back to HOL | September 02, 2010
The Herald has been hit with a terrible case of the Dragonpox recently, causing a number of our staff to have to take a few months off work to recouperate in St Mungo's isolation ward. This is a terrible blow for the paper, as a number of our journalist positions are left unfilled.
If you think you can help us in our time of need please send a sample of your writing to hogs.herald@gmail.com for review and consideration. If we like your work, we'll be in touch. Hopefully we'll see a number of you next issue!
Aylarah Scale | February 05, 2010 | 4 Comments
Part Two of an investigative series by Allan Cattermole
In part one of this report I wrote about my growing concerns about the motivations of the growing Wizarding youth organization the Trailblazers, and how I had written to them expressing interest in more information.
I did not have to wait for long. They responded quickly, almost by return Owl, with a suggestion that I come along to one of their public meetings and meet up with some of their members. A list of upcoming meetings was enclosed and I was startled to realize that these were taking place almost weekly at a variety of venues up and down the country.
The nearest meeting to Hogsmeade was in Glasgow, in the magical district known as the Nook o’ Lavvy and taking place that weekend. The subject was “Steadfastness” and I was mildly surprised to see that the Trailblazers had missed a chance to apply an exclamation point to the end of the title. I resolved to attend and to see what they had to say for themselves.
Given that I was too old to be a potential Trailblazer myself I knew that there would be questions asked about my interest. In circumstances like this, it is always best to sail as close to the truth as you can, and I decided that I would honestly identify myself as a Herald reporter, but give the impression that I was intrigued by their message and keen to learn more.
The meeting hall was an old building in the Nook, which is a run down area populated by the local magical community, and is an area of extensive poverty and high unemployment. The buildings had shabby exteriors and there was an air of hungry desperation about the place. As I walked to the meeting hall I was uncomfortably aware that I was a blatant outsider here. I was also soon aware that many of the locals were walking in the same direction I was. The meeting it seemed was going to be well attended. Once I got inside I was not surprised. The hall was warm, and the refreshments were plentiful and free. I was approached almost at once by a keen faced young wizard in a neatly styled tunic and trousers, with the Trailblazer badge emblazoned on the breast pocket. This, I learned, was the standard Trailblazer uniform, and the room had a plentiful number of them helping to set out extra chairs and showing the locals where they could get their fill of hot soup, bread, and butterbeer before the meeting.
The Trailblazer who greeted me was called Montgomery Logan and he introduced himself with a polished charm that seemed rehearsed to perfection. He asked a few polite questions (quickly ascertaining my name, where I came from and why I was here) and showed me to a seat, handing me the latest copy of ONWARD! Magazine for me to read while I waited. I flicked through it half heartedly while taking in the mood of the crowd. The mood was curious and, I have to say, hopeful. Many of the audience were young men and women, others were not. What could a boy’s organization have to offer such a wide cross section of the population?
I quickly discovered the answer to that question. The speaker who came on stage was one of the older Trailblazers – I’d estimated his age as about twenty one which I suppose made him a leader rather than a member – and as he appeared the Trailblazers in the audience (nicely spread out among the crowd I noticed) all got to their feet in unison and started clapping. Those around them were drawn along by the movement. A nice demonstration of psychological manipulation, that, and I found myself joining in the standing ovation for someone I had no idea about. I resented that, and admired their skill all at the same time.
The speaker was a good one. Once he had acknowledged the applause and encouraged us to take our seats again, he began to talk at length about the challenges facing communities like this one. He talked about low income, rising prices and the difficulty in finding jobs. He got a lot of murmured approval as he went over this theme – it was obviously pitched directly at his audience and well chosen. And then he introduced the theme of the talk – Steadfastness. I had expected the usual sort of uplifting message on this theme – that keeping positive and working hard would yield results in the end.
But no. The Trailblazers surprised me here. The speaker became angry in his delivery. He talked about how everyone here, every man and every woman, had already shown that they could work hard, that they could be steadfast… and what good had it done them? The Wizarding World, he said, was in the grip of economic forces that kept the ordinary Wizard down while elements within the Ministry and elsewhere took advantage of the situation for their own profit.
“What good is being steadfast,” he asked, “when your pockets are being picked and your future stolen from you?”
This got a chorus of cheers – mostly from the Trailblazers in the audience but not exclusively. I was alarmed at this sudden militant turn in the speech, but became more alarmed as the talk went on.
There were, he said, plenty of jobs available for Wizards and Witches (sorry, “decent hardworking Wizards and Witches”) but that they had been filled by individuals who lacked the talent and power to earn their place, and had been awarded their positions only because of political cowardice and corruption.
“Muggles!” someone shouted, another replied “Yes!”
The speaker stood and surveyed the audience in silence for several seconds, with an expression of triumph. His point, it seemed, had been made without him having to spell anything out. When he finally spoke again the room fell silent.
“We need a better future for the Wizarding World than this slow decline into weakness and oblivion. We need hope and pride in who we are, and a path cleared of all obstacles to the destiny that is ours! The Trailblazers will clear that path!
As the crowd stood for a cheering ovation again I joined them. I did not think it would be wise to show my true concerns at what I had heard. I wanted to talk to this speaker, and to some of the other Trailblazers present.
In the next installment of this report I will discuss what I learned about the true agenda of the Trailblazers, and the extent of their support in some unexpected areas of the Wizarding World.
Allan Cattermole | February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
Hogsmeade’s local expert on all things horticultural has been asked to contribute some hints and tips for the benefit of the Herald Readership. If there is anything you need to know about gardening matters then send your questions to the usual editorial address.
Well here we are again. Christmas has been and gone, and I hope you had a good one. Mine was a little subdued as, following the traditional Hogs Head party on Christmas Eve I found myself taken ill with a mysterious twenty four hour ailment that left me bed ridden for almost a full day with a bad head, and a foul stomach. Luckily it cleared up in time for the traditional Hogs Head Christmas day lock in which started later that night.
What with one thing and another I don't recommend too much hard work in the gardens this time of year. The ground is hard and icy and all the little seeds and things are conserving their energy for warmer days. Also there's the risk of Grytpipe vine springing up that can grab you by the ankles and do a lot of damage to your ornamental borders.
So you'll forgive me I hope if old Lemuel stays in his nice warm corner in the Hogs Head and leaves the gardening to anyone dozy enough to venture outside in weather like this.
Cheers.
Lemuel Toper | February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
Yesterday afternoon found many shopping in Diagon Alley in a panic, after something out of the ordinary happened to a seemingly innocuous shop called Cambourne and Sons. The shop closed early, well before its normal closing time, report some witnesses who were near-by. “I thought it was all very s... read more
February 05, 2010 | 3 Comments
Christmas was a busy time for the Open Circle club as we arranged a number of open air carol singing concerts around Hogsmeade and then hosted an open house at our meeting room with mulled wine and cakes for anyone who wanted to attend. A good time was had by all and it was nice to see people f... read more
February 05, 2010 | 1 Comments
Have you ever wondered how magic works? Why is it sometimes endless, sometimes limited? Why can some people sense it in the air and can’t others? Such as (at the time of writing) last Thursday. I received a letter from my good friend Dolly Grands from the ‘Magical birth and Population Committe... read more
February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
Chapter 1: The Treasure Hunt Being tired from all the work I did in the last month, I decided I should go out and have a drink in Hogsmeade, just to get away from the stress and to forget about work. I thought The Three Broomsticks would be the most suitable place for that. I ordere... read more
February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
Sebastian Flores is the Herald's latest fashion columnist. When not writing for the paper he works at Gladrags Wizard Wear as a personal stylist. It’s transitioning from winter to spring and I’m sure most of you are wondering what to buy and wear, and what not to wear. Well you're in... read more
February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
I have dinner, then I watch this extremely addictive show called Lost, and I head to bed. That’s how my common day ends. How does it start? Good Lord you really don’t want to know. Apparently these silly Muggles have invented this very small machine that makes an extremely loud and annoying nois... read more
February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is based upon the Nazi takeover of the Channel Islands [English Channel] during WW II. Initially, the Nazis tried to be pleasant about the fact that they had turned the inhabitants into prisoners, as well as imported slaves from continental Eu... read more
February 05, 2010 | 0 Comments
The HOL Library announces a new project: Witch Burnings. All HOL students can participate for a maximum of 20 House Points. Submission deadline is set for September 01, 2010.
The HOL Library announces a new project: Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. All HOL students can participate for a maximum of 20 House Points. Submission deadline is set for June 08, 2010.
The HOL Library announces a new project: Oopsy Daisy!. All HOL students can participate for a maximum of 20 House Points. Submission deadline is set for May 03, 2010.
The HOL Library announces a new project: That Didn\'t Happen!. All HOL students can participate for a maximum of 30 House Points. Submission deadline is set for April 06, 2010.
The HOL Library announces a new project: The Sorting Hat song. All HOL students can participate for a maximum of 30 House Points. Submission deadline is set for March 17, 2010.