Gawain Robards fails at fire.

[private.]
Please let him be there. Please let him be alright. Scared, brainwashed, just let him be alive.
[end.]

[rufus.]
Kate hasn't heard anything from her dad since the Death Eaters took him so we're going to his house this afternoon to check things out. Probably not a wise move but I'm prepared to deal. The plan is get in, get out. I've factored guards or some sort of security into my equation so I'm already on high alert. I'm telling you this so that if for some reason we're not back by nightfall you know where we are.

If I have time I'll check his fridge for sandwich meat.
[end.]

[private.]
Honestly, we were at camp way longer than I expected we would be. I think that a new location will be good. It gives us new scenery to look at, not to mention Carrow doesn't know where to find us. We will just have to start again and hopefully we'll have control again soon and camping will be a thing of the past. I think that I'll want to live in the city centre for the rest of my life after this exile thing.

I'm beginning to worry a bit. I haven't heard from Noelle in a few days and I can't help but play worst case scenario in my head. The last time she didn't answer me was because she was on a mini-holiday with her mother and grandparents, which was a relief but also somewhat irritating. I sent her to France so that she could lay low and be safe, not so they could go site seeing. She's probably doing the same thing now but I'm her father and it's my job to worry, especially when I know what's out there. Kate's father is still missing and I've been doing everything I can to help her. Sam's family is missing as well and after what they did to Moody's mother...

This just needs to end and soon. I don't know how much more we can take.
[end.]

[kate.]
Hey you. How're you feeling?
[end.]

Of all the things to want, bad Ministry coffee should not be one of them.

(private.)
Jesus Christ. We've just ventured down a road and fear that we will not be able to turn ourselves 'round. I swore my allegiance to this cause and to Rufus and I will continue to do what's needed but at what cost? I never imagined that this would be my world. All I have ever wanted was to do good things for people by making the evil ones pay. I just wanted my daughter to have a father that she could be proud of. Now I'm sitting here with a blank expression while we hold women captive and send their fingers to their loved ones as a message. We're no better than they are anymore. We've slipped into the same dark pit, just perhaps not as deep. I only hope that we'll be able to scramble out with some semblance of ourselves left to spur us on.

We just have to live day by day. If we can make it to tomorrow it will be one more accomplishment under our belts. Let's make it through Thursday and then see what's ahead of us.

...Try to find solace in the fact that all thing shall grow back.
(end.)

(rufus.)
This might be a shot in the dark, but do you think we could make an offer with Lestrange? A trade, maybe. We have to have something that we can give in exchange for Jo. I haven't talked about this with anyone else, save Kate, because I thought I should run it by you first.

Thoughts?

(private to noelle.)
Dear Noelle,

How's France, cupcake? I know it's not England but at least you're safe. I'd hide you away in Borneo if I thought you'd be more safe. Daddy will be with you before long. Please don't listen to all that talk about terrorism. I know that you believe in me but some of the evidence is strong and it's been so long since the last time I wrote to you. You want to know where I am and I understand that. Just know that I am safe and that I'm still doing my job of keeping the good people safe, or at least I'm doing my best.

I want to know about everything you're doing at your grandparents! Have you been riding with your mother? Has grandma taught you the secret to her perfect roses? Once thing are back to normal I expect you to teach me things that I have no idea about. Teach me about roses and crepes and all that. Someday soon it will all be perfect again. I promise. I love you so much and I will come to you before you know it. It'll be like I never left!

Much love, Dad.
(end.)

I'm ready.

[private.]
There are posters up now. The Army of Albion is officially in existence. I volunteered to help with propganda, which is something I have no real experience in. I've always been the type of person who can step up and lead or give examples but for some reason I feel a hesitation now that we're not in the Ministry. I know it has to do with being outside of my comfort zone. This is a world completely new to me where there are no strict rules or protocols. There's not a handbook on rebelling against one's former employer, though perhaps we should write one.

How To Relocate To Scotland, Form An Army, And Take Down The Government. It sounds like a best seller to me. Maybe we could go with 101 Ways To Irritate A Death Eater.

I miss Noelle.
[end.]

[kate.]
I think I might dig out my record player and some Frank because it has been far too long.
[end.]

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king.

(private)
I haven't been able to bring myself to write anything that makes any sort of sense. Everytime I decide that I want to write something I tear the page out. I just find myself lacking the words to express what I'm feeling. Mill is dead. I've known her for too long. She was a co-worker and a friend and there will never be another person like her. She was full of helpful advice when I was going through the divorce and to be honest I probably would not have dealt with it as well as I did without her help.

And it wasn't a huge mission. It was supposed to be quick but clearly we weren't prepared. At least the library went down. We have that small victory at least. And now the borders are closed, not that it matters much for us. I just want my family to be safe. I never visited my mum enough and I miss her now more than ever and she's just in Wales.
(end ward.)

(kate.)
Looks like we're going to have to postpone our trip to the tropics.
(end ward.)

(elle.)
Thanks for having my back the other night.
(end ward.)

(kate.)
You probably already saw Rufus's entry and I was meaning to tell you, but I volunteered for the planting mission. I'm one of the best here for the job and I promise you that I'll come back in one piece.
(end.)

( private. )
( gairloch. )

( warded private. )
( warded to gairloch. )

( warded private. )
( warded to kate. )
( warded to DMLE minus Crouch. )

I cannot remember the last time my stomach hurt from laughing so much. Between work and coffee I have had a fantastic day. Bring on the week!

( warded private. )
( warded to kate. )

(image and text warded against known Death Eaters and creatures interested in eating children.)

I found this photo when I was moving stuff from one box to another and it was too adorable not to share. That's Noelle's grandma's dog and the reason I had to listen to begging and pleading from my daughter.

A duck walks into a pharmacy, picks out some lip balm, and then brings it to the man running register. The man says "How did you want to pay for that?" and the duck says "Just put it on my bill."

This is the sort of comedic material you get from a man who has a ten year old daughter with a terrible sense of humor.

( warded private. )
( warded to kate. )

[wards added later.]

( warded to grady. )
( warded to rufus. )

For I have this bag of ears to fill before nightfall?

Never a dull moment, is there? I'm making a fresh pot. It'll be ready in about ten minutes. No need to thank me.

( warded private. )
( warded to nicholas. )

( warded private. )
( DMLE )

I think that I'm going to go to the theatre. I haven't been to a Sunday matinée in a very long time.

We've come out on the wrong side of a tragedy. Everyone tried their hardest to find those kids and we need to find the silver lining, as hard as it might be. This entire department came together and you worked your asses off to locate them. It's hard for me to find the courage to be optimistic but we can't allow ourselves to slip into depression. There are more children and parents for us to protect and we can't do that if we're wallowing in the misery of loss.

I'm not saying that we can't be upset. We can still mourn our losses, accept our feelings, so long as we are able to move on and do what we were hired to do. People are depending on us to be the strong ones.

If anyone needs ANYTHING, please come to me. I can't say I'll have the right answer or be able to tell you what you want to hear but it's better than being alone with your own thoughts.

You are an amazing group of Aurors and Hitwizards. I just wanted you to know that. Even those of you who endure the hell without putting yourself in immediate danger. Without your help we'd be even further back than we are now.

Let's try to move forward. We have to.

( warded private. )
( warded to rufus. )
( warded to kate. )

I don't even know what to say.

( warded private. )

( warded to kate. )

I wonder if I should learn how to dance or if I know enough to scrape by. I could always default to disco. That Travolta fellow seems to know a bit.