31 Jan 2012

The Werewolf Wing has a new leader. As of December of last year, Iona “Bruce” Ballentyne has taken the helm of the Ministry of Magic’s werewolf control and advocacy division.  The former werewolf hunter was attacked in the line of duty and turned in 2008.  Now, three years later, she’s returned to the Werewolf Wing in a new role.

In light of the events of the January full moon, the Daily Prophet spoke with Madam Ballentyne in search of answers.

Ballentyne went into the Werewolf Capture Unit directly out of Hogwarts having always enjoyed the study of magical creatures in school.

“Someone’s got to do the job,” Ballentyne said with cheeky humility, “so why not me?”

Ballentyne looks as if she’s just come in out of the field. The only thing that belies her new role at a desk is the ornately carved cane leaning against her chair.

Unlike perhaps anyone in the Department’s history, Ballentyne is uniquely positioned to do the work of the Werewolf Wing.

“I know how difficult it is to survive now,” she said when asked how becoming a werewolf changed her perspective. “Work, private life, it follows you. You don’t realise how much the bite can define you until it happens.”

Ballentyne is genuine, if not a little guarded. Even though she’s talking about herself, it still sounds like she’s going through a case file. An understandable demeanor after years in a dangerous post.

“I understand what these people are experiencing. I understand the fear. You register nowadays and it’s intimidating. I know how important it is to have that safehouse, to feel protected and secure.”

However, on the night of the 9th of January one safehouse in Dumfriesshire was neither protected or secure. Of course, Ballentyne wasn’t aware of any trouble until she recovered from her own transformation the next morning. After hearing about the abduction of the Dunnigan brothers from the Scottish safehouse, word came that her boss, Alec Carter, was missing.

“We arrived at his house,” she said, nearly hesitating. “The door had been blasted from its hinges. The entire ground floor was a mess. Clearly there’d been a panicked struggle. Then we found him.”

Found dead, mauled by a werewolf. The investigations into both incidents remain strictly classified, but the public has one unanswered question.

How can more attacks on werewolves be prevented?

Ballentyne counted increased security of safehouses as a priority and more specifically,  “changes to the registration process and the way information is held. I have several other initiatives in the pipework which will become public in a matter of time.”

Even as Ballentyne responds to these tragedies, she must endure criticism of a personal nature.

“Howlers and threats are a daily part of my morning mail. People are appalled at what happened, and they blame me. [..] People want to blame someone, don’t they? Who better than the newly instated werewolf?”

Speaking directly to the werewolves of Britain, Ballentyne said:

“To bear with me. Change is coming. Our safe houses are safe, and we are doing everything we can to protect them. I’m not comfortable living in a world so prejudice against wixes that can’t help what happened to them. Something traumatic has happened to every werewolf out there. Something was violently taken from them and then we, as a public, strip them of their privacy and dignity too. No more.