²𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 ─ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲

𝟷𝟼 || 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜

"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely. "If he's caught..."

"He escaped from Azkaban, a heavily guarded prison," said Matilda. "I'm sure he'll be able to evade being seen."

"Tilly's right, he's made it so far, though, hasn't he?" agreed Ron. "And it's not like the place is swarming with Dementors anymore."

Harry folded up the letter. It was clear that he wanted to see Sirius again. He, along with his friends approached the final lesson of the afternoon – double Potions – feeling considerably more cheerful than he usually did when descending the steps to the dungeons.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls. All of them were looking at something Matilda couldn't see and sniggering heartily. Pansy's pug-like face peered excitedly around Goyle's broad back as Harry, Matilda, Ron, and Hermione approached.

"There they are, there they are!" she giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. Matilda saw that Pansy had a magazine in her hands – Witch Weekly. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

"You might find something to interest you in there Winters, we all know you love to read about yourself!" Pansy said loudly, and Matilda snatched the paper from her hands, leaving Pansy looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside.

"Surprised you know how to read, Parkinson," Matilda rolled her eyes.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron followed Matilda to a table at the back of the dungeon as usual. Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of today's potion on the blackboard, Hermione took the magazine and hastily rifled through it under the desk. At last, in the center pages, Hermione found what she was looking for, with Matilda peering discreetly over her shoulder. Harry and Ron leaned in closer. A color photograph of Harry headed a short piece of paper entitled HARRY POTTER'S SECRET LOVE AFFAIR:

A boy like no other, perhaps – yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in not one but two of his girlfriends at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger, and the academic Matilda Winters. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with a personal loss.

Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgaria Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has 'never felt this way about any other girl'.

However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms which have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.

'She's really ugly,' says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, 'but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it.'

Love Potions are of course banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.

Though that worthier candidate maybe the other girl in Harry's life. Miss Winters, known for her wit and intelligence at Hogwarts is certainly favored by not only the Professors but also the youngest Champion. The ever-so ambitious Matilda has taken her sights from her studies and focused them on Harry. Accompanying him to every task and even reportedly standing by him in his research. Even coming from a very reliable source the two have shared many intimate moments.