[012] Tuesday 01 September 2022.
CHARMED PRIVATE TO SELF.
Today was absolutely miserable for what was supposed to be my last first day of term at Hogwarts.
Of course Daddy was upset the entire time and he couldn't sleep last night because of how much he was worrying about Lizzy and me, so he got pissed instead and had an awful hang-over this morning. I don't know how Mum managed to get us to King's Cross in time before she had to take Arthur to Berkshire after letting Daddy off at the London house again -- he got the day off from 'work' and of course, he'll never set foot in Eton; I remember how upset Arthur was last year when he didn't go to the Fourth of June celebrations -- but we did.
I'm surprised Daddy even let the two of us get on the train this year. I mean, he was obviously scared that we were going to leave for school and never come back, even if he tried to pretend that he wasn't. It's understandable though -- Lizzy's starting her second year and I'm going into my seventh, and thirty and twenty-five years ago respectively, our father got on the train, told his parents that he was going to see them again at Christmas, and then never did, not to mention that he almost died both times. When he was my age on the same day as today, he never got on the Hogwarts Express like his parents thought he had, went off to the countryside instead, and then never saw them again until eight months later. And from what I know about what they thought, Daddy had changed so much since that September that they almost felt like that day at King's Cross really was the last time they'd seen him and ever would. This is depressing.
I wish he'd understand that things are different now. We had to be so careful not to say that we'd see him again at Christmas ourselves because it'd have set him off, but Lizzy calmed him down by saying that we'd write to him every week to let him know that we're all right. We're going to do that every Friday now, but I'd hate to know what Daddy would be like if we forgot once or were too busy in a particular week. He's always been upset whenever we leave for Hogwarts -- and it's not just us leaving that's the issue, since he was never like this when we went to the Dragon School before -- but it's especially awful this year, it seems, because of the coincidences in timing.
To make everything worse, Yaxley got Head Boy. I don't even know what to say about that, except that I can't believe I'm going to have to be a bitch to someone whose father ruined my father's life. How could Stout have made him Head Boy anyway. I mean, he's never even been a prefect and his father is a Death Eater and how is any of that right for the wizarding world today? What did I do wrong not to get the badge? I want to tell my father about it, but I think I'd just bring up an awful lot of bad memories for him that he'd rather forget about.
Oh. bugger this. I'm going to get some sleep and I'll surely get over this by morning. I want to go home and I'm worried about Daddy being alone tonight if Mummy hasn't got back yet. I hope none of the other boys look through my bed's curtains right now. This is absolutely unmanly.
/ PRIVATE
It's too bad you didn't die in that fire, Yaxley.
I'm going to go to sleep shortly -- big day tomorrow, of course, last year of classes and all that -- but I think certain public congratulations are in order first.
Yaxley, darling! Congratulations on being appointed Head Boy this year. I'm looking forward to serving under your shining leadership, and I have no doubt that you will live up to such lofty expectations for a position that should have gone to me, but --. I think it's rather splendid that the Head Boy is someone who's never been a prefect before and therefore has no experience with this sort of thing -- means we're getting a fresh perspective, new life breathed into an old institution, and all that bosh that politicians who haven't the slightest idea what they're doing always say sort of stuff.
Oh, and how's your father doing in Azkaban, by the way? Enjoying his prolonged stay? Does he see Umbridge much nowadays?
Anyway, right, time for bed. No, there isn't anyone else sharing with me right now, if you must know. Sorry, Flowers, but perhaps you'll get your turn next week.