Jonathon Ulysses Bones

( Private to the Order )


( Private to Sturgis )

[Remus]

I believe Mr. Pettigrew is under the impression you'll be with him over the full moon. Have you made other arrangements? I was hoping to keep you in the laboratory for observation again. If you are willing. I believe we are close to finding the correct combination of ingredients, and if I shall be permitted a moment of optimism, perhaps one of the three trial potions I have for you this month will work just as it should.

[End]

[Ed]
- I


[Amelia]
I have--


[Caoimhe]

If, theoretically, a person did something they could not forgive themself for, would it be unrealistic of them to, theoretically, hope for forgiveness from those that were wronged by the act? In theory.

I just-- I can't

I don't mean to make light of it, but I also will not discuss the details. I just... I guess I don't know what to do, and I have no one I can talk to.

Just wondering on the nature of guilt and forgiveness, that's all.

[End]


[Josie]

How is France? And how are you? The house is quiet without you, and empty.

I miss--

I hope you are enjoying seeing your family. Please pass on my kindest regards. I will see you this afternoon when you get back, yes? Perhaps I will take a break from the lab and come home to share a late lunch with you?

I think that perhaps time is not doing anything for us. Maybe we should talk about how to proceed. I do not wish for you to continue to be as unhappy as you seemed before you left for France. I miss your smile, even if I have no right to it right now.

[End]

( Private to Josie )



( Private to Ishmael )



( Private )



( Pepper and Damocles )

[Private]

( Private to Ishmael )

( Private to the Order )


( Private to Severus )

[Warded to Ed and Cally]

Sorry, it completely slipped my mind until Josie asked me if I was planning on stepping out of the laboratory long enough to even give her a simple yes or no or I'd just decided to live th--

Forgive me. Josie thinks it's too late now to RSVP. She says that it would be rude to inform you two days before the event that we will indeed attend and even though I told her it's fine because it's you two and the normal rules of polite society can be bent given the situation, she said that just because it's family is no excuse to be rude. Anyway, it's clear she really wants to attend and I've been... remiss. So I ought to make it up to her.

Can I RSVP here on behalf of Josie and I to your ball?

[End Ward]

[Private]

I am losing my mind. I wish I had never met him.





I can't... I can't. And I never should have.

[End]

( [Warded to Severus Snape and Remus Lupin, viewable to Damocles and Pepper] )


( [Warded to Remus] )


( [Warded to Damocles and Pepper] )


( [Warded to Doyle] )

I suppose they didn't much like Edgar's decision to remove the Bones family from the confines of society. Thankfully, my brother is not an easy man to kill.

On that note, he is going to be all right. And Cally as well, obviously.


And on that note, I think it is about time I go home and sleep in a proper bed.


[Pepper]
I checked in briefly to find you weren't in your room. I assume you're with Effie? I heard she's going to be okay. It sounded bad. She has a ways to go, but she's a strong woman. She'd have to be to put up with you.

Do you need anything before I leave St. Mungo's?
[End]


[Kamal, Ulhas, Caoimhe, Malcolm, Quinn, Marion]
Kamal has a spinal injury? He'll recover though, won't he? I wasn't able to get much information. CII is chaotic and I'm exhausted because I've been here since Friday night with my brother, and...

Does anyone else know anything more?
[End]


[Private to Severus Snape and Remus Lupin]
Temporary hold on laboratory work. I will contact you when I return my attentions to the project. I know the full moon is coming up again. Mid next week at the latest as we move forward with preparations.
[End]

( Private to Ishmael Croaker )




Added later:

With all that's been going on, I very nearly forgot something quite important.

Caoimhe and Doyle, happy birthday both of you. You have my most sincere wishes of fulfillment and joy, because in such trying times seeking contentment becomes both harder and more important than ever. You are both remarkable people.

[Private]
He did not send me Catullus poetry on Valentine's Day. It's the last thing I was expecting to find waiting for me in the laboratory. He would not have. He could not have. It would be insane.

It is even more insane to consider from my childhood bedroom at the Bones Estate. It is strange to be staying at home as a grown, married man, but it is better to err on the side of caution, I suppose, and I would not put Josie unnecessarily at risk, even if Edgar is being a daft fool and refusing to take the same precautions he has recommended I observe.
[End]


[Private to Caoimhe]
You didn't by any chance send me a gag gift for Valentine's Day, did you?
[End]

( Private )


[Private to Edgar]

What would you say if I expressed interest in joining the Order?

[End]


[Private to Sloane Vaisey]

If, because of recent events, you are uncomfortable receiving your potions from me, I would recommend Potions Master O'Keefe. He is nearly as good as I am at blood potions. If you are able to keep personal politics out of our business relationship, or if you feel our personal relationship will be unaffected, I have no problem continuing to provide them for you.

Unless, of course, you have contacted the French potions master I mentioned?

[End]


I suppose people have seen my brother's entry by now. He addressed the situation far better than I ever could. He always was more eloquent than I. I will not attempt to restate what he has already made very clear, and instead will simply formally state that the Bones family is united on this front.


( Private to Damocles and Pepper )

And so it begins.

I suppose it could have been worse. And at least we were all named alchemical vigilantes. What an interesting, if inaccurate, title. I hardly think striving for a much needed advance in medi-magic makes any of us vigilantes. It is all very by the books.


[Damocles and Pepper]
I hope you aren't experiencing any complications or consequences from the article, but perhaps the timing is apt. This will be the first full moon while in actual activity.

I have hired a laboratory assistant to help with the brewing. I am assuming he will be accompanying me over the next three evenings. What hours will either of you be available?

Further notice, we have two confirmed volunteers.
[End Ward]


[Severus Snape]
I hope you are well rested. I intend to work through the night this evening through to Sunday evening. There will be time to rest during the day, of course, and while I understand you have other obligations, I am sure Mr. Jigger will be able to understand the importance of testing over the full moon. You are available?
[End Ward]


And on the ubiquitous topic of love in the journals of late:

Ah, but to cure a love potion is simple. Curing love? It is -- as it should be -- an impossible task. Without love, and all of the complications it brings, what would there be to bring both foolishness and purpose to man? A perfectly detached man free of distractions is a dangerous thing. Do not think of curing; think of indulging.
        The Personal Memoirs of Libatius Borage, author of "Advanced Potion-Making"

I'm not sure if I agree with the famed Potions Master Borage. He was quite known for his indulgence, after all, and it did not always serve him well. Though, I suppose his many rather salacious endeavours were forgiven in lieu of his brilliance, and in the end he was remembered for his textbooks, not his scandals.

His memoirs are rare, but interesting. If you can get your hands on a copy, I would recommend it as an interesting read, for those so inclined.

[Warded to Cally]
I have a proposition for you. I will be working through the full moon on the new project, but I don't want Josie to be alone. I know our home is safe, but chalk my extra nerves up to the pregnancy. I don't suppose you'd like company this weekend, what with Ed likely working through as well?
[End Ward]

[Private]

I'm not sure I believe it's possible that he just happened to speak to me. Perhaps he purchased my name from Mr. Borgin as I did his, perhaps he was baiting me. And if one man knows, it's only a matter of time, really. It isn't as though I have any reason to assume he'll guard my secret any better than he guards his own.

But we had a perfectly pleasant conversation. He didn't seem malicious in the slightest. Maybe it wasn't his goal to unsettle me. I'm not sure what his motivation could've been otherwise, if he...

Well, I suppose if he did know and was simply playing dumb, he could have been being friendly for a reason. Perhaps he thinks--

Right, no point obsessing about what he may or may not want think of me now. It doesn't matter.

It was colosally idiotic of me to suggest we work together, however. Even if he did not recognize my name in the journals, I am sure he would recognize my face. And then he would surely get the wrong idea of our conversation. Or, well, right idea but... no. No, wrong idea. Wrong indeed.

I'll simply fail to follow through. It's as easy as that. I can make do without his research or input. Even if he's as intelligent as he seems, I will not meet with him. Though, I don't suppose, now that I've started, there's any harm in conversing through the journals.



Oh, I am despicable. My focus should be on my wife, on the pregnancy, on the child I have on the way. I should be preparing to be a father, not doing this, not indulging my own perversions. I should--

[End Private]






Oh my. Sorry about that.

Lost track of time. Minor miscalculation. Bound to happen once in a while. I am surprised it got all the way to my journal, though. It was at least six feet away.

Nothing to do but start over. Well, after I get cleaned up and, ah, refocus my attentions. What a waste.

( Warded to Severus Snape )


( Private )


( Warded to Ted, Gretchen, Betty, and Malcolm )



I have a research headache. I tend to work even more than usual when distressed, much to the chagrin of my wife, and recent events haven't done much for the nerves, I suppose. Working at least makes me feel like I am contributing to the betterment of society, and it is plain to see our society needs bettering when innocents are being murdered by burning in the streets and men are being hung from buildings and werewolves are attacking whole villages and whatever other manner of horrors has befallen us lately. It seems easier to sink into books and preparation and simply hope that my efforts will, in some way, have some positive effect on the future. I shall leave changing the present to my brother, I suppose. Though he is only one man and he has been working as though he is at least six. (If anyone is near Edgar Bones at the moment, please remind him that though caffeine is helpful with alertness, it is not a substitute for sleep or food.)

I took a break to get lunch and post volunteer lists at the CII ward. No volunteers yet, though it's only been a few hours. There won't be many lycanthropic patients at St. Mungo's for another ten or eleven days, at any rate.

Our research proposal was due to come back today as well, but I received owl post informing me it was delayed due to administrative complications. Whatever that means.

Whether or not it receives official approval, I'm continuing ahead with the project. We have the private funding we need at any rate. It was a gesture more than anything, and I hope that the results will speak for themselves when the time comes.

[Private to Self]
To watch: Ishmael Croaker.

I am a fool and a disgrace and an idiot.
[End Private]


[Private to Friends and Family, and the Spouses of, Excluding Josie]

With so many important things going on, it is easy for things to get overshadowed. I just wanted to offer a friendly reminder to all of you that it is Josie's birthday today.

When you wish her happy birthday, if you have time, perhaps a congratulations is in order as well.

That is to say, we're pregnant. We've decided there's no point keeping it to ourselves since we're obviously ecstatic about it. Little Baby Bones will be joining us in July, and we won't be learning the gender in advance. Feel free to guess, and also to suggest names.

[End Private]


At just this moment, I am taking a break from thinking about work and such terrible current events and focussing on something wonderful and entirely worthy of such attention.

My darling Joséphine, happy birthday. I could not imagine my life without you. Never a day passes that I don't count my blessings for your love, friendship, and companionship. I am truly lucky to have you.

And I have a surprise for you tonight. Don't ask me what it is, you know I'm terrible at keeping secrets.

I've rescheduled all of my appointments and obligations that I can remember, but if I've forgotten anyone in my distraction, please accept my apologies. I'm unavailable today and likely tomorrow as well.


[Private to Josie, Marion, Quinn, Kamal, Ulhas, Marcus, Benjy, Caoimhe (in case she wakes up), Doyle, and Edgar]

I've been at St. Mungo's the last, oh, sixteen hours or so. I'm just going to crawl into bed for a few hours and then I'll be back again.

If there's any change on Caoimhe, send me a ward that makes noise? I only got to see her for a moment and she looked and I still can't stop worrying even though they said she'll live. The moment she wakes up, if I'm not there, please ward me.

Of course, if anyone needs anything...

[End Ward]

( Private to Damocles Belby and Octavius Pepper )


[Private to Josie]

Dinner. Tomorrow. You, me, and Baby, anywhere you'd like. I feel like I haven't seen you out of beds in months. Not that I don't enjoy cuddling under the covers, but I have been working far too much to enjoy you, or to give you the attention you deserve. The events of this weekend inspired me, I suppose.

Is there anything you need, by the way? Anything at all? Any whim that your doting husband would be ecstatic to indulge?

[End Private]


[Private to Sloane Vaisey]

Update please, Sloane. How are the new potions feeling?

[End Private]