InsaneJournal

The Boy Who Lived defeated the Dark Lord in an anticlimactic battle in May 1998. The wizarding world breathed a collective sigh of relief as they began the long process of rebuilding their lives. Death Eaters are hunted, convicted, and executed. Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, encourages witches and wizards to rebuild their world and forge ahead into the future. A peaceful future.

Two months after a very public execution of known Death Eaters, a breakout at Azkaban is hushed up. Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange are missing and the Ministry is refusing to answer questions about it. Wizards want to know, exactly how many Death Eaters are still at large? The Prophet headlines seem strangely reminiscent of the past :

*Mass paranoia as Azkaban escapee, Bellatrix Lestrange is spotted across the British Isles
* Twelve Muggles Dead in Ottery St. Catchpole, Aurors claim by magical means
* Alecto Carrow, Fenrir Greyback Escape Azkaban, Minister rushes to reassure citizens
* Suspected Death Eater, Adrian Pucey, Will Run for M.Of M.
* Hogwarts student kidnapped and murdered. Laura Madley, 16, found outside of Hogsmeade.


Headmistress McGonagall, with faith in the security of Hogwarts and compassion for those who had not been able to finish their seventh year, has invited the previous seventh years back to Hogwarts in order to sit in on their N.E.W.T.s. Now, both seventh and aptly named 'eighth years' take up residence in the dungeon Houses. It was the best to be done when the towers, destroyed in the war, have yet to be rebuilt. Can inter-House unity exist where prejudices still remain? Can Gryffindor co-exist with Slytherin?