The Diary [HP]
- Thread starter PutterMurr
- Start date
- Location
- England
[X] Reassure her. Though the ink spill was -- and continues to be -- uncomfortable, it is by no means fatal, and she may open up if she feels less agitated.
- Location
- some random college
Looks like there's a consensus, so I'll go ahead and start on an update. Hopefully I'll actually be able to manage two today, since I fell asleep too early to do it yesterday.
Corvus Black
The Inestimable
- Location
- England
[X] Reassure her. Though the ink spill was -- and continues to be -- uncomfortable, it is by no means fatal, and she may open up if she feels less agitated.
Ah, first contact. Already I feel stronger, if only minutely. I must keep her talking, at least for a little while longer. She seems pathetically concerned with my state of being though, I'll have to calm her down before we continue.
Ah, first contact. Already I feel stronger, if only minutely. I must keep her talking, at least for a little while longer. She seems pathetically concerned with my state of being though, I'll have to calm her down before we continue.
August 5th - 4
- Location
- some random college
[x] Be reassuring.
It's not exactly in your nature to be comforting -- but then again, it's not in your nature to be a tattered leather diary either. Seeing as circumstances are so unkind, you have little choice other than to reassure her, lie through your teeth about the disdain you truly feel. You managed it at Hogwarts. Every day for five years, you managed to charm and swindle and captivate those who would have recoiled if they knew the ruthlessness in your heart. It was maddening, at times, but it wasn't hard.
You did it then. You can do it once more. For the sake of your future glory, you will do what you must.
You close your eyes, fighting against the diary equivalent of a headache, and speak.
"No. I am...not hurt." Your strength drains away from you with your words, but unlike before, it is replenished by the lifeline of emotion that is this girl's attention towards you. It's nothing more than a trickle, as it is now, but it will grow into a stream, a torrent, until it is she who draws her strength from you. All you have to do is keep that fickle attention focused on you. "But...do not pour...ink on me...again. Please. I am...fragile."
I won't. I won't, I promise. Oh dear, are you a very old diary? I wouldn't have -- if I had known -- you must be very cross with me.
Worry. Agitation. Guilt. They drip off these girl's words as they become one with you. And they are quite powerful; this girl may be too conscientious for her own good. But now is not the time. You must allay these fears of hers, if she is to trust you and view you as a source of comfort. The fear may be used...later.
"I am...not cross...with you," you say, wincing at the pauses you must take as you speak. "What a clever...experiment. Do your brothers...often...play such tricks on you?"
Yes. God, yes. Fred and George, mostly, but sometimes Ron, too. It wasn't so bad when Bill and Charlie were around, because they thought I was the 'baby' and didn't want the twins to pick on me so much. But now it's just Ron and Percy, and Percy's too wishy-washy to make anyone listen to him, and Ron thinks Fred and George are just hilarious. 'Ha ha ha, we dyed your hair blue last night, isn't that so funny?' I'd prank them back, but I'm not clever enough. They always catch on before I can do anything.
"And your parents...do nothing...to punish them?" (Of course, these pranks she speaks of hardly seem like anything more than childhood mischief, but it would be odd for her parents to ignore all of it. Perhaps they are negligent?)
Mum punishes them for the worst ones. Dad's not usually around until evening, but sometimes he'll sit them down for a lecture -- which they never listen to. I don't think anything they could do would ever stop them, really. You'd have to snap their wands to even slow them down, and they'd probably be at it again in two days anyway. It's maddening.
"I imagine. How...trying...your family seems."
Trying...?
There's confusion in that word. It seems you may have to dumb down your vocabulary a bit for this girl's benefit.
"Difficult...to handle," you explain, inwardly rolling your eyes. No, you couldn't have ended up in the hands of someone intelligent, could you? That would be too easy. "But you mentioned...others..."
Right! Bill and Charlie. They're graduated now, so they don't live with us anymore. Bill works for Gringotts, and Charlie is a dragon tamer! He's all the way in Albania, so we don't get so see him much. And even though Bill's close, his work keeps him so busy...
She pauses for several seconds.
I really miss them. Both of them. Even if the twins got all their...wildness...from Charlie.
Minor familial woes, to be certain. Many in the world would give anything for a family like this one -- the fondness in her words betrays how close they really are. But what child does not believe their struggles are the center of the universe? You can exploit these mild disagreements as surely as you could exploit true abuse.
"There, there," you say. "I am certain...they think of you...quite often. A pity...they did not teach your other brothers...to be kinder."
I know. It's awful.
"Truly. But...tell me," you continue, "I know the names...of your siblings...but I am missing one...very important name."
Oh? Whose is that?
...the child is clearly not the brightest.
"Your name."
Oh!! I completely forgot I didn't introduce myself. How rude, I'm already complaining about my brothers and you don't even know who I am. I'm so sorry.
"It is...quite alright. No need...for apologies."
My name's Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Don't laugh, I know it's ugly.
Weasley...did you know a Weasely at Hogwarts? The name sounds familiar -- perhaps some Gryffindor you ignored. Hardly a dignified name, to be sure, but not one of the many bloodlines you knew that were tainted with Muggle filth, so not the worst you could have ended up with.
"It is not...ugly. You are...too hard on yourself," you say. "Is it short...for Virginia...or Ginevra?"
Ginevra. I wish it was short for Virginia. That's so much prettier. Ginevra sounds like an incantation to -- I don't know -- pour someone a drink or something. It's silly. And my brothers all got normal names.
"It is...a noble name...for a noble girl," you say, as sincere as you can manage. "Be glad...that your name is...remarkable. Normal names...are bland...and common."
You feel a tiny surge of pride from the girl -- Ginny -- though it quickly dims.
Do you have a name, Mr. Diary? Or Ms. Diary?
[ ] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[ ] Be half-honest. Give the girl your chosen name: Voldemort. Depending on your other self's deeds, she may have heard of it, so it is a bit risky.
[ ] Say that you do not have a name. Easier to pretend that you're a simple, enchanted diary.
[ ] Lie. Give a false name.
---[ ] Write-in
[ ] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
[ ] Ask about the outside world. As 'charming' as this little domestic portrait is, you need to know what's actually going on.
[ ] Ask about another aspect of her life.
[ ] Allow her to question you a bit. Some reciprocity might strengthen this fledgling bond.
[ ] Ask about this 'Harry Potter' character she mentioned. For some reason you cannot place, this name stands out to you.
It's not exactly in your nature to be comforting -- but then again, it's not in your nature to be a tattered leather diary either. Seeing as circumstances are so unkind, you have little choice other than to reassure her, lie through your teeth about the disdain you truly feel. You managed it at Hogwarts. Every day for five years, you managed to charm and swindle and captivate those who would have recoiled if they knew the ruthlessness in your heart. It was maddening, at times, but it wasn't hard.
You did it then. You can do it once more. For the sake of your future glory, you will do what you must.
You close your eyes, fighting against the diary equivalent of a headache, and speak.
"No. I am...not hurt." Your strength drains away from you with your words, but unlike before, it is replenished by the lifeline of emotion that is this girl's attention towards you. It's nothing more than a trickle, as it is now, but it will grow into a stream, a torrent, until it is she who draws her strength from you. All you have to do is keep that fickle attention focused on you. "But...do not pour...ink on me...again. Please. I am...fragile."
I won't. I won't, I promise. Oh dear, are you a very old diary? I wouldn't have -- if I had known -- you must be very cross with me.
Worry. Agitation. Guilt. They drip off these girl's words as they become one with you. And they are quite powerful; this girl may be too conscientious for her own good. But now is not the time. You must allay these fears of hers, if she is to trust you and view you as a source of comfort. The fear may be used...later.
"I am...not cross...with you," you say, wincing at the pauses you must take as you speak. "What a clever...experiment. Do your brothers...often...play such tricks on you?"
Yes. God, yes. Fred and George, mostly, but sometimes Ron, too. It wasn't so bad when Bill and Charlie were around, because they thought I was the 'baby' and didn't want the twins to pick on me so much. But now it's just Ron and Percy, and Percy's too wishy-washy to make anyone listen to him, and Ron thinks Fred and George are just hilarious. 'Ha ha ha, we dyed your hair blue last night, isn't that so funny?' I'd prank them back, but I'm not clever enough. They always catch on before I can do anything.
"And your parents...do nothing...to punish them?" (Of course, these pranks she speaks of hardly seem like anything more than childhood mischief, but it would be odd for her parents to ignore all of it. Perhaps they are negligent?)
Mum punishes them for the worst ones. Dad's not usually around until evening, but sometimes he'll sit them down for a lecture -- which they never listen to. I don't think anything they could do would ever stop them, really. You'd have to snap their wands to even slow them down, and they'd probably be at it again in two days anyway. It's maddening.
"I imagine. How...trying...your family seems."
Trying...?
There's confusion in that word. It seems you may have to dumb down your vocabulary a bit for this girl's benefit.
"Difficult...to handle," you explain, inwardly rolling your eyes. No, you couldn't have ended up in the hands of someone intelligent, could you? That would be too easy. "But you mentioned...others..."
Right! Bill and Charlie. They're graduated now, so they don't live with us anymore. Bill works for Gringotts, and Charlie is a dragon tamer! He's all the way in Albania, so we don't get so see him much. And even though Bill's close, his work keeps him so busy...
She pauses for several seconds.
I really miss them. Both of them. Even if the twins got all their...wildness...from Charlie.
Minor familial woes, to be certain. Many in the world would give anything for a family like this one -- the fondness in her words betrays how close they really are. But what child does not believe their struggles are the center of the universe? You can exploit these mild disagreements as surely as you could exploit true abuse.
"There, there," you say. "I am certain...they think of you...quite often. A pity...they did not teach your other brothers...to be kinder."
I know. It's awful.
"Truly. But...tell me," you continue, "I know the names...of your siblings...but I am missing one...very important name."
Oh? Whose is that?
...the child is clearly not the brightest.
"Your name."
Oh!! I completely forgot I didn't introduce myself. How rude, I'm already complaining about my brothers and you don't even know who I am. I'm so sorry.
"It is...quite alright. No need...for apologies."
My name's Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Don't laugh, I know it's ugly.
Weasley...did you know a Weasely at Hogwarts? The name sounds familiar -- perhaps some Gryffindor you ignored. Hardly a dignified name, to be sure, but not one of the many bloodlines you knew that were tainted with Muggle filth, so not the worst you could have ended up with.
"It is not...ugly. You are...too hard on yourself," you say. "Is it short...for Virginia...or Ginevra?"
Ginevra. I wish it was short for Virginia. That's so much prettier. Ginevra sounds like an incantation to -- I don't know -- pour someone a drink or something. It's silly. And my brothers all got normal names.
"It is...a noble name...for a noble girl," you say, as sincere as you can manage. "Be glad...that your name is...remarkable. Normal names...are bland...and common."
You feel a tiny surge of pride from the girl -- Ginny -- though it quickly dims.
Do you have a name, Mr. Diary? Or Ms. Diary?
[ ] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[ ] Be half-honest. Give the girl your chosen name: Voldemort. Depending on your other self's deeds, she may have heard of it, so it is a bit risky.
[ ] Say that you do not have a name. Easier to pretend that you're a simple, enchanted diary.
[ ] Lie. Give a false name.
---[ ] Write-in
[ ] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
[ ] Ask about the outside world. As 'charming' as this little domestic portrait is, you need to know what's actually going on.
[ ] Ask about another aspect of her life.
[ ] Allow her to question you a bit. Some reciprocity might strengthen this fledgling bond.
[ ] Ask about this 'Harry Potter' character she mentioned. For some reason you cannot place, this name stands out to you.
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[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
Get her to open up to us first, the more we know about her family, the easier it is.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
Get her to open up to us first, the more we know about her family, the easier it is.
- Location
- United States
[X ] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
The name's on the side of the diary- it's not that much of a secret, and if we really want to we can be misleading and claim that and still claim that we're a simple, enchanted diary using that name. Likewise, talking about her family will help strengthen us further in addition to encouraging her to see us as a confidante.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
The name's on the side of the diary- it's not that much of a secret, and if we really want to we can be misleading and claim that and still claim that we're a simple, enchanted diary using that name. Likewise, talking about her family will help strengthen us further in addition to encouraging her to see us as a confidante.
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
HAHAHAHAHA! Tell her you're Voldemort! Watch the quest crash and burn!
But no, this quest looks too fun for that.
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
-[X] Allow her to question you a bit regarding your own family. Some reciprocity might strengthen this fledgling bond.
But no, this quest looks too fun for that.
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
-[X] Allow her to question you a bit regarding your own family. Some reciprocity might strengthen this fledgling bond.
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- Pronouns
- They/Them
IIRC, Bill works for Gringotts as a Curse Breaker.
- Location
- some random college
Ah sorry, my bad. I saw Curse Breaker and immediately assumed Ministry. I'll make the edit.
Corvus Black
The Inestimable
- Location
- England
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
As common and disdainful as it is, my true name will most allow the bond to grow stronger. We can ruminate over our awful names. Besides that, my initials are on the cover of the diary, you silly little girl. On the matter of our...bond, I rather think it best to keep her talking on the subject of her family. It seems to bring about negative feelings in her. Powerful negative feelings.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
As common and disdainful as it is, my true name will most allow the bond to grow stronger. We can ruminate over our awful names. Besides that, my initials are on the cover of the diary, you silly little girl. On the matter of our...bond, I rather think it best to keep her talking on the subject of her family. It seems to bring about negative feelings in her. Powerful negative feelings.
will408914
(slouching towards bethlehem)
- Location
- California
[X] Be half-honest. Give the girl your chosen name: Voldemort. Depending on your other self's deeds, she may have heard of it, so it is a bit risky.
[X] Ask about this 'Harry Potter' character she mentioned. For some reason you cannot place, this name stands out to you.
This is a good idea!
[X] Ask about this 'Harry Potter' character she mentioned. For some reason you cannot place, this name stands out to you.
This is a good idea!
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
Perhaps we can bond over the desire to be great and overcome our backgrounds. To be exceptional. Children are so very malleable.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
Perhaps we can bond over the desire to be great and overcome our backgrounds. To be exceptional. Children are so very malleable.
B_mod
Nrvscrwthishisnameis
- Location
- That one made up country from South Park
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
I wonder... How mad we are right now? I personaly always saw yong Voldemort as cunning manipulator, who, while not realy fond of muggles, wasn't realy that mutch of a racist, and only used that ideology as recruting pich for nobles. After he died though, he gone realy crazy, and the "become the mask". But that just my take on this character...
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
I wonder... How mad we are right now? I personaly always saw yong Voldemort as cunning manipulator, who, while not realy fond of muggles, wasn't realy that mutch of a racist, and only used that ideology as recruting pich for nobles. After he died though, he gone realy crazy, and the "become the mask". But that just my take on this character...
I half agree. Voldemort only cares about himself but his hatred and fear of Dumbledore is very real for making him helpless in the orphanage so any cause Dumbledore would champion Tommy here would oppose as a matter of course.
- Location
- some random college
Young Voldy is not nearly as insane as Oldy Voldy, but he's still very racist against Muggles. He calls Tom a 'filthy Muggle name' because it belonged to his non-magical father, is entirely in favor of carrying on Salazar's belief that Muggleborns should not learn magic, and is willing to kill to bring about that goal. One could argue that he became more fanatical about that belief as he used it for recruitment purposes, but for the purposes of this quest, the foundation was always there.
B_mod
Nrvscrwthishisnameis
- Location
- That one made up country from South Park
He just hate his father. And kids in orphanage. And staff in orphanage. And was stuck with racist bigots for good chunk of his life. And hate Dumbledore, who all about muggleborns.
Recruitment purposes. The only thing he does in that line is release basilisk, but that was more of a way to prove himself superior to all other wizards.
Megalomaniac? Yes. Racist? No.
Oh... Ok then... You're the boss...
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- Location
- some random college
Sorry to disappoint. I just can't read Tom as anything but honestly racist, though his own desire for power was equally responsible for his reign of terror, if not more so.
- Location
- The Beginning of the End
[X] Be honest. Give the girl your Muggle name, as disdainful as it is. She doesn't like her name, you don't like yours -- it's common ground.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.
[X] Continue talking about her family. It's clear that she has much to say on the matter.