Magical Creatures, it seems that the Ministry has kept close tabs on all breeds of beasts, but the stories that we have been hearing lately spin a different web of information.

We here at The Prophet heard from a number of reliable sources that some of the beasts in the forest have started to migrate. The question is; are they being smuggled out of the forest, are they leaving on their own, or are they being brought into the country another way? The beasts in question, acromantulas, generally prefer a habitat of dense vegetation. The Dark Forest provides this perfectly, so the rapidly increasing number of reports that they are dwelling elsewhere is concerning to say the least.

Acromantulas are arachnids, originating from Borneo, that grow to exceedingly large sizes. They have a high intelligence level, can communicate through speech like humans, and are carnivorous. The first acromantulas were brought to our region of the world by notable magizoologists. Due to their incredibly rare venom and its useful properties for potion making, Magical Law Enforcement has seen a rise in the number of smugglers who attempt to bring acromantulas into the country without proper documentation.

Creature trafficking has become an epidemic in the last few decades. While some beasts are harder to conceal, such as dragons and zouwu, small beasts, such as nifflers and puffskeins, are easily concealed and traded illegally, both in our country and outside of it.

The Ministry has been changing its regulations and has been cracking down on creature breeding across the country to try to temper some of the activity within our borders. Anyone who is found with a magical creature that does not have the proper paperwork will be fined. The fine imposed is dependent upon the classification level of the beast, ranging from “X” – “XXXXX.” According to our sources inside the Department, breeders have been overwhelmed with some of the new decisions made by the Ministry, but it has been noted that most are making the necessary adjustments to continue to operate within the confines of the laws.

The Ministry has been on the receiving end of countless owls, as of late, with reports of acromantula sightings all over Scotland and North Britain. Sources inside the department were able to secure us a few of the reports that have been filed, some seem harmless, “…a spider, it was as big as my hand…” but others are ominous indeed. “….I saw it retreating into the woods near our greenhouse… it had our dog in its pinchers. He wasn’t moving….”  

“While talking spiders aren’t completely unheard of in the magical community, it is unheard of to have 50 reports of giant spider sightings in the span of a week, and even more unnerving to hear that they have taken out a family pet,” Beast Division spokeswitch, Mathilda Grimblehawk, stated last Monday when confronted about the rumors. “We are working to sort through these reports and determine exactly what is going on.

Further investigations have uncovered the beasts that have been spotted outside of Hogwarts grounds are incredibly hostile. The Ministry’s attempts to control and relocate these creatures has not gone to plan. One such attempt enraged a small clutter of the arachnids, leading them to flee into a nearby muggle village.

The local muggles, who are not accustomed to such large beasts, were understandably terrified. Panic ensued, leading to several wrecked automobiles, and minor injuries. Obliviators were dispatched and concealment charms were put on the woods near the village in an attempt to keep the muggles at bay until the Beasts Division was able to get the situation under control; a task that took 3 days to complete and required the aid of long-time Care of Magical Creatures Professor from Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid.

Professor Hagrid, who was expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, reclaimed favour with the magical community after the second wizarding war, and has maintained his post as professor for the last several decades. He also serves as the schools groundskeeper, where he tends to all of the creatures in The Dark Forest, including the acromantulas. He was instrumental in their placement in the forest more than half a century ago and is on speaking terms with Mosag, the clutter leader.

According to information provided by Professor Hagrid, Mosag has stated the creatures that were relocated to the forest did not originate there. Ministry officials have since continued their investigation into the origins of the creatures found in the countryside. We here at The Daily Prophet will continue following their investigation and keep you, our dedicated readers, informed on any new developments. If you have any leads, we encourage you to report them to the Department via owl.