An owl discovered dead this morning on the streets of Wellingtonshire has caused alarm amidst the local population as residents wonder whether the ability of owls to deliver mail through magical means might be affected by the sinister fog, which began in Irvingly over a week ago and recently spread to the wealthiest district of Hogsmeade.

Miss Laverna Falloway, a maid serving one Wellingtonshire household, was on her way towards the center of town when she tripped over the fallen owl, not having been able to see it in the thick fog. After bringing it to the attention of nearby residents, the owl was eventually transported to the post office in the hopes that they could determine who the bird belonged to, and what caused his untimely end. The precise cause of the owl's death is still unknown, but the manager of the post office said a number of factors may have played a part. The owl could have run across an obstruction in the fog it would normally have been able to navigate around, and died as a result of trauma. It is also possible that the fog itself may have been the cause of the owl's fate.

Ministry officials were not available for comment. As of this time the post in and out of Irvingly has not been notably affected by the fog, but new discoveries are apparently being made every day as to its effects — though if the Ministry has made any progress in determining its origins or probable causes, they have not elected to share that information with the public.