— The —
Daily Prophet
Daily Prophet
Price One Knut
July 23rd, 1895
Wolves in Sheeps' Clothing?
Letters from Our Readers
Less than ten days ago, it was revealed in this very publication that Mrs. Morwenna Skeeter, Wizengamot member and former head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, has been secretly a werewolf for some time—one unregistered with the very department she used to run. Our readers were asked to share their thougts on the matter, and have done so with gusto.
CONFIDENCE IS PARAMOUNT
I have confidence that a woman in Mrs. Skeeter's professional position was able to appropriately secure herself during the full moon. With this in mind, let us set aside the issue of lycanthropy and focus on something more concerning.
Mrs. Morwenna Skeeter, a former Department Head in the Ministry of Magic and present sitting member of magical government, did knowingly lie to the public and her superirors, while breaking magical law for nearly a decade. This flagrant disregard for legal order casts doubt upon the very foundations of law and order in Wizarding Britain.
The Ministry of Magic must take this matter seriously, must identify others who have chosen to flout their laws while claiming to serve the populice, and swiftly remove them from anything resembling public office or public service. If we cannot trust in the Ministry of Magic, we will crumble. — E. Forsyte
NO SUCH THING AS A LAW-ABIDING WEREWOLF
It is an unfortunate day, but sadly comes as no surprise that lycanthropes have infiltrated every rank and file of the Ministry up to the highest orders. The last decade of laissez-faire liberalism of our leadership is clearly content not to care about who its employees are, or who holds the reins of power. I strongly urge the Ministry – provided there are those fully human left amidst it – to seek out the other pretenders amongst them, and stamp out lycanthropy in our country entirely, before Mrs. Skeeter and her co-conspiring werewolves prey upon our fear, sow more discord and set upon the innocents in our communities to spread their malicious disease.
What defences do we have? The Werewolf Capture Unit is unfortunately hamstrung by their limited authority – why have they not been given greater powers and funding, in order to rid Britain of this ever-increasing infection? Fortunately, there is a clear test for werewolves that no guilty individual can thwart – the full moon does not allow for liars. Why then should we just trust werewolves, who lose their humanity three nights out of every twenty-eight, to turn themselves in? No measure is too far to ensure public safety, after all: citizens ought to do their public duty and submit to simple procedures of testing and observation under the full moon, and a more robust warrant granted to the Capture Unit for those inclined to obstruct or resist. Half-measures now are not enough to solve an issue that has been plaguing us for far too long. — Professor E. Picardy, renowned researcher & author
Lycanthropy sympathizers often protest restrictions meant to keep the population safe from werewolves with cries of 'but what about the good ones?' The myth of the law-abiding werewolf is a persistent one, but this hypothetical has no bearing in reality. This is a disease that turns otherwise law-abiding citizens, upstanding members of society, into selfish criminals. Mrs. Skeeter, while leading a Ministry department, while making laws and hearing court cases, recklessly endangered those around her every month for who knows how long. Her publicity stunt through the paper does not absolve her of responsibility for these actors nor of guilt for any harm she may have caused. I suspect she came forward only because she determined she could no longer keep her secret, for whatever reason — that she had been discovered and threatened by someone with a conscious.
Another example of the 'law-abiding werewolf' was Topaz Urquart, who diligently reported in for holding each month — until the day she didn't. Now this dangerous young woman is at large. We have seen time and again that werewolves take advantage of any grace we offer them, and that in the end we are only put in more danger for our troubles. The solution is not to ask them more politely, to make their holding cells more comfortable, or to treat them nicely — the solution is to stop giving them room to take advantage of us. Lock them up and eradicate this curse once and for all. — "A.G."
A FLAW OF THE SYSTEM?
Morwenna Skeeter should first be commended for her courage in making her affliction public – when our society offers so small a chance of support or compassion for it, and every chance of prosecution. Some will call for further investigation of any harm she may have unwittingly and unwillingly done to others during her monthly transformations, but what if such investigations only reveal that she suffered quietly in secret, and managed her condition successfully for eight years?
Not only does such an outcome prove that lycanthropy, like many other illnesses, can be safely managed, it shows that individuals can continue to live a whole, fulfilling, and self-sufficient life. Mrs. Skeeter has long been esteemed for her Ministry work, but evidently she continued to serve justly in her post throughout the recurring tortures the full moon brought her, even being appointed to the highest ranks. As for her continued secrecy in the face of current legislation – can any of us blame her, when there is so little to be gained in coming forward?
Minister Dempsey and Mrs. Skeeter’s Wizengamot colleagues should be called upon to seriously reconsider the structures they have in place. The framework of current werewolf legislation is clearly ineffective, as well as immoral – relying simply on threats of capture and prosecution, and the inhumane loss of all privacy and dignity. Perhaps a more constructive approach would be to ensure those suffering from lycanthropy against their will are legally supported and protected in their right to employment and healthcare, as well as shielded from further harassment and prejudice, allowing them to support themselves as a part of society rather than outside of it. I am sure Mrs. Skeeter was admired by many a week ago – her affliction alone can hardly change the full sum of her character and achievements. — Jude Wright, former candidate for Minister of Magic
THE CASE FOR COMPASSION
Surely we must ask ourselves, would a predominant public figure of such high standing and good morals keep such a secret from the public if others with her condition weren't made into pariahs and shunned by society at large? What after care is given to known werewolves after full moon visits each month? Are families supported and cared for as any other family of a patient in need? These individuals did not ask for their condition, and yet our society continues to shun them and those who stand behind them. Full moon check-ins must be centered around humanity and civility, rather than a monthly visit to prison. A werewolf should not lose everything the day they are bitten. They should see the best care and love that we as society have to offer. — Mrs. Acacia Darlington
Mrs. Morwenna Skeeter is a pillar in our community and has worked hard to earn the respect of our community at large. One must come to the logical conclusion that her privacy towards her condition has been to not only prevent the sully of her good name, but to protect the reputation of her recently departed son. Lest we forget that Professor Mason Skeeter had passed on incredibly recently to Mrs. Skeeter's announcement in a tragedy at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
As a society at large, we must question our own morals. It must take a mother's grief for her to come forward as a werewolf? A woman who has dedicated her entire career towards our noble community. — Miss Sweetie Whitledge
Though Mrs. Skeeter did break the law, it is important to consider why she did so. Could it be that, as a widow, obeying the law risked her only means of self-support? We as a society must consider the hardships placed upon women before judging her too harshly. — "C.G."
I am so tired of hearing werewolves be treated like the boogeyman in stories to scare children, and apparently grown ups too? Have we forgotten our History lessons? What would any of you say to a muggle of antiquity who wished to lash a witch to a stake and burn her simply because her existence is considered "dangerous"? How is our attitude to werewolves any different? We consider ourselves to be better than muggles then we should act better than muggles.
Mrs. Skeeter has proven to all evidence that a werewolf is capable of being a stable and productive member of society. I encourage anyone with genuine accusations of her causing harm or worse to another person to step forward and make their case. Give her her fair trial and if there is a line of bodies to be found behind her send her to Azkaban like any other witch who had done the same. If not, then judge her on her life well lived and let her have her freedom and dignity and please.
We need to reasses our relationship with "the beast inside". By making it taboo we make it hidden, by making it hidden we make it harder for people to live with their affliction and WE create the monster. Or perhaps we need to consider that the muggle witch hunters might have been on to something? — "B"
There cannot be a day where all werewolves register until there is a day where all werewolves and our families cease to face backlash and slander. Should I choose to chain myself away alone in fear, or seek official resources and hurt my family in the process? I will always choose family. — An Unregistered Werewolf*
* Ed: This paper is cooperating fully with the Werewolf Capture Unit and its efforts to identify this individual.
SAFETY OVER SELF
I bear Mrs. Skeeter no ill-will, but as a healer who has seen the aftereffects of werewolf attacks, cannot condone her actions. The current regulations demanding that all werewolves register with the Ministry of Magic is not to punish them, but to protect the remainder of society by ensuring that these individuals are transformed during the full moon. I have a patient who has gone on to live a very full life in spite of his or her status, with society at large nonethewiser as to their condition. This registration is not a public roster of shame but a scroll of protection for society at large.
While it is understandable that a woman in a position of power under the likes of Minister Spavin may feel compelled to keep such a thing a secret, I cannot help but think that it was selfish of Mrs. Skeeter not to self-report quietly under a more sympathetic Minister of Magic, such as the late Balthazar Urquart. If nothing else, though, I am hopeful that her stepping forward now will lead to redoubled efforts by both presently unregistered werewolves and the Werewolf Capture Unit as a whole to ensure the Ministry's records are as full as possible, and safety of the masses is secured. — Arvin J. Woolf, Healer
Though this paper is usually reluctant to publish anonymous submissions, exceptions have been made given the gravity of the topic at hand.
CONFIDENCE IS PARAMOUNT
Mrs. Morwenna Skeeter, a former Department Head in the Ministry of Magic and present sitting member of magical government, did knowingly lie to the public and her superirors, while breaking magical law for nearly a decade. This flagrant disregard for legal order casts doubt upon the very foundations of law and order in Wizarding Britain.
The Ministry of Magic must take this matter seriously, must identify others who have chosen to flout their laws while claiming to serve the populice, and swiftly remove them from anything resembling public office or public service. If we cannot trust in the Ministry of Magic, we will crumble. — E. Forsyte
NO SUCH THING AS A LAW-ABIDING WEREWOLF
What defences do we have? The Werewolf Capture Unit is unfortunately hamstrung by their limited authority – why have they not been given greater powers and funding, in order to rid Britain of this ever-increasing infection? Fortunately, there is a clear test for werewolves that no guilty individual can thwart – the full moon does not allow for liars. Why then should we just trust werewolves, who lose their humanity three nights out of every twenty-eight, to turn themselves in? No measure is too far to ensure public safety, after all: citizens ought to do their public duty and submit to simple procedures of testing and observation under the full moon, and a more robust warrant granted to the Capture Unit for those inclined to obstruct or resist. Half-measures now are not enough to solve an issue that has been plaguing us for far too long. — Professor E. Picardy, renowned researcher & author
Lycanthropy sympathizers often protest restrictions meant to keep the population safe from werewolves with cries of 'but what about the good ones?' The myth of the law-abiding werewolf is a persistent one, but this hypothetical has no bearing in reality. This is a disease that turns otherwise law-abiding citizens, upstanding members of society, into selfish criminals. Mrs. Skeeter, while leading a Ministry department, while making laws and hearing court cases, recklessly endangered those around her every month for who knows how long. Her publicity stunt through the paper does not absolve her of responsibility for these actors nor of guilt for any harm she may have caused. I suspect she came forward only because she determined she could no longer keep her secret, for whatever reason — that she had been discovered and threatened by someone with a conscious.
Another example of the 'law-abiding werewolf' was Topaz Urquart, who diligently reported in for holding each month — until the day she didn't. Now this dangerous young woman is at large. We have seen time and again that werewolves take advantage of any grace we offer them, and that in the end we are only put in more danger for our troubles. The solution is not to ask them more politely, to make their holding cells more comfortable, or to treat them nicely — the solution is to stop giving them room to take advantage of us. Lock them up and eradicate this curse once and for all. — "A.G."
A FLAW OF THE SYSTEM?
Not only does such an outcome prove that lycanthropy, like many other illnesses, can be safely managed, it shows that individuals can continue to live a whole, fulfilling, and self-sufficient life. Mrs. Skeeter has long been esteemed for her Ministry work, but evidently she continued to serve justly in her post throughout the recurring tortures the full moon brought her, even being appointed to the highest ranks. As for her continued secrecy in the face of current legislation – can any of us blame her, when there is so little to be gained in coming forward?
Minister Dempsey and Mrs. Skeeter’s Wizengamot colleagues should be called upon to seriously reconsider the structures they have in place. The framework of current werewolf legislation is clearly ineffective, as well as immoral – relying simply on threats of capture and prosecution, and the inhumane loss of all privacy and dignity. Perhaps a more constructive approach would be to ensure those suffering from lycanthropy against their will are legally supported and protected in their right to employment and healthcare, as well as shielded from further harassment and prejudice, allowing them to support themselves as a part of society rather than outside of it. I am sure Mrs. Skeeter was admired by many a week ago – her affliction alone can hardly change the full sum of her character and achievements. — Jude Wright, former candidate for Minister of Magic
THE CASE FOR COMPASSION
Mrs. Morwenna Skeeter is a pillar in our community and has worked hard to earn the respect of our community at large. One must come to the logical conclusion that her privacy towards her condition has been to not only prevent the sully of her good name, but to protect the reputation of her recently departed son. Lest we forget that Professor Mason Skeeter had passed on incredibly recently to Mrs. Skeeter's announcement in a tragedy at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
As a society at large, we must question our own morals. It must take a mother's grief for her to come forward as a werewolf? A woman who has dedicated her entire career towards our noble community. — Miss Sweetie Whitledge
Though Mrs. Skeeter did break the law, it is important to consider why she did so. Could it be that, as a widow, obeying the law risked her only means of self-support? We as a society must consider the hardships placed upon women before judging her too harshly. — "C.G."
I am so tired of hearing werewolves be treated like the boogeyman in stories to scare children, and apparently grown ups too? Have we forgotten our History lessons? What would any of you say to a muggle of antiquity who wished to lash a witch to a stake and burn her simply because her existence is considered "dangerous"? How is our attitude to werewolves any different? We consider ourselves to be better than muggles then we should act better than muggles.
Mrs. Skeeter has proven to all evidence that a werewolf is capable of being a stable and productive member of society. I encourage anyone with genuine accusations of her causing harm or worse to another person to step forward and make their case. Give her her fair trial and if there is a line of bodies to be found behind her send her to Azkaban like any other witch who had done the same. If not, then judge her on her life well lived and let her have her freedom and dignity and please.
We need to reasses our relationship with "the beast inside". By making it taboo we make it hidden, by making it hidden we make it harder for people to live with their affliction and WE create the monster. Or perhaps we need to consider that the muggle witch hunters might have been on to something? — "B"
There cannot be a day where all werewolves register until there is a day where all werewolves and our families cease to face backlash and slander. Should I choose to chain myself away alone in fear, or seek official resources and hurt my family in the process? I will always choose family. — An Unregistered Werewolf*
* Ed: This paper is cooperating fully with the Werewolf Capture Unit and its efforts to identify this individual.
SAFETY OVER SELF
While it is understandable that a woman in a position of power under the likes of Minister Spavin may feel compelled to keep such a thing a secret, I cannot help but think that it was selfish of Mrs. Skeeter not to self-report quietly under a more sympathetic Minister of Magic, such as the late Balthazar Urquart. If nothing else, though, I am hopeful that her stepping forward now will lead to redoubled efforts by both presently unregistered werewolves and the Werewolf Capture Unit as a whole to ensure the Ministry's records are as full as possible, and safety of the masses is secured. — Arvin J. Woolf, Healer
Though this paper is usually reluctant to publish anonymous submissions, exceptions have been made given the gravity of the topic at hand.
Gulliver Doran