Murder at Hogsmeade!

Hogwarts student Bowen Wells is confirmed to be the latest victim of the Men in Orange, killed by the killing curse in a battle that took place just outside the town of Hogsmeade.

Speaking under the condition of anonymity, a Ministry official confirmed that five other Hogwarts students were involved in this epic battle for survival, which in the end saw this particular Man in Orange killed by the students in self-defense as they continued to dodge multiple other casts of the most dreaded of all Unforgivable spells. It was discovered only after his body was taken to the Ministry that his identity was none other than the dangerous criminal and dark wizard "Simon" for whom Ministry officials have been searching.

The Daily Prophet has learned that one of these students was actually working to assist Simon. The name of this student, as well as all other students involved, have not been released for security reasons.

((If there is incorrect information, it's because the Prophet got it wrong, not me))

*A small blurb on the front page*

Man in Orange killed by Ministry Aurors!

In the late hours last night Ministry Aurors, in a sting operation attempt to capture one of the "Men in Orange," were forced to resort to lethal force against the man when he began to cast killing curses at them. A Ministry official released a statement this morning saying "We had hoped to capture him alive. It is with great regret that we were forced to end this individual's life. But what's done is done, and all of our men are still alive because of it. It was the correct course of action."

Battle at the Ministry of Magic Sees the End of the "Men in Orange" Threat

An unidentified Hogwarts Student being escorted into the Ministry under the protection of Aurors was attacked brutally by someone wearing the official uniform of an Auror, according to witnesses on the scene. Officials say that she was on the way to a safe house, as she was clearly being targeted by the "Men in Orange." After the incident, the man was identified conclusively as the last of the "Men in Orange."

An investigation is already fully underway as to exactly how this man was able to get into the Ministry of Magic, and impersonate an Auror, completely undetected until he made his attack, which severely injured the student before her escort was able to take the man down. In a statement released by the Ministry, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement "will not rest until we know exactly what happened, and how we will prevent incidents like this from ever happening again. The good news is that once again our Aurors are safe and alive, and most importantly, so is [the Hogwarts student]."

The student is believed to be in Saint Mungo's recovering from the attack, which witnesses say was "brutal and bloody." Her current condition is unknown, but she is expected to recover.

Exclusive Interview: A Menace at Hogwarts

A Hogwarts Prefect, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave this exclusive interview about a recent menace which, until now, has been kept hidden by the Hogwarts Staff.

Magically-enhanced giant 'bees' have been unleashed upon Hogwarts, oddly enough by Hogwarts staff, and appear to be near indestructible. The prefect claims that he has seen a bee blown apart, and the parts simply reform into a bee again. He believes this to be a form of necromancy, an enchantment that could have only be placed upon the insects by those who unleashed them. These bees have stung countless students, and according to the prefect, Madam Pomfrey - the school healer - has been working around the clock trying to keep up with all the injuries.

The prefect stated that Professor Gilderoy Lockhart ended up leading the students to safety, and staying behind to valiantly defend the school against this menace, while the other staff simply ran and hid, leaving himself and Madam Pomfrey to tend to the injured students, and try to keep the bees at bay. There have apparently been quite a few serious injuries, as well as allergic reactions to the bees toxins.

When asked, Professor Lockhart declined giving an interview as he was afraid that, during his absence, one of the frequent attacks would result in the dire injury of a student, and they would not be able to get help without his being there. A valid concern, considering the lack of help given towards students by the rest of the staff.

Written by John Dranco, The Daily Prophet

The Daily Prophet
December 10th, 2008


- Live Wire, Diagon's finest music establishment featuring novelties such as records and magical wireless devices, is pleased to announce it has re-opened its doors after a long anticipated remodeling project!*

* The remodeling was due to the notorious music-hating slug infestation of 1905, reported by our very own Clementine Coordova!


Headlines also include:
- Upset Nifler runs amok among Muggles after someone tries to put it in a pink ballet tutu!

- A cross breed of transfigured Ferrets and Squids sold to unsuspecting Muggles! Beware: They spray a foul smelling ink when upset!

London Academy of Magic Opens its Doors

*The waterfall gracefully flowing, and people milling about the trains in the images*

For centuries Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been the sole source of magical education for Britain's magical community. For hundreds of years, Hogwarts' four-house system has provided the diversity required to teach and train all manners of witch and wizard. Until this past decade- when claim some that the truly magically talented witch or wizard is being simply held back at Hogwarts by a staff who is more focused on catering to the least common denominator in the name of "tolerance."

Now, some parents may have an alternative.

London Academy of Magic officially begins classes tomorrow and already has over eighty students, fifty of which are reportedly transfers from Hogwarts. Headmaster Moriarty Redwake and Vice Headmistress Sabine Silverhawk have explained their process of acceptance to the school, which is strictly acceptance by invitation only.

"This policy will ensure excellence never before seen in magical education. Our students will be able and allowed to see their full potential," said Headmaster Redwake. "We don't intend to replace Hogwarts, simply offer an alternative for the ones that Hogwarts is currently failing."

London Academy of Magic is located just outside of London. Powerful enchantments similar to those used at Hogwarts to conceal the identity of the school are surprisingly missing, leaving only a few cleverly conceived and well placed protections. Headmaster Redwake explained "The school is secure, and we have done it without the need of the ancient and brute-force approach that can be seen at Hogwarts. This lack of magical permeation of the area allows for far more modern techniques in magic to be taught and explored, something that the magical community has simply never seen before." He then continued " [This allows for] new explorations into magic that have never before been realized, in areas that are far more applicable to the magical community in a modern world. This is what we will be giving to our children, and in turn for the magical community as a whole."

Similar to Hogwarts, transportation to and from the school grounds is provided by train, the LAM Overground (seen on the right side of the image). London Academy of Magic makes use of the London Overground rail system, which instead of providing transportation twice a semester, provides it several times per day. Powerful enchantments protect the train from muggles, but what those might be are not at the moment being revealed.

Though transportation is provided daily, students will still be required to board at the school.

When asked why the school was not announced publicly earlier, Vice Headmistress Silverhawk replied "There simply was no need. All students are admitted through invitation only, and that has been in process for some time now."

In a lengthy statement provided by the Minister of Magic, he stated "I, as well as the Ministry as a whole, are very excited to see [London Academy of Magic] finally realized. This is a giant step forward for us all."

Vampire and Werewolf Attacks at Hogwarts, Staff to Blame

The most recent of a long string of recent scandals at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Hogwarts staff invited a vampire into the school, who proceeded to attack students, forcing them to defend themselves. What's more, The Daily Prophet has uncovered the truth of another recent attack which the school had been able to keep secret-- a werewolf attack during the last full moon.

The Yule Ball this year included a surprise for the students. A rock band whose singer is reportedly at least half vampire. According to student eye witnesses, things got a bit rowdy and soon "... there was blood everywhere. He picked up my friend and threatened to bite him, so I did what I had to do to save his life." The rock band had been a special surprise for the students, no doubt something that the questionable staff had thought would be fun.

Other witnesses to prior events also spoke out, saying that a field trip to Hogsmeade during the last full moon saw several students seriously injured by werewolves, due to the incompetence of the Astronomy professor who was unable or unwilling to get the students to safety at the first signs of danger. It is unclear at this time if any students were infected with lycanthropy. Hogwarts staff refused to comment, leaving reports from students that werewolves made it into the school in question.

Ministry officials assure prompt action, but assure that Hogwarts is not a target of such action. "We are already drafting new legislation that will assure that not only our children are safe from the threat of extremely dangerous creatures like vampires and werewolves, but the entire wizarding community and muggle world as well." What this new legislation may be is for the time being kept under lock and key, but is expected to be released to the public in the coming weeks.

Cat-astrophic Explosions!

Yesterday afternoon Diagon Alley was attacked by magical exploding cats. According to some eyewitnesses, Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has also been dealing with these feline foes though not much detail was given on Hogwarts and their history with these cats.

According to authorities, they currently have a several suspects which they are planning to keep a very close eye on. Though the names of the suspects are currently remaining anonymous. Sadly, any further questions on the matter were declined due to lack of information.

The following buildings are closed for repairs due to this incident:
The Bakery and Sweet Shop
The Cafe
Gambol & Japes (renovation time increased due to incident)

Live Wire and the Daily Prophet building received minor damage and are repaired to their fullest. Both businesses currently remain open.

Written by John Dranco, The Daily Prophet

London Academy Student Viciously Assaulted by Hogwarts Students!

A terrifying attack has been uncovered at a muggle establishment known as the Green Door, a popular muggle night club which has been the scene of a violent assault a few nights ago. A London Academy Student who is unable to be identified for sercurity reasons recalls trying to enjoy a good time out before being approached by at least a dozen students from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who were also there at the time. The students had harassed and threatened them, using their numbers to intimidate the victim before assaulting him inside the establishment, the student badly beaten and bloody attempted to call for help from the owners of the establishment, but reportedly refused to do anything except show the victim to the exit, where outside he was stalked by the vicious group and was tackled, punched, kicked and beaten senselessly and left for dead.

The student commented. "They wouldn't leave me alone. they kept beating at me over and over like frenzied animals, I thought I was going to die."

The student since has been treated at St Mungo's for his horrendous injuries. Numerous Ministry officials have condemned the attack and have expressed outrage at Hogwarts, and accused the headmaster for allowing the students to be out of control, a sign of falling times continuing at the troubled school.

Mr Redwake, headmaster of the London Academy has stated that they are considering their options and that legal action against Hogwarts is a possibility and further stated that this attack is nothing but an act of complete cowardice and that he would do all in his power to try to bring the students responsible for this attack to justice.

Headmaster Dumbledore was unavailable for comment at the time, and that full investigation into the matter is continuing.

The following appears in the editorial section of the Daily Prophet

Dear most esteemed Editor of the Daily Prophet,

This latest incident only shows how far Hogwarts has fallen. It is quite obvious that blame for these increasingly violent incidents is that old fool, Dumbledor's insistence of including [muggleborns] in his school. Everyone knows that Muggles are more deserving of "beast" status in our lexicon, and they prove it every day. Including spawn of these beasts, and the spawn of those idiots who commit bestiality within the once-hallowed halls of Hogwarts was, as the wisest of its founders (Salazar Slytherin) observed, a mistake.

Muggles and wizards are not meant to mix. We are their superiors. We wizards, all over the world, have been herding them, shepherding them, and culling their numbers for generations to keep our world safe from their primitive meddling. No proper wizard or witch would ever lower themselves to mating with those beasts, and no proper wizard or witch would ever acknowledge the spawn of such unions as being wizards. And Muggle-born wizards and witches? They are nothing but an aberration, and should have the magical ability burned from their brains.

The difference between the exclusively pure-blood London Academy of Magic and the tainted Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is quite obvious. The Academy students are civilized, clean, and what proper wizards and witches should be.

The London Academy of Magic has the glory, and prestige that Hogwarts could have had, had Salazar Slytherin properly executed the blood-traitors that he had fallen in with, and run Hogwarts in a proper wizarding fashion.

I think it is high time that the Ministry of Magic took the proper wizarding steps, incarcerate the blood traitors that infest that so-called school, and send our precious pure-blood children to a proper wizarding school so they can receive a proper wizarding education, instead of having to mix with beastial mudbloods, who should have never been allowed into our world in the first place.

The following appears in the editorial section of the Daily Prophet

Dear Editor,

In response to yesterday's letter I can say only: How very typical. Obviously the bile-spewing neanderthal is a supporter of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The fellow must also believe that the idea of genetics is nothing but a muggle-spawned bit of nonsense as well, even though he probably has plenty of examples of genetics-gone-bad in his very own family.

To put it simply, it's never a good idea for cousins to marry.

And by diversifying the gene pool, we allow for fresh blood to enliven and invigorate the wizarding population. Oh, sure, one could visit other countries, and draw from the wizarding population, there, but all you are doing is inheriting their genetic problems.

In addition, what would happen to the muggle-borns he would have, in essence, lobotomized? Obviously he does not care, because they are, after all, mere beasts to be experimented upon to him.

Obviously, like quite a lot of Hogwarts students, the esteemed writer of yesterday slept through History of Magic. Considering Professor Binns, from all reports, was a dead bore, even before he was dead, it is no wonder. Recent history, however, shows that quite a few of the newer innovations have come from so-called "[muggle-borns]". It is in the latest editions of texts, and in unbiased texts available from any bookstore.

This is because they are not constrained by traditional thinking, and the attitude of: "If it was good enough for my ancestors, it is good enough for me, and it will be good enough for generations to come."

Innovation comes from thinking outside the constraints.

And how do we know that the Academy students are so innocent? All we have heard is their story. Apparently the stories of [muggle-borns], and blood-traitors is of no interest to the Daily Prophet. That, or they prefer not to have their words twisted to make their school look bad. It is obvious that the Prophet is very definitely pro-Academy, and anti-Hogwarts.

Before it even opened, it seemed that the Daily Prophet was doing everything in its power to besmirch the name of Hogwarts, even though each and every one of its reporters, editors, and other workers probably went there in their youth.

Many wizards and witches have gone there, made friends, fell in love, had their hearts broken, then found their future mates within those maze-like halls. Why deny our children, the future of the wizarding world, that very same chance?

Mysterious Murder has Ministry Baffled, Parents in an Uproar

A Hogsmeade couple was found murdered in the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The couple were found about hundred meters away from each other.

What has Ministry officials baffled is the nature of death, which appears to have been a sword, which left behind traces of pure silver. The victims also had two puncture wounds on their necks which oddly, clearly happened well after death.

It is believed that the couple was killed on the night of the full moon.

Enraged parents are calling for a recall of Hogwarts staff, claiming failure to keep the school safe and secure. The Ministry has promised an investigation into Hogwarts security.

Hogwarts staff declined to comment.

Aurors Nab Hogwarts Student Suspected in Forbidden Forest Murder!

According to undisclosed sources within the Ministry of Magic, a Hogwarts student was found in possession of a silver sword. Sources claim that before he was taken into custody for questioning, he was spouting anti-werewolf rhetoric. It is unclear if more students were involved in the horrific double murder, or even if this student was the ring leader of a suspected advanced, and illegal, werewolf hunting club. Investigations are ongoing.

Hogwarts staff has assured the Prophet that their student has done nothing wrong, but that will be up to the Wizengamot to decide now.

The identity of the student is not being released at this time for security reasons.

Muggle Child Murdered in the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Students to Stand Trial

A third murder in the Forbidden Forest has authorities suspecting an organized group of students. Hogwarts students Brennan Brask and Aden Brask await trial dates in the murder of a muggle girl that went missing almost a year ago.

Bethany Ryan, an obviously cunning young muggle who apparently ran away from home and somehow managed not only make it to the Forbidden Forest but also live there for nearly a year, was found murdered yesterday near a small hut-home within the forest, the apparent home of Brennan Brask. Bethany would have been 14 next month.

Ministry officials say they have located a small shelter in a swampy area that appears to have been Bethany's place of residence. There they found a dagger, highly enchanted with Dark Arts, various spell manuscripts and ingredients, various potions equipment, as well as the entire set of Hogwarts school books from years one through seven for both charms and potions. Authorities say that it is clear that she had survived in the forest by getting help from Hogwarts students.

Evidence was found that Bethany might have been attempting to impersonate a vampire.

"There have been two crimes here," says Thomas McDale, Magical Law Enforcement. "The murder of Bethany Ryan, and the extremely reckless exposure of the Wizarding World to a muggle. Both crimes, it seems, are squarely on the shoulders of Hogwarts students, and both we are taking very seriously."

The scene was described as "horrific." Bethany, who had apparently only needed a wand to complete her collection, stole a wand from Brennan Brask. A week later, Bethany was killed within the Brask hut. The murder weapons- a knive that matches the one found at Bethany's swamp shelter, and Brask's wand itself which apparently had been used as a "wooden stake." The wand has been recovered but authorities are still searching for the actual knife used. The two Brasks were found at the scene after having removed Bethany from the hut, attempting to bury her.

Both Brasks are out on bail, confined to Hogwarts grounds.

Charges Dropped against Hogwarts Murderer


*the image moving, Brask repeatedly standing tall after straightening out his clothing, in a neverending loop*

Hogwarts Student Brennan Brask, found near his home burying the body of a muggle girl impaled with his own wand, had all charges against him dropped today. This comes shortly after the Daily Prophet learned that in fact three more bodies of muggles were found in the forest glen near his house, where he was also growing illegal potions ingredients. The nature of these ingredients is not known.

Thankfully for this suspected murderer, he went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the Headmaster has enough weight in the Wizengamot to even get a murderer freed from his charges. And seeing as how the Headmaster himself posted bail for Brask, many are questioning the Headmaster on serious conflict of interest issues, as well as his blatant show of bias.

The other three bodies, one of which was buried a little deeper at the same exact location Brask was caught burying the first, all were homeless muggles. Even in the light of the charges being dropped, many in the Ministry are questioning the decision, pointing to this is a clear pattern, and predicting more killings now that Brask is released.

_________________
-Calan

Liss Crest, Slytherin
Kalara Crest, Hufflepuff
Elizabeth Finley, The Moon