Bill Weasley

( Application for Bill Weasley )

~PRIVATE

Fleur's noticed. Of course she has. She's smart, but more than that, she's observant. It explains the party. It was a ton of fun of course, and the kids loved it, but I still feel... Merlin, I don't know. What right have I to be depressed? I have a great wife, brilliant kids, a great family and a job that I love. So why do I feel like...

Parents - and indeed, people who have had children dumped on them for the day - let me tell you what I learned this morning. There is an answer to the constant barrage of SANTA SANTA SANTA style questions that your children have. Louis was irritating his sisters to the point of the Santa-only-comes-to-good-children speech, so we took them all out for a good ol' fashioned snowball fight. Kid's so exhausted now that he can't even say his own name, never mind the ol' fat guy in the red suit.

Be forewarned though - this gift is almost a double-edged sword. Vic planted Mini in the face with a snowball and ohsevenhells, I never heard such screaming and crying in my life.

Soup? Soup. Happy December.

I haven't taken a sick day from work in probably... what is it Fleur, maybe eight years? Probably? I don't know. Not really one of those blokes who bend over at the first sign of weakness, but bloody hell, there's something properly emasculating about hugging a toilet at 4 AM. I'm getting old

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be asleep, but it's daytime and I'm bored and I just finished a book and I can't be arsed starting another. 'Scuse the language, mum.

So last week, when I wasn't DYING OF THE DEATH PLAGUE, I decided to be one of those people who wasn't offended by being ginger and brought my gaggle of strawberry blonde babies and my beautiful, unginger wife to the zoo. For FREE. It was pretty cool. The only problem being that now, Louis has upgraded his demand for a pet cat to a pet ocelot. There was an ocelot kitten... is that right? Ocelot kitten? Whatever. At the zoo. Screw it, I want an ocelot. You win, Louis. You win.

( cut for image )

~Molly [Weasleys, born and wed, plus friends of Molly can see]

Mum, would you and dad like to come over to ours for brunch on your birthday? There's so many of us now, with all the grandkids and your sons finally bagging themselves some girlfriends, that we figure it will be less stressful if we split up the visits! I'll have to head off to Egypt Sunday evening, so I hope brunch suits you. 12ish?

~Fleur

I've invited mum and dad over for sneaky decoy brunch on Sunday. Think you could make crepes if I make waffles?

~Weasleys, born and wed and adopted, except Molly, plus anyone invited to the brunch

The trap is set.

Added later:~George

So, what happened with Aubrey's dad?

Who knew that pumpkin could be so versatile, and so very sinful? I pity anyone doing the Dunmoody Olympics while breathing air that smells of pumpkin cheesecake.

Speaking as someone who was attacked by a werewolf and was lucky enough to walk away with scars and no other affliction, and as someone whose friend was not lucky and suffered physically, mentally and socially due to the ignorance of the uneducated masses, I found it very hard to keep my cool when I saw those protesters. Though there are some werewolves who are violent, it is only the minority.

I often wonder where my life would have gone if I had been unlucky, if I'd been turned into a werewolf. I'd have most certainly lost my job, and struggled to get another. I believe with absolute certainty that Fleur would have still married me, but our marriage would likely have been strained. To suffer the sheer agony of transforming every month and to continue to be mentally stable, knowing what awaited every month, would be taxing on even the strongest individuals.

If you were among the protesters, I have a suggestion. Maybe instead of screaming yourselves hoarse about monsters, you should educate yourselves. Put some honest thought behind what you are saying. What if you were bit by someone who didn't even know what they were doing, and you lost everything? How would you feel, walking past screaming, hate-filled people when all you wanted to do was bring your kids to the park? I think I know who the real monsters are.

Well. I've been kicked out of my own house by my own wife and daughters. Apparently I keep getting in the way of the packing, and since Louis is a boy, we've been exiled. Not like I pack a suitcase every week to go treasure hunting, but holiday packing is so much more complex, especially when there are children involved. I think we'll need a holiday after the packing is done.

Did I mention 'holiday?'

~PRIVATE

Thank Merlin they found that Werewolf. I know I am not -- and never was -- one of them, but sometimes I feel... what? I don't know how to put it into words. There's a certain kinship between these Werewolves that is something like a pack mentality. I don't have that with them. But, other people who have suffered at the hands of Werewolves... it's different. Like we share a tragedy. I don't like the idea of there being more people like me out there, or worse, people's families torn apart by it all.

So why do I feel sort of sorry for that Werewolf? I suppose it's something to do with Remus. He wasn't a bad person, not in the slightest. Maybe this guy couldn't help himself, either. He might not have even known that he was a Werewolf. I was lucky; this guy wasn't.

Ugh. Fuck sake. That last moon took it out of me. I feel more hormonal than if I had my sodding period. Which, in a way, I suppose I had.

~WARDED TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY

I went into Cairo this morning before work, and since I am plainly not Egyptian, these tourists were asking me directions. No problem or anything, they were perfectly nice, but the kid kept staring at me. When I looked at him, he paled, and started crying. Took me a minute to realise that it was my face -- my scars, more like -- that had upset him. He was only a little thing, maybe two, so he didn't know any better. It was just a bit... strange, I suppose. They apologised, but while I wasn't offended or anything...

I don't know. I suppose it stuck with me.

Moral of the story? I ought to bring my wife with me everywhere, because no one stares at my scars, then.

~FAMILY & FRIENDS

Another year, another wedding anniversary. Our wedding might not have been as perfect as it could, but marriage is better than I ever could have imagined. If you look under your seat, you'll find a little baggy in case any of you feel the need to vomit.

Hermione and Ron are watching the kids today (thankyousoverymuch), so Fleur and I get to spend some time together, but - and I know this is last minute - if you're free tomorrow, please come over. I'm having catering in and I've ordered a cake from that Kirke guy, just to have a little party so that the kids can celebrate too. Come over around 4 if you can!

( private to self )
Kids say the scariest things. My daughter, Dominique, asked me if someone could ever run out of magic. I told her it was impossible. Then, she asked me what if you couldn't use magic. I told her plenty of people make do without, and that it was not a big deal. Then, she said "What if you couldn't use magic and then there were zombies and you were on a desert island and there were zombies everywhere, everywhere daddy!?"

So. Since I won't be sleeping tonight, I'm putting that question to you.

What would you do if you were stuck on a desert island, and your wand had broken. The island is populated by zombies, and there's a limited amount of fire-throwers and guns. You can take three people OR things with you to this shitty island. GO.

Nothing like hearing "It's snowing in Dunmoody" when you're working outside in the baking heat in Egypt. I know it's just the fairground, but I'm picturing a thick blanket of snow over everything. Makes me feel better.

You would think that a festival would distract children from the kitten they had to give up, but you'd be wrong. No amount of sugary treats will distract their little minds from the kitty that used their daddy as a scratching post until it was given back to its owner.

I need a beer. There'll be beer today, right?