The Daily Prophet: September 1st, 1976

AS OF 1 AUGUST, 1976, A NEW DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS PROFESSOR HAS BEEN HIRED AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY AFTER THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PREVIOUS PROFESSOR (PROFESSOR REGINALD HAS NEITHER ANSWERED OWLS NOR ANSWERED HIS DOOR AS OF LATE). PICKING UP THE POST AT THE START OF THE TERM THIS YEAR, PROFESSOR RIDDLE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE AN INTERESTING ADDITION TO THE HOGWARTS' STAFF IN THE DADA DEPARTMENT. NO PRIOR REFERENCES WERE STATED UPON HIS HIRING, HOWEVER A QUOTE FROM ALBUS DUMBLEDORE REVEALS THAT HE IS CONFIDENT IN HIS NEW PROFESSOR'S ABILITY TO LEAD THE STUDENTS OF HOGWARTS, "PROFESSOR RIDDLE IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING MEN THAT I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. I'M SURE THAT HE WILL TEACH OUR STUDENTS CONCEPTS THAT ARE BOTH OF IMPORTANCE AND OF INTEREST TO THEM IN THE FORTHCOMING YEAR.” DUMBLEDORE'S STATEMENT ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO THE INTERESTING IDEA THAT RIDDLE'S POSITION IS ONLY TEMPORARY AND LIABLE TO BE REVOKED AT ANY POINT THROUGHOUT THE TERM.

IT IS WITH THAT IN MIND THAT WE CONSIDER THE VICIOUS RUMORS THAT HAVE BEEN SURFACING ABOUT RIDDLE AS TIME GOES ON. ACCORDING TO A SOURCE THAT WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, RIDDLE HAS BEEN COLLECTING FOLLOWERS OF HIS OWN FOR SOME SORT OF REVOLUTION WITHIN THE SCHOOL ITSELF. ONLY TIME WILL TELL WHAT PROFESSOR RIDDLE WILL BRING TO THE TABLE FOR THE NEW STUDENTS: WILL HE SPARK DANGER OR SPARK A LOVE FOR LEARNING? SOME ARE SAYING THIS HIRING IS THE WORST DECISION THAT'S EVER BEEN MADE BY HOGWARTS STAFF. SOME WIZARDS ARE DEMANDING AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE AND TURN-OVER. AND YET, SOME OF THE WIZARDING WORLD IS CONTENT TO WATCH AS TOM RIDDLE TEACHES THE CHILDREN OF HOGWARTS THINGS THAT ARE PERHAPS BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DAY DREAMS. PLEASE, OWL US WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT AT HOGWARTS. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

NEWLY ELECTED TO THE POSITION OF MINISTER OF MAGIC, THE ENTIRE MINISTRY HAS BEEN WAITING WITH BAITED BREATH TO SEE WHAT SORT OF TRICKS MILLICENT BAGNOLD HAS UP HER SLEEVES. A RAVENCLAW ALUMNI AND HOGWARTS GRADUATE, EVERYONE HAD HIGH HOPES FOR BAGNOLD FROM THE BEGINNING. BARTEMIUS CROUCH SR., THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRAISED BAGNOLD’S ABILITY TO COMMAND A ROOM AND GET THE NECESSARY ATTENTION, HOWEVER, DID COMMENT THAT SHE “STOOD NO CHANCE AGAINST THE WAR THAT IS COMING.” IT IS UNSURE AS TO WHICH WAR MR. CROUCH WAS REFERRING.

IN A RECENT MEETING WITH THE MUGGLE MINISTER, JAMES CALLAGHAN, SHE HAS MANAGED TO RE-SECURE THE FEELINGS OF GOOD WILL AND ECONOMIC DEPENDENCY THAT THE WIZARDING WORLD HAS WITH THE MUGGLE WORLD. FURTHERMORE, SHE HAS PLANNED AN EXTENSIVE WORKSHOP FOR ALL MINISTRY EMPLOYEES TO GAIN A BETTER GRASP ON THE NECESSARY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MUGGLES THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN DURING HER TERM IN OFFICE. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, BAGNOLD PUSHED THAT "THE MUGGLES ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET AND ALLIES. WE MUST LEARN TO CO-EXIST." NO NEWS ON HOW THE REST OF THE MINISTRY IS REACTING TO THIS CHANGE OF PACE.

SUSPICIOUS SALLY ASKED: I THOUGHT THE BLACK FAMILY WAS ALL OUT OF MONEY? WHAT HAPPENED? HOW'D THEY MANAGE TO GET IT ALL BACK IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME?

JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS AGO, IT SEEMED AS IF CYGNUS BLACK AND HIS FAMILY WERE ON THE BRINK OF BANKRUPTCY WITH GRINGOTTS. CYGNUS BLACK III HAD GAMBLED AWAY THE FAMILY FORTUNE DURING VARIOUS QUIDDITCH MATCHES OVER THE YEAR, MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN (THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME HE'S ATTEMPTED TO GAMBLE AWAY THE FAMILY FORTUNE, ACCORDING TO A CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND). HOWEVER, UPON BETTING ON THE LAST QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, CYGNUS PUT ALL OF HIS REMAINING MONEY ON THE IRISH TEAM, DESPITE THE ODDS FAVORING FRANCE.

RUMORS FLEW AS SOON AS IRELAND WON, LEAVING PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT MR. BLACK HAD INFORMERS ON THE INSIDE OF THE MATCH OR THAT HE RIGGED IT TO BE IN HIS FAVOR. OTHER RUMORS SUGGEST THAT HIS DAUGHTER BELLATRIX BLACK - SLYTHERIN SEVENTH YEAR - WAS BEHIND THE STRATEGIC MOVE. NO MATTER THE OUTCOME, THE BLACK FAMILY NAME WILL FOREVER HAVE A SCAR OF INFAMY ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP TO SEE IF ANY NEW INFORMATION SURFACES ABOUT THE ELUSIVE BLACKS.

NOT A DAY GOES BY WHEN I DON’T THINK OF HOW PRECIOUS THIS MAGAZINE HAS BEEN TO ME. I SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS A DAY LOOKING FOR THE NEXT BIG SCOOP AND RIDING THE TAILS OF ALL MY WRITERS. I THINK THAT THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT ALL OF US. WE’RE WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE TO FIND NEWS THAT WILL GET YOU THINKING OR MAYBE EVEN KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF. WE KNOW WHAT INTERESTS YOU. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO STICK WITH US EVEN WHEN THE NEWS IS SLOW.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A POSITION WITH THE DAILY PROPHET OR WISH TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN REACTION LETTER, FEEL FREE TO OWL ME.