Harry Potter and Nova Lupin-Black Speak Out At Last:

The Truth About He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named 

And The Night We Saw Him Return

By Reeta Skeeter

Last June, Harry Potter returned from the last task of the Triwizard Tournament clutching the bodies of fellow Hogwarts Champions, Cedric Diggory and Nova Lupin-Black. One dead. One unconscious, barely breathing. One alive. The question remains.

What happened?

While on what one can assume is a date between the two fifteen-year-olds, I was able to discuss and question what happened that night. They both agreed to speak with me, cutting their date short. 

I asked the young couple to recount the night's events, starting from when they entered the maze. Miss Lupin-Black, being the first in the maze, responded. 

"I remember making a joke to Ced before going into the maze. He was nervous, so I hoped making a joke would calm him down," She began. "It was a muggle reference to a thing I saw in a book. 'Good luck, Ced. See you on the other side,' I had joked. He didn't understand the reference and I teased him about it. I obviously didn't expect him to die. The moment the whistle sounded, we raced in. His legs being marginally longer than mine, met the fork in the path first. That was the last time I saw him before the Graveyard.

"The last thing I said to him was in a teasing tone," Lupin-Black said with a sorrowful look in her eyes. "Then I heard the whistles being blown, signaling the other champions entering the maze. Harry. Krum. Fleur. In between the time in which Fleur entered the maze and when Harry and Krum entered, I was facing a boggart. I got past it easily due to my Pa's lessons. 

"Then the third whistle was blown and Fleur, my favorite French Lady, entered. I casted a spell that would point me North, knowing I had to travel further south. It was a spell Hermione taught me." Lupin-Black continued to tell her tale. "I remember getting becoming frustrated. I remember wishing a friend of mine, Seamus, was there. He knows a lot about pyrotechnics. I wanted to burn the hedges down, but before I could, footsteps approached. They were erractic and uneven. The sound of steps being taken with an artificial leg. At first I had assumed it was Moody seeing as he was supposed to patroling."

At this point, Miss Lupin-Black shivered. 

"I found it odd he was approaching me. Images of the tik Mad-Eye had flashed through my mind, like a warning. It didn't add up. I always looked up to Alastor Moody, the man who filled half the cells in Azkahban. I thought back to why his face twitch bothered me so d*** much." Lupin-Black stated. "Then I remember reading about how Barty Crouch Junior had the same problem. It wasn't until he threw a spell at me did I assume the worse. It all made sense. He has enough magic and extensive knowledge in how to enter our names in the Goblet. Luckily, I was able to dodge the spell. Unfortunate for me, I caught the portkey he had thrown to me about to pure habit. I was instantly transported to the Graveyard where I faced a loyal follower of V********. He paralyzed me. At first, I couldn't feel my fingers and toes. Then, it slowly crept up my arms and legs, down my spine. It was a tingling sensation, like a spider crawling up my spine. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak."

Mr. Potter took over for the time being. 

"I met Cedric in the middle of the maze. I helped him with this Acromantula. When we made it to the cup, he told me to take it. He told me that I deserved it. But I was stubborn. I told him he is the real Hogwarts Champion. In the end, we took it together, guaranteeing the win for Hogwarts. When we landed in the Graveyard, I instantly regretted it. I had a bad feeling about it." Potter said solemnly. "We had our wands out, ready to fight. That's when I saw it. A loyal follower of V******** came into view. He was carrying a bundle. It looked almost like a baby."

"At this time," Lupin-Black butted in. "I was hidden in the shadows. Wormtail, V********'s follower dragged me into the shadows. I tried to tell Harry and Ced to run, but I couldn't talk. I physically couldn't open my mouth. It was one of the worst feelings ever."

"That's when we heard a voice," Potter added. 

"'Kill the spare'. That's what it said. It was hard and cold, almost like a snake." Lupin-Black shuddered. 

"Wormtail obliged. He raised his wand and killed Cedric before anyone could react."  Potter continued. "Wormtail summoned a bone from a grave and cut off his own hand. In order for the baby to become what it was meant to be, Wormtail needed my blood."

"At this point, I was beginning to have full control of my body," Lupin-Black said. "I tried to stop Wormtail from getting Harry's blood, but I was only able to crawl a few inches. Harry was restrained and couldn't move. We were stuck. We were hopeless."

"That's when the bundle of blankets was thrown into the cauldron." Potter stated. "After Wormtail took my blood and placed it in the cauldron, the bundle of blankets was thrown in. The cauldron began to glow. That's when he emerged."

"Except it wasn't even human," Lupin-Black said. "It was V********. Skin paler than Nearly Headless Nick of Gryffindor Tower. Long fingers perfect for playing the piano of death. Bald, most likely so no one could use his hair for polyjuice potion. Teeth jagged and sharp, ready to rip your throat out. Nose gone, nothing but slits, like a snake. He neglects shoes, leaving his grotesque toenails to show, almost like claws. His voice . . .it's cold and harsh . . .almost like the hiss of a snake. His eyes . . . they're the worst part. Blood red eyes. They glow with death and the thirst for power. One look in his eyes and he is inside your mind."

"He called upon his Death Eaters," Potter continued. "He spoke for what seemed like hours. He spoke of how he came to be. His cold glare studied each of his Death Eaters. He said many had failed him."

"I was beginning to feel my body again. I could move my fingers, my toes, my legs. I could move." Lupin-Black spoke. "By the time V******** moved to touch Harry, I could stand. Without another thought, I launched myself towards the bastard. He babbled on about his plans and how they were ruined by Harry. He demanded he duels me and then Harry. He wanted to test my strength. 

"I fought with all my strength. He threw hexes and jinxes at me. I could only do so much. He wasn't aiming to kill me, which unsettled me more than I'd care to admit." Lupin-Black informed. "In the end, I fell to the ground. The last thing I heard was Harry's screams. The last thing I heard was him shouting for me."

"I was left to duel V********. He nearly beat me." Potter said earnestly. "Something happened with his wand, giving me enough time to take Nova and Cedric back to Hogwarts. I was dragged away by what I assumed was Professor Moody, but as Nova said earlier, he wasn't. He confessed in front of three adults under truth serum."

"Yet, under Fudge's command, he was instantly kissed by Umbridge-like creatures called dementors, rendering him unable to answer any questions," Lupin-Black cut in. "Fudge is blinded by his fear. He is blinded by the fear of the truth. He is blinded by the fear that V********'s return will cause."

There you have it, folks. The story He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return. 

***

The Quibbler was banned less than twelve hours after being in the school. This only caused Nova and Hermione's smirks to grow. Students would definitely read it now, wondering why they face expulsion for merely holding it. 

Seamus profusely apologized to Nova and Harry (mainly Harry) for being so foul. 

Following days, Nova and Harry received extensive amounts of mail. Most said how completely bonkers they were. However, some declared their support for the duo. 

Harry started burning all the letters after Nova got a specific picture from one supporter. It was safe to say the moment she saw it, Nova covered her eyes as she passed it to Harry. It was extremely disturbing and made Nova uncomfortable. 

Harry almost went to Azkahabn that day. 

"Chocolate chip," Nova stated as she sat next to Hermione. 

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked through her laughter. 

"I'm not sure. Just thought I would say something," Nova shrugged with a grin. 

"You could've just said 'Hello' like a normal person," Hermione laughed. 

"Mione, I am nowhere near normal!" Nova stated proudly with a grin on her face. 

"Hello," Ron greeted as he sat across from the girls. 

"Boring!" Nova exclaimed. 

"Nox, I love you like my sister but . . ." Ron started. "But if you don't tell me what the bloody hell you're on about I'm going to beat you with Ms. Norris."

"That's animal abuse," Hermione huffed. 

However, before Nova could respond, screams sounded from the courtyard. 

Nova, Hermione, and Ron shared a look before jumping to their feet to investigate. It seems the rest of the students had a similar idea. 

Professor Trelawney was standing in the middle of the entrance hall with her wand in one hand and an empty sherry bottle in the other, looking utterly mad. Her hair was sticking up on end, her glasses were lopsided so that one eye was magnified more than the other; her innumerable shawls and scarves were trailing haphazardly from her shoulders, giving the impression that she was falling apart at the seams. Two large trunks lay on the floor beside her, one of them upside down; it looked very much as though it had been thrown down the stairs after her. Professor Trelawney was staring, apparently terrified, at Umbridge. 

Nova, who hated the woman's class, felt great sympathy for her. 

"No!" Trelawney shrieked. "NO! This cannot be happening. . . . It cannot. . . I refuse to accept it!" 

"You didn't realize this was coming?" said ProfessorUmbridge. "Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable you would be sacked?" 

"You c-can't!" howled Professor Trelawney, tears streaming down her face from behind her enormous lenses, "you c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!" 

"It was your home," said Professor Umbridge, and Nova was revolted to see the enjoyment stretching her toadlike face as she watchedProfessor Trelawney sink, sobbing uncontrollably, onto one of her trunks, "until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us." 

Nova was about to step forward and say something, but Hermione pulled her back. 

Lavender and Parvati were both crying silently, their arms around each other. It appeared they were upset about their favorite teacher being sacked. 

Nova knew if it were Minnie being sacked, she'd throw a whole fucking riot. 

Speaking of Minnie . . .

 She had broken away from the spectators, marched straight up to Professor Trelawney, and was patting her firmly on the back while withdrawing a large handkerchief from within her robes. 

"There, there, Sibyll . . . Calm down. . . . Blow your nose on this..... It's not as bad as you think, now. . . . You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts. . . ." 

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. "And your authority for that statement is . . . ?" 

"Because she's Minerva Fucking McGonagall you hag!" Nova shouted. 

Appearing at her side, Blaise, Theo, Ginny, and Luna laughed. Ron let out an amused chuckle. Hermione didn't bother to correct Nova. 

"That would be mine," said a deep voice. 

Dumbledore pushed the doors open as he strolled in. 

"No need to be dramatic, Dumbles," Nova muttered sarcastically to Theo and Blaise. 

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore?" said Umbridge with a singularly unpleasant little laugh. "I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here" — she pulled a parchment scroll from within her robes — "an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister ofMagic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she — that is to say, I — feel is not performing up to the standard required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her." 

To everyone's surprise, the smile on Dumbledore's face never faded. 

Trelawney continued to sob. 

"You are quite right, of course, ProfessorUmbridge. As High Inquisitor, you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid," he went on, with a courteous little bow, "that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continues to live at Hogwarts." 

At this, Professor Trelawney gave a wild little laugh in which a hiccup was barely hidden.

"No — no, I'll g-go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall l-leave Hogwarts and s-seek my fortune elsewhere —"

"What fortune?" Nova scoffed to Hermione. 

"Right old fraud she is," her bushy-haired friend agreed. 

"But she doesn't deserve this," Nova stated. Hermione nodded. 

"No," said Dumbledore sharply. "It is my wish that you remain, Sibyll." 

He turned to Professor McGonagall. 

"Might I ask you to escort Sibyll back upstairs, ProfessorMcGonagall?" 

"Of course," said McGonagall. "Up you get, Sibyll. . . ." 

Professor Umbridge was standing stock-still, staring at Dumbledore, who continued to smile benignly. 

"And what," she said in a whisper that nevertheless carried all around the entrance hall, "are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?" 

"Bruh," Nova mumbled to Ron. "There are literally thousands of rooms inside that castle. Is she like fucking blind or something?"

Ron hid his laughter behind his hand. 

"Oh, that won't be a problem," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor." 

"You've found — ?" said Umbridge shrilly. "You've found? Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Twentytwo —" 

"— the Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if —and only if — the headmaster is unable to find one," said Dumbledore. "And I am happy to say that on this occasion I have succeeded. May I introduce you?"

He turned to face the open front doors, through which night mist was now drifting. Nova heard hooves. There was a shocked murmur around the hall and those nearest the doors hastily moved even farther backward, some of them tripping over in their haste to clear a path for the newcomer. 

Through the mist came a face Nova had seen once before on a dark, dangerous night in the Forbidden Forest: white-blond hair and astonishingly blue eyes, the head and torso of a man joined to the palomino body of a horse. 

"This is Firenze," said Dumbledore happily to a thunderstruckUmbridge. "I think you'll find him suitable."

Nova's wicked grin grew. 

Firenze is a "half-breed". This job appointment would infuriate Umbridge, making Nova ten times happier. 

Nova may strongly dislike Dumbledore, but he had his moments where Nova admired him. But most of the time, she could care less about the man. 

Author's Note:

My best friend and I have been working on a Divergent Fanfiction. 

It's called "Madams of Mayhem". 

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