I just wanted to tell you that my mum made me stop using that Facebook thing. It might be sort of a little bit my fault, but I won't go into that. I just wanted to tell you in case I was talking to you on there. I don't want you to think I'm dead or that I just stopped wanting to communicate with you. I'm very much alive, and I love talking to all of you.
I'm still allowed to talk here. I might have to stop talking on the Ministry site. My mum thinks it's very dangerous for me to be talking there, but my dad thinks it's okay. We'll see how that goes. She does say I can talk on the rebellion page, so that's good. She trusts that....for now.
I was a bit rude to my mum. I feel a little bad. But she said maybe I should talk more to Muggles instead. I said, "That's a bit. prejudice. Do you want me to stop talking to Julia too?" She gave me one of her looks. I didn't try to argue anymore. I know that's not a good idea.
I have nothing against Muggles. It's just it's hard to talk to them now because they have no idea about this whole war. They're totally oblivious, so it feels weird.
I really wish I was a wizard.
I wish I was a wizard and there was no war, and I was at Hogwarts hanging out with Hagrid. My sister told me about him. She said he was a bit scary, but from what she said I think he'd be my kind of friend.
18 comments:
I'm sorry your mum made you quit Facebook, but maybe she'll come around. This war is probably, in ways, worse for you because it isn't your war and it isn't your war. I hope you are safe Alex.
*Also, I'm Mia Bellatria, but it's a pain to write that every time I post. Besides, I don't feel the need to use my full name with those I call friends.
Mia,
Thank you so much for your kindness, and I am so happy that you see all of us as your friends. That means a lot to me because I have never had a wizard see me as their friend. I don't count Julia because she's my sister. Of course we're friends though.
I don't think the war is worse for me. I'd rather be here than where you are. I think most of you guys in London have it worse because you have bad things happening to you. There's external things happening...like torture and loss. I don't have any of that. We're pretty safe and comfortable here. But we do have things going on inside of us. I'm scared. I'm sad. I worry the war will come over here, and there will be nowhere to hide. I'm scared someone will come and take my sister away.
I'm not as scared as my mum. But when she gets scared, than I start feeling scared as well.
Sometimes I think reading the news makes me scared, and I wonder if I should stop. Does ignorance make you happier? Probably. But maybe it puts you in danger because if something bad happens you'll be caught off guard.
Julia refuses to read any news. She said if she was there, she'd know about it. But what's the point of knowing when you're so far away? There's nothing you can do to help.
Maybe she's right.
I don't know.
Ignorance can make you happier, but it also makes you less able to make informed decisions. It's better to know, even if it's unpleasant.
I've never really understood "Facebook" myself, but I'm sorry your mother won't let you use it.
Icarus,
Yeah. I probably agree with you. I'll keep reading the news.
I think I'll be okay without Facebook. As long as my mum doesn't forbid the internet all together...I'm not going to complain too much.
Miss Buglet, I hope you consider me your friend! I can't communicate as often as I'd like because I'm usually on a mission and, even when I'm not, I'm keeping under cover and moving from place to place ... but I hope you know I'm thinking and worrying about you, even when you don't hear from me.
I chanced taking a well-deserved break from The Struggles yesterday and traveled to America for the afternoon. I had the opportunity to observe muggles in their natural habitat by attending a game they call baseball in a large public arena. I couldn't understand the attendees' enthusiasm for this game. Its pace is very slow, no flying was involved, the players use a stick to hit a ball (slightly larger than a snitch but without wings), then they chase each other round in circles. Very nonsensical. I believe this game may be some sort of military exercise because it was referred to as "major league". I asked a muggle sitting near me about lieutenant, captain and colonel leagues, but he just stared blankly at me. Obviously, he understands the game no better than I. Quidditch really is THE best game in the world!
The muggles were clearly oblivious to our troubles in England, as I expected. Unless they have a witch or wizard in the family, English muggles are unaware as well. I was disturbed, though, to discover that the American wizarding community, for the most part, underestimate the severity our struggle. They're aware of the increasing enmity among members of the English wizarding community, but most believe it's merely an ideological disagreement. They don't understand that muggles, muggleborns and other anti-Ministry witches and wizards are being targeted, oppressed, incarcerated without cause, tortured, and murdered, that even more lives are in danger. They don't understand it's boiling down to a battle between Good and Evil and that, if Evil wins, a world-wide conflagration will likely result. We have friends in America who do understand the seriousness of the situation and ardently support us, but they are few. I wonder if the Rebellion should send diplomatic representatives to America to educate the wizarding community about the true situation in England?
I think America should be educated on what is happening. To be honest, in my darker moments, when this whole thing feels so hopeless it's not dying for the cause that scares me. I knew that would be a likely outcome long ago. I guess...I'm scared that if we die, all of us, the ideas we died for will be forgotten. If the world isn't watching who will continue our fight?
I understand how you feel, SC. For those of us on the front lines, the future can look bloody bleak because we see the worst of this war. While we often see the best of human behavior - generosity, loyalty, great love, and tremendous acts of courage - we also see the absolute worst of human behavior, the likes of which we never expected to encounter in our lives, the likes of which we never could have imagined existed. As no one else can, we know what's really going on out there, we don't know which side will win, we don't know if we or anyone we care about will survive ... and at this point, I don't expect to. I put myself in too many dangerous situations, but I need to do whatever I can to help as many people reach safety as possible and advance the Rebellion's objectives. If I make it through this war, it'll be a gift.
Should we fall or our side fail, will we or the principles we're fighting for be remembered? I believe so. The European, African, Australian and Asian wizarding communities are intensely aware of our conflict, are primarily supportive of the Rebellion and coming to our aid (though I wish they'd do more and do it more quickly). I believe humanity is inherently good, and, as hopeless as I also feel at times, I cannot believe that evil will triumph over so many good people. Our friends beyond our shores will remember what we've done, why we fought, and they'll carry on that fight.
Now if we could only get the Americas and Canada involved.
Aoife,
Thank you so much for thinking of me as a friend! That means a lot to me. And I think of you as my friend too.
America! You're so lucky. Maybe it's a shame you had to waste it on baseball though. I'm not into sport that much. Quidditch sounds fun. I wanted to go to that big game a few years ago, but my mum said no. Even Julia wasn't allowed.
I laughed when you talked about observing Muggles in their own habitat. That reminds me of how I felt when I went to Diagon Alley.
I don't know what to think about the American attitude towards the UK problem. Is it ignorance? Denial? Some people just want to avoid conflict, and they feel distance makes them safe.
I guess it's like my parents. They could have stayed, but as soon as Dumbledore died, we were out of there. Then again, they're Muggles and they probably felt a bit helpless. Maybe if they were wizards we would have stayed to fight.
I don't know.
I think sending diplomats is a good idea. At least Americans can be educated; and then they can decide if they want to join the fight.
Sc Mather,
You know when I first read your comment I thought you were saying that your worst fear about this war is not dying in it. I thought you had a major death wish going on. But I understand now what you're saying.
I think you're very brave not to fear dying. I wish I could say the same, but it would be a lie. I don't want to die. I want to live. I want to visit America. I want to travel around the country I'm in now. I want to go back to London. I want to get married. I want to have children. I want to taste a Peep and try every flavour of Pop Tart.
I would at least like a boyfriend someday.
It's scary to think that death is not only the end of our lives, but also the end of our ideas. I think it's hard to kill ideas though. I can't imagine that every rebel will die in the war. Children will survive this. They'll tell their grandchildren all about it.
Also, you did your part today by writing down your experiences. Even if you're lost in the war (and I really hope you're not) your story will live on...hopefully.
Alex, that's part of the reason I wish you and your family to stay away from all of this. Someone needs to remember us and someone needs to tell the rest of the world about us. You may not be here but you and Julia are anything but insignificant if you just remember us.
That's the thing about wars and disasters of this scale - ordinary people become historical repositories, just by surviving. I'm with you, Alex, in that I desperately, desperately want to live. I want to be an old man, telling my absurd number of grandchildren about life in this war. One of the great things about this site is that it lets us share each other's stories. As long as at least one of us survives, somebody will know what we've done, who we've been. I just - I want to be the one to tell my own story, when this is over.
I'm not holding out for much help from the Americans - they have a history of staying neutral to the point of idiocy. They certainly weren't any help with Grindelwald - though nor were we, for a while.
Oh, and... I consider you a friend too, Alex. Which is rather surreal. If you'd told me a few months ago that I'd have a Muggle friend, I'd have made unfavorable comparisons of you to Xeno Lovegood. But you're not at all like I expected a Muggle to be.
It's just another aspect of this war, I suppose. I'm losing people I thought I could rely on and finding friends in the oddest of places. A good thing, overall, maybe.
Icarus:
I am so happy that we're friends. I'm glad I'm not what you expected, because I know you expected Muggles to be pretty blah. Some of them are, by the way. But I guess the same can be said for wizards.
SC Mather: I want to live. Yes. But I want you to live too. And I don't want staying alive to be my only contribution to all this. I asked my mum and dad if you guys could come and stay with us. My mum said no, and also said if I ask again she'll forbid me to use the Internet all together.
My dad said maybe we can send you money? Is that possible. I still feel it's not enough though. It's my parent's money, so it's really their contribution not mine.
But anyway, would money help? Maybe you could use it for food and shelter? New clothes? It would be Muggle money, because that's all we have. I'm not sure how to get it to you.
Icarus: Yeah, somehow I can picture you like that if we all survive this.
I don't know about grandkids of my own, I have the feeling I'd screw up any children, but I'd love to pace the halls of the ministry like Mad Eye used to. Ha... scaring the sh** out of anyone new to the department by telling 'em how i got my scars. That'd be fun. Or wow my brother's kids with magic tricks that come on the borderline of violating the statute of secrecy.
Point being, I do want to live. I just don't want to live because I was too scared to stand up for what was worth standing up for, I'm sure you feel the same.
Alex: Thank you for your offer, it's very generous and your family must be very kind. Unfortunately our food shortage and is due less to lack of funds and attributed more to an aversion of towns. We're more then a little bit frightened of getting caught.
Having Carissa has helped, since she passes well as a muggle (being one and all) but it starts to look fishy if she buys a ton of food and then vanishes into the forest.
As for coming to stay with you, I agree with your mum. Besides, I'm too stubborn to leave. I was born here and I'll die here.
Thank your dad and mum for their kindness. Maybe we'll meet when this is all over.
SC Mather,
Okay! I'm glad Carissa can get food for you.
If you ever change your mind about needing help, just tell us.
I love the idea of you doing magic tricks for your brother's kids. They'll think it's a trick, but the trick will be that it's not a trick. Fun!
I'm only on speaking terms with one of my brothers (the twin one) and I sent them to the states to see our grandmother (my father is from America) after the news hit. Anyways, my brother just married a lovely woman and their expecting the first kiddo soon. I hope I get a chance to meet him or her. I sent my owl to them a week ago. I don't think it's safe for me to be sending and receiving them these days.
Sc Mather,
Congratulations on your new niece or nephew. I hope you get a chance to be with all of them!
Post a Comment
Please be nice to each other, even if you disagree with what the other person is saying.
If you suddenly feel possessed by a futuristic Muggle, PLEASE go to the OOC section to the right.