“From WZRD, this is Lee Jordan, reporting to you live from the Ministry of Magic! What a day it is, folks, as witches and wizards from all over the country line up for the inauguration of Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister of Magic!”

Lee grinned to himself. After a year on the underground, running from place to place to get his broadcasts through, he was finally getting to report openly and without fear. In fact, it was due to his clandestine journalism during the war that he was getting to cover the biggest event since the fall of Voldemort.

“And who just Apparated onto the scene but the Chosen One, the boy-who-lived, our hero and the newest Auror-in-training on the team, Mr. Harry Potter, accompanied by his old Hogwarts flame, Ginny Weasley. Would you say a few words, Harry?”

Harry sighed as Lee shoved the microphone toward him. Lee knew that Harry hated press interviews, but it would just be bad publicity not to make a statement. “Well, Lee,” Harry said as brightly as he could manage. “I am thrilled that Kingsley will be inaugurated today. He’s a great wizard and a good man. I look forward to working with him throughout my career.”

“Thank you, Harry,” Lee said as Harry and Ginny hurried into the Ministry. “As many of you know, Shacklebolt was one of the main leaders at the Battle of Hogwarts, dueling the top Death Eater himself. Shacklebolt also distinguished himself as an Auror both before and during the war, and made great efforts during the brief reign of terror to restore calm to the community. No doubt his reign will be one of the most peaceful of our time.”

As a reporter, Lee had only been with WZRD for two weeks, but already he felt that this was where he belonged, behind the microphone, reporting to the entire Wizarding world, telling them what was happening. It had always been that way for him, ever since he had started Hogwarts and the post of Quidditch commentator had come open. Somehow, Professor McGonagall had chosen him, probably because he knew a lot about Quidditch and was very loud all the time. This trait had not endeared him to McGonagall, per se, but it was necessary for commentating. Right after leaving Hogwarts, Lee had gotten a job at a little magazine, but hadn’t enjoyed it because it involved more writing than talking. It was during the war that Lee discovered his true love: the Wizarding Wireless Network. With just a few spells and a good sense of when someone was about to attack him, Lee soon had a station all to himself and could comfort people using only his voice. His voice, the voice of correspondent River on Potterwatch, became an icon of the anti-Voldemort movement. And now it had paid off with a job in actual radio.

“And here he is, the man of the hour, Minister-Elect Kingsley Shacklebolt!” Applause broke out all around him as Kingsley Apparated a few feet from where Lee was reporting. “Mr. Shacklebolt, would you mind sharing a few words with us?”

“Lee, I just want all your listeners to know that a brand new era is coming forward. In the coming weeks, reconstruction of all the damage caused by the recent war will commence, and I hope that soon enough we will all be able to get on with our normal lives.”

“And what is the first order of business after you formally take the office of Minister of Magic?”

“The first order is to recognize all those who fought… and died… against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The second order is to repair all the damage caused. After that, we’ll have to see what needs to be done.”

“Thank you, Mr. Shacklebolt. You have the full support of myself and everybody back home listening.”

*

“Well, Jordan,” Sherman Henderson, head of WZRD, said later. “You certainly surpassed all the competition. I only have one objection to your broadcast.”

“And what’s that?” Lee asked nervously.

“You didn’t get a longer interview with Harry Potter.”

Lee sighed. Having known Harry for several years, Lee knew that getting a longer interview would have been very difficult. “He wasn’t keen on it, boss. He and Ginny zipped inside as quickly as possible.”

“I know,” Henderson sighed. “Every one of our reporters has tried to get interviews with him, but he refuses to sit down with anyone. But you know him. You should be able to get a few minutes.”

Lee shook his head. “I doubt it. The battle’s still too recent. No one will get an interview about any of it for several years.

*

Lee licked his lips nervously. It had been five years since the Battle of Hogwarts, and he had finally persuaded Harry to give an interview.

Neither one of them expected it to be painless. Five years wasn’t really enough time to heal from all the scars, both physical and emotional, but Henderson had been pushing Lee through all five years to get the interview. Now Harry had agreed, and Lee was ready to report.

“From WZRD, this is ‘Fame and Fortune.’ I’m your host, Lee Jordan, and we’re sitting down this week with Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. Good morning, Harry.”

“Morning, Lee.” Lee knew that Harry was not happy about this interview. Who could blame him?

Lee took a deep breath and the interview began.

*

“The Lost Years of Harry Potter,” Henderson read off the front cover. “Jordan, why didn’t you tell us?”

Lee shrugged. “I didn’t want anyone else taking it,” he said. “Especially Skeeter.”

Henderson nodded at this logic. Ever since the war had ended ten years before, everyone had been wanting to know all about the hero, the legend. Lee was the only one who had managed to arrange the interview.

He hadn’t wanted to write about the war anymore. He had reported it while it was happening; he had talked to people after it was over. Now, Lee wanted to be able to talk about something else.

The war was still painful to him, even after all this time. Out of all the people who had been at Hogwarts that night, Lee had probably lost the least. The only loss he had suffered was the loss of Fred Weasley. Fred had been one of his best friends, but not family. Lee had known some of the others, but he hadn’t been as deeply affected as some. But it still hurt. It still burned in his memory.

Lee Jordan was, by this time, famous for his work in radio. Wizards the world over tuned into his show, and in its first week, his book was number one on the Daily Prophet’s best seller list. The Lost Years of Harry Potter was bound to be an absolute smash, since everyone wanted to know more about Harry and he had never talked about his life before Hogwarts. Lee had decided to take up the project to take his mind off the war, to learn something that no one else had ever found out. Harry had sportingly agreed.

No one could say that Lee was just a voice now.

*

No matter how many years went by, Lee never lost his love for radio. Although he had written several books, he was still most famous for his voice, his reporting.

And every week, people tuned in to hear that voice.

“From WZRD, this is ‘Fame and Fortune.’ I’m Lee Jordan, and we’re sitting down this week with Minerva McGonagall…”

“… With Ronald Weasley…”

“…With Kingsley Shacklebolt…”

“From WZRD, this is Lee Jordan, signing off.”