Chapter Eighteen
Daphne chewed slowly on her toast and read over the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. Meal times were generally far quieter than they had been last year and this breakfast was no exception. No one went to visit friends any more, or even talked very much. Every meal was over looked by at least Snape, Umbridge or one of the Carrows which made everyone feel uncomfortable. It hadn't taken long for all of them to just keep their heads down.
Daphne had taken to sitting on the side of her table with her back to the wall; it meant she could look across at the other tables. Neville did the same on the other side of the Hall. Daphne could see him also eating without thinking, focusing on reading the paper.
He was reading the same article as she was, she could tell even from this distance, there was only one that everyone seemed to be reading that morning.
Dangerous Undesirables Break Into Daily Prophet Offices.
On the morning of the 14th of September, three people posing as applicants for Daily Prophet jobs broke into the Daily Prophet Main Offices. They applied for the jobs as Joshua Lynch, thirty-four, Daniel Crosby, twenty-five and Dayna-Abbie Johnson-Maxwell, nineteen.
They arrived at approximately half past nine and started the interviews as planned. It is now assumed that they assaulted the young assistant who booked the interviews and forced him to make all of the interviews for the same time so that they would have back up needed to enact their plan.
It is strongly suspected that Crosby, Johnson-Maxwell and Lynch are none other than the highly wanted criminals, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. All three of them are wanted for numerous crimes as well as Granger being wanted for failing to attend her mandatory Muggle-Born interview at the Ministry.
Interviewed employees of the Daily Prophet said that all three applicants were rude and aggressive, that they felt out of place and made everyone they talked to feel most uncomfortable.
"I was walking passed while they were waiting." says Melissa Wilson, forty-seven and an investigative journalist, "and the girl, I can't remember her name, stuck her leg out and tripped me. I went flying and had to go to St Mungo's as I broke my nose. I'm not surprised to find out that she's a mudblood, they are a bit unstable."
Once in the interviews the rudeness continued, ending with the interview for Crosby who pretended that he wanted to be a columnist.
During the interview he was very rude, expressed several 'pro-muggle born' views before destroying a Ministry pamphlet.
Crosby then threw a bottle of ink over Ms Dawn Selwyn who was conducting the interview. He also ruined hundreds of galleons worth of work that was on Ms Selwyn's desk, including several photographs and articles read to go to print.
Crosby then physically grabbed Ms Selwyn and tried to kiss her, refusing to let go as she struggled and screamed at him in terror.
After the assault Ms Selwyn realised that Crosby stole her locket, a valuable family heirloom that had been passed down through her family for generations and is her one remaining possession from her mother, who died giving birth to her.
"I'm not sure what the overall idea of their little 'plan' was." Ms Selwyn explained, still greatly shaken, "It seems like a lot of work just for a look around the offices. They weren't shown anything confidential after all. I suspect that they were hoping to see our operation in full, and maybe they would have gotten further if Mr Crosby, or whoever he really was, hadn't lost control and attacked me, leading to me being able to raise the alarm."
What followed was a lasting battle that resulted in the injury to five loyal Daily Prophet employees as well as the death of one. Another is still in intensive care at St Mungo's.
Johnson-Maxwell and Lynch were hurt in their attack on the Daily Prophet but it is unlikely these injuries will have many lasting effects.
Members of the public are being warned to stay alert, and watch out for any strange behaviour. It is certain that these three damaged individuals will attack again and clearly have no care who gets hurt in their way.
Potter, Granger and Malfoy are all considered to be armed and extremely dangerous. If seen do not approach but alert the correct authorities.
Remember, the Ministry's only aim is to get them the help they need to be reintegrated into our peaceful society.
There is a fund set up through the Ministry to raise money for the victims of the horrific attack on the Daily Prophet and for the family of the murdered employee. All donations will be passed on anonymously.
Although Johnson-Maxwell, Lynch and Crosby all had paperwork tying them to good, pure magical families these papers had been forged and any rumours suggesting that their families are guilty in anyway should be reported. Fake news has huge impacts on our culture and should not be permitted.
Daphne sighed and rubbed her aching head. She was struggling to sleep at the moment and articles like this didn't help. She didn't believe that Harry, Hermione or Draco had killed anyone, she highly doubted there'd even been an attack.
She glanced down the table and saw Astoria chatting very quietly to her friends, apart from a few more nerves she seemed to be adjusting to the new way the school was being run better than Daphne could've hoped.
"That's not true." Luna said, more loudly than was sensible from her seat at the Ravenclaw table.
"You don't know that." a Ravenclaw boy said, sneering at her and flicking his paper back up to cover his face.
"Oh I do." Luna said with a sigh, "The Daily Prophet has lied for years, I don't think they ever know what they're talking about really. Harry would never hurt anyone, let alone kill them. Neither would Hermione or Draco. If there was an attack I don't think it was them, I think it was elves… or maybe puca? Not sure why they would attack the Prophet though… maybe Daddy will have some ideas…"
Daphne watched in horror as Luna let out a high pitched scream and fell from her seat. Alecto Carrow didn't lower her wand as she walked towards Luna and dragged her to her feet. Alecto's long nailed fingers clutching at Luna's muddy blonde hair.
"What was that, Miss Lovegood?" Alecto asked tightly.
"I don't think this is true." Luna said, shrugging away from Alecto grip more easily that Daphne thought was possible.
"What on earth could you mean, child?" Alecto hissed.
Luna shrugged, staring Alecto directly in the eyes, "I think that they're wrong about it being Harry or Hermione or Draco. It just seems really unlike them, you see."
The sound of the back of Alecto's hand slapping across Luna's face echoed around the Hall. Luna fell to the ground, raising a hand to her stinging, hot cheek.
"We will not allow such ridiculous talk." Alecto boomed, talking to not only the silently sobbing Luna but the rest of the students, "The Daily Prophet does. Not. Lie. Harry Potter and his friends are violent criminals, who will be dealt with soon enough."
Gemini rolled her eyes and let out a loud sigh, "You'd never think that Loony Lovegood was a pure-blood would you? She gives us all a bad name."
"I heard that her mother had an affair with some muggle filth and her father is just too stupid to notice." Millicent said, in a very loud whisper.
Gemini let out a cruel laugh, "That wouldn't surprise me. I mean just look at her! Besides, her father is insane, he wouldn't notice if her mother was off shagging everything insight."
Daphne couldn't take any more and left her half eaten toast on the table, tucking the paper into her school bag.
"Where are you going, Greengrass?" Rodolphus sneered, looking her up and down.
"I'm not hungry and I have studying to do." Daphne said, politely but coldly.
"She'd be another good family ruined if she wasn't so hot." Rodolphus laughed loudly as Daphne walked from the room.
It wasn't worth trying to stop them any more, they only had to look at the teachers for detentions to be threatened. They were the children of some of the most important Death Eaters there were, and currently they had all the power, and they knew it.
Ron had been given a detention during their first week back at school for writing 'Fight for Harry' on the door to the Great Hall. He'd not told anyone what had happened but he'd not tired it again.
Daphne didn't care about Rodolphus right now though, she had more to worry about than his pettiness. So far she'd not faced many lessons with their new teachers, there'd been several small groups of students going around playing pranks, many of which apparently came from Fred and George so Snape, Umbridge and the Carrows had been far too busy running around trying to get it all sorted to actually teach anyone.
They'd only been in school three weeks but the level of pranks already seemed to be slowing down, meaning that Daphne was facing a day of Dark Arts, History of Magic and Muggle Studies almost certainly with the correct teachers.
Muggle Studies came first, something that Daphne would have dreaded had it been taught by any teacher. Professor Burbage had always wittered on about how 'muggles are people as well' while also laughing about how cute it was that they needed electricity.
The lessons had never interested Daphne, any questions she'd ever had about muggle life she'd simply asked Lily who'd given her far better answers with far less underlying judgement.
The seventh year lined up outside the muggle studies classroom. Neville slipping into line behind Daphne and risking reaching forward to squeeze her hand.
"How are you doing?" Daphne asked in a whisper.
Neville shrugged, realising how silly that was as she couldn't see him, "Been better, been worse. It's the first run out tonight to we'll be able to talk more then."
Daphne nodded and they both fell silent as the rest of the year lined up. Alecto kept them waiting a good five minutes before marching down the corridor and throwing open the Muggle Studies Classroom door.
"In." Alecto barked, checking her watch, "Before any of you ask, I was late due to a student thinking it was funny to set off a pile of stink bombs in the staff room."
"Did you get it sorted?" Millicent asked stupidly.
"I don't think she'd be here if she hadn't." Tracy pointed out, rolling her eyes.
"They wont be doing it again that's for sure." Alecto smirked, glaring down at them.
Daphne found a desk half way down the line of them, not too near the front or right at the back. In her experience it was the middle desks that were the most ignored. She looked around the room noticing it had several posters warning them all about 'the muggle threat' without giving any actual details.
Alecto glared at them until they all settled and gave them a sharp snap through their seats, making the students jump to their feet.
"When entering my classroom you will not sit down until I have given you permission." Alecto said, shaking her head, "Now… you may all sit."
Daphne hated sitting down after the sharp electric shocks that they gave the students when they wanted them to stand up, she was always sure that it would happen again and even when it didn't, it left nasty bruises that hurt when they pressed against the seats.
Alecto let out a loud sigh and shook her head, her tight bun barely moving at all, "It's sad to see so many young wizards and witches go to waste. You all come from good, magical stock but have been lied to and forced to act unnaturally. Don't worry, we are all here to make sure you get back on the right track."
Daphne and Neville forced themselves not to look at one another, wondering how far the four out-in-the-open Death Eaters would go to get them back on 'the right track'.
"Today we will be covering the basics." Alecto said, flicking her wand to the chalkboard.
The chalk raised itself up and wrote 'Muggle Studies- Beginner Level One' in large, spiky letters.
"When you enter the classroom, you will place your bags under your desks." Alecto said firmly, "You will then take out a fresh roll of parchment, a quill and ink. You will remain standing until you are told otherwise."
"Yes Professor Carrow." the class chanted back to her.
Something else that had surprised Daphne and Neville was how quick they'd fallen back into the habits Umbridge had instilled in them during fifth year.
"Good." Alecto gave them a sharp nod, "Now, let us start with why muggles and those with magic are so very different. Does anyone have any ideas?"
The room was painfully silent as no one wanted to say the wrong thing.
Alecto's nostrils flared in anger and she slammed her hand down on the table, making them all jump, "You are useless!" she spat, "I can't believe how pathetic your education must have been that not one of you has a single answer. You should all be ashamed of yourselves." She took a deep calming breath and slapped on a smile, "Don't worry… I'll make sure you all are up to where you should be by the end of the year."
Alecto settled down at her desk and continued to glare at the class.
Millicent raised her hand slowly, "They have different ways of doing things, because they're not magical. They have way of working around stuff?"
This was clearly the wrong thing to say, however true it was. Alecto stood again, glaring at the plump girl before her who was trying to sink into her seat and vanish.
"They don't have magic that is true, but they don't 'find way to work around things'- that is lies that have been told to trick you. Instead they steal our ways of doing things, and make them far more dangerous." Alecto said, barely holding onto her anger.
"Isn't that basically the same thing?" Neville huffed.
Daphne shot her a worried and frustrated look. The last thing they needed to be doing was drawing attention to themselves.
Alecto glared furiously at him and stepped around the desk, "Come here." she said sharply.
Neville frowned in confusion and didn't move.
Daphne could feel the hairs on the back of her neck starting to stand on end as she felt something bad coming and knew she had no way to stop it.
"I said… COME HERE!" Alecto bellowed.
Neville slowly stood up and walked through the silent room to stand next to Alecto.
"Hand out." she demanded.
Neville raised his hand, still not sure what was going on. Alecto grabbed the heavy ruler from her desk and brought it slamming down across his hand before anyone could even process what was about to happen.
Neville let out a cry of pain and bent over, clutching at his hand as a deep, purple bruise started to show across his fingers.
"Hand up." Alecto repeated.
Neville didn't move. Alecto grabbed his arm, digging her long finger nails into his wrist as she brought the ruler down again, causing another cry of pain from Neville.
"Go and sit down." Alecto ordered him, "The first one was for spreading pro-muggle lies, which is the same as anti-wizard beliefs. The second, for failing to quickly obey instructions. I know you are all use to running around, doing whatever you feel like. That will change and it will change now. We will not allow you to grow up undisciplined and lazy. You will change your horrid ways and become the proper young witches and wizards you were born to be."