presents

Some readers may recall a number of articles that were written months ago about a hoard of treasure being found at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as well as a viewing of said hoard along with a tapestry depicting how the items came to Hogwarts. It turns out that this hoard wasn't such a good thing after all. Late May presented Hogwarts with an army of Inferi attacked who were cursed wanted their precious treasure back.

I have first hand reports of people saying that, after a warning from Mercheiftenes Arethusa, the Inferi rose out of the Great Lake and started attacking mercilessly. No matter how many fire spells were cast, no matter how many students and teachers got in there way, not even the castle itself or building could slow them down. They mowed right through all obstacles to get what they wanted: their treasure hoard.

Once the entire hoard was returned to the army of reanimated corpses, they quickly left and returned to the depths of the underwater cave from which they came. Many students and faculty that were involved in the battle were severely wounded and needed expert care. Fortunately, though, no one died during the unexpected attack.

All of this of course begs the question of whether or not Hogwarts safe for children to return to in the future. This is has become a concern that students, parents, and community members alike are up in arms about.

It turns out that the staff have placed several protective enchantments on the cave and have sealed the entrance up as a safety precaution, but the ultimate decision of how to handle the Inferi lies with the Ministry of Magic. Hopefully the employees of the various departments involved will be making the proper decisions of what to do with the creatures and how to keep our school safe from those deadly creatures and any other potential threats.

Following the aftermath, I had the opportunity to speak with Headmistress Regina Hawthorne about what went down at the school and got a few comments from her regarding what happened and whether or not the school is safe. "I honestly cannot say the incident that occurred could have been foreseen. It certainly took us all by surprise," she stated. "And I would have to disagree with those who are saying Hogwarts is all of a sudden not safe. There is always something happening at the school that has the potential to put lives at risk. Regardless, the staff and students have proven to be rather vigilant and capable defending themselves against all odds."

I also was able to reach out to Dr. Agnes Pike, curator of the exhibition that the Hogwarts' hoard was set to feature in at the Scottish National Museum for Wizarding Artefacts. "I'm terribly sorry to hear about the devastation wreaked on Hogwarts by the Inferi to regain their treasure," she told me by owl. "Of course, we can only speculate how they came to be its guardians and why. However, all evidence suggests that they had been in that cave for well over a millennium, since before Hogwarts itself was even built."

That evidence pertains to not just dating the hoard itself, but also a tapestry that was accompanying the hoard on display. It showed a wizard alongside a battle between the Scots and Vikings. I pressed Dr. Pike on her interpretations of the scenes, the pictured wizard being the potential creator of the Inferi, and whether there is a chance the Dark creatures would attack again. "It's very plausible the wizard did raise them, yes. One of the panels say 'defend and protect,' which it sounds like the Inferi were doing on his behalf in the end. Of course, that wizard will be long deceased by now, so their quest will be fulfilled as long as the treasure stays in place."

So what of the exhibition? "It's a disappointment to lose our headline piece, but the safety of the students is much more important."

Once again, it seems to be an exciting conclusion to the school year at Hogwarts. Let's hope next year is a little quieter.