Hephaestus "entered Chloris' box" Burke

02:50 am: warded; Private
The spells are effective. It is more than a simple matter of point and cast, however. Pages themselves need the protection, and going through them all consumes a great deal of time. Volumes that are being restored will automatically have them cast, as will the new acquisitions, but the collections that were accessible to the general public will have to be treated at a later date. I'll recommend that all new additions be given similar protection upon their arrival and cataloguing.

As for my previous thoughts on leaving: they stand firm. Perhaps even more cemented as fact than before given the state Chloris is in about her sister. I don't feel safe here -- does she? How can she? How can anyone? I certainly don't want to send my children to any school here, not even one that Lucius may be setting up. (Look into finding private tutors appropriate for the boys' grade levels for long-term hire until... until.) That we would even be permitted to leave is a question that needs seeing to. As does broaching the subject with Chloris. Her family is here, and despite how much she rails against them, I know it would be difficult for her to permanently leave. But somehow, a compromise must be reached.

Forethought never hurt, however. Already I've set up a meeting with an agent. There is the old house, but that thing is more relic than home. Sprawling gardens, mild weather, and no threat of fucking terrorists. That's what I want.

11:00 pm: warded; private
How do I tell my wife that I want out of this country? There is less and less that keeps me rooted here. Chloris does not -- she is anchored to me -- and the children are young enough to learn how to love another home. My father was murdered, and I do not much care for the shares of his business that came to me upon his death. My sisters? No, not even they keep me here, for all that I worry about Demeter and her boy. The... cause? What cause? What sort of 'cause' do I want to be involved in, however peripherally, when my home is made a target? My home, my house, where my wife sleeps, where my children play. I have not sacrificed my youth to attaining security in marriage to lose it all in this.

And yet Chloris has so much invested here. I know of her love for the Continent, but I am unsure she would be willing to leave England. Where would we live? France? There is a great deal for me to consider. There is still work on her brother's library to be done. That is a task I shall not abandon -- it must be seen through to the end. Nevertheless, I believe I will begin to make enquiries about properties abroad.

N.B. test the new anti-flammable/water-repellant charm combination. If effective, it can be implemented into the books.

12:12 am: warded; Death Eaters & supporters
As of 9:22 in the morning of the fifth of May, Mr and Mrs Parkinson are the proud parents of Pansy Augustina, born beautiful and healthy. As Persephone's uncle, it is both a pleasure and a relief to announce that mother and child are both doing well, and to say that your good wishes would be held dearly by the family.

warded; Chloris
Our son would have been turning ten soon.

04:14 pm: 12; 2nd of May
warded; Private
And so. Albus Dumbledore is dead. What does it mean that the news was more shocking to me than that of my own father's death? Nothing, or something I'd rather not consider. My shock at Caractacus' demise was rooted in the fact that he finally was no more. Is that cold-blooded of me? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was merely my reaction to the idea that I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Now I can only hope that my own children do not grow up to dislike me as I disliked him. And my sisters... I don't know. They were understandably upset at the funeral.

Despite the events that injured so many of the loyalists to the cause and brought the abovementioned demise of Albus Dumbledore, yesterday was exceedingly pleasant. Chloris seemed pleased with her gifts. Her distress regarding her siblings' forgetfulness in conveying their good wishes was obvious, but I think Proteus and Caerus went above and beyond the call of duty in their plans to wish their mother a happy birthday. I look at them and am grateful that they're too young to play a role in the turning of these times. I hope they will never have to take up arms and risk their lives like so many fine men do now. As they grow up, they will have their own struggles to overcome. This war and its brutalities need not be one of them. It must not.

11:15 pm: 11; 16th of April
warded; Chloris
Caractacus is dead.

11:55 pm: 10; 10th of April
warded; Private
My father. Some fifty years and he still manages to get a rise out of me. My uncle was more father to me than Caractacus ever was; it is him I attempt to emulate in my relationships with both my sisters' children and my own. Epaticcus was a good man, a generous man who was stern in his dealings, but never dishonest. The apples of the generation must have fallen far, as his brother, my father, is nothing like him. I learned a long time ago to let his displays of meanness glance off me like so many little barbs, yet our meeting a few days ago left me angry and-- I don't know what. Furious, certainly. Perhaps this is a part of the prison's still lingering effects.

Despite my anger with him, he is still little more than a thorn in my side, if that. Often I wonder what will happen with the shop once he passes on. Once I enjoyed working in those dusty old rooms. Now I have moved on to greater things -- better things. I have my holdings. My children's futures are financially assured, as are the futures of their children. I have my wife, my sons, my daughters -- and I know where they stand in my life, unlike Caractacus, to whom money came first. It still does, although at this point, can I honestly claim to be surprised? He is a widower and his offspring have moved on; what he has is business and the company of Borgin. His life-partners, both of them.

And I suppose there was always a small chance of me ending up like him. Had I not been encumbered with this handicap, perhaps he would've warmed to the idea of a son. But I am and he didn't. Perhaps I should thank him for teaching me to value those things that he did not.

Still, he pisses me off like no other.

11:06 pm: 09; 22nd of March
warded; Lestranges by birth & by marriage
I've just returned from the Docklands; there was a chance that Marius went to the warehouse that is temporarily housing Rodolphus' collection, so I took the liberty of searching the place. No one, unfortunately, but I will know immediately if he appears there.


warded; Astra
The others are urging you to calm. I can only do the same. Your family will do the utmost to find him.

05:06 pm: 08; 12th of March
warded; Private
Libraries - add to records
Czechoslovakia, Český Krumlov: Zámecká knihovna

Antiquarian booksellers - add to records
L'Institut Antiquariat
Smitskamp Bibliopolae

Artemisia Bordesius
Ivo Beneš
Gisella Schwarzenberg

Books - purchased and awaiting delivery
Cohausen, Johann. Hermippus Redivivus: or, the Sage's Triumph over Old Age and the Grave. Wherein, a Method is Laid down for Prolonging the Life and Vigor of Man, 1749

Leadbeater, C.W. Wizard Visible and Invisible, 1835

Defoe, Baringarius. System of Magick; or, a History of the Black Arts, 1840


Although I swore to myself that I would not let business consume me when I came to this point in my life, working alongside Chloris as we seek out the beautiful and rare to add to our collections (rather, to replace those lost from the Library; and to acquire for the museum) is a delight I can't believe we haven't indulged in before now.

warded; Chloris
How are you feeling?

Also, I think it best to tell you that I've gone and done something extravagant.

11:09 pm: 07; 20th of February
warded; Private
(In German.)
Strike two. One more and I will be entirely convinced that this is not the place where I want to raise our children. Let them fight their war -- but my children should not have to grow up where bastions of our society are razed to the ground.

One more.


warded to; Bellatrix
Doubtless you'll be hearing (or have already) from Chloris, as she is beside herself with worry, and that you've already been surrounded and aided by family. My intention now is to offer you assistance with regards to restoring the items lost from your husband's collection. I have contacts and know dealers whose lives are dedicated to little else other than hunting down the arcane; if you wish it, I can contact them without delay once an inventory has been taken of the losses sustained.

02:31 am: 06 : 11th of February
warded to: Chloris
For the love of Merlin, Chloris, how many more of these invitations are we planning on receiving?

12:34 am: 05 : 5th of January
warded to: Death Eaters & Supporters
I break journal silence to announce the arrivals of Alexis Corbina and Iris Belvina, born on the 5th of January, 1980. Their mother is strong and well, and Chloris and myself are the both of us delighted to welcome not one, but two girls into our family.


warded to: Jacqueline & Marius; Chloris can read
It would honour us greatly if you would consent to be the godparents of Alexis.


warded to: Hortense & Barty; Chloris can read
It would honour us greatly if you would consent to be the godparents of Iris.


warded to: Chloris
Well, liebling, I would've much preferred to keep them (them!) to ourselves a while longer, but there it is. Now to remind the boys of the meaning of quiet.


warded to: Barty, Hortense, Persephone
It's been far too long, dears. As soon as Chloris is fully recovered, I insist on visits from all of you.

11:39 pm: warded; Private
The ability a person has to love another  is   

Making an attempt to order my mind is not a task I'm up to. Yet. My wife and our boys are the best restorative I could hope for... laughter, that is all I want to hear.

They're having their lunch now    and how much they've grown



[placeholder for later wondering of the 'wth is going on' variety regarding bustling Healers.]

01:26 am: 03 : 25 October, 1979
warded; Chloris
Tickets acquired, Liebling.

11:20 pm: 02 : 14 September, 1979
warded; Private
Chloris      what was she thinking

I thought we were past the worst, that the third would be the proverbial charm that signals that another child like N no no we are not going to lose this child. Not this one. Meine Ruh ist hin mein




Fear must not be allowed to overcome my judgment. She has been taken ill and has been put to bed in order not to distress our baby. It's a preventative measure. Bed-rest und quiet, no journal. The boys have been forbidden from disturbing her, and only I and her Healers are to visit her until she is well again. Already they're pleading to see her, but cannot risk contamination and I'll try to explain to them that their Mummy needs to rest until the Healers

If          I'll rip them apart with my bare hands if she doesn't rally.

warded; Rodolphus
My wife's been taken ill. I should be congratulating you on successes and commiserating over any failures, but at the moment I can only think to alert you of her state.

warded; Claudette, Jacqueline, Persephone
Ladies, my wife is feeling slightly under the weather. Any communications you might have for her may be conveyed through me, as she's been warned away from the excitement of this network for a while.

09:45 pm: 01 : 19 August, 1979
Even from abroad I hear distressing news about the state of things in England. But I find that the prospect of new life reduces the sense of bleakness, and so, with the greatest pleasure, I can confirm that my wife, Mistress Chloris Burke, is with child.

warded; Chloris
There it is, my love.

And to answer your question before you can ask it: I'll be home tonight. I didn't mean to be away this long, of course, as I don't usually deal with problems at this level, but one of our arborists thought it prudent to purchase a plot run through with rot without informing me, and I, shall we say, had to see to the future of his career. At any rate, I'll be home this evening, and you can fill me in on everything that's happened this past week. Have the boys been behaving? How did it go at the... luncheon, was it? Did you commit us to any particular funds? I expect Caerus will also give me the details I need (and don't, for that matter) -- I think I can almost hear his chatter from here. And no doubt Proteus will be pleased to know that I've arranged for a horse-breeder to visit us with several animals he judges suitable for the boy's skill level.

warded; nieces & nephews
How have you all been since we last spoke, my dears?

10:38 am: ( hephaestus burke. )