The Skeeter Deductions
Disclaimer: I repeat, I do not claim to own HP. Though in my opinion, HP is rightfully both the author's and the readers'.
The next morning, when Kitty joined Harry and Hermione in the Great Hall for breakfast, the conspicuous absence of Ron, told her that something was wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when she learnt that Ron was not talking to Harry as he believed Harry to have entered his name into the Goblet, despite Harry trying to making him understand that it was not him. In Hermione's opinion, Ron was just jealous and would eventually come around. Kitty, on the other hand felt that Ron was being the biggest git.
Kitty told Harry about what Remus and Sirius had said to her last night. Malfoy seemed to have a lot to say about last night's incident. "It seems to me that Potter simply used that cloak of his father's and put his name in the goblet. I actually heard him telling his the Mudblood Granger of his plans," Malfoy had been saying to Zabini. Harry had been about to hex Malfoy, but Kitty got him first. She hit him hard on his head with Harry's firebolt.
She was hardly able to pay attention in Potions that day, and was checked twice By Professor Snape for daydreaming. "I know you are thinking about Potter and the Tournament," said Snape, as he dropped down to Kitty's level, "Stay back after class, I have to talk to you."
Kitty had hardly been able to wait until the bell rang for break that day. After the Potions class had ended, she had stayed back with Vandyll, while the others left the dungeon. "Now," said Snape, looking nervously over his shoulder, "the first task isn't decided yet, but I have a good idea what it is going to be. I cannot tell you what it is though. However, I can tell this, tell your brother, tell Potter to master the Aguamenti charm. It might come in handy. Oh and don't tell anyone I told you that. Go to the seventh floor, I trust you know of the Room Of Requirement?" Kitty nodded. "Tell him to practice it there. Off you go now."
"See, Sirius was wrong, Snape is helping Harry. He definitely did not put his name in the goblet," said Kitty to Vandyll, as they hurried along the corridors, looking for Harry. Vandyll shrugged. They bumped into Malfoy on the way.
Malfoy, Zabini and the rest of their cronies were wearing large badges on their Slytherin robes. For a moment, Kitty thought that they were SPEW badges. She looked closely and realized that each of these badges were flashing the words –'SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY! THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION!' Malfoy smirked and drawled, "And that's not all." He pressed the badge and big red luminous letters flashed the message- 'POTTER STINKS!'
"As a fellow Slytherin, I am dutybound to offer you one, Zinpike," said Malfoy, turning to Vandyll. Vandyll took the badge Malfoy had held out to him, and chucked it as herd as he could at Crabbe. It hit him on his thick, sweaty forehead, and bounced off. "You're dead meat, Zinpike! Fight me if you dare!" said Crabbe, surprising Kitty. She had expected a grunt. Vandyll gave a Slytherin smirk, much like Malfoy and said, "Wow Crabbe, I'm impressed that you actually know the word 'dare' and used it properly in a sentence."
Malfoy pointed his wand at Vandyll, but it was not no avail, as both Kitty and Vandyll knew that he was not going to use it in a corridor full of students and teachers. Kitty folded her her arms, cocked an eyebrow and said, "Get out of my way, Malfoy." Then she slid past him with Vandyll and continued on her way. She picked up the badge that Vandyll had chucked at Crabbe, and threw it in the far corner where it hit Ron at the back of his head.
Malfoy, throwing caution to the winds pointed his wand at Kitty's back and muttered, "Incarcerous!" Thick ropes flew out of the air and wrapped themselves around Kitty's waist, legs and neck. Kitty, gasping for breath, tried to hex Malfoy, but he dodged and fled towards the Slytherin common room. "Relashio!" yelled Vandyll, and the ropes vanished. Ron, standing on the other side with Seamus and Dean, laughed loudly. Neither Seamus, nor Dean, Kitty was pleased to see, looked amused. She gave him a scathing look and disappeared round the corner.
At last, when Kitty and Vandyll found Harry, they told him what Snape had said. At first, Harry was reluctant to follow Snape's advice, but at last Kitty managed to convince him to do what he had said. Soon, Harry was called by Colin Creevey for a Wand Weighing ceremony. Harry turned towards the Great Hall, and Kitty and Vandyll departed towards their DADA classroom.
After dinner, Harry told Kitty that Sirius had told him that they would be talking face to face next Friday night. The prospect of talking face-to-face with Sirius was all that sustained Harry over the next fortnight, the only bright spot on a horizon that had never looked darker.
Life became worse for Harry within the confines of the castle, for Rita Skeeter, a Daily Prophet journalist, had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, and it had turned out to be not so much a report on the tournament as a highly colored life story of Harry. Much of the front page had been given over to a picture of Harry; the article (continuing on pages two, six, and seven) had been all about Harry, the names of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champions (misspelled) had been squashed into the last line of the article, and Cedric hadn't been mentioned at all.
She had commented on Harry's love life, labeling Hermione as Harry's girlfriend, and even added a paragraph about Kitty, "…Harry Potter, is rarely seen out of the company of his younger sister, Katherine Lily Potter, a first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It seems that Ms. Potter is not as prejudiced towards Slytherins as the others in her year, or even her own brother, for sources suggest that she is currently involved in a romantic relationship with a fellow Slytherin first year, Vandyll Raxinius Zinpike, great grandson of the famous dragon slayer, Aldwynain Zinpike and son of the famous author, Raxininius Zinpike. Clearly, it seems that Ms. Potter seems to have a thirst for famous wizards, for she has been also observed enjoying a chat with none other than the famous Bulgarian Quidditch player, Viktor Krum. Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin fourth year also adds, "She's a dreadful little spitfire, really. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up in Azkaban prison a few years later, for I am convinced that she possesses violent tendencies. She attacked me with her brother's firebolt and tried to curse me in front of a dozen students and three teachers." Ms. Potter, who is good friends with the half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid, and is also on good terms with her godfather, Remus Lupin (a werewolf), is rumoured to hold information regarding the whereabouts of the notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black. We can only hope that Headmaster Dumbledore recognizes the potential dangers in accepting psychologically disturbed students into his school and…" it went on.