In the Melancholy Moonlight, Part 4: Nebula

Chapter 161: Show Me Where My Skin Begins

LUCY:

I was still half-asleep when the Daily Prophet was dropped in front of me. I passed the owl a Knut and glanced down at the paper.

I clapped my hands over my mouth in horror. NO.

"What is it?" everyone around me asked at once. I snatched the paper up and started reading as fast as my eyes would allow me.

January 9, 1996

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN

MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS "RALLYING POINT" FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban.

Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening, and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals.

"We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached."

Between the headline and the article were ten photographs of the Death Eaters. I recognized every single one, knowing their names and crimes from the stories Mum had told me as a child, but one terrified me more than the others.

Bellatrix Lestrange. She was the only witch who had escaped, and the animalistic, gleeful look in her eyes shook me to my core.

I had known for a long time that my survival in the caves was largely due to the fact that the Death Eaters that had taken me were weak. Their loyalty to Voldemort was not so strong they were willing to go to Azkaban. With these ten new Death Eaters on the loose, in the ranks, with Voldemort once again, nothing was safe. No one was safe. If I were kidnapped again, there would be no escape. No joke spells would save me.

"Lucy, what is it?" Hermione demanded, reaching forward and snatching the paper from my hands.

My hands had gone numb, so this was easy.

She yelped the second she saw the front page, and Harry and Ron read over her shoulders as she skimmed the article.

Ron was the first to find his voice. "There you are, Harry, that's why he was happy last night."

"I don't believe this! Fudge is blaming the breakout on Sirius?" Harry asked incredulously.

Hermione shook her head. "What other options does he have? He can hardly say, 'Sorry everyone, Dumbledore warned me this might happen, the Azkaban guards have joined Lord Voldemort and now Voldemort's worst supporters have broken out too.' I mean, he's spent a good six months telling everyone you and Dumbledore are liars, hasn't he?" She yanked the newspaper open and started scanning the other articles as Ron looked across the table at the twins.

"Dolohov," he said in a choked voice. "He's one of the ones who escaped."

George nodded, jaw clenched. Fred jumped up and stormed out of the Great Hall, and George followed a second later.