A/N Before we begin, I feel I should warn you that this story will comprise of newspaper articles posted between 2024-2025. These articles are from 'The Weekly Word' an anonymous newspaper that began distribution in early 2024. This 'story' will be comprised of one article a week and will hopefully will give you an insight into my Wizarding World. This is part of a series of stories I've been working on for more than a year, the first story taking place in 2022 has not yet been completed or posted. Look out for it! I hope you enjoy this!

The Weekly Word

19th January 2024

A WELCOME TO OUR NEW READERS:

BRITAIN'S FIRST INDEPENDENT MAGICAL NEWSPAPER

By Icarus

It's 2024 (as I'm sure you are aware, unless you managed to sleep through the new year and the following weeks) and we are just announcing Britain's first truly independent magical newspaper.

What?

It is quite telling of just how far our society is behind the muggles that their newspapers first began more than 360 years ago, and these newspapers from the get-go were completely independent and in control of what they printed. We cannot say the same, can we? Yes the war was more than 25 years ago, but still our only national newspaper (The Daily Prophet) is controlled by the Ministry of Magic! Don't believe me? Think back to last year where the Minister of Magic himself prevented the Prophet from reporting on the death of Annie Gold, well known muggle born politician, and the murder of their own reporter! Not only that but the newspaper was stifled, preventing them from informing the public of the danger of the terrorist group The Non-Conformites until after the death of more than twenty members of the public in Diagon Alley. The Ministry of Magic believe that they are above the mistakes of the past and yet they continue to recreate them.

So not only is our competitor continually leaned on by The Ministry of Magic and other famous and well known people (who have deep pockets, I have been reliably informed) they also allow reporters to publish unfactual drivel and call it 'news' (Rita Skeeter, anyone?). This is a travesty, our greatest failing, it is the job of Newpapers to report the NEWS not gossip, not incorrect facts, but the NEWS (you would think it would be obvious?) The fact that we still rely on the infamously unreliable Prophet for news just goes to show how bad it is.

We, the creators of this newspaper are: fed up, bone-tired and sick to the death of this fact. We feel that instead of complaining about it, it's time we do something about it. So this newpaper was born, a Weekly update on the news. We hope as we gain readership we will be able to interview members of the Ministry and ask them your (and our) questions. This is a newspaper of the future, and we hope you will join us.

We pledge, here and now, that everything we publish will be factual and in the general interest of the population. We will not be silenced, we will not be controlled. We will ask the questions that need answering, and find the truth. This is our pledge to you, dear readers, and you may hold us to it.

As you may be aware, Icarus is not my name. This newspaper will be anonymous, feel free to speculate on our (for their is a team of us) identity, but do not let it hamper what we are trying to do. We do not hate the Ministry, or want to cause strife. We just want the truth we feel the public deserves.

If you have any suggestions on articles and questions you would like answered please send them to our PO box (address on the back.)

AUROR OFFICE IN SHAMBLES

BY DESMA

The events of last years terrorist attacks by the terrorist group The Non-Conformites continue to affect the once sturdy Auror department. The department that once housed 46 full time Aurors is now down to 21, and this is after a massive recruitment drive last year.

The department has seen many of its most seasoned Aurors depart as of late, some, such as Dennis Creevey due to injury, while other younger Aurors have left without an obvious reason. The dwindling number of Aurors must be a great worry to Harry Potter, Head Auror. Especially as last year their recruitment drive only saw a measly two Aurors join the ranks, and this is after they lowered the entry level they required.

Of those two that joined statistics show that 50% will drop out within the first year of training. Mr Potter is so worried, it is reported, that he and Percy Weasley (Head of International Relations) are in talks with the American Ministry to send emergency Aurors over. The fear is that if another event like last year occurred the Auror's would not be able to respond.

However, while the recruitment is down for the Aurors it has more than doubled for the Hit Wizards. Hit Wizards, who once only dealt the most dangerous of dark wizards, have seen a change in their job requirements. They now investigate minor crimes and work to capture felons before they can go on to commit serious crimes. This move changes our system to more closely resemble the much more effective muggle way. Now the Aurors can deal with serious crimes and the capture of the most dangerous witches and wizards and the Hit Wizard's (who are said to be changing their name) can deal with the day-to-day police keeping of the country.

Time will tell how successful the changes will be for the Department but it cannot be denied that the Auror department is still successfully working with depleted numbers. Last week two neo-purebloods were arrested for hate crimes after a successful investigation- their trials will be on the 3rd of February.

So while it is potentially problematic that several Aurors have left 'the company' the fact remains that we still have a strong Department for Magical Law Enforcement and they will continue to protect the country as they always have.

In other words, ignore the scaremongering in the Daily Prophet.

A/N As you may have guessed each chapter will act as an edition of the paper, there will be two articles in each chapter. One will be a news event from the week and the other a more political look at the Magical Society, dealing with education and politics. I hope you enjoy it! If you've got any aspects of Magical Society you think we could discuss- let me know. Oh! And let me know who you think the authors are! Thanks for reading!