Saffron “Foxclaw” Macauley – Daily Prophet & Witch Weekly Reporter
I’d really like to begin this by telling you that the life of a reporter is truly glamorous, glitzy parties, hobnobbing with officials, taking bribes for the first scoop.
I’d really like to tell you this. But unfortunately the vast majority of the time it’s not.
Though for most of you I need no introduction, my name is Saffron Macauley (nee Foxclaw; also pen name for The Daily Prophet). I graduated in 2024, I was a proud Ravenclaw, Head Girl, Editor for The Owl Post, Winner of The Pest Award for best dressed (2022) and Grand Sorceress (2023), and I had a job as Junior Assistant to Philomena Pest at The Daily Prophet waiting for me.
Despite graduating from Hogwarts with rather good grades and a slew of ‘titles’ behind me, none of this really mattered when entering the world of journalists. The thing that helped the most was my experience in The Owl Post and my Work Experience placement in the summer of 2023, though even then it didn’t prepare me for the 4am starts (living on a farm and Prefect patrols are wildly different to a busy and noisy newsroom), wheedling information out of perfect strangers, and the daunting task of entering the Ministry and looking like you’re meant to be there.
When people say it’s not what you know but who you know, they’re not lying when it comes to being a journalist; having connections gets the stories. Daunting though that sounds, at The Daily Prophet you work your way up and make connections as you go. Most entry positions are as assistants to well known journalists who can teach you the tricks of the trade. I worked my way from Assistant to Philomena Pest to Current Events, and now even write as a guest Journalist for Witch Weekly where I have gotten to bring back “An Interview With…” a column that originally debuted in The Owl Post.
In summary; perseverance is key to working your way up in journalism. That, and taking advantage of the Summer Work Experience that Hogwarts offers! The Daily Prophet offers an exclusive position for one lucky student.
Are you a graduate of Hogwarts that would like to contribute some pearls of wisdom for The Owl Post? Please don’t hesitate to send your owl to one of the editors – Persephone Vitrac (alexis1oreily) or Leonora Clements (Saffron Foxclaw)
