by Jace Hume
Your eyes, ears, and quill reporting in! Today was full of action, suspense and a hint of drama as the court was chock-full with interested Wixen! Who was the topic of the day? The ever brilliant, snazzy, and powerful, Merlin!
For all those news junkies out there, you already knew that today was debate day. As a follow up to an anonymous letter sent in to the Wizengamot, dated 22 April of this year, the court gathered to discuss a very serious request. In regards to the events surrounding the mirrors at Hogwarts in 2030, the letter asked that the Wizengamot consider suspending the use of Merlin’s name.
For those who somehow missed that chapter of Hogwarts life, and honestly, lucky you, the Mirrorverse was a world inside of an enchanted mirror. Those who happened upon the mirror were pulled or pushed in against their will. They were trapped inside the mirror without magic or a way out! As they entered through the mirror, a magic-made duplicate was produced. The duplicated magical-being had the person’s appearance, personality, memories up to that point, and their wands! The duplicate remained in their places in our world. Eventually, those trapped inside found a way to escape the Mirrorverse. The whole ordeal was frightening for all. Some came back changed. Some did not come back at all. The anonymous author of the letter argued that if Merlin created these mirrors, or had any hand in the magic behind them, then continuing to honour his name without question may feel like ignoring the suffering of those affected.
This might seem like something for the dustbin of history, but it is not. Really, it’s not. Merlin’s name is stitched rather deeply into our wizarding world. We say it. We study it. We attach it to history, myth, and legends. Merlin’s name is everywhere in our world. He has been such an important focal point that for over five hundred years one of the most prestigious honours a witch, wizard, or wixen can receive is even named for him. The Order of Merlin.
Let’s review that, shall we? We shall! The Order of Merlin is an ancient honour, awarded by the Wizengamot for over five hundred years. It represents the wizarding community’s admiration and has three different levels. Order of Merlin, First Class is the highest level, for outstanding bravery or distinction in magic. Order of Merlin, Second Class is given for achievement or effort beyond the ordinary. And, Order of Merlin, Third Class relates to the contributions to magical knowledge or entertainment. Really class, innit? Imagine being able to put that abbreviated O.M. after your own name someday!?!
Moving on, we found out some key factors to this particular debate. The main question of the day was whether there was sufficient evidence to justify changing the name of the Order of Merlin. During the discussions, it was brought up that the court would need more information. Questions lingered in the air like the smell of wet tweed and stale Earl Grey. There’s a need to know! Who needs to know? We need to know! What exactly caused this enchantment? What’s the full nature of the magic that was behind it? What was the ‘intent’ of the Mirrorverse? Was the magic created to harm? Was it meant to protect something dangerous from falling into the wrong hands? Did an old enchantment twist itself into something cruel over time? Allegedly, Merlin is pointed to as having some sort of involvement, is he actually responsible? Do we know enough to judge Merlin himself? Can good intentions still leave terrible damage behind? Inquiring minds want to know!
With the lack of solid evidence, even more questions arose almost as fast as the castle cats seem to multiply. Some of what is believed about Merlin’s involvement may come from a portrait and perhaps from writings linked to him. But magical portraits are not perfect witnesses, are they? I’ve had a few grass on me when it wasn’t even me that done it! And, who’s to say that the portrait or the writings were actually Merlin’s doings? We just don’t have all those answers yet.
In the end, the Wizengamot did not vote to rename the Order of Merlin. Not today, Merlin!
Instead, the court chooses investigation over accusation. A Special Commission to Investigate the ‘Mirror’ World at Hogwarts School has been established. It will be led by former Headmistress Aoife O’Keeffe. The commission will take a closer look into what happened in the hopes of finding answers to all those questions, and more! Until that investigation reports back, no new Orders of Merlin are expected to be awarded. Since the honour is not exactly handed out like chocolate frogs, this is more of a careful pause than a grand disaster.
So, where does that leave us? If the Mirrorverse has taught us anything, it is that reflections can be misleading, old stories can hide sharp edges, and sometimes the thing you think you understand needs a much closer look.
Until next time, this has been Jace Hume, British Youth Wizengamot, the Dude on the scene, where Merlin survived the vote, the questions survived the debate, and I survived the roundtrip by Floo! Back to you, Hogwarts.