Early the next morning, Jon had just stepped out of the dormitory and entered the Slytherin common room.
Pansy Parkinson spotted him and hurried over. As she brushed past Jon, she whispered, "Christopher, be sure to check the Daily Prophet later—there's earth-shattering news!"
"Huge news?" Jon froze.
Pansy didn't elaborate, only gave a mischievous giggle before walking away. But Jon soon discovered what this "huge news" referred to.
When Jon entered the Great Hall for breakfast, nearly every student was poring over a copy of the Daily Prophet, whispering anxiously to one another. The scene felt strangely familiar.
The atmosphere at the staff table didn't look promising either. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were speaking in hushed tones, both wearing unusually grave expressions. Across from them, Professor Umbridge was gulping down porridge. For once, her toad-like eyes weren't scanning the Hall for misbehavior. She ate with a frown, occasionally shooting venomous glances at Dumbledore and McGonagall.
An owl swooped down and dropped Jon's copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table. He spread the paper open. The front page was filled with ten black-and-white photographs—nine wizards and one witch. Some were grinning broadly, others looked ahead with disdain, and one arrogantly tapped the edge of the frame with a finger.
His eyes moved to the bold headline above: "Mass Escape from Azkaban; Ministry Fears Black as Leader."
"What fantastic news," Jon muttered under his breath.
He continued reading.
...
Last night, the Ministry of Magic announced a large-scale escape from Azkaban. Minister Cornelius Fudge confirmed in an interview at his office that ten Azkaban convicts had escaped the previous evening, and that he had already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the fugitives' danger.
"It is deeply regrettable that we find ourselves in the same situation as two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," Mr. Fudge stated last night.
"We believe there is a strong connection between the two breakouts... An escape of this scale suggests outside assistance. Considering Black was the first ever to escape Azkaban, he is in the best position to help others. Among the fugitives is Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. We suspect these escapees may regard Black as their leader."
Additionally, Mr. Fudge warned the public: "The Ministry is sparing no effort in pursuing these fugitives. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and avoid approaching these dangerous criminals."
...
Each of the ten photographs was labeled with the Death Eater's name and the crimes for which they had been imprisoned in Azkaban. Jon's gaze, unsurprisingly, was drawn to the witch among them.
Her long black hair hung in wild, tangled waves in the photograph. Her eyes glared beneath heavy lids, and a proud, contemptuous smile curled on her thin lips. As a woman, much of her beauty had already been stripped away by Azkaban...
Beneath the photograph, a small caption read: "Bellatrix Lestrange, imprisoned for torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom, leaving them permanently disabled."
Just then, a hand suddenly landed on Jon's shoulder, making him jump.
Turning around, Jon found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, smiling amiably.
"Lestrange…" Malfoy said, pointing at Bellatrix Lestrange's photograph with a grin. "She's my aunt!"
"Oh… really?" Jon forced a surprised expression. "Draco… looks like your family's full of loyalists."
"Though I've never met her, my mother always said she was a very kind, very gentle woman..." Malfoy paused, then added with a touch of excitement, "I think I'll finally get to meet her this Easter break!"
"Yeah, right," Jon couldn't help but remark. "You can tell just by looking at her face—so kind and gentle."
Malfoy lowered his voice suddenly. "These fugitives… they're all the Dark Lord's most trusted followers. With their return, the Dark Lord will be unstoppable... Our victory is only a matter of time!"
"I believe that too," Jon said with a nod. "Truly news worth celebrating."
"But we can't let it show on our faces, right?" Malfoy winked. "Oh, by the way, Selwyn seems to be looking for you!"
"Alright… I'll go see her."
...
Miss Tiffany Selwyn appeared quite excited.
"Christopher, have you seen the news?" she asked, barely able to contain her smile.
"Yes, I did," Jon replied calmly. "But Tiffany, I suggest you don't look so pleased—especially at a time like this. Remember, we're still at Hogwarts."
"Alright…" Selwyn's smile faded slightly before she continued. "But I have another piece of good news!"
"Oh? Let's hear it," Jon said, glancing up.
"Marietta Edgecombe—from Ravenclaw, remember her?" Selwyn asked eagerly. Before Jon could respond, she hurried on.
"Her mother, Mrs. Edgecombe, works at the Floo Network Office in the Department of Magical Transportation. My father is her direct superior. Since the Christmas break, I've been applying pressure through my father, and it's been paying off…"
Selwyn paused, then continued excitedly, "She's agreed to meet us in Hogsmeade next Sunday. I'm sure she'll reveal the time and place of Potter's meetings—she's one of his little group!"
"Is that so?" Jon forced a pleased expression and patted her shoulder. "Tiffany, you've done very well. You deserve praise."
"Well… Christopher…" Miss Tiffany Selwyn's confident smile faded, replaced by hesitation. She stammered, "After that day… after the interrogation… would you have time to join me for tea at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Parlor…?"
"Madam Puddifoot's Tea House?" Hearing the familiar name, Jon quickly shook his head. "I'm sorry… but I've already got something planned that day."
"Did another girl ask you out?" Selwyn asked, sounding disappointed.
"Another girl?" Jon blinked in confusion.
Then it suddenly struck him—next Sunday, the day of the Hogsmeade visit, was February 14th. Valentine's Day.