| 041. 12 October 1979 |
[Oct 12th, 10:51pm] |
I don't understand the celebration of Hallowe'en. The holiday itself is a strange bastardization of a religious holiday (All Hallows' Eve) that was a strange bastardization of a Pagan holiday (Samhain -- though some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia) that combines elements of both while capturing the true spirit of neither. It's particularly strange from a religious perspective, if you consider that Hallowe'en is the day before All Saints Day, which is not nearly as widely celebrated. This is the functional equivalent of celebrating Christmas Eve, but not celebrating Christmas. And even then, much of the imagery associated with Hallowe'en is derived from works of fiction (much of it muggle fiction) written in the last century or so. None of which relates back to the idea of dressing up as gender-swapped version of the Hogwarts founders, but that appears to be a non-optional social convention.
Why is this an aspect of popular culture that demands my attention?
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| 040. 06 September 1979 |
[Sep 6th, 6:29pm] |
[ WARDED TO CLASS OF 1977-79 ] We're about to get a couple of new trainees in the Auror Department. Unfortunately, with the exception of Imogen and perhaps one or two individuals whose careers are headed in a very different direction, I don't remember anyone in the class of 1979 being nearly clever enough to join the department. No offense, of course. You should all feel free to be as thick as you please, provided that you do not choose a career path in which your thickness might endanger the lives of others. I hear that being a professional quidditch player is very lucrative, and requires little to no scholastic aptitude. And for those who are less athletically inclined, perhaps something with plants. Think it over.
That said, I suppose it will be nice for Rufus to have someone new to yell at. I've managed to stay below his radar for a while now, but it's only a matter of time before he starts in again. Admittedly, I don't know very much about the girl who appears to be applying for the spot. But given that she's a Gryffindor, I'm fairly certain I know enough.
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| 039. 21 August 1979 |
[Aug 21st, 10:29am] |
[ WARDED TO 1978ers MINUS SLYTHERIN ]If you have missed the warnings on the wireless and in the newspaper, you all need to stay far away from Tinworth. I don't think I'm at liberty to tell you why, but suffice to say that you should avoid the area at all costs. (However, if you were there last night, you should probably contact the DMLE about what you saw, and whether or not you can be of any assistance in their investigation. But please do not return to Tinworth in order to do so - contact the DMLE via journal or owl, and arrange a time to meet with a department representative when one becomes available.)
Do we have anyone who was in Tinworth last night? Or are any of our classmates currently unaccounted for? It would probably be wise to do a head count at this point.
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| 038. 05 August 1979 |
[Aug 5th, 1:12am] |
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[ WARDED TO 1978ers MINUS SLYTHERIN ] While I realize that I talk about how everyone around me has lost their minds fairly frequently, this time, I'm fairly certain that I'm correct. Now I can't even talk about how well I did on my exams, because it'll look insensitive. Either there's something in the water, or something else is wrong.
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| 037. 29 July 1979 |
[Jul 29th, 3:18pm] |
[ WARDED TO AUROR MOODY ]Sir, I have a bit of a request. Would you be able to recommend to me some ways of checking a person for the influence of the imperius curse that can be performed without his or her knowledge? I have a found myself with in a strange predicament of late. An acquaintance (my relationship with whom has been almost exclusively hostile) recently asked me to spend time with him in what I can only assume is a social capacity. Obviously, this struck me as cause for concern. Notably, the acquaintance in question has demonstrated neither the guile nor the magical aptitude for any sort of ambush, so I do not fear any attacks from this individual of his own accord. However, I do believe the young man would be especially susceptible to an external influence like the imperius curse.
Ordinarily, I would not enter a situation that might be a trap, but given that I was not the only member of the DMLE that he invited (and given my concerns about his mental status,) it is my intention to go and examine the situation. Please let me know if there is any relevant advice you can provide.
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| 036. 20 July 1979 |
[Jul 20th, 8:38pm] |
[ WARDED TO 1978ers ]It is too bleeding hot in every part of this building. I'm fairly certain that someone could make a compelling argument that the current state of the ministry constitutes unreasonable working conditions. However, it is far too hot for me to think of the specific rules that are being violated. This is untenable. And don't tell me that I shouldn't have worn wool, because this is a wool blend, and my mother was adamant that anything with less wool than my current attire contains would not be acceptable in the workplace.
My flat is little better. The numerous cooling charms I've placed around the building have made little progress in terms of actually cooling the air, though there is a spot next to the kitchen table that keeps freezing unexpectedly. I think I need clothing in more breathable fabrics for general use. But I hate the way lighter fabric always wrinkles, and seersucker is out of the question.
I tried to go to St. Mungo's and hang around in the morgue, because they have to keep it very cold to prevent accelerated decomposition. But apparently, the medical examiner found my presence off-putting, and he wouldn't let me stay.
If I die of heat stroke, someone file a wrongful death suit on my behalf.
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| 035. 21 June 1979 |
[Jun 21st, 11:02am] |
[ WARDED TO 1978ers MINUS SLYTHERINS ]Has anyone seen Mary? I had rather thought she was going to come by my flat last night, but she never came. This morning before work, I went to her residence in Hogsmeade and found it empty. So I just assumed that either she had already departed for work, or she was currently staying with one of you. Partly because people always tell me that I am being needlessly morbid when I so much as mention the possibility that a residence is currently vacant because the occupant is lying deceased in a ravine on the outskirts of town. Now I haven't seen her at work all morning, and there is some person at the desk in front of Crouch's office who isn't Mary, and no one I have spoken to seems to have any information. Thus far, I have been unable to determine if they not been forthcoming because they are actually ignorant of her whereabouts, or because they are more of less aware of my reaction the last time something bad happened to her.
If you are not aware of her current location, please be specific as to the last time and place you saw her, so that I can be as detailed as possible if I need to report her missing.
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