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presents

12 Captured in Atlantis
Ministry and all wizardingkind accused of thievery by merfolk
by Ellura Hardwicke

DIAGON ALLEY -
The Underwater Gala hosted in Atlantis seemed to do the exact opposite of what Minister for Magic, Charles Hollingberry, and the Department of International Magical Cooperation head, Conley Singh-Phora, had been hoping for. While the event was supposed to be an opportunity for unity between the merfolk and wizardingkind, certain employees' actions, whose names shall remain Unspeakable, caused tensions to become even further strained. The actions were seen as an offense by the Merchieftainess of the tribe of Atlantis and while a call for arrest was made, things took an even stranger turn when offense turned to allegations of a more heinous crime.

The Merchieftainess accused the wizardingkind in attendance of thievery, demanding what was taken to be promptly returned, while they also captured 12 party goers as collateral. Eye witness accounts described the attack as swift and calculated, with colleagues trapped within enchanted air bubbles for transportation through the depths. Captives include Ministry employees Kingston Dolph, TiaMarie Mancini, Gunnar McCarthy-Toussaint, Gabriel Melo, Damian Pendragon, Skye Tamerlane, David Truebridge, Joana Veiga, Oceanus Zunther; professional quidditch player Sam Gusey, Wizarding Wireless Network DJ Eros Sweeting, and high society businessman Alessandro Toussaint. The Daily Prophet was able to confirm from an anonymous source within the Minister's Office that word has been received from Atlantis that all captives are in good health.

Further reports indicate that following the chaotic capture of the Atlantis 12, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, now under the leadership of Hugo I. Bumble, was swift to ensure the safety of all other attendees - including the various ambassadors in attendance - by loading up the submarines used for transportation for an emergency withdrawal from Atlantis.

Hollingberry declined further comment, though a spokesperson from the Minister's Office assured the Daily Prophet that everything is being done to return the Atlantis 12 back home.

Previously recorded ocean disturbances have continued and intensified, flooding now being reported all around the United Kingdom. Experts believe these high water levels and increase of dangerous currents to be directly correlated to the tensions in Atlantis and advise all to take extreme caution when visiting any open water source and especially the oceans.