Harry Potter and the Snake's Veil
Epilogue: Newsprints and Crumpets
February 3rd, 1997
The Death of You-Know-Who?
The Lost of Our Boy-Who-Lived?
Ministry of Magic Headquarters, London
The Ministry of Magic is still reeling after several sudden attacks that occurred yesterday morning. The Daily Prophet can now confirm these attacks have led to the death of You-Know-Who, the feared dark lord, not by Ministry officials but by the hands of Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Even more shocking than this, is what a recovering Rufus Scrimgeour had to say about the circumstances leading up to the death.
"Dumbledore had brought the boy here after an incident at the school led to another student having to be checked in to St. Mungo's for spell damage. Potter was beyond normal. He had these yellow eyes that seemed to pierce through you. His skin was almost translucent. I've seen You-Know-Who before and that's who he looked like. When I went to question Dumbledore, Potter lost it and showed his Dark Mark." In addition to the Minister, both Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge have confirmed that Harry Potter did have a Dark Mark on his arm. The Dark Mark, a sign that the individual is a Death Eater, one of You-Know-Who's follower, was clear and evident on Potter's upper arm, all three men said. A clearly shook up Fudge had to say, "Potter… he was crazy – a madman. He clearly said he was a follower of – You-Know-Who. He was going to return to him that day." Shortly after this, Potter attacked the Minister and deftly stunned both Dumbledore and Fudge before returning to the elevators. Then he entered the Department of Mysteries, where not much is known with what exactly happened.
"We believe that Potter and You-Know-Who engaged in a duel in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries, when we arrived there was obvious scouring on the stones. We believe they must have and an argument over who had ultimate power over the Death Eaters. I can't say too much on the circumstances but Potter returned, covered in blood and tar. I thought for a moment it was You-Know-Who until I saw the thin lightning bolt scar. Potter threw a wand at us, which we have confirmed as You-Know-Who's, and said he was the next Dark Lord. Then he broke through the heavy Anti-Apparation barriers and left before we could take him in," Theodore Savage, one of the Aurors on scene, remarked before shooing us out of his office.
Further tests on You-Know-Who's wand have proved inconclusive on whether the dark lord is actually deceased. We only have Potter's word and whether this all could be hoax remains uncertain. There also has been no sign of Harry Potter who just late last night was added to the Most Wanted List for questioning about his Death Eater status and the attack on the Minister.
We'll being you more news are we gather it.
February 14th, 1997
Mass Death Eater Arrest
Hogsmeade, Scotland
Early this evening, the Auror division was notified of a full scale attack on the city of Hogsmeade by legions of You-Know-Who's Death Eaters.
To the bewilderment of Aurors and Law Enforcement, by the time they had arrived on scene all Death Eaters had already been incapacitated by a powerful stunning spell. Over one hundred Death Eaters were arrested and are currently being held in the renovated Azkaban. Sources say that many who were arrested were top ranking Death Eaters although no names have yet to be released to the public. The Ministry has publicly confirmed that neither You-Know-Who or Harry Potter were arrested.
No damage was reported in Hogsmeade and Law Enforcement has said there was only one death, an unnamed Death Eater.
We'll give you more information as it comes in.
February 15th, 1997
Week in Strange Creature Stories
A Weekly Column
In this edition of Week in Strange Creatures, we bring you one portion of the report compiled by Ministry officials not deemed important to their investigation of the Hogsmeade attack, but I'm sure it'll peak your interests creature lovers: the discovery of a six foot long snake not native to the area.
Upon interviewing several locals, none claimed to have ever seen the serpent before nor did they know of anyone who owned one.
Unfortunately this beauty was found dead and looked to have been killed in an inhumane way.
February 20th, 1997
Death Eaters' Names Released
Today the Law Enforcement released the explosive list revealing all one hundred and sixty-seven names of Death Eaters arrested at the town of Hogsmeade just barely a week ago. Topping the list were names like Lucius Malfoy, a notable socialite, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, escapees from Azkaban last January, Augustus Rookwood, former Unspeakable, and Fenrir Greyback, feared werewolf. The Ministry has also confirmed that the one death was of Bellatrix Lestrange.
During an exclusive interview with Minister Scrimgeour, he told Daily Prophet reporters that Law Enforcement has been having a difficult time gaining any information from any of the Death Eaters. "They all seemed to be in a state of confusion coupled with an intense fear. The only legible thing we've gotten out of them are phrases like 'He betrayed us' and 'I am a Death Eater.' Although, once we mention You-Know-Who, we've gotten responses of 'He's dead. Our Dark Lord is dead.' Time will tell just how much useful information we will get from them," the Minister finished.
Further tests on You-Know-Who's wand has confirmed that the once feared dark wizard is indeed dead. "The wand shows no indication that its owner remains living. We've done many tests and we've recently been continuously getting this result," a wand expert told Daily Prophet reporters.
The Minister went on further to say that no leeway has been made in locating Harry Potter, who is still wanted in connection to the death of You-Know-Who and the attack on the Minister.
No trial date has been made for the one hundred and sixty-seven Death Eaters.
March 2nd, 1997
Nothing Short of Magical Mystery
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London
In an act that is still unknown to the mediwizards and mediwitches of St. Mungo's, two patients in the Spell Damage Ward were cured of their ailments. The Daily Prophet has just found out that the two were in fact Frank and Alice Longbottom, former Aurors who nearly fifteen years were tortured into insanity by Death Eaters.
Their only son, Neville, 16, was also in the hospital for treatments for Spell Damage that the Daily Prophet can now confirm was a result of the very attack by Harry Potter that led him to the Ministry nearly one month ago. While the only son of the Longbottoms is almost fully recovered, he declined to comment on Potter as he headed to his parents' new room. "You all need to leave my family and me alone. I know some good spells to drive you all away," he told reporters as he was entering the door. "And leave Harry alone," he finished before disappearing into the room.
The Daily Prophet obtained an exclusive interview with Miriam Strout, the healer who was working the ward where the Longbottoms were, told us that only one person was seen in the ward that night. "I went to ask just who he was, since I hadn't checked him in and we've increased security in the wards since a death over a year ago. He had a long black cape on, with the hood up. I couldn't see his face. He vanished when I approached."
Could this mystery man be the one who healed the Longbottoms? No one will probably ever be certain unless this man comes forward.
June 5th, 1997
Aurors Officially Label Harry Potter as Next Dark Lord
Ministry of Magic Headquarters, London
In a shocking speech today, Minister Scrimgeour announced the Ministry has changed the status of former Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter, from a person of interest to a highly dangerous Death Eater who is believed to have taken over for You-Know-Who.
This statement comes from several testimonies from Death Eaters captured at Hogsmeade almost four months ago who claim that Potter was sworn in last October as a Death Eater and was immediately placed as second-in-command. While The Daily Prophet has been unable to confirm this for ourselves due to the intense security placed on the convicted Death Eaters, we hope to gather some concrete evidence and, for now, will have to settle with the Minister's briefing.
The whereabouts of Potter are still unknown.
Harry smirked as he tossed the newspaper on the table. He crossed the kitchen and tapped the kettle on the stove, immediately boiling it. Pouring the hot water into a cup with a teabag, Harry glanced outside his window. The sun tried to peek out from behind the clouds but was slowly losing the battle.
"I know how you feel," Harry murmured, dropping two sugar cubes into his tea and stirring it three times. He frowned, watching the tea swirl in his cup.
Hedwig chirped as the fireplace blazed green. Harry tensed, magic ready until he saw who it was. He relaxed as the figure stepped out of the flames.
"Good morning sir. Tea?"
"Not today Potter," Severus Snape replied sitting down at the small table. His eyes skimmed the Prophet.
"I think they're going a bit off me, don't you think?" Harry said, sitting besides his ex-professor. "You think they'd get bored."
Snape raised his eyebrow, "I've told you time and time again Potter – "
"- I should go explain myself and take off the memory charms on the Death Eaters. Blah, blah, blah." Harry sipped his tea. "I'm not bloody stupid sir, and I don't want to be involved in their politics. I like it here, away from it all, away from all of them."
Snape didn't say anything, weighing his words carefully. "I think your godfather knows I've been in contact with you. I think it's his canine nose."
Harry smiled faintly. "Does he believe what the Prophet says?"
"No. He's one of the few in Order that has a clear idea of you. Most don't know what to think. Even Dumbledore isn't too sure." Harry snorted, placing his tea cup down. The humor was quickly lost on him, and he turned to stare out the window once more. The ex-Death Eater analyzed the teen before him. He looked so much older than his former classmates, Snape had a feeling that was the cause of Harry's travel to another dimension. "Would you ever go back? Stop by at Hogwarts or Grimmauld Place? Are you honestly going to allow what happened alter you whole life?"
Harry's mood turned dark. "I'm not the same person anymore. The Harry Potter they all knew died last October."
"Your godfather died last June, but don't you still want to know him?"
Harry buried his face in his hands momentarily before getting up. He walked over to Hedwig, grabbing a spare parchment and a quill. He scribbled on the paper: Harry Potter lives at 221 Overshire Hill in Lanark, Scotland and handed it to Snape. "Would you give this to Sirius, please? Only Sirius."
Snape took the note, pocketing it, "Of course Potter."
"Why did you come here today sir?" Harry questioned. "I thought we had cleared up all business pertaining to the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. What more is there left to do?
"This," Snape responded, patting the pocket. "You told me not to allow the Dark Lord to take you back and I'm just following your request." He slowly stood up. "Well good day Potter."
"Good bye sir," Harry replied as Snape tossed in a bit of Floo Powder and disappeared from the home. "Thank you," Harry whispered.
&&&&&
A few nights later a fire crackled in its hearth as Harry curled up in a lounge chair, a book in hand. He flipped it open to his last spot. The whole house was silent expect for the popping of the wood. When the fire blazed green, Harry once again tensed.
Out stepped his godfather. Harry waited, trying to read Sirius' face. It was taunt, not a trace of a smile. Harry withdrew in his chair, thinking he had made a mistake. Then, Harry looked right in his eyes.
"Sirius," he finally breathed before getting off the chair and enveloping his godfather in a hug, "I've missed you so much." He sighed deeply as the arms moved from the side to around him. Then, four months of living alone just spilled out of Harry. "I picked out this cottage for us fugitives to live in. You can see the stars when you sit out at night. There's a perfect view of the valley as well. You should see it when the sun hits this one spot. It's beautiful Sirius. Just you and I, and a few sheep that sometimes graze out in the backyard."
"Hey to you too, kiddo. Settle down, you owe me one big explanation."
Harry pulled away, his emerald eyes swimming with emotion. "Would you like some tea with that?"
Fin. (Really this time)
I can't believe this story has evolved from a dream I had in April 2004 when I was in England. It's insane that a short dream could snowball into this. Wow.
I just want to say thank you 2-6 reviewers who usually stop by to leave a review every chapter or so. Thank you, my lurking readers for making my hits per chapter hit over at least 200. I don't have any plans for a sequel; don't know what there is to go off with, but you never know when inspiration will hit. If you feel you have any questions I may not have answered, let me know. I don't bite. Maybe your question will get me to edit a chapter to make things more clear.
Thank you all!
-Anaticulapraecantrix
2007