Heyy Guys,
Just publishing my second edition of the Daily Prophet. Soon I'm going to start 'coverage' of the 423rd Quidditch World Cup! SO if you haven't already, please vote in the poll!
Thanks,
IronMan.
The Daily Prophet
2nd Issue
June 1999
Subscription price: 1 Knut
Malfoy to Remain as DADA Professor, New Head of Slytherin
An unpopular move at the beginning of the school year saw Narcissa Malfoy, a witch with previous ties to He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, become the Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Whilst the move angered many parents, staff, and even students, the school board cited Professor Malfoy's invaluable insight into the mind of one of the most dangerous wizards of all time, the school of thought being that, with her first-hand experience of powerful Dark Magic, Professor Malfoy would be able to prepare students well to defend themselves against it. Despite many appeals to the school board to reconsider their decision, the board stood by its appointment of the Professor, and their faith seems to have been rewarded. Under the watchful eye of the Ministry, Professor Malfoy has transformed the DADA curriculum, and this years O.W.L and N.E.W.T results are projected to be very high. The board has seen this as reason enough to renew the Professor's contract for a further two years. This would mark the first time in many years that a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor has stayed with the school past their first year in the job.
Professor Malfoy also takes over the role as Head of Slytherin House from Professor Horace Slughorn, who, whilst remaining as Potions Master for a further two years, has decided to step away from many of his other roles with the school as he eases himself into retirement. The school board has yet to give word on who will take over Professor McGonagall's role as Headmistress, and also Transfiguration Professor.
'Dent-Head' Vows to Launch 66th Appeal
Magnus 'Dent-Head' Macdonald, who last week lost his 65th Appeal to legalize the ancient sport of Creaothceann, the most dangerous sport in the world, has vowed to continue appealing to the Department of Magical Games and Sports to legalize the ancient game until his very last breath. 'Dent-Head', 87, said this to the Daily Prophet; 'The Ministry canna keep the sport down forever! Support for our cause is only growing stronger with each rejection. If it's the last thing I ever do in the world, I'll see Creaothceann return!'
The Department of Magical Games and Sports has dismissed Macdonald's appeals as nonsensical and petulant calling the sport of Creaothceann an outdated and frankly ridiculous attempt to make a competition out of senseless madness which has taken too many lives already. It would seem then, that 'Dent-Head' is on course to be the first person ever to make one hundred appeals to the Ministry of Magic.
Honeydukes to Open Diagon Alley Store
Honeydukes, the famous Confectionary Shop in Hogsmeade, are set to expand their business by opening a store in the heart of Diagon Alley. Buying up a prime retail spot near Ollivanders Wand Shop and a short walk to the highly popular Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the new shop is set to open just in time to greet the rush of shoppers buying books and supplies before the start of the next school year. The shop, whilst smaller than the main branch in Hogsmeade, will sell all of Honeydukes most popular sweets, cakes, and beverages including fizzing whizzbees, fudge flies, and liquorice wands.
Sports News
Below is our pick of the sports news this week! Our poll regarding the Quidditch World Cup is still up, with Ireland and France taking an early lead.
Firebolt Withdraws from Annual Broom Race
In a move that disappointed thousands of fans worldwide, the Firebolt Racing Team has withdrawn its entry from the Annual Broom Race in Kopparberg, Sweden. Citing high costs, and the delayed development of their new broom, Randolph Spudmore made the decision to pull the plug on the factory team in order to invest more heavily in the rumoured Firebolt 2. Whilst many fans of the brand are dismayed that the team won't be returning to Sweden to defend their title, others see it as a refusal from Firebolt to accept a clear defeat from the Nimbus Factory Racing Team, and their Nimbus 2500 broom, which hit speeds in excess of 170mph on the final day of testing. Whilst Firebolt's reasoning may have fans speculating, the brand insists that they intend to return for the race in the year 2000. Randolph Spudmore was not available for comment, but the Daily Prophet managed to ask Devlin Whitehorn, founder of Nimbus, a couple of questions before his departure to Sweden. When asked what he thought of Firebolt's withdrawal, he had this to say; 'We were disappointed to hear that Firebolt wouldn't be competing in this year's race. We always expect a high level of competition from them, and the team were a little dismayed not to have them in the pit box next door. We hope that it is only a year sabbatical, and we're very excited to have them back for next years race.'
When asked whom he thought would be Nimbus's closest rival in this year's race, Mr Whitehorn answered very candidly; 'We go to the race each year with the mentality that nobody can beat us! But, as we've seen before, we aren't always as invincible as we think, and anything can happen in Sweden. We expect Butterbeer Racing to be very quick on their Firebolts, if they can sort out the issue with their tail, and we were very impressed with the Siberian Arrow team who were very quick in testing. I think those two teams are who we'll be keeping an eye on, but you can't ever count out the likes of Cleansweep and Comet either. We're looking forward to the challenge.' Both Randolph Spudmore and Devlin Whitehorn will be in Sweden to watch the Annual Broom Race, and have agreed to give an exclusive interview together for our magazine Which Broomstick?
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Secure Permission for Unofficial Racing League
With a challenge from creator of the Firebolt and Tinderblast 2, Randolph Spudmore, to prove the effectiveness of their 'Broom Broom Kit', the famous Diagon Alley joke shop were quick to respond. Collaborating with Broomstix, a budget broom store located a few doors down on Diagon Alley, Weasley's fitted their 'Broom Broom Kit' – a turbocharging tail fan and aerodynamic nose cone – to a Cleansweep Seven and took it along to the Firebolt Factory on the outskirts of Manchester. Sources report that the modified broom competed in a short-course race against the Tinderblast 2, a Firebolt, and a Cleansweep Twelve, narrowly beating the Tinderblast 2, and almost matching pace with the much newer Cleansweep Twelve. George Weasley, owner of the Diagon Alley joke shop has stated that the 'Broom Broom Kit' is the perfect product for Witches and Wizards looking for a little extra performance without having to buy the latest and greatest racing broom on the market.
The Department of Magical Games and Sports has granted Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to run a local racing league using their 'Broom Broom Kit', outside of the sanctioned leagues of the International Broom Racing Association. The I.B.R.A have stated on record that they would not officially recognise such a league, whilst the I.Q.A has also banned the kit from any official Quidditch Tournaments. With the potential backing of Randolph Spudmore, who had previously stated he would provide Weasley's with a fleet of Tinderblast 2's, a new broom racing league seems imminent.
Gryffindor and Slytherin to Battle for Hogwarts Quidditch Cup
A rivalry almost as old as Quidditch itself, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, comes to a head once again at Hogwarts as the two old foes battle it out for the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup. With Gryffindor Captain Ginny Weasley, and Seeker Harry Potter both banned from playing in the final, along with Slytherin Beater Regina Corsica, and young Keeper Marcus Hendricks, for taking part in an illegal broom race around the castle grounds (reportedly won by Potter), both teams have been in a rush to call upon their reserve players. Potter, set to play for the Chudley Cannons after graduating, will be hoping that his team can produce the goods with him cheering from the bench as he looks to take home a fourth Quidditch Cup with Gryffindor.
Ilvermorny Challenge Beauxbatons Academy to Best of 3 Tournament
In a strange but interesting move that caught the attention of the magical community, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, based in North America, laid out a challenge to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic for next term. The proposed challenge sees Ilvermorny travel to France to compete against Beauxbatons in a game of Quidditch, before the French School make the trip to Canada to play a game of Clutchcudgel – a strange sport, where players fly through a set of hoops laid out in a figure of eight, before trying to score in one of three hoops – before the two schools settle the score with a race through the Rocky Mountains. No word yet on how Beauxbatons plan to respond to the challenge.