antebellum [t. riddle]

lvi.

the fourth of february 1945 cemented itself on the list of dates that sicaria would never forget. from the moment she stepped out of her dorm room, she knew that this day was different from the bleak monotony that she had been persevering through for the past month.

confusion washed over the entire student body as the daily prophet began to get delivered to the students who subscribed. everyone could feel the slight shift in the air when something crazy happened to the outside world. sicaria took one glanced t the front page before folding it back up. 

she had seen enough to know that this was not something she wanted to view in front of people.

mass distribution of his message. sicaria left the great hall before reading it. crouching in the last stall of the ladies bathroom, she looked at the words on the page— the only news story of the day.

three large pictures, reminiscent of mugshots sat at the top of the page, just below the daily prophet logo.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

good morning to my fellow magical brethren.

i come to you today in different spirits than usual. you see, i am not often given the opportunity to relay my message without the twist your leaders put on my words, but today, i feel it is time we speak directly.

i want this to be clear, on no uncertain terms.

a great misdeed is being done to wizards across the globe, one that many are not even aware of. you have been wronged, my friends, and i am here to bring it to your attention.

the statute that the 'leaders' of our free world hide behind call crimes against muggles the highest level of treachery that one can commit.

i disagree.

crimes against wizardkind— against our neighbors and friends and allies are far more unforgivable. because these nations are too busy lying to their citizens to enforce the laws that they themselves put into place, my acolytes and i have decided to see to some of their issues.

these three are caelius panza, nicolai varela, and aria malinovo.

these men and woman have been guilty of crimes committed against wizard kind. these crimes are the ones that even the most brutish and barbaric of muggles punish each other over. crimes of war.

there are spies, ladies and gentlemen, in your midst. they may be roaming inside your very home.

caelius panza is a spanish citizen, working for their ministry. he has killed british citizens on british soil— a crime that your minister himself has begged and pleaded to get written into the international code. you, minister, were part of the coalition that decided that foreign dignitaries were not permitted to murder in the name of justice on sovereign soil.

i ask you, minister medinacelli, were you aware of such transgressions? or did you perhaps authorize them yourself?

no matter. by the time you have read this, panza's body will have been delivered to his family in preparation for burial.

nicolai varela, a british born agent, spying on his own nation for the americans. have you no shame? no sense of betrayal? no— you confessed to me that you did not. you are proud of the crimes and the treachery.

minister kensington, what a horrid stain on your rule— your predecessor left a very low bar for you, and you still have yet managed to meet it. how very disappointing.

aria malinovo, a slovenian-american immigrant, desperately looking to prove herself. how long has she been pretending to be someone she is not? malinovo has been under polyjuice potion for several months, disguised as a member of my closest council.