9 November 2009

One of the Triwizard Tournament’s greatest gifts is its ability to bring together wizards of all cultures to share in their knowledge, their courage, and their skill. But there are some things that should not be shared across borders – like disease.

According to leading experts, the American standards of immunization against dragon-pox are far below those of international regulation. As a result, any American wizard traveling abroad could, without ever knowing it, be incubating a mutated, potion-resistant form of dragon-pox unlike anything Europe has seen since the Plague.

“It is not something that the Americans would be aware of, I think,” said a concerned member of a foreign delegation who agreed to meet with this reporter in private. “But to those of us in the…how do you say…’Old world,’ it is most distressing. Our students have never been exposed to such a strain, and in such close quarters, even a single outbreak could touch hundreds.”

Our source has asked to remain unidentified for fear of backlash from the ardent supporters of Salem Witches Institute’s prospects in this year’s modified Tournament. No doubt there will soon be more supporters voicing their concern for a situation that could, potentially, spin wildly out of the ministry’s control.

Even now, dozens of Hogwarts students journey to the hospital wing with reports of aches, pains, Eurashes, and a mysterious ‘stomach bug’ of unknown origin. Could this be a normal reaction to dreary English weather, or hints of something much worse to come?

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Magic could not be reached for comment, but one can only hope that they will act soon and with the best interest of the students in mind.