Dear Student

I am pleased to inform you that Hogwarts will remain open despite recent events. The Aurors at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement wish to reassure everyone that, despite his tragic death, the protections Dumbledore placed around the school still stand. Therefore, I highly encourage you, as parents, to return your students to the school for their continued education.

There are a few changes this term, however, that I would like to bring to your attention. In order to provide a more open method of a communication for students and their families, students will now be permitted to visit Hogsmeade every weekend instead of the previous once a month as it has been in the past. With this comes a couple staffing changes. Alecto Carrow will be assuming the position of Muggle Studies instructor, and Amycus Carrow the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Horace Slughorn will remain on as Potions Master, as well as the newly-appointed Head of Slytherin. And, last but not least, the position of Headmaster will be filled by Severus Snape.

As always, please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress





Just before the school year started, the Ministry of Magic fell to Death Eaters. Snape was appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts and The Carrows were appointed as “teachers.” Amycus took over Defense Against the Dark Arts… which became simply “Dark Arts,” even going as far as to force student to practice the Cruciatus Curse on students in detention. Alecto took up the position of Muggle Studies, after poor Professor Burbage was captured and tortured by Voldemort before finally killed and fed to his pet snake, Nagini. Unfortunately, Muggle Studies became more of a Muggle Hating, showing them as animals instead of people. The only good news for the students is that McGonagall has remained as Head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration Professor, Sprout for Herbology and Hufflepuff, Flitwick for Ravenclaw and Charms, and, a new appointment, Slughorn for Slytherin and Potions. What none of them known, however, is that Snape is still acting on Dumbledore’s orders, using his position as Headmaster to protect the students and contain the Carrows.

Meanwhile, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger never showed up for their seventh year, instead opting to track down Voldemort’s horcruxes and destroy them. The first three- the diary, the ring, and the locket -have already been destroyed, leaving four more: the cup, the diadem, Harry himself, and Nagini. Where trio is now, only they know for sure.

A coup has taken place and the Ministry of Magic has fallen. Yaxley placed poor Pius Thicknesse under the Imperious Curse, using him to infiltrate the highest ranks of the Ministry and kill Scrimgeour. Voldemort appointed Thicknesse as the puppet minister of his totalitarian police state, arresting Muggle-born witches and wizards for “stealing” magic from Pureblood families.

It’s currently mid-May 1998. Other than the occasional outburst from the Carrow siblings, things at the castle are relatively quiet, held together mostly by the four Heads of House and, from behind the scenes, Snape. Neville, Luna, and Ginny continue to keep Dumbledore’s Army together. Meanwhile, the Ministry continues to hunt down and imprison Muggle-borns, though the task it getting harder as more and more of them fake their family trees. Tensions are building and parents are starting to pull students out of school. The end is near, but no one knows what will remain once it’s over.