Disclaimer: Would that I owned it! But, then again, the books would suck if I was writing them so maybe it's a good thing that JK owns Harry...
Summary: This is supposed to be an editorial (maybe in the Daily Prophet) from a wizard's point of view because I am really, really bored...Pretty much, it's talking about what happened because the Death-Eaters like Lucius went free. If you can stand reading, please review.
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Pardon the Purebloods?
As all but the blindest of wizards know, many, perhaps even the majority, of Death-Eaters from the first rising of Voldemort remained at large, although whether this was accomplished through bribery and trickery is unknown. (I have my opinion; you have yours...) Some wizards choose not to see this, others see but do not care, and the rest are incapable of changing the minds of the former.
Truly, though, this egregious error on the part of the Ministry has not manifested itself in half-so terrible ways as one would have expected. Granted, there have been a few situations (eg, the fiasco at the last Quidditch World Cup), but when compared to the horrors of Voldemort's first rising, and only when thus subjectively viewed, it could have been *far* worse.
No, the greatest consequence of leaving these Death-Eaters, these murderers, free to go about their lives is not their primary effect on society. The greatest consequence is yet to be remarked upon by even the most astute observer. It is their children.
These Death-Eaters are, without any exception to my knowledge, purebloods. Their children are therefore raised entirely inside the home until they leave for wizarding school at the ripe old age eleven. Eleven, you say, is hardly *old* even for a child. But the fact of the matter is that, for over a decade, these children have been exposed to one and only philosophy. Their personalities are set. Childhood begets adulthood.
So, they come sauntering into their separate schools, usually Hogwarts. This is the first time they have not had their parents leaning over them, telling them exactly what to do, what to say, and what to think. Dumbledore, assuming they did go to Hogwarts, tries his best to undo this wrong, to alter their beliefs, but they are set in stone. It would be easier to make a Muggle a witch.
Time passes, and they learn what they choose to in school, and go home in the holidays and over the summer to have the creed of the Death-Eaters reinforced in their minds.
What, you might ask, is this creed? How can it be so damaging?
First, Death-Eaters, and even some of the less radical purebloods, think of Muggles in much the same way other wizards think of animals. They are less than human. Unfortunately, wizards are forced by what they consider stupid laws to coexist with these wayward beasts, sharing domination over a world rightfully belonging to those of magical background. Muggle-Borns are even worse, creatures forcing themselves up from the "slime" that is the non-magic community into the very homes and schools of the magical one. (Editor's Note: this is not the opinion of the author or this newspaper.)
This doctrine is so impressed upon the children of Death-Eaters that, many times, they come to Hogwarts (or their respective schools) without ever having referred to a Muggle-Born as anything but a *mudblood*, no offense meant to those reading this column. Suddenly, they are forced to live with these inferiors. How could it be tolerable? How would you react if the Ministry passed an ordinance that decreed worms and cockroaches were equal to you and were to be allowed the same privileges? You would be disgusted.
In the eyes of a child raised by these Death-Eaters, Muggle-Borns are cockroaches and worms.
There are other parts of the belief system as well, and each of them are equally wrong. The children, to make a long column short, are told that Voldemort was right, that they should follow him, that his enemies are their enemies. In essence, the Death-Eaters breed hate.
There is no other path that these children might take. They know only what their parents have told them, having been sheltered, pampered, and home-schooled for the last decade. What can a headmaster do? What can anyone do?
The grievous repercussion of this massive miscarriage of justice is the ruination of a second generation.
Already, they are graduating from various schools. If they flock like so many sheep to their Dark Lord, who can be surprised? They will receive the Dark Mark and perpetrate crimes as heinous as their parents did. They will be just as guilty when Voldemort is finally defeated.
This editorial's purpose was not to defend these children; it was to throw guilt upon their fathers and mothers. If it comes to pass that these children become Voldemort's servants, then we must bear in mind the second generation chose the Mark and chose to carry out those despicable tasks. Perhaps it was not entirely fair, but we cannot allow *them* to walk as free as their parents.
When the war trials come, and father and son sit together in those restraining chairs, both will be equally guilty. That fate, as much as any other effect of the era of Voldemort, is heart-breaking.
Especially when we realize that we might have stopped it in 1981, when the Ministry decided to absolve the Death-Eaters.
What would the world be like today is those children had been taught other paths?
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A/N: Like I said: really, really bored. Incidentally, I am not a "redeem Draco" person, or whatever you call them, unless it's AU. Please r/r, but it's hot enough this summer to do without extra flames. Telling me it sucks is good enough.
Summary: This is supposed to be an editorial (maybe in the Daily Prophet) from a wizard's point of view because I am really, really bored...Pretty much, it's talking about what happened because the Death-Eaters like Lucius went free. If you can stand reading, please review.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pardon the Purebloods?
As all but the blindest of wizards know, many, perhaps even the majority, of Death-Eaters from the first rising of Voldemort remained at large, although whether this was accomplished through bribery and trickery is unknown. (I have my opinion; you have yours...) Some wizards choose not to see this, others see but do not care, and the rest are incapable of changing the minds of the former.
Truly, though, this egregious error on the part of the Ministry has not manifested itself in half-so terrible ways as one would have expected. Granted, there have been a few situations (eg, the fiasco at the last Quidditch World Cup), but when compared to the horrors of Voldemort's first rising, and only when thus subjectively viewed, it could have been *far* worse.
No, the greatest consequence of leaving these Death-Eaters, these murderers, free to go about their lives is not their primary effect on society. The greatest consequence is yet to be remarked upon by even the most astute observer. It is their children.
These Death-Eaters are, without any exception to my knowledge, purebloods. Their children are therefore raised entirely inside the home until they leave for wizarding school at the ripe old age eleven. Eleven, you say, is hardly *old* even for a child. But the fact of the matter is that, for over a decade, these children have been exposed to one and only philosophy. Their personalities are set. Childhood begets adulthood.
So, they come sauntering into their separate schools, usually Hogwarts. This is the first time they have not had their parents leaning over them, telling them exactly what to do, what to say, and what to think. Dumbledore, assuming they did go to Hogwarts, tries his best to undo this wrong, to alter their beliefs, but they are set in stone. It would be easier to make a Muggle a witch.
Time passes, and they learn what they choose to in school, and go home in the holidays and over the summer to have the creed of the Death-Eaters reinforced in their minds.
What, you might ask, is this creed? How can it be so damaging?
First, Death-Eaters, and even some of the less radical purebloods, think of Muggles in much the same way other wizards think of animals. They are less than human. Unfortunately, wizards are forced by what they consider stupid laws to coexist with these wayward beasts, sharing domination over a world rightfully belonging to those of magical background. Muggle-Borns are even worse, creatures forcing themselves up from the "slime" that is the non-magic community into the very homes and schools of the magical one. (Editor's Note: this is not the opinion of the author or this newspaper.)
This doctrine is so impressed upon the children of Death-Eaters that, many times, they come to Hogwarts (or their respective schools) without ever having referred to a Muggle-Born as anything but a *mudblood*, no offense meant to those reading this column. Suddenly, they are forced to live with these inferiors. How could it be tolerable? How would you react if the Ministry passed an ordinance that decreed worms and cockroaches were equal to you and were to be allowed the same privileges? You would be disgusted.
In the eyes of a child raised by these Death-Eaters, Muggle-Borns are cockroaches and worms.
There are other parts of the belief system as well, and each of them are equally wrong. The children, to make a long column short, are told that Voldemort was right, that they should follow him, that his enemies are their enemies. In essence, the Death-Eaters breed hate.
There is no other path that these children might take. They know only what their parents have told them, having been sheltered, pampered, and home-schooled for the last decade. What can a headmaster do? What can anyone do?
The grievous repercussion of this massive miscarriage of justice is the ruination of a second generation.
Already, they are graduating from various schools. If they flock like so many sheep to their Dark Lord, who can be surprised? They will receive the Dark Mark and perpetrate crimes as heinous as their parents did. They will be just as guilty when Voldemort is finally defeated.
This editorial's purpose was not to defend these children; it was to throw guilt upon their fathers and mothers. If it comes to pass that these children become Voldemort's servants, then we must bear in mind the second generation chose the Mark and chose to carry out those despicable tasks. Perhaps it was not entirely fair, but we cannot allow *them* to walk as free as their parents.
When the war trials come, and father and son sit together in those restraining chairs, both will be equally guilty. That fate, as much as any other effect of the era of Voldemort, is heart-breaking.
Especially when we realize that we might have stopped it in 1981, when the Ministry decided to absolve the Death-Eaters.
What would the world be like today is those children had been taught other paths?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Like I said: really, really bored. Incidentally, I am not a "redeem Draco" person, or whatever you call them, unless it's AU. Please r/r, but it's hot enough this summer to do without extra flames. Telling me it sucks is good enough.
