TEN THOUSAND DEAD IN BAFFIN ISLAND MASSACRE
by Gertie Gumley

Hermione reached for the stair banister next to her, needing to brace herself. Her head was swimming with dread.

The Dark Lord Voldemort has made his first strike on the western hemisphere, targeting Baffin Island off the coast of Canada. In a devastating blow to the diverse magical and Muggle Inuit communities who reside there, Albrecht Berge released his newest Mass Death Magic on the island — a fog-like mist that spread rapidly, wiping out thousands of lives in mere minutes.

Early reports suggest the mist was released shortly before midnight from Resolution Island, just off the southern tip of Baffin. It spread northwest, cutting through the city of Iqaluit until an explosion blast just south of Nettilling Lake, reportedly where a True Order's military base had been stationed for several months. According to a source in the Canadian Ministry, this base was developing International Portkeys and other weapons to fight against the Great Order. Roughly one thousand True Order members, recruited from the indigenous communities in Baffin and other Canadian provinces, are presumed dead. The remaining casualties are civilians.

Although sources speculate the True Order weapons base was the main target, the mist also succeeded in penetrating the wards around the Canadian mainland, spreading across the Hudson Strait into the coast of Quebec and wiping out several small Muggle communities there. The estimated poison radius is 130 miles, over 30 times greater than the gas used in Switzerland.

It is unclear whether the Great Order is planning further attacks on Canadian soil, or whether they intend to deploy their Mass Death Magic on France. Sources say that the Spanish Minister Santos, Belgian Minister Peeters, and Italian Minister Romano have all privately objected to the deployment of the weapon at their French borders while this "mist" is still unreliable in its navigation.

The office of President Harrison declined to comment, but my source inside M.A.C.U.S.A. stated that Harrison has scheduled a meeting with Canadian Minister Martin later today.

The room spun. Hermione clutched the railing as her knees buckled, lowering herself to sit on the bottom stair. The pages of the Ghost fluttered to the marble.

Draco collapsed next to her on the stair, throwing the Prophet on top of the Ghost. He put his head in his hands and drew a ragged breath. Hermione did the same.

"Draco..." She shook her head, brushing away a falling tear. "We can't wait any longer. We have to help stop him."

There was a long silence. "Give me a few days," said Draco finally, his voice flat. "We'll think of something."

She nodded, staring at the picture of Berge on the front of the Prophet. Berge shifted, his lenses reflecting a horizon consumed by silvery green. Hermione squinted as someone's shoulder moved behind him — Theo's.

"Theo's name is in the papers next to Berge's." The sentence came out in a single breath.

Draco's hands dropped to his knees. "And?"

"Berge is now the greatest threat to the True Order. If he's a target, Theo is too. He's a monster by association." Her skin began tingling, and she looked up to Draco. "If Theo is taken — or killed — who knows what will happen to Oliver. We should think about getting him the antidote."