The Sun and The Star

Minister Fudge promises action, but can he deliver?

Minster Cornelius Fudge promises proactive action to be taken in the locating and re-capturing of escaped mass murderer Sirius Black. However, when pressed for further details on how those efforts are going, the minister had this to say.

‘Sirius Black is still, unfortunately, at large. However, I promise that our team of highly trained Auror’s are on the job and will have him captured swiftly.’ 

I for one, dear readers, question how ‘swiftly’ this capture will happen. Sirius Black has been missing for nearly a month now and there have been very few sightings of the escaped murderer. With students going back to school in less then three weeks, this reporter worries that perhaps their safety will be challenged.

When asking the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, what he had to say on the matter and how he’d protect his students during the term if Sirius Black remains at large during term, he answered with this.

‘Hogwarts is one of the safest places in the Wizarding world, our defences are air tight and our staff are well versed in protecting themselves and are always willing to protect their students. We’ll have stronger security this year, just in case, of course. But I cannot give you the details of those defences in the spirit of keeping our students safe.’

It seems even Albus Dumbledore has little belief that the criminal will be found before school starts if he has already made concessions for this year to up security for his students. 

Is this lack of faith in Minister Fudge something we need to pay attention to?

What does Dumbledore know about Minister Fudge that has him already preparing for a possible attack from an escapee?

I attempted to reach out to Harry Potter, but unfortunately, the boy who lived and the child of the two people Sirius Black betrayed was unavailable for comment. Perhaps he and his younger sister are preparing for the school year or hiding from the man. 

Read more on the story of the Potters and Sirius Black on page 7.

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Lyra groaned softly as she looked at Sirius, the damn canine was grinning at her, she was sure of it, his tail thumping against the floor as Lyra glared at him, arms crossed against her chest. 

For the last hour and a half Lyra had been attempting to get Sirius into the bathroom and into the tub to give the mangy mutt a well deserved wash, but he refused to go past the frame. In fact, he’d turned it into a game. She’d get him close to passing the door frame and then he would turn and run away from her before returning against and repeating the game.

“I don’t think you’re going to get him in there.” Harry called as he skirted past the large dog, one of his books in hand. 

“He needs one, he stinks and we’re meeting Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape tomorrow. I want him to at least look presentable,” Lyra huffed, running a hand over her face. “He’s greasy and he smells and I don’t want them to think we can’t look after him because they’ll think we can’t look after ourselves! What if they decide that and suddenly we’re back with the Dursley’s or somewhere worse and-” Lyra started to ramble, hands wringing one of the few towels she had brought into the room. Harry at least gave her a sympathetic look.

“I don’t think they’ll use the cleanliness of a Grim as a scale of being able to care for ourselves, Ly,” Harry said, tone gentle as he slipped past the still playful pup and rested his hand on her shoulder. “Look, we’ll ask the elves to get him washed and cleaned up a bit - maybe they’ll be able to trim some of his fur or something. But you need to calm down. I promise, McGonagall isn’t going to bite your head off when you meet her.” Harry tried to reason, Lyra just scoffed.

“Snape might. I’m genuinely dreading seeing him again. What if he doesn’t believe me about mistaking him as the possible mass murderer? What if he takes it as an insult? What if-” 

“Stop,” Harry said firmly, covering her mouth with his hand. “You’re spiraling. Listen, Snape is a lot of things. An arse, an utter prick, a total…look, not the point. Snape is a lot of things but he won’t outright murder you, especially with McGonagall around,” He sighed out. “Right, Meepy, Peemy!” Harry called, removing his hand from Lyra’s face as the two elves popped in. 

“Yes, Young Master Potter?” Peemy asked, tilting her head a little. Her ears flapped curiously. 

“We need you to get Sirius bathed and his coat trimmed to look presentable. Is that possible for you guys?” Harry asked, Lyra gave the two elves a hopeful look.

“Yes, Young Master Potter! Meepy and Peemy is more than happy to help get Grim-Sirius clean and pretty! We’s be excited to help!” Peemy assured whilst Meepy turned to the Grim with a gleeful grin.

Lyra almost felt bad for him…and then she remembered the last hour and a half and those feelings vanished.

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Minerva smiled a little as she spotted the two Potter children, barely a week away from those muggles and she could already see Harry looked much better. He was wearing clothes that fit, for one, and he looked clean compared to what he usually looks like at the start of each school year.

Lyra was tiny compared to her brother though and it seemed as if the Potter genes ran strong as she too had ink black hair that curled wildly, though she seemed to have some ability to tame it that her brother lacked. Like Harry, she had the same striking eyes of Lily. She had Lily’s nose too, from what McGonagall could tell.

The Grim standing between them was a little off putting, but she couldn’t say much about it. Not with the large dog being Lyra’s familiar.

“Mangy mutt.” Severus muttered as he glared at the beast, the two children hadn’t noticed them yet and Minerva watched as the children chatted to one another quietly as they walked. Minerva gently elbowed him.

“That ‘mangy mutt’ might be the only reason those two children have been safe in their home with those muggles. Do show some decency,” she scolded gently, scoffing at the eye roll sent her way. “Oh? Have we gone back in time? Am I standing beside a teenage Severus Snape who can’t seem to keep his eyes from seeing the back of his head?” Minerva tutted and felt unbridled glee at the slight flush to the younger professor's cheeks.

“Minerva,” The man all but growled, no doubt willing his cheeks to return to their pale colour. “You are undermining-” 

“I’m simply pointing out that the only people that roll their eyes at me are the insufferable little lions I teach. One of which is rapidly approaching, best straighten up,” Minerva tutted and kept her face stern when both Potter’s finally spotted them and made their way to them. “Mr and Miss Potter, I hope you’re keeping well.” She said evenly, looking over the pair.

“Of course, Professor,” Harry answered with an unapologetic smirk on his face. “We’ve never been better, actually.” He assured and Minerva had little doubt he was lying. Turning her eyes on the girl, she raised an eyebrow.

“I assume you’ve been keeping well as well, miss Potter?” she asked, though her heart clenched as the small girl flinched at being so pointedly called on. Minerva would keep note of that in the future.

“I…yeah, yes. I’m…keeping well,” the girl barely spoke above a whisper and kept fiddling with the leash in her hands. She looked close to tears. “I…” she glanced towards Severus and Minerva mentally screamed at the man to keep his cool. “I-I’m sorry I ran off like I did sir. I…I hadn’t realised you were actually a professor. I thought…well, I thought at best you were a stranger seeing a young girl out and about by herself as easy pickings and at worst..” she trailed off and stared down at her feet. Severus remained quiet before Minerva elbowed him into responding.

“...You did as you should have. I will not hold a grudge over you placing your safety over a stranger's words of possible trustworthiness,” the man said diplomatically and Minerva nearly laughed at the boggled look on both children. “Now, are we to stand outside the apothecary all day, or shall we actually head to my home and start work on some of this tutoring that you both seem so excited to try.” He drawled.

“Yes, I think we should. Come along children.” Minerva urged, moving to stand by the youngest Potter whilst Severus started to lead them through the quaint town.

.Perhaps this year wouldn’t be as horrible as she thought it’d be.

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“Not like that, Potter. Can you not follow simple instructions-” Professor Snape's voice was scolding as he looked down at Lyra’s work. She felt her hands shake a little as she tried to calm herself. 

This was a subject she was deeply excited about and she was failing horribly at it. She took an even breath as she read over the instructions once more, unable to see where she was messing up on cutting the horned slugs.

“I’m following what the book says sir, am I interpreting it wrong?” she couldn’t even raise her voice, she felt shaky and nervous. His raising voice and tone made her anxiety skyrocket and made her think of Vernon in the worst of ways.

The book is snatched off the little table in front of her and the Professor is reading it over with a frown, working his jaw for a moment. Harry was off with Professor McGonagall going over transfiguration for his year so she’d been sent to work with Professor Snape.

“You’re being too soft in your cutting. You’re not getting deep enough into the flesh to properly prepare the slug for use,” He stated calmly, placing the book down and tapping the page. “You need to cut it deep enough to easily open it up and remove the guts without damaging the flesh itself, you’re tearing at it to open it and that damages the slugs flesh and that will leave you with a potion with impurities.” He explained calmly, Lyra scrunched her nose up in thought before speaking.

“But it says to handle the slugs with care because they bruise easily. If I hold it too tightly I could damage it anyways and it says if I cut too deep I’ll cut into the organs which could ruin the slug entirely if they leak into the flesh.” Lyra pointed out, reciting what the book said. The man looked at her quietly for a moment and she looked back. Finally sighing, the man grabbed the slug.

“I’ll show you this once, so pay attention. I can…appreciate that you’re being cautious and attempting to abide by the book. However, being too cautious has its own issues.” The man responded, before taking one of her slugs and starting the process.

The first thing he does is butterfly it, cutting it from just below its horn to the tip of its tail, almost instantly the slug stops moving and loses some of its colour. From there, he works a paring knife under the organs and places it to the side before using a much smaller knife to score around the horn and over the flesh of the slug. Using a pair of tweezers he removes the horn easily as the cuts around its base made for easy removal.

“I expect you to cut them perfectly after this. We’ll move onto nettles once you can remove ten horns without damaging them slug or horn itself.” he said evenly, before walking away to work on something else.

Lyra felt that determination to do well fill her chest. She wasn’t going to fail at this or be scared off from a subject she was genuinely excited about. She’d do well. She’d show him.

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Sirius laid his head down on Harry’s lap as Minnie and him went over the previous years curriculum, apparently wanting to cover the spells he was weaker on. 

“Better, Mr Potter. I see you’re finding it much easier to concentrate this time around.” Minnie commented as Harry half-transfigured the rabbits into slippers.

“Yeah well, there isn’t a giant Basilisk petrifying people around here.” Harry said with a little cheek. Minnie didn’t look too impressed but Sirius gave him a little lick to the cheek, it was nice to see the boy playful.

“I’m sure then, that with that threat out of the way that you’ll be able to achieve O’s in all your classes this year.” Minnie reasoned sarcastically, Sirius couldn’t help his tail’s happy beats on the floor at the sass. It was like being back in school all over again.

“I wouldn’t count on it. I’m two for two on the Defence teachers trying to kill me.” Harry muttered under his breath, which had Sirius’s ears perk up.

What.

What did he just say-?!

“Mr Potter!” Minnie sounded scandalised before taking a breath and calming down. “I understand you’ve not had the best…experiences with the Defence teachers, but Professor Dumbledore has assured me that this year's pick is someone of high regard.” Minnie said seriously, arms crossed.

“So was Quirrell and Lockhart, that turned out alright didn’t it?” Harry asked a little bitterly. Sirius sat up properly now, looking between the boy and Minnie, who looked pained at the revelation.

“Mr Potter..” Minnie began but Harry continued, sounding so…detached as he spoke.

“I literally had to kill Quirrell in my first year because he would have killed me, Professor. Then, Lockhart tried to threaten and kill me. Right in the middle of the chamber, tried to obliviate me and Ron and use our story to get himself some new ‘best seller.’ They were in ‘High regard’ with Professor Dumbledore too but they almost killed me. So, I think I’ll take my chances.” 

Sirius let a little whine escape him as he nuzzled Harry’s neck. To think that his time at Hogwarts had been tainted by the teachers themselves. Harry just gave a huff as he scratched at Sirius’s head.

“...I can see your point, Mr Potter,” Minnie sighed out, looking reluctant to admit it. She always hated admitting to others short-fallings, Sirius can remember her arguing for Binns to stay on as the History teacher one memorable year. “Hopefully, our esteemed headmaster’s opinion on appropriate teachers has elevated during this time. Now, back to work.” She told him swiftly, moving to the other side of the room to pull out a pin cushion whilst Harry pointed his wand at the rabbits once more.

Sirius stuck close to the boy, not wanting to leave his side after that revelation. Perhaps…if he could clear his name, he could get the full story of the boys first two years at Hogwarts. He wanted to understand how the hell it had gone so wrong.

And why Harry knew what a basilisk was.

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“-Ok dear, now that we’ve covered the basics, I want you to try and transfigure this match stick into a needle.” Minerva said easily, laying a matchstick on the table in front of the girl. The Grim had stayed home today and Harry was downstairs in the potions lab working with Severus today, officially in a routine now with only a week left to go for the start of term.

The lessons had been going well for both Potter children, with Harry actually excelling in Potions now that he had some time to practice preparing the ingredients as well as go over the material in a more indepth way than what would have been possible at school, his best subject was still Defence against the Dark Arts but Potions and Runes were a close second and Transfiguration was just behind them.

Lyra on the other hand, had the makings of a brilliant Potioneer in the future. As much as Severus complained of the constant questions and curiosity of the girl, Minerva just knew that the surly man could see that spark within her. Her other best subject was well-

“Can it be any type of needle or a sowing one?” The girl asked curiously, having already turned the little match stick into a knitting needle of all things. Blunt tipped and large on the top, an easier transfiguration than into a sewing needle - but still a needle like she’d ask.

“Can you make a sewing needle?” Minerva challenged, watching as the tiny girl easily transfigured the knitting needle back into a matchstick before turning it into a needle.

Yes. Lyra Potter’s second best subject was definitely Transfiguration. James would no doubt be beaming with pride over that fact.

“Well done miss Potter. I dare-say if you continue like this that by the end of the year we’ll have to look into getting you some second year work.” Minerva praised, a small smile on her face. Lyra had grinned back at her, proud and a little bashful but a smile non the less.

“Stroking ego’s are we?” Severus’s voice chimed as he and Harry ascended the stairs, the older boy coming over to check on his sister.

“Only when it needs doing, I’m sure they're rather bruised from spending time with you.” Minerva challenged, a single eyebrow raised. Severus didn’t take the bait but he did scoff, so Minerva counted that as a win. Casting a glance to the two children, she watched as they excitedly chatted to one another.

If you had asked Minerva a couple of weeks ago if Harry Potter or his sister were studious students, she would have said with certainty that Mr Potter was not and that his sister would follow his trend. But now? Now she could see the joys of learning on both of their faces and it made her wonder.

What didn’t they know about before the children had escaped those muggles? What has changed?

A glance at Severus told Minerva that she wasn’t the only one curious about this either. Perhaps, as the year continues they’d be clued in. For now, they’d watch over the children when at school and hope this love of learning continued.

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“What do you mean they aren’t here?!” Molly Weasley’s voice echoed through the Leaky cauldron like an irate banshee as she glared down at the small pub owner who held his hands up in mock surrender.

“I-I assure you madam, they’ve not been here for quite some time but they are somewhere safe. The ministry is aware-” Tom, the bar owner, tried to reason with her but Molly wasn’t having it.

“You lost the Potter children? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for them out there?! They could be dead in a gutter or injured, starving even-” Molly ranted to the man.

“Lost?” George hummed out to his twin, sharing a look with the other.

“Or on the run?” Fred questioned, glancing back as well. 

They knew their mother meant well, they did. But yelling at the poor owner wasn’t going to fix the fact the Potters weren’t there. They’d heard the arguments from their parents last year with Dumbledore, about sending either Potter back to that home with those Muggles. Especially Lyra, their mum had nearly blown a blood vessel from how loudly and angrily she had argued - after, of course, sending all the kiddo’s out to play quidditch. The twins had only heard her because they’d snuck in to get some water and heard the argument first hand.

To put it simply, neither their mum or dad were happy with how the Potter’s were looked after and had outright offered their home to them. Dumbledore had refused and had even stated that legal action would be taken if they attempted to go behind his back. 

Fred and George weren’t dumb, they knew that Dumbledore would bankrupt the family properly if it meant keeping the Potter children from living with them properly.

“Can’t believe we came all the way out here and Harry’s not even here,” Ron bemoaned as he held the half dead rat in his hands, glaring towards the front desk. “Bet he’s off having a grand old time and we had to shill out for a night here before school tomorrow.” he grumbled, making both Fred and George roll their eyes at him.

“Really Ronald! Harry and his little sister are missing. Imagine if it was Ginny and you, off who-knows-were and possibly hurt. Who knows what could have happened-” Hermione started to titter, her hands holding onto the demon she called a cat.

“Or, you know, perhaps as Tom said - they’re somewhere safe and the Ministry knows it?” Fred offered, crossing his arms at the younger two, not at all impressed at the doubt in their friend. “Harry’s resourceful, isn’t he Forge?” Fred asked, his brother nodded.

“Right quick thinker that one, Gred. He probably realised staying in a popular pub of all places, wasn’t safe-”

“-Not safe at all. Especially with a little sister with no wand.” Fred contered, watching as the two younger children looked chastised. It felt weird to be the reasonable ones and Percy looked utterly perplexed from his spot beside them but he nodded in agreement. Gross.

“Fred and George are right. The Ministry is aware of where they are, clearly if they weren’t safe then they’d be moved. But they are. Can’t expect them to tell everyone where they’ve hidden the Potters now can you? Look how easily Dumbledore told mum and dad where they were supposedly staying-”

“It’s a proper risk-” Fred said, feeling gross for backing Perfect Percy up, but they’d get him back soon enough so he knew this maturity wouldn’t last.

“A risk no one should be taking with kiddos. I’d hate to think if Ronniekins had a possible threat after him and someone was going around telling who-knows-who-”

“You-know-who?” Fred joked with his brother and George shot him a grin at the bad joke whilst Percy gasped and smacked him upside the head.

“Either way, I’m sure you’ll see ‘em on the train. Right tiny things like them, with that bright white owl…it’ll be no issue at all.” George finished. They could feel the rest of the Weasley children staring at them incredulously.

“What? We can’t be mature for a few minutes and point out your idiocy?” Fred asked, tone coming out more scathing than playful, not his intention but it got the others to back off. He watched as Hermione dragged Ron away from them, still lecturing the boy.

“-Harry’s no doubt going to be behind in his school work so it’ll be up to us to help him and oh, if Lyra’s anything like Harry she’ll be hopelessly behind everything too-” Her voice carried and Fred rolled his eyes and looked to his brother.

“No faith, that one. No faith at all.” He shook his head solemnly.

“Suppose it’ll be a lark if Potter squared show up and knock their socks off.” George offered with a grin and Fred smiled back.

“Careful, that barmy house-elf Harry warned us about might take them-”

“Oh heavens, not my toe-warmers-”

“Toesey-coseys-”

“Piggie-blankies-”

Who needed to be mature when you could have a laugh over names for socks anyways? Fred was sure the kids were fine.