Surprisingly, it wasn't the students or professors of Hogwarts who first sounded the call to counterattack—it was Sirius Black.
Perhaps it was the allure of dramatic tales of love, betrayal, and vengeance that truly drove up sales. The Daily Prophet dedicated nearly an entire page to Sirius's scathing verbal attacks on the criminal Peter Pettigrew.
Editor-in-chief Barnabas Cuffe even renamed the column to "The Rift of Former Friends: Sirius and Wormtail's Tale of Blood and Tears."
It must be said, Sirius's Gryffindor bravery shone brilliantly in this war of words.
The wizarding public was thoroughly entertained.
The aristocratic scandals of the Black family, the tale of Wormtail's betrayal of the Marauders, the love-hate drama between Gryffindor and Slytherin—it was all too captivating to resist.
But as they indulged in the gossip, their curiosity grew: what exactly was the magical gaming device Sirius claimed could heal the effects of Dementors?
Their questions were soon answered.
Gemma Farley, a seventh-year student at Hogwarts, published an article in the Daily Prophet titled:
"To Cast a Patronus Charm, All You Need Is This Tool."
In her article, Gemma argued that the magical gaming device was the greatest invention of the century, capable of bringing unparalleled joy.
Far from being the dark magic artifact described in rumors, it was a tool that helped wizards evoke happy emotions and memories, aiding in the practice of the Patronus Charm.
Hogwarts' brightest students, eager to learn, had already purchased gaming devices to improve their spellcasting skills.
Data showed that after using the device, the success rate of casting the Patronus Charm among students had significantly increased.
Gemma also called for Hogwarts to establish an elective course on the Patronus Charm and integrate the gaming device into classroom instruction.
Her mentor, Professor Slughorn, strongly endorsed her proposal, urging the wizarding community to donate funds specifically for the purchase of gaming devices for Hogwarts.
The article immediately drew widespread attention from the wizarding world.
"A Patronus Charm is a high-level spell. How could a tool improve the success rate of casting it?"
"Gemma Farley... I've heard of the Farley family, but she's just a student. Can we really trust her words?"
Wizards were skeptical, as the author of the article was not particularly well-known.
"But her mentor is Slughorn! He used to be my Potions professor!"
Slughorn's widespread reputation among middle-aged wizards in Britain helped dispel much of the doubt among parents.
"Surely the gaming device isn't a dark magic artifact. After all, dark wizards can't cast a Patronus Charm!"
"If both Dumbledore and Slughorn vouch for it, it must have nothing to do with dark magic curses."
The article indeed alleviated much of the fear that children at Hogwarts might be exposed to dark magic.
In the following days, the Daily Prophet continued to publish articles from Hogwarts students and professors.
These educational pieces aimed to help wizards understand what the gaming device was, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.
One article, "A Revolutionary Invention: The Multifaceted Benefits of Gaming Devices," even bore the signatures of thirty or forty students and professors, listing over a hundred benefits of using the device.
The article painted the gaming device as a miraculous cure-all: merely touching it could heal longstanding ailments; owning it could make one the strongest wizard.
Rather than merely vindicating Jane Yu, the articles seemed more like an overwhelming wave of promotional material for the gaming device.
"Where can I buy this magical gaming device? What are the prices for different models?"
"Can it be mass-produced? When will it hit the market? Where are the shops?"
Curious wizards began writing to the newspaper, inquiring about all sorts of details regarding the gaming device.
A few days later, Penelope Clearwater and Professor Flitwick jointly published their paper, "The Dual Benefits of Gaming Devices on Magical Power Enhancement and Control," which caused a sensation. The newspaper sold out five consecutive times.
The paper pointed out that the gaming device's unique operational mechanism—requiring users to continuously and steadily channel magic—was highly beneficial for both enhancing magical power and improving control.
The researchers conducted a two-week experiment with first- through seventh-year students who had never used the device, dividing them into experimental and control groups.
Preliminary data showed that the younger the students were when they started using the device, the more pronounced its effects on magical growth and stabilization.
Additionally, the longer the daily usage, the greater the benefits in magical power enhancement.
Perhaps not every wizard was interested in finding joy or practicing the Patronus Charm—
But no wizard could ignore the prospect of improving their own magical abilities.
The gaming device's popularity completely overshadowed Rita Skeeter's earlier report.
"If the conclusions of this paper are proven true, this could be revolutionary for the wizarding world!"
At the Leaky Cauldron, a witch excitedly pounded the bar, spilling her butterbeer in the process.
But where there was support, there was also skepticism. A short, stout wizard frowned and said:
"So, continuous and stable magic output is the key. You don't necessarily need this device."
He was immediately met with a rebuttal from a supporter:
"But standing in an empty field casting spells over and over is boring and ridiculous. People would think you're mad."
"The gaming device is both fun and a magical workout. If it becomes available for sale, I'll definitely buy one!"
Letters requesting to purchase the device flooded into the offices of the Daily Prophet and the Hogwarts headmaster's office like snowflakes.
The voices questioning Jane Yu and the gaming device became almost inaudible, replaced by parents' admiration and amazement:
"Such a brilliant invention must be protected, along with its creator!"
"Let me drink to my earlier rashness and gullibility. Headmaster Dumbledore, please don't expel Miss Yu!"
"Hogwarts is lucky to have such a genius student!"
The professors and students were thoroughly satisfied with the outcome.
Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn shook hands and tipped their hats to each other with smiles, while Gemma and Penelope embraced tightly, celebrating this phase of the battle to defend Jane Yu.
They praised each other's articles and acknowledged the constructive roles they had played in this incident.
"All for the sake of fairness and justice, to protect our students at Hogwarts!"
Meanwhile, the members of the club were also gathered to celebrate their victory.
"Now Yu won't be expelled!"
"And the gaming device has been proven beneficial!"
"Thanks to Professor Slughorn for helping us connect with the Daily Prophet!"
Although they had achieved their goal of clearing Jane Yu's name—
The club members were not ready to stop just yet. After all, the annoying Rita Skeeter had yet to face any consequences for her slander.
They decided not to waste Luna's resources and to open a second front in The Quibbler.
And they planned to fight magic with magic.
To defeat fabrication with fabrication.
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