1 NOV 1921

Verdict: Haswell Guilty
Court Finds Negligence in Hogwarts Crisis

Facing the Wizengamot today was headmistress Ruby Haswell, who took over the running of the school in September 1920 after the previous head was sacked for his excessively pro-muggle views. Readers will recall at the time she had tried to allay the fears of many parents by promising a safer Hogwarts. With the tragedy that rocked the school last March that promise failed to come to pass.
The Facilitator for today’s trial was Bertram Norstrom, who’s own granddaughter attends Hogwarts and was one of the girls taken by Thayer. Haswell is accused of First-Degree Manslaughter under Magical Statute 345.B and Child Endangerment under Magical Statute 102.A, the same charges that were leveled against Blackwood two months ago.
Haswell attended court today with the well-known Barrister Alistair Crowe, hoping that family money and connections could buy her innocence or at the very least a successful barrister. Haswell, more dressed for the streets of Paris than the court room, attended showing no remorse, and no doubt feeling confident that she would receive the same treatment as Blackwood. In recent weeks many have spoken out saying that women have no place leading an establishment like Hogwarts, citing that the most successful heads have been men, and the events that led to these trials really do seem to highlight this as the case.
Haswell pleaded not guilty to all the charges before her council stepped up to speak for her, to expertly try to shift the blame of the events of that night, firstly by saying it wasn’t his client that cast the unforgiveable, or for the managing of the incident. Instead he shifted blame to our own Minister of Magic Wylder Merrow, showing the continued disrespect to the Ministry that we saw in the trial of Blackwood. Crowe claimed that the Headmistress had behaved within the scope of the law, a scope that apparently allowed three young innocent girls to be tortured.
Facilitator Nordstrom expertly saw through the defence’s blame game reminding the Wizengamot that duty of care is non transferable and that blaming the Minister of Magic should not be the defence used by a woman with 24 years experience, a comment that caused Haswell to smirk with little regard for the authority of the court.
In a moment that shocked the court, Nordstrom then called Ruth Elliot to the stand, one of the girls who had been tortured by those that had invaded that night. She was not called as a witness in Blackwood’s trial and, had the Facilitator seen fit to call her, no amount of money would have saved Blackwood.
Ruth Elliot, a studious 5th year Slytherin, bravely took the stand and was instantly bombarded with questions from the gathered wizards and witches all eager to ask the teenager her side of the story. However, despite the terror the young girl must have been feeling, she was able to confidently relay to the Wizengamot the events of that night.
Her testimony was indeed damning; she explained how Haswell had almost accio’d her into the path of the killing curse, and that it had been dumb luck rather than good planning on the Headmistress’s part that had allowed the brave young girl to see another morning. The girl then also disclosed the litany of disasters that had plagued the school last year, events that would surely have made many parents pull their children from the school but had been covered up by Haswell showing further failings in her leadership.
It was then Crowe's turn to question the girl, initially trying to deflect the disclosure of numerous dangerous events at Hogwarts before he attempted to coerce the brave teenager by trying to get her to agree to the events Haswell wanted us all to hear. However, true to her house, she stood up to Crowe with the confidence of a much older girl, putting him back in his place in a way many adults would struggle to do before she left the stand.
As in the trial of Blackwood, Minster of Magic Wylder Merrow was called to the stand, once again to give his version of events on that fateful evening. However the wizards and witches of the Wizengamot were more interested in the reasons that Haswell had ever been deemed suitable for the role of headmistress.
Once Merrow left the stand, Nordstrom had not finished with Haswell, asking her why she had chosen to ignore 24 years of experience as an Auror on that night. Haswell herself seemed more annoyed at having been asked such a question than showing any form of regret for her actions. Instead, she chose to blame her colleagues and the previous administration, never once taking responsibility for her actions or lack of diligence.
These were aspects of the defence that were quickly tackled by Nordstrom, who clearly showed his experience and inability to be blindsided by Haswell’s womanly charms.
Crowe's closing arguments, clearly damaged by the evidence given especially that from the Elliot girl, held very little weight just reiterating that it was everyone’s fault but his client’s, despite the evidence the Wizengamot had heard today.
During Blackwood's trial the Wizengamot deliberated for 3 hours, while during Haswell’s trial they were cloistered for 5 hours before a decision was made. Haswell entered the courtroom with the confidence of a woman who has always dodged accountability, and no doubt felt confident after Blackwood had gotten off scott free. However this was not the same trial and after five hours the Wizengamot found her Not Guilty on the charge of Manslaughter in the First-Degree under Magical Statute 345.B.
But she was found Guilty on the charge of Child Endangerment under Magical Statute 102.A, pertaining to the sustained negligence and failure of the Duty of Care at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was sentenced to two years in Azkaban and unable to hold a position of authority for a further five years after her release. She was also dismissed from the post of Headmistress of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Details of who will be taking over the post are not yet available but be sure to check the Prophet daily for updates on this unfolding story.