Days That Were | NPC Journal

While I realize that our last meeting was terribly recent, I do believe that we are overdue in another. Luckily for us, our dear friend Elphias has volunteered his comfortable home for such an occasion. If your schedule allows, please meet there on Thursday evening at 7:30. If your schedule does not, do not fret -- we will have details available to those that need it, should you ask.

I look forward to seeing you there.

I believe, my friends, that the time has come for another meeting to gather our thoughts and speak our minds. I would not think to draw you out during the full moon, so I suggest Monday the 9th, 8PM, where we last met.

I hope to see you all in good health.

I want you to all be attentive in these coming days. I know that you already are, but please, for your old mum's sake -- keep your eyes open and strengthen those wards.

Good evening, my friends.

As most, if not all, of you have heard by now, Voldemort made an announcement earlier today by way of entering the minds of those in and around the Diagon Alley area. I am writing now to make an official response to this man.

This government will not negotiate with terrorists, especially when the actions asked to be taken are imposing and not for the good of the people that we command. We are a body of government. We will not legitimize the methods used of those who seek only to erradicate and take a democracy and twist it into a dictatorship where countless lives will be deemed meaningless and tossed aside. The violence must come to a stop, but only in a way that not only truly bring peace but also keep this political system stable.

Because of all this and so much more, I will not be stepping down as your Minister of Magic. I was put into to serve my citizens and that is what I will continue to do.

Thank you for your precious time.

- Millicent Bagnold

Good afternoon, my friends.

I come to you in this much more relaxed environment than I'm sure you are all used to seeing me to make a wonderful announcement on behalf of my friends at St. Mungo's. I'm so pleased and honored that they asked me to make said announcement.

As you all know, this war has taken a toll on everyone. It has caused far too many funerals and torn families apart in the worst way. St. Mungo's has designed a scholarship fund to help the children who have been hurt by the war the most, leaving them without parents. The fund will be used for those specific children to ensure that they will be able to attend Hogwarts once they have reached their eleventh year.

To kick off raising money for this charity (and to also pad what they have been previously raising money for - a children's ward within the London St. Mungo's), the hospital is sponsoring what they are calling the Wizarding London Marathon, which will take place on 29 March. It may sound familiar to some who are privvy to the happenings of the Muggle world. With a small registration fee, which will be going directly to who they are raising the money for, you will have the opportunity to run the marathon through Wizarding London. The top three placers can also expect prize money to come their way.

It warms me to see the generosity of those in our midst and I hope that you will all consider to take part in the race itself or will be there to cheer on your fellow witches and wizards. Even if you do not participate, St. Mungo's will be accepting monetary donations at any time, if you are interested in giving but not running.

Any questions and registration can be done through Healer Genevieve Samuels.

Thank you for your precious time.

- Millicent Bagnold

As was suggested in Mr. Black's journal entry, we will be calling together a meeting of the Order tomorrow evening at 8PM. The Longbottoms have graciously offered their home, so please convene there.

Many apologies for short notice in this announcement; I do hope to see all of your faces, but I'll be most understanding if you haven't the time. A summary of events can be made available for those that cannot be in attendance.

Citizens of the wizarding world,

By now you are aware of the attacks that have befallen the Daily Prophet and the WWN. I myself was witness to the former attack, and am unharmed. I cannot apologise enough for the egregious slurs and cruelties written in tonight's edition.

In lieu of there being no evening news, and upon account of my already having been questioned by the DMLE, I have been granted the ability to answer your questions. It is not an open duty, and I am afraid that if I do not know the answer, I will not make conjecture. But please, if you have anything that I might bring light to - please ask.

Yours,

Horatio Hoodwinkle
Editor-in-Chief

Judging by the atmosphere upon these books, I think it best that we make time to meet. Would tomorrow evening at 8:00pm be suitable?

I apologize for those that are unable to come; I know that scheduling does not always permit perfect attendance. The location will be the Potters old residence (in other words, the one scarcely left standing, but for our purposes, it will do quite nicely), as I believe it is their turn to host. The password to get through their particular warding is "tempestuous" (thank you for the information, James - curious word selection).

Come prepared to brainstorm. We'll be discussing the plan set forth in Alice's journal, as well as ensuring that we are all on the same page with regards to significant others and family who know of the identities of some of our members.

Oh, and never fear, Lily - I shall bring a quiche for us all to enjoy. Never a quarrelsome house-guest shall I be.

If I might offer two-hundred-and-eighty-three words for but a moment of your time:

The decision at which the Minister arrived was not taken lightly by any party. Even those who sit upon the Wizengamot's seats and yet pledge their loyalty to Voldemort may see how the increase of Dark Arts benefits none of their ilk. In this case, I think, it is not the Death Eaters that we should fear most, but those misguided souls who are so very determined to slay their enemy that they would sit at his table and forge his weapons as their own. No, our concern here is not Voldemort's followers, so cleverly hidden within the Ministry's many coils, but good people. Good people are now seeing the use of Unforgivables. Good people have had their world so cast in disarray that what was once unthinkable - what was once Unforgivable - is now a subject rife with complexities.

Lest you think I defend the decision, let me be plain: these spells are abhorrent, and I believe they have no place within the Order of the Phoenix roster. I cannot imagine any situation where our people would have a need of casting them when a potion or another spell might suffice. Falling upon the Dark Arts when there is a world of effective magic at the tip of one's wand strikes me as limiting, rather than progressive.

If there is any one witch or wizard among you who disagrees, please, reach for your quill. I shan't wish to be known as that old fool who babbles on and scarcely allows for other noise. I'm afraid that I will be unavailable for meeting in person for the next little while, so I request that we have this discussion here upon these books.