Unexpected Death of Heir Apparent

The Athanatos house has had enough tragedies in its history, and fate might well have spared it another. It was not to be. Young student Vladimir Athanatos, son of Minister hopeful Thaddeus Athanatos, and heir to the family fortune, has died in London at St. Mungos Hospital. His younger brother Giddeon Athanatos recounted young Vladimir's fate. There was a progressive decline in Vladimir's health that had started four years previous - a fact that would seem to point to some conspiracy as the boy shown no outward signs of failing health until the final weeks. He was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a member of House Ravenclaw and academically excelled. His father a well-known philanthropist, especially in the realm of medicine in honor of his late wife and mother of Vladimir.

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It has been rumored that Vladimir was a victim of harassment at the school, particularly by muggle-born and half-breed students, some have went as so far as to suggest that Vladimir's failure in health is directly correlated with his association with those of mixed heritages. What their motives might have been, we do not know, nor does it greatly matter. Had the Athantos family been known for cruelty, there would have likely been previous reports contradicting the family's progressive efforts. Best known as of late for their support of half-breeds and non-human wizards being given access to wands, others have suggested that the family might have earned enemies among traditionalists for their progressive policies. Regardless of the reasoning, if any, the murder would still have been an abominable crime.

The Athanatos family was not unknown in the United Kingdom, both his sons were students of Hogwarts. After the announcement of the elder son's death, the younger has been withdrawn and is to be sent away to another institution but the family states "no comment" regarding what school of magic young Gideon will attend. Thaddeus will continue to work with the Ministry, lobbying for tolerance and respect. He presently claims he no longer has aims for Minister but states that he might be eventually swayed. For now he will spend his time improving St. Mungos, a bittersweet legacy of his late wife a former healer of the respected medical institution.

It is the request of Thaddeus Athanatos and his third wife Victoria that they be given privacy while they mourn the loss of their son.

The Triwizard Tournament

Vicious dragons, an unanticipated champion and a legacy of tragedy, the Triwzard Tournament is considered to be one of the most dangerous sporting events in modern wizarding history. After the tragic revival of the Triwizard Tournament, there has not been another Triwizard competition in 28 years. Known to be a perilous competition where the risk of death is accepted the moment one's lot was cast, the loss of promising young wizards was too much for organizers to bear.

The Triwizard Tournament has always been a perilous contest where glory and thrill-seekers alike cast their lot into the cauldron of fire in hopes that it spews forth their name as the 'Chosen One.' Dating back approximately seven centuries, the Triwizard Tournament was a contest of intelligence, courage and arcane skill. Held every five years between the three biggest wizarding schools in Europe: Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts. The Triwizard Tournament has been on hold longer than it has been in practice, after all three champions were injured in 1792, the Triwizard Tournament was placed on hold until 1994. The Triwizard Tournament was re-opened for public consumption allegedly after extra safety precautions were added by the organizers. The revival of the tournament was supposed to be made safer by the addition of an age limit: only students aged 17 and over could apply. That did not even last through a single match and these safety precautions failed to protect Cedric Diggory, the second champion of Hogwarts. He was seventeen. Due to external manipulations, the sanctity of the goblet of fire this was the first and the last tournament of the 2o^th century.

The rules were simple: each school was represented by a champion, chosen by the Goblet of Fire. The champions took part in three punishing tasks to win the Triwizard Cup, one thousand Galleons, eternal glory and probably eternal bruises. For now the Triwizard Tournament is on hold, perhaps this time forever.

New York City Wizard Fired For more than two decades, the New York City hosted the Unofficial American Wizard, "The Quartzeneger." Shirtless, wearing a pointed wizarding hat with glued on stars and a billowing cape, The Quarteneger first name actually "The" graced Times Square until the Magical Congress of the United States of America demanded he cease and desist immediately. This is not the first time the Maine native had been given a cease and desist order, however he would simply take a few weeks off and then return to his street corner where he would perform miracles and accept payment in crumpled muggle money in an open guitar case that never housed a guitar. It has been alleged that The Quartzeneger has made a semi-comfortable living in the primarily muggle environment of NYC. Paid about $111,290 U.S. annually, enough for apparently "a room beneath a set of stairs in the present economic climate of the city" – for "acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services." His wizarding acts had historically been disregarded by muggles as mundane muggle magic tricks, his recent diversion to 'miracle working' has earned him an audience. Paraphernalia with The Quartzeneger's "magic words" BAM or WELCOME TO MAGIC TOWN have graced a number of muggle T-shirts and posters, making him a sort of local celebrity and MACUSA wants this to stop.

"The Council is humored by Mr. Quartzeneger's antics, however he has gained too great of a following and we have become concerned for the Statues of Secrecy that we all must maintain," Lady Secretary Anita Corsican told papers. Born in Bangor, Maine, The Quartzeneger began making appearances in Times Square in 1984, according to muggle library records. Over the years, his public appearances included rain dancing during droughts and he became a regular part of the NYC scene in 1998. Popular with tourists, The Quartzeneger's presence grew over the past three years as economic uncertainty coupled with health concerns during a pandemic came to a head. Some residents more trusting of magic and potions than medicine offered by their medical institutions. With the advent of the 'health drink' that cured COVID in the muggle world, The Quartzeneger's relevance quickly diminished but he never lost his newly developed strong following. "MACUSA has met with The Quartzeneger and sent him a letter thanking him for his entertainment services to New York muggles over the past decades, and informing him that we are formally closing his business," Anita Corsican said. The Quarteneger told the Daily Prophet he plans to continue making public appearances. "It makes no difference," he said. "I will still keep going. They will have to kill me to stop me."

Woman Sells Placebo Love Potion

It is impossible to replicate true love, since it's an emotional, cognitive process that's based on experiences and memories. There's no scientific pill or magical potion for that. But it has been proven that there are specific chemicals related to emotional states similar to love.

The success rate of many of these types of so-called love potions is due to the placebo effect. Sure, the pheromones are likely to send off some sort of chemical signal, but the idea that you're more attractive initially makes you, well, more attractive. You're confident, carry yourself better, and are more sociable. Thus, you get more attention from the opposite or same sex. That ain't the potion darling, that's simply you.

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[font=comic sans ms]True love is our real-life magic.
Why would we want to try to tamper with it?[/font]
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Well, a woman in Belfast London tried to sell false love, or rather even faker confidence as this rabbit hole grows deeper. She sold to young men and women in Hogsmeade this past month multiple bottles of a fake love potion that was made with vinegar, brown sugar, and catsup with a hint of cayenne making the girls and young men smell like barbeque sauce. Her claim was that she was in fact selling confidence all along as these young men and women slathered themselves in yes barbecue sauce and then professed their love to their future paramour with an astonishing 80% success rate.

Scholars are reviewing the possibility that there might be some latent effect on perceived attractiveness via this concoction. Others have reiterated an old adage about reaching one's heart through their stomach. While still others say that this is the power of confidence. Regardless of the reasoning, the young woman responsible has court set for next month. It will be up to the judges to decide if she truly was selling confidence or simply a swamy con woman.

Coven of Hags Found Near Hogsmeade Dead

Best known as reckless, cackling fools that barely maintain being status if only by the virtue of the fact that they are deemed "intelligent." Hags are known for their uncanny culinary preferences, the sweet meat of children in particular, the concern surrounding their presence on the fringes of Hogsmeade relatively close to a school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is only a short walk away from the woods that the coven was found in. The cause of death unknown, but it would appear that they were murdered. Eviscerated by an unknown source, the wounds appear jagged and there is a suggestion that their death was protracted. The Society for the Reformation of Hags warns that this might be the work of a serial killer and they have expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitudes of investigators.

Authorities claim that they believe that the hags have died of natural causes in spite of the reported injuries. The time of death being estimates as almost 2 weeks earlier, they feel that the additional injuries and suggestion of bindings is merely a consequence of natural decomposition.

Sally Teague, a worker at the Leaky Cauldron was the one to find their remains. "Let sleeping dogs be," she suggested. "You don't know what it has been like," her Scottish burr making her hard to understand. "They are all about corruption and twisting of intentions. They don’t want to see someone brought low, they instead want to see good lose. They are the sort that turns a true love to jealous rage or a devoted follower into a blasphemer. They haunt your sleep and fill your dreams with dread if you let them," she continued.

These statements have been met with ire by the Society for the Reformation of Hags. They claim that their cravings for human flesh are a thing of the past thanks to Professor Regulus Moonshine's groundbreaking potion, however there was no evidence that such a potion was being used by the hags found. "There was no evidence that they were not faithful users of Professor Moonshine's potion" the Society also claims.

If the rumors of their possible depravity are true, which we hope they are not, it would appear that with their death this concern becomes a non-issue. The Society states that they will be reaching out to the Ministry to offer informational services regarding the safe coexistence with Hags, claiming that it is as possible to live with a hag as it is a dhampir or even a lycanthrope but we are not so certain.