[018] Wednesday 07 October 2022.
CHARMED PRIVATE TO SELF.
I am absolutely certain that I did the privacy charm correctly this time. Apparently, I'm rather awful at it when I'm just slightly upset about something, so this is a reminder to myself to be careful about when I write about certain things.
Yesterday's memorial service for Minister Shacklebolt was a dreadful bore and I had to wake up so early for what was supposed to be a day off from school. Not, of course, that I would ever tell anyone that, and it's not as if I'm belittling everything that he's done anyway, though I'm sure some beastly pupils would take it that way and I can't have something silly like that potentially ruin my splendid reputation and chances at a good Ministry 'job' after leaving school.
Best part by far was having Daddy and Ernie introduce me to some Ministry officials -- mostly from Muggle Relations and Magical Law Enforcement, of course but the latter is no good now that I don't have Herbology to meet the Auror requirements --, but it's a terrible pity that I did not get to meet Zara Quince. After all, I'd like to 'work' in her department -- no idea how much longer that will be, as I'm almost certain she'll be the next Minister for Magic -- and she's done so much for wizarding-Muggle relations lately. Daddy speaks so highly of her all the time.
Anyway, that aside, some of those introductions should help when I have to start applying for 'jobs' soon, since there's no old boys' network for me to rely on here. It's odd, really, how at Grandpapa's funeral three years ago, I knew just about everyone who came -- all the peers, MPs, senior civil servants, etc. -- and never really thought much of it since it's always been a part of my life in the Muggle world. But here in the wizarding one, I don't know and am not related to just about anyone. Of course, Daddy's well-connected now, but he had to 'work' his way up the Department of Muggle Relations at the Ministry to get there and his DA affiliation doesn't help much when he wasn't even at the Battle of Hogwarts and -- and rely on friends like Ernie.
Speaking of which -- Ernie told me after the service and just before I had to go back to Hogwarts with the other pupils that he'd look after Daddy over the next while. I do hope he knows what he's doing, despite how Daddy insists that Ernie knows everything about, well, everything -- I know from what I've been told and from reading Daddy's latest book that they've had a dreadful row about this sort of thing before, and I'd hate for Daddy to cut off relations with Ernie when he's got so many useful connections.
Poor Daddy will probably need it though. He's in such a state right now even though he had the whole 'stiff upper lip' act going when he visited Lizzy and me on Sunday -- it's funny to think that the last time he was at Hogwarts must have been almost twenty-five years ago when he decided not to sit his NEWTs after all -- and during the service. Grandmama would have been so proud if she had been there. There must be an awful lot of beastly paperwork he's got to do at 'work' too, even with the International Statute of Secrecy issue being pushed back while all this is going on.
I shall be terribly embarrassed if anyone can read this and lacks the good sense to pretend they hadn't seen anything indecent.
/ PRIVATE
Well, I say, those really were splendid memorial services, weren't they? Both the ones hosted by the Ministry of Magic yesterday morning and the feast at Hogwarts afterwards. Fucking Yaxley though, getting to entertain all those important chaps just because he's Head Boy even though his father -- Fitting tributes to a great man of great deeds like Minister Shacklebolt, even if nothing can be done to change what happened that Saturday evening, which will surely be a marked day in history hereafter. Good Lord, this is ghastly stuff all right.
Mourning -- and rightly so -- aside, it seems inevitable that the question of who will be the next Minister for Magic will have to be settled soon if things in wizarding Britain -- and indeed, the wizarding and Muggle worlds at-large too, given recent developments with the International Statute of Secrecy -- are to stabilise and progress. I -- and many others, I'm sure -- personally think that the lovely Zara Quince would be more than up for it, but we shall see, I suppose.
Goodness, I'm starting to sound as hopelessly pompous and vulgar as Ernie sometimes, but it seems to work well enough for him, yes?
Oh, and while I hate to include this in an entry like this, I do have one small prefectly announcement to make. There will be no sound thrashings of each other while at school, and certainly not from chaps toward ladies.
Now, before anyone gets started, such an act between two consenting chaps is a 'gentleman's agreement' and a matter of honour, so it is a different thing entirely, thank you.