The Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter Male Reader Insert

32: Harry's Date

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS "RALLYING POINT" FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban.

Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening, and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals.

“We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped,” said Fudge last night. “Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black’s cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached.”

There were ten black-and-white photographs that filled the whole of the front page, nine showing wizards’ faces and the tenth, a witch’s. Some of the people in the photographs were silently jeering; others were tapping their fingers on the frame of their pictures, looking insolent. Each picture was captioned with a name and the crime for which the person had been sent to Azkaban.

Antonin Dolohov, convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

Augustus Rookwood, convicted of leaking Ministry of Magic Secrets to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Y/N's eyes fell upon the only picture of a witch. Her face had leapt out at him the moment he had seen the page. She had long, dark hair that looked unkempt and straggly in the picture, though he had seen it sleek, thick, and shining. She glared up at him through heavily lidded eyes, an arrogant, disdainful smile playing around her thin mouth. Like Sirius, she retained vestiges of great good looks, but something - perhaps Azkaban - had taken most of her beauty.

Bellatrix Lestrange, convicted of the torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom.

Y/N silently put down the newspaper and Hermione, sitting beside him on the Gryffindor table at breakfast, was looking deathly pale. Multiple things were running through his mind but only one was most prominent.

Lestrange had been the only witch who had escaped. It was just as Dumbledore had told him. Mandeville was still aimlessly trapped behind the walls of Azkaban, doomed to forever rot like a living corpse.

Y/N felt sickened by the wave of relief that washed over him. He spared a glance at Neville a little further down the table, who had not paled, nor was shaking, but his eyes had been glassed over with a horrible misty look. He looked distant, lost. Truly Neville had gotten the short end of the stick, while he, Y/N, had dodged a bullet.

It was a horrid feeling.

Hermione was still gazing at the newspaper with intense ferocity when Harry and Ron finally came down the stairs. They immediately noticed the none-too-pleased look on Y/N and Hermione's faces.

"What is it?" said Harry.

Hermione wordlessly slid the newspaper to them. They read through it with increasing distress.