Faith .|. H. J. POTTER ✔

Chapter thirty-six

"What's happened?" Harry snatched the paper from Hermione's hands, ripping it in half. Faith felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. Nothing happened to him, right? He's fine, in 12, Grimmauld place. 

"'The Ministry of Magic has received a tip-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer ... blah blah blah ... is currently hiding in London!'" Hermione read to them in a whisper.

"Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything," Harry said angrily. Faith nodded. It had to be from him. "He did recognise Sirius on the platform ..."

"What?" Ron asked alarmed. "You didn't say -"

"... 'Ministry warns wizarding community that Black is very dangerous ... killed thirteen people ... broke out of Azkaban ...' the usual rubbish," Hermione continued and laid her half of the paper down. "Well, he just won't be able to leave the house again, that's all. Dumbledore did warn him not to," Faith sadly looked at her place. Poor Sirius. He wanted to go outside so badly that one time to wave them off at the Platform. Faith remembered how happy he was when he jumped around and chased birds in his dog form when they walked to the station.

Faith looked over Harry's shoulder to see if there was anything interesting on his half of the newspaper but it was mostly dedicated to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions' sale. 

"Hey!" Harry suddenly said. "Look at this!" He flattened it out on the table so Ron and Hermione could see it too. 

"I've got all the robes I want," Ron said as he took one glance at the paper. 

"No," Harry said. "Look ... this little piece here ..." He was pointing at a tiny little piece on the bottom of the paper, barely an inch long. 

TRESPASS AT MINISTRY
Sturgis Podmore, 38, of number two, Laburnum Gardens, Clapham, has appeared in front of the Wizengamot charged with trespass and attempted robbery at the Ministry of Magic on 31st August. Podmore was arrested by Ministry of Magic watchwizard Eric Munch, who found him attempting to force his way through a top-security door at one o'clock in the morning. Podmore, who refused to speak in his own defence, was convicted on both charges and sentenced to six months in Azkaban.

"Sturgis Podmore?" Ron said slowly. Faith immediately recognised the name. "He's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's one of the Ord -"

"Ron, shh!" Hermione quickly interrupted him.

"Six months in Azkaban!" Harry was shocked about that. "Just for trying to get through a door!"

"Don't be silly, it wasn't just for trying to get through a door. What on earth was he doing at the Ministry of Magic at one o'clock in the morning?" Hermione said. 

"D'you reckon he was doing something for the Order?" Ron asked softly. 

"I don't think so," Faith said, and their heads turned towards her. "He was supposed to see us off, remember? And Moody was all grumpy because he didn't show up so he couldn't have been on a job for them, could he?"

"Well, maybe they didn't expect him to get caught," Hermione said. 

"It could be a frame-up!" Ron then suggested excitedly. "No - listen! The Ministry suspects he is one of Dumbledore's lot so - I dunno - they lured him to the Ministry, and he wasn't trying to get through a door at all! Maybe they've just made something up to get him!" Hermione looked at him rather impressed. 

"Do you know, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were true," She said as she folded her half of the paper up. "Right, well, I think we should tackle that essay for Sprout on self-fertilising shrubs first and if we're lucky we'll be able to start McGonagall's Inanimatus Conjures Spell before lunch ..."