I take a vacation out the country and suddenly no one remembers who I am.

France, for those of you who care, was something. Monty's convinced she's cured me of dislike for all things French --'cept for her-- and that shows what she knows. Me, I'm happy to be back in jolly England, being a loyal subject of the Queen, me. Plus the pubs here are better.

Monty's family's a piece of work though. Not her mum, of course. Her mum's like her, unbelievably nice. Taught me to say Je suis une grenouille belle, whatever that means. Her dad and brother, they're something else. Let's just say it's difficult to have a shouting match with a language barrier.

Like the hair, mates? 's Monty's father's fault. Said he can't have his daughter going 'round with a bloke what looks like a criminal. Trying to get used to the idea of a comb again, me.

( Nott )

Let's not go to work, Monty. Let's just stay in bed with the lights off and the windows shut so everyone thinks we're somewhere else. I just realized, while staring at the ceiling, that there's nothing out there that I want. Everything I could possible need is in bed right beside me. ...If you would come to bed right beside me now, of course.

Honestly, let's not go to work today. It'll be just like when we were in Hogwarts, pretending to head to the hospital wing and locking ourselves in the broom closet.

( secure owl to Wilkes )

Looks like I'll be alone in the house for a while. Just me and Bailey. Monty's off to France to visit her parents and the annoying type she calls her brother. So if there's any nice birds out there who want to stay over... Only joking, Monty. I'm sure I'll be miserable without you.



( Malfoy )

((OOC: I've been MIA for so long that excuses aren't excusable any more. Apologies all around, loves. Forgive me? <3))

( Note left on Monty's desk at work )

More people should fall into a two-way closet more often. Sometimes you end up in a very, very nice place.

( Malfoy )

( Private )

( Death Eaters )

I don't understand how, in the face of war and shops shutting down, there still seems to be a high demand for designer broomsticks. We're about the only company open these days. I wish they gave us a break.

( Monty )

( Death Eaters, Malfoy most of all if he can be bothered )

Monty, I think Bailey's sick. He's not eating and keeps hiding under the bed. What's wrong with him?

( Private to Death Eaters )

I just heard the Hog's head's closing until further notice. So's a couple more pubs in both Diagon and Knockturn. Business hasn't been good since the curfew, the owners said, but we all know there's another reason.

The same reason, in fact, that the menagerie's closing, and the owlery, and the store what sells cheap cigarettes. The stores that aren't closing are those that stay open only until six in the evening. No one wants to be caught in the streets at night.

I guess this is the peace the Ministry wants. It's all quiet as a graveyard.

All right, you've had your fun, woman. Let me back into the house this minute or I will

Monty? Love? Are you home?

I was trying to find you at work but your secretary friends keep saying you're out for lunch and I know they're lying 'cause they said that four separate times and I waited outside your office and you never came around. Floo's down too.

And, um, the boss said someone already accepted my paycheck. That was you, right? 'Cause I'm running out of cash and Wilkes is not the best of hosts

Can we talk? Please? It's nearly Valentines and I miss you.

( Owl to Malfoy, hexed secure. )

( Unsent owl to Bellatrix, left lying where Monty might find. )

Monty, love? Do you know how to fix broken fingers? I'm afraid I've been careless with mine.

That's it then. The Daily Prophet has, officially, started printing complete rubbish (as opposed to Skeeter's articles which are only about 97% rubbish). I always knew those wankers in the press were mudbloods and bloodtraitors. I'm certainly not paying two sickles for that rag anymore.

Someone should start another newspaper. With news that matters, instead of this mudblood-coddling going on in the Prophet. I'd suggest it to Zabini but HE'S BEEN MURDERED BY MUDBLOODS.