The Morning Report

[Privaterated]
The patients are not dead. I thought  I did think maybe it was possible the story was wrong but  they said 25 people died and

I can't say this to anyone. I am a good citizen. I do not help terrorists. I do not pass on their ideals. I am rehabilitated. They burned down houses and the newspaper and I got arrested but I'm better now. I'm a good citizen. Truth is what you make it.
[/Private]

I don't know what to think.



I wasn't going to work today but maybe I will. I don't feel like sitting at home.

We'd been hoping we could go to press today, but even working all through the weekend it just wasn't possible to get everything done in time. However. Tomorrow morning shops in all wizarding settlements will be stocking copies of The Herald. They will not be quite the final full length that we're aiming for, so keep up your subscriptions to those neighbourhood papers that have been filling the void, but The Powers That Be feel that it's important to bring back the presence of a country-wide newspaper. There are no civilised societies that don't have widespread and efficient communication of relevant news and information for all citizens.

Bearing in mind that we did lose a lot of information in the fire, every paper for the first week will have a pull-out form for subscriptions at half-cost.

Finished your book last night Rita.

It makes you think, really. Obviously I know people can change. It makes you wonder how it all happened, though. I won't say too much so I don't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but there are just some points in history where you really wish the events were sitting in a Pensieve somewhere, waiting to be found.

It's been a busy few days work as well. There's been a lot done salvaging the presses from the Daily Prophet and getting new parts - a lot of new parts - to replace what was destroyed. There was a huge fire at the papermill that supplied the Prophet so we have to track down another source that can get enough parchment that large out. And of course there's new offices, picking a name, designing the logo, contacting old staff to see who's coming back, trying to put back together the list of advertisers. I don't envy the people who have to make the huge decisions, just doing what I'm told each day is enough responsibility for me until I can just get back to reporting, though it's kind of illuminating, seeing all the work that goes into this. I don't think I ever appreciated it before, probably because the Daily Prophet's been around so long that everything just rolled along smoothly, all the kinks had been worked out of the system. I miss it now, but there is a sort of sense of camaraderie. You can't change the past but you can learn from it and you can work together to fix things. One of my teachers when I was little had a poster that said:

MISTAKE = MISS TAKE = TAKE TWO

I'm not sure if that makes much sense to wizards who don't know anything about Muggles but when they're making films they do several "takes", where they do one scene over a few times, so that if one isn't quite right they can get a bit of a different one, and they number them all off. Take one, take two, take three. We don't really get to do over things in real life, but we can keep trying to get things right.

I just heard on the radio about the papermill arson. That definitely wasn't me! I wonder how many people have lost their jobs from stuff like this. Even when I was working at the Prophet I didn't have much money, which is part of why I'm so glad I still have a job now. But not everyone can have that. There's a lot of reporters who are going to be finding it really hard getting freelance work, plus all those workers, and I bet with boycotts and the economy taking these huge blows all in a row quite a few shops have had to lay off staff. Most people aren't going to have a lot of spare money stashed away or rich parents who can help them out or property they can sell. They can't just not work.

Maybe one of the groups that are trying to help people these days could arrange something where they match families with low-cost housing, and businesses looking for employees could advertise through them so those people can get work and then hopefully move back into proper places to make room for more people. I don't know, it sounds like it'd need a lot of organisation and paperwork and money, probably but I'm worried that if this sort of thing keeps going on we're going to end up with families living on the streets.

Good news (for me at least) - I get to go home! Not that I'm not grateful to the Centre and everything, but your own place, you know? And I have work lined up, which is pretty damn exciting. Much more than I could have hoped for at least. On the downside my wand isn't good for very much but that's alright, I think most of the things I do I'll still be able to manage.

I've got the weekend before I start back working so I guess I'll spend it catching up on all the little details that weren't big enough to hear about. It's pretty weird to feel like I don't know what's going on.

I sort of wish I could draw. I've been writing about my childhood instead. The whole magic issue sort of screwed things up and it makes me wonder how things might have been different, if mum wasn't a Muggle, or if dad hadn't decided to go back home. I love mum but it's hard to talk to her about things sometimes.

I'm looking forward to being productive again when I get out of here. I think I might practice breathing and meditation and things, just so I can take some time every day to de-stress. I know things won't be as stressful for me as they are for Mr Greyback, but I don't want to lose any of the progress I've made. I feel really good at the moment, really calm, and I used to be so scared all the time. I don't want to go back to that.

I think between the terrorists attacking the Daily Prophet and now is the first time in my life I haven't been completely aware of what's happening in the world. It's a little unnerving. I've been reading what newspapers there are left over the last couple of weeks, but there's no part of me that isn't looking forward to the chance to get back into journalism. The not knowing is scary. I know the government is trying to keep everyone informed with press releases and radio announcements, but there's something about a regular morning paper. I guess it's a bit of security, really. You know that the sun will rise, you'll roll out of bed, make breakfast, the owl will bring your newspaper, you'll go to work.

Anyway, it's been sort of relaxing not having to do anything, but I wouldn't want life to always be like that. It's just for holidays, you know? Take a bit of time off just to focus on yourself and your life, then get back to work, flex your mind, do some good. I miss the office a lot.

[Private]
Oh god. Oh my fucking god. They fucking  bloody hell

BREATHE.
[/Private]

[Kate, Kingsley]
This wasn't your lot was it??
[/Kate, Kingsley]

[DP employees]
What the bloody fuck is going on?

Oh my god it's practically the whole building what the hell
[/DP employees]

[Private]
I wish I could join these conversations about the bill. I don't know what I'd even say, though. I don't know what I think. Dad couldn't even deal with me and I was his daughter, the bond is more than in a marriage, or it should be. I mean, I suppose often in a marriage you tell them before you marry that you've got magic, but the Statute of Secrecy throws a wrench in it because you can't just tell them at the start, you have to get where it's a huge emotional investment and then risk it all, all that time and emotion, especially the emotion.

I have no opinion. I rise above your petty politics. I am so damn zen.
[/Private]

What is it about politics that makes me want gateau? There is no way I'm navigating this minefield without some chocolate.

Though I really can't say I fancy being a DUMP child. Don't they have someone checking the acronyms of these things?

[Carlotta Pinkstone]
I realise this might seem suspicious, but  judging by your past writing and charity work I'm hedging a bet that you're not co-operating with the new government because you agree with them. My mother's a Muggle and I have friends who were in the DMLE group that got ousted and I just want someone to since Dumbledore's death I'm just not sure I like the idea of sitting around not knowing who believes what and having to be paranoid about everything I say. I thought  you might know as well as anyone how tiring it can be.
[/Carlotta Pinkstone]

[Private]
Please don't let this be a mistake.
[/Private]

The new school year is in four months - if there's going to be no one at Hogwarts anymore, will the school be reopened? Or will it be on new premises? It feels strange to think of the castle empty. I only stayed over holidays once and that was weird enough, but at least there were some people there. I wonder if the ghosts would get lonely. I feel like Peeves would, he always seemed to find it so fun to heckle people.

Maybe in fifty years time our kids will sneak onto the grounds to explore the building. There's always something alluring about abandoned places, like the past is echoing through the halls waiting for someone to remember it. I almost wish I could skip forward through time just to experience that. Or to escape...

These are the things I think about at work on a Monday.

[Kate, Kingsley, Leon]
You had all better be alive. I had to write the article about "what happened" and they said at least two fatalities and Grady's been freaking the hell out. I've been too busy trying to keep him from rushing off and doing something stupid to figure out who's where.

Is Professor Dumbledore really dead?
[/Kate, Kingsley, Leon]

[Kate]
Gaius Travers, ridiculously young to be in charge of anything, pureblood, two younger sisters - Seraphina and Lavinia - Seraphina's about 20, Lavinia's 17 or so. His mother died a few years ago and his father's an Unspeakable. He used to be a bill collector before the Ministry got taken over and then suddenly he was working in the Rehabilitation centre turning werewolves into puppies. Apparently the family's not very active in society, not hugely rich, and no one mentioned if there was a girlfriend or fiancee or anything.
[/Kate]

[Private]
Reading that is somehow even more terrifying than outright violence. Is that what we turn into? How this is going to end? People who don't agree are  turned into that?
[/Private]

It's nice that things are settling down into a routine again, though I'll be glad when the violence has stopped altogether. Journalism isn't just writing - you have to leave the office to see the scene or talk to sources and witnesses, and some of what's been happening is kind of rough. Seeing Knockturn Alley like that reminded me of the attacks last year.

I'm glad I don't live in a population centre, that's for sure.

[Grady]
I don't like this.

It's your birthday tomorrow, right? Do something fun, okay?
[/Grady]

[Kate]
Is there anything I can do?
[/Kate]

[Private]
It's Easter. My father left me. I'm too scared to spend much time with my mother. My best friend is god knows where doing god knows what, only that it's dangerous and she won't be shown mercy if she gets caught. I have an automatic transfer of funds set up that has nothing to do with utilities and everything to do with the hopes that it will keep someone I don't even know from selling me out and getting me arrested for fraud.

I wish I could do something, but I write articles for the government. No one who's secretly fighting is going to contact me for help, and I don't know who they are to offer. Or what they do, or if I could even do it. I'm a coward, not a hero.
[/Private]

The easter egg hunts when I was a kid were always more fun when there were cousins there. I've lost touch with all of them now but we scrambled all over the house and garden. Sometimes my dad would get a twinkle in his eye and make one of the eggs twirl in the air, shiny wrapping and all. He made really good hot chocolate.

I miss that. I might go to the hunt tomorrow, just to watch the kids.

[Private]
It really doesn't feel like a birthday. I didn't expect to feel different, I stopped expecting that a long time ago. But a phone call from mum, a few cards and gifts at the office. That's not a birthday.

I can't even go see her because I'm too scared of leading them to her. She can't defend herself, all she has is the wards I put up and the fact that she's not on their radar. But at least one person suspects I'm lying and all I have is his word that he's not told anyone, even with the money. At least the card seems to be  right, no one's accused me of trying to fake one or anything, so the numbers or whatever else they check against must match up.

Life in Azkaban if I get caught trying to leave. I couldn't, though. At least I still have my life, I'm just scared. I'm doing better than half my friends.
[/Private]

[Kate, Kingsley]
Apparently there's been some breaking and entering going on in Diagon and Hogsmeade.
[/Kate, Kingsley]

I guess this is Spring. You can't tell much around London, but near home some of the trees are starting to blossom. It's even pretending to be starting to warm up, though I'm not convinced yet that I'll be leaving my coat behind when I go out any time soon.

[Private]
You have got to be kidding me. Encouraging blatant xenophobia isn't going to do anyone any favours. I mean, at least I don't talk like Dad did much and I'd like to hope most people can identify a Welsh accent, but this is England, the British Empire stretched all across the world and people migrate here from everywhere. What, they're going to make it a crime to speak anything except English French and Italian? Foreigners aren't allowed near historic sites? That'll do a lot for tourism, I'm sure! Not that any wizards can get in anymore, and I guess not too many wizards will be reporting people who are 'suspicious' in Muggle areas, but honestly.
[/Private]

[Rita

[Kate, Kingsley]
You two have got to read the paper. Apparently it's now suspiciously un-British to have an accent, speak a language that is not English, French or Italian, succumb to drastic and public fits of emotion, or "skulk and lurk apprehensively around historic British sites and landmarks". How the hell am I supposed to pretend to go along with this crap?
[/Kate, Kingsley]

I suspect, at least, that buying British-made goods would make good economic sense in this environment. With the borders closed I assume the prices of imports may be rising soon.

It would be interesting to look into how adept people are at recognising different accents, though. It's easy to pick out something that's different, but I wonder how many people could also identify what accent it is.

[Kate, Kingsley, Leon]
Foreign terrorists?

What the hell is going on?
[/Kate, Kingsley, Leon]

[Rita]
Let's grab a drink after work.
[/Rita]

I think it's just about time to switch out the colours in my place for the new season. I've had reds and oranges up all winter and I'm feeling like a change. Blues and greens, maybe.

I've been cycling through wall hangings and cushion covers and sheet sets for, what, three or four years? It's just nice to have a bit of colour around. I've never understood the appeal of boring, safe shades. Cream? Ivory? God, no. Give me purples and oranges and gold and chunky applique designs. Give me a room that pops.


Soon we'll know who the new Minister's going to be. Time for a shiny new era.