History of the Hit Wizard Reserve (1971-1999)

Foreword (1983)

Humans rebuild, unlike many animals who will abandon that which has been damaged or destroyed, humans Muggle or Magical will usually rebuild. So it is now that we find our selves rebuilding, the tragedy has passed, the black cloud that has covered our community for well over a decade has passed. Some in our community would want us to 'move on' accept what has happened and look to the future. But to forget what it has cost, in blood, fortune and broken families is a betrayal of all three. The Muggles have a saying which I feel is appropriate in this this situation, 'those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it'.

In 1971 nearly 300 Witches volunteered to stand against the darkness, to defend those who couldn't defend themselves, by wars end in 1981 a little under 1000 individuals had been inducted into the Hit Wizard Reserve (HWR). Of those 246 gave their lives and another 357 received live changing injuries. From 1974 members of the HWR fought in every major engagement against the common enemy, reservist's were responsible for the incarceration of several major Death Eaters and the destruction of countless Inferi and most famously the killing of the Giant Clan Leader Skullclever and several of his kin at the Battle of Dunham Bridge in 1976. The war record of the HWR is one any member can proud of.

It is the duty of those left behind to remember them and ensure what they fought for is not cast aside for political expediency.

Foreword (1996)

I have edited this book to include information that has been declassified since the publication of this books first edition as well as to include the recollections shared with me the time since I put pen to parchment 13 years ago. I feel these memories worth adding to the public record and perhaps more importantly into the public discourse.

The world we live in is changing. One only has to read the Daily Profit to see the hand that really wields the quill. The insinuations lazily disguised as opinion pieces, the singling out of dissenting voices and the parroting of Ministry propaganda. Events are unfolding throughout our world that should chill us all to the bone, these are explained away as the work of the Rabelais or unfortunate accidents (Such as the death of Cedric Diggory last year) even our government is changing, that a minor could be subjected to a trial in front of the entire judicial branch of our Government is a disgrace. Our world is changing and I for one am scared.

But we don't or won't act, why? Is our desire to avoid a possible war so strong that we will ignore the possibility that something more may be on the horizon? I hope not. It's possible we are again in the nascent stages of the rise of a Dark Lord. I know that publishing these words could have consequences but I am willing to take the risk and thankfully so is my publisher.

If this is what is happening I beg you learn the lessons hard learned by myself and others during the last war.

Foreword (2017)

Yet again I've decided to update my history of the Hit Wizard Reserve. I had thought to release as a second volume but was advised otherwise by the son of my first publisher who has taken over the reins following he passing of his father. We also decided to include the forwards of the two previous editions so as to provide a more 'personal' narrative.

The major change in this edition is the chapters detailing the actions of the HWR during the previous conflict. Due to the infiltration of the Ministry by the Dark Lord an official Reserve was never formed. However once the nature to the conflict became clear many former members of the HWR formed militia groups and inducted new members too young to serve in the first conflict.

This book has a history of its own, on its first publishing run it had the distinction of being denounced by both the leader of the light Albus Dumbledore and the spokesman for the 'Imperised victims' of the Dark Lord. Both lambasted me and my publisher for 'digging up times best forgotten' it amazes me even now that just 18 months after a conflict that tore our community in half that our leaders would be so willing to bury the sacrifices of our comrades. Suffice to say this lent the book some notoriety. The second edition caused even more furore, the foreword you see above earned me many howlers some with watermarks suspiciously similar to those of the Minister himself. Result was that myself and my publisher were blacklisted, I lost my job in the DMLE with the words of the late Madame Bone in my ear 'That was a bloody stupid and I'm damned if I can keep you here, but good luck to you,' she had a way with words. Worse to me was the forced closure of Brazen Wands Publishing. I felt incredibly guilty for that. After the second war I was approached by Mr Thorpe, I had too much on my plate to produce another edition of this book, made a promise that I would in the future, it is too my shame that it has taken so long.

I have been asked why it took me nearly 20 years to pen this new edition the answer is in two parts. Firstly my duties with the Auror Department have precluded me having enough free time to do the task the justice it deserves. Secondly I felt that the first edition of this book was released too soon after the end of the last conflict and I should have taken more time to reflect and understand the nature of the War and our part in it, hopefully I've now achieved this.