You're a good man, Eric Macmillan's Journal

11:30am: I didn't want to say anything at the start for fear of jinxing myself, but I've been back at work for two weeks now without anything to make me think I'll be suddenly cut again, so I guess I may as well say so now.

It's good to be back, and strange to be suddenly short on free time again. For awhile there, free time was all that I had. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that part just yet. It might be nice to have a little more. But I suppose it's better to want more than to have it and not enjoy it. Want keeps us striving.

In the meantime, though, at least it is the weekend now. And leisure time is much more enjoyable when it's special, and different from the rest of my week.

6:59pm: [Private]
This time last year...

No. I shouldn't think about it. Look to the future, not the past.
[/Private]

[Private to Charlotte]
Glancing in my journal and seeing Teddy Lupin's entry reminded me that I hadn't told you I was coming to the play tonight. Beth is coming too - you know how she enjoys musicals.

I also can't remember if I told you, or if Father had the time to tell you, that he'll be there tomorrow night. The same arrangement as last time, I'm afraid - polyjuice, but a different face this time. Just to be safe.

Speaking of the musical, is everything all right? It seemed like there was a problem with the costumes or something like that. I hope yours is all right still, though I'm sure the play will be fine anyway.
[/Private]

7:14pm: [Private to Beth, Alice, Charlotte, Aaron, Asha and Regine]
I finally decided to go ahead and look for another job, if possible. I wrote out a list of possibilities this morning, before I went out to the market to buy some groceries.

When I got back, there was an owl from the office. They wanted to know when I could come back in.

I wasn't expecting to ever hear from them again - I already got the paycheck from the last few days I worked there. I got it weeks ago, to be honest. It's been over a month since I worked there. Very nearly two.

I'm not sure what to do. I'm not even sure what I want.

11:43pm: This is a bit belated, but thank you to everyone who has expressed their support for my father, be it through voting to keep him or any other means. Regardless of how it's shown, it means a lot to him, and by extension all of us, to know that he has not entirely lost your trust.

11:27pm: [Private]
I wish we could win without me feeling like I've lost. This is the best way for us, obviously. It's far better than any alternative. But is it better in general? Better for everyone? And in ignoring the majority in favour of my own family, aren't I being just as bad as he was?

Maybe he's learned. I certainly hope he has. But how do I know he won't turn around and make the wrong choice again the next time he's given the opportunity? But maybe he won't be given the opportunity.

What do I think I've lost, anyway? Nothing has changed, not yet, not essentially. But there's a chance for things to change now, to improve. I'm not necessarily stuck anymore.

It just feels like a poor victory, somehow.
[/Private]

11:03pm: [Private to Charlotte]
I wish I could spend the evening away from people and from the wireless, but I'm afraid that even if I tried to get away, it wouldn't do me any good.

It's just a few hours at the most. They didn't give Father a set time for the announcement, but hopefully it will be settled by the time everyone wakes up.

We're at the Leaky Cauldron. I would rather be at home, my flat or our house, but Father wanted a bit more company. The Finch-Fletchleys are here, and a few others. Molly, of course, and her parents. A few of the Longbottoms.

I hope you're asleep, but if you're anything like me, you aren't.

Is it wrong that I hope everything turns out the way it's supposed to.
[/Private]

( Private )

8:25pm: ( Private )

on tenterhooks
idiom
in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety

I'm thinking of growing a beard.

7:13pm: spurious
–adjective
1. not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.
2. Biology. (of two or more parts, plants, etc.) having a similar appearance but a different structure.
3. of illegitimate birth; bastard.
Synonyms:
affected, apocryphal, artificial, assumed, bastard, bent, bogus, contrived, deceitful, deceptive, dummy, ersatz, faked, false, feigned, forged, framed, illegitimate, imitation, make-believe, mock, phony, pirate, pretend, pretended, pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, specious, substitute, unauthentic, ungenuine, unreal
Antonyms
authentic, genuine, real, true

I'm not sure if that works or not.

11:18pm: [Private to Charlotte]
You'll be happy to know that I'm practicing chess.

I went to see Father finally. After he spoke out at last... well, there wasn't much reason to stay away anymore. I hope it works. It's true even if it doesn't, but I hope it does. The truth should work. People should be able to recognize it.

Is it wrong to say I'm afraid they won't? I'm afraid. What if nothing he did matters? What if nothing he could still do matters? What if nothing he could have done is possible anymore?

What if I ruin it all somehow?

Mother spoke out, and gave her side of the story to counter everyone's insinuations. Father spoke out, and apologized.

I can't speak.

I'm not sure how, or what to say.

What can I say?
[/Private]

10:43pm: No.

10:50pm: ( Private )

9:28pm: And here I thought it was over.

Now I'm starting to wonder if anything ever really ends. I'm not sure

For the record, I still think my father is an excellent leader.

6:17pm: It's interesting how the Prophet defends its own, and proclaims its right to do so, but when any individual tries to do the same thing they're instantly branded as having something to hide. Not to say I think Ms. Willis is a neopurist - that's clearly just another ridiculous, meritless accusation. But there have been a lot of those, and this is the first time the Daily Prophet has made any effort to speak out against them.

But at least it should slow down now that anonymous accusations have been banned. I can't imagine many people wanting to be known as the reason an acquaintance's life was ruined.

7:25pm: It's amazing the things you can do to expand your day and take up extra time. I think I remember once telling someone that I'd never really read the dictionary, just picked out words here and there. Well, now I have read it. Not all the way through, but pretty significant chunks.

And it's extremely dull for the most part, though I am learning a lot. And I think I'll have words for the day for the next seven years, at this rate.

Some of the fruits of my tireless effort to take up extra time:

flotsam
FLAHT-sum
-noun
The wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea. (Compare with jetsam.)
Figurative: People or things that have been rejected and are regarded as worthless.
PHRASES
flotsam and jetsam: useless or discarded objects.
ORIGIN early 17th century: From Anglo-Norman French floteson, from floter 'to float.'

jetsam
JET-sum
-noun
Unwanted material or goods that have been thrown overboard from a ship and washed ashore, especially material that has been discarded to lighten the vessel.
ORIGIN late 16th century (as jetson): contraction of jettison.

Needless to say, as interesting as this all is, I'm definitely looking forward to Mother and my sisters coming home tomorrow. I think the first thing we're going to do is

11:12pm: I seem to have some free time on my hands all of a sudden.

Maybe it's time for a second ficus.

1:25pm: [Private]
It's going to be all right. He can pull through this, easily - like others have said, Muggle politicians have been through far worse, and done far worse. What matters is that the accusations aren't true, at least those of him being a neopurist. That is ridiculous.

And so is the thought of Headmisterss Sprout being involved in anything wrong. Anyone who could suspect her... But it's all ridiculous, and people will see that, so it's ridiculous to worry.

I need to relax.
[/Private]

[Private to Alice]
Thank you for the other day, and I'm sorry that I wasn't feeling up to having company. I was just in a state, as my mother would say. But I do appreciate your kindness.

I'm sure you're probably already busy tonight, but if you aren't and would like to come over, I'd like that. Of course, if you'd prefer not to that's completely understandable as well. It was just a thought.
[/Private]

6:56am: Complete and total nonsense.

Complete, total, idiotic, offensive nonsense.

10:34pm: Dan I'm starting to think Hogsview should be renamed to the Hufflepuff Reunion and all Hufflepuff alumni should be given a special decrease in rent. There's more of us here than I even realized. Nick, you aren't hiding in the basement behind the piano now, are you? Did you know Keira and was here too?

I've had a less productive weekend than I expected - blame it on Molly being elsewhere for most of it, I guess. She's a bit like a cattle prod, even the suggestion of her presence spurs you into action. But I had hoped to walk around the village on Saturday and see who I ran into. From what I could tell from inside, though, it was pretty busy - busier than usual even for a student weekend, according to some of the neighbours. So really, it's no great loss that I slept so late and was sluggish so long. I don't care to run into reporters, even if they are focused on someone else. (And I imagine Charlotte was glad enough not to see her embarrassing older brother, too.)

In any case, I still had an excellent Saturday evening, thanks to Alice Longbottom. Thank you again for inviting me over, Alice, your kindness toward this charity case will not soon be forgotten.

Here's an interesting word for the day, which has no similarity to how dinner last night turned out:
fulminate
FULL-min-ate
-verb
1. to explode with a loud noise; detonate.
2. to issue or pronounce with vehement denunciation, condemnation, or the like.
Synonyms:
animadvert, berate, blow up, bluster, castigate, censure, condemn, curse, declaim, denounce, denunciate, execrate, explode, fume, intimidate, inveigh against, menace, protest, rage, rail, reprobate, swear at, thunder, upbraid, vilify, vituperate
Antonyms:
compliment, defend, flatter, praise, support

9:16pm: It's an off night. For me, that is - not for the Wasps, who just had a fantastic game. I guess if my alma mater team can't win, at least my professional team can (better luck next time, Hufflepuff).

But despite that, I don't know. There's something strange. There shouldn't be - Molly and I are moved in (2-3 Hogsview), work is fine if busy as always, and I watched the game downstairs in the basement with a pack of other people, including Ethan and Thomas, who were disappointed not to get a chance to gloat at me. Maybe I've just been thinking too much. Maybe it's the time of year. Or maybe we just shouldn't have moved into the flat directly above Ethan and Thomas'. Or maybe I need to learn to play ping pong. But I feel like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for some reason.

10:03pm: Tomorrow is Friday. Finally. It's been a long, tiring week.

But at least I'm not part of the owl-checking crew, so I suppose that's something to be grateful for. What a dull, thankless job that must be. And I'm busy enough as it is with packing and unpacking... absolutely nothing got done last week - understandably, I think - and even with magic, there is a lot to be done to move house. I could barely stay awake for the Wasps match the other day, and I wasn't quite rewarded for my pains. Hopefully tomorrow will be better in that regard as well.

gregarious
grih-GAIR-ee-us
-adjective
1. Tending to form a group with others of the same kind.
2. Seeking and enjoying the company of others.
Synonyms:
affable, clubby, companionable, convivial, cordial, fun, outgoing, sociable, social
Antonyms:
cold, cool, introverted, unfriendly, unhospitable, unsociable

I didn't know about the first meaning, personally. I'd only heard the second before, and that's still how I would use it now, even though I know that's not the only definition. I'm not sure what word I would use to describe the first, actually, apart from "human nature". We all prefer our own kind.

11:26pm: [normal world]
[Private to Macmillans]
I wish I were there to help. I'm glad you're well, I hope you haven't lost any friends, or many. Father says they're doing all they can to fix things, but I know this must be upsetting still.

I should have written yesterday. I'm sorry. I was with Beth - as you probably already know, Adam was one of those who disappeared, and she's having a difficult time.

I'm glad none of you vanished. I don't know what I would do if you did.
[/Private]

[Private to Aaron and Gen]
How are you doing? I'm not sure what to say except that I'm sorry this is happening - at all, but especially on your watch. From what I hear, though, there's nothing you could have done to stop it. Of course, knowing that just makes it frustrating as well as upsetting.
[/Private]

3:55pm: [Normal world]
Eureka!

That is to say, I found it. At least I think I have, but obviously I'll have to talk to Molly and have her approve the place first. But she's busy today, so for now I get to relax a little bit.

I may be by the party you mentioned after all, though, Ellie.

8:16pm: ( Private )

The weekend at last. Hopefully I'll have more time for the flat hunt tomorrow, it really is difficult finding time during the week.

6:10pm: Well, I haven't had much luck so far in the search for a flat. I did check the notice board at work, Amara, but one of the flats advertised was in pretty poor condition and in a questionable neighbourhood, and another would have been perfect if it hadn't already been taken last week. Apparently not everything on there is current. There is one more that I saw, but it's from someone who wants to share and I'm not sure I would want to move in with a person I don't even really know. But I'll check it out anyway, just in case. Who knows? It might turn out better than I think. I'm hoping to have more time to look over the weekend, in any case, so with luck I'll have a new place at least decided by Monday. And Monday, of course, I'll be much too busy to do anything mundane like shop for flats, because there's a Wasps match going on! It's been a while since we made it into the playoffs, but it was very kind of them to wait until I was out of school and able to watch the games.

I haven't done this for a couple weeks, so here it is again, a bit late but no worse for the wait:

jeremiad
-noun
1. a long and mournful complaint
2. a bitter lament or righteous prophecy of doom
3. a long literary work, usually in prose, but sometimes in poetry, in which the author bitterly laments the state of society and its morals in a serious tone of sustained invective, and always contains a prophecy of society's imminent downfall.

This is the sort of thing you hear a lot of if you're working in the Ministry, by the way.

12:14am: So, a funny story - I was watching the television this afternoon when my neighbour, who I think I've mentioned, turned on some music. Those of you familiar with Aibhill can imagine my irritation - she has this amazing ability to drown out all other sounds, and you can't turn the television up too loud when it's on a magical station, at least if you absolutely want to preserve the Statute of Secrecy. Well, it's possible I'm exaggerating a bit there, but you really never know who may hear something, and what they might think. In any case, you shouldn't have to turn up the volume of a good, suspenseful programme (Unforgivables, in case you were wondering, not The Muggle Life) just to hear the dialogue.

Naturally, I went to the neighbour's flat to ask them to turn it down, but my question just resulted in confusion and some irritation. Apparently the neighbour is a muggle, and that wasn't Aibhill but a muggle artist. All caterwauling sounds the same to me, I guess. And she certainly looked like a witch - I've seen her in cloaks and the like, and I didn't recognize her but I thought she was from Germany or something along those lines.

But she had to turn down her music while I was there, to hear me (which is the first sign that it's far too loud, in my opinion, but I know that tastes differ), and while we were ar discussing the situation with the aim of eventually setting down mutually satisfactory guidelines for us each to follow, I heard a crash and a shriek.

I ran back to my flat to find Beth standing in the corner of the room, and a large hole in the wall where the television and Molly's extra china cupboard used to be. Apparently a wrecking crew got the address of a building they were tearing down wrong, and we were the lucky ones who got to inform them of their mistake.

Molly is distraught, of course. Even apart from the damage to the wall, she loved the china pattern we bought. And now we need to find another flat. It's a bad time for it, but to be honest, I'm not sure when would be a good time. But in the meantime, we've moved our things to my father's house - there's much more room there, especially with nearly everyone gone at Hogwarts.