Dean Thomas

[private]
I don't even know what to write. I haven't known what to say; I've just been there as best I can. But I'm speechless. It's not that I haven't seen death before. Everyone during the war. God, Colin, who could forget Colin?

But this was Parvati.

And I just can't get it out of my head.

And Nev moves to Belgium Friday. I'm going to miss him.
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Quidditch Saturday. I'm working on a spread to bring to eat after, so plan on staying if you're coming to the game.

One of these days I'd like to sleep through a solid night again. Where is all the fucking stress coming from?

Seamus / Lavender / Neville: Nightmares are back, worse than ever. Sorry, Nev, for waking you up so bloody much with them. I just can't seem to get it out of my head since that kid stopped by.

Had a brill week so far. Neville's a Master now, and the dinner and party turned up brilliantly; thanks to all who helped out with that. Then he surprised me Wednesday by conspiring with my siblings to get my arse upstairs and off-shift early for home cooked meal and an evening in my flat. Which turned into a brill night.

I'm off work this weekend, heading out of town with Nev, so don't go looking for me at the Duck until late Sunday, yeah?

[warded against Neville]
MONDAY! Neville's finishing up on Monday and he'll be a Master, so that night we're celebrating. I've included directions to the place (which is not the Duck) and Jason's taking on the shift that night so I'm free. I'll be heading over to set up in the afternoon and anyone who wants is welcome to join. Main food theme of the night is curry, but anything else is acceptable to add on. Ah, and creme brulee.

Gin, you said you'd get him there? Can you collect him that day, tell him something came up at the Duck and I asked you to take him out and I'd meet you guys there later?

Respond back here if you'll be there to help us celebrate; I need to get a rough headcount so I make sure I have enough food.
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[private to Leesh]

Congratulations, Leesh! So that's what's been keeping you so ill? Good luck with everything, and if you and George need a sitter (are you really having triplets? or was that one of Skeeter's embellishments?) I do know which end is up for a kid, thanks to having all these siblings around. So feel free to tap me if you need, and I'm not working.

And if there's anything you can eat that doesn't bug you, let me know -- I'll send over care packages. And if you'd like catering for the wedding, it's yours, my gift.

Take care of yourself.

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[private to Neville's friends (DA members and Gryffindors)]

I've just received word about the details for the funeral. It's going to be a graveside funeral at the family plot, starting at half eleven on Saturday morning. Afterwards everyone's welcome to go back to his Gran's for refreshment and time with the family.

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[private to Lavender, Seamus, Ginny]

I don't think Nev's come out to his Gran yet. So I don't know how much I'm going to be able to be there for him like I want to be. Can't really do more than anyone else, I guess. Just. Be there for him? When I can't?

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[private to Neville]

Thinking about you today. I'll be packing things up to bring over to your place tonight, so we can go straight from there to your Gran's. Unless you'd rather I arrive later with Shay. I've packed up several boxes of food; I hope your Gran doesn't mind contributions.

I'll be there tonight soon as I can get off shift. Folks are covering tomorrow until I get in, so I can stay as long as you need me.

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[private to Neville's friends (DA members and Gryffindors)]

I don't know how to say this any better way than this, and if I've forgotten someone on these wards, just let me know, yeah?

Nev's Mum passed away today. He's wrapped up in arrangements, and thinks the funeral will be this weekend.

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[hexed against Neville]

So, you've all heard that Nev's becoming a Master, right? That's coming up first thing in June, and we're all throwing him a celebration. Bigger, better than he's expecting. And that means I'm going to need some help.

Who's in? I'm cooking, but it'd be brill if we can have other types of food. Also, any thoughts on where? We spend so much of our time at the Duck it'd be good to get him out somewhere as a surprise.

[/hex]

[private to Neville]
Turns out, yes, I'm in the photos. Front and centre. Sent me back upstairs to change into a clean t-shirt and jeans. Never thought I'd be selling the Duck based on my face.
[/private]

That calendar I mentioned will be on sale through the Muggle tourism board starting in September. It's a fifteen month thing. If you want to find fourteen new (plus the Duck) places to eat in Muggle London, I'd recommend picking it up.

Looks like the Duck's going to be featured in a calendar. There's this group setting up a calendar of young restaurateurs from London and selling it through the tourism board to benefit some charity or other. Apparently the Duck's slated to be April. They'll be here Thursday morning to take pictures.

[private to Padma]
Any word? I've been looking out for her, but not a thing.
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Bloody hell! An owl just zoomed into the Duck, of all places, right out in the open, and pecked Shannon's arm while she was setting things up for lunch. Zipped out again and left her bleeding, didn't even bother to leave whatever message it brought. She's off to hospital with Rosemary (who thinks she got cut by the glass we broke for cover) and luckily no one else saw it.

Who sent me the vicious bird and what the fuck was that important it had to peck my sister bloody to get our attention?

In calmer news, ramping up for Easter Sunday, which'll be a huge brunch crowd here. It's going to be one of those exhausting weeks. Jason's taking Monday's shift so I can take the day off and recuperate.

( private to Neville )

In case anyone out there hasn't heard already (since my sister was so good about getting the news out), I passed out last Saturdays. In the kitchens, plating up the second course to go out to the wedding we were catering, and I went right on down. Shan panicked when they couldn't wake me up and called to get me to hospital, where they spent the night making me sleep and pumping me full of fluids.

I'm not dying or anything, apparently just exhausted. But I think I'll be fine going forward. I'm in a bloody good mood at the moment, and I've been sleeping decently. I'll figure out how to handle the rest of it when I go back to work after the weekend. The only thing they've let me do this week is the books, and that's because no one else knows well enough how to handle them without arsing everything up.

I wonder how long a bloke can go on minimal sleep. Schedule at the Duck's getting ridiculous, plus there's a couple of shows I'm hoping to get out to see when Jason can take over a bit.

Working on planning an Easter meal. We'll be taking reservations for that soon, so if anyone wants a table for a family Easter dinner, let me know soonest; friends will go to the top of the list. We'll also be doing take home dinners for folks to put on their own tables.

( charmed bloody well private )

Looks like we've gotten ourself a mention in london-eating, so we've been flooded by tourists the last two days. Good for business, bad for getting any chance to rest. I had to step up our order in the morning after we've run out of the special last night.

While I'm here -- anyone know if it's possible to become immune to a hangover potion? I've a raging headache today I just can't lose.

( private to Seamus )

( private )

Last night The Duck was busy as all hell. Took me and Jason both in the kitchen keeping things running until I ducked out at midnight and left him with the rest of the cleanup.

Got to go out and talk to the patrons, see how things were going. Shannon'd done a bang up job on the decorations, and the place was a sea of romance, from young couples on first dates to this little old couple who comes in all the time, who were holding hands in one of the dark corners and celebrating their fiftieth anniversary. Hard to imagine being that old or married that long.

( private to Shay )

Sunday we're skipping the lunch shift at the Duck; I'm closing for a private tasting party to set the menu for spring.

I need guinea pigs.

If you've got a yen to taste something different and an opinion to give about it, be at the Duck by noon on Sunday. Try not to eat breakfast and warn me if you've got any food allergies.

[private to Seamus, Lavender, Parvati]
There's this new band playing down at the Cave Saturday night. Jason's taking my shift so I can get out. Join me?

And Shay, I haven't forgotten about dinner Thursday. Get your arse over here so I can feed you.
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( No need to hide anything anymore )