Marked

The Regime

Chapter 33: The Regime

WIZARDING WORLD UPENDED BY UNEXPECTED REGIME CHANGE

Big changes are ahead for Britain's wizarding world, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Many wizarding families have been struggling to understand the bizarre changes that have taken place over the past few weeks, all of which seem to stem from the previously reported and deeply disturbing massacre that took place at Malfoy Manor in early September, which led to the deaths of several loyal followers of He Who Must Not Be Named. Many of those fallen in the attack at Malfoy Manor, home of the once powerful so-called Sacred Twenty-Eight bloodline, were those previously broken out of Azkaban prison, a number of whom were among the suspected Death Eaters responsible for the overthrow of Rufus Scrimgeour in July of this year.

There has been speculation for some time regarding the possibility of a return to power by He Who Must Not Be Named, whose true identity is that of half-blood Tom Marvolo Riddle, former Hogwarts Head Boy and Borgin and Burke's employee whose meteoric rise to power was predicated on beliefs in blood purity and other decidedly anti-muggle views. This reporter can now confirm that the death of Rufus Scrimgeour, and his subsequent replacement by the former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Pius Thicknesse, were indeed orchestrated by Riddle in an attempt to gain control of the Ministry. However, since the deaths of the suspected Death Eaters as a result of the Malfoy Massacre, the strike at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the mysterious disappearances of all known Riddle supporters within the Ministry, it seems the political tide has shifted in favor of the dark vigilante figure who, until now, has been reported only as the Master of Death.

Who is the Master of Death? This reporter has managed to uncover the true identity of the shockingly young and muggle-born Hermione Granger, known familiarly to many while at Hogwarts as the brightest witch of her age and a close friend of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Little is known about how Granger came to possess the powers that she now wields, but sources say that her possession of the legendary Deathly Hallows, initially detailed in the 'Tale of the Three Brothers' as told by Beedle the Bard, is the source of her foreboding title. Those who know of Granger's true identity are struggling to come to grips with what this means for the future of the wizarding world, and many wait restlessly to discover whether this new ideologue, who unilaterally demands fair treatment of all wizarding citizens and magical creatures, will truly mark an improvement over the previous despot.

The changes that have been implemented since the fall of Riddle and his influencers (specifically, former Minister Thicknesse and Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge) have been staggering. As the so-called Master of Death and ouster of He Who Must Not Be Named, Granger managed to single-handedly topple the growing corruption of Riddle's prejudicial policies, later seeing fit to declare a state of emergency that named herself as the interim Minister for Magic. As of now, there is no formal succession plan in place, and it seems that Minister Granger is likely to be a more permanent fixture at the Ministry, for at least the foreseeable future.

Since taking office, Granger's policy reform has been voluminous to say the least. She has publicly dismantled the Muggle-Born Registration Committee, openly rebuking former undersecretary Umbridge's "archaic and tyrannical abuse" of muggle-born witches and wizards and implementing a full reversal of all corresponding decisions by the Wizengamot. Each Wizengamot seat is now also under close scrutiny, with many seats expected to be replaced due to suspicion of dangerous prejudicial beliefs in line with those maintained by Riddle and his school of thought. With regard to the fallen Death Eaters and Riddle supporters, many of these ancient families that are now without heirs - Lestrange, Crabbe, Avery, Yaxley, Rowle, among others - are expected to have their coffers turned over to the Ministry for inspection. There is no word yet on what is to become of the Malfoy fortune or estate.