Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

Two Decrees in One Week and Interview at Hogsmeade

Estella's suspicions were correct. When Hermione's Daily Prophet arrived she smoothed it out, gazed for a moment at the front page, and then gave a yelp that caused everyone in the vicinity to stare at her.

Estella, who sat next to her, eyes widened as she read the title.

On the table in front of them, ten black-and-white photographs filled the whole 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 photos, looking insolent. Each picture was captioned with a name and the crime for which the person had been sent to Azkaban.

Antonin Dolohov, read the legend beneath a wizard with a long, pale, twisted face who was sneering up at them, convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

Augustus Rookwood, said the caption beneath a pockmarked man with greasy hair who was leaning against the edge of his picture, looking bored, convicted of leaking Ministry of Magic Secrets to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

But Estella's eyes were drawn to the picture of the witch. Her face had leapt out at her the moment she had seen the page. She had long, dark hair that looked unkempt and straggly in the picture, though she had seen it sleep, thick, and shining through futures she was intertwined in. She glared at her through heavily lidded eyes, an arrogant, disdainful smile playing around her thin mouth. She was quite obviously a Black, she shared the common trait of grey eyes. 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.

The headline of the article read:

Mass Breakout From Azkaban Ministry Black is "Rallying Point" For Old Death Eaters

"Black?" said Harry loudly. "Not-?"

"Harry," said Estella desperately. "Just read, can't be so loud," she whispered.

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, Ministry of Magic, confirmed that then 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 Murder 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.

"That's why he was so happy," said Estella grimly. "I'd been dreaming of Azkaban for weeks and didn't put this together."

"It's not your fault, Es. It's stupid Fudge. He's blaming the breakout on Sirius?"

"What other choice does he have?" said Hermione bitterly. "He can hardly say, 'Sorry everyone, Dumbledore warned me this might happen, the Azkaban guards have joined Lord Voldemort' -stop whimpering, Ron - 'and now Voldemort's worst supporters have broken out too.' I mean, he's spent a good six months telling everyone you and Dumbledore are liars, hasn't he?"