Chapter Text
Black Cat Flu
Information correct as of April 2031.
What is Black Cat Flu?
Black Cat Flu (BCF) is a highly contagious disease that infects the magical system of a person.
It cannot present itself in a non-magical person, nor can a non-magical person carry the disease.
BCF is transmitted when a person with an infected magical system uses direct magic on another, uninfected person. It is believed to be less likely to transmit to a second host magical system if direct magic is channeled via a wand. For this reason, BCF is most common in young children performing accidental magic without the use of a wand.
BCF is degenerative but treatable, meaning urgent medical attention is required in the event of a suspected case. You must see a Healer at once if you or a member of your family presents any symptoms of BCF.
What are the symptoms of Black Cat Flu?
BCF is characterised in three main stages, each with their own progression of symptoms. The earlier BCF is identified and treated, the quicker and more successful treatment will be.
BCF primarily affects the magical system, suppressing magical power. You are likely to experience Magical Exhaustion if infected with BCF. If you are experiencing an unexplained bout of Magical Exhaustion, especially if paired with any of the symptoms below, it is important to contact your Healer who can test your magical system for BCF.
It is more difficult to notice Magical Exhaustion in young children who do not use magic on a regular basis. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the following symptoms, in particular those of Stage One.
Stage One symptoms include:
- A persistent sneeze
- A fever of 38 or higher (often with cold extremities)
- Uncharacteristic fatigue or lethargy (can be a sign of Magical Exhaustion)
- An unexpected change in the presentation of magical ability (a sign of Magical Exhaustion)
Stage Two is characterised by:
- Cat-like whiskers growing from the cheeks; these may look more like a rash when they first appear
- Increased fatigue (often has trouble staying awake for sustained periods of time)
- Continued Stage One symptoms
Stage Three is characterised by:
- Eyes narrowing and changing in colour, closely resemble a black cat’s
- Complete suppression of magical ability
Important: evidence increasingly suggests adults with wands may be able to carry or pass on the disease without themselves contracting or showing symptoms. It is essential that everyone practises good wand hygiene.
If you or someone in your family presents any of these symptoms, contact your Healer immediately.
How is Black Cat Flu diagnosed?
BCF is most easily treatable at Stage One, however it is the most difficult to diagnose at this stage. If a child or adult is thought to be at risk of BCF, a Healer can perform a scanning charm of the magical system to test for BCF infection.
At this time, is it not possible to test children for BCF at any location in the UK other than St Mungo’s hospital, where there is a designated testing clinic. Please owl your local Ministry representative if you require assistance to travel to the hospital.
If BCF is not caught at Stage One, it will quickly be apparent by the appearance of Stage Two whiskers. Children with this symptom do not need to take a test.
BCF is highly contagious. It is extremely important that any person with either a positive test or suspected BCF symptoms does not perform any magic. Young children without wands or anyone else with less control over their magic should be isolated from others to reduce the risk of transmission via Accidental Magical Outburst.
How is Black Cat Flu treated?
BCF is treated with Tincture of Granian Hair which is able to enter the magical system and engulf the virus responsible for the infection. Treatment varies depending on when the infection has been diagnosed:
If BCF is diagnosed at Stage One:
- A seven day course of Tincture of Granian Hair will be prescribed, to be taken at home
- You must not use any magic during the course
- Young children (under 11) should be kept apart from other people
- A second test will be performed at the end of the course to ensure the infection has been removed
If BCF is diagnosed at Stage Two:
- A twenty-eight day course of Tincture of Granian Hair will be prescribed
- The patient will enter isolation under professional medical care, most likely at St Mungo’s hospital
- A second test will be performed at the end of the course to ensure the infection has been removed
BCF is very unlikely to reach Stage Three, as treatment intervention is enough to prevent this.
Tincture of Granian Hair engulfs and overpowers the virus, however it is a sensitive ingredient and must only be used as prescribed by a Healer. The tincture is designed to react to the current strain of Black Cat Flu but this can evolve and become resistant to the tincture over time. For this reason, the tincture cannot be given to children as a precaution and is used in the smallest dose quantity possible.
What happens if Black Cat Flu is left untreated?
BCF must be treated with Tincture of Granian Hair as soon as it is diagnosed. It is an infectious disease and without treatment, will eventually overpower the magical system. This can cause dangerous magical explosions in the body which will have a permanent effect on magical ability and can even be fatal in some cases.
In 1974, an epidemic of Black Cat Flu spread through Britain. In this time, over 3,000 magical people contracted Stage Two of the disease and were treated with Tincture of Granian Hair. The majority of these cases were children. 13 children progressed to Stage Three and of these, 12 died due to magical explosion complications.
It is important to note that the Tincture of Granian Hair used by Healers today is more effective than that of 1974.
In December 2030, two cases of Stage Two BCF were diagnosed in St Mungo’s. Despite timely treatment and the isolation of these two cases, the disease spread. At time of writing, there have been over 2,000 cases of BCF. Of these cases, less than half progressed to Stage Two. There have been no cases of Stage Three BCF.
The Ministry of Magic currently considers the alert level to be High. This means precautions are thought to impact most day-to-day procedures.
How can Black Cat Flu be prevented?
BCF is a viral infection which is passed between magical systems. For this reason, general magical hygiene is recommended, with extra caution taken around young children. These cautions include:
- Cleaning wands regularly, and always before the use of direct magic
- Using a wand cover (currently mandatory for children under 17 with a wand)
- Using non-magic alternatives - speak to your local Ministry representative who will be able to provide you with information on how to use and access some non-magic alternatives
Please note: despite the scheduled Easter break, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry currently remains in a state of lockdown for the protection and safety of students and staff, as well as the general public. If you are a parent or guardian of a Hogwarts student, you will have received information about the safety measures in place; if required, you may request an additional copy of this letter by owling the school.
Information last reviewed: 9 April 2031
Next review due: 3 May 2031