Breach at Hogwarts, Werewolf Pack Wreak Chaos

In a swift rush of events that shocked the Wizarding World and threw many of us off our balance, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry was breached three nights ago, in the cover of darkness; resulting in a blaze that would put the Diagon Alley fire to shame. A deranged, dark wizard whose name is yet to be disclosed by authorities, apparently was strong enough not only to blow up the 'invincible' gates that guard the biggest school in Wizarding Britain, where more than eighty percent of our population below the age of twenty is concentrated; but also managed to set off Fiendfyre that caused the fall of Gryffindor Tower, and razed half of Hogsmeade.

This, my fellow witches and wizards, is the finest security that the school and Ministry could provide for our children.

Hogwarts has largely been acknowledged as one of Britain's finest organizations, a marvel of skill and architecture, populated by the youngest and most creative minds that our country has produced. It has long been administered by wizarding greats, boasting Headmasters of the likes of Dilys Derwent, Newton Scamander, Minerva McGonagall and most notably, Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, dec.) It is indeed a travesty that we have come to such a day that the tomb of the very wizard who gave his life for the service of the school and the wizarding world, has been desecrated by madmen while the present Headmaster was thousands of miles away in a foreign school.

That is right. When Theodore Rookwood was first appointed as Headmaster of Hogwarts, several questions were raised about his suitability for such a prestigious post: objections about age and lack of experience being the most prominent. Regardless, we Britishers displayed the characteristic we are most famous for, a stolid resignation and an ability to remain engrossed in our knitting and tea cosies and Celestina Warbeck; and the school continued to run. Continued to run, inspite of vacancies in teaching posts and students being taken hostage in the Shrieking Shack (the most haunted house in Wizarding Britain). And today it is being set on fire and ravaged by werewolves, and its Headmaster remains nowhere to be seen.

While a few people in close association with Ministry echelons like Michael Tremaine, Katherine Lupin, Edward Donohue and the ever elusive Khaat Lupin were reported to be spotted on scene, trying to restrain the Dark wizard; other names are also among those who were attracted by the scent of smoke and blood that night, names like Katrina-Carlotta du Hunt. Eye-witnesses reported that the infamous assassin was not only there, but also working in close association with Tremaine. Has our trusted Order begun working with wanted criminals, then?

Then of course, came the werewolves and the already fragile situation fractured into a thousand splinters. James Blood, leader of the rogue pack, whose description and list of crimes were listed by the Prophet a number of editions back, was there; along with his right-hand Malmuira Crawford and a number of other savage, bloodthirsty werewolves. The pack remained on hold till its leader and Donohue exchanged some words, the details of which are yet to be known and have been kept from the media. After, the werewolves broke loose on the grounds, students ran helter-skelter and Gryffindor Tower was reduced to rubble. As of now, four students are reported to be turned, one (Romeo Zabini, Slytherin, 15) was killed, and many more are missing.

All of this begs the question, to what pathetic, bedraggled state has the security of our biggest wizarding school been reduced to? What were the Governors, the Headmaster, and the teaching faculty doing? None of the faculty, save one Amelia Cooper, were seen on scene, helping the distraught students. What were our Aurors and Hitwizards, so-called elite fighting forces, doing? Again, only one among their number was seen in Hogwarts that night, daughter of aforementioned Amelia Cooper, trainee Auror Hallie Rookwood. Both have been unavailable for comment, but we at the Prophet commend the bravery and fighting spirit of those lone souls who fought it out on the grounds that night, where many in power and position did not. When questioned about the safety of students at his school, Headmaster Rookwood curtly replied, "Hogwarts is perfectly safe. What we cannot guard against is the will of others." He was unavailable for further comment due to being embroiled in the various formalities at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where his wife, Hallie Rookwood, has been admitted for falling from Gryffindor Tower during the struggle against the Fiendfyre. Well, if Mr. Rookwood kindly spared a minuscule fraction of his highly apparent concern for his wife, for his school and its students as well; then maybe the will of others wouldn't prove to be so destructive.

And this was the consequence. Cupid Litherland, Hogwarts student, Slytherin, told the Daily Prophet, "'Hogwarts was being attacked and the other students were sailing across the lake, I'd turned back to help defend the castle from the werewolves but when I reached the shore, Professor Cooper, she was defending the castle, told me to evacuate through the gates with the injured. If I had a choice I would have stayed, I may only be a fifth year but it's what you do. You protect your home... But it's not really home if you don't feel safe."

Parents are in a flurry, Owls and Howlers have been flying back and forth; with a large fraction of the student population being drawn out of the school before the Christmas holidays begin. The heat is being turned up on the school administration and Ministry alike; and people are outraged, disappointed, and starting to question if a change isn't in order. Mrs. Dorothy Purkiss, of 36 Holloway Street, told the Prophet, "My little Cora deserves better than that. We send her away to a school, placing our trust and responsibility of her safety in the hands of the school authorities, and what do we get? Rabid dogs and demon fires? Nonsense! I'll be withdrawing her from that place immediately." When the Prophet reporters kindly informed her that its been three years since her daughter graduated from school, she sniffed daintily, "Its the principle of the thing."

Miss Marie Litherland, 41, Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, said, "I wasn't surprised. The standard of safety of Hogwarts has been going down hill as of late. First students are taken hostage in the Shrieking Shack and now this? If it wasn't for Professor Cooper my children may not be alive today, and for that I owe her my thanks. Although that doesn't change my stance on the matter, I am still gravely worried about the safety of my children whilst they reside within the halls of Hogwarts." Blaise Zabini, grieving father, shared his feelings with the Prophet. "I lost my son that night. Hogwarts is supposed to be safe place for my children and all it's done is tear my family apart. My daughter Cynthia is absolutely distraught along with her younger brother - both of whom I've withdrawn from the school. And my wife is finding it terribly difficult to deal with, especially since the funeral. It's clear Professor Rookwood doesn't have children, if he did he wouldn't have left Hogwarts at a time like this. A time when a rogue werewolf pack is on the loose. It's high time the Ministry stepped in before anymore children lose their lives!" We, at the Prophet give our sincerest condolences to the Zabinis, and wish to let them know that the entire Wizarding community feels their loss.

But while Mr. Zabini suggests the rapid action of the Ministry, several question our very government's competence in this context. The entire hara-kiri created by the Marriage Law over thousands of of-age young witches and wizards has not gone unnoticed. But at the same time, we must learn to be objective and ask, 'Is finger-pointing easier than actually converting words to actions?' While the Rebels, a radical anti-Ministry group had created a lot of hullabaloo over the recent decisions and actions taken by the Ministry, none among that group had been among the resistance at Hogwarts that night. Change and revolution is only advisable, if there is a viable alternative.

So the question is now thrown to the general Wizarding public. What do we want? Are we ready to stand by and watch as our children are burnt to cinders and mauled by beasts? Whose hands do we choose to place power in? The choice, ultimately, lies with us.