Serpentine [T.M. Riddle]

Interlude II: The Daily Prophet, September 26th-27th, 1939

UNFORGIVEABLES IN HOGWARTS: PUREBLOOD OUT FOR BLOOD?; BRANCH HEIR ATTACKS FELLOW STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF DUELING CLUB.

By Ajax L. Bones Special to The Daily Prophet

Tuesday, September 26th, 1939

(Fig 1 Shows a collage of moving photographs in grainy, black and white. They are arranged jaggedly in a starburst shape and cut into each other at odd angles. Clockwise from 10 o'clock shows Mister Ian Rosier's face sobbing as he recounts his story to the Wizengamot. Then Deputy Headmaster Albus Dumbledore testifying solemnly on the temperament and attitude of his students. Following is Miss Ximena Lane listening attentively to the questions given to her by the Wizengamot. Lastly, there is the end of the session where Mister Tom Riddle and Miss Nemesis Fawley are exiting the chambers, hiding their faces away from the cameras and flashing lights. Riddle has an arm around Fawley's shoulder.)

This past Thursday, Mister Ian Rosier, a third year at Hogwarts, was thwarted in attempting to cast the Cruciatus curse during a session of the school's weekly Dueling Club. During the first meeting, students were instructed to pair up with one another to practice harmless jinxes and simple defenses. However, during a particular duel between Rosier and Mister Tom Riddle, a second year, foul play arose quickly. According to eyewitness testimony and investigation, Rosier tried to cast the dreadful Cruciatus Unforgivable on his underclassman in an attempt to defeat him in their spar. "[It's] common for my students to escalate the attacks in their spars." says Missus Abisola Willow, professor at Hogwarts and overseer of the Dueling Club, "It's foolish to try and reign them all in--They have skills to show off and they know how to use them..." [continued on page 6]

[Page 6] (Fig 2 Displays a regal Abisola Willow speaking before the Wizengamot, showing off a dazzling smile.)

[Continued from Page 1] "...Mister Rosier, however, acted out of turn and without tact. Not an uncommon occurrence for tempermental students, but he's the first to try and cast an Unforgivable in front of dozens of witnesses."

Rosier was taken straight to the headmaster's office for proper discipline, and kept under close watch. Curiously enough, the incident was never reported to the Ministry until another potentially tragic event: Rosier met Riddle again later that week, having escaped watch, and wagered a rematch. As a result, Miss Ximena Lane, a foundling witch of uncertain pedigree, was accused of injuring Rosier with a blasting curse, after he had attempted to ambush Riddle when he was alone with Miss Nemesis Fawley, seventh child to Erebus Fawley and Aide Fawley (neé Belasko) with a slicing hex. The two were walking together to the Slytherin dormitories when Rosier attacked, nearly injuring Fawley and almost decapitating Riddle. Thankfully for the two second year witches, Lane had been in the "right place at the right time" and cast a protego to shield them, causing the two third year students to begin dueling. It is during this skirmish that Rosier was burned with an out-of-control Confrigo spell--The very same one that Lane was accused of casting. Checking the previous spell cast by Lane's wand showed it was a simple expelliarmus, while the last spell used by Rosier's was Expulso. No witnesses were available to vouch for either side, as Fawley had ran off to find a teacher at Lane's command, and Riddle had soon passed out from blood loss.

"I was on guard since I heard [Rosier] tried to cast the Cruciatus curse on [Riddle.]" Said Lane to Wzn. Malfoy, on the subject of knowing whether Rosier would attack Riddle.

Long has there been ugly rumours of the dark influences spread within Slytherin house to its students. In fact, the accusations go back centuries, all the way to the very year in which the school was founded. Salazar Slytherin, founder of the house, fielded many questions and accusations himself, claiming they were baseless and prejudiced. The wizard, famous for his dark magical core and penchant for black magic, was never found to have any meaningful connection to the Dark Arts outside of casual interest. Historians believe his interest was out of concern for his own students: believing that in order to combat and protect against the, at the time, hostile Muggle-Magic relations, scholars had to be armed with knowledge of the Dark Arts.