The wizarding world in August was shrouded in an eerie, absurd calm.
Ever since that sickly green skull had risen over the North Sea.
The bloody storm people had expected to sweep across the British Isles had not arrived.
Instead, Auror patrols became more frequent, and the Daily Prophet ran endless assurances of safety.
Under the Fudge administration's almost fanatical efforts to steer public opinion, the horrifying fact that Azkaban had been completely emptied was gradually downplayed.
Panic deflated rapidly like a punctured ball, and people even began to entertain the illusion that it had all been nothing more than an absurd prank.
No one asked where the Dementors had gone anymore.
Nor did anyone dare look too deeply into which dark corners those vicious Death Eaters were hiding in.
For throughout this period, cooperation between the Marauders Power Company and the Ministry of Magic was enjoying a warm, blissful honeymoon.
With vigorous assistance and official subsidies from the Ministry of Magic, the "Golden Skynet" Family Integrated Protection Array spread at an unprecedented pace.
Apart from a few obstinate pure-blood holdouts, magical shields shimmering with pale golden light covered almost every household in the United Kingdom's wizarding world.
Peace of mind came with a clearly marked price, and it was more than worth the money.
Indeed, because of the Azkaban incident, which should have destroyed the Ministry of Magic's credibility.
At the International Magical Association's strong insistence, the Ministry of Magic, seeking to demonstrate its confidence in handling the crisis.
Took the opportunity to authorize overseas sales of the Marauders Company's Family Protection Magic Array.
This wave of international demand for security directly provided a lucrative line of work for the Wolfmane Academy students opening branches overseas-they became highly sought-after international array engineers.
Amid the crisp clinking of Galleons and