23 May 2010


"Yes, laws were flouted.  Yes, I'm sure there will be an investigation.  But in times like these, we really can't be expected to be choosy."

This was the official statement from Gladys Speakeswell, representative of the Minister of Magic. 

On the 22nd of May, Dementors were spotted in Cambridgeshire near Petersburough in a most unusual fashion.  The swarm was spotted in close proximity to a flying car.  But when pressed about the car, Speakeswell wrung her hands and asked, "are you quite sure it was a car? Seems unlikely."

Breaking with current practice and policy, however, the Ministry of Magic has not released any official details of the encounter.  The Daily Prophet, however, has done its diligence and procured eye witness accounts.

"It was a car! I'm telling you, a flying car! And all around it were Patroni! Beautiful avian patroni!" said Eliezer Acton (31) of Thorney. 

"I could swear it was a car, chasing Dementors towards the sea! Astounding to view! Is the Ministry really using cars to fight Dementors now? Brilliant!" said Bruno Piercy (56) of Whaplode Drove.

Four other witnesses claim to have seen a flying automobile interacting with Dementors high in the sky and that they lost view of it as it headed out into The Wash.  When mapped out, the timing and location of each testimony it suggested the origin of the chase began somewhere near Petersburough, some thirty miles from the bay.

As our educated readers will know, flying cars are illegal in Britain and Ireland.  Speculation about the incident continues to come round to both the Department of Mysteries (who are grasping at new solutions) and one Octavius "Monty" Pepper (known flying car enthusiast and nude portrait painter). 

The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes was tight-lipped, perhaps because they were so busy in the aftermath.  Quill Som, Deputy Head of the Department issued this statement: "I don't want to talk about it."