The Ministry's Letter
After the Aurors took Pansy away, and after taking both of their statements, they quickly mobilized with the information they had gathered to investigate the alleged attack Pansy had confessed to.
It wasn't until the following day that Draco and Hermione finally learned what had happened, and from none other than the Daily Prophet.
LOVE, MADNESS, AND BLOOD! ANOTHER TRAGEDY SHAKES THE NOBLE FAMILIES
By Rita Skeeter
Misfortune seems determined to haunt the Carrow family. Only a few weeks after Corvin Carrow was sent to Azkaban for his involvement in the attack on Hogwarts alongside members of several well-known pure-blood families, a new tragedy has struck the family name.
His son, Louis Carrow, was murdered by the woman who was supposed to become his wife: Pansy Parkinson.
Early investigations suggest that the young witch never managed to overcome the end of her former engagement to Draco Malfoy. Her growing obsession with the heir of the Malfoy family appears to have destroyed everything around her, including the life of the unfortunate Louis Carrow.
It is not difficult to understand why young Malfoy has become one of the most sought-after bachelors of the new generation. Besides being the heir to an immense fortune, his role as one of Britain's two champions in the Triwizard Tournament, alongside the famous Harry Potter, only further fueled his popularity among the country's young witches.
Readers may recall that, during that very tournament, this newspaper reported on the persistent rumors linking Draco Malfoy with Hermione Granger, the brilliant Muggle-born witch. Although neither of them ever confirmed such a relationship, neither did much to deny it.
Was that story doomed from the very beginning? A broken engagement, a young woman consumed by madness, an heir murdered, and two ancient noble families completely shattered... too high a price for a romance that, perhaps, should never have begun.
"Wow, it's interesting that I'm the one who gets called the playboy, while Draco's the one women actually lose their minds over... literally," Harry said after finishing today's newspaper.
Sure, what it said about Carrow's death and everything else was tragic, but so what? It wasn't as though Harry was enough of a saint to mourn the deaths of his enemies.
Draco, who was sitting beside him with an annoyed expression, really felt like giving his best friend a good punch.
Maybe finally settle who the real champion of last year's tournament had been, since Luciel, after getting married, had simply given up on breaking their tie.
He was much happier enjoying married life now.
Even his honeymoon had lasted for several months, and he didn't seem ready to end it, traveling the world with his wife, Katerina Delacour.
"This isn't something to laugh about. Someone died, and now someone else is about to be sent to Azkaban," Hermione said in a much more serious tone, looking at Harry with that usual disapproving expression of hers.
Though as she looked at the newspaper, her mood seemed to sink lower and lower until she fell into deep thought.
"Well, it's not our fault. Pansy was the one who killed him... well, actually, it is Draco's fault," Daphne said, joining Harry's dark humor just to tease Draco.
Lately, ever since his beloved father had come back from the dead to try to become this era's Dark Lord and failed miserably, Draco seemed to have inherited the role Harry used to play as the one cursed with attracting disasters wherever he went.
Draco looked thoroughly irritated, though it wasn't because of his friends' teasing, which honestly wasn't funny at all.
It was because he was reading the newspaper as well.
And every time he reached the last paragraph, his gaze became colder... and more dangerous.
Especially when he read the name of the person who had written the article.
Rita Skeeter.
He had ignored her last year because Hermione had seemed obsessed with catching her, though in the end she hadn't managed to, simply because they had been focused on other things.
Maybe they had already given her too much freedom, Draco thought as he started to get up and reach for his coat, ready to leave.
But before he could take a single step, a dark owl shot through the open window at incredible speed, arriving so silently that no one noticed it until it was already right in front of them.
It dropped the letter it carried in its beak onto the table before immediately turning around and taking off again at the same incredible speed, without making the slightest sound with its wings.
It was enough to surprise Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Daphne.
All of them looked at the dark-colored envelope now resting on the table, bearing the unmistakable seal of the Ministry of Magic, making all four of them frown in confusion.
As though it couldn't wait, the envelope opened by itself and began moving on its own, slowly transforming into what looked like a Howler... though with several differences.
"Dear Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger,
The British Ministry of Magic has been informed that the two of you illegally used magic in a Muggle area.
The seriousness of this violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, recently amended to comply with the International Statute of Secrecy, has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Ministry officials will shortly arrive at your respective residences to destroy your wands.
"And, in accordance with the new provisions of the Statute of Secrecy Decree, both of you are required to appear at a disciplinary hearing, where the appropriate punishment for your crime will be imposed, on August 12th at nine o'clock.
With my best wishes.
Sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk.
Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Misuse of Magic.
Ministry of Magic."
When the letter finished speaking, it returned to the shape of an envelope and fell back onto the table, perfectly still.
Just like the four young people present.
Meanwhile, Hermione had gone completely pale, looking as though she were about to faint. She hurried to the table, grabbed the envelope, and opened it to read the words with her own eyes.
No matter how many times she read them, they were exactly the same words the letter had spoken only seconds ago.
"No..." she murmured as tears gathered in her eyes, falling into a state of complete devastation.
Draco's brow was deeply furrowed, while Harry and Daphne had stopped joking and now wore equally serious expressions.
No one spoke for several long seconds.
"Well... this is unexpected," Harry finally said, breaking the silence. "So... do we destroy the Ministry of Magic?" he asked in such a calm tone that it sounded as though it were something they could simply do just by deciding to.
The scary part was that this fearless group actually had plenty of ways to pull it off, whether through magic, alchemy, or even by launching an attack with house-elves.
Fortunately for the Ministry, before Harry's ridiculous idea could even begin taking root in anyone else's mind, the fireplace burst into its familiar green Floo flames.
At the same time, several loud pops of Apparition echoed from outside the house.
Everyone immediately went on guard, thinking they might be the Ministry officials coming to confiscate Draco and Hermione's wands.
But they weren't.
It was Sirius, who stepped out of the fireplace wearing a thoroughly irritated expression, accompanied by Narcissa, whose cold face looked capable of freezing someone with a single glance.
From outside the house came Edward, Selene, and Susan, who immediately ran toward the pale Hermione, worry written all over her face.
A crimson portal also opened, and Wanda stepped through, bringing Tommy and Billy with her after taking them out earlier that day.
"Give me that," Sirius said, taking the letter from Hermione's hands.
She remained deathly pale, as though her soul had left her body and only her mother was keeping her standing.
As Sirius read the contents, his expression became somewhat dangerous before he handed it to Narcissa and Edward so they could read it as well.
"All right, I'll handle the wand situation. If some idiot tries to take them, I'll simply destroy him," Sirius said before turning around and hurrying back toward the fireplace.
After Edward finished reading, still wearing his usual impassive expression, he said,
"Don't worry. We'll take care of this from now on. For now, it's best if you don't use magic."
His voice was as gentle as he was capable of making it.
Then he looked toward the ladies present, gave them a nod, and headed out after Sirius.
Narcissa also looked deeply displeased, as though she were ready to march straight into the Ministry and hex the Minister himself if necessary.
But she quickly calmed herself and walked over to Draco.
Then she looked toward Hermione, who still had tears staining her face as she clung to her mother.
"Don't worry. No one is going to be expelled. And no one is losing their wand. Stay here for now and let the adults handle this," Narcissa said in a much softer, more reassuring tone.
Hermione merely nodded.
Draco still wore a deep frown, though he answered his mother's gesture with a confident nod.
"Make sure they don't do anything reckless," Narcissa said after seeing them nod, directing her words toward Selene and Wanda.
Neither of them could help smiling faintly.
Because they knew perfectly well that it was a real possibility.
Especially judging by the expressions on Harry's and Daphne's faces.
In fact, that probably would have been exactly what they'd done if the adults hadn't arrived in time.
"Go," Wanda said calmly.
As long as she was here, no one would even get close to the children.
And she'd also be keeping an eye on them to make sure they didn't do anything reckless themselves.
Narcissa nodded and quickly left as well.
"So... we're not destroying the Ministry after all?" Harry finally asked.
Earning himself a reproachful look from Wanda, who let out a sigh.
Obviously, Harry had known they would come and handle the situation.
He just couldn't help making the joke, trying to lighten the mood for his friends.
Draco knew it too.
That was why, despite still frowning, he didn't seem all that worried.
Perhaps Hermione was the only one who was truly frightened.
It was the first time in her life she had ever received a punishment this severe.
Though perhaps the only person who had actually taken Harry's suggestion about destroying the Ministry seriously was Daphne.
She even looked a little excited by the idea.