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The Daily Prophet

Issue Eight

Dear readers,

Welcome to the next edition of The Daily Prophet, with potentially just one or two more issues to come for this season. We'd like to thank you all for reading, and as such, remind you that if you're planning on sending in Cupid's Corners, recommended stories, reviews, artwork, or anything at all like that, that now is your chance! If anyone missed out on their BYE interview, too, please contact the QL account by the end of this week for another chance to be interviewed.

This issue does delve into some sensitive themes, so please read with caution and know that you are all awesome :)

All the very best for these next two rounds leading to finals,

Tigger Xx


SOAPIES OR HORROR STORIES? THE MUGGLES ARE BACK

Now, I don't want to alarm any of you, but it seems that Muggle culture has once again invaded our proud and united wizarding world. Many impressionable young witches and wizards have found themselves unable to draw their eyes away from Muggle technology and have been stuck with their eyes glued to the television screen. Those who were able to have still been affected, with many fans bringing their drama to the Quidditch stands during Rounds 10 and 11.

During the games, we witnessed quite a few break-ups, the announcement of some unexpected pregnancies, a few surprise engagements, and one player heading into a coma after being hit by a Bludger—come on, people, we tell you that you should not try to catch them in the stands. We'd like to take the time now to also remind people that Quidditch stands are not to be used to read out wills, to draw raffle tickets, or to play around with any Resurrection Stones you may have found.

Thankfully, Round 11 saw no one brought any chain saws or dolls to the matches, allowing players to focus on playing the game rather than trying to scare each other to death. With Round 12 now underway and Round 13 coming up in a fortnight, most teams (wherefore art thou Arrows?) are more determined than ever to get the points that will secure their spot in the finals.

We'd like to congratulate our latest JP winners for Rounds 9 and 10: gr8rockstarrox with her her story Support Circle, and silently-at-night with her story On Pain of Death.

There may potentially be only one or two more issues of The Prophet this season, so we'd like to thank everyone now for reading and encourage you all to get those Cupid's Corners and recommended stories in!


INTRODUCING THE MAGNIFICENT MAGPIES

Hello everyone, you all know who this is by now. That's right, it's me, Tigger, and not the bouncy Disney version—just a regular old reporter.

Last week, I ventured into the Magpie's territory in an attempt to discover their secrets of success.

Here are the Season 6 Montrose Magpies:

CAPTAIN: Emy (Emiliya Wolfe)

KEEPER: Jenny (The Lady Rogue)

CHASER 1: Em (Emmeebee)

CHASER 2: Abby (Cookies and Ink)

CHASER 3: Ami (AlwaysPadfoot)

BEATER 1: Mary (MaryandMerlin)

BEATER 2: Jen (QUEEN EMPTH)

SEEKER: Andy (Celestia0909)

A fun fact for you all: magpies (animals, particularly the Aussie version—not the Quidditch team) remember their victims. If they attack you one summer, they'll be sure to come back at you every season.

How do you feel about having your BYE this round? Are you a fan of soap operas, or do you like to mock them like me?

Emy: Echoing my teammates here; I was so happy to have the BYE round as we're getting tired and slightly sloppy. It was also nice to focus on real life things without fanfiction in the back of my mind, and it gave all of us the time to recharge and reboot. I don't mind soap operas so long as they're well-written, but I don't think I could have faced writing about cheating this round!

Jenny: The BYE round was like a breath of fresh air. I'm glad we've had the opportunity to pause before preparing for the final few rounds, as it was much needed. I'm not a fan of soap operas; never properly watched them and I doubt that I will. However, I do enjoy a good episode of Friends or Brooklyn 99!

Em: The BYE came at the perfect time. We were all getting a little worn out, and it's been great to have the time to take a step back, breathe, and recuperate. It was particularly fortuitous timing because I wasn't in the right headspace for the Chaser 1 prompt this round. Overall, I'm not fond of soap operas, but I don't mind some soap elements in moderation when they're mixed in with something else; McLeod's Daughters arguably became a soap opera by the end, but I was all in for that because, hey, horses and gorgeous farmland.

Ami: I am sooooooo grateful for the BYE round both because life is hectic and I wasn't keen on either the main or optional prompts in Round 10. I used to be a big fan of Eastenders when I was younger, purely because I LOVE DRAMA, but now soaps don't really interest me that much. I'm far more in love with sitcoms and basically Netflix.

Mary: It seems to be the theme of our answer for this one, but I too am extremely grateful for the relief of this round. I'm not sure how I would have done with my prompt but I don't mind a soap opera personally. I can never keep up with them though, I dip in and out constantly.

Jen: I was very relieved that we have this BYE round. I was quite stressed out because of the prompts and this break was a breath of fresh air. I mock Hindi soap operas because they're so ridiculous. But I love British shows like Sherlock and The Crown.

Andy: I'm really chuffed about having a BYE this round, I'd be stuck on the prompt, and to be honest I was really looking forward to having a break after such a full-on comp so far! I used to be obsessed with this Aussie soap opera called Neighbours when I was younger, but otherwise yeah, love to hate them. And especially love to mock them!

As of this round (Round 10), the Magpies are at the top of the leaderboard. How do you feel about that, and do you have any secrets to your success?

Emy: I'm super proud of everyone in our team for sticking it through till now. None of us have dropped out and I don't expect anyone to, to be honest. The whole team has tried their best every single round (even if that's a bit cliché). I feel like everyone knows everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and there's always someone on our group chat to help with ideas, grammar, plot holes, etc. I think the best part of it is that no one has ever blamed anyone for not being 100% one round, and that does a lot for team morale.

Jenny: I'm ecstatic by the fact that we're top of the leaderboard. We're a very hard working team that always helps each other with plot or beta-ing and I think this is reflected in our scores. It helps that our Captain, Emy, is very dedicated to providing support and encouragement. I think one of the secrets to our success is our determination to attack each and every round as if it's the only one that counts.

Ami: It helps a lot that we all communicate. Having a space off-forum is definitely a plus on a team because you can discuss everything and not have to be constantly checking the forum. We all pitch in to help and to beta, and we really support one another. I love our team this season.

Mary: It is so surreal to be top of the leaderboard and I'm just feeling so privileged to have a team that have been so cohesive and on top of everything. They keep me sane! There have been a couple of close calls on some rounds where I didn't think I was going to make it in on time but the constant support of these girls really is the only thing I can warrant as the cause of our success.

Jen: I'm very honoured to be a part of this team. I feel very proud that our team is in the first spot. I always say that I could never ask for a better team than this. I think everyone's hard work, communication, understanding and efforts should get the credit.

Andy: I'm honestly really proud of the team for maintaining the top spot, and I feel really honoured to have had such a great experience in my first year of QLFC. I honestly think that one of the things that makes us such a strong team is how supportive everyone is of one another, and how open we are with our communication. We always know what people are up to, whether someone needs help, and everyone's just so helpful and amazing when it comes to picking up the slack and offering advice!

If you could turn into any animal (aka become an Animagus) what would you become and why?

Emy: The funny part about this question is that I'm not at all surprised at my teammates' replies! On Pottermore, my Patronus is a Husky, so maybe that would be my Animagus too. But to be honest, I think I'd be a fox: they're very family orientated and pretty cheeky, which I've been accused of too many times to count. Plus, they're adorable! Who wouldn't want to be a fox?

Jenny: I'd love to be a cat. Most likely a panther, although I can see the lazy self-satisfaction of a housecat in my personality as well. I love to sunbathe, sleep, and be petted… I should have been born feline.

Em: This question has been plaguing me for years! In terms of personality, probably a dog or a cat. But from a practical standpoint, I would love to be some kind of bird so I could fly—preferably a peregrine falcon for the sheer speed I could reach in a dive and the fact that if I were attacked in mid-air, I should be able to take care of myself until I could get away. (One guess what series I'm currently rereading…).

Ami: Pottermore claims that I would be a Scoops Owl—which apparently is quite a rare outcome. That being said, I definitely think of myself of more of a four legged mammal creature… something no bigger than a Norwegian Forest Cat—maybe an actual Norwegian Forest Cat. If all else fails… a racoon.

Mary: I have always loved the ocean and would probably lean towards some sort of aquatic animal. Or scratching that I ADORE owls. I own too many owl shirts and too many owl ornaments and teddies so to have the ability to fly and just be so majestic would be awesome.

Jen: I think I would turn into a wolf. Cause they're loyal, faithful and they never abandon their team/family. Also Wolves mate for life (:)

Andy: I think I'd love to be a dolphin or a blue whale. The ocean has always been one of my favourite places, and being able to explore the big blue without the human limitation of needing oxygen would be insanely awe-inspiring.


FORTIS FORTUNA ADIUVAT: FAIRYTALES COME TRUE

Many of us would be familiar with the fairytales by the likes of Beedle the Bard (if you were fortunate enough to have realistic parents/ guardians) and Beatrix Bloxam (if your parents/ guardians wanted to torture you with mush). Tucked safely into our beds, perhaps with a glass of cold milk, we'd listen to the adventures of a wizard being chased by a one-legged magical pot, cheer on Babbity Rabbity and her cunning tricks, or learn about a wizard who cut out his own heart because he didn't want to ever fall in love (okay, well maybe if you were read this tale your parents may have been aligned with You-Know-Who—if suspicious, go check them out). You'd also be familiar with the three witches and a knight who went in search of the Fountain of Fair Fortune, and the belief that the fountain wasn't really magical at all.

During the war, it was proven that the Tale of the Three Brothers wasn't really a tale at all, with Mr Harry Potter allegedly becoming the master of Death with ownership of the Resurrection Stone (embedded into a ring), an Invisibility Cloak (inherited from his late father), and the Elder Wand (once possessed by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore). Whilst Mr Potter has since denied this, it has come to light that perhaps the existence of another magical artefact able to defeat death itself is possible.

The Fountain of Fair Fortune featured in the fairytale of the same name, and was believed to grant villagers one wish if they were brave and lucky enough to be selected on a certain day each year. In the story, if the character was able to make it up to the mountain where the fountain was located before sunset, they would be given whatever they wanted when bathing in it. It is revealed at the end by Beedle that the water within the fountain itself is just that: water, and the journey to it is what provides the adventurers with what they need. Mrs Luna Scamander, however, says this is beloney.

"Oh no, the Fountain [of Fair Fortune] really does exist," Mrs Scamander says. "Do you know why Wrackspurts [an imaginary creature Mrs Scamander believes clouds a person's mind] are invisible? They request it when going to the fountain."

Mrs Scamander believes that many creatures journey to the fountain each year to request their privacy from human beings, which, of course, the magic fountain grants.

"I don't need to wish for anything; I already have all the friends and family I need. I'll be journeying there to protect the creatures who do need it," she says.

Whilst there still remains to be proof of the Fountain's existence, we imagine it would be quite a find and could potentially change the fate of the world if the wrong (or right) person dares to bathe in its powerful waters.


THE KIND-HEARTED KENMARE KESTRELS

This week, I also had the pleasure of heading over to one of my favourite countries, Ireland.

It was here that I was lucky enough to catch up with the Kenmare Kestrels.

Here are the Season 6 Kenmare Kestrels:

CAPTAIN: Kat (roseus vortex)

KEEPER: Chris (chris400ad)

CHASER 1:

CHASER 2: Angela (miss skinny love)

CHASER 3:

BEATER 1:

BEATER 2: Kyrie (ValkyrieAce)

SEEKER: Cin (Cinnamon Silver Tiger)

Unfortunately, some members were off sneaking into horror films, so we'll come back to them once they're de-sensitised.

How do you feel about having your BYE this round? Are you a fan of horror-themed movies, books, and television shows, or are you like me who has to revert straight to Disney movies at the mere mention of them?

Kat: Relieved! Having a BYE round so late in the season is like having a breath of fresh air before we get to the end. Very happy about that. I'm not a huge fan of horror-theme, to be honest. I've enjoyed some psychological horror fanfics and animes. Those are absolutely terrifying. I'm not fond of the common gore horror movies, or gore in general. I will say that Disney movies are always at the top of the list—above horror, haha.

Chris: It's really nice to have a BYE round after so many weeks of writing, it's nice to just take a break, relax and catch up on the backlog of video games that have been staring at me for weeks. I'm sorry God of War, I will play you soon. As for horror, I'm not a huge fan. Generally I find the plots can overly rely on a big bad or scary thing, leaving the protagonists painfully underdeveloped. There are, of course, exceptions—but on the whole I'm not a fan. So missing this round was great for me!

Angela: Honestly, I'm super grateful about it. I have tons of work to do right now—essays, tests, other writing tasks, and so on and so forth. The BYE allows for a breather and lets us rest our creative muscles, if that makes sense. I'm not a massive fan of horror, to be entirely frank. This is mainly because I'm a coward (certainly not Pettigrew-level cowardice, though, I'll have you know!). I don't enjoy having my world tainted in terror as thrillers or horrors tend to do. So, yes, I'm just like you—Disney is Bae. Disney is Life. Disney is Wifey? Heh. I AM (not) MOANAAAAA!!!

Kyrie: I'm quite happy to have finally gotten to our BYE round. Honestly, I was starting to get a little overwhelmed because I write for multiple forums, but this BYE has helped me take some time off for myself, plan, and get back into writing with all my heart. I am a very big fan of horror-themed anything, but I found myself not as sad as I thought I would be. I'm sure that Halloween will provide me with other scary options to write for. I've already got a few horror-themed stories plotted out! But when it comes to horror or Disney, I'd say I'm a mix of both. I love horror and mystery, but sometimes I need the innocence and the vibrancy of Disney to keep me inspired. *cough* meaning I listen to a lot of Disney music *cough*

Cin: I'm super relieved. Currently I've had a tragic event happen in my life to where I don't think I would have been able to focus on writing a good story at the moment. But at the same time I feel like horror is right up my alley. Maybe not the gore part of it, but the thrill for sure. Having a Disney movie on que for right after a horror movie is a must though! Especially when it's dark out and my dogs bark at the smallest sound!

The Kestrels are doing pretty well in the competition. Do you think you will make it to the finals, and what are your goals for the season?

Kat: I think we will? I hope? I trust my team to make it to the finals. I feel like we've confidently managed to work ourselves up the ladder and it has built up our competitive spirit! As for goals, I think everyone's goal is to win the cup, haha. Last year, the Kestrels were really low on the ladder and it was frustrating. I think one of our goals is to give a good fight in the competition and where we are now... it's definitely a great place to be. I'm very proud of the team and if we reach the finals, that'll be fun.

Chris: I hope we do, it would be really nice after everyone's hard work. Even if we don't, I'll be proud to say that I was part of the team. I'm not the most vocal member, but it's been an honour to help get us this far, in whatever small way that I can. At the beginning of the season I just wanted to write more and get out of my rut, this has allowed me to go out there and do that. Anything else is a bonus really!

Angela: We are doing pretty well, aren't we? *pats self on back* Can't say I'm not pleased about that—who doesn't enjoy winning? Look, I hope we make it to the finals. It'd be awesome! But at the same time… if we don't… c'est la vie. We gave it our best shot, and there's always next season. We have a couple of members on our team who act like glue—Kitty Kat (our Captain) for example. They ensure the team doesn't just disintegrate, and cheer us on. We've got this! Positivity is key!

Goals…. Hmm. Again, to be frank … I'm not much of a planner. So my goals are intangible, indistinct things: write cool fic; hand fic in on time; randomly shout "boo" in change rooms, etc. I'm afraid I'm sort of… erm… messy when it comes to planning. I think Kyrie's the one for planning! She's absolutely fantastic at basically everything! :D

Kyrie: Oh gosh, are we? I feel that, externally, we seem to be handling it very well. But I'm not sure if we're faring so well internally what with the reserve situation and a lot of people dropping out. Still, no matter what the situation is, I do believe that our team will be doing our best through the rest of the seasons. I can't say for sure, but I want to make it to the finals. I'm happy to be able to fight through the competition, and I have to say, we've given our best. There's such a small gap between the 3rd, 4th and 5th place, and I can't help but have the confidence to try harder. My goals for the season is to learn how to be an effective and creative writer, and explore the different ways I can write to convey the emotions I want to share. It has been my goal at the start, and it is still my goal. Thanks to the feedback, I've been able to improve (somewhat) in this area.

Cin: I'm super proud to be a part of this team. I came in pretty late in the season, and have had to sit out a few rounds, but I'm excited to help us keep climbing up the latter. I think it's been hard having people disappear, and not many people in the reserves, but I feel like Kat and Kyrie really keep team morale up and still make it fun for those of us still pushing forward. My personal goals are to take my time (even though as Seeker my inner voice keeps yelling at me to go go go!) and to not jump the gun and make sure I get a beta for every story.

In the world of Harry Potter, there are many characters who are often overlooked or over scrutinised. Are there any misunderstood characters that you wish people would give another chance to? Why do they deserve it?

Kat: There are many, many characters. Some more popular than others in the fandom. I'm assuming the question is about misunderstood characters outside of the books themselves and into the wild jungle of the fandom? If it wasn't, I'd pick the Slytherins as the most misunderstood group of characters in the whole book. Not without underlying reason since we were given the books from Harry Potter's perspective and growth. If we are talking in the fandom, there are a lot of characters that are misunderstood. Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, Ron Weasley, etc. My goodness, especially Ron Weasley. One of the most human characters in the whole book. I could go on aaaallll day about these characters and on the misunderstood Slytherins, but that would be boring for everyone. These are lovely characters. Do they deserve another chance? Yes, everyone deserves another chance.

Chris: A character that potentially been misunderstood is Rita Skeeter. As someone who wants to go into journalism, it would be nice to see why she is the way she is. Is her editor demanding answers? Is there a tragic backstory that we don't know about. It would have been nice to see where she came from, rather than have her be an outright villain from the off.

Angela: Overlooked or over-scrutinized… now that's interesting. Often we're confronted with the question of "who is overlooked?", and I think that's the easier question, compared to the rarer question of "who is over-scrutinized?"

It's easier, in a sense, to find the overlooked—find the character whose achievements are undervalued or underappreciated; or the character whose personality and motives and actions are not explored; or the character we, as readers, do not know much about. For example: Mrs Crouch and her sacrifice for her son. She is certainly "overlooked." We tout Lily Potter for having died for her son, but honestly… I exemplify Mrs Crouch more, for having willingly, consciously and knowingly suffered so much for her child.

But over-scrutinized… who do we invest too much into? Who do we apply possible descriptions or ideas to (unfair ones, possibly)? I should think that these are the most obvious characters, in a sense -- ones we give too much value or appreciation to. Dumbledore and his rationales, perhaps.

These are the characters that we find ourselves looking too deep into—looking deep is great. Looking far, far too deep? Maybe you start to see things that were never there. You branch off from the integrity of your character. Sure, maybe Pettigrew betrayed the Potters because of some deep-seated childhood trauma. That's looking deep. But betraying them because James drooled in his sleep for seven years straight or something… that's grasping at straws. Unless you're a fantastic writer that can turn drool into a giant metaphor... Terrible example, I know, but what I'm trying to say is to maintain a sense of reality. Stretch that reality—that's creative freedom—but maybe be careful not to break it. Just my personal opinion.

I don't "wish" people would give certain characters more consideration. I didn't create Harry Potter—it's not my baby. Just a sandbox. If I'd written Harry Potter, I think I'd be more pushy, in a sense—all "look deeper into Mrs Dursley! Why is she like this? Let's explore!". I do my own exploring in my fics—and I show that exploration. If the reader understands -- that's awesome! But if they don't … well, interpretation is personal, and singular in some senses. I can't say whether certain characters deserve further thought to. Readers have to decide that based on perception. But as a writer, of course you always want readers to really delve a bit deeper.

Kyrie: Of course, there are many characters. Not only because there are too many characters that have been shown to be misunderstood in the movies/books, but also because we, as fanfiction readers and writers, have become accustomed to seeing a few of the popular characters bashed (or something along those lines). The most popular are Albus Dumbledore, Ron and Molly Weasley. They've already been talked about by Kat, so I won't go into it. But I'd like to bring up some of the overlooked or misunderstood characters: Neville Longbottom, Quirinus Quirrell, Ginny Weasley, Kreacher, Madam Pomfrey, Aberforth Dumbledore and Dudley Dursley. Seriously, these characters are all talked about and are important (some vaguely) in the plot of the movies/books, but I would love to see more done with them. It isn't that they haven't gotten a chance, but that there are writers that strive to come up with out of the box ideas for these characters (I admit to being one with the lack of creativity as well). I would like to see some fanfictions where one of these characters' personalities shine so brightly in a situation that is out of the ordinary in terms of canon.

Cin: I feel like overlooked and over scrutinized is going to be different for every single person and their personal relationship with the characters. For me, the Slytherins are completely overlooked. I would have loved to be able to see more into their lives, so we knew why they acted the way they do. It's why I have so much fun writing them, because there are so many possibilities for their backstories.

As for over scrutinized, Snape and Mrs. Dursley come to the front of my mind. But I agree with Angela in that interpretation is personal. It's hard when a reader, or even a judge, criticizes a fic because their view of the character is much different than how you wrote it, and because they don't agree you receive negative feedback.


THE PERILS OF POGREBIN: RUSSIAN CITY GONE SUICIDAL

The settlement of Leningradsky in the Iultinsky District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, one of the settlements the furthest north in Russia, seems to have some of the worst luck possible. In 2005, a few bored Muggle soldiers decided to rebel and take over the local drug store, where a seven-hour battle took place between them and the Muggle Aurors ('police'). Several casualties happened on both sides and sadly, one member of the magical community died as well.

This time, it first looked as if the meagre population of around 700 people were to be radically reduced even further.

The inhabitants of the small settlement do not live an easy life. The main occupations are fishing in the nearby Chukchi Sea and gold mining. To produce a gram of gold, often a tonne of rock first has to be washed as Muggles don't have Nifflers to detect the gold. Within 80km distance there is the Mys Shmidta Airport, (that's a place where you can take an airplane— a machine that flies) along with the port which is the prime means of supply for the settlement. Leningradsky is currently in the process of being liquidated. Additionally, travel is very hard to do as there are no roads connecting the settlement to anywhere else in the world and Muggles have no Floo, Apparition or broomstick access. This is why it was no wonder when the first suicide happened there just a month ago. People thought it a tragedy, of course, but were not very surprised. It was a middle-aged man with family who worked in the gold mines every day while not making a lot of money.

When the same thing happened again just a few days later, however, the local Muggle Aurors started looking into it. The obvious connection were the gold mines. However, upon investigation it became clear that this man had a drinking problem. It was dismissed as another suicide. Over the next few weeks, a tragic pattern started up. Once a week, someone would be found not far away from the gold mine, dead. Some had used their mining equipment, some a rock lying on the floor, some jumped off a cliff-like stone edge into one of the many small lakes.

The whole instance went unnoticed by the Wizarding World, however, until a Mr Anatoly Ivanov also passed away. Mr Ivanov was a Squib who had decided to live in the Muggle world and had found a job at the gold mine. He was only twenty-three years old when he died and was found by his magical brother who visited him about once a week to see how he was doing. His brother decided to introduce the Russian Aurors to the situation as he couldn't understand why his brother would commit suicide.

The investigation began immediately, but it seemed to lead nowhere. The Aurors had almost given up on finding anything until one of their own almost commited suicide himself. He was found by one of his colleagues in the gold mines and was luckily stopped just in time. Upon leaving the scene, the two couldn't believe their eyes when a small humanoid creature started running off where just seconds before a rock had been. After telling the tale, they realised that it had to have been a Pogrebin.

Pogrebins are class XXX beasts. They are small Russian demons, barely a foot tall with hair all over their body except a bald oversized head—the aforementioned rock. Pogrebins like to tail people and when they do so for hours, a sense of misery and senselessness will befall the person. When they stop walking and sink to the ground the Pogrebin will usually try to devour them. What made this case special was that the Pogrebin did not try to devour the victims. Instead, it seemed to be a new variant that caused people to kill themselves only to eat them later on.

Fortunately, it was found that the usual Stupefy is still able to take one out and so the Russian Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures took care of the problem just two days ago. It did not change anything for the Muggle side of the situation as most people decided to leave the settlement for good, believing it cursed. We at The Daily Prophet expect it to be left abandoned over the span of a few months, and advise any students going on exchange to the Koldovstoretz School this month to be aware of the presence of such beasts.

Note: Whilst this article is designed to inform and protect our witches and wizards against Pogrebins, we are aware suicide is a serious issue. If you or anyone you know are experiencing negative thoughts, please do not be afraid to talk to someone. There are many helplines available, doctors can and will help, and our inboxes are always open. Please remember to also check in with your family and friends on a regular basis, even if it's just to ask them if everything is OK.


THE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS

This issue's edition of 'What Binns Forgot To Tell You' will be slightly different. Usually, I research all kinds of families and histories of Harry Potter characters. This time I thought it would be interesting to write about the reactions of the world to the books. This article will go into the different religions' reactions with a few examples, as well as include J. K. Rowling's stance on this.

I have previously gone into the Witch Hunts which took place in the medieval ages. For a while, the religious persecution of the Harry Potter books looked to go into the same direction. People associated the magic performed with witchcraft and the close community of the Wizarding World with a satanic cult. Parents and churches all over the world have shouted out in protest to have these books burned if not at least banned and have, sadly, in some cases succeeded. The books have been burned in the thousands on several occasions and been banned in hundreds of schools all over the world.

Nowhere has the outcry been as loud as in Northern America where most fundamentalist evangelical Christian groups reside. They believe that the books are dangerous for children, leading them into doing the Devil's work. Paul Hetrick, spokesman for Focus on the Family, an American Evangelical Christian group based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, explains that while 'good' Christian values are shown in the books these values are always connected to the usage of magic which, to him, is in direct conflict with the Bible's message. After all, Deutoronomy 18: 10 -12 clearly states: "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these thing are an abomination unto the lord." I don't think it's necessary to highlight just which parts of the Harry Potter books this would conflict with.

Another common problem these groups have with the books is that they believe them to promote the Wiccan religion. If that were the case and if the books were to be kept at school, it would violate the separation of church and state in the United States. This has led to the Harry Potter books being seventh on the list of most challenged books in school and public libraries in the 20th century, nevermind it has only first been published in the US in 1998, and the most challenged one in the 21st century. One of the most notable instances was a lawsuit the Public Library system in Jacksonville, Florida was confronted with. The conservative Christian group Liberty Counsel of Orlando protested against the 'Hogwarts Certificate of Accomplishment' the library was handing out to young readers who had read up to the fourth book. In response, the library was forced to stop handing out these diplomas. Only one year later, a massive bonfire was built in New Mexico where thousands of Harry Potter books were burned in front of an audience.

The Catholic take on the books seems not to be as clear-cut as for the evangelical church. There is no official opinion but in 2001, Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, has written that the books "are deeply compatible with Christianity" as they have a "good dose of moral truth." In 2003, Peter Fleetwood, a priest incardinated in the Archdiocese of Liverpool at the time serving as an official of the Pontifical Council for Culture, made comments supportive of the novels during a press conference stating that "they help children to see the difference between good and evil" and that the author is very Christian in her way of living and writing. This was taken as endorsement of the whole religion, including the Pope who, however, has never commented on the topic.

The other side exists, sadly, as well. That same year, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, received a critical manuscript about the books whichafter he expressed his deep concern about 'subtle seductions' that could corrupt the Christian soul unnoticed.

The case of the Orthodox Church was more clear-cut as the Greek authorities in Thrace released an official statement denouncing the book series as Satanic. According to them, they "acquaint people with evil, wizardry, the occult and demonology." The holy Synod in Bulgaria had advised that a church in Sofia hold special liturgies every Thursday to cure those afflicted by spells or possessed by evil spirits. Pamphlets were posted throughout the city, claiming that reciting a Harry Potter spell "is as if you are praying to evil," and that "God hates magic."

In Islam and Judaism the opinions go both ways. The popular scholarly site Muslim Matters has spoken positively about the books and films as well as many prominent Rabbis describing them as "a force of good." However, a lot of Islamic scholars have protested against this which has led to the book series being banned in all schools in the United Arab Emirates. In August 2007, the police in Karachi, Pakistan even discovered and defused a car bomb located outside a shopping centre where, hours later, the final Harry Potter novel was scheduled to go on sale.

As you can see, J. K. Rowling's book series, while having achieved immense success, has also caused a lot of unwanted trouble. In 1999, when asking the author herself what she thinks of this she answered, "I absolutely did not start writing these books to encourage any child into witchcraft. I'm laughing slightly because to me, the idea is absurd. I have met thousands of children and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, 'Ms Rowling, I'm so glad I've read these books because now I want to be a witch.'" She also clearly states that she is a firm believer in God which raises the question in me why people would believe a religious person to want to promote Satanic practices.

My personal conclusion is that when taking things out of context most of the time a problem can be easily blown out of proportion. In this case, people took the magic out of the fantasy novel. The main problem seems to be that a lot of parents don't believe their children to be capable of understanding the difference between reality and fantasy. I am also pretty sure that most parents have not read the books themselves which is why they are not in any position to reasonably argue their point. Most of their argument relies on the 'parallels to Wiccan magic' who have denounced any of this as there is no invoking of higher deities to use magic in Harry Potter. With this out of the way, most of the line of argument loses its base.

I'd like to end this article with one last quote from the author: "At least as much as they've been attacked from a theological point of view, the books have been lauded and taken into pulpit, and most interesting and satisfying for me, it's been by several different faiths." And of course, no matter how much criticism there is, there will always be us faithful fans who will continue to read, watch and write Harry Potter.


HE SAID, SHE SAID: DIALOGUE TAGS

Tigger here with another edition of Tips and Tricks, with a repeat theme. This issue I will be covering dialogue tags and related dialogue punctuation (at least, the best I can). I know it's been covered before in previous Daily Prophet issues from seasons past. I also know many of you have absolutely no trouble at all with them, but from the few times I have seen people a little confused this season, I thought why not give a refresher? After all, SPaG marks can be taken off in judging too for incorrect dialogue tags/ punctuation, and with finals fast approaching, it is more important now than ever to get as many points as possible.

What is a dialogue tag?

I've made sure to look up several resources just to be sure, but a dialogue tag refers to the small phrase before, after and even in between dialogue. An example of this is: "I don't know why Malfoy couldn't remain a ferret for longer," said Ron. The 'said Ron' in the dialogue tag of this sentence.

Other examples include:

  1. Before dialogue: Pansy asked, "You still love me, though, right?" The dialogue tag in this is 'Pansy asked'.

  2. Between dialogue: "I just can't help it." Hermione sighed before saying, "Maybe he will grow up." In this case, the 'Hermione sighed before saying,' is the dialogue tag.

What can be used as a dialogue tag?

There are many, many words that can be substituted for common dialogue tags such as 'said' and 'asked.' Quite a few blogs list these words, but here are a few of the better ones:

  • Whispered

  • Shouted

  • Wailed

  • Warned

  • Stuttered

  • Promised

  • Groaned

  • Denied

  • Answered

  • Drawled

  • Declared

  • Croaked

  • Boasted

What should be avoided?

Unfortunately (and I'm guilty of this myself quite often) some phrases are often mistaken for dialogue tags. Whilst they can be used in a separate sentence after the dialogue, they cannot be substituted for words like 'said' and 'asked'. Why? Well, more or less, you have to ask yourself if you can physically do what you are writing. That is, can you (or rather, your character) 'chortle' whilst speaking at the same time?

Some of these misused words are listed below, and I encourage you to have a look at each one and see if they could possibly work (if easier, ask yourself if the word used holds the same meaning as 'said' or 'asked', or if the tag is a different verb altogether). For example, you can smile while talking ("he said with a smile."), but if you are just smiling ("he smiled."), how did the words come out? As one author puts it, you cannot do the following things with words:

  • "It's true," he smiled.

  • "Is not," she spat. (Yes, this is surprising, but if you think about it, you can't spit a word out, only saliva).

  • "I hate you," he snarled.

  • "But I love you," she frowned.

Punctuation

Punctuation of dialogue tags is just as important, and is probably one of the biggest sources of mistakes made when it comes to FanFiction stories. If you don't already know, I'm no expert on this; rather than giving an over-complicated explanation, I'm going to simplify things the way I know them.

When it comes to dialogue, punctuation always goes inside the dialogue, not outside.

For example:

Incorrect: "Is Hagrid really a half-giant"? asked Ron.

Correct: "Is Hagrid really a half-giant?" asked Ron.

Incorrect: "Of course", said Hermione.

Correct: "Of course," said Hermione.

As you can see, the question mark and comma are both within the quotation marks.

You will also notice from the above example that the word directly after the dialogue is lowercase. That is, the 'asked' is not written as 'Asked' and the 'said' is not 'Said.' Why? Well, apart from those words not being proper nouns, the words are part of the same sentence, and you wouldn't randomly capitalise a word mid sentence, would you? Even if the dialogue ends in an exclamation mark or question mark, the tag following need not be capitalised.

The following example may give a better picture of this:

Incorrect: "I wonder if Umbridge was a toad in a previous life?" Asked Luna.

Correct: "I wonder if Umbridge was a toad in a previous life?" asked Luna.

Correct: "I wonder if Umbridge was a toad in a previous life?" Luna asked.

If you are using a dialogue tag at the end of a piece of dialogue, in cases that the dialogue would end in a period, you use a comma instead. Take the following example, in which the usual period has been replaced with a comma:

Incorrect: "I have no doubt." Ron said.

Correct: "I have no doubt," Ron said.

Similarly, in situations where you place the dialogue tag before the dialogue, you use a comma:

Incorrect: Ron snorted and said. "I have no doubt."

Correct: Ron snorted and said, "I have no doubt."

Using dialogue tags in between sentences is a little trickier. People will tell you that using a comma before and after a dialogue mid-sentence is more than ok, and they would be correct. For example, '"The newest broom," she explained, "isn't as safe as the older models."'

You will notice in that example that the commas are both inside the dialogue (to end the dialogue), and outside. If it was written as, '"The newest broom," she explained ",isn't as safe as the older models."' it would be incorrect. Similarly, if it was written as, '"The newest broom", she explained, "isn't as safe as the older models."', it would also be incorrect.

However, you probably have noticed a lot of sentences that split up dialogue using both a period and a comma. What I'm talking about is sentences like: '"Oh yes, they are quite the truth teller," he said. "I am the most modest person I know, but even I have to admit my eyes are like sapphires."' In this example, the dialogue has been broken up into two sentences by the dialogue tag, allowing the reader to pause for breath. If the 'he said' was taken out, the dialogue would read much the same and still be correct.

Less is more

Now that you can recognise dialogue tags, it's time to rip the rug from beneath your feet. By that, I mean focus solely on the two most important dialogue tags out there: 'said' and 'asked'. Delete the others from your mind.

If you are thinking I've gone crazy, you are wrong (well, about this instance, anyway—we'll get back to my other quirks later). The use of these very two simple dialogue tags is recommended by many authors as well as readers, and for good reason. Whilst your school teachers may encourage you (particularly in primary/ elementary school) to expand your vocabulary by using other dialogue tags (and hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a bigger vocabulary), sometimes boring is better.

There are two main reasons that sticking to 'said' and 'asked' is important, and they come down to the readability/flow of your story and your ability to 'show and not tell'.

Putting too many varying dialogue tags can ultimately disrupt the flow of your story, particularly for judges marking them. I'm sure there's some scientific journal article out there explaining how the brain processes simple known words like 'said' faster than the more complex counterparts (like 'croaked'), yaddah yaddah yaddah, but it doesn't take a genius to realise that too many dialogue tags can be distracting. If you take the following passage as a (poor) example, you will more than likely be able to recognise that reading the second is much smoother and pleasant than the first.

Example 1:

"I cannot wait to go to the zoo for my birthday!" Dudley shouted.

"Of course you can't," Harry muttered.

"I also want two more presents when we get there," Dudley demanded.

Dudley's mother and father nodded.

"Of course, dear," Petunia crooned.

"And we'll get you six more," Vernon promised.

Dudley still wasn't happy. "But I want ten more!" he wailed.

Example 2:

""I cannot wait to go to the zoo for my birthday!" Dudley said.

"Of course you can't," Harry said.

"I also want two more presents when we get there."

Dudley's mother and father nodded.

"Of course, dear," Petunia said.

"And we'll get you six more," Vernon promised.

Dudley still wasn't happy. "But I want ten more!"

That doesn't mean that you cannot use varied dialogue tags either. Sometimes, it is good to break up the mundane 'she said, he said'; however, you should limit them to perhaps (and this stretching it) 3–5 per 2000 words. Otherwise, as in the example, your writing becomes choppy—even if you have more actions and paragraphs between dialogue, it is still the same.

Not every piece of dialogue, as in the above examples, needs a dialogue tag either. Sometimes, leaving them out altogether allows the reader to still know what is happening without pausing on unnecessary words.

Onto the second reason for excluding unnecessary dialogue tags: showing and not telling. Showing and not telling is a difficult skill that takes many authors a lot of time to master. It involves giving your reader credit in that they can put together clues from dialogue and text to know what is happening, without shoving it directly into their face. For example, rather than saying, "she was disappointed," you could write, "at his rejection, she cast her eyes downward, her smile disappearing" (or, you know, something similar). Whilst Sophie or I will touch more on this in a future issue, the use of dialogue tags plays an important part in this ability to show and not tell.

Dialogue may be an effective tool for conveying meaning, but that doesn't mean the tags need to do all the hard work. If you think about it, the tone of your dialogue (and the sentences immediately preceding or following it) should pretty much convey the meaning of your work. For example, in writing, "... she leaned in closer to the group before saying, '...", you can easily assume the girl/woman whispered the next words rather than shouted them across the room. You don't need the author to write, "before whispering" to get that impression. Similarly, using exclamation marks at the end of dialogue (or, as some writers choose, capital letters) is more than enough to show that someone 'shouted' or 'screamed'. For example, in 'He jumped off his seat. "I am not in love with a Muggle!"', there is absolutely no reason to add, "he shouted" at the end. Comprende?

Now, dialogue tags can become much more difficult than what has been covered. As always, I encourage you to do your own research to make sure you are doing them correctly (and, of course, feel more than free to share your own advice regarding these matters). I can really only draw on what I have been taught and read—as usual, my advice is to read it out loud and pretend you are the one doing those actions to see if it is possible, as well as to get a beta.

Until next time,

Tigger Xx.


READ ALL ABOUT IT! WHAT'S NEW AT FLOURISH AND BLOTTS

This month, we showcase two judge-recommended stories written by players on this forum.

Please review for your chance to be featured in the next issue of The Daily Prophet.*

Choose Life

by chris400ad

She's facing the hardest decision of her life, new life. But will she choose life, or will life be her undoing.

Totally Unexpected, Utterly Complicated, Completely Romantic

by AshesGleamandGlow

Draco Malfoy's greatest secret has been exposed and exploited. In his darkest hour, who else can he turn to than Holly Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived?

*Reviewing with a 50 word count minimum and concrit is required. Please Owl the Quidditch League account so I know who to feature, with an appropriate message title so that it does not get lost in the mail.


CUPID'S CORNER: ADMIRATION PAGE

In this section, players, moderators, judges and reserves can shout out their fellow League members and spread the love.

Please remember, Cupid's Corners are not to be used to 'make a point' against another writer, and any bullying via the system will result in your removal from the competition.

With one last issue coming up, now is your chance to send in any love you may have!

"I just wanted to say thank you to the judges. I have really struggled with some aspects this season, *cough*commas*cough and the feedback has been unbelievably helpful. One judge gave me links to further help me the errors that I was making. They went above and beyond for me, past the call of duty. For that, thank you" - Anonymous

"Just wanna say good luck to the teams in these last rounds! I hope you all do well and remember that it's just for fun!" - Anon

"Two more rounds peeps! You've got this! Woo!" - Hyped-up anon


HIP HIP HOORAY FOR THE MUGGLE WAY!

You know by now that we don't own The Prophet or anything in the world of Harry Potter. Nevertheless, it is only right to acknowledge our many magical and Muggle resources. These resources include J. K. Rowling, the Potter Wiki, Giphy.com, Newt Scamander, Kennilworthy Whisp, FanFiction, and Google Docs. Without them, this issue of The Daily Prophet would not exist. Thank you!


COMPETITION TIME: PROPHETEERING

As there were no entries last issue, the writing competition for this issue will be the same as the last.

For this writing competition, we are hoping to see your imaginations soar! We'd like you to write an article for the Prophet in any category of your choosing from: news (a character-based story), creature features, tips and tricks, round recaps (something that hasn't been included this year, but there are articles in previous issues from Season 5 and before that you can use for an idea), or a pre-approved article type (please ask on the thread if you have a different article type you'd like to try).

We'd like to see this article be as realistic to the world of Harry Potter as possible; imagine that you are a witch or wizard actually reading the paper (although, of course, we know you are anyway, right?). There is no word limit, but we do ask you use a Google doc as you guideline, filling about a page or two with pictures included.

You can enter as individuals or as pairs, with one entry per individual or per duo.

Entries will be due Sunday, October 28th, 8pm AEDT. Please send in your entries to The Quidditch League account with an appropriate title as well as your name, team, position, and an accessible link to your article (or the text in the body). Send in the one PM—and without any other Prophet or Quidditch League matters. Please note: entries will not be accepted if these requirements aren't met.

A panel of judges will decide the winner. The winner will be featured in the next issue and receive 5 points for their team. By entering, you are giving us permission to use your article should it place.

Good luck and honestly, just have some fun!


DESIGN TIME: QLFC DREAM TEAM

In this design competition, your task will be the same as it was last season: that's right, you'll be designing your own Quidditch team.

We're looking for the most creative and the most well-thought out team out there. Please pay attention to things like your team's name (if you notice the British League—and others—many of the teams are named after creatures or objects that can fly), the team's location, the uniform, the broomsticks they fly, the team history (brief), position on the League ladder (if they haven't already been forcibly disbanded), team colours, mascots, and any other detail usually associated with sports teams. For inspiration, you can look at last year's teams in the Prophet archives or in the Training Camp thread.

Entries will be due by no later than 8pm AEDT, October 28th. Please send all entries to the Quidditch League account in a separate PM with an appropriate title (any entry sent in with another topic PM, such as feedback request, will NOT be accepted). One entry per person/ per team.

The winner will receive 5 points for their team and have their entry featured in the next issue (and potentially in this season's Training Camp). Good luck!


COMPETITION TIME: UNDER THE INVISIBILITY CLOAK

Usually, this is the place where we announce the winners for our latest competition. However, since we didn't receive a single entry, we cannot award any points. Sorry!

10/14/2018 . Edited 10/14/2018 #1
whitetiger91
It would help if I put the link in, wouldn't it? Sorry! https:// docs. google. com/ document/d/1T9K41ba6KcGqUa2JoWMjPESKsklLMR8NTb6Qd3BgTNY
10/14/2018 #2
8684048

Devastated - I didn't finish time for the deadline! I also changed my idea like 10 times :/

10/14/2018 #3
TheDrabbleOfBlue

Long time, no see Tiggs. Just dropped by to look at the Prophet. Good job!

Cheers!

-Blue

11/7/2018 #4
whitetiger91
Thanks Blue, we've missed you a lot around these parts :) Just an update that due to real life stress and the fact that it will be the last issue for this season, the next issue of The Prophet will be out next Sunday. Our sincere apologies for the slight delay for anyone expecting this weekend, but we hope the wait will be worth it :)
11/11/2018 #5
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