"SIRIUS BLACK EXONERATED"

Yesterday, the Wizengamot in a special trial convened on the behalf of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, exonerated Sirius Black of the charges of betrayal of the Potters on Oct 31, 1981. It was affirmed before the Wizengamot by means of a veritaserum induced trial of Peter Pettigrew who was supposed to be dead all these years. (For more on Sirius Black, see P. 8)

It also came to light that Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban without any trial on the recommendation of the former Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold and the then Head of the DMLE, Barty Crouch Sr. (For more on Millicent Bagnold and Barty Crouch Sr. see P. 9)

It has come to light that Peter Pettigrew was supposed to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix, the secret society which fought you-know-who during the war. Peter Pettigrew was sentenced to the Dementor's kiss a week from the date of conviction at the Azkaban prison. (For more on the Order of the Phoenix, see P. 10)

Minister Fudge, after the session had the following to say:

"This was indeed an unfortunate occurrence that someone had to stay in Azkaban for 12 years without having committed a crime and I feel aggrieved when I realise that I was one of the first on the spot that night and found Mr. Black laughing. I realise that I failed to follow up the matter with the authorities about his trial and like others I thought that he had received a fair trial. However, today we have done justice to him the best way that we can."

Rest of the story continues on Page 5..."

Such was the headline that screamed from the top of the paper for the information of the Wizarding Public the morning after the trial. Also there was a picture on the front page of Cornelius Fudge with Sirius Black which had been taken after the trial and Fudge looked like he had won a major victory.

In a corner on the front page, was another news story published which was so small that others would not have been able to see it at first unless they knew what they were looking for.

"Under Secretary to Minister sentenced to Azkaban for life

After the trial of Sirius Black was concluded, the wizengamot took up the issue of the Boy-who-lived and Sirius Black being attacked by the Dementors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Lord Bones asked the ministry to be answerable to the demands made by the chamber and the houses bullied the minister to force him to answer the questions of the chamber. It came to light that the orders to recall the Dementors back to Azkaban were never sent to the island but the former undersecretary to the Minister, Dolores Umbridge kept them back maliciously. (For more on Dolores Umbridge, please see P. 10)

She was sentenced to Azkaban for life in a maximum security wing by the Wizengamot."

EXAMS! OH GROAN!

The end exams had approached finally and the students were excited, especially for Defense against the dark arts. The teacher, Remus Lupin was the best that they had in years for now. His way of working with the students had given all of them a new sense of purpose and they all had enjoyed his classes. In fact, many of the students were hoping that he would stay for another year.

Remus himself harboured the expectation in his heart of being given another year at Hogwarts, not that he was in dire need of employment now. His best friend Sirius Orion Black had a job for him which would pay well enough for him to make some semblance of a normal life. He knew that through Sirius, he would get to stay close to Harry too because Sirius, in no way, was going to live without his godson. There was something that he would have to tell to Harry though. Something which would change his perception towards Remus but that could wait until school broke for summer vacations.

The exams went well for everyone however Harry enjoyed them the most for there was no one threatening him for once at the end of the year. In his first two years at Hogwarts, he had been busy fighting Voldemort at the end of the school year.

This year, all he had to care for was passing his exams and that was going to be easy. The first exam was Charms where he thought he had done rather well. Professor Flitwick had tested them on cheering charms as he had hinted he would. Harry thought he had done reasonably well in Care of Magical Creatures. Transfiguration was hard as always but he was confident that he had managed to scrape an E in his final exams and his practical exam was not as bad as he had initially feared. Ron shared his enthusiasm in the exams and had done fairly well considering his work ethic which was the same as Harry. His transfiguration was not as neat as he had thought it would be but that was all to it that he could do.

Hermione however was stressed out with so many subjects that she had taken and was always on the edge of her seat. Others were always cautious around her on joking about anything or even saying a word that would make her snap.

Their best exam had been Defense against the Dark Arts where they had to go through a sort of obstacle course that Professor Lupin had set for them. They would have to fight a Grindylow, a dugbog, and then climb into a trunk where they would face a boggart. Whoever emerged from the trunk at last would directly score an Outstanding.

Harry was the one who had emerged as the winner at the end when he had made his boggart trip on the hem of its robes when it changed into a Dementor. When he emerged out of the trunk, Lupin clapped him on the shoulder beaming, "Well done Harry. Full marks."

Ron had been led astray by a dugbog and sank calf deep into a marsh. Hermione did well until the end when she emerged from the trunk bawling.

Remus asked him with concern, "Hermione, what happened?"

"Pro-Professor McGonagall s-s-said I f-f-failed e-e-everything", she wailed.

Harry had to force himself to not to laugh at whatever Hermione's Boggart had turned into. It almost seemed like Ron had a prophetic vision that Hermione's boggart would be that she failed to score an Outstanding in her tests.

The Prophecy

It was the day of their divination test and Harry woke up feeling uneasy. He knew there was something that bothered him but he could not put a finger to it.

He absentmindedly dressed to go for breakfast and was in the common room when he noticed Hermione standing in a corner and fiddling with a chain on her neck. Now this was something that Harry had not seen before. Now that he came to think of it, he had never seen Hermione wearing any jewellery ever. Then why she had suddenly taken to wear a chain around her neck and why she was fiddling with it?

Before he could stop her, Hermione had disappeared. He kept staring at the place, trying to figure out what had happened when someone from behind him said, "What are you looking at, Harry?"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. Standing behind him were Ron and Hermione though he was not sure where Hermione had come from. He had just seen her disappear.

"Where were you?", Harry asked her.

"What do you mean?", she said raising an eye brow.

"I just saw you there disappearing in air", said Harry.

Hermione laughed nervously, "No one can disapparate out of thin air at Hogwarts, Harry."

Was it Harry's perception or somehow she was acting nervous and fingering the chain around her neck? He was more than sure now that Hermione was hiding something from her best friends.

"Never mind", he said, "let's go to breakfast or we will be late for exams."

Today was the last exam and then Harry wondered where he would go now. He had read in the newspaper that Sirius had taken his guardianship but since then Sirius hadn't showed up or contacted him anyway. Was it possible that Sirius too didn't want Harry? The thought made him sad however that was the story of his life.

As he was leaving his exam of divination where he knew his performance has been bad, he started walking away. He was halfway out of the room when he heard something fall behind him. He turned around and saw that a crystal ball had fallen from the table where it was kept and it was rolling towards him.

Already fed up of divination and peering into the glass ball for the last hour, he wanted nothing more than to throw the ball through the trap door but decided to return it to her.

Trelawney was finishing up after the exams and collecting cups etc which she had distributed to the students and Harry walked up to her, "Professor, this was rolling away."

She took the ball from him, "Than..."

Suddenly, she froze and started shivering. Harry panicked with her state. He didn't want someone to blame him for whatever was happening to Trelawney. However before he could do something, the shivers had stopped and her eyes were wide open, her voice was deep and rumbling as if someone else was speaking through her.

"The servant of the dark lord will return to him... return before the moon turns... return to his master who lives in misery... the servant will help him rise."

Harry was freaked out to be honest. He could not make head or tails of whatever she was saying but from what he understood, she meant that Voldemort's servant will return to him.

He knew of only one servant of Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew but he was in the Ministry and today, he was going to be kissed by Dementors as night came. Surely the ministry would have take care to ensure that Peter could not escape from Azkaban before he was punished for his mistake.

As he watched, Trelawney returned to normal, or whatever was normal for her, "My dear boy, surely you are done with you exam? Why are you still here?"

"What did you mean by "Dark Lord returning?", he said.

To say Trelawney was shocked would be underestimating it. She let out a loud yelp, clasped the front of her robes and cried in dismay, "When did I say so? I certainly would not say anything like that. The Dark Lord returning? You know how much panic that would create?"

Harry decided to take his leave though he kept thinking of whatever had happened to her. May be she was making a real prophecy or may be, she was just again pretending so people would think she was knowledgeable.

MOONY!
That evening, the staff had their last meeting for the year. In the last meeting of the year, the teachers would sit together and determine the plan of action for next year, discuss if new recruitment was to be done and other such decisions.

"This has been a tumultuous year for all of us", said Dumbledore to his fellow teachers who were gathered in the staff room with the exception of Remus Lupin who was somewhere else.

"Yes, this has been one very stressful year", said Minerva McGonagall, "considering all the hardships that the students had to go through."

"Now it is time for us to make some decisions for the next year", said Dumbledore and everyone leaned forward in his seat to hear what he had to say.

"We had a very good year and the students loved their Defense Against the Dark Arts classes so I am going to offer Remus Lupin another year at Hogwarts unless someone has any objections?", he asked of his staff members.

"Headmaster, as I understand, Remus Lupin was hired by the school for a specific purpose and it would not be wise to retain him another year considering the threat that he poses for the students", said Severus Snape in his slow drawl.

"Is that your reason or it is because you don't want him here, Severus?", asked Minerva McGonagall?

Dumbledore raised his hand in placating gesture, "Minerva, Severus please don't fight among yourselves. I have already decided to offer him a contract for next year and discussed this idea with the board of governors. He has done very well as a teacher and it is my fond wish that he would find a new purpose working here."

Everyone noticed Severus's lips curling at the ends in distaste and realised that Snape would not change, no matter what. Some things never changed despite whatever you may do.

As there were no other matters which concerned the staff, they all left shortly. Severus was last one to leave and just as he was leaving, he found Pansy Parkinson at the door of the staff room, "What do you want, Ms. Parkinson?"

"Professor, I wanted to talk to Professor Lupin about a question", she said, "Can you tell me where he is?"

Severus' lips curled up in a cruel smile, "Ah, he is indisposed at the moment due to the full moon tonight."

Her eye brows shot up, "Indisposed?"

Severus asked her with feigned surprise, "You don't know he is a werewolf? I should have thought that a clever girl like you would have worked it out by now."

MOONY THE WEREWOLF

Remus Lupin aka Moony was in a dilapidated building known as Shrieking Shack just off the grounds of Hogwarts which could be accessed by a tunnel built under a Whomping Willow. Whomping willow was a very dangerous plant which was planted at the school at the year when Remus Lupin arrived at Hogwarts. The tree was planted so no one enter the tunnel beneath the tree.

In the Shack, Remus Lupin was sitting and waiting for the moon to rise. As a werewolf, it was the darkest hour of his life whenever a full moon arose. It always had been so until he arrived at Hogwarts and his friends found out his furry little problem. He was scared that they would shun him but they embraced him and even became animagus so they could run with him whenever the moon was full. The Stag and the Dog could keep the wolf subdued and changing while being with his friends made his transformations very easy. The years after James's death however were very hard for him. Every full moon brought out the pain that he felt in his heart and he would howl at the moon for entire night, howling in pain and agony.

That night too, he was ready to undergo through one such night. Luckily since he started at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had been kind enough to provide him wolfsbane potion which would allow him to keep his sanity during his transformations. He would be sedated with the potion and the wolf would come out but would not be aggressive.

As he watched the moon rise from the windows of the shack, his pulse began to race. His heart started thudding faster as he could feel his muscles tense, his bones breaking and elongating and joining and he could feel a blood lust! This was not supposed to happen! How this could be? The potion could not have such effects.

As he waited, the wolf gained more and more dominance until Remus Lupin kind of felt detached watching his body being driven by the wolf. He knew something was not right. This was not how Wolfsbane was supposed to work.

Suddenly, he felt the primal instincts of the wolf begin to awake. The instinct to hunt, to kill and to mark his territory. He was a werewolf! Every creature should fear him! Remus watched helplessly as the wolf started slashing at the meagre furniture in the room, howling, causing such ruckus that he had not made since he started taking the wolfsbane. Remus was helpless and wished someone would come and help him!

Suddenly there was a scraping sound and a bark echoed in the tunnel! The bark was so strong and so full of emotion that it allowed Remus to reassert his control over the wolf. He may be wolf for a day but his mind will be his own.

A large shaggy dog bounded in the room and leaped at the wolf, playfully butting against the wolf. The wolf was elated and started cavorting with the dog. They both fought with each other, testing their strength, causing ruckus and in general having fun time as they used to before the rat destroyed everything between them. If only a stag could join them, they would be as good as they were before.

That night, the dog saved the wolf. Many times, the wolf wanted to run out and about but it was the dog who prevented that with exertion of his will. It was him who kept the wolf in line.

When morning came, Remus knew someone was going to pay for the mischief done to his potion. Yes, the potion brought his primal urges out but it had happened for a short time. Even if the dog had not come, Remus would have gained control after sometime but who knows what would have happened? What if he had bitten someone? What if he had killed someone? How could he live with that knowledge?

Turning time?

Harry had finally decided to tackle one issue that he had been dealing with. Hermione's behaviour throughout the year had been very different. She acted very suspiciously and he had no idea why she was doing it. At times, she even missed classes that he and Ron both attended but she seemed to know what they had learnt in that class. Till she studied Divination, she had regularly skipped Ancient Runes but he had heard from someone that she had not skipped a single class of Ancient Runes of Arithmancy while they both collided with Divination and Care of Magical Creatures.

He had tried to think of an explanation about the same but he had no idea. He could not think of a way that someone could be in two placed at a time which was ridiculous. No person could split his manifestations into two. However, he seemed to remember hearing about a movie in his muggle school about time travel where the actor kept going back into time to change things in the past. What if Hermione was doing the same? Was that possible though? He had no idea but he supposed that anything could be possible. After all, there were very few things that they could not do with magic.

As he and Ron came down to the common room, he cornered Hermione, "Are you going to tell us?"

Ron asked him, "What are you talking about, mate?"

Harry kept looking at Hermione, "Tell us now."

She said in a small voice, "Not here."

They walked out of the common room to an empty classroom on the sixth floor. After she had closed the door behind them, she asked, "How did you know?"

"I still don't know but I think there is something that you have not been telling us. All those times that you missed the classes, you were taking other classes and somehow you covered those that you missed at the same time. How?"

She was wringing her hands, "I promised that I will not tell."

Harry glared at her, "I have seen the chain around your neck, Hermione. It is somehow you attend the classes, don't you?"

All tension seemed to ebb out of her. She brought out the chain that she was wearing around her neck and faced them, "This is a time turner. Professor McGonagall got it for me from the Ministry. It is how I have been taking classes all the year."

"Blimey! And you didn't tell us?", exclaimed Ron.

"I.I wanted to", she said quickly, "But Professor McGonagall forbid me."

"But we are you friends", said Ron, "You can trust us."

"She said it is ministry secret and the perils of playing with time if it falls into wrong hands are dangerous. She told me that the ministry does not want anyone else to know about it."

"What are you going to do with it now?", Harry asked.

"I have decided to return it. I can't take another year like this. I will drop Muggle Studies too and then I can manage my schedule", she said, "I wanted to tell you both. I really did but with everything happening and Professor McGonagall having forbid me, I could not."

Great Hall

The third letter arrived for him when he was at breakfast the day after the full moon. This time the letter was brought by a big tawny owl and it waited while Harry read the letter.

"Heir Potter,

I hope you are fine and I congratulate you on finding your godfather. Are you going to live with him? Have you met him yet? Is he as dangerous as the newspapers claim?

My father told me that his family was full of dark wizards and they have always sat in dark faction of the ministry. I hope he does not take after his family but turns out to be well.

I lately have realised that you would be very confused about me and I am sure you want to ask me questions. This owl will wait for your reply and take it to me. Waiting to hear from you.

Third clue- I am a member of one of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses.

Later."

Harry scrambled for some quill and parchment and hastily scrawled a letter to his secret admirer and sent it. He waited for the owl to go to the secret girl in the great hall but the owl took off and flew out of the Great Hall. Harry groaned for the missed opportunity of knowing the identity of the girl.

As soon as the owl took off, another owl landed before him. This was shocking. Harry was not sure if he had ever received two letters in a day. He could guess the identity of the sender at once because it was in the same coloured envelope.

He took the letter from the owl and opened it.

"Heir Potter,

I have heard the rumor going in the rumor mill that Remus Lupin is werewolf! Pansy Parkinson has been going around telling people that Professor Snape told it to her. Do you know anything about it? Word is that you are really close to him and he was also best friends with your father. Did you know this? Waiting for your reply.

Later"

Harry looked up at the staff table, hoping to see Remus Lupin up there but he was not. However, he could see Dumbledore's eye on him who was smiling that all knowing smile. Harry had no idea what to do in this situation. He simply could not ask anyone and Remus himself was not there to confirm or deny anything.

Dumbledore gave him barest of nods and Harry understood and walked out of the Great Hall with his friends following him. When he was outside, Dumbledore met him, "you will meet him in the Hospital wing."

Saying that, Dumbledore left immediately leaving Harry to answer his friend's questions.

"What was that about?"

"Who was he talking about?"

"Is it about Sirius?"

"Guys, I have received some news and I want to confirm something. Come with me."

They both knew Harry never would hide anything from them so they followed him to the infirmary.

Remus Lupin was peacefully sleeping on one of the beds, looking very tired and having some new scars on his body. It looked like he had a very rough night but other than those scars and fatigue, there was nothing that would tell them that something was wrong with him.

Sitting on Remus's bedside was a man who wore an expensive robe, had soldier length hairs and wore dragon hide boots. It was hard to see the transformation that Sirius Black had gone through in the short time that he had been free. Yes, he was still looking gaunt and had that haunted look in his eyes but otherwise he was smiling and looked like he had been eating rather very well.

"Sirius", said Harry.

"Sirius was up in a moment and crossed the distance between them in a stride and embraced the boy, "Harry, what you are doing here?"

"I heard some rumours that Professor Lupin is...", he left it unsaid

"A werewolf?", Sirius asked, "Yes, he is a werewolf."

Ron could barely control his scream, "What! He is dangerous."

Sirius shook his head, "No he is not. Most of the time, he is normal like us. It is only on the night of full moon that he is dangerous."

Harry suddenly said, "Oh! That's why you call him Moony? Don't you?"

Sirius chuckled, "Yes."

Ron interrupted, "But I have heard that werewolves worked for you-know-who. That they turned children or murdered wizards. They are creatures of dark."

Sirius shook his head, "I can understand where you are coming from. You were raised in some pureblood family, I guess? Well Remus here was the one werewolf who was on our side and he was turned because his father had insulted Greyback."

"Who is Greyback?"

"The most savage werewolf of our times", said Sirius, "His aim is to convert as many witches and wizards as he can in order to increase their numbers so that he can rule on the wizarding world."

Harry then noticed that Hermione had not said a word all this while but he also had seen that the revelation had no effect upon her at all, "Hermione, did you knew that he is a werewolf?"

She nodded, "Since professor Snape gave us that essay to do on Werewolves."

"Snape would be proud", said Remus who had woke up, "he gave the lesson in the hopes that someone will find it. As I always said, you are cleverest witch of your age, Hermione."

"But how could he teach at Hogwarts?", said Ron, "We have been told from childhood that werewolf are dark and dangerous and followed you-know-who".

Sirius turned to him, "You should not always believe everything that you hear from others. Reality can always surprise you."

He then turned to Harry, "Would you like to introduce us to your friends, Harry?"

Harry blushed, "I forgot. They are my best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

"Did anyone knew that you are a werewolf?", Ron asked.

Remus smiled, "Something for later, Mr. Weasley. Now what brought you here?"

Harry fidgeted, "I heard a rumour that you are a werewolf and that Snape had told a student about it."

Remus winced, "I should have known that Snape won't take it kindly."

Before Harry could ask anything more, Dumbledore entered the infirmary, "Harry, please go about you day and leave me alone with you god father and Mr. Lupin. I have business to discuss with them."

The train ride back

Harry had not been able to see Remus again before they had to leave for the Hogwarts Express. He however had been told that Sirius will be waiting for him at Platform 9¾ from where he would be going with Sirius. This year had been a good one for Harry. it was perhaps the best one so far and he was very hopeful for the coming year.

During the train ride, he found an owl knocking on the train window and he opened it for the owl to enter. It was a barn owl same as others at Hogwarts and it bore another letter for him.

"Heir Potter

It was not very gentleman of you to leave the Great Hall without sending an answer to my last letter. In some circles it can be even seen as personal affront however I am willing to be your friend and I understand you are not yet intimate with the nuances of the upper echelons of our society.

I was able to confirm the rumor that Professor Remus Lupin is indeed a werewolf and I am aghast at how Dumbledore could willingly risk the lives of so many of us by allowing him to teach at Hogwarts. The old headmaster is going senile and making decisions which no one in their right mind would.

Wishing to hear from you soon.

No clues this time.

Later"

Harry read the letter and looked to see his friends looking at him like, "well?"

"Sirius's letter. He told me that he will wait for me at the station", Harry said confidently. He noticed that Ron looked sceptical and Hermione looked suspicious but they accepted what he had told them.

Before the train ride was over though, they got a customary visit from Malfoy and his lackeys, "Potter! You are going to pay for humiliating me."

Harry causally said, "You do that without any help from me, Malfoy. Go away."

As Malfoy raised his wand Harry, Ron and Hermione's wands were out already, "Stupefy, expelliarmus, tallantalegra, furunculus..."

A myriad of spells shot the three and they fell to the floor of the train with heavy thuds.

"Let's drag them to a side", said Fred, "What do you say George?"

"They are not adding to the decor", said George, "I knew they were up to no good when I saw them sneaking past us."

Harry was examining the result of the handiwork of the three. Crabbe had green skin and looked like he was about to erupt in boils, Goyle was simply stunned, Malfoy looked like he had grown a tail and there were red angry patches on his skin.

They dragged them out of the compartment and indulged in exploding snaps.

When they arrived at the station, Harry dragged his trunk off the train and started looking for Sirius around. As he waited for Sirius, he met Mrs. Weasley, a kind woman who loved him like a son and greeted her.

As the Weasleys were leaving, Ron hollered to him, "Don't forget to join us for the final of the Quidditch World Cup. Dad's got tickets."

Finally when Harry could see that Sirius was not on Platform 9¾, he dragged his trunk to the muggle side.