by Essa Nazari
A little over a week ago, the Wizarding Community was rocked by the unthinkable news that someone had escaped from Azkaban. Gossip flew rampant, reaching Hogwarts even before the Hogwarts Express arrived of what happened in Diagon Alley on the 29th of December. From what I have been told from sources who witnessed the events, this is what happened. A bubble appeared, capturing both our former headmistress (who has become the Minister of Magic), Hannah Fischer and reformed death eater turned professor and current ministry adviser, Zimelda Zemeckis. This bubble, it seems, according to my sources, cut the Minister and adviser off from their auror escorts and was unbreakable-similar based upon the descriptions to the bubble that was used at last years hearty party. Now, this, my friends is where it becomes intense. Judy Dorchester appeared and as the auror escorts did everything within their power to rescue the two women, cast a spell that made their shadows come to life. Not much else is known about the incident at Diagon Alley; at least for now.
However, this incident has caused a ripple of all to familiar tension through the older years of Hogwarts. Everyone, fourth year and above have already faced Judy Dorchester and her gang of goons once, three years ago. We know what we faced then and some small part of all of us, despite the best efforts not to fear since the ministry has already started to hunt that wicked witch, are already preparing for the worst case scenario–Dorchester attempting to return.
So, what happened three years ago to cause this rippling effect to sweep through the older students. Well, in light of the current events, it is time to revisit the past. On 20 February 2023, Dorchester and her collection of “professors” (from here on out to be known as goons), invaded the Hearty Party. They effectively ended it despite students and professors best attempts. A former professor, who is a dwarf, was carried out. And all students were set back to their dorms to get back into “proper school attire”-our uniforms. Judy Dorchester, it seemed, had come to Hogwarts to reform it.
And the attempts of reforming began. It started off simply enough, uniforms were required every day, all day, outside of select classes (most of which were either physical activities or were dressing up for muggle studies.) Students found their meals lacking in flavour and gradually becoming gruel. Professors began to work alongside with students to make sure that the school stayed healthy through a shadow organisation called the Thornberry’s. We have yet to find out who all was behind that group.
Sometime around March, students began vanishing for days on end, only to reappear a shadow of themselves. No one spoke of what happened until the end of the school year when it was revealed by a few students that those who had vanished were held for days in the Dark Tower with limited access to food, water, and hygiene. Easter came and went and the traditional Easter feast was a mockery. Burnt black, engorged chicken eggs covered the tables along with raw nuts while the professor’s table was laden with food of all sorts. Another attempt to bring reformation to the school.
It wasn’t until after exams, at the closing feast, the Headmistress, Deputy Headmaster Fox, and several of the banished professors returned that we, the student body learned what was the real story. Judy Dorchester and her goons were banished after a battle in the great hall.
So, all of this is to say that when we, the older students, hear the name Dorchester, there is a certain level of dread that comes with it. Whether we want it or not, it is there. Now, we do our best not to let the fear and dread bother us because the ministry is already taking steps to arrest her, but sometimes, it cannot be helped.
