Diggory Speaks
April 19th 1999
 
Recently declared MVP, Cedric Diggory looks relaxed and at home with himself as one might expect. Dressed in a set of casually formal robes and an easy smile, he handles being Quidditch master with equilibrium. He is modest and has a kind demeanour.

“Who inspired you to play Quidditch?”

My dad taught me to fly. Both my parents encouraged me to do what I wanted, that I could 'be' anything, like parents do. When I was taking Flying classes at school, I had a knack for it or so I was told. 

So I tried out for the House team, surprising myself by making Seeker. Quidditch seemed to the thing I was best at, so I decided to devote my time and attention to getting better. Before I knew it, I was out of school and getting scouted to be on the team.

That's really all. Just luck and a bit of determination.

“Would you say loyalty counts on a team?” 

A team is nothing if the players aren't loyal - to each other, to the team itself, to playing their best.

“How do you deal with head hunters trying to charm you away?”

They don't bother me. They haven't lured me away either. I'm dedicated to the team as much as I am loyal to it. As long as you don't buy into the head hunters or encourage them, they don't bother you and they get the message eventually.

“With the Polish Withdrawal, people are asking if politics should be left out of Quidditch. Do you agree?”

Quidditch is a sport, a game, a hobby, not a place for people to wave their political banners and try to get people to believe with them. Personally, as Captain, I've been known to end all political conversation between team mates. If they disagree, it could lead toward discomfort or even hostility. Neither of which you want between team mates when you're flying hundreds up in the air.

Politics shouldn't have anything to do with Quidditch.

“Being in the Public Eye must be tough, especially with a new wife. How do you cope with the pressures?”

My personal and professional life is kept as apart as I can manage. Not to say Marietta doesn't go to games, attend the public events I do, though. Marietta has a career and if she's off, yes, she attends what she can and wants, but if she's working then she doesn't and I never expect her to. It's nice when she shows support.

But we do what we can to be together. With the both of us with careers, it's not always easy, but we manage.

“Any regrets? Or is life one big learning experience?”

I don't see life as a big learning experience, but if you look back and want to take something back all you going to end up doing is looking back, rather than forward. 

Sure, I wish I had done things differently, sometimes, but everyone does. Everyone has the moments that after they do or say something, they realise what a jerk they were or what a mistake it was and wished they could take it back. But you can't. So I don't see the point about thinking about it.

As long as you recognise them as mistakes, you don't have to wallow in regret to prevent yourself from making the same mistake twice.

“Any advice to give budding Quidditch players?”

Keep playing. Practice does work. No one is ever perfect, but if you don't practice, you won't even have the confidence to go far.

The Wedding of the Year
April 6th 1999

This column is delighted to be invited to give you an exclusive on the wedding of Monsieur Basile Jean-Louis Tiquet and Miss Thalia Lestrange. All of London's Theatricals and Shining Stars have come to celebrate the joining of the only daughter of Rastaban and Astra LeStrange.

The couple met while Miss Thalia was performing 'My Fair Lady' in the shining city of Paris. Despite already having a date, young Basile was taken with the beautiful leading lady and asked her out as soon as he was able. And thus began a fairytale romance that we are celebrating today.

An air of anticipation held the church in its grip as Miss Thalia emerged, stunning in her ruby dress (pictured) by  Silva Winthorpe. The couple wrote their own vows, having been officially married previously, and tears were shed filled with hope and love from the gathered friends and family.

All of the LeStrange clan were out in force for the occasion, as well as any high ranking member of government that this columnist familiar with, and several members of the Elite, including Cedric Diggory, Britian's Pride of Quiddich.

Read page six for what Narcissa Malfoy, wedding planner and reception organiser had to say and for further pictures of the glamorous guests.

Behind the Curtain
April  8th 1999

With the LeStrange/Tiquet Wedding, the Wizarding World enjoyed the symbol of a new start to two lovely young people's lifes and this column would like to extend his well wishes to Mr and Mrs Tiquet.

This column also thought to separate the joy of this occasion from the rather seedy happenings occurring in the background. So as an appendix to yesterday's report the Daily Prophet brings you the break up of the LeStrange marriage.

As observed by this columnist, Astra LeStrange, a member of the Board of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, went up to her husband, Rastaban, an esteemed barrister, to ask him to dance. He refused, which cause her to become distressed.

After their argument, Astra disappeared from the hall, immediately followed by one Lucius Malfoy, Head of the The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. He appeared very much angered by Rastaban's rejection and later returned with Astra.

Malfoy then 'marked his territory' by proceeding to slow dance with Astra while Rastaban decided to dance with an unnamed friend. According to the other guests, angry words were exchanged between Rastaban and Astra and Lucius before Malfoy struck out at Rastaban.

Rastaban responded with his wand and Malfoy sailed out of the hall to arrive in front of this reporter. While Rastaban was occupied with an argument with his wife and his bleeding nose, Lucius tackled Rastaban down to the ground.

Thankfully, any further action was thwarted by an Auror guest of the family, who tied Malfoy in an 'Incarcero' spell. Fortunately, once Malfoy was contained, Rastaban recovered himself and remembered the occasion and his daughter. He tended to his nose and 'Apparated' from the party.

Rastaban has now left the family home for his summer home with a friend while Astra appears to have moved in with Malfoy.

Hopefully, should the youngest LeStrange decide to marry, his parents would see fit to leave the family squabbles at home. 

MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN KNOCKTURN ALLEY

October 28, 1998

Nathan Pierce-Collins


Yesterday evening, the body of a young woman was found in Knockturn Alley. Coroners have confirmed that she was slain by a Killing Curse, likely not long before she was discovered by a passerby. The body was later confirmed as being that of Bernadette K. Warren, aaged 28, a waitress at a nearby restaurant.

Authorities are stymied by the lack of apparent motive. The body showed no signs of any kind of struggle or physical attack, and none of her possessions had been taken; when her body was found, the money in her purse had been untouched.

"It just doesn't make any sense," said Leona Warren, the victim's mother. "She didn't have enemies or anything like that. People liked her. I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt a nice girl like her."

FAULTY PORTKEYS: HIT WIZARDS AND AURORS ASSURE THE POPULACE
Nell P. Carson

September 30, 1998

LONDON, UK - A recent rash of unexplained Portkey accidents had the Ministry completely baffled until today.

The Hit Wizards first became aware of the accidents after several people—many of them Ministry officials or the aides of Ministry officials—disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Investigation of the incidents revealed several unusual items that had been spelled as Portkeys to undesirable locations.

A pheasant–feather quill apparently dropped the High-Chair of the Committee for the Benefit of Non-Humans Peoples in Guatemala’s Santa María volcano. High-Chair Caldwaller will be missed.

In similar incidents, a piece of parchment led to an icy death in the South Atlantic Ocean near Antarctica, an innocent-seeming Galleon sent its victim to the Namib Desert, and a Wizard Chess piece to an uninhabited Lakshadweep island. Unfortunately, all of the people affected by these Portkeys could not be recovered in time to save their lives.

The following is a quote from Helga Hornby, an Auror on the scene of the latest incident: “At this time, the Ministry would like to assure the populace that there is no evidence of malice in these cases. They are most likely the result of faulty Portkey charms. Everyone knows making Portkeys is one of the more difficult charms, we don’t know why all you people are so paranoid!” However, Auror Horby assured this reporter than the Hit Wizards and Aurors will continue to work together to prove this is no more than faulty charms.

Of course, the Daily Prophet will keep their faithful readers updated when more information becomes available.

MINISTRY DEVELOPING NEW SUBSTANCE FOR EUTHANIZING PRISONERS

September 22, 1998

By Nathan Pierce-Collins

LONDON, UK - Recently, the Ministry of Magic has been experimenting with new, more efficient ways to euthanize prisoners in its breeding camps. In its latest effort, a gas has been developed that will serve to suffocate large groups of Mudbloods at once.

The gas is similar in composition to Garrotting Gas, with the ratios changed to give it a more lethal effect. The Ministry scientist who worked on it compared its effects to that of inhaling too much helium. “What happens…is that you don’t get enough oxygen,” he stated in an interview. “It’s much like drowning.”

Bellatrix Lestrange, the High Commander of the Ministry’s breeding camps, expressed incredible enthusiasm for the gas and its use. She stated that the gas would be used on those prisoners that were already in a poor state to begin with. “Only the weak and unhealthy are put to death,” she said. “All we do here is help.”

No word yet on whether this will lead to further Ministry projects in a similar vein.

DECREES FROM A TYRANT
Opinion Column – Nora Parsons-Click

April 10, 1981



The week opens in somber silence as the Wizarding world continues to reel from last month’s events. We all know now the fate of Minister Bagnold and her Auror guard. Though no one else seems willing to even say the words, let alone write them for the whole world to see, I will not be so afraid.

Minister for Magic Millicent Bagnold and her Auror guard were murdered on the Ides of March.

Cowards in masks and robes who claim to serve the most powerful wizard of all time murdered them. Those cowards are now in control of the Ministry, and by extension the rest of the Wizarding world.

Proof of this comes in the form of the new Ministry’s first decrees, which are filled with anti-Muggle and anti-Muggleborn sentiments. Purebloods are the only citizens with rights anymore, but purebloods are not the other citizens of our community. I wonder where anyone has the right to tell anyone else how to work, to marry, or to have children. These decrees are an attempt to rule our lives from birth to death.

How many of us have friends who are Muggleborn? How many of us are Muggleborn? Under these “laws,” our friends, are peers, would be no more than slaves. What else will this creature who calls himself Lord do now that he has the power to tell us all how to live? This is how our children will grow up if we allow this to continue.

As I have done in the past and will continue to do in the future, I urge every witch and wizard who loves their life and children to stand up and say no to He Who Must Not Be Named. We must take back our Ministry.

We must take back our lives.

--Edited before printing by Rowena Edgecombe, editor for the Daily Prophet

For all to read, what follows is the second of the decrees issued by the new Minister for Magic. All are expected to read and abide.

Decree # 2 - Civil and Societal Placement of Half-Blood and Muggleborn Citizens.

PART ONE - Employment

Effective immediately, half-blood citizens are not to hold employment within the Wizarding community unless such employment is in a servile capacity. Acceptable employment for half-blood citizens will include: housekeeping, book-keeping, cooking, laundry services, cleaning, carpentry and other construction positions.

Muggleborn citizens are not to hold positions for which pay is expected or appropriate. Muggleborn citizens are to work in the home of the pureblood citizen who will employ them, and will be rewarded only with room and board. Muggleborn citizens found with any currency on their person will be immediately arrested and remanded to Azkaban to wait trial for robbery.

PART TWO - Ownership

No Muggleborn citizen will be allowed to own a home or manner of conveyance, including brooms, a Floo-connected fireplace, Portkey, or any other conveyance that might give them access to homes or businesses not their own. Muggleborn citizens are also banned from Apparition.

PART THREE - Marriage and Family

In order to maintain the blood purity of our people, no Muggleborn or half-blood may marry in to a pureblood family.

All intended marriages must be registered with the Ministry, along with the registered blood status of both parties and their parents. This is to ensure all children from any union will be appropriately pure of blood.

Half-bloods may only marry other half-bloods.

Muggleborn citizens and Squibs may not marry or have children.

Any marriage not sanctioned by the Ministry will not be legally recognized, and will be considered an act of sedition with a minimum sentence of ten years in Azkaban. Any children resulting from such a seditious union will be remanded into the custody of the Ministry.

Purebloods found in seditious unions with half-bloods, Muggleborns or Squibs will be branded as blood traitors and forbidden to marry or have children. Any children of blood traitors, already in existence or in the future, will be removed from that dangerous environment and placed within loyal pureblood homes to be raised.

This decree issued April 1, 1981 on orders of the Minister for Magic.

For all to read, what follows is the first of the decrees issued by the new Minister for Magic. All are expected to read and abide.

Decree #1 - Blood Status Registration.

Effective immediately, all citizens are required to register their blood status with the Ministry of Magic. All citizens will report as soon as possible to the Office of Blood Status within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to register as pure blood, half-blood, Muggleborn or Squib.

In order to be considered pureblood, a witch or wizard must be able to prove magical relations on both sides of their family without Muggle or Muggleborn taint for at least three generations. Any witch or wizard unable to provide this proof, or who has Muggle or Muggleborn relations within three generations must register as half-blood.

Any citizen who does not report within one week for registration will be pursued to the full extent of the Ministry's capability, forcibly registered, and sent to Azkaban for a period of three months.

Parents are responsible for registering all children under the age of seventeen. Parents who do not will also serve three months in Azkaban, and their children will be placed in foster care with a Ministry-approved family.

This decree issued March 30, 1981 on orders of the Minister for Magic.

DEATH EATER ATTACK ON THE MINISTRY?
Nora Parsons-Click

March 16, 1981

LONDON, UK – The Ides of March were indeed a date to beware this year, as reports flood in concerning unusual activity at the Ministry of Magic late last night. While the reports have not yet been confirmed, several witnesses claim to have seen hooded and masked figures approaching the Ministry offices some time before midnight. As of the writing of this article, no one has entered or left the Ministry building.

There has been no word from Minister for Magic Millicent Bagnold. Several people interviewed for this article, all of whom wish to remain anonymous, expressed fear for the lives of the Minister and her personal Auror bodyguards.

Bartemius Crouch Sr., Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, has thus far offered no comment to requests for information. Apparently under his orders, other Aurors, Hit Wizards, and members of the department have also refrained from commenting. No one seems willing to speculate on the fate of Minister Bagnold or anyone else who might have been at the Ministry during the alleged attack.

As the entire Wizarding world knows by now, the hoods and masks worn by the alleged attackers are the signs of followers of He Who Must Not Be Named. Calling themselves “Death Eaters,” these so-called “defenders of pure blood” have caused much dissention in our community, starting with small pranks and escalating to the murders of innocent witches, wizards, and Muggles.

For years, this reporter has urged the Ministry to do more in the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named and his Death Eaters, to no avail. It is never in the best interest of the people to bow to tyranny, and this self-proclaimed “lord” is a classic example of a tyrant. Giving in to the fear he and his followers attempt to evoke is to give them the power they desire, power over us, over our lives and the lives of our children.

Now, as we sit and wait for news from inside the Ministry, it may be too late. Now, this reporter urges every reader of the Daily Prophet to do what the Ministry would not: stand, fight, and tell this tyrant we will not be ruled by fear.

--Edited before printing by Rowena Edgecombe, editor for the Daily Prophet.