I realized how isolated Hogwarts is and wanted to give a little blurp of recent history and how the kids there would react to it. This how I think the students might react, or not, to the attack on the World Trade Center(with wizard involvement, of course). If it's well-received, I may do others, like world events, good and bad, and local UK stuff.
The summer Holidays had ended and the students were just beginning to settle back into their patterns at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The afternoon it happened was bright and warm. The moments that changed a country slipped away in lessons for the young witches and wizards. None having cell phones or any means of contact besides Own Post and the odd magical item, the monumental shock went without note. It was not until the next day, as the United States, slack-jawed with shock, scrambling to recover, that they heard.
Harry Potter had arrived the night before in order to speak to the student body on the Dark Arts as he had begun to do the year previously was at the head table during breakfast when the owls arrived. Hundreds of them flocked the Hall. Students pointed, some laughing. Once the first person read the news, however, there was a din like the Hall hadn't heard in almost four years.
Harry made room for his own owl, quickly untying the letter. It was from Ginny.
Harry,
America has been attacked. It is unclear whether dark wizardry is involved or if it's just Muggle fighting. Planes struck the Twin Towers in New York and they have collapsed. The Daily Prophet says there were Wizards in the buildings and many are trapped. Kingsley has gone to meet with the American Minister and half the Ministry's gone to help in disguise. Stay. There. They can handle it. Ron says not to be a git and to keep your nose where it belongs. Hermione wants you to know you should talk to the students when you lecture. Mum says to tell everyone it was just Muggle fighting. I say you shouldn't, but Mum had her wand out and was going to head to Hogwarts herself to make sure you didn't go running off to America if I didn't say so here. I know you won't go anywhere. (Harry could feel the threat behind these words) Love you.
Ginny.
Lowering the letter, he looked around the Hall. Teachers were talking urgently to one another, as were students. Harry looked to McGonagall who looked back, grim-faced. Shock hit his brain, there was no way it could be anything Dark, could it? He had to find out, he had to go—and then he remembered the letter. They had known he would want to go. Swallowing his curiosity and anxiousness, he watched McGonagall rise to address the students with a straight face. None of them could afford to panic. Mrs. Weasley was probably right, just Muggles being violent. He hoped.