Harry Potter -- Breaking News

[writers_island]

written for lgbtfest, prompt 709. Harry Potter, any characters, When the Aurors' newest recruit decides to challenge MLE's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, s/he encounters opposition - and support - from the most unlikely sources.

more info here

Many thanks to kashmir_ki_kali for being a sounding board and muck_a_luck for the lightning-fast beta.

This is mostly canon-compliant, with spoilers through Deathly Hallows, but I played a little fast and loose with the body count.

“Code 235-B is meant to protect homosexual and bisexual witches and wizards.”

Breaking News | G | 648 words | complete

War Hero Challenges MLE’s Policy Toward Homosexual Wizards
Auror Trainee Says Policy Creates “Second-Class Citizen Status”
London “I think it’s important to point out that I’m not homosexual, and yet I still think this is an important issue,” Hermione Granger said in a press conference last week. “This is an issue for all witches and wizards, regardless of age or family connections or sexual orientation. This discrimination must end!”

Ms. Granger is well-known for her role in the Battle of Hogwarts against You-Know-Who. Now she is championing another goal: the end of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement’s Code 235-B. The Code states that “individuals that demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts” may not “openly discuss or exhibit homosexual behaviors or acts”. The policy has been referred to as “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” since a similar rule was created for the American Muggle military in 1993. The ruling itself was made in 1743. It replaced Code 235-A, which allowed for active so-called “witch hunts” for non-heterosexual wizards. Witches were not allowed to serve in the MLE until 1800.

“Honestly, I’m not surprised that Hermione is taking this on,” Harry Potter said in an exclusive interview the following day. Mr. Potter, long known as the Boy Who Lived, is now in retirement and living in a wizarding village in Cornwall with another wizard who wishes to remain anonymous. “Lost causes are her thing.” Ms. Granger campaigned for House Elf rights while she was a student at Hogwarts. “I thought killing [You-Know-Who] would fix everything, but it didn’t.”

“Mum certainly wasn’t pleased,” said Ronald Weasley, Ms. Granger’s fiancé and fellow Auror trainee. “Took me fifteen minutes to explain that I wasn’t marrying a ‘woman of loose moral character’. Honestly, I don’t know where she comes up with this stuff.”

“I don’t really see why it matters,” said Remus Lupin, Hogwarts Dark Arts professor. Mr. Lupin is the first openly-lycanthropic professor at Hogwarts. Photographic evidence from the First War romantically links Mr. Lupin with the now-exculpated Sirius Black. Mr. Lupin’s wife, Nymphadora Tonks, an Auror, died by Mr. Lupin’s side during the Battle of Hogwarts. “People are just people. It shouldn’t matter what they do behind closed doors. I understand that Ms. Granger is trying to help, but I’m not sure it’s necessary.”

“Code 235-B is meant to protect homosexual and bisexual witches and wizards,” said Gawain Robards, head of MLE, in a statement after Ms. Granger’s press conference. “Unlike earlier legislation, 235-B forbids investigation into the private lives of MLE personnel unless there is prior evidence of misconduct.”

“I think the rules should be stricter,” said an Auror after the conference. “We don’t need faggots in the MLE. Backs to the wall, boys, eh?”

“Yes, I have to live a lie, but it’s safer this way,” said another Auror. “Bigotry is rampant in the Wizarding world, especially in places like the MLE. Just because we fought—and won—a battle against Dark Magic, doesn’t mean society’s perfect now. I’d rather be dishonest and not have to worry about whether my back-up is going to come just a little too late.”

A double-blind poll taken of the Auror and Misuse of Muggle Artifacts offices indicated that 60% of witches and wizards support Ms. Granger’s campaign, but of those almost three quarters are concerned for their job and personal safety.

“Ms. Granger is the perfect person to lead this campaign,” said Kingsley Shacklebolt, Auror head. “She's straight as anything, so she’s beyond censure from her superiors.” Mr. Shacklebolt refused to say whether he supported her initiatives or not.

“Honestly, I’m surprised I’m not getting more support,” Ms. Granger said in a private interview. “I have a number of personal friends who would benefit from a change in legislation. I don’t see why everyone’s so hesitant to speak up.”
Colin Creevey is a junior reporter for The Daily Prophet.

Feedback is better than chocolate.

Comments

[seiberwing.livejournal.com]

This definitely sounds like Hermione's thing, and I'm hardly surprised that the Wizarding World is not as progressive as it should be.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

The way I see it, there's two ways to view sexuality in the Wizarding world: either they're really progressive about it, or really conservative. I went with the latter because it would be more interesting to write about in this context.

[seiberwing.livejournal.com]

That sounds like wizards on most everything, really...

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah, that's why I thought it was a viable option to explore for this prompt.

[goddess47]

Conservative witches and wizards does not surprise me at all....

Nice use of the prompt! I like Hermione taking on 'lost causes'....

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was a little worried about the structure at first, but it's grown on me.

[cadenzamuse.livejournal.com]

I like how real-life complicated this is: especially how some of the queer characters struggle with the fact that more progressive legislation might make things worse in the short run.

I also think you got everyone's voices and reactions spot-on, especially Ron talking about his mum. That bit made me laugh, just because it was so very Ron.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Yay! This is exactly what I was trying for.

[supergreak.livejournal.com]

Considering Mrs. Weasley's treatment of Hermoine in GoF, I'm not surprised that the Wizarding World would be very conservative about sexuality.

Great ficlet.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Like I said above, I could see this going one of two ways, and this way was more interesting to write about.

Thanks for reading!

[sophinisba]

This was really cool. I laughed at the way the paper edited what Harry had to say but I liked the serious issues in this too, especially, like cadenzamuse said, how complicated it was with all the different positions people too.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I tried to give as many perspectives as I could.

[minkhollow]

I love the journalism approach to this one, and the fact that the wizards' Don't Ask, Don't Tell had been around for so long. And of course Hermione would pick up the cause, once she heard about it. She's right that it's rather unjust, but she's going to have a long road to get anything done.
Nothing she won't stick out, of course.
Well done!

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I hoped that the article format would present a bunch of viewpoints in a relatively judgment-free way. And it had to be Hermione taking it on; first, because that's her thing, and second, because I fell like Harry would be pretty burned out at this point.

[rotaryphones.livejournal.com]

I too loved when Harry had to be censored! It was good to see such a variety of viewpoints on the subject.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

I had the feeling that, even after Voldy is dead, the Prophet wouldn't want to print his name. And we all know Harry would never say "You-Know-Who". Thank you! The hardest was the folks who were "protected" by DADT supporting it. I've protested DADT here, but I have the luxury of being a civilian, not someone who'd directly affected by it.

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

ooooooo I like that you did it in news article form (and that you let Remus live! wooo!) And I think Remus will come around to her side when he meets a new lovely man. *grin* Nice little thing!

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[yesthatnagia.livejournal.com]

Mmm, lost causes. Great work. You grabbed the devil hiding in the details and swung him around by his pointy-tipped tail. Love the touch of it being written by Colin Creevey, and love all the little details.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Heh, thank you. I had a lot of fun with this.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Writing this as a news report from Colin Creevy was perfect! Thank you for writing this, and hooray for Hermione!

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad it worked.

[tau_sigma]

On an entirely stylistic note: it's so refreshing to read something in a different format! And the newspaper report really works.

Also, I can really see Hermione championing this; and whether there would be the same sort of bigotry over LGBT issues in the wizarding world as there is/was over purity of blood is something I find really interesting to read about.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was worried that it would fall flat, but it seems to have worked. It was a challenge, since it's been five years since I last wrote for a newspaper and the style is very different than fiction.

I'm writing an essay about my thought process that should be up in my personal journal tomorrow, if you're interested.