The Daily Prophet, Evening Edition
Date: Saturday, 2 February
Rating: G
Lucius Malfoy Speaks! Editorial Submitted, Published Here In Full!
Written by Sam
Dear Readers,
I write to you with regards to the Tuesday 29th January evening edition of The Daily Prophet.
Contained therein, was a singular piece of journalism, composed by a writer with a most inventive turn of imagination. I noted with interest, her proud proclamation of fact within her 'society page'. How unfortunate for the Wizarding Community that such facts must be hidden amongst the drivvel this best-avoided page contains. Indeed, if Rita Skeeter believes her speculation, it is a mystery that she did not push for a more prominent display of her article.
Ms Skeeter proposes that my son missed his curfew on Sunday due to matters of the heart.
My belief is that he was spending the last few hours of the weekend in a manner that any young man might. How many of you, at a young age, returned home a little worse for firewhiskey, creeping to your room before it became light? How many of you worry for your children when they are late home? And think; how many of you punish your children on their return, by taking away their right to defend themselves? By leaving them vulnerable to any form of attack or misadventure?
My son has been punished for a lapse in his judgement of time. His behaviour is impeccable, and yet he is punished for acting as every man of his age is wont to do. This is the system of the registry, stripping the rights and freedoms of all affected citizens, and most particularly those in their youth. It is a form of control, of absolute power over the Wizarding Community.
If you are not registered yourself, hope that you never fall under the wary eye of the Ministry.
How long must young people like my son be punished needlessly? With a constant reminder about their flesh of their previous errors of judgement, or as is the case for many on the registry, their relationship to one who once did wrong.
It is time that we did not consign the matter of the registry to the gossip columns, and it is time that we considered the competency of our officials.
Yours,
Lucius Malfoy.
Corrections, Clarifications and Retractions by Rita Skeeter
Written by Lisa
The human condition has one absolute, universal commonality whether we are the wealthiest of the oldest families or the meanest of the lowly common man. We are all subject to error, no matter how we strive to avoid it.
Mistakes.
Such a simple, common word, yet it encompasses such a broad spectrum of error from the simplest thing to the most severe. Spilled milk hardly compares to accusations of defamation of character, yet in the end, they are both simply mistakes.
It would seem that I, myself, made a significant mistake earlier this week. It might be argued that young Mr Draco Malfoy made an even larger error in his slip of curfew, but that is hardly for me to judge. Mr Lucius Malfoy has, in this very issue, made an eloquent defence for his young son behaving no better or worse than any other young man of that age.
My error was not a negligence of law set down for public safety, but an exercise of an admittedly vivid imagination. If I have one fault, it is being in firm possession of a romantic heart. Who among us would not watch, enthralled, were the sad but beautiful story of Romeo and Juliet replay itself in our midst?
Yet I ought not to have speculated on the behaviour of two young people who only just happened to be in the same place at the same time at an unusual hour, regardless of the suspicious circumstances.
I sincerely apologise for any distress I caused either young person with my wistful imagining. I have nothing but the highest respect for the Malfoy family.
With all my love and best wishes,
Rita Skeeter
Rating: G
Lucius Malfoy Speaks! Editorial Submitted, Published Here In Full!
Written by Sam
Dear Readers,
I write to you with regards to the Tuesday 29th January evening edition of The Daily Prophet.
Contained therein, was a singular piece of journalism, composed by a writer with a most inventive turn of imagination. I noted with interest, her proud proclamation of fact within her 'society page'. How unfortunate for the Wizarding Community that such facts must be hidden amongst the drivvel this best-avoided page contains. Indeed, if Rita Skeeter believes her speculation, it is a mystery that she did not push for a more prominent display of her article.
Ms Skeeter proposes that my son missed his curfew on Sunday due to matters of the heart.
My belief is that he was spending the last few hours of the weekend in a manner that any young man might. How many of you, at a young age, returned home a little worse for firewhiskey, creeping to your room before it became light? How many of you worry for your children when they are late home? And think; how many of you punish your children on their return, by taking away their right to defend themselves? By leaving them vulnerable to any form of attack or misadventure?
My son has been punished for a lapse in his judgement of time. His behaviour is impeccable, and yet he is punished for acting as every man of his age is wont to do. This is the system of the registry, stripping the rights and freedoms of all affected citizens, and most particularly those in their youth. It is a form of control, of absolute power over the Wizarding Community.
If you are not registered yourself, hope that you never fall under the wary eye of the Ministry.
How long must young people like my son be punished needlessly? With a constant reminder about their flesh of their previous errors of judgement, or as is the case for many on the registry, their relationship to one who once did wrong.
It is time that we did not consign the matter of the registry to the gossip columns, and it is time that we considered the competency of our officials.
Yours,
Lucius Malfoy.
Corrections, Clarifications and Retractions by Rita Skeeter
Written by Lisa
The human condition has one absolute, universal commonality whether we are the wealthiest of the oldest families or the meanest of the lowly common man. We are all subject to error, no matter how we strive to avoid it.
Mistakes.
Such a simple, common word, yet it encompasses such a broad spectrum of error from the simplest thing to the most severe. Spilled milk hardly compares to accusations of defamation of character, yet in the end, they are both simply mistakes.
It would seem that I, myself, made a significant mistake earlier this week. It might be argued that young Mr Draco Malfoy made an even larger error in his slip of curfew, but that is hardly for me to judge. Mr Lucius Malfoy has, in this very issue, made an eloquent defence for his young son behaving no better or worse than any other young man of that age.
My error was not a negligence of law set down for public safety, but an exercise of an admittedly vivid imagination. If I have one fault, it is being in firm possession of a romantic heart. Who among us would not watch, enthralled, were the sad but beautiful story of Romeo and Juliet replay itself in our midst?
Yet I ought not to have speculated on the behaviour of two young people who only just happened to be in the same place at the same time at an unusual hour, regardless of the suspicious circumstances.
I sincerely apologise for any distress I caused either young person with my wistful imagining. I have nothing but the highest respect for the Malfoy family.
With all my love and best wishes,
Rita Skeeter