MINISTRY STANCE: Marriage Before Murder

[Pansy Parkinson-Nott]

MINISTRY STANCE: Marriage Before Murder
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After the Ministry's obvious efforts to set an example to the people of Britain by locking away anti-marriage law individuals more news has leaked about the current situation within the office of magical law enforcement. It appears auror's have been taken off duty from catching dark wizards, there has been an increase in the number of employees shifting to work in enforcing the marriage law and still the Ministry have proved little success with what they aimed to do.

After the rioting in the Ministry of Magic Atrium concluded I managed to speak to a Ministry official, who wishes to remain anonymous, and ask about how he is finding his work in the department since the magical law had been enforced. Of course what I heard wasn't too surprising. We all had ideas that the ministry has had a change in leadership since Minister Robert Lupin fell gravely ill last year, but what we didn't realise was exactly how much our Ministry has changed.

Under the leadership of Lupin the role of an auror was to find and capture dark witches and wizards that pose a threat to society. Now their role is, judging by the mountain of marriage law forms in their office, purely administration. Why is that? Is it because there are fewer criminals for them to catch and that we are extremely safe? No. There are just as many criminals out there as there were before. Henry Yewbeam was supposed to have been trialled for the torture and mutilation of newly promoted auror, Hallie Rookwood, although has this happened? No.

Henry Yewbeam may only be one example, which is possible a rather weak one considering that he doesn't pose a threat to society given his previous relationship most likely influenced the alleged attack (most likely suspicion of Mrs Rookwood given her mental state at the time) but the likes of Felix Barker remain free. Free and armed.

Felix Barker was perhaps the most notorious, infamous Headmaster Hogwarts has seen since the day it's large oak doors opened. His crimes are memorable, they touch every member of society in some way shape or form. Whether it be students, such as Hitame Higurashi, Samantha Burns, Melissa Hayes, Sophia Granger, Cecilia Krum (to name a few), their parents or even Khaat Lupin.

Lupin was kidnapped and tortured by Felix Barker and recent happenings, with the kidnapping of Khaat Lupin by James Blood earlier the year, only strengthen the fact that Barker could still be a major threat to society. A threat not to be taken likely. His crimes are similar to those of Blood. Felix is savage, a monster, someone with a thirst for blood - where is the evidence? I think the evidence speaks for itself with the lives of eight aurors (including Henry Allard) at his feet. Barker has shown no mercy and for the past two years has began to fade in our minds yet he is still out in society, still with a wand.  Perhaps you walked passed him in Quality Quidditch Supplies and didn't see him? Maybe he is biding his time before he'll slaughter your children as they buy ice creams in Diagon Alley.

Felix Barker is somebody the ministry should be keeping their attention on, him as well as the Blood pack. However it is ironic that, despite their attempts to kill Khaat Lupin, the ministry has diverted all their resources away from him and instead to the marriage law. A marriage law that Khaat Lupin would like to see over turned. Maybe Felix Barker isn't as far in our memories as we'd like. Perhaps he has alleged himself with the new ministry, the ministry defying us of our right to choose and our safety.

We are now living in a society where nobody can trust anybody who works for the ministry. The ministry has entered a period of unrest and if the citizens of Wizarding Britain don't stand up against their illegal laws and developing dictatorship we'll all find ourselves scared and living like we did during the days of You-Know-Who. We have worked hard to keep dark wizards at bay and rebuild our nation. We don't deserve to let it slip from our hands and sink into the dark swamp of despair it once was.

If you don't believe the ministry has changed it's stance on law then perhaps this quote from an unnamed auror will persuade you:

'The marriage law is more important that criminals.'

The marriage law was enforced from Ana Levski's research suggesting magical bloodlines are being lost but is forcing strangers to conceive and  allowing dangerous criminals to walk free really the way to solve this?

Daily Prophet Reporter
Pansy Parkinson-Nott