A Hero's Gathering - Famed Faces Attend Lockhart's Book-Signing

Article by Edmund Limus

Sirius Black's Secret Engagement!

Article by Rita Skeeter

Angel or Devil? - Revelations of Teenage Convict's Secret Prophecies

Article by Rita Skeeter

"Harry, what have I said about reading anything by Rita Skeeter?" Sirius teased as Harry's face furrowed into the paper.

"I know, but it could be important!"

"You need to relax, pup. We saw how things were yesterday. Your friend will be fine."

Harry slowly lowered the paper. "If you say so…"

Bellatrix Black Attack Thwarted!

Article by Andy Smudgley

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius moaned as he saw the title over Harry's shoulder.

"The title's misleading," Harry mumbled. "Someone attacked her, not the other way around."

"Huh." A silence followed as Sirius pondered it over. Then came a soft laugh, "Was it Augusta Longbottom? Wouldn't surprise me. Can't imagine how she must feel having Bella-bitch so close to Frank and Alice."

"No idea. The article doesn't say." Harry considered his godfather's words for a while. "Oh. I never thought about that. Neville must be feeling awful about this! I should write him a letter…"

Wednesday December 29th, 1993

"This is Potter Manor?!"

"Draco!"

"What? You can't seriously expect me to not be appalled by this?"

Narcissa groaned with fingers at her temple. "Harry, I apologize for my son's uncouth remarks."

"That's… okay," Harry winced as he looked up at the remains of Potter Manor.

Having already seen his parent's cottage in Godric's Hollow, Harry had thought he was prepared for today's trip; yet where only a quarter of the cottage was blown to bits- and the insides strewn about from his father's last stand- Potter Manor was a complete wreck! The upper two-thirds of the building were charred from flames. The roof had caved in, and the walls had holes punched throughout. The property grounds had grown wild. Weeds had grown into the pathway, nearly reclaiming it entirely to nature. There were wild masses of (what he guessed were) topiaries; and some had been damaged from the attack, causing the animal-shapes to regrow into bisected abominations. Far in the distance, through wide gaps in the walls, he spotted another, smaller building that seemed reasonably intact. Though, considering the state of the manor, that bar was set pretty low. "I guess you weren't exaggerating when you said it's half-destroyed."

Sirius sighed sadly, "No, I really wasn't." He readied his wand. "Chiara, stay close to me."

The adult wizards got to work on clearing the pathway of troublesome plants. As they made their way forward, the younger pair fell a-ways behind.

"How have things been?" Harry asked.

Draco grimaced. "It's been- quiet, being home. I mean, that's fairly normal; but this year…"

"It's not the same."

"Exactly." They walked on. "It will do my mother good, having you all stay at our home, tonight."

Harry's lips twinged with a mischievous smile. "Sirius thought your mum was going to turn down the offer. You've never had a muggle visit before, have you?"

Draco's laugh came stilted. "No, probably not in centuries. It's quite the change. My father would have never-" Pain flashed across his face. "...Still, she needs her family with her."

"...I think you both do."

"I suppose so," Draco pushed for a smile. "Even if they are just adopted ones."

Harry rolled his eyes, bumping Draco's shoulder playfully. "Well it won't just be us forever. After all, you're going to have a little cousin running around in a few months."

"Ha! If Cousin Dora doesn't murder Lupin, first! She won't graduate from auror training if they find out she's pregnant; and then what'll she do?"

"True, but I heard she's pushing to take the graduation test early." Harry then mused aloud, "The real trick will be convincing Uncle Remus to be a stay-at-home dad while she works."

"A what? You mean leaving him alone with the baby?!" Draco was shocked as Harry nodded 'yes'. "No. No, absolutely not! He's a werewolf! You can't trust him around a baby!"

"He's saying the same thing," Harry rolled his eyes. "But it's just one night a month. Andromeda and Ted can look after the baby that much, at least."

"It's still a risk, though. What if he scratches the baby? Worse, what if it bites him?! -Don't laugh! Babies go through teething, you know!"

Harry laughed harder. "I know, I know. I'm just- I'm just imagining it. Would that even work? Bite a werewolf to turn into a werewolf?"

"Probably," Draco shuddered. "I don't even want to know."

They tiptoed into the building. Narcissa and Sirius vanished small stretches of glass and debris, just enough to walk a narrow path inside. The tiled floor and stone doubled stairs seemed relatively intact. (At least from what peeked out from the debris.) Though the walls, bannisters, and support columns were clearly damaged from the attack. They were further degraded from weather exposure and even some stray plants and animals that found their way inside over the years. Without the chandelier, and a lack of natural light from the cloudy sky, Harry could hardly even discern what colours the foyer was meant to be.

"This home is a disaster!" Chiara muttered. "Shame. It must have been beautiful back then."

Sirius nodded silently. "...We'll make it right again. It just needs a little spit and shine!"

The Malfoys looked disgusted by the suggestion (or was it the phrasing?) "This is hardly something two wizards can- or will- do alone. It will take an army of house elves and specialists to bring this home to its proper state."

"Probably, but without the house elves. I doubt Harry is interested in buying any."

"Hold on," Draco thought, "do you think there are any Potter house elves still alive?"

"They didn't make it," Sirius corrected him. "Peeky and Toffy held off the Death Eaters just long enough for James to escape. If it weren't for them, James wouldn't have survived."

The group fell silent at the sombre tale. Harry hadn't known that part of the story- just that his dad had only enough time to turn on some last minute defence wards before escaping passed the anti-apparition wards. To know that two house elves had given their lives to help him… that was far more tragic than losing a home.

"I know that house elves have to be loyal to their masters," said Draco, "but I didn't realize their service goes that far."

Sirius scoffed. "It's not about service. They helped him because it was the right thing to do-!"

Harry cut in hastily. "Draco just means that they were so loyal to the family." He gave Draco a look to ensure silence. "After all, it's not like dad ordered them to act as a human shield."

A small growl rumbled in Sirius' throat. Obviously he didn't believe the cover, but he could only huff a "Right" to the latter part of Harry's defence.

They walked on through the building. There was an eerie dichotomy of clutter and emptiness. Empty spaces where portraits ought to be. Nests of rats or pixies or who knew what else. No sounds beyond footsteps and light rain; and each step was careful and measured- stretching the silences further.

Sometimes the silence got too suffocating, prompting muttered conversations about the home. Sirius told stories about his time living here, mainly when particular rooms sparked a memory. That would sometimes prompt Chiara to ask questions and learn more about his life, as well as English pureblood ways of living. At one point the silence was held at bay by loud conversation when Draco tried (and fail to) talk Harry out of his plan to repurpose the entire building for magical orphans and runaways-

("You have other properties, Harry!")

("I can live in those ones. Why do I need an entire mansion to myself?")

("You can live in the same building, idiot! Just keep a wing for yourself!"-)

Entertaining as that was for the adults, the argument was short-lived, dragging the group back into the quiet of the ruin.

At one point, when the silence got particularly draining, Sirius caved and asked after Bellatrix's health. When Narcissa recovered from the surprise question, she answered as best she could. Seems Bellatrix wasn't badly harmed physically- but her mind was addled, or possibly bespelled, making it impossible for her to identify the attacker. Arcturus was furious when they found out- storming St. Mungo's and openly accusing the guards of allowing the attack to happen. The ensuing argument had nearly come to wands, and with the Ministry refusing to (unable to) make any arrests there was little that could be done to deescalate the situation.

"It'll all calm down once she's thrown back in Azkaban," Sirius huffed. His abrasiveness bothered Narcissa, yet there was little she could do to argue against him. In the end she commented her intent to visit often before the transfer happens. Not that her cousin or other sister would ever agree to do the same.

When the ground and upper floors were complete, the group stopped near the veranda doors. Catching Harry's eye, Sirius halted the others. "You all go on ahead. There's something I'd like to show Harry before we leave the house."

The trio shared a look before giving a nod and retreating to the grounds behind the manor. Harry and Sirius, meanwhile, went back inside towards the family room. It took a bit of work getting inside, but they soon found what they were looking for: The Potter Family Crest.

The emblem was etched into the far wall. Etched, but not fully solid, as made evident when Harry pushed his magic into it, forcing the emblem to retreat into the wall and open a secret door. Harry grinned. "I know Hogwarts has secret passages, but this is just awesome!"

They walked inside, following downward steps until they arrived inside the family's secret library. Sirius gave a loud whistle at the sight. "It's bigger than I expected."

Harry inspected the spines of some nearby books. "Some of these look like diaries. Maybe those are the grimoires my grandfather mentioned?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it." Sirius hovered over Harry's head. "I think these ones are memoirs or records. You know, family history and such."

"Family history…" His heart lurched with yearning. These books… between them and the resurrection stone, he has his whole family's history right at his fingertips! Emotion overwhelmed him, the yearning doubled into gratitude. "Maybe Draco has a point about not repurposing the whole house. This library survived the attack. I don't want to risk taking these books out and something bad happening to them."

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Harry."

"You never know. Better to be safe than sorry." This house is certainly a testament to that. "Come on, let's see what else is here. We shouldn't keep the others waiting long…"

After a fruitful and melancholic exploration of Potter estate, the group retired to Malfoy Manor for the evening. The difference between the two locals was staggering, especially so as Draco took Harry on a tour of the manor. Some areas were avoided, places awash with memories of his father, but Draco did his best to show Harry the possibilities for having his family home restored. When the tour finished, the boys settled into Draco's personal sitting room to relax and unwind.

"What do you have there, Harry?"

"Some notes I found from my grandfather's study." Ones that Fleamont practically ordered Harry to take from the library back on Halloween. "He was a potioneer. I know he invented Sleekeazy, but it looks like he had a bunch of other ideas, too. Figured maybe I could try some out."

"That could be fun." Draco peered over his shoulder. "Colour-shifting potion? You of all people hardly need that."

Harry chuckled. "I know that, but look! He wrote here that his mum's family had a few metamorphmagus' in the family, and he was trying to replicate their abilities. I think he was even using his mother-in-law's hair as an ingredient?"

"Hold on. Does that mean your hair-changing ability is a metamorphmagus ability?!"

"I- don't know?" The thought was certainly an interesting one. "I mean, I've never tried doing anything else, but it's nowhere near as good as what Tonks can do."

The boys mulled over the thought. "Perhaps you should try it sometime, or write to her to get her advice on the matter? But first, let's give this potion a try! Dobby!"

With a POP the battered house elf appeared. "Yes, Master Draco?"

"Get the potion's lab ready for me."

"Yes, Master Draco." The elf moved, then stopped and stared wide-eyed on seeing Harry seated next to him. His eyes started to brim with happy tears.

"Be quick about it!" Draco snapped.

Dobby jumped. "Yes, Master! Sorry, Master! Bad, Dobby-!" He popped away before anything else could be heard.

"Come on! Let's go!" Draco dragged Harry out of his seat and into the wing.

As Harry moved, it was as though his stomach was filled with lead. "You shouldn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Talk to him like that."

Draco looked confused. "Who? Dobby? But he wasn't following orders."

"He said he would. He just just didn't jump right to it. You shouldn't snap at people over waiting two seconds. Hasn't he suffered enough?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's covered in bandages! Obviously working is hurting him."

"Harry, you're exaggerating," Draco huffed. "Besides, he only hurts himself when he does something wrong."

"That isn't right!" Harry snapped. Old wounds started to resurface, though he tempered them as best he could. "Do you hurt your self every time you do something wrong?! Any time you do a job that isn't perfect?"

The shouting alarmed Draco, which increased over his pointed questions. "I- well-"

"Do you punish yourself?"

"Of course not!" He answered reactively.

"Why not?"

"Because that'd be stupid."

"Then isn't what Dobby's doing stupid?"

"It's- well- it's not like he's a wizard."

"Right. He's a house elf. Which means he's only hurting himself because his masters have told him to hurt himself. Imagine if I had to do that every time my aunt and uncle didn't like how I cleaned the house? And, believe me, they never thought I did a good job at anything. Even though that was just an excuse to hurt me, imagine if they had made me do the punishments to myself? Even if I had been a muggle kid, does that seem right to you?"

Eyes wide, Draco was silent as the scenario played in his head.

Another thought occurred to him, which Harry capitalised on. "House elves also work better if they're treated right. Think about what Sirius said about Peeky and Toffy. They didn't save my dad because of any orders, they did it because they cared about their family. The Potters treated them well, and they gave their lives in return. Isn't inspiring loyalty worth more than mindless obedience?"

Draco gave a long, pensive nod. "Dobby has been… different this last year. I've, um, done some experimenting with how I talk to him when I'm at school. I suppose he's been… happier?" The concept bewildered Draco, yet that does explain Dobby's occasional smiles, doesn't it?

"And he'd be happier, still, if he wasn't forced to hurt himself."

"...That does make sense. But, what should I do when he messes up, then?"

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. "What would you want to happen to you whenever you mess something up for your mother or at school?"

Draco looked surprised, as if he's never had to consider that perspective before. "Oh. I suppose I'd just clean up my mess, or write lines or something?"

"Then try something like that with him," said Harry. "Trust me, things will be much better that way. You'll see."

Draco grew quiet as they made it to the lab. The next he spoke, it came softly. "Dobby,"

Pop! "The potions lab be set and ready, Master."

"Good." He shot a nervous look at Harry before turning back to Dobby. "Also," he took a deep breath, steadying the awkward tension, "from this moment forward, you are forbidden from any acts of self-harm. Disobedience will be punished by cleaning the attic and mistakes will be punished by fixing those mistakes. Is that understood?"

The elf froze, open-jawed, as the order took hold.

"Is that understood, Dobby?"

Tears fell from his eyes. "Y-Ye-Yes, Master Draco."

"Good. Then you're dismissed."

With another pop, the house elf disappeared. Draco pouted as he looked over at Harry's smiling face. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me, Draco, things are going to be a lot better from now on."

Thursday December 30th, 1993

Pettigrew Escapes Abroad!

Article by Annabella Soros

The infamous Death Eater, Peter Pettigrew, who escaped from Azkaban this past Halloween, has moved beyond British soil and is journeying across the continent. For the past week there have been various tips by holidaying wizards claiming to have spotted Pettigrew in Calais and Paris. Despite the number of witnesses, the Ministry initially ignored these tips, claiming them to be false reports. That all changed two nights ago when a French muggle at the Munich train station raved hysterically about seeing a 'man turning into a rat' before scurrying onto another train. The German Ministry took his statement prior to obliviation, and confirmed that the description of the 'rat-man' matches Pettigrew.

A press release was held yesterday by Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE. "We are taking all tips on Pettigrew seriously," she claims after being questioned about the witnesses in France.

"At this time, we can confirm that the train he boarded headed to Budapest. The public can rest assured that Peter Pettigrew is no longer a threat to the British public. We are working with other Ministries to capture Pettigrew and bring him to justice."

Despite these assurances, Pettigrew poses a danger to wizards abroad. After his shocking and deadly escape from Azkaban prison, aurors will need to be vigilant against his unknown repertoire of the dark arts.

That being said, having Pettigrew's location better known has provided a new reprieve for Britain: The return of the Dementors. "The Dementors will be returning to Azkaban immediately," says Minister Fudge. "They will only be called upon again once our sources abroad can confirm where Pettigrew is hiding. We thank the public for their patience as we work to trap this rat once and for all!"

This move presents its own questions and concerns, as members of the Wizengamot fear the use of Dementors entirely. "They're a menace!" says Augusta Longbottom. "They attacked my grandson when they are supposed to be protecting the school! How can we be sure they'll even catch the traitor when they stoop to attacking children?!"

There is also the matter of Pettigrew's animagus status. "They never went after Sirius Black whenever he turned into a dog," claims a Ministry source (who wished to remain anonymous.) "Odds are they'll ignore Pettigrew just as easily when he's transformed. Don't see how much use they'd be if they're taken abroad."

These questions, and more, continue to rise as aurors work to capture Pettigrew. With cooperation from foreign Ministries, there is hope that the dementors will not be needed to capture this dangerous criminal.