The Daily Prophet ran a report on its front page titled "Belated Innocence: We All Owe Sirius an Apology," and placed a photograph of Sirius in tears right in the center.
The report stirred widespread sympathy, especially among those in the Order of the Phoenix who had once fought as Black's comrades. All of them felt a deep sense of self-reproach.
Arthur Weasley said in an interview, "I misunderstood my friend. There were many reasons for it, but we do owe Black an apology. I'm sorry, Sirius. You've suffered all these years."
And at the same time that Sirius was proven innocent, another trial began.
Beside that "Belated Innocence" piece, Rita Skeeter put Barty Crouch's gloomy face on the secondary page, using an especially low, upward-shooting angle that emphasized his arrogant expression and that little mustache.
The article's headline consisted of only two huge words: "Justice?"
With the two articles set against each other, the fact that Barty Crouch had overstepped his authority to interfere in judicial procedure, abused his power, and privately disposed of others without trial back then became self-evident.
Immediately afterward, Rita Skeeter posted photos of several wanted notices, and among them were Sirius and Murphy Darkholme.
"Without a trial, who gave Aurors the authority to put wizards on wanted lists?"
"If an innocent person is wanted, who is responsible for the damage to his reputation?"
Rita then listed the various misunderstandings people had about Sirius, and described in detail the suffering he had endured. She pointed out that it was precisely because these wanted notices had led people to believe the judgment of the authoritative Aurors that their eyes had been blinded, and that they had slandered Sirius.
The main point was this: the reason everyone had misunderstood Sirius, the reason we owed Sirius an apology,