Residents of a small Appalachian Mountain community in Georgia (located in the southeastern United States) are locking their pets up tight tonight and a curfew has been enacted for all residents following a series of vicious attacks. The culprit, thought to be a mountain lion, has been spotted several times on well-traveled portions of the Appalachian trail and has already taken four human and at least seven canine victims. “The attacks, or their remains rather, were unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” said the muggle (or no-maj as Americans call them) Police Chief Rory Quattle. “The victims are eviscerated and barely recognizable. Only the DNA of the persons was useful in identification of the remains.”

One witness, who reported spotting the large cat, was dismissed by local authorities as being “crazy.” The man, who has since asked to remain anonymous following several prank calls from rude and cruel teens, stated that the cat he saw was walking like a man, on its hind legs. When he stumbled upon the creature during a walk, he said he couldn’t look away from its yellow eyes. Beyond that, the witness couldn’t remember anything else that happened.

It was this person’s account that piqued the interest of the Magical Congress of the United States (MACUSA). After a cursory investigation, MACUSA’s President has sought help from the Ministry of Magic here in Britain, stating that we have more experience with and are far more tolerant of mythical and dangerous beasts.

After conferring with MACUSA, The Ministry of Magic feels assured that the man, a muggle, is lucky to be alive following his suspected encounter with a Wampus Cat. The Ministry believes the man must have stumbled upon the cat immediately after a feeding, or he would have been eviscerated like the other victims. Though his memory was vague, the area in which the witness saw the cat was within a kilometer of where the first human victim was found later that same day.

Wampus Cats are dangerous magical beasts native to the Appalachian Mountain range of North America. They are said to closely resemble a mountain lion with a few crucial distinctions. Wampus Cats have eight legs, and are known for their speed and agility, as well as their unusual habit of walking upright like a human. Their yellow eyes are a source of immense concern, as they are reported to have the powers of hypnosis and Legilimency. These creatures, which are actually one of the four house symbols at the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, are nearly impossible to kill. It has been reported that their hairs make exceptional wand cores, though a Native American tribe known as the Cherokee are the only people to successfully procure and utilize these valuable cores.

At this time, The Ministry of Magic is not planning to intervene, though that may change if the Wampus Cat continues to feed on muggles and their pets. Muggle authorities have warned local towns and villages to stay clear of the trails in hopes of preventing further attacks. For now, MACUSA is content to allow the Wampus Cat to continue hunting on the trails, as their wary and somewhat fearful relationship with muggles makes them less interested in intervening on their behalf. More on this story as it develops.