Weasley, Granger Agree to Release Black Journal to Public
Louise Fussbudget Ministry Correspondent & Legal Advisor to the Prophet 3 September 1999
Mr. Ronald Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger have decided to release excerpts from the journal of Sirius Black to the public. The journal is in the form of letters to friend and Hogwarts classmate Remus Lupin. It was held in stasis at 12 Grimmauld Place and subsequently at the Ministry in London until all pertaining Fidelius Charms were nullified. It was presented to Mr. Lupin in November 1996 as part of the allotment of the inheritance of Mr. Black. At the time of the allotment Mr. Lupin was aware of the journal's stasis state and unable to read the journal. Mr. Lupin admits to lending the journal to both Mr. Weasley and Harry Potter during the 1997-98 school term. Both students appeared to bypass the stasis spells by virtue of proximity to the pertaining Charms and by right of blood relation to Mr. Black. Mr. Potter could not be reached by press time. The journal was also used with the permission of Mr. Lupin as evidence in the 1998-99 hearings, in which Ronald Weasley asserted his right to the aforementioned inheritance of Mr. Black, being both the next of kin and one of only three living male relatives of Mr. Black with relation close enough to claim inheritance. Mr. Weasley credits Mr. Lupin with giving him sufficient evidence to prove his cases before both the Department of Names and the Wizengamot. Among other things, the journal gives biased but believable evidence that Mr. Black was in fact imprisoned in Azkaban unjustly and without trial, and furthermore was innocent of the murder for which he is so infamous. The Wizengamot, upon hearing the evidence presented in the journal and by witnesses including Mr. Weasley, Hermione Granger, Mr. Lupin, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Virginia Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda Black, Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, voted unanimously to posthumously acquit Mr. Black of one count of murder in the first degree, four counts of treason in the first degree, twelve counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of murder in the third degree, one count of use of Unforgivable Curses, two counts of intention to murder, seventeen counts of aiding and abetting, one count of destruction of property, two counts of evading law enforcement, and twenty-three counts of failure to subdue a werewolf. Mr. Black remains convicted of two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery, two counts of aiding and abetting, one count of evading law enforcement, one count of breaking and entering, and one count of failure to register an Animagus form. The Wizengamot in conjunction with the Department of Names furthermore awarded Mr. Weasley the property of 12 Grimmauld Place, London; the property most commonly known as Malfoy Manor, Kent; the estates of Mr. Black, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and Rodolphus Lestrange; and compensation of an undisclosed amount for Mr. Black's unjust imprisonment as well as a settlement between Mr. Weasley and the Department of Names. The entire journal consists of fifty-seven letters, all addressed to Mr. Lupin. Of these letters, portions of fifteen letters will be released. The titles of these letters have not yet been provided. While the journal contains objectionable material, the Prophet has been assured that all excerpts will be suitable for publishing. The letters will run every week in the Daily Prophet from 4 September through 11 December.
Louise Fussbudget Ministry Correspondent & Legal Advisor to the Prophet 3 September 1999
Mr. Ronald Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger have decided to release excerpts from the journal of Sirius Black to the public. The journal is in the form of letters to friend and Hogwarts classmate Remus Lupin. It was held in stasis at 12 Grimmauld Place and subsequently at the Ministry in London until all pertaining Fidelius Charms were nullified. It was presented to Mr. Lupin in November 1996 as part of the allotment of the inheritance of Mr. Black. At the time of the allotment Mr. Lupin was aware of the journal's stasis state and unable to read the journal. Mr. Lupin admits to lending the journal to both Mr. Weasley and Harry Potter during the 1997-98 school term. Both students appeared to bypass the stasis spells by virtue of proximity to the pertaining Charms and by right of blood relation to Mr. Black. Mr. Potter could not be reached by press time. The journal was also used with the permission of Mr. Lupin as evidence in the 1998-99 hearings, in which Ronald Weasley asserted his right to the aforementioned inheritance of Mr. Black, being both the next of kin and one of only three living male relatives of Mr. Black with relation close enough to claim inheritance. Mr. Weasley credits Mr. Lupin with giving him sufficient evidence to prove his cases before both the Department of Names and the Wizengamot. Among other things, the journal gives biased but believable evidence that Mr. Black was in fact imprisoned in Azkaban unjustly and without trial, and furthermore was innocent of the murder for which he is so infamous. The Wizengamot, upon hearing the evidence presented in the journal and by witnesses including Mr. Weasley, Hermione Granger, Mr. Lupin, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Virginia Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda Black, Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, voted unanimously to posthumously acquit Mr. Black of one count of murder in the first degree, four counts of treason in the first degree, twelve counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of murder in the third degree, one count of use of Unforgivable Curses, two counts of intention to murder, seventeen counts of aiding and abetting, one count of destruction of property, two counts of evading law enforcement, and twenty-three counts of failure to subdue a werewolf. Mr. Black remains convicted of two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery, two counts of aiding and abetting, one count of evading law enforcement, one count of breaking and entering, and one count of failure to register an Animagus form. The Wizengamot in conjunction with the Department of Names furthermore awarded Mr. Weasley the property of 12 Grimmauld Place, London; the property most commonly known as Malfoy Manor, Kent; the estates of Mr. Black, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and Rodolphus Lestrange; and compensation of an undisclosed amount for Mr. Black's unjust imprisonment as well as a settlement between Mr. Weasley and the Department of Names. The entire journal consists of fifty-seven letters, all addressed to Mr. Lupin. Of these letters, portions of fifteen letters will be released. The titles of these letters have not yet been provided. While the journal contains objectionable material, the Prophet has been assured that all excerpts will be suitable for publishing. The letters will run every week in the Daily Prophet from 4 September through 11 December.