The hands gripping the paper were white. Not the normal pinkish-white that is the general skin-color associated with that term, but the white that comes from the hands being tensed so tightly that the bloodflow is restricted.
The face of the person reading the paper was also white, but the reason this time was pure, unadulterated rage. The white skin contrasted quite spectacularly with the pink clothing that the person was wearing as the individual in question glared at the headline story of the Daily Prophet.
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Werewolves! Where-Wolves? There-Wolves!
Potion Cures Werewolf Disease!
By Rita Skeeter
Yes, ladies and gentlewizards, you read that headline correctly!
The famed Potions Master and incredibly handsome Hogwarts
Teacher Severus Snape has overseen the development of a new
potion that transforms the Werewolf Curse into a blessing! The
person taking it ceases to be a cursed beast and instead gains a
new ability, that of being a Wolf Animagus!
Over the last month, no less than sixty-seven of those who had
been afflicted with that heartbreaking curse have regained their
humanity and registered as official Animagi. With their newfound
skills recognized and proven beyond all doubt, these newly-freed
individuals have returned to the Magical World as productive and
happy citizens. Over half of them have been snapped up as new
recruits by the DMLE who are eager to make use of the animagi
who have re-entered our society.
When questioned, Severus Snape declared that the money that
several of the former werewolves had given him would be going
into Hogwarts' coffers since much of the work had been done by
his students under his direction. In a related note, the number of
Potions Students achieving an EE or O in their OWLs has been the
highest in ten years, something that Professor Snape attributes to
the quality of the students in question and the efforts of Assistant
Teacher/Potionsmistress Andromeda Tonks (nee Black).
The first werewolf to undergo the process of converting the curse
into the animagi skill was Remus Lupin, the Majordomo and best
friend of Lord Sirius Black. In a statement, Remus Lupin declared
that Professor Snape was undoubtedly the greatest Potioneer he
had ever met and that he was honored that Professor Snape had
chosen to donate his time to a project that many people would not
see as being of any use to the Wizarding World, but which has had
an incredible effect on those for whom it has been offered to…
.
Dolores Umbridge ripped the paper to shreds with a sound midway between a scream and a growl. As the pieces of paper fluttered down, she grabbed her wand and ignited them, then Vanished the ashes. Panting harshly, she slowly slid her wand back into its belt-holster and readjusted her pink cardigan to cover it.
Rising to her feet, she stomped to the fireplace and grabbed some of the Floo Powder from its bowl.
"Ministry of Magic!" She snarled, then she strode into the green flames, her face set in a rictus of hate.
.
.
"Incredibly handsome?" Sirius snorted as he re-read the paper. "Snape?"
"You really shouldn't say such things." Remus gently scolded his best friend. "Sure, his hair is rather greasy and he has a beak of a nose, but compared to what he's done?"
"I know. I know." Sirius sighed. "Shame Lucy was the one to upgrade his potions lab before Mouldyshorts tried to do his comeback. If he hadn't, I'd do it to try and… and reward him. I never thought I'd say that."
"Blame your godson." Remus chuckled. "He's been changing things ever since he returned to the Wizarding World. Do you really think that after he got you out of Azkaban and took down Voldie and his Death Nibblers, he'd stop there?"
Sirius sighed. "No. Damn it, Moony! Everything's changing… and I think I'm changing too."
"You are starting to think things through more." Remus commented. "In fact, you may actually be… no. It couldn't be, could it? It might be… Uh-oh."
Sirius froze. "What?"
"No, you don't want to hear it." Remus said as he heard footsteps approaching.
"Moony… what. Is. Happening. To. Me?" Sirius growled.
"I think you… that you are…" Remus teased Sirius as Harry appeared in the doorway. "I'm sorry, Padfoot. There's no other way to say it. You're…"
Sirius paled, staring at Remus.
"Finally growing up!"
Sirius gaped at Remus, then almost collapsed into his chair.
"You complete and utter bastard!" He choked as Remus grinned and Harry frantically muffled his laughter. "You had me so damned panicked… You know I'll get you back for that, right?"
"I think that was him getting you for the Trifle Trick last week." Harry laughed and Sirius half-turned.
"Hey, pup. The Trifle… okay, you might be right about that. Okay Moony, you're off the hook. So, what brings you to my humble abode?"
.
.
"Dolores… what is the meaning of this?" Cornelius Fudge enquired as he looked at the piece of parchment in front of him.
"Sir… have you read this morning's Prophet?" Dolores asked and Fudge nodded.
"Indeed. Severus Snape is to be rewarded, he's removed one of the greater threats to Wizarding life. We'll never have to fear the rise of another like Fenris Greyback, no longer will we need worry about a child being bitten by a werewolf or having the Muggles witnessing one transform, thus putting the Statute at risk. Besides, Amelia has already explained to me how having wolf animagi on the force is helping her out immensely."
"But… they were werewolves!" Dolores protested. "Dark creatures! No better than half-breeds!"
"And now they're taxpayers." Fudge countered. "Taxpayers and, once I give Professor Snape his due reward, loyal taxpayers. Why, did you know that the Shafiq family have already asked for Professor Snape to receive the Order of Merlin (third class) since his potion has allowed their little girl Jinelle to accept her invitation to Hogwarts this year rather than having to live in near-exile thanks to Greyback biting her three years ago?"
Dolores froze. "The… Shafiq family… approve?"
"Indeed." Fudge said almost genially. "Lionel Shafiq told me that had they an unattached female of the right age, they would even now be offering her hand in marriage to Professor Snape."
Dolores stood motionless, her eyes gazing blankly at the wall behind Fudge. For a long moment, the office remained silent, then Fudge pulled out his wand and tapped it against the parchment, causing it to vanish.
"Dolores, because you have been such a good assistant all these years, I will not hold this against you, but you will not take any action against those who were once werewolves. Is that understood?"
Dolores nodded jerkily.
"Excellent. Now, I am sure you have some work to catch up on."
Dolores nodded again and left the office, leaving Fudge gazing contemplatively at the door.
"What other things have you done over the years that I have missed?" He wondered quietly. "And how many were at Lucius' behest?"
The silence of his office was his only answer.
.
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The sound of someone sitting down opposite him caused the man reading the paper to lower it slightly, allowing him to look over the top of it. Opposite him was a short figure clad in a deeply-hooded cloak which left only the lower portion of his jaw in the light.
A jaw that he recognised.
"Good afternoon." The man said politely as he folded the paper and tucked it under his arm. "I assume you have a place we should be?"
The figure nodded and rose from his seat, the man following him after leaving a couple of coins on the table to pay for the meal that he had consumed. In silence, the two of them stepped out into the courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron, then the shorter figure held out a hand with a ruler in it. When the man took hold, they vanished in a swirl of magic.
.
The two figures reappeared and the shorter one pulled his hood back, revealing platinum-blond hair while the taller man dispelled the glamor that had given him silvering-brown hair, allowing it to return to its theoretically-natural color of black.
"Lord Voldemort, welcome back." The shorter of the two said formally. "I am pleased to see that it worked."
"It was rather disconcerting at first, finding myself in a woman's body, but I coped." Voldemort agreed, lifting his hand to admire the ring adorning it. "I read the letter you sent her, Draco. You have a true gift for persuasion. I found myself extremely impressed."
"Thank you, My Lord." Draco replied.
"I must ask, though, is there a reason why you brought me here and not to your Manor?"
Draco winced. "After Potter killed my father, Mother had the wards re-cast."
"Sounds expensive." Voldemort mused.
"Lord Black paid for it. He also brought us back into the Black Family, although I will still be able to claim my father's title when I come of age."
"So you are now in line to inherit the Black Lordship once again?" Voldemort probed and Draco shook his head.
"No. Since I will claim the Malfoy title upon reaching maturity, the Black Lordship will go to either my cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, or to Potter when Lord Black dies. Apparently spending over five years in Azkaban causes sterility, so Black won't be fathering any children."
"How unfortunate for him." Voldemort commiserated as Draco reached out to open the door of Lucius Malfoy's Private Retreat. "How long was I formless for this time? After all, time does odd things when you do not have a body to stabilise you."
"Only a couple of months, my Lord." Draco supplied as they entered the small-but-well-appointed cottage. "However, a great deal has happened."
"I read about it in the paper." Voldemort agreed. "Odd, though. There wasn't any mention of Potter being an Animagus."
Draco froze. "…what?"
"Potter is an Animagus." Voldemort repeated with a slight smirk as he put his paper down on a nearby side-table. "He turns into a white dog."
Draco smirked. "Interesting. It would seem that Saint Potter has been following in his godfather's footsteps."
"And while I have no proof, I do believe that his friend Longbottom is one as well." Voldemort added. "A bear, no less, with a patch of golden fur on its chest."
"Promising, my Lord." Draco mused.
"Maybe." Voldemort corrected him. "But to be an Animagus so young… it is a path that I ignored, but I now see I was mistaken. With his ability to prevent the use of wands and how his technique disenchants magical objects, the Animagus ability suddenly comes into its own as a means of battle. After all, the strengths of an animal with the intellect of a human is a combination that is truly superior when magic itself is no longer available. I must therefore arm myself accordingly before I face him again."
Draco shifted slighty and Voldemort patted him on his shoulder. "Oh, do not worry. Once I have found a method which works and works well, you will be the first whom I shall teach. Soon, all those loyal to me shall be Animagi too and no ward will be able to stop us."
"Speaking of Animagi, Peter Pettigrew has vanished." Draco noted and Voldemort nodded.
"That is no surprise. Pettigrew is a coward and one who always has a plan to help him escape. While not an admirable trait under most circumstances, it does mean that I can count on him to survive and thus remain useful to me even after things go in unplanned directions. No, I know how to find him and find him I will. He will be very useful to me on my journeys."
"And Snape, my Lord?"
"Snape… yes." Voldemort half-growled. "I used to think he was indeed loyal to me and me alone, but now… I am uncertain."
"Should I remove him?" Draco suggested and Voldemort laughed harshly.
"Snape is too cunning, too cautious and too clever for you to be able to defeat him at this time." Voldemort finally stated. "No, Draco. Your task is simple. Observe. Battles may be fought and won with wands and spells, but wars are fought and won with information. And when we stride forth once more to rebuild society as it should be, it will be with all the information that we could possibly require. And part of that information will be the true loyalties of Severus Snape!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
"Now come and let us discuss our plans."
Behind them, the paper fluttered in the breeze from the still-open door, coming to rest on a page that held a story in one corner.
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Ex-Minister Still Missing
By Melanie Flitterwicket
The current whereabouts of Millicent Bagnold, former Minister of Magic
remains unknown. Bagnold vanished without a trace after having a meal
in the Leaky Cauldron.
Millicent Bagnold barely escaped being sentenced to Azkaban for her role
in the wrongful imprisonment of Lord Sirius Black, a decision which was
revealed by The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter…