January 29th, 1971
Dear Andromeda,
Do you know anything about this?
MUGGLE MASSACRE
On January 28th, seven muggles and one cat were found dead in a small community in East Yorkshire. The muggle authorities have declared the cause of death unknown, leaving reason to believe that a magical person was behind the deaths. Upon investigation of the crime scene, Aurors found a mark painted on a wall, hidden by a simple illusion spell. The mark in question appears to be a large skull with a tongue made of a snake. The Head of the Auror Department, Bartimus Crouch, calls this calling card a "Dark Mark": a name that has affectionately caught on throughout the Ministry and associated companies.
The muggles in question were found without a mark on them, lying quite grotesquely against walls a tables, as though they were on their way to the door and well unexpectedly. Celeste Lyons, a neighboring witch says, "I knew them all, I've been to at least half of their houses for tea, and I know for a fact none of them have ever done anything offensive." Aurors speculate these murders could be the product of the rumored "Dark Lord", though there is no confirmed identification to this man.
The deaths were of an elderly couple, Gregory and Amelia Bennett, a middle-aged couple, William and Jane Smith, and their two children, Claudia and Kate, a pair of university roommates, Ian and Joel Glass, along with their dog, Bernie. Funeral services are to be held in two days, and the Aurors who investigated have promised to make an appearance as each, as payment for their failure to protect the innocent lives that were lost.
Several recently graduated Hogwarts students, as well as two Drumstrang men, have been accused of the crime, but all are unable to be located for questioning. Is this the beginning of the next great war? After over fifty years of peace after our last war with notorious Gellert Grindewald (defeated by Albus Dumbledore), is our world prepared for another war? See Page 12 for more details and interviews.
Well? Recently graduated Hogwarts students, it said. Your sister was a part of this, wasn't she? Your "family" just killed seven innocent people. At least two were mums and dads. Two were just kids. Two were University blokes, probably just a few years older than my mates and I. Don't you understand? I could be next! And all because of your mixed up, lunatic, rotten, hateful, murderous family! You could stop this, Andromeda! You could stand up to them! You could tell the Ministry! Something! People are dying, Andromeda. Real people, you said. Muggles. Muggle-borns. Dead. This may be the first, but it's not the last.
The worst part is there's a part of me that's whispering, "Andromeda could have been a part of that too. She could have known it would happen. She could be one of them." Why?
Want to know my secret?
I'm afraid. I'm terribly, horribly, afraid that you'll turn back to them. That'll you be right alongside your sister. That I'll be one of those names in the article.
Sincerely,
Ted
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