Prologue Front page: THE DAILY PROPHET 4 May 1998

TOM RIDDLE – THE SELF-STYLED LORD VOLDEMORT

Editors Note: At the request of the Ministry for Magic this Official Statement issued by the Office of the Minister is produced full and unedited.

OFFICIAL MINISTRY STATEMENT

This official statement has been compiled with the assistance and co-operation of Mr. Harry Potter.

“Lord Voldemort” was, in fact a man named Tom M. Riddle, son of a witch, Meriope Gaunt and a Muggle, Tom Riddle Senior. The Ministry has decided that in all future official publications Riddle will be referred to by his given name.

There has already been much speculation and wild rumour regarding the events at Hogwarts School. The Ministry can confirm that Tom M. Riddle was killed at dawn on the morning of Saturday, 2 May. Riddle was disarmed by Harry Potter while in the act of firing a killing curse at Mr. Potter. The curse killed Riddle rather than its intended target.

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WHERE IS HARRY POTTER?

Despite the Official Ministry Statement (published above) we are no closer to receiving an answer to the question on the lips of every witch and wizard in the country. Where is Harry Potter?

It appears that Mr Potter left Hogwarts School early yesterday morning, apparently in the company of his close associates Hermione Grainger and Ronald Weasley. An attractive young Ministry clerk, who did not wish to be named, told The Prophet “He’s at the Ministry, having an important meeting with the Minister. My friends and I saw him. He asked us out to the pub, but we had to turn him down.” This statement is at odds with a report from the Portkey Office that Mr. Potter has fled the country, travelling to Australia with his companions.

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