shouting tales of their triumph. Still, even if Alice and Frank were incapacitated, that left
Remus. Why wasn't Remus raising the boy like James and Lily wanted? It made Sirius worry about
the ultimate fate of his friend—a friend he thought had been a traitor—but it was not as
though Sirius could request information about anyone on the outside, especially a
werewolf.
He traced his thumb over the date on Fudge's newspaper as though it were Harry's
face, remembering thirteen years ago when he had woken from an alcohol-induced coma
just in time for James to punch him repeatedly and for Lily's water to break. Lost in his
thoughts and memories, Sirius did not even notice when Fudge left with the Aurors.
Clinging to the paper in his hands, he felt immensely grateful for something to read.
Despite his youthful reputation for laziness, Sirius had stockpiled knowledge like a weapon
he might one day find useful. To let his brain go to waste here in Azkaban alongside his
body over the years was as heart-breaking as it was to touch his filthy, matted hair. He
could remember a time when his black mane was clean and soft enough for a witch—
his witch—to run her fingers through.
He looked over recent Quidditch news and the reports of the upcoming World Cup
that would take place the following year. Merlin, how he missed flying. He glanced down
at the centre of the paper where a family photograph sat.
MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE
Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at
the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize
Galleon Draw.
A delighted Mr Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be
spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill,
works as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."
The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning
for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley
children currently attend.
"Good for them," Sirius commented to himself as he remembered a young Arthur
Weasley, one of Mia's friends from the Ministry. He recalled that the man had numerous
children and there was some joke going on where he and Mia were betting on the gender
of the most recent. Sirius wondered who would have won.