Triumphant: logs, entries, media.

'Mystery intruders' end-of-year prank

An end-of-year prank at Hogwarts may have gone slightly too far last night, sparking a security alert that locked the school down for several hours. While such mischief is traditional at the close of exams, staff described the incident as 'in bad taste'.

Groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid first became aware of the situation shortly after dinner when a small group of individuals deliberately set off a perimeter alert. Dressed in concealing black robes, they then headed to Ravenclaw Tower where they caused a ruckus which left younger students distressed and upset. Though they managed to escape through the use of well-timed smoke charms before they could be identified, it is suspected that they may have been sixth and seventh year Ravenclaws due to the smooth execution, if not good sense.

A search was initiated, however, as is standard practice for a security breach. The last such incident took place in 1879.

[Private]
If a disappearance doesn't fall under the DMLE, what does that mean? I've never done much crimes reporting, it's not like I've had to think about this sort of thing before. The DMU does... wand registering and spell monitoring, and regulators. Obviously if anything it's the last one. Does that mean someone killed him using magic? Not Dark magic or it would be Aurors, which is still DMLE, which I guess at least means it's not related to the Death Eaters on the loose. Not that I have any clue why Death Eaters would target Freddy anyway. But then I don't know why anyone would target him. He's annoying, sure, but annoying enough to kill? I doubt it. Maybe that's just me. But doesn't that mean the most likely suspects would be the other neighbours? And, well, me, and I know I haven't had regulators asking me questions. I think that's the thing that really worries me. If he'd been lying in the house dead, that would be one thing. And if there was a big murder investigation that would be another. But... there's nothing. Just his house sitting there empty and unwarded. Why wouldn't they be going up and down the street getting statements? Even if they thought it was someone somewhere else that he was pissing off by owl post or something, surely they'd want to know who saw what.

And now these law changes. Legalised Unforgivables for law enforcement and citizens being legally obliged to report "suspected subnationals", whatever that means. They seem to be talking about people who might be Death Eaters given the context, which, I mean, that's fair enough in some sense considering there's at least two (three?) of them out there still that they haven't managed to recapture, but the legal obligation is pretty worrying. I'm not even sure how you'd police that. How do they know whether people actually suspect or not? Couldn't people just say "whoops, my bad, I guess I don't think of people like that!"? Because I know I don't look at my coworkers and think "hmm, you seem a bit cranky these days, I wonder if you're a subnational." They'd have to give everyone veritaserum or something and that can't be practical.

I was thinking not that long ago about actually setting a date with Tilden, maybe at the end of this year, but right now the idea of planning a wedding just doesn't seem that important appealing pressing

Maybe we should anyway. It's not like either of us is getting any less busy.
[/Private]

[Fabi

Trying to get some writing done and the neighbour's dog won't. stop. barking. I'm sort of torn between going to work at Tilden's and checking it out because this guy doesn't normally go out that much... but on the other hand he's this cranky old man who hates everything (except the dog) and whose conversational skills extend to cornering passersby and ranting about how terrible the world is. DECISIONS.

A polite notice to my friends in Beast Division: I get that you want to put me down, but you should at least have the courtesy not to drink my milk before it reaches my land. There's doing a job and then there's taking the piss.

(And I'd say 'there goes the career', but that bird's flown.)

I can't say how much I appreciate the recent role-switching at the Daily Prophet. It really speaks to a mood of co-operation, team spirit and generosity. It isn't about promoting your own name, after all, it's about making sure the public gets the best information from the best source. So I'm very glad to see Rita's recent foray into the art of the human interest story. We have so many elderly witches and wizards in care homes, I think it's so important for people to check in on them sometimes and see how their days are going, whether they've had any nice events or exciting visitors lately. Congratulations, Rita. I didn't think my opinion of you could get any higher.

Just once I'd like the Prophet to tell me something I don't already know.

PRIVATE

Thank you for tuning in for tonight's round table panel on the May Day broadcast; your owls and contributions

Thank you for joining us in our discussion of James Potter's May Day broadcast this evening

We hope you enjoyed the fucking farce that was tonight's roundtable

This

As always, thank you for joining the National News Network's panel debate this evening.

Undersecretary Wight has assured us that the planned security measures broadly outlined during discussion will be distributed as a white paper from Tuesday (available free of charge at all news outlets and book shops, and upon application to the Ministry), and public comment is invited before legislative debate begins in the Wizengamot on Wednesday the 21st of May.

I'll see you again tomorrow evening, usual place and usual time, but for now -- goodnight, wizarding Britain.

MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS DISRUPTED

May Morning celebrations in Oxford's wizarding quarter traditionally draw a large and diverse crowd as witches and wizards of all levels of society come out of their homes to recognise the arrival of warm weather. This year was no different. But among the happy festival-goers, games and stalls was a character more colourful than any of these brightly-dressed people expected.

At eleven o'clock this morning, those on Magdalen Bridge were startled by the amplified voice of a man claiming to be James Potter. Readers may recall that Potter was murdered in his home by You-Know-Who himself on Halloween night, 1981, along with his wife Lily and young son Harry. The destruction at the scene was such that Potter's body was not able to be conclusively identified, which may explain his attraction to the mysterious individual on the bridge.

The other areas of the festival quickly emptied out as all present headed to Magdalen Bridge to watch and listen as the pretender denounced the Ministry, Albus Dumbledore, and the population at large. He spoke of fear and oppression, painting Dumbledore as a tyrant. He called on the wizarding population to rise up against the Ministry. It was an address that would not have seemed out of place a decade ago, when those with Muggle blood feared for their lives and those of pure blood who were not willing were pressed into service to a terrorist army by any means necessary. Others, such as recent Azkaban escapees Evan Rosier and Rabastan Lestrange, did not require such tactics, participating willingly in the slaughter of fellow citizens and countrymen.

The interruption of the celebrations was so unexpected that the man was able to apparently finish his pre-prepared address before security arrived, too late to prevent him from disappearing into the crowds. It was as though a Silencing spell had been broken as the audience broke into heated discussion of what they had just seen, anxiety and fear painted on many faces as they traded theories back and forth. Was the pretender a Death Eater in disguise, perhaps, returned to sow discord and plant the seed for a repeat of the war that had begun to fade into history? It was a suggestion that was put forward repeatedly, but unfortunately one that cannot be verified.

(for a list of returned and escaped suspected Death Eaters, see A4)
(for reactions from the crowd, see A3)

Well, the full moon is over, and tomorrow is May Day! I'm pretty excited, for real. Apparently I'll be out and about in Oxford in the morning for some hard-boiled journalism, then I might have to poll everyone to see where the best place to spend the afternoon is. Hogsmeade usually has pretty good celebrations, it can be kind of crowded though. Not so great for us shorties. I'll have to be sure and wear something really brightly coloured so I don't get completely lost in the crowds (might even make Tilden piggy-back me, shh).

Kind of a pain when it happens on a Tuesday or Thursday though. Being in the office for one day with the weekend on one side and fun and excitement on the other? That's just cruel. I guess it would be worse if I got the whole day off, but even so, it doesn't really feel like work, does it?

I went to get ink and a new quill at Flourish and Blotts this afternoon and determined there was no force on the planet that could make me go through with my intended activity. Such a crowd about the shop, I do not know what they found so thrilling, but their numbers did nothing to thrill me.

[Ward: Private]

I dislike the number of Death Eaters of old that are suddenly walking, speaking publicly, even boasting.

There is nothing good that can come of this.

At the same time, I wonder that there is any good of the current world the way it is. When I must tutor young Malfoy in secret what he should have learned from the best instructors of the Wizarding World because what will be taught in the classrooms he walks through is mere theory and useless talk - no action.

Still, the world the Death Eaters would build is no more interesting to me than the world that Dumbledore has built. I wish only to be left alone. Sometimes I wonder why I did not return to the Muggle world and simply stay there - ignoring the politics and machinations of this world where I have only ever partially belonged.

[Ward: Lupin]

I trust you found your Wolfsbane Potion effective?

[Dora, Sybill]
So, I'm a bit scared How would someone actually find out who all the Muggleborns are? Like, word of mouth or is there some kind of, I don't know, list?

I'm just sort of nervous about those guys still not being caught and Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback both turning up, I guess, and then she was specifically talking about getting rid of Muggleborns, and my dad  I mean, not that we can hide his blood because I mentioned it in my stupid book, but, like.

Yeah, I don't even know what I'm thinking actually. Mostly I just want Tilden to follow me around everywhere giving me hugs.

Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I was contemplating recent events as I took tea this morning and naturally I simply had to read the leaves. Concentrating one's mind on a subject does give such clear readings. But oh dear, what terrible things I saw in the leaves! A deer being chased by a rat and a dog. Oh, how I shudder. Quarrels and disputes leading to treachery and adverse conditions. As terrible as the news has been so far, it will only get worse!

There are a million books around the house at any given moment, so I'm normally a big fan of reading. But sometimes, you gotta ask what writers were thinking, yeah?

Also, mental note: I need to put a bell or something on this thing as not to lose it!

Approximately five minutes into any given visit home some variation on this conversation is bound to happen:

Mum: Have you set a date yet?
Me: Winter.
Mum: This winter?
Me: Any winter.
Mum: dramatic speeches about old maids and adorable grandbabies and whatnot.

I mean, Tilden would make adorable grandbabies, she does have a point there. But it's sort of fun to make her stew. Meanwhile I'm getting paid to go to Kneazle shows. High profile, no. Super fun day at the office, definitely. Currently covered in fur mind you and some of the purebred Kneazles were a bit frisky with their claws - hot tip, if you plan to do this, visit the purebred cages first. Apparently they'll flip out if you have a million other cat smells on you. That courtesy of the very nice man at the entrance. Anyway it's a three day event so look for the details in tomorrow morning's Prophet under the photo of me holding an enormous grey thing.

On a more serious note, I did think maybe the Azkaban escapees would have been caught by now. There's a lot of newsroom rumours of course but none of them seem particularly more credible than the others. Obviously the Aurors would want to keep any real information secret so Lestrange and Rosier don't get advance warning but the silence is extremely unnerving. Here's hoping for a quick resolution.

I've been in the company of a full time hermit/possible forest nymph this past week, who was possibly one of the most fascinating people I have ever met. Thus, I have learned the following:

1. The Moly are up about this time. I hadn't seen them since I was a wee lad, but we came across a paddock of them. Delicate, though. Must be pinched off very gently 3 cm above ground to keep the root system in tact and encourage regrowth. After all, I hear it's a very expensive ingredient.

2. Wiggentree bark is best foraged after the second frost's melting. It should be moist and not brittle when stripped, then dried thoroughly before grinding. My friend predicts demand for this will climb given recent events. I am inclined to agree.

The things you learn when you get around enough and listen to very talkative diminutive old men (?). Then again, my companion enjoyed a fermented (and highly alcoholic) drink made from Bobotuber pus, and insisted I take a bottle home with me to drink, which...no. No.

Rita Skeeter still uses her bio to promote her 'biographical' drivel: Some things don't change.

[Warded: Narcissa]

Draco will be home for Easter I presume - Would you like for him to have tutelage during this time?

What is there for fun in this country? I've found map of London but it is awfully big. Is there smaller town so that I don't get lost?

Your country is very beautiful.