BLACK STILL AT LARGE

BLACK STILL AT LARGE
Newspaper article information
Author	Eduardus Lima
Newspaper	Daily Prophet
Date of publication	6 August, 1993
Accompanying photographs	A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair.
Subject	The escape of Sirius Black, convicted for murder, from Azkaban.

"Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar."

— Description

BLACK STILL AT LARGE was an article published in the Daily Prophet in August of 1993. It reported the escape of Sirius Black, convicted for the murder of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles.

Stan Shunpike showed this article to Harry Potter, who wondered who Sirius, featured on a large photograph on the front page, was, since he had already seen him in the Muggle newscasts.

Doris Purkiss also saw this article. Convinced that Sirius was actually her friend and lover Stubby Boardman, she wrote to Cornelius Fudge regarding his innocence, and later gave The Quibbler an interview on the subject.

Transcript

Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.

"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."

Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Confederation of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.

"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"

While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.

Behind the scenes

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the article is, instead, titled "Escape from Azkaban!", with two sub-headings: "«It's Sirius!» say the Ministry of Magic" and "Black is not Back!".

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (as "Escape from Azkaban!")
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Indirectly mentioned only)
• Harry Potter Limited Edition