Saturday morning, a week after they had returned from Hogwarts, and two weeks after Fudge had refused to accept the fact of Voldemort's return, Hermione was eating breakfast reading the morning's Daily Prophet.

Suddenly she gasped, making her parents look up at her in concern from across the table.

"Dear?" asked Hermione's mum.

Hermione looked up, realizing she must have made a noise out loud.

"Remember how I told you that the Minister of Magic refused to believe Harry's report that Voldemort has a body again, and subsequently Dumbledore's belief of Harry?" she said. "Well, I knew he controlled the Prophet, and so wouldn't let any story about Voldemort's return be published, silencing the story so most of the people wouldn't know what Harry and Dumbledore were 'fearmongering', as he would put it. What I didn't realize is that he would go so far as to slander Harry and Dumbledore — or libel, technically, as it's in writing. But there's a story in here about this witch in Wales who had what sounds like a pretty bad flying broomstick accident the other day, but instead of just reporting the facts, like a newspaper should, they wrote in their article, and I quote, 'Let's hope she hasn't got a scar on her forehead or we'll be asked to worship her next.' A clear defamation of Harry's character, and an attempt to turn Harry into someone nobody will believe. I have to tell Harry about this — I doubt he's reading cover to cover to see it."

And with that she rushed off to her room to grab a pen and sheet of paper. Returning to the kitchen a minute later, she resumed eating as she began writing.

~.~

Hi Harry,

As I'm sure you're mostly just scanning through the Prophet looking for anything that looks like Voldemort's handiwork, you probably won't see Fudge's latest attack on truth. He's stepped up his game from merely censoring any story acknowledging that Voldemort is back to full power, and is now deliberately slandering you to try to keep everyone from believing you if they do somehow catch wind of you proclaiming the truth of Voldemort's return.

Page eight, Wales broomstick crash article, instead of sticking to the facts, the writer wrote, 'Let's hope she hasn't got a scar on her forehead or we'll be asked to worship her next.' We knew Fudge was going to fight hard against the truth, but he's really gone all out.

Just thought you should be aware, and on the lookout for more since I seriously doubt this will be the only time the Prophet drags your name through the mud. But otherwise, hope you're having a good weekend, and I'll see you Monday, our park, nine am.

Love, your girlfriend,

Hermione

~.~

Looking up at her parents, she asked, "It's okay if I go visit Harry on Monday, right?"

"Of course, dear," answered her mum. "But when are you going to invite him here?"

"Harry's relatives won't let him take the train to visit any of 'our' kind," replied Hermione sadly. "They probably wouldn't be happy knowing we're going into London together, but they don't know, so they haven't forbidden it like they have him coming to visit me, or anyone else magical."

"Won't they get suspicious when he's gone all day?" asked her dad.

"Sadly, no," sighed Hermione, wishing yet again that she could do more for Harry about his home situation. "As long as he's not in their hair, or basically visible at all, they don't care where he is. And honestly, I could invite him over here and they'd never know, but that is the one thing they've expressly forbidden to him, so I can't ask him to do that."

"Well, I know you two have a rough time at Hogwarts, but at least he has there to escape to most of the year," said her mum.

At that moment, Hedwig pecked on the glass patio door, on her daily visit to see if Hermione had anything to send to Harry. So Hermione sealed up her letter, and went over and tied it to Hedwig's leg, taking the owl a couple strips of bacon as well.