Dear Lyra,
Just recently I learned that my parents have died. I don’t know even if it’s true though, it’s something that I can’t comprehend. I was never extremely close to them, but now I never can be. What can I do? I can’t imagine how to handle this. Already I’ve found I can’t, things don’t seem to matter anymore, I haven’t eaten in two days except for a cookie and the idea of eating just makes me feel sick. Nothing matters. This is a world that I’ve never experienced nor do I care to experience it any further.

- Alone in the World

Alone in the World,
The passing of a loved one is naturally hard to comprehend and accept. I would think being here at school at the time of their passing would make it that much harder to accept.You may not have been close to them, but you did always know they were there, and thought, as many of us do, that you would have more time to spend with them. This may be hard to believe right now, but you’re stronger than you think. Talk to someone you’re close to, not a big group of people, as that might be a bit much at first. No one can change the feelings you’re experiencing, that is part of the grieving process. A close friend can simply be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on and help you see that you have something to live for.

Lyra

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Dear Lyra,
I haven’t spoken to my boyfriend in like a month, and now i’ve met someone who is incredibly fun and who i really like. Would i be a bad person to owl my boyfriend and tell him I think we should be friends? I don’t want to hurt him, but i really like this other boy.

From,
Worst Girlfriend Ever

Worst Girlfriend Ever,
First of all, it takes two people to make a relationship work. You can’t take all the blame for not having spoken to him in a month, however, I don’t think sending an owl to him is a way to break up. You would continue to feel it’s your fault if you did it that way, which could affect your chances with the new guy. You should talk to him in person and let him know how you feel. He may be feeling the same way as you are, but is also unsure what to do. That’s something you won’t know until you talk to him. Good Luck!

Lyra

By Lyra Elani

Over the past two weeks the town of Godric’s Hollow has been the target of a muggle crime wave. A gang of four young muggle men, who recently moved into the town, have attempted to rob, vandalize and terrorize Godric’s Hollow citizens. Several shops, owned by other muggles, were robbed and one was destroyed. Muggle shop owners were not the only one’s affected by this little gang of thugs. They soon found their way along the streets, and into a shop owned by an elderly wizard. The men thought they would have an easy time of robbing Fredrick Norvin’s Apothecary, when they noticed the old man was the only occupant.

Mr. Norvin, age 98, was preparing to close up when the four men entered his shop. “I told them to make their selections quickly so I could close up.” Mr. Norvin stated in his soft shaky voice, when interviewed by both the officials and the HO Pensieve. I asked him why there were several wizard shops in town that were visible to muggles. “We sell muggle items as well as magical items. Our magical items are, of course, invisible to muggles, so they think the store is like any other of that kind.” He answers with a lopsided smile and a glint in his eyes. This method of shop keeping intrigued me as I looked around his shop and noticed shelves filled with items muggles use to cure illnesses and injuries. I continued the interview, asking Mr. Norvin what happened after he told the men to hurry along so he could close. “The biggest one stayed by the door, another one searched the shelves and the other two came around my counter. One of the men stood in front of me while the other went to the register. The one in front of me laughed when I pulled out my wand, he seemed to think I was going to hit him with it, like I would abuse my wand like that!” Mr. Norvin stated, nearly out of breath as he struggled to stop laughing.

“The man by the register was furious when he couldn’t figure out how to open the thing. My register looks like a muggle register, to muggles only, but it’s magical and will only open for me.” He explains as he once again succumbs to a fit of laughter. “The men started pulling down shelves, thinking to destroy my shop, when I cast a body bind curse on the big one, tantellegra on another one, and the other two I used the bat-bogey hex. They stayed that way until Ministry officials arrived and handled everything from there.” Mr. Norvin also stated he has not had that much fun in years. After all, it is not often you can cast spells upon muggles and not get into trouble. Ministry Officials used a memory charm on the four men before bringing them to muggle officials.

By Lyra Elani

In the early morning hours of September 20, 2009, the body of a young boy was found in a forest near Little Hangleton. Two local citizens of the small town were out collecting potion ingredients in the wooded area behind their home when they stumbled upon the body. Ministry officials were notified and arrived at the scene to investigate. The boys body was later identified as Aiden Cole, a first year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. Cause of death has been ruled as murder through the use of the killing curse.

Mr. & Mrs. Cole reported their son missing on September 15, 2009 when he failed to return home from an extended weekend camping trip. “He loved camping and exploring so much, he would lose track of time and stay out an extra day or two.” Mrs. Cole stated when asked why they failed to report his absence sooner.

We have been unable to get any more information on the investigation from Ministry officials, however, we were able to speak to two people who were close to the boy. Darla Greer, Aiden’s girlfriend, says she didn’t know anyone who wanted Aiden dead. Tristen Cole, Aiden’s cousin, stated; “Aiden was looking into some particular dark and dangerous magic. He was messing with reputable ‘reapers’, trying to get on their good side.” Exactly why, or what kind of dark magic an eleven year old could possibly be looking into is unknown. Tristen also confessed that his last letter from Aiden was “Written in a disgruntled manner, as though he had stumbled upon something horrible.” Could this be the reason behind Aiden’s death? Had he found something so dangerous, it cost him his life?

Sources close to the victim have no idea what he was looking into specifically, nor do they know what he planned to do with whatever he found. As of press time, there were no known witnesses or suspects in the death of Aiden Cole.