Editor’s Note:
Yesterday, I received an anonymous submission to the Owl Post. As it always happens, the Headmistress approves articles before they are published. There have been a few articles over the years that have been published without her approval, and I can tell you as Editor in Chief that this won’t be happening again. Recent events have brought to light the importance of safety and sticking together. If we can’t work together as a school, as a student body, then we have no chance of defending ourselves against outside–or inside– threats. Now, this article brought up certain concern for safety within the school, specifically regarding some of the students. Not only was it sent to me to publish in the Owl Post, but I saw this morning that they also posted it on parchments on the walls of Hogwarts. The Headmistress has denied that this article be published. Now, a note on the top of the article is what encouraged me to write to you, our readers, today. This note read:
“If the Owl Post is not biased, please [publish] the warning on our walls. This discussion needs to be had…”
I feel it is of utmost importance to reply to this. I do hold being unbiased to very high standards. As I’ve said publicly many times, I am willing to publish things that other editors may not be. However, it has come to my attention that there is a right way to do this, as well as a wrong way. The Owl Post is not here to be used as a forum for slander, nor is it here to hurt anyone. I’ll take a moment right now to apologize publicly to anyone this paper has ever hurt. We are here to ask the hard questions. We are here to shed light on the positive aspects of this school in the times when they seem few and far between. We are here to bring unity to the students and faculty of Hogwarts. I have no qualms publishing an article that does any of those things. But, when the article has the potential to threaten, harm, or humiliate, we need to take that seriously. The anonymous article that was sent to me has the ability to cause a split between the students at Hogwarts. The fact that the author also hung it on the walls shows me that they don’t think I’m going to publish it, anyway. This tells me that they know it’s inappropriate. Does it place meaningful questions? Absolutely. But it does so in a way that is degrading and shameful.
Hear me, students and faculty of Hogwarts, when I say that I will no longer be publishing articles specifically against an individual in a negative, degrading manner. If it is toned as constructive criticism, that is a different story, but this one was not.
Now, I have personally spoken to both the person the article was about, as well as the Headmistress, and we have decided that the werewolf’s response should be published here, so they are given a voice in opposition to the note that many of us have already seen. Please find it below titled, “Those Who Cry Wolf.” There is another piece here as well that was handed to me as an anonymous response titled, “Wolves in the Dark.”
Those Who Cry Wolf
In light of the recently mounted posters around the school about me, I’ve finally decided to indulge some of the questions I’ve been asked several times. I’m also going to clear the air, and explain a couple finer details the lovely author of that poster conveniently forgot include.
Yes, I’m the Werewolf. The author spoke of how we are killers, beasts, monsters. I would never advise anyone to be alone while outside on the full moon, for I and any other with a sense of morality do not wish to inflict harm. While it’s true we cannot control ourselves naturally as the poster said, we have the great fortune to have access to something called the Wolfsbane Potion. For those who don’t know, this potion allows us to retain our human mind even when changed. I myself am required to drink this regularly, even when the full moon is not near. And I suffer greatly when the change does come, as it is excruciating and unfortunately the events remain in my memory every time.
Another detail is that the author made intentional hints at my year and house in this school. Consider for a moment that I’m a fourth year student now. I was turned prior to coming to Hogwarts, and I remain four years later. Yet there hasn’t been a single death, maiming, or tearing from me. Which is in thanks to both the Wolfsbane Potion and my isolation from the public when the full moon arrives.
For those who have been ripping down or covering these posters, you have my gratitude for your support and kindness. I do not consider myself ‘polluted’ or ‘corrupted’ by my Lycanthropy. Make no mistake, we are nothing to sneeze at and I don’t wish the pain it involves on anyone. But it’s apart of me now and who I am, and I’ll remain proud of my wolf side no matter how much the students cackle with mock howls and jokes.
Sincerely,
The “Big Bad Wolf”
Wolves in the Dark
Many of you may have seen the parchments littering the hallways of this castle, some of you may have managed to read them before they were torn down or splashed with ink. It matters not what these postings said but rather the sentiment behind them.
I’m one of you–an average student used to hearing Hogwarts credited as the safest place for magic folk. And yet, there are a few students whom have found this not to be true. They carry secrets, such as werewolf afflictions and other things, which weigh them down heavily.
These students deserve to feel safe every bit as much as we do. They’re no less witch or wizard and yet someone within these castle walls seek to out them. Or worse–to rile us up and unite us against them. Someone seeks to spread fear and possible hatred towards our fellow students due to something out of their control entirely, a prejudice and hatred very similar to the blood status elitism we’ve all witnessed before.
These sorts of students, those who would reveal secrets as though they have the right, wearing a mask of self righteousness as they try to stir us up with their racism and prejudice–these students are far more dangerous than those very ones they aim to banish from these walls. It is these very sorts that graduate to join the Ministry in their, dare I say, corrupt hounding of our illustrious school, our righteous headmistress, and our innocent students.
Are we, the vast majority of students here at Hogwarts, who just this summer locked hands to protect one of our own from a Ministry of Magic worker’s ire, going to let this sort of behavior stand in our school? Or will we metaphorically bind hands again to protect those within this school, be they werewolf or not?
I know with whom I stand. Do you?
Signed, A Raven Watching
