I'm really sorry for the wait! I had this all ready to be published, ANs and everything, but then the page died on me and I lost it, and I haven't had the chance to update it since. The winners of my banner competition were Beatrice Potter (http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5415/simplymagicbannercopyii6.png) and UnespectedInspiration (http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2859/bannerunexpectedinspirasx6.png - I don't have the link for the other copy! i think i lost it somewhere!), see the URLs for the banners.

I was asked why Teddy's surname was 'Weasley', and if Tonks had married Charlie. The simple answer is a typing error. The long answer... Ironically, that was what I had originally planned but had completely forgotten about. If I wanted to change it now I'd have to trawl through all the other chapters to edit them for continuity, as well as a couple of chapters I've already written for the sequel. Also, Teddy's surname would stay as 'Lupin' anyway. So, no. Charlie did not marry Tonks.

Anyway, enjoy the final chapter of Betrayal! Details on the sequel are at the bottom.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Still.

1st August 2017

POTTER FREED AFTER NINETEEN YEARS

By Anne McShiffles

Harry Potter has been pardoned and released from Azkaban, nineteen years after his original imprisonment in 1998. Although now aged 37, Potter looked at least ten years older than he should after emerging yesterday afternoon. He was greeted by Ginny Weasley, 35, Siria Potter-Weasley, 19, Ron Weasley, 37, and Hermione Granger-Weasley, 37. This was the first time Potter had ever set eyes on his daughter, and by all accounts it was an emotional reunion. It was requested that well-wishers keep their distance while Potter adjusts himself, but at the Ministry, Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade there were huge crowds of men, women and children who wanted to show their support.

"It's brilliant!" Dennis Creevey, a 34-year-old Healer from St Mungo's enthused. "I couldn't believe it when they jailed Harry, but now he's free and he can live a normal life... well, as normal as it gets for the Boy Who Lived." Creevey was a member of the infamous Dumbledore's Army, Potter's own defence club started so students would know how to defend themselves. His brother, Colin Creevey, was one of the casualties of the Battle of Hogwarts, although Dennis was only 14 at the time and Colin was still underage himself, if only by a few weeks. It all highlights the tragedy of that one year we lived under Voldemort's reign, and how much we owe to Potter and those other brave wizards and witches who fought for our freedom.

Every year since Potter's imprisonment Hermione Granger-Weasley, founder of the Public's Party, and her colleagues have presented a bill to the Ministry to pardon and release Potter. In recent years the movement had gained popularity after a serious campaign of speeches, protests and general awareness-raising. Teddy Lupin, 19 and volunteer for the Public's Party, gave an impassioned thanks to all who supported the movement. This will also be the first time he can talk face to face with his godfather. Lupin's parents were both members of the legendary Order of the Phoenix and his father was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts. This makes Lupin's involvement in negotiating Potter's release particularly apt.

Statistics for the April elections next year have shifted dramatically in favour of the Public's Party. While it started out as a small group aimed at gaining Potter's release and, bizarrely, House Elf rights, it has grown immensely in both popularity and spectrum. It is deemed unlikely that Minister Hollyback, one of our longest running Ministers, will remain in power beyond 2018.

Having the great privilege of being an acquaintance of Ginny Weasley, I am able to pass on this message on her behalf: "Thank you to everyone who helped. Whoever you are, whatever you did, you have freed my daughter's father from a terrible place. I truly cannot thank you all enough."

See? It was a happy ending! Anyway, thanks for reading to the end of Betrayal, and I hope you'll tune in for the sequel. Speaking of which...

Never Too Late takes place over the course of one day rather than a couple of decades, and is written completely in prose. The chapters will be equally short I'm afraid, and will focus on different events & characters at Harry and Ginny's wedding (see? very happy ending). There are eight chapters planned and I will probably start posting the first after New Year.

sings: all i want for christmas is reviews for my story! Merry Christmas everyone!