This would mark the first time Swoosh has dropped an athlete due to anything but career ending injury.
The press agent for Swoosh claims that Ward has failed to honor his sponsorship responsibilities in recent months. Swoosh stated that Ward has refused to appear at several autograph signings, a charity game with a local team (the Pueblo Barn Burners) and has stopped returning calls. Swoosh representatives say that with this lack of cooperation of a sponsored athlete, their hands are tied. This press conference is the first time that the broom maker brought into the public eye a sponsorship issue, perhaps in hopes of communicating with their athlete through the public forum. Xander Roman of Swoosh was quoted, “We at Swoosh have been sympathetic to Ward’s situation. But now that the threat of Simon Drake has been removed, it is time to return to the Pitch. Simply put, the face of the company needs to show up.”

People close to Ward seem to be as troubled by the star’s lack of communication. Sources to the athlete have confirmed that Swoosh is not the only sponsor being ignored  and it seems that personal connections are receiving the same treatment. There is concern in some camps about the talented athlete’s well being. Ward’s agent has been tight-lipped, saying that his client is suffering from a form of “post-traumatic syndrome” and is in a self-imposed sabbatical to clear his mind.

Several years ago, Tyler Ward was named a primary target for Simon Drake due to his close ties to Avistrum Academy and was placed in protective custody by the Auror Department. Ward is a former professor of Care of Magical Creatures and was Head of Enigmus House prior to joining the Toledo Terrors. However, it wasn’t so much Ward’s titles at the school that made him a target but his relationships with the staff.
Tyler Ward’s close friendships with many of the faculty have been well documented, such as with Sachiko Kobiyashi (ret.), Secretary Aberfoyle and notably, Headmaster Clark Dowling.

Ward and Dowling have been close since the two were on the House Team for Enigmus. During the Ward and Dowling years on the Pitch, Enigmus did not fail to capture the Quidditch Cup.
The two were a force off of the field as well. When Clark Dowling first became the Headmaster over ten years ago, Tyler Ward was the first to join his side. Ward was also rumored to be a core member of Dowling’s vigilante group, the Dark Hunters.
It was perhaps this, more than anything that made Tyler a focus for Drake’s regime.

In 2009, Ward was taken into a secret location by the Auror Department. He remained in protective custody until the defeat of Simon Drake at the Battle of Avistrum.
According to Auror officials, Ward was released on October 25th, 2012.
He has not surfaced to the public eye since then.

Ward made a name for himself in the National Quidditch League in his first year with his unorthodox, slashing style and uncanny reflexes. His stock rose even more with his back to back MVP awards, a first for a Keeper in the modern Era. In the 2006 season, Ward had an astounding 98.9% blocking percentage. In a match against the Salem Saints of the 2007 season, 63 shots were made on his goalposts and not one was allowed through a hoop. It was games and seasons such as these that lead to another nickname, “The Shield”. His noteriety expanded to the world when he wowed our European brothers and sisters in the World Cup.

Ward’s inevitable partnership with Swoosh as their marquee athlete revitalized the brand in recent years, making his way onto billboards, toy broom adverts, and his own branded broom polish.
Ward’s work with numerous charities and making time to visit fans in need (particularly children) is well known. With this stellar reputation, it is understandable why friends and family of Tyler Ward are concerned.

He also is the primary cause for a style revolution in the sport by bringing back the “traditional” British high boots and 3 buckle gauntlets on the field. Sports historians, who roundly disagree on everything Quidditch related, all consent that he is without a doubt the finest Keeper in the last century. Sports analysts accross the United States and abroad often attach the title of ‘future Hall of Famer’ when mentioining his name.
Swoosh has asked that if any witch or wizard has information that can help in their communicating with Ward, they contact the Swoosh press office at Flu 345, junction 12, Detroit MI.

Artwork by J. Kasper. Gilderoy will be signing copies of this artwork Friday night at Avistrum.

Tomorrow, along with the start of Spring Term, Avistrum Academy will begin a weekend long celebration to commemorate the defeat of Simon Drake. Avistrum also has another occasion to celebrate. For the first time in the history of the school, there are Dual House Cup Champions. Parador and Colubrae House tied in House Points at the end of term, marking this historic event. This sign of unity was an excellent punctuation to the end of Drake’s reign of terror.

As another sign of unity, Avistrum will be hosting a friend from across the pond.

Gilderoy Lockhart- One of Britain’s most celebrated – and most controversial – authors is extending his signing tour to include several US cities. The famous author is making time on his incredibly tight schedule to visit Avistrum Academy, Friday evening April 19th, 2013.

Over two decades ago, seven time Warwick award winner, Gilderoy Lockhart, was the tragic victim of a Memory Charm gone awry. The circumstances surrounding the accident were never resolved and the prolific author did not put quill to parchment again for twenty years, but last year Lockhart released his newest book, “Unforgettable, Or So I Am Told.”

Lockhart enthusiasts rejoiced to finally see their favorite author return to the written word, and though critics reviews were mixed, the continuing loyalty of his fan base prompted a short European tour. After being extended three times, his publishers decided to continue the tour in America, and are currently discussing a further extension into British Columbia.

Stops on the United States leg of the tour will include Ithaca, New York; Salem, Massachusetts; New Orleans, Louisiana; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; and Berkeley, California.

Mr. Lockhart is excited to be at the Avistrum Celebration on Friday night. He is also thrilled to learn that Denver is a city and not just an omelette.

Gilderoy will be signing photos of a brand new piece of art work of his likeness done by notable artist J. Kasper. He is generously providing these photos and signatures free of charge. Gilderoy’s agent also made sure to note that Mr. Lockhart will be happy to take photographs, again free of charge.
He hopes to remember this occasion.

“Gilderoy” will be appearing in the Avistroom School Friday night, and will be spending some time at the Celebrity Tables. Check your program books or visit Avistrum Academy with any questions.

*”Gilderoy Lockhart” is being portrayed by actor, Mark Fossey. This is an actor parody and is neither affiliated with, nor endorsed by, J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastic Publishing, their agents or licensees. Harry Potter™ and all related marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Warner Bros *

SALEM, Mass.- Today, P.A.L.M. activists were found rallying near the Hexagon in an attempt to get the attention of Secretary of Magic, Polonius Aberfoyle

For over a year, P.A.L.M.’s attentions have been focused on the efforts of Kraven Bloodthorne and Audrey Deserand to rebuild the Timmernak School. Now a majority of the heat seems to be moving towards Avistrum Academy on the subject of ghosts attending the school.

There were a number of group members holding protest signs, all opposed to the deceased having the ability to continue their education in the afterlife. Some of the signs spotted read slogans such as, “Education=Living”, “Ghosts Should Pass On, Not Get A Hall Pass”, and “Diplomas And Degrees Are Not For The Dead”.
When the group was approached for interviews by the press, they were cut off by a young woman claiming to be the new spokeswitch for P.A.L.M.
“I am Serafina Marks and I represent P.A.L.M. We are here to let our government know that P.A.L.M. shall not sit idly by and let ghostly beings eat up our educational resources. Our children should be the priority for Avistrum Academy and for any institute of learning. The children are our future. We cannot afford for them to be placed on the backburner while those who have passed on are monopolizing the attention of the professors.”

The timing of the protest seems to be questionable. Secretary Aberfoyle is not currently in the United States, let alone the Hexagon. Our Secretary of Magic is on a well-publicized diplomatic visit to the British Minister of Magic. If Ms. Marks and P.A.L.M. were expecting an immediate response from the Secretary’s office, they may want to pay better attention to their calendars.

However, the timing could be purely intentional. The protest made national coverage on the WNN (Wizard News Network) and is currently buzzing through the commentary of various wizard political pundits.
With Avistrum Academy’s Spring Term coming up in only a few short days, this protest just may have been perfectly executed to gain national exposure without fear of rebuttal by Secretary Aberfoyle.

Should that be the case, the Wizarding world should take note.
This journalist certainly has done so.

The 2013 season for Quidditch is in full swing and things are already shaping up for this to be an interesting one.

The Okmulgee Ogres had a dominant 190-0 shut-out of the San Francisco Snidgets. The offseason acquirement of Beaters Jason Reilly and Gavin Hachman to the Ogres is proving to be an excellent move. The two Ogres limited the Chasers of San Fran to only 5 total shots on the Okmulgee goalposts.

The Atlanta Aurors and the Sturgis Spartans had a brutal, yet low scoring game of 160-0 when Aurors Seeker, Miranda Tasker finally caught the Snitch. The game lasted over three hours and was riddled with penalties toward the end of the match. Spartan Chaser, Ramond Ellsworth is facing fines of $2,400 due to excessive cobbing.

The Colorado Chimera had a strong and exciting season opener against the powerhouse current NQL champions, the Salem Saints. It was a game that truly came down to the Chasers with the Chimera getting the win, 220-210.
Colorado’s first round draft pick,Rebecca Vega proved to be a marvel on the pitch as she put the Quaffle through the hoops 11 times.
While the Chimera were keeping the dangerous Salem Chasers ineffective, Saints Seeker Veronica Mullin could not be stopped.
The score was at 210-60 with the Chimera leading when the Snitch was spotted by Mullin. As both Seekers raced to the Snitch, the Chimera’s Vega intercepted a pass of the Quaffle from Saints Chaser, Randy Brown. At a distance from the Saints’ posts, Vega immediately fired a shot that found the Keeper, Chris Jones off of his guard.
The Quaffle skinned the metal of the hoop and passed through, putting the Chimera up 220-60. Just as Vega scored her eleventh goal, Mullin’s hand clasped the Golden Snitch. Thus, this intense game ended with the Chimera grabbing the win but not the Snitch.

The most noteworthy game was the match-up between the Chicago Centaurs and rival Toledo Terrors. The Quidditch nation was watching as it was to supposed to feature the triumphant return to Quidditch by Tyler Ward. The Terrors and I daresay the NQL as a whole, were disappointed after the star and team captain was a no-show to the season opener. There are conflicting reports as to why the future Hall of Famer would leave his team high and dry.
Nevertheless, this will heavily effect the Terrors entire season. One can argue that not one player makes a team, but you cannot overlook Ward’s stats. He has maintained an unprecedented career 96% blocking percentage and holds the NQL record for most saves in a single game; 84 against the Saints in the 2007 playoffs. But it isn’t just his phenomenal Keeper skills that are crucial to the Terrors’ success. Teammate, Leonard Hopkins was quoted in a locker room interview, “Tyler is the heart and soul of this team. We were so pumped to have him back. I just don’t understand why he wasn’t here. It isn’t at all like him.”
The Centaurs won the game 210-20 in a shellacking over the demoralized Terrors.
Many are wondering what the Terrors are going to do about Ward. Most officials are saying that hefty fines are in order and some analysts are even calling for his outright release. For now, the Terrors’ front office is staying quiet. However, the fans and analysts are not keeping their opinions to themselves. The cries from the stands, couches and press boxes can almost all be heard in unison, shouting, “Where is Tyler Ward?”

For the sake of Toledo we can only hope that there will be an answer soon.

This years Quidditch World Cup location was announced on Monday. Some feel that
the new location in Eastern France is a step in the right direction for the
oft-maligned governing body for the sport. Previous years have been sullied by
what can only be charitably called “home team favor”.
Not to mention the security fiasco during the “dark seasons”.
This change of location offers the European mainland a chance to have the
highlight of the wizarding sports world in their backyard.
Not all are pleased with the placement of the famous match. Most notably is the small
offshoot division of the Department of Magical Creatures assigned to maintaining
suitable habitats in forested areas.
Marious Shunt, co-director of the division, goes so far to call the location
“disastrous”. In a press conference on the outskirts of the small French town of
Leintrey, Mr. Shunt outlined the impact of the proposed site.
“This is a site that has been well known over the centuries of being home to the
majestic Eastern Spiral-horned unicorn. These beautiful creatures have seen
multiple attacks upon their breeding populations from various black-market
purveyors. This, coupled by the creatures’ natural longevity and associated
“glacial” breeding schedules have caused a marked drop in the population,”
Mr. Shunt went on to say.
“Now, with all of these hardships, we find ourselves fighting not only black
market poachers, but our own government agencies, who feel that a game, I
repeat, a game is more important than the natural diversity in our world.”
Throughout the conference, Shunt was interrupted by a small, but vocal
group from the local intramural Quidditch league. The group was heard to sing
several traditional Quidditch chants.
None of the members of the group would speak with our reporter on the ground.
When reached for comment, the World Cup office said that due to the impending legal
injunction presented by Mr. Shunt’s office, they were not permitted to comment
due to the nature of the complaint.
We will be following this possibly game-changing issue (pun not intended) as it
plays out.

For nearly a decade, Avistrum Academy has been known to march to the beat of their own drum. The school has adopted progressive viewpoints that have been the source
of heated debate between the most influential witches and wizards of our time.

There is a new log to throw on that fire.

It has recently come to light that Avistrum Academy has been allowing those who are deceased but remain in our world as spectral beings to complete their educational careers. This includes the ghostly graduate being awarded a genuine diploma.

The most recent recipient of this practice is one Ophelia Aaron, Prefect of Enigmus House. Ophelia graduated in a quiet ceremony recently on the grounds of Avistrum Castle.  Ms. Aaron died tragically at the hands of Simon Drake.  Before the Fall Term started in 2011, she was kidnapped by Drake’s forces. Ophelia was killed when she would not comply with his demands.

Head Ghost?

While it is mere speculation as to why Drake took her captive, it is unquestionable that Ophelia Aaron died heroically in defiance against the most dangerous Dark Lord our world has ever seen.

An argument can be made that those self-sacrificial actions equal to an exception being made in the case of Ophelia Aaron’s graduation. But this is not the first occurence of postmortem scholarly endeavors. After sorting through school records, it was found that Estel Leeds,  a former Parador House Ghost was allowed to complete her studies in 2008. The death of Estel Leeds was tragic, but decidedly not heroic when it was caused by an error in apparation.

The real harm in allowing these ghostly beings to remain as students is that it is depriving precious educational resources to our students who live and breath.  It is taking away opportunities from people who can still make a difference in this world.
At present time, perhaps only a handful of ghosts have been allowed to graduate. But this is a slippery slope the school is standing upon.  If action is not taken now, nothing will stop Avistrum Academy from becoming a school primarily for the undead.

In a world struggling to rebuild itself after the tyranny of Simon Drake, we cannot afford to lose precious resources on spirits who should have already moved on and not still cling to a place that they don’t belong to anymore.

A full transcript will be available later today.

 
Eligible entrants must be currently enrolled in any registered wizarding school in the country. Submissions must be between 150 and 200 words in length, and must be received no later than Monday, April 2, 2012. No actual enchantments or enthralling potions may be used on the submitted entries, or the judges. Magical interference of any kind will result in an automatic disqualification of an entry. Only one entry per student.

Drake at Press Conference

DENVER, Colo- In disturbing news from our nation’s capital, Simon Drake has announced his candidacy to become President of the United States. While public opinion on Drake’s intentions with Wizarding government remains polarized, one cannot help but question why he is also attempting to gain the most powerful office in the Muggle world. Secretary of Magic, Polonius Aberfoyle, could not be reached for comment.  His administration has released a statement saying that Secretary Aberfoyle will address the magical nation about the situation soon.