough, I've noticed that two of these personalities have become to decline in frequency, and I think I know why.

Last week, while the Dark Lord was in his rare genteel mood and was having tea downstairs, I snuck into his room in order to perhaps discover the reason for his erratic behavior. And what I found in his lilac Gilderoy Lockhart Fan Club diary was astounding.

Apparently, the Dark Lord has been meddling with some highly advanced dark magic since his youth. I have heard of the use of horcruxes before, but never had I met anyone who had been able to employ them. No one except the Dark Lord, of course. It appears that he's stored a bit of each of his personalities in each horcrux.

Upon reading his diary for that hour, I discovered that two of the horcruxes have been destroyed. In particular, his boyhood diary and a ring. I believe these losses may correlate to the decline in his genteel and bad-boy behavior. Although he still has his outbursts, they are not as frequent as the other ones. Hmm, interesting indeed…

Dumbledore better hurry up and get me out of here! I do not know how much longer I will be able to pretend I am doing the Dark Lord's bidding. On the other hand, I really do not want to be on Potter's side either. Escaping to the Bahamas sounds like a good plan right about now. I heard McGonagall's got a place there. Maybe she'll let me use it.

Forever will I be the best Potions Master in the entire world,

The Half-Blood Prince