The Daily Prophet for Tuesday, 24 September 1996
Death-Eater Executed For Bones Murder!
The wizarding world can sleep a little easier in its beds tonight after one of You-Know-Who's most formidable followers was put to the Veil at midday on Monday.
After being found unanimously guilty of the murder of Amelia Bones, the late Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Dolohov controversially remained incarcerated in Ministry cells instead of being returned to Azkaban so that a second trial could be conducted on a charge of treason against the state, which carries a mandatory death sentence. After a lengthy and complicated trial verdict was finally passed early on Friday evening, and sentence was duly carried out on the first weekday following.
The prisoner remained defiant until the last and uttered not a sound as he passed into oblivion.
Antonin Dolohov's origins are shrouded in mystery, but it is known that he is of Slavic descent, and from a somewhat cultured background despite his delight in the killing trade. His speciality was a jet of purple light cast in a zigzag pattern, which caused severe internal injuries to the victim. He was also a specialist in the use of a blade, and delighted to use them in his killings.
Antonin Dolohov
He first came to notoriety when he was arrested and sent to Azkaban in the late 70's for participating in the murders of Fabian and Gideon Prewett. There he should have remained, but for the unfortunate defection of the Dementors which permitted some of the prison's most dangerous inmates including Dolohov and the murderess Bellatrix Lestrange to make a jailbreak in early 1996, after which they dropped from sight and were presumed to have rejoined You-Know-Who. Some, like Dolohov, were recaptured a few months later when Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and some of his friends fought a tense battle against them in the Department of Mysteries for reasons which still remain unclear.
Dolohov returned to Azkaban once more, only to be released two months later on a legal technicality along with four other men. That was on 13 August. Only two weeks later, on 31 August, he was captured by Auror Jack Appleby within minutes of assassinating Madam Bones. He'd wasted no time in putting his new-found freedom to use... but what a terrible use.
The wizarding world will be eternally grateful to Auror Appleby for his alertness. But the question remains: what about the other men who were released along with him? Avery, Jugson, Mulciber, Rookwood. These dangerous Death-Eaters are still on the loose, and may be endangering innocents even as we speak. There has been a spate of Auror murders in recent weeks, and amongst them are names mentioned by Rita Skeeter in her controversial exposé of the distressing goings-on at Azkaban that led to these men's release. Could these be the culprits?
That may be a task for Madam Bones's successor to determine. The post still remains vacant - one has to wonder why Minister Fudge is dragging his heels so - but our moles at the Ministry suggest that the smart money may be on Rufus Scrimgeour, currently Head of the Auror Office.