MUGGLE-BORN ATTACKS SURGE: OBSIDIAN HAND BLAMED AS NEW TERROR LOOMS!

The Daily Prophet

SPECIAL REPORT: DARK SHADOWS RETURN?

MUGGLE-BORN ATTACKS SURGE: OBSIDIAN HAND BLAMED AS NEW TERROR LOOMS!

London – August 22, 1998 – Just four months after the joyous victory at the Battle of Hogwarts, a chilling and disturbing pattern has begun to emerge across the wizarding world: a sharp and unsettling increase in targeted attacks against Muggle-born witches and wizards. A sinister new group, dubbing themselves 'The Obsidian Hand,' has claimed responsibility, desperately clinging to the vile pure-blood ideology that You-Know-Who championed.

Reports from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement confirm over a dozen incidents in the past month alone, ranging from menacing anonymous threats and acts of vandalism to outright physical assaults, all directed at Muggle-born individuals. These attacks bear a frightening resemblance to the dark days before the war, instilling fear in a community that had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief.

"We thought it was over," confessed a shaken Muggle-born witch, who wished to remain anonymous after her home in Ottery St Catchpole was defaced with dark symbols. "We fought, we won… and now this? It feels like we're back where we started."

@The Obsidian Hand , a name previously unheard of, announced its existence through a series of crude, magically amplified broadcasts in several prominent Muggle-born communities. Their message is clear and horrifying: they believe the defeat of You-Know-Who was a temporary setback, and they intend to "purify" the wizarding world by driving out all those deemed "tainted" by Muggle heritage.

Newly Appointed Minister for Magic and ex-Auror @Kingsley Shacklebolt, looking grim and determined, addressed the press this morning. "We are fully aware of The Obsidian Hand. Let me be clear: these cowards are nothing more than a pathetic echo of a defeated regime. Their actions are despicable, and they will be dealt with. We have dedicated every available resource to tracking them down."

However, the nature of The Obsidian Hand makes them particularly elusive. Unlike the Death Eaters, who operated with a known hierarchy, this new group appears to be a fragmented network of fanatical individuals, making them harder to pinpoint and neutralize. They seem to prey on the lingering prejudices of some, attempting to reignite the flames of hatred that You-Know-Who once fanned.

"It's a desperate last gasp," commented Professor @Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, her voice laced with anger. "These individuals refuse to accept that their ideology of hatred has been utterly discredited. They seek to sow discord where there should be unity. But we will not let them succeed. Hogwarts remains a safe haven for all, regardless of birth."

The Ministry is urging all Muggle-born witches and wizards, and indeed the entire magical community, to remain vigilant. Safety measures are being increased, and a special task force has been assembled to investigate and apprehend members of The Obsidian Hand.

As the wizarding world strives to rebuild, the resurgence of such blatant bigotry serves as a stark reminder that the fight for true equality and peace is an ongoing one. The defeat of You-Know-Who may have ended one war, but the battle against hatred, it seems, continues.