Fudge started the conference. "We called you here this morning to discuss several things. Mainly to address the rumors that have been flying about concerning certain events that occurred last evening here in the Ministry. I would like to first address the issue of You-Know-Who. Yes he has returned," The uproar that followed that statement was deafening. It took several minutes before Fudge could continue, but finally he got everyone's attention. He signaled to an Auror who was holding a bag that was brought to the table. Hermione took the bag and pulled out the Pensieve along with several labeled vials of silvery liquid.
Harry was looking in the direction of Albus Dumbledore who was standing off to the side. When the Pensieve had been taken out of the bag, the Headmaster's eyes had widened for a split second but then he had settled into a thoughtful look.
"This, witches and wizards of the press is called a Pensieve. Headmaster Dumbledore has loaned it to us for our use," Fudge said. "It will allow you to see the memories of what occurred last night."
Harry and Hermione had discovered how to make the pensive project the memory above the basin by pulling Harry's memory of the time Dumbledore had done it and redid the steps the Headmaster had performed.
Hermione poured her own memory of the battle between Harry and Voldemort into the basin and tapped the correct runes. Immediately above the bowl the two figures locked in the gold cage appeared. Amelia Bones used a magnification charm to make the image much larger and a collective gasp rose from the crowd as they saw Lord Voldemort in battle against Harry Potter. When it ended shortly afterwards with Voldemort losing, the crowd noise rose again, but came instantly quiet when Harry stood.
"As you all can see," Harry started with a gesture to the now blank area above the Pensieve. "I have not been lying about Voldemort returning a year ago," Again he had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling at the reaction to the name. "I was tricked to come here last night. My friends," He now waved his hands over to Hermione, Neville and Luna, "and I ended up fighting a dozen Death Eaters."
Hermione had dumped the next memory into the bowl and the image of twelve death eaters all removing their masks rose from the bowl.
"...Rookwood?"
"That's Bellatrix Lestrange..."
"Lucius Malfoy?"
Harry waved for quiet and instantly got it as he continued. "Eight of them died last night, three of them were captured and one escaped," Harry again had to wait for the noise to abate. "My friends and I were fortunate to escape unharmed."
Amelia nodded to another Auror beside the stage and he disappeared behind a curtain and reappeared shortly leading the three captured Death Eaters who were surrounded by a team of Aurors. Rookwood had ugly red welts around his face and neck, Crabbe Sr. was being levitated since obviously his legs had not been repaired yet, and Nott was bound in magical ropes. All looked sullen. Nott tried to scream something out, but they all had silencing charms on them.
"A full accounting of what happened last night will be given to you after this conference," Amelia Bones said. "For now we shall say these four young people fought and defeated twelve Death Eaters and Mr. Potter himself drove off You-Know-Who."
Harry wanted to add one thing. "When you write about last night, please do not say Harry Potter did this or that without including the names of Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. We fought as a team last night. We won as a team."
Fudge stood up and addressed the crowd of reporters. "There is one more issue that needs to be addressed this morning. It concerns Sirius Black," The noise rose again and it took three minutes before order could be restored again. "We discovered this morning that the man who the Ministry has been pursuing for three years has never been charged with a crime..."
"Then why was he in Azkaban."
"What about the Potters.."
The room went silent as another magnified memory appeared in front of them. It was the memory of the confrontation in the Shrieking Shack. They all watched mesmerized as Peter was forced out of his rat animagus form and admitted to being the spy and betrayer.
The noise rose only slightly when the memory ended as most of the reporters were digesting the scene they had just witnessed, but in no time another image rose from the bowl. It was the confrontation in the graveyard where Pettigrew brought the Dark Lord back to body as witnessed by Harry. When it was over every reporter was staring at Harry.
Harry rose from his seat again and stared at the crowd before starting. "I will be scheduling an interview later with the only person who has reported the truth about me in the last year. He looked in the direction of Rita Skeeter who suddenly realized that she was going to be given the most explosive story of the century. Suddenly three months in a glass jar seemed like a pittance in exchange. Harry also looked at Luna's father. "The Quibbler will have the rights to the story."
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