THE INTERMISSION
AN: Until the content comes along...
From the morning mail of Professor Fleur I. Delacour, Thursday, October 1st, 1998:
One copy, The Daily Prophet, delivered, rather unceremoniously, on top of her head while sipping tea. After using a stain removing charm on her robes to remove the tea that she spluttered everywhere, the following caught her eye:
MINISTRY FIGHTS LAWS IN PLACE DURING REIGN OF TERROR
Isaac Johnson, Senior Staff Writer
LONDON – The Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, has issued a statement stating that the Ministry's policy making arm is now officially dedicating all time and resources to correcting the laws that were pushed through by the former cabinet of supporters of You-Know-Who. While many of these laws are not being actively enforced, they are still on the books and Aurors and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be required to enforce them should the need arise. Because of this, Minister Shacklebolt and his cabinet are actively attempting to remove those laws.
Among these laws are rules put into place governing those who are muggle born as well as any persons who have magical creature blood. They require registration with the Ministry, as well as close monitoring by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in a strong violation of civil liberties. Minister Shacklebolt, a strong proponent of civil rights and equality, does not agree with such policies and is struggling to overturn both public perception that registration and monitoring are necessary and the laws themselves, which are proving exceptionally difficult to eliminate.
"We cannot allow such policies to exist when they clearly violate the civil rights of so many," Shacklebolt said in a press conference Wednesday. He continued to speak at length about how muggle borns and those with magical creature blood needed to be treated as equals as they make up a majority of wizarding society. "We cannot exclude anyone from this society; unity is the only thing that will keep everyone together."
There have been arguments by academics that it was the lack of unity (perhaps put forth by the competitive nature of the wizarding schooling system within Britain) was what gave rise to You-Know Who. When asked about this possibility, members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement declined to comment and members of the former administration (that are not in Azkaban) declined to comment for this article.
EDITORAL: INQUIRY MADE INTO WAR TIME MARRIAGES
Ariel Hopson, Senior Staff Editor
The Ministry of Magic is making inquiries into war time marriages to determine if there is a pattern in the allegations that many were performed under duress or in hopes of avoiding certain laws that were put in place under You-Know-Who's reign of terror. The Daily Prophet would like to express its outrage over the fact that such actions are drawing attention from the Ministry as they are private affairs. Marriage, even it is to protect oneself from the law, is still marriage and we believe that it should be up to those involved to sort out their own situations.
Among the marriages that are under question are those involving heirs to prominent wizarding families. There is an assumption, as is the law, that the eldest must produce an heir – even if they do not have that predilection or are uninterested in children. In such a situation, adoption is considered unacceptable and magical means to produce an heir are frowned upon. To the Prophet, this is the law, rather than those that are in place to restrict the rights of those with magical blood and muggle borns, that needs to be repealed.
Heirs should be created out of love, not necessity...
x
One note tucked in to her napkin. Fleur grinned opening it, and nodding her response to a pair of intelligent brown eyes focused on her with shining question.
I have some questions about our lesson, could I come see you after lunch?
x
Two letters: One short;
Fleur, we need to talk and soon. I will come to Hogsmeade Saturday at noon. - Bill
And one long, delivered by a very tired-looking owl that stole some bacon from Townsend and nipped Fleur's finger affectionately as she cooed at it while reading.
Dear Fleur,
Mother wrote me to tell me that you and she spoke. This is excellent, and very good for me, because I miss you and now I can actually speak to you instead of ignoring you to prove my point. She also told me that you had finally spoken to your destined one and that William had found someone as well. This is wonderful, when are you two separating?
I know that this is hard for you, to be around her and to not have her know what she means to you. You should tell her about what our heritage means to you, I'm sure she'll get it if you do. She didn't seem stupid when I met her during the tournament.
There was an article in The Republic earlier this week about how the British Ministry of Magic is trying to sort out the horrible laws there. This is good for you and William, right? Hopefully he can find some other way to produce an heir for his family so that you two can get divorced and you and he can both be with the ones you truly love.
Do you have any papers from there that have any information about what's going on there? The Republic is good, yes, but they hate the English and they don't really know what they're talking about. Last week they said something about forcing those who had not produced heirs to have children so that at least that could be sorted out.
That's a lie right? They wouldn't force you to have a baby would they? You would make a horrible mother.
Please respond soon. I love you,
Gabrielle
x
And one cryptic threat, cut out of pages of the Prophet and spelled onto a faded piece of parchment.
YOU ARE UNFIT TO TEACH, VEELA.
WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND IT DISGUSTS US.