Daily Prophet, 14 November
VOLDEMORT DEFEATED
WIZARDING WORLD REJOICES AND WONDERS WHAT HAPPENS NOW
The Dark Lord Voldemort fell in battle on November 1st. His mortal remains lie somewhere in Wales, along with those of his most faithful servants, Bellatrix Black Lestrange and Walden Macnair.
The victory was announced by owl on November 2nd, when Minerva McGonagall, head of the Order of the Pheonix, received word from Hermione Granger.
Granger is believed to have been travelling with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter on a quest to bring the Dark Lord down since the war began. The trio have declined to issue any statements except to confirm that the Dark Lord is indeed dead.
News of the victory moved quickly through the town of Stoatshead Hill, formerly Ottery St. Catchpole, then elsewhere, and a sense of relief spread through the wizarding world, the likes of which hasn’t been felt for 23 years. All over Britain, wizards wandered in dazes, telling passers-by the news whether they were wizard or muggle, and there were many tear-stained faces, family gatherings, and wild, spontaneous celebration.
But along with the relief comes the question of what happens now. The wizarding world has been decimated, and must rebuild itself anew.
Stoatshead Hill, abandoned by muggles after Deatheater attacks during the war, seems to have become the centre of the rebuilding, with more and more wizard folk arriving every day. Many of the muggle homes are habitable, and others require repairs, but all are free to those who take them.
Several pubs are already doing business, running on a barter system. These include Socks, owned by the former Hogwarts House Elves, and the Five Alarm, run by Madam Rosmerta. A temporary Ministry of Magic and Auror Headquarters have also been established.
Wizards and witches of Britain, it is time to rebuild our world. Brick by brick.
-- Rita Skeeter
Twenty years ago, I was a junior reporter, sent by the Prophet into the bowels of Wizengamot to watch Deatheaters sentenced to life imprisonment, to watch Dementors suck out men’s souls. I saw the aftermath, last time, and questioned the methods of the Ministry. But this time I have seen it all, ventured into battlefields to bring you stories, dear readers, and I hold no illusions as to who was the greater evil. I hold out hope that something can be done, now that we must, to build things a little differently. Perhaps with different foundations, we can dismantle and reconfigure the old ones of misunderstanding and hatred that have so formed our lives. I hope the sketchy battle details can give you strength, readers, but they were all that those who defeated Voldemort were willing to give, and I felt the subject far too important for any sort of journalistic dramatisation. He is dead, and we are free to remake our lives.