Vivre et laisser mourir

I trust the ones responsible for Smudgley's injuries will be discovered and brought to justice posthaste. Attacking journalists is never to be tolerated. All this action provides is an additional reason for the wizarding population to discuss societal problems even more.

That being said though, I believe the Daily Prophet utilised poor taste in last night's edition. To anyone that may have been offended by our headline, please accept my journalistic apology.

[Private]
If I ran this paper, that article would never have seen print. I would have scratched that entire line of Mrs Black out of the text and simply had my writer allude to her unsavoury racist comments. I do agree with her on most points but there are some things to which the entire public should not be privy.
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[Bellatrix]
Your aunt will never cease to amaze, will she? I am highly surprised the editors kept her line in there. The ability for this to backfire against the paper is immense even if we, at the Prophet, have no viable alternative.
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[Death Eaters]
I think we need to form a list of suspected opposition members and I do not mean Mudbloods. I know Minister Dolohov touched on this before. Going one step further then, I believe a list could prove extremely useful. Those of us with Ministry connections might consider browsing files at the DMLE.

Please include anyone you think is worth watching. Half of these people may not pan out but if we watch them closely enough, perhaps they have acquaintances who are affiliated with the Headmaster.

( Opposition fighter list, v. 1 )
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The world is a rather curious place. Every time I think I have it figured out, it shifts and makes me reconsider every angle again.

[Lucius]
Am I missing something here? Why would the Dark Lord choose a halfblood to serve as his spy?
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[Private]
Our new manor is finally complete! Thank Merlin. Now all I have to do is move my family back from Bordeaux.

I still struggle to hide my limp a bit. At least I still have a leg.

[Bellatrix]
At the risk of sounding morbid but when has that ever stopped me, congratulations on taking Moody's leg. I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been.

I rather wish I knew who that bloke was that ambushed me in Vienna. Hopefully someday I will be able to return the favour and put him in a world of hurt.

The damage to Hogsmeade is significant. Enough so that it takes one's breath away in horror. I only hope that the Ministry will do right by the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

[Private]
Well that was enjoyable. Not. If I never were to be ambushed again, it would be too soon. As soon as I get well, the entire family will move back to England. That means, of course, that I need to ensure that our house is ready as a residence.

Severus went over and above what I thought he would do for me. Thank Merlin. Without his assistance, I would no doubt have died there. I would have been very put out to die without an heir, even if the heir is only to my family name and not the greater Lestrange line as a whole.
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[Severus]
Thank you very much for rescuing me. I have to admit that words are a shoddy way of thanking you for what you did. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask. Within reason of course.
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[Risse]
I ran into some difficulties on my final mission. Suffice to say that I am recovering in England as we speak. However, my duties are complete on the Continent. As soon as I am fit to travel long distances again, I shall come assist you in the moving process. Our new estate is nearly ready.

How are you and Addie?
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[OOC: Rabastan (and I) are assuming that Bellatrix informed the Inner Circle of the plan to dispose of Urquhart.]

[Inner Circle Death Eaters]
Urquhart is dead. I saw to it personally. No one will ever find what little ash remains of him.
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[Private]
I considered making him fish food. However, some small child may have found a corpse someday in the river and been scarred for life. I know how to cover my tracks better than that. Besides, I would never want Addie to see something like that. Yet one more reason not to just leave him there for a school of fish to eat.
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[Severus]
Your old classmate is dead.
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Thank Merlin that I have superior will power, Urquhart. Not only would your smug grin be wiped off your face but you would also be dead.

[Private]
The less the lot of them know about my work with the vampires, the better. I only hope this does not delay the timing of my return trip to Bordeaux. I was so bloody close to being finished over here and then this blew up in my face.

If the Dark Lord punishes me, so be it. But it was not my fault and Bellatrix could even attest to the fact that I have been against this partnership from the beginning. If I had my way, Tavish would never live to see England ever again.
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[Bellatrix & Rodolphus]
I am not quite sure how it happened but my intel sources in Vienna have dried up at the same time as Urquhart has become drinking buddies with the barhopping crowd. After I returned from regaining Mulciber two weekends ago now, I discovered that Urquhart released more information than he should have. I am attempting to make the best of this situation as we speak. However, we pulled out of Austria a few nights ago and are currently camped in eastern Germany while I salvage the mission.

However, I do have a meeting with the head of the Austrian vampires, the second largest coven in all of Europe, on 11 June. Romania is home to the largest coven but the lot of them were not willing to travel half the globe just to spend a short amount of time in England. My hope is that I can get in and out of Austria without any trouble. I need your advice. Can I send Urquhart home for questioning perhaps? I cannot trust him and I want to make sure that my next move is a well thought out plan. It took me a month to set up this meeting with the vampires and if I lose it, I might as well bid farewell to any chance I have of pulling them into our alliance.

I have one request - if Tavish proves guilty, please allow me to be the one to dispose of him if the Dark Lord does not do it himself.
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[Risse]
Expect me home sometime in two weeks...for good this time. My duties are nearly complete.
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[Private]
We did it - we recaptured Mulciber. I have complete confidence that the Dark Lord will make him pay for his missteps. Thank Salazar we did not fail.

It seemed like a normal fire fight to me although Rosier and Wilkes most definitely had their hands full with Moody. I practised against Evan's father years ago and I have to say that I think I understand now how Moody vanquished him. I have a ways to go before I reach his level of combat mastery. I think I shall ask Xavier for some tips and perhaps a practise regimen to improve my own ability.
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[Mulciber Recapture Team*]
[(OOC)*: Includes E. Rosier, N. Yaxley, & T. Wilkes]

Thank you for your assistance. We can rest assured knowing that we succeeded yesterday. That is not something many Death Eaters can hold claim to of late.
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[Death Eaters (minus Mulciber)]
As you will no doubt be hearing in the very near future, our mission to recapture Felix Mulciber from the Ministry was a complete success. Prepare yourself for much whinging on the journals today.
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[Lestranges (minus Eliane)]
I deposited our prey in your lower dungeon last night. I assumed that we could hold him there until the Dark Lord summons the lot of us.
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[Xavier]
Might you consider training me on the finer points of combat?
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The Prophet is all a clamour this afternoon over the impending trial tomorrow evening. No doubt there will be a large delegation of press at the Wizengamot for the event. I trust that following this trial, the Ministry will see to it that justice is served and will actively work to prevent such a tragedy in the future.

[Private]
Back in England for an hour and the grey clouds already seem to be threatening rain. What a shocker.

Now that was a long trip. I truly hope that we can knock these Aurors out with one punch tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise I have a bad feeling that our trip to the Dark Lord will be much less ideal than planned. Salazar knows that far too many Death Eaters have buggered up their missions of late. I have no desire to join those ranks. I can only hope we do not fail.

Hopefully I might be able to stay at Bella and Roddy's manor because otherwise I am having visions of spending the weekend at Father's. He would be hard-pressed not to grill me about everything I am learning.

Tavish had better use his head while I am gone. Otherwise I will be forced to take it out of him when I return to Poland next week. Believe me, I would not hesitate. The bloke is barely on the positive side of the annoying spectrum. I have stayed my hand more than once because I shudder to consider the consequences for attacking a fellow Death Eater without the sanction of the Dark Lord.
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[Warded to Lestranges (not Éliane)]
Would you lot be open to allowing me to spend the weekend at the manor? I can always ask Father if you had prior commitments.
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[Severus]
Do your school responsibilities preclude you from drinking on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon?
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How nice to have a sunny day yesterday. To think I had to come all the way to Poland to see it is rather depressing.

[Private]
To think that I am closer to Moscow than I am to London is something to keep in perspective. I am so far away from the war here that it is as though there is no war at all.

I miss my family more than I can say.

Perhaps I should go wake up Tavish since we have a long trip ahead of us today.
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[Warded heavily to Roddy & Bella]
I decided to keep journal silence there for a bit because using any magical device that is not understood makes one suspect among most Creatures. In the meantime, however, I have succeeded in getting several Eastern European groups to sign on for the Cause.

( Cut for mission details )

Fresh air is quite soothing. For your own safety though, avoid overexposure to it lest you catch a cold.

( Private to Self )

[Private to Rodolphus]
If you choose to tell Bellatrix this, that is your own prerogative. The reason this mission is problematic for me is due to the reality that my wife is newly pregnant and I will go weeks without seeing her. In essence, I worry that I will not be there for her during her time of greatest need. Even if she needed me immediately, I might be a thousand miles away. As we both know, apparating that distance takes a while. Besides, I may be in the middle of a forest or valley where apparating is unwise due to the sensitivity of the meeting or the authorities keeping track of apparition. I cannot fail this mission. I know how sensitive this is and I do not need, nor can I risk, the potential for the authorities learning of my presence there.

What the Dark Lord deems to be a positive in that I have connections among the Creatures, I personally see as a two-way street. Knowing that my wife is termed a part-Creature, I admit to being concerned that this mission will put a strain in our relationship. I never share my missions with anyone unsuited to the information. That includes my wife. However, we both know that things spoken in confidence have been known to reach others' ears. I trust you will not see this as complaining but merely my gut reaction to what is my lot in life for the next short while.

Please do not accuse me of prioritising my life incorrectly. I am well aware of where my duties are. Otherwise I would not have accepted this mission and of course, we both know that such a path would have led to death for me and perhaps my family. Besides, I am not a man destined for failure or a life of idiocy.

We all have events that will forever be seared to our memory banks. Little did I know that my most vivid and raw would be my best mate's death eight years ago. His birthday is next week and he would have been 29 this year. Rest in peace, Stefan.

I trust the new Minister shall have an easier time than did his predecessor. I truly wish him the best of luck.

( Private (Éliane can break) )

You will read many an obituary this week extolling the virtues of Minister Bagnold. Do not forget that she died in the line of duty and paid the ultimate price - her life. When violence and murder have become the preferred solutions to a political disagreement, the nation has surely descended into chaos.

[Private]
Well the Minister is dead now and I do hope that this will all prove worthwhile when we look back on this in twenty years. Not to mention they killed off a perfectly decent pureblood lady even if she made a horrid Minister of Magic. All I can say is that the people of England need to choose more wisely when they elect someone to the top office here.

Even being a Death Eater, I have to admit that I found Millicent Bagnold to be a pleasant woman. At least she was not one of these social climbers that I interview for the papers every once in a while. The Bagnold name is one associated with high class and I do believe that anything less than that would be shameful. I trust that she will go out in style and I plan to attend as a fellow pureblood, not as a newspaper editor. I wonder if Risse will accompany me.

[Éliane]
I have every intent of attending the Minister's funeral on Thursday. Although you may have plans for that day already, please consider cancelling them and joining me. Even if I did not always agree with her political beliefs, I hope to show some respect for her and her family. She deserves nothing less. I hate funerals.

To think I was hoping for a quiet weekend full of relaxation. The rest of my day without a doubt will consist of me standing in front of St. Mungo’s waiting for a statement with the rest of the rain-soaked press corps.

My best wishes to the Minister and her family in this terrifying time. I trust she will pull through this brutal act of terrorism and emerge stronger than ever.

[Private]
If this were not the story of the year, I would likely complain about a Lestrange having to stand in the rain indefinitely. I wonder if my boss would be all right with me going on a food run with Hampton and Thorne. I could eat a Hippogriff by now. Mainly though, I am afraid that if I leave here for food, I will miss the presser that is supposed to happen sometime this afternoon. Bloody Salazar.

I wonder if I know anyone inside whom I could bribe to allow me to be the first to break the story’s details. The problem is they are probably too busy to even glance at their journals. Besides how would one go about writing an article like this?

BOMB’s tactics are just as violent as our own. This war is far from a conclusion.

[Éliane/Rodolphus/Bellatrix]
I cannot even begin to guess how long it will be until I am able to leave St. Mungo’s. My editor seems to be of the opinion that we are all here for the long haul. Somehow, that article I was proofing on Gringotts’ new investment policy seems so insignificant now.

Evidently March is the best month of the year for a birthday. Today is my 28th annual reminder. Brill, I know.

[Private]
Meanwhile I am going to visit my wife. If only I could get my hands on some Felix Felicis.

[Private. edited after his St. Mungo's visit]
What I would not give to be able to read her mind. It was probably filled with invective all aimed at me. Thank Merlin she is not gifted at wandless magic.

Anyway, I told her that she needs to do her therapy sessions for Adelaide's sake so she can come home. Staying in bed all day is getting her nowhere and it needs to stop. I trust that she will take my advice to heart.

Considering these people not only blew up my house but also killed three innocent people, I cannot think of a more fitting word for them than terrorists. Thank you, Minister, for conveying the thoughts of the English population so succinctly.

[Private]
It is official then. The three of us are moving out of England for good. I had hoped that we could live in England for the entirety of our married life but alas it was not to be.

Bagnold, you are so pathetic. All you are doing is verifying what the lot of us already knew. Of course, this Mudblood group are terrorists. Although the one thing that I might have to take my hat off to you for is that public opinion should turn on the fanatic Mudbloods now.

I need to tell Roddy and Bella about this. That is one conversation to which I am not looking forward. Bloody hell. I also need to call in a few favours now that we are moving. As long as I can keep the two of them safe, that is truly all that matters.

[Roddy/Bella]
As soon as Éliane has sufficiently healed, we plan to move to France. I believe it is the only sure-fire way to keep my family safe. I trust you two will both understand my position on the matter.

Regardless of my new home though, I shall obviously remain a loyal servant of the Dark Lord and we will occasionally visit England to see close friends and family. Please do not pass the word on to anyone of the specific location of our new home. This new England is not a pleasant place and frankly I am not quite sure whom we can trust.

The hospital seems strangely brighter this morning.

[Roddy & Bella]
Éliane awoke late last evening. I am so relieved. She will no doubt take quite some to heal but I am thankful that she has made such a major step forward.

[Matilda]
Thank you for the reading materials you sent. They have been quite helpful for taking my mind off my problems the last two days. Thank you for the other items as well. The chairs in this place are not comfortable at all.

Hospital wards have such a lack of good reading. Not that I have any attention span whatsoever.

( Hexed Private )