A/N: The countdown has begun in more ways than one! As we eagerly await the next adventure by our beloved J.K. Rowling, a fanfic adventure draws to a close! Read now, the exploits of our heroes in their adult lives as we roll on toward the big finish!
Interlude: The Everlasting Present
Order of Merlin, First Class, Awarded to War Heroes!
The Boy-Who-Lived, former fugitive Sirius Black, and Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall were among the dozens of members of the legendary Order of the Phoenix to be awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, for their heroism in the war against the now-deceased Dark Lord Voldemort. Other recipients of the wizarding world's highest honor include Harry Potter's classmates Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginevra Weasley, and Seamus Finnegan.
St. Mungo's released four Aurors last weekend who were rescued from imprisonment in Death Eater headquarters. All have been given extended leaves to recuperate from their injuries, and Auror Program spokeswoman Nymphadora Tonks has told The Prophet that Magical Law Enforcement will see to it that the needs of these brave witches and wizards are met during their recovery until and if they are able to return to work.
The last of the trials of captured Death Eaters are expected to take place by the end of June. A sentence of life imprisonment in Azkaban is expected to be imposed upon Antonin Dolohov, Vincent Crabbe, Sr., and the others captured in the days following the Battle of Godric's Hollow.
Other participants in the war received Order of Merlin, Second Class.
Wizard Hero Weasley Signs With Chudley Cannons!
Young Ronald Weasley, recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and renowned hero of the war against Voldemort, has signed a two-year contract with the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team.
"This is a dream come true," Weasley told the Prophet at the reception following the signing. "I didn't realize they'd be at the last game I played at Hogwarts, but I guess I impressed them!"
Several Quidditch experts have said that Weasley's talents as a Quidditch Keeper are too good to waste on a team with a record as bad as the Cannons, but although the young wizard received multiple offers, including some far more lucrative than anything Chudley could propose, his loyalty to his favorite team was absolute.
"Ron's like that," said Harry Potter, who attended the signing at his friend's side. "The Cannons are lucky to get him."
Dear Editor,
I wish to state, for the record, that I am appalled to see that Severus Snape received an Order of Merlin for his role in the war. Whatever that terrible man may have done for our side, it does not excuse the dreadful things that he must have done while still serving the Dark Lord. An Order of Merlin, even Second Class, is far more than he deserves.
If that man deserves anything, it's life in Azkaban!
Signed,
Miss Agatha Prunes, a concerned citizen.
You Are Cordially Invited to the Wedding Celebration of…
Mr. William Weasley
And
Miss Fleur Delacour!
William Weasley and Fleur Delacour will celebrate their nuptials on April 7th, 1998 in Ottery St. Catchpole. The reception will take place at the home of the groom.
Please RSVP by December 31st, 1997 to Mrs. Molly Weasley or Miss Gabrielle Delacour.
Ron,
How's off-season training going? Are the Cannons treating you well?
I'm in orientation at the Ministry for the Auror Program. Pretty boring, so far, but I gather it gets more interesting as it goes along. I spent all day yesterday carrying messages around; what are we, owls or something? At least that's what Zabini said.
I ran into Penelope Clearwater yesterday; she's about to qualify as a full Auror, but she gave us a lot of good advice about first year of training. She also gave me a couple of pictures of Percy for your Mum. They're enclosed (I think Percy was drunk in the second one.)
Let me know when you'll be in London next. I'm meeting Hermione and Ginny for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron on Thursday, and I'm going to Brighton with Sirius this weekend.
Best,
Harry.
Harry,
I'm having the greatest time of my life here! I miss you and everyone back home, but I like playing Quidditch all day better than I would've liked being an Auror, I think. At least you get to see Hermione sometimes—and don't get any ideas! Tell Zabini not to get any ideas either. I don't trust that Slytherin.
I've sent you all season tickets for the games. I know you can't make it to all of them with your Auror training, but you bloody better get to my first one! I signed a bloody AUTOGRAPH yesterday, can you believe it? It wasn't even a game, but a girl from Shrewsbury was watching us practice and asked me for an autograph! She got Haverstein to take a picture of us!
The team's off the week after next for some much-deserved rest, so I'll be staying at the Burrow (and trying to get out of having to help with all the improvements Mum and Dad have been making to it—sure it looks nice, but I need my R & R, mate!) The twins wrote me about this new club in Muggle London called The Dusty Wombat that they really like; if you get an evening off (and the day off after) we should go.
Ron.
Special Edition: The Boy-Who-Lived…One Year Later!
One year after the official end of the war as declared by Minister Bones, Rita Skeeter takes a look at how far the wizarding world's hero has come.
Harry Potter, 18, recently began the Ministry's Auror Training Program, and early reports from a few anonymous sources state that the young man already shows more promise in Magical Law Enforcement than any recruit in the past ten years.
"But then, who expected anything else?" our source said.
News Knut:
Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall told the Board of Governors in last night's meeting that her decision with regard to the employment of former Death Eater Severus Snape was final. The Board of Governors had presented Headmistress McGonagall with a petition signed by over 1,000 members of the wizarding public, requesting the removal of Snape as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"As you know," the Headmistress told reporters in a brief statement. "I have final say regarding the employment of teachers at Hogwarts. I chose Professor Snape for the position, and that is all I have to say on the subject."
Although cleared by the Ministry of all charges in relation to his activities as a Death Eater, Snape remains a source of controversy and public concern as the last of Lord Voldemort's former followers are being sought out for justice.
GRAND RE-OPENING!
JOIN US IN HOGSMEADE VILLAGE FOR FUN AND LAUGHTER AT THE GRAND RE-OPENING OF ZONKO'S JOKE SHOP!
One of Hogsmeade's most beloved landmarks will be back in business this weekend under the proprietorship of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, in accordance with the late Mr. Zonko's will. Hogsmeade suffered the tragic loss of the shop's entrepreneur in the April 12th, 1997 attack, but Mr. Zonko had been heard to say before that the laughter business would be in good hands with Fred and George Weasley, who had previously begun a partnership with Mr. Zonko's business.
"We're going to keep the shop just the way he liked it," Fred Weasley told The Daily Prophet. "It's tradition. No one in Hogsmeade will ever forget him, and the best tribute we can give him is to keep laughing."
The cleanup of wizarding Britain's favorite village is nearly complete, eighteen months after a devastating attack near the end of the Death Eater Wars that razed the town nearly to the ground. The re-opening of Zonko's Joke Shop is being hailed by village residents and wizards far and wide as a symbol of the village's recovery and resilience.
Dear Molly,
He did it. Ron proposed to her. Harry just told me.
Sirius.
PS—She said yes.
Dear Sirius,
Excellent. Two down, five to go.
Molly.
PS—That includes Harry, of course.
CHUDLEY CANNONS WIN FIRST QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP IN OVER A CENTURY!
Quidditch stadium and all of Britain erupts in celebration!
There was not a dry eye on the pitch this afternoon as one of Britain's oldest and most beloved Quidditch teams soared back to victory after one of the longest dry spells in the sport's history! "Abso-bloody-lutely fan-bloody-tastic!" sobbed Mr. Cyril Huffington-Pickett with a bottle of champagne in one hand and a Cannons flag in the other as the party raged on into the wee hours at Burffle's Pub in London. "I've been—hic!—waiting for this one all me life!"
Both Cannons fans and team members credit the team's spectacular performance this year to Keeper Ronald Weasley, now in his third year on the team. "Weasley is our king!" sang Chaser Maggie Thompson on her way to the team locker room.
Weasley paraphernalia is one of the hottest-selling items in this year's Quidditch collector's guides, and enthusiasts are reportedly offering hundreds of Galleons for an original "Weasley Is Our King" badge from Weasley's days as a Keeper at Hogwarts.
Former Hogwarts student Blaise Zabini reportedly parted with one such badge for no less than four hundred Galleons, a Nimbus 3000 broomstick, and an offer of the purchaser's daughter's hand in marriage, which Zabini graciously declined. "She was lovely, but I'm engaged," Zabini reported. "Anyway, I've still got another badge—sorry, I'm keeping that one!"
As for Weasley himself, when the Prophet caught up with him in the mayhem following the Cannons' victory, he told us, "This is the second-best thing to ever happen to me."
An odd statement, you say? Perhaps not, when you consider that Mr. Weasley made the statement surrounded by his family and friends, with his arm around his new bride, Hermione Granger-Weasley. Weasley and Granger were married last weekend in a private family ceremony. The Daily Prophet has also heard that Harry Potter, also known as the Boy-Who-Lived, was Weasley's best man.
Hogsmeade Celebrates Double Wedding!
For the first time in the town's history, all shops were closed and residents took to the streets to celebrate the marriages of Fred Weasley and former schoolmate Angelina Johnson, and George Weasley and his Australian bride, Henrietta "Hetty" Webster. Flanked by best men Lee Jordan and Charlie Weasley, the beloved owners of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and Zonko's Joke Shop tied the knots amidst a crowd of family, friends, and well-wishers.
The Weasleys, one of the most upstanding families of the wizarding world, spared no expense on this joyous occasion. The incredible display of fireworks, courtesy of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, was so bright that residents of Muggle London were reporting an attack by UFOs.
Harry,
HELP! She's pregnant, and if you think she was hard to deal with before…think studying for NEWTs multiplied a hundred times! I'm not going to survive this…I know I'm not!
She's got all these books about childbirth and pregnancy, all these details that I cannot possibly describe to you how much I DON'T want to know, but I can't very well tell her to knock it off, can I? I mean, she'd KILL me! Anytime I start to suggest (gently, mind you) that she's just maybe reading a little too much and worrying too much, she starts yelling that this is MY baby and it's all MY fault and how I have no idea what women have to go through.
I mean, yeah, I know I'm responsible for her being pregnant and all—but I'm not responsible for bloody biology! I would gladly help with having a baby, if I could, but I can't, and it's not my bloody choice is it? But does SHE care? Of course not!
I am NOT going to make it.
Ron.
Ron,
What the hell do you expect me to do? It's not as if she'll listen to me in this state! I'd say practice your Shielding Charms and Bludger-Dodging, not that I'm any expert on dealing with pregnant girls.
Harry.
Harry,
You're enjoying this, aren't you?
Ron.
Ron,
Maybe just a bit.
Harry.
IT'S A BOY!
Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger-Weasley are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Percy Andrew Weasley, born September 4th at 9:22 a.m., weighing 9 lbs. 4 ½ oz.
BOY-WHO-LIVED MARRIES WEASLEY DAUGHTER
Yes, ladies, he's finally done it. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived became the Boy-Who-Said-"I do" when he married lovely Ginevra Molly Weasley, the only daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley. With best man, Ronald Weasley, and Matron of Honor, Hermione Granger-Weasley in attendance, the wedding of the year took place in Weasley Manor, the home of brothers George and Fred Weasley and their wives.
The crowd of well-wishers that gathered outside the Manor was so large that extra security was called in to maintain control. Wizarding Britain joins their family and friends in wishing the best of everything to Harry Potter and his new bride.
Ron,
HELP! She's pregnant! You know what your sister is like – this is much, much worse! I'm not going to survive this – I know I'm not!
Taking out Voldemort was nothing compared to her! One minute she's all happy and excited and talking about what we're going to do when the baby comes—that I can live with! I'm excited too, but then all of a sudden, she's in front of the mirror, crying about being fat and ugly—I mean, I know you don't want to think of your sister like that, but this is GINNY we're talking about, and she couldn't be ugly if—anyway, and if I try to tell her that, she starts YELLING at me! I'm bloody trying to make her feel better and I get coshed with a bottle of Helen's Heavenly Hair Potion for my trouble!
How did you get through nine whole months of this? I'm dying!
Harry.
Harry,
Blimey, that was quick.
Ron.
Ron,
DO YOU KNOW WHY I'M SENDING YOU A BLOODY HOWLER! I'LL TELL YOU WHY—SHE'S HAVING TWINS! NOW WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Harry
Harry,
Sorry, mate, it runs in the family. Good luck!
Ron.
IT'S A GIRL! AND…IT'S A BOY!
Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley Potter are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Lily Eileen Potter, born December 10th at 4:03 a.m., weighing 6 lbs. 2 oz, and their son, Remus James Potter, born December 10th at 4:14 a.m., weighing 7 lbs. 1 oz.
Ministry Passes New Werewolf Legislation!
New Measures Lobbied For Heavily By Harry Potter…
Minister of Magic Amelia Bones signed a series of measures today aimed at assistance to victims of Lycanthropy and their families. Lycanthropy, better known as the Werewolf Bite, results in the bitten individual becoming a werewolf every month on the full moon. Thanks to a Potions breakthrough approximately twenty years ago, the condition can be controlled so that the sufferer is no longer a danger to himself or others.
The new laws include financial assistance for the purchase and preparation of the Wolfsbane Potion, anti-discrimination ordinances relating to employment, and new educational decrees intended to increase awareness of Lycanthropy and end the stigma surrounding it.
Harry Potter, known by many in the wizarding world as the Boy-Who-Lived as well as the destroyer of the Dark Lord Voldemort ten years ago, pushed heavily for the passage of these laws, in memory of his former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts and close family friend, Remus J. Lupin. Mr. Lupin, a victim of Lycanthropy since his childhood, taught Defense at Hogwarts in 1993 and 1996 to 1997, until his death in the March 3rd, 1997 attack by Death Eaters at Hogwarts. Many of the bill's supporters referred to the package as "Lupin Laws."
"Remus always had trouble finding work because of the prejudice about werewolves," Potter told the Prophet shortly after the bills were passed. "He deserved better. He was a hero, and the least we can do for his memory is make sure no one else has to suffer from a stigma like this."
Remus Lupin is reportedly the namesake for Potter's firstborn son.
LAST WEASLEY SIBLING TIES THE KNOT!
In a private ceremony at the Weasley family home, Charlie Weasley married long-time companion Nymphadora Tonks. The happy couple were attended by best man, brother William Weasley, and Matron of Honor, Ginevra Weasley Potter. During the ceremony, the bride appeared flustered when addressed by barrister Murdo McGonagall who conducted the marriage, by her first name.
Later, the bride was heard to state, "I don't intend to give up my last name, but any bloke can have my first name if he wants it!"
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Opens New Association For Magical Rights!
Heroes of the Death Eater Wars in attendance…
The Minister of Magic hailed today's special opening as thebeginning of a new era for the defense of moral rights in the wizarding world, in a brief statement at the reception following the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Association for Magical Rights in London.
The Association's Founder and President is Hermione Granger-Weasley, celebrated heroine of the Second Death Eater War, known especially as a symbol of the courage of Muggleborn witches and wizards who fought against blood prejudice at great risk to themselves throughout the struggle against Lord Voldemort, leader of the Death Eaters. Also a Seer, Madam Weasley has devoted much of her early career at the Ministry of Magic to defending the rights of traditionally-disadvantaged members of the wizarding world, from Muggleborn schoolchildren to house elves.
"My hope is that the Association will be able to work toward all these goals," Madam Weasley told reporters in a press conference following the ribbon-cutting. "The wizarding world must be educated and made aware that the ability and right to take full advantage of all that the magical world offers us does not come to everyone automatically, but we must do everything in our power to make it so. All magical creatures and magical beings deserve to be treated fairly by our people."
The Association is already hard at work, pushing for reform of laws concerning Magical Beasts and Beings, and Madam Weasley reports that they hope to present a legislation package to the Ministry by the end of the year.
MINISTER OF MAGIC TO STEP DOWN!
Public calling for Death Eater War hero to fill the vacancy…
After over twenty years in office, Madam Amelia Bones has announced that she is retiring as Minister of Magic. Although Minister Bones has had an excellent record, with high approval ratings among the wizarding public and much praise from other wizarding nations, the eyes of wizarding Britain are now looking ahead, wondering who can be found to take Bones's place.
"Madam Bones will be deeply missed," said Mr. Blaise Zabini, head of Magical Law Enforcement. "But as for her successor, we've got a few ideas."
Already, the voice of the people has been heard requesting one of the wizarding world's most renowned individuals to take the place that many have said he deserved all along—headof the Ministry of Magic. No word has been heard from Harry Potter or his colleagues in the Auror Program on whether he will consider running for the office, but an unconfirmed report is that Madam Bones would support Potter first and foremost as her successor, if he chose to seek the position.
The Daily Prophet will bring more updates on the campaign as it begins.
Daily Prophet Special Report:
POTTER TO RUN FOR MINISTER OF MAGIC!
Details to follow…
Campaign News Bulletin:
Potter Holds Commanding Lead in Early Polls!
Details to follow…
Election Night Early Results:
POTTER WINS!
Major figure in wizarding Britain to be new Minister of Magic!
Daily Prophet
Page 9
News Knut:
Former Death Eater Severus Snape was admitted to St. Mungo's last night. Although the 63-year-old wizard is hardly aged by magical standards, one St. Mungo's staff member who asked to remain anonymous said, "The man's wickedness in life has finally caught up with him. Poetic justice, I say, his bad health."
Snape, who retired as Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher roughly ten years ago, received the Order of Merlin, Second Class, for his spy activities in the Death Eater Wars, although many in the wizarding public felt the honor undeserved, and that Snape should have been held accountable for his actions in service of Lord Voldemort. Many complaints were also made about him as a Professor during his career at Hogwarts.
"I don't know how he was shielded from public retaliation for Death Eater crimes," Mr. Gussy Fipps, a citizen of wizarding Britain, told the Prophet. "Obviously the man had powerful friends."
St. Mungo's made no official statement on the exact nature of Snape's condition, or the prognosis, but the Prophet has an unconfirmed report that he is not expected to live longer than a few days.
To be continued…
Coming Wednesday Night: In a room at St. Mungo's, the last of the Dark Lord Voldemort's dreaded followers is dying alone. But then a visitor comes, to say at last the things that have gone so long unsaid in the Epilogue: Changed For Good!
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