The Daily Prophet 10 June 2000
WEATHER
Yesterdays clouds are still lingering, keep your umbrellas and wellies nearby! But the rain is going to clear up by this evening to leave us with a fantastically clear sunset to end our day.
FUNERAL ATTACK, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT!
One dead and one wounded after a surprising attack at the funeral of Margo Nott yesterday afternoon. Our own Demetrius Greensmith was present during the incident, and while he has requested a brief break for stress, he has granted us an eyewitness report:
"Yesterday marked the burial of Margo Nott, beloved mother of Death Eater Edric Nott. The event was attended by many and the wake was uneventful, somewhat surprising considering the various families who were in attendance. But the mourners were not to have a peaceful day by any means, as this reporter is about to recount to you, dearest readers.
The sun was low, gone, missing, as is customary at burials. The sun hides to show it's respect, you see. I've seen it often. Margo Nott was a wonderful woman, and the sun hides to show her respect. Her grandson is sitting before her, his eyes tipped to the ground, his shoulder carefully protected by the arm of his father's closest friend, Rudolph Atkins. They are both confused, unsure how to hold themselves, careful not to be too strong, too sad, too hysterical. They aren't, though, you know? Hysterical. Mr Atkins is a wonderful comforter. Or so I can guess from my perch three seats to his left.
I am close to the boy, can see his expressions, for which there are few, but I can hear the patter of the rain on his umbrella quite clearly, and his soft voice as he murmurs to the woman's Mortician, and the director of the funeral, Isaiah Boswell. A man I have known forever. He has never been good at comforting, I can tell you. Too distracted. He offers his best smile, but the boy's trust lies in Atkins.
There's no expecting it. The Minister prattles on. Dust to dust and all that. But it's the shaking hand, the smell of sweat, of wet metal and damp hair. I can see him, Justin Finch-Fletchley, just before he does it. A muggle device in his hand, a gun, a weapon that shoots metal bullets designed to pierce and tear and bleed. Theodore Nott turns as though he can sense it, or expects it. Feels it. And the gun goes off, and he goes down.
Dearest readers, you cannot imagine the blood everywhere. You can smell it, tangy like new pennies, fresh soil. It's all over Isaiah as he supports the boy. All over Atkins as he probes at the wound. Everyone reacts fairly quicker than I would have expected. Chairs are overturned, stained red as people flee, running for the hills. Edric Nott is there, as he has been for the whole length of the burial, atop the hill. And then he is not. He is here, with us, with Fletchley.
Atkins is distracting, loud as he curses and attempts a fumbled healing spell. The bleeding seems to stop, but I'm too caught up in the sight of it to pay attention to the sight of Edric Nott till the sound of the second fateful gunshot, and Fletchley on the ground, blood oozing from his face, staining his blonde curls.
Dear readers. It is hard to explain what happened next, for I was being whisked away against my own volition. For protection, I imagine, but I cannot remember. Atkins apparated away, presumably to St. Mungo's where Theodore Nott is now stabilized with is wound appearing to be healing nicely. Edric Nott disappeared quite quickly, as Auror Gunn (who was in attendance at such a high-profile event) only stared and watched, unable to bring the man down.
Despite what the Ministry is telling you, dear public, it is my job to report the facts. And the fact that was made clear to me yesterday is that the Ministry has no idea what is happening amongst the remnant Death Eaters, how to handle them or how to deal with the equally as dangerous anti-pureblood activist group Broadsword, for whom Fletchley was an active member."
DOLOHOV WORKS HIS MAGIC AGAIN
~Breaking news~
Late last night a man was brought to the Ministry of magic with a captured Antonin Dolohov, upon collecting his reward of 350,000 galleons he took his leave, only for the Aurors and MLE officials to discover in one hours time that the prisoner was not in fact Dolohov.
Though a name has yet to be released it has been revealed that an unknown person was polyjuiced to appear under Dolohov’s guise, and forced to play the part. He has since been released upon confirmation that he was not working for Antonin. All further inquiries regarding prisoners and bounties will now be subject to a minimum 24 hour processing to ensure this does not happen again.
There is no sign of Dolohov, nor the money, though Auror’s vow he cannot have got far, and this “Only helps their investigation”. How the loss of such a large cache of money can be helpful is as yet unknown.
BEYOND THE MARK: RUDOLPH ATKINS
The hatred, brutality and disregard for human life displayed by the men and women that came to call themselves Death Eaters has been examined and evaluated many times. All were attempts to understand just how a person could be shaped into a creature of such malice, on both micro and macro scales. The psychoses of Bellatrix Lestrange inexhaustibly researched, the cold viciousness of Antonin Dolohov picked apart, and, of course, the horrors that could only lead to the black heart of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-the same words come up again and again in this research; ‘sociopath’, ‘disconnect from reality’, ‘dark childhood’, ‘Slytherin’.
One amongst these cold-hearted killers stands out, though; Rudolph Atkins, marked but never convicted, reportedly with the group from the beginning, but the profile does not fit.
Atkins had an unremarkable childhood. A boisterous, inquisitive child, Atkins was raised in Nova Scotia, Canada in the town of Morden, a muggle community with few wizarding families in the area. His parents were loving and supportive, and wanted only the best education for their son; he was sent to Hogwarts, like so many great witches and wizards. As a boy, he was personable, loyal and trusting, and it was no surprise that he was sorted into the house of Gryffindor.
It is here that we are pointedly reminded of the poisonous taint of the Slytherin house, even reaching back into the 1940’s. Atkins was drawn in by the now convicted murderer Edric Nott, then an ambitious, sly young man, seven years older than the young Atkins. The easy sway he had over the impressionable Atkins he had then is unquestionable. The boys are said to have been inseparable; even after Nott’s graduation, it was rare to find them apart off school grounds.
I sat down with Deirdre Rites, a pureblood witch from London the same age as Atkins. She had this to say about their relationship:
“They were always said to be a little odd. Too comfortable with each other, very little regard for public conventions. But Edric was always very forward, very blunt, and [Atkins] was so very friendly to everyone. They would…come to parties together, never missing an invitation, and if they did it was because they actively avoided it. It was the mystery of them, you know? Edric was…so hard and honest but never open…and [Atkins] was so soft and easy…overbearing, really, which made them quite the odd couple. Oh, yes, they both had lots of…admirers, lots of girls, the way they went about we were all rather hard pressed to question the relationship they had with each other. But Edric would...hold him, like this, about the neck, like [Atkins was an] insolent child.”
An act of control: the hold around the back of the neck a clear display of dominance, a public display of ownership, and what psychiatrists have described as "a threat and a sign of emotional abuse" in a romantic relationship.
It is clear that Atkins remained affable, even now described as "charming and likable" by acquaintances. There is no doubt that it was Nott that planted the seeds of hatred in the boy Atkins that would eventually have his arm branded as a Death Eater. So why the sharp turn down the wrong path? Why did Atkins not turn away, leave the Slytherins to the Slytherins and enjoy a normal, functional relationship?
"The level of control Nott holds over Atkins is staggering," says James Landsburg, psychiatrist and author of Your Enemies, Closer. "But there is a very honest and unashamed love in Atkins for Nott and his family. Without a personal interview, I wouldn't jump to claim the relationship domineering or abusive."
Atkins has claimed an unofficial guardianship over Nott's son and heir, Theodore Nott, in Nott's absense. Why the loyalty?
Landsburg offers an explanation: "Atkins has shown very little control over his own actions. He has been described as quite aimless; only acting with the goal of excitement, having fun, very low commitment, immediate gratification impulses. The relationship with Nott could very well be symbiotic; Nott gets to play out his megalomania, and in doing so acts as a grounding, guiding force for Atkins. Atkins has a need for an external force of control."
Atkins may have selected the perfect embodiment of this need, but it has lead him into the shadowy clutches of evil.