Chapter Text
The Daily Prophet, 5th September, 1999
Fresh from the swearing-in ceremony for the Auror training programme, the Boy Who Lived is looking dashing in his bold red uniform. Our intrepid reporter, Darius O'Dare, meets him in the living room of the stylish flat that he shares with his girlfriend, newly signed Tornadoes Chaser Ginevra Weasley.
D - It's good to meet you, Harry, and thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. I must say you are looking very handsome in your uniform. How do you like it?
H - Well, I guess it suits me okay.
D - Only okay? I'm sure there are plenty of ladies who would tell you it sets off your green eyes to perfection. Nothing to say to that? Well, never mind, let us continue with the interview. So, Harry, you and your close friend Ron Weasley, who is of course another third of the Golden Trio, have been given an unconditional acceptance to the Auror training program without even having to sit your NEWTS. How do you feel about this? Are you excited to start your training?
H - Yes, definitely, although I'm a bit nervous too.
D- Come now, Harry, you vanquished the greatest dark wizard of all time! Surely that's all the qualifications you need to be a successful Auror?
H - Well, I suppose we'll find out about that.
D - You're very modest, Harry! Seeing as you don't seem keen to talk about work, how about we discuss your love life? You've just moved into this beautiful flat with your lovely girlfriend. However, I understand you own a property in London, the former Black residence which was bequeathed to you by your godfather, the recently fully acquitted Sirius Black. What's made you decide to live here instead?
H - Well, to be honest, Ginny didn't like it there. My godfather's house was used as the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix during the war. There's just a lot of bad memories, and it hasn't ever really accepted me as its owner. Ginny…I mean, we just thought it would be best to start off somewhere new.
D - Fantastic idea, Harry! And is a wedding on the cards by any chance?
H - Oh, it's definitely a bit early to be thinking about that. I've only just turned nineteen, and Ginny wants to concentrate on her career for a bit.
D - Yes, of course, our readers will know that Ginevra Weasley has been offered a position as Chaser for the Tutshill Tornados. She's the youngest ever to receive such an honour, as she only completed her final year at Hogwarts very recently. Apparently, she was offered the position while still at school, isn't that right, Harry?
H - Er, yes.
D - And do you feel disappointed that you were unable to return to Hogwarts to complete your magical education?
H - I would have liked to. But there was just so much to do after the final battle — the trials and the helping the Ministry to rebuild after the war.
D - I understand that your close friend, Hermione Granger, has been very involved with the restructure of the Ministry of Magic and was still able to return and complete her education.
H - Well, yes, but it's not quite the same situation. Ron and I, we didn't feel it was the right thing for us to go back to Hogwarts. Ron had just lost his brother and I, well, I guess I'd been through quite a lot too.
D - Well, you're clearly coping very well with everything you've been through. But you must be glad that the trials are finally coming to an end.
H - Yes, I definitely am. It's taken much longer than expected, but that's the right thing to do when people's lives and freedom are at stake.
D - And how do you feel about the upcoming trials of your former schoolmates?
H - I don't think it's right that they have been left until now. It's been a very long time for them to be on house arrest and have this hanging over them. We've learned a lot from their parents’ trials, and we now know what they all went through as children, and I hope the Wizengamot will take this into account.
D - I say, Harry, it almost sounds like you're advocating for leniency for these war criminals?
H - They’re not war criminals. Most of them were just kids who made some wrong choices, choices we can't hold against them, especially now we know the kind of indoctrination they went through during their childhood. I think…
D - Well, Harry, I'm afraid we are out of time. Thank you so much for speaking to me today, and we at the Prophet will certainly look forward to following your training closely, and sharing the details with our loyal readers. Thank you very much.
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‘Oh, Harry, why didn't you say anything about the upcoming game against the Falcons?’ Ginny glanced up from the paper and frowned at him across the breakfast table.
Harry pushed the spoon around his bowl of porridge, feeling too anxious to eat. He hated it when he did something that upset Ginny, and on top of that, his first week of training hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. His stomach was a knot of nerves.
‘Sorry, Gin, but I really didn't get the chance.’
‘And you made it sound like it's all my fault that we're not living at Grimmauld Place.’ Ginny was scowling at the article again.
‘Well, it was your idea to get the flat,’ Harry pointed out mildly.
‘Oh, thanks a bunch.’ Ginny slammed the paper down on the table. ‘So I pressured you into it now, is that it?’
‘No, of course not!’ Harry was horrified. ‘I was happy to move in here with you. That's what I wanted. For us to be happy, Gin. For you to be happy.’
Ginny's brown eyes softened slightly. ‘I know. I'm sorry. I'm just nervous about the game this weekend. I still think they only gave me the job because I'm going out with you, for the publicity it brings the whole team.’
‘That's not true,’ Harry protested loyally. ‘You're a fantastic player.’
Ginny sighed. ‘Thanks, but I know I'll get a hard time because you didn't mention us more in the article.’
‘I'm sorry,’ Harry apologised meekly.
‘And why did you say that stuff about the Slytherins? Those bastards deserve to be locked up. They killed my brother.’
This time it was Harry who sighed. ‘We've been over this, Gin. It wasn't their fault. I need to speak at the trials. It's the right thing to do.’
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. ‘I can't believe you're choosing them over me.’
‘It's not like that…’
‘Of course it is! If it was anyone else but you, I don't think I could bear to be in a relationship with someone who would do this.’
This was not the first time she'd said this. Harry felt the burden of guilt settle heavily on his shoulders.
‘I'm sorry, Gin, I really am.’
‘I hope they don't listen to you,’ Ginny said vehemently. ‘I hope Draco Malfoy and his friends are sent to Azkaban to rot for the rest of their lives.’
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As it was, Harry never got to speak for Draco Malfoy. Two days before his trial, Draco pleaded guilty to all charges against him, and in addition, confessed to some additional, more serious crimes that had previously been attributed to Lucius Malfoy.
Lucius, so the papers reported, had been protecting his only son by shouldering the majority of the blame for Draco's transgressions. In the end, Lucius came out of it all fairly well, his sentence reduced to extended house arrest, which he was able to serve on the continent with his wife.
Draco Malfoy was sentenced in closed court to twenty years in Azkaban.