HARRY POTTER AND THE UNFORGIVEN

A Sixth Year Harry Potter Fanfiction

BY

Jayiin Mistaya

"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."

...never tickle a sleeping dragon

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to Harry Potter. Those rights are held, exclusively, by JK Rowling, and any other entities, corporations, subsidiaries, or groups not named here possessing legal rights to the aforementioned books and/or trademark.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Has it really been almost a year? I suppose it has at that. I bow my head in shame, and offer only this in my defense: work has kicked my fat butt this last year. I love my job; I couldn't ask for better co-workers or bosses, but its hard work.

So here it is. A token update, with a real chapter to follow soon. I hope at least some of you are still reading.

I can't thank all my readers enough for the continued support. For the emails asking me about the story or the reviews asking me to update. Knowing people care about this story and still want to read it after all this time has been awesome beyond words.

If you want to read more about the future of this story, please go here: jayiin[dot]livejournal[dot]com / 98636[dot]html.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to MuggleMomma for being steadfast support. I never would have dreamed she'd become one of my best friends when we first met. Without her help working on this story, I never would have continued it.

INTERLUDE

The Daily Prophet I

You Know Who's Greatest Fear

By Rita Skeeter

For more than a year, rumors abounded that You Know Who had returned. The Ministry of Magic flatly denied the possibility, declaring the word of a senile old Headmaster and a lunatic teenage boy not enough proof He Who Must Not Be Named was alive and well. The public took great comfort in the Ministry's reassurances and turned their backs on the Boy Who Lived and renowned wizard Albus Dumbledore, going about their lives, blissfully unaware of the danger.

This reporter knew better, and with a keen sense for the truth, managed to secure an exclusive and oft-printed interview with Harry Potter himself, telling the harrowing tale of You Know Who's return to power. Just recently,

the Ministry was forced to admit the danger was real and that Harry Potter had had not been lying. He Who Must Not Be Named has returned.

Of course, the Ministry could hardly deny it. After their warnings to Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and then Acting Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter and an intrepid band of brave students were forced to (once again) take matters into their own hands and defend the Ministry from You Know Who. Unnamed sources high in the Ministry have confirmed several Death Eaters broke into the Department of Mysteries and caused significant damage searching for an artifact, only to be deterred by child-heroes the Acting Headmistress couldn't manage to detain at Hogwarts.

Eventually, You Know Who arrived on scene to dispatch Mr Potter – further proof, if any were needed, that Harry Potter is a danger to You Know Who and his servants. Albus Dumbledore came to his students' rescue, dueling You Know Who to a standstill in the Ministry lobby until, finally, Ministry forces arrived to deal with the break-in. They came face-to-face with He Who Must Not Be Named and could no longer deny what they had been told repeatedly for over a year.

Somehow, You Know Who was able to escape after the Ministry forces arrived. Shortly thereafter, Albus Dumbledore was re-instated as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after having been removed some months previous for his 'unsubstantiated' claims of You Know Who's return.

Very little information regarding this incident has been made public and the Ministry refuses to release information as to how Harry Potter learned of the attack, or why the Ministry refused to aid him. However, this reporter was able to secure, through confidential sources, a few facts. The Death Eaters attack centered on the Hall of Prophecy, the existence of which Ministry official refuse to admit to, and were searching for a specific prophecy – which Mr Potter destroyed rather than allow You Know Who to possess it. The exact nature of the prophecy in question is unknown, but the Daily Prophet's sources revealed it concerned Harry Potter, the only person known to have survived the Killing Curse.

Further information indicated the prophecy revealed Harry Potter may, indeed, have the power to destroy You Know Who. Is it any wonder he has tried so hard and so often to kill Mr Potter? It is obvious You Know Who fears Harry Potter as much, or more, than he fears Albus Dumbledore.

End Chapter

Posted 08-14-09