1 ACCIDENTAL MAGIC REVERSAL SQUAD ON STRIKE AT THE MINISTRY
by Fracindy
It has been reported that the Ministry of Magic is currently experiencing trouble of no small importance: the members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad are on strike as of today, after a "minor" incident that took place yesterday afternoon. We had much trouble finding out what exactly happened, but after interviewing many witnesses and employees of the Ministry (including two rather taciturn Unspeakables), and hearing several different versions of the story, we've managed to extract the facts and get to the bottom of this quite confusing affair…
Yesterday around one o'clock, Gilbert Wimple, from the department of Experimental Charms, received an urgent owl from his wife saying their twelve year-old son had disappeared since early that morning. Wimple immediately reported the missing boy to the Head Office at the Ministry and the searches began, starting around the Wimple's home. They didn't last too long, however, as the Ministry was soon informed that a case of splinching had occurred, somewhere in Sussex, and after sending on the spot two Obliviators, it appeared that the wizard in distress was none other than young William Wimple - he hadn't disappeared at all, but tried to apparate in secret from his backyard, where only his feet remained (which is probably why no one found him earlier).
Trouble apparently started when an old Muggle couple walked in unexpectedly on the scene, and in front of the boy's body hanging in mid air, started screaming and running for help. The Obliviators immediately practiced a Memory Charm on both Muggles, but not soon enough to prevent the whole Muggle neighbourhood from being alerted; only a few moments later, the place was swarming with shocked and sometimes hysterical Muggles.
The two Obliviators sent for reinforcement, as much for the Muggles' protection as for their own - some of the Muggles, they say, starting to recover from the fright they'd just had at seeing a live boy cut in half, rounded on the two unfortunate wizards, trying to chase them away with sticks and pitch forks and even guns (deadly Muggle weapons), according to the two men.
Unfortunately, the situation degenerated instead of improving with the arrival of the rest of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad: indeed, by the time they arrived, the Muggles had alerted their Police (Muggles' equivalent for our Magical Law Enforcement Squad), and soon a harsh confrontation had begun. It took no less than twenty Obliviators and fifteen other members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, and over ten hours of effort, to bring the situation back under control - ten hours in which, according to the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, many of its members were badly injured or traumatized. "It was awful," says one of them. "I got hit on the head twice with a frying pan by a crazy Muggle woman, and in the confusion a colleague accidentally hexed me with the Full Body Bind Curse."
The Accidental Magic Reversal Squad claims that they had requested help from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad during the conflict, but that the Ministry had, for some unknown reason, refused to give them such help. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, declines even knowing about the demand that was made: "No one ever asked for the Magical Law Enforcement Squad to intervene. We had no idea what was going on, that's true, but if we had known how bad things were, of course we would have sent reinforcements! But we can't be everywhere at once, now, can we?" (Which is true, of course, but your Daily Prophet reporter knows for a fact that Cornelius Fudge was at that very moment in Hogsmeade, drinking a glass at the Three Broomsticks with Madam Rosmerta.)
As a result, all of the Obliviators are on strike, and "will remain so until the Minister realizes how dangerous our job is, and does something to provide more safety for us," declared this morning Arnold Peasegood, Head of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. When asked what that "something" might be, Peasegood was rather reluctant to share his ideas, under the pretext it wasn't up to him to find solutions, but to the Minister himself, as he already had enough work to do, thank you very much.
Cornelius Fudge chose not to comment this declaration - he was seen shortly afterwards carrying a suitcase and disapparating to an unknown location.
So, until the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad and the Head Office come to an agreement (or until either side gives in under the throng of howlers, cursed letters and hexes they're sending each other), it might be wise to avoid making any fatal mistakes in daily magical activities – and most of all, to keep an eye on underage wizards – knowing that the last time Obliviators were unavailable, old Philippus Cantarini was stuck to his ceiling for three days, his elderly wife being a Squib and most incapable of doing anything to help him.
by Fracindy
It has been reported that the Ministry of Magic is currently experiencing trouble of no small importance: the members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad are on strike as of today, after a "minor" incident that took place yesterday afternoon. We had much trouble finding out what exactly happened, but after interviewing many witnesses and employees of the Ministry (including two rather taciturn Unspeakables), and hearing several different versions of the story, we've managed to extract the facts and get to the bottom of this quite confusing affair…
Yesterday around one o'clock, Gilbert Wimple, from the department of Experimental Charms, received an urgent owl from his wife saying their twelve year-old son had disappeared since early that morning. Wimple immediately reported the missing boy to the Head Office at the Ministry and the searches began, starting around the Wimple's home. They didn't last too long, however, as the Ministry was soon informed that a case of splinching had occurred, somewhere in Sussex, and after sending on the spot two Obliviators, it appeared that the wizard in distress was none other than young William Wimple - he hadn't disappeared at all, but tried to apparate in secret from his backyard, where only his feet remained (which is probably why no one found him earlier).
Trouble apparently started when an old Muggle couple walked in unexpectedly on the scene, and in front of the boy's body hanging in mid air, started screaming and running for help. The Obliviators immediately practiced a Memory Charm on both Muggles, but not soon enough to prevent the whole Muggle neighbourhood from being alerted; only a few moments later, the place was swarming with shocked and sometimes hysterical Muggles.
The two Obliviators sent for reinforcement, as much for the Muggles' protection as for their own - some of the Muggles, they say, starting to recover from the fright they'd just had at seeing a live boy cut in half, rounded on the two unfortunate wizards, trying to chase them away with sticks and pitch forks and even guns (deadly Muggle weapons), according to the two men.
Unfortunately, the situation degenerated instead of improving with the arrival of the rest of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad: indeed, by the time they arrived, the Muggles had alerted their Police (Muggles' equivalent for our Magical Law Enforcement Squad), and soon a harsh confrontation had begun. It took no less than twenty Obliviators and fifteen other members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, and over ten hours of effort, to bring the situation back under control - ten hours in which, according to the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, many of its members were badly injured or traumatized. "It was awful," says one of them. "I got hit on the head twice with a frying pan by a crazy Muggle woman, and in the confusion a colleague accidentally hexed me with the Full Body Bind Curse."
The Accidental Magic Reversal Squad claims that they had requested help from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad during the conflict, but that the Ministry had, for some unknown reason, refused to give them such help. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, declines even knowing about the demand that was made: "No one ever asked for the Magical Law Enforcement Squad to intervene. We had no idea what was going on, that's true, but if we had known how bad things were, of course we would have sent reinforcements! But we can't be everywhere at once, now, can we?" (Which is true, of course, but your Daily Prophet reporter knows for a fact that Cornelius Fudge was at that very moment in Hogsmeade, drinking a glass at the Three Broomsticks with Madam Rosmerta.)
As a result, all of the Obliviators are on strike, and "will remain so until the Minister realizes how dangerous our job is, and does something to provide more safety for us," declared this morning Arnold Peasegood, Head of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. When asked what that "something" might be, Peasegood was rather reluctant to share his ideas, under the pretext it wasn't up to him to find solutions, but to the Minister himself, as he already had enough work to do, thank you very much.
Cornelius Fudge chose not to comment this declaration - he was seen shortly afterwards carrying a suitcase and disapparating to an unknown location.
So, until the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad and the Head Office come to an agreement (or until either side gives in under the throng of howlers, cursed letters and hexes they're sending each other), it might be wise to avoid making any fatal mistakes in daily magical activities – and most of all, to keep an eye on underage wizards – knowing that the last time Obliviators were unavailable, old Philippus Cantarini was stuck to his ceiling for three days, his elderly wife being a Squib and most incapable of doing anything to help him.