nikolas vaisey doesn't need a broom to fly

[Daphne]
Not that either of us need reminding, but I've got a twenty-third birthday approaching this week.  And I have an inkling that you just may be due to turn twenty-four not long after.

How should we celebrate this year?
[/Daphne]


[Millicent]
Thursday's my birthday.  What do you say to drinks?
[/Millicent]


Got the weirdest thing at the office today.  And by the looks of things I'm not the only one.  Melanie got one, too, and looked thoroughly disconcerted about it.  Apparently she just broke up with her boyfriend, so I guess it was a sore spot?  What a start to Christmas.

Speaking of, I'm already tired of hearing bad Christmas music everywhere I go.

[Private]
I can't fucking believe this.  Why would anyone do that to her?  To anyone?  She couldn't have been invo

I wish I could remember the last time I saw her better. Or that I'd have known it'd be the last.

What a thing to come back from holiday to.  I don't even feel like thinking about this wedding anymore.  Shite.
[/Private]

Still have a few of those puppies not yet reserved. 

[Daphne]
Where do you want to go?

As expected, Perdita's had her puppies.  Which means, by early December, they will be ready to be separated and sold.  If anyone is still interested in purchasing one of the puppies, please send me an owl, or leave a note here.

The litter was seven in all - four males, three females.  I'll be taking pick of the litter, which should mean there will be five or six up for the taking.  For those thinking of purchasing, I'll include some photos of the parents and the litter here.

[Private]
To not hear from someone in years, and then to see their name come up in an article like that.  It's not good.  I couldn't stop thinking about the damn thing yesterday.  Melanie kept pointing out mistakes in the paperwork I was sorting, which is ridiculous because I should know these things better than she does.  I wonder if she knew Lucy?  She might have been too old to remember her. 

I wish I could do something.  I always thought we might see one another again sometime. 
[/Private]

[Daphne]
I'll be out flying tonight.  Probably late. 
[/Daphne]

We hired a new girl today, for the Dorset office.  A Ravenclaw a few years ahead of me.  I had to admit I didn't really remember her at all from school, but mum and I agree she was the most qualified for the position.  She's apparently been spending the past four years studying griffin varieties in northern Africa and speaks about seven languages, very intelligent and well-spoken, and has some interesting ideas about some projects and clients we might take on next year. So we both expect she'll be an excellent addition.  It's possible she'll be coming along to Sweden this year.  Speaking of, need to start working out the particulars for this go round.  Considering we leave in early November. 

[Private to McG's former Animagus trainees]
Here's a random question, to those of you who I haven't kept in touch with, and those I have - did any of you lot register?  Was it worth it?

( Private to Daphne )

Perdita's pregnant.  Before anyone starts speculating about some great scandal, Perdita is one of our my fox terriers.  She's a bit over a month in, and we're fairly sure that the sire is Oden.  This means that the puppies will be half Korthals Griffon and thus likely very wiry-haired and energetic.  Both sire and dam are very healthy and well-bred dogs, so we expect the litter to follow suit. 

If anyone would be interested in purchasing one of the puppies when they're ready to be weaned, send an owl to the Nikolas Vaisey, or leave me a note here.  Obviously they won't be ready to go home with anyone for another two months or so, but I thought it would be wise to start getting them placed early.  Daphne's going to kill me if I have a rabble of puppies running around the grounds.

I've just sent off a few of my old textbooks to Astrid - she seems to think doing a lot of outside reading will give her an edge this year.  I told her she's got a whole year before she even needs to begin worrying about O.W.L.s.  She looked at me like I was insane, and said something about how of course I wouldn't understand anything to do with actually having a work ethic in school.  I was going to argue, but then I realised that she was almost completely correct.  I hate when my fourteen year old sister wins arguments against me.  It only makes her cockier than she already is.  Gryffindors. 

That Whitby kid seems all right, from the two times I've seen him.  Sort of athletic, apparently he's a Beater on the Quidditch team and seems to have the ability to at least pretend he's got a brain when he's around his girlfriend's family.  I'm determined not to like him but she far he hasn't given me any reason to.


[Daphne]
Sunday night, I've made reservations for dinner. 

I stopped by my parents' house this morning to pick up a few things and have Mum look over some of the reports I've been writing up.  Got to talking to Astrid about her plans for the school year coming up, and she casually mentioned something about her boyfriend.  A boyfriend.  When did Astrid get old enough to have a boyfriend?  I know she's almost fifteen but come on.  Maybe I'm thinking about the sorts of things I got up to at fifteen fifteen-year-old boys get up to, and that's what I find so disturbing.  I want to meet this boy.  His name's Andrew Whitby, or something like that. 

She seemed very jealous that I'm going to the match against Portugal today. As if she has anything to complain about, she could probably convince Dad to buy her tickets if she asked. Actually, she claims she's going out for the team this year. She ought to, she's quite good.

I've been back in England for nearly a week now and the boredom has yet to set back in! I think Barcelona was just what I needed, and I'm sure that those who have been receiving souvenirs from our trip are probably thinking similarly. (Astrid, if the bracelets aren't quite to your taste, I have no doubt about your ability to barter them for something more interesting once you're back at school.)

One of the hippocampi in Dorset laid a clutch of eggs a few weeks ago, and from the looks of it there's at least two blue duns, and possibly a silver as well. Mum thinks the Norwegian bloke who was looking to buy could very well double his offer at this point. I'm not sure what we plan with do with the remaining two. They seem like they might be grays so I suppose we'll keep them on for breeding, or else try to find another buyer.

On the other hand, the hippocampus that sired this particular clutch has also come down with some sort of ear parasite, so we'd like to nip that in the bud before it becomes a bigger problem.

( Ward to Draco Malfoy )

( Private )

[Private - Daphne can read]
It is very nice here, though. I woke up really early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I went flying over the botanical gardens at Montjuïc. Roosted in a tree for a while and watched a groundskeeper going about his morning tasks. I think he may have found the sudden appearance of a large white bird alarming, because he kept glancing at me, so eventually I up and left before he started to think too much of it. Did bring some flowers back, though, so it wasn't a waste really.

They also have this thing called the Font Màgica - it's a bit of a funny name I thought, because it's really not magical at all. It does have a really excellent view of the palace, though, especially at night, and they illuminate it all. Thoroughly Muggle, of course, but it could be interesting. I think we ought to go this week.
[/Private]

[Private]
Sometimes I'm surprised that I still manage to gt a thrill out of flying a broom when I can just as easily transform and fly around on my own.  Yeah, there's something to be said for feeling the air currents under my wings and sensing tiny changes in the wind, and the complete freedom of movement but...I don't know.  I went for a fly this morning on my broom and it was just very refreshing.  I think it's more of a challenge to fly as a human being - it's not really natural is it, even for a wizard?  You have to think about it more, if you intend to do it right.  For a bird it's all instinct, it's like I'm not even really controlling myself.  I guess the two things are too different to compare directly. 

And on a completely unrelated note, it's strange, but I think I miss Botkyrka.  We're not planning to go up there until at least October, but I could really do with a holiday.  There are some days where I just do not want to walk into an office and be greeted by a pile of forms, and someone's angry owl, and have to deal with a completely unreasonable client over the floo. 
[/Private]


[Daphne]
I know now is possibly not the best time, with Astoria's wedding approaching and all, but do you think we can go on holiday soon?
[/Daphne]


England, you've officially become passe.  At least until further notice.

Let it be known that I had no intention of buying one of these things, but it's a bit difficult to resist one of Astrid's owls. She is ridiculously stubborn, and I'm pretty sure it's only getting worse as the years go one. At this rate she'll be set to take over the entire world by the time she graduates. In any case, this one seems all right. I think she realized I couldn't care less about the fact that they've got ones that change colours and all these days.

I don't see what's wrong with an ordinary book for this, but I guess the ones from back in school had their advantages. How nice to be so trendy. Hopefully I'll manage to keep track of this. I have the feeling it might disappear beneath all the paperwork I keep finding conveniently piled on my desk.

The storm is coming, it's gonna make a beautiful sound( . )

So, forgive me for sounding daft, this new decree does not include summer holidays, correct?  I'm a bit puzzled as to what is considered an "adequately completed" education. 

I don't even know if I should be calling this weekend's victory well-earned.  It was nice to fly again.  Well-played.

[Private]
I really wish she'd have given us stronger potions for this.  I've been sore before, but this is ridiculous.  Short of breaking bones, I don't think I've been in this much pain since...that Quidditch game, maybe?  Hell, I think I'd prefer if Goyle would knock me off a broom right now, it'd be a nice change.

I guess we're all closer to succeeding...I just hope it doesn't feel this way every time.  Otherwise, I don't see the appeal.
[/Private]

[Private]
Finally got that owl I've been expecting from home on Saturday. I'm surprised it took them this long. I assumed they were to angry, or something. Well. They are angry. Dad especially, big surprise there. Luckily, it was Morsa who wrote the letter and she is a bit more...thoughtful with how she phrases things.

Basically, they're not please, but they also realize short of coming here and taking me home, there isn't much they can do to keep me from doing what I want while I'm at school. They also hope that I've "come to my senses" by now and that the letter is unnecessary. It ended with a gentle reminder that my future with the company relies largely on my marrying Daphne, but that if this "dalliance" (what the hell, we're seventeen, am I not supposed to be dallying? Do they know who they're talking to?) continues then there is always Uncle Sören to take over. Which none of us want. 

Fine, I get it.  But guess what?  I'm not really inclined to give it much thought right now.  Meeting this Roger bloke was enough for one week.
[/Private]

I've mentally prepared myself for the sickening sight of cupids flying around the dining hall this weekend, and a larger than usual incidence of public displays of affection in the corridors. It might prove a bit entertaining right now, actually.