Midnight Mayhem: Magical Arson Proves Deadley

⌘AUGUST, 2038

MIDNIGHT MAYHEM

MAGICAL ARSON PROVES DEADLY

The Looking Glass was a popular nightclub that welcomed both magical and muggle patrons. However, this past Saturday night, it became a fiery tomb that claimed the lives of nine of its patrons and left 71 others injured by burns or while attempting to escape. Official reports are still preliminary, but multiple witnesses claim that the fire that engulfed the club was not an accident, but a fire intentionally started via fiendfyre.

Fiendfyre is a dark magical fire spell that imbues the flame itself with life. It is vengeful, bent on destruction and can't be extinguished by conventional means. Witnesses reported that most wizards fled the scene by apparating to safety. Those that couldn't fled for the nearest exits in panic, but found the doors magically bound with sticking charms and unable to open. A few brave magical souls apparated back in when they realized their fellow patrons were unable to escape. Most of them were able to get them out to safety. Unfortunately, most doesn't constitute all.

Presently, the authorities have opted to preserve the names of the victims until their families can be notified. Also, the Metropolitan Police have deferred jurisdiction of this crime to the Ministry of Magic's Department of Law Enforcement due to the magical nature of the fire. Among the officers on scene that evening was the newly appointed Head Auror, Cressida Bones. She declined to officially comment on her inaugural crisis at the time, stating that the investigation was still ongoing, though promising to update the press once the preliminary investigation was concluded.

The horrid events of the evening leave many people asking a single question: why? Why would someone decide to undertake such an act of atrocious terrorism. Why would someone commit such a calculated act of terrorism? At this time, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack or even given a reason for its inception. There was only a single clue that could possibly hint to the identity of the culprit. Investigators described the symble as an inverted Leviathan Cross, yet when pressed for further details, they declined to comment.

With nine lives lost, we can only hope that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is up to the task of making this an isolated incident. That they are able to quickly identify those responsible and bring them to justice. The public has been tasked to come forward if they have any information that they feel can be helpful to this investigation.

★ 9 deaths, 71 injured (by burns or physical injuries while trying to escape)
★ Arson caused by Fiendfyre, and all the exits were bound by sticking charms
★ You're welcome to have one of your characters have been a victim, witness or respondent to the fire