CHAPTER 20:
OFFERS AND OFFENSE
It was a disused classroom that Hercule, Dumbledore, and Sirius confronted Rita Skeeter in the night after the Second Task. The gathering had the air of a furtive criminal enterprise, of a group of criminals about to interrogate some helpless and hapless victim. The irony of this wasn't lost on Hercule. This little saga was in a shadowy area of the law.
Taking the beetle from the jar Fleur had put the muckraking reporter in, Hercule then cast the Animagus Reversal charm. Soon, Rita was getting shakily to her feet, but she soon recovered something of her composure. After all, she wasn't exactly tied to a chair. "Gentlemen," she said, a little acidly. "To what do I owe this…dubious pleasure?"
Sirius glared at her. "I think you know very well."
Hercule nodded in agreement, his eyes fixing on Rita's own like the glare of a Gorgon. "It is very hard to anger me. What you did with your article after the Yule Ball did so. While much of that article was surprisingly accurate given the track record of the Prophet, you dared to insinuate that Harry had been ensnared by my daughter using her allure. That in itself was enraging enough, but your article caused a wave of what you English call hate mail, including booby-trapped letters that, had my daughters not been trained to check dubious parcels, she may have been harmed by! Some were cursed, and one would have sprayed her with Bubotuber pus had she not been vigilant!"
"Then it's just as well that she was," Rita said, surprisingly unrepentantly. On their glares, she snapped, "What? I've gotten hate mail before, and doubtless I will again. It's very much a learning experience, having a parcel with a sabotaged potion go off in your face. You should know, Monsieur Delacour, given your rather fractious time in the French DMLE, and as a private detective. You could have taught her how to deal with it, or at least to be prepared for it."
"True, but my family and I do not go out of our way to attract hate mail to us, n'est-ce pas? But you, Madame Skeeter, you delight in causing my family and Harry to attract the unnecessary ire and attention of Magical Britain. Not only that, but you went out of your way to hurt the reputation of both Madame Maxime and Rubeus Hagrid, who are both loved by a majority of those they know, despite their heritage."
"The public have a right to know," Rita insisted.
"But do you have the right to inflict unnecessary pain on those whom you report on? Especially by twisting the truth, when you actually use it at all?" Dumbledore asked. "Madame Maxime is no stranger to dealing with the press given her position as the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, but Rubeus, sadly, is a gentle and simple soul. And Harry, for all his fame, is a boy who does not want it. Remember how he got his fame, Miss Skeeter: by his parents dying saving him from Voldemort." Hercule noticed that Dumbledore seemed to take a small perverse delight in the flinch Rita made when she heard Voldemort's name. It was a delight the man shared. "He shrinks away from the spotlight, but you have shone it right in his eyes, all for the sake of selling newspapers and disseminating lascivious gossip. I am used to being in the spotlight, Miss Skeeter, even if I do not like it, but Harry does not, and neither does Fleur."
Sirius had his turn to speak. "You also remember the influence my family has, even if its numbers have been reduced. The Prophet never really went after the Blacks, barring myself. But then, they knew better. And given that you're an unregistered Animagus, and worse, one who has used that ability to gather information to twist to your own selfish ends…you may think you can piss on us and claim it's raining, but it's still just piss."
"Sirius, a little more decorum, please," Dumbledore chided gently.
"You're not my mother," Sirius retorted with a roll of the eyes. "I get enough of her rubbish when her portrait gets woken up." He looked at Rita. "Maybe you should interview her. Portrait of a Blood Purist: My Interview with Walburga Black. Catchy-sounding, isn't it?"
"Interviewing portraits doesn't tend to sell papers," Rita said.
"Maybe, but a spectacular scandal does," Hercule said. "Especially if a star reporter has been exposed as an unregistered Animagus who has been using her talents to spy on people for her own profit, and to the detriment of her victims." He smiled a tight little smile. "That is, I believe, what you British call the stick. But there is a carrot too."
Rita's eyes glittered with interest and avarice. She was thinking now that, not only was there a way to get out of the situation relatively intact, but she might benefit from this too. "I'm listening. Intently."
"Hercule and I have been discussing a story that, when the time is right, you may release," Dumbledore said. "A story that needs no embellishment or any of the other trappings of yellow journalism. It's a story that will shake Magical Britain to its core, but it will also break a culture of fear around a certain personage. I myself have only recently learned the full story. But when the time is right, Magical Britain may learn of it too."
They had her hooked. They knew that. That glitter of interest and avarice had only intensified. "You mean…?"
"Yes, Madame Skeeter," Hercule said. "The true life of Lord Voldemort."
"What do you think they're doing with her?" Hermione asked as they ate dinner in the Great Hall. Fleur had come over, along with Gabrielle, but had given Ron a pointed look when he demonstrated his usual table manners, or lack thereof.
"Hope Sirius is teaching that bitch a lesson," Ron muttered. While he hadn't been a direct target of Rita's poison pen, his father had been on a few occasions, and having Harry, Fleur and Hagrid go through it had roused the redhead's ire.
"Language, Ron," Hermione chided.
"I believe he used English," Fleur said with a wry smirk. Her face fell at a reminder of what happened earlier today. "That being said, I am still sorely tempted to set Bagman on fire. That message was too ominous for my liking."
"They wouldn't have let anyone get killed," Hermione said.
"Dumbledore may not have," Fleur said. "Neither would Madame Maxime. But the others…Hermione, they sent us against dragons for the First Task. Even for adult wizards, that is appallingly dangerous. All in the name of Bagman's desire for spectacle."
"Like the gladiators," Harry muttered.
"Yes, I thought the same thing just before the First Task, mon chéri," Fleur said. "Had nobody been warned in advance, then there may have been deaths, or grievous injury. And yet, look at him."
The Golden Trio and the Delacour girls looked over at the Head Table, where Bagman sat, still having that damned fatuous smile on his face. Gabrielle pouted and made a few remarks in French. Presumably they were less than salutary ones, as Hermione and Fleur looked at her, and Fleur said a half-hearted rebuke.
"It makes you wonder what fun times are in store for the Third Task," Harry said quietly. "Mortal peril, then hostages in a dangerous situation…what next? Are we going to have to fight off swarms of Dementors?"
Hermione winced. "Don't joke about stuff like that. Something tells me that, if Hercule didn't exonerate Sirius, we might have had to do just that."
"I would hope that not even Bagman would be foolish to use Dementors in this Third Task," Fleur said, glancing at Bagman, "but that may be a vain hope."
"Maybe we could set the Twins on him," Ron said. "Some of the stuff they've been developing for their business is pretty amazing."
"What sort of business is that?" Fleur asked. "Is that the one Monsieur Black was going to invest in that they discussed at the Quidditch Word Cup? This…prank supplies business?"
Ron nodded. "He's only asked them to put in a better effort with their studies. I heard this from the Twins, but apparently Sirius knew that they were holding back in their grades. He told them that his investment is conditional on them doing well for their NEWTS. He says it's partly to make sure Mum doesn't send a blizzard of Howlers. That, and Lupin told them the same." He shrugged. "They don't listen to anyone, usually, but I guess that, given that the Marauders are their idols, they'd listen to them."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sirius Black is NOT a good role model. Professor Lupin is, I guess, but still, encouraging them…"
"If they make money doing what they love and making other people happy, then I say good luck. As long as they don't actually hurt anyone else," Harry said. He thought about Sirius and Remus discussing some of their exploits as the Marauders, and while he thought that some people deserved it, some of the stuff Remus had admitted seemed rather on the nose. Like Sirius and Harry's father setting Snape up to get mauled by a transformed Remus. Okay, Snape was being a nosy prick, but he could have been killed, and that might have ended in Remus' execution. Fred and George, at least, ensured that their pranks didn't go too far. But Remus had admitted that there were times when Sirius and James Potter had been like bullies.
It wasn't an easy thing to hear, but it was better hearing it from Remus than from Snape. At least Remus knew how to break it to Harry gently, whereas Snape utterly despised Harry's father, and despised Harry in his turn, the only reason why Snape deigned to give any sort of assistance to Harry being the debt owed when Snape was saved by James Potter.
Harry didn't like Snape, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to take the fact that Dumbledore trusted him. But Harry was willing to trust the fact that Snape, while he hated him, didn't hate him enough to kill him. And he had a lot more people he could trust to support him in getting through this latest mess. He just hoped it would be enough…
"Can we trust her?" Sirius asked as he walked down the corridor with Dumbledore and Hercule.
"I know her type," Hercule said. "While having leverage about her Animagus form is a good deterrent, giving her access to Voldemort's life story is an extra incentive. And incentives work better on such people than deterrents. Once we have dealt with Voldemort, publishing his life story will erode the support for his vile doctrine."
"It may not eradicate it entirely, Hercule," Dumbledore said sagely. "Blood Purity is still firmly entrenched in the psyche of Magical Britain, and the thing that worries me is that this may only cause a backlash against Halfbloods. They may even claim that Voldemort's insanity was due to his Muggle heritage, or due to his mother being a near-Squib, or even both."
"It's a risk worth taking," Sirius said. "We can't stop all Dark Lords from rising, but we can at least ruin their faith in Voldemort. Though the really fanatical ones will just think it lies. Rita Skeeter is known for publishing bollocks."
"Oui, but many of those who read the Daily Prophet believe it anyway, in spite of it being a most execrable publication," Hercule said. "If they were to publish tomorrow that Harry is a delusional child seeking fame, and you, Dumbledore, as a senile megalomaniac, and you, Sirius, as a syphilitic lothario, they would believe it."
"They have called me senile before, Hercule," Dumbledore said. "I am used to it. It's a dangerous gamble…but I think it is more than worth the risk. If the Purebloods following Voldemort see his hypocrisy, then they may turn on him and his ideology. As Sirius pointed out, not all of them will be willing to believe it. But enough hopefully will."
It was too much to hope that the Blood Purity doctrine Voldemort took to its natural, grotesque conclusion would be wiped out by their plan. But perhaps they would be able to scrub out the worst of it. These three men were trying to prepare for a future where the younger generation didn't need to deal with such things, to not to have to live in fear because of their heritage. And while maybe their plan would backfire, with any luck, it would not…
CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:
So, it's been a while since I've updated this. I'm sorry about that, but unfortunately, my muse was distinctly uncooperative, and my motivation to write another chapter of this story was at an all-time low. And unfortunately, it might be a while before the next chapter comes along too. Please be patient. I know 'patient' is a dirty word on the internet, but even so, try to be.
I have plenty of other stories for you to peruse. Indeed, I've started writing two other 'pure' Harry Potter fics, albeit of a somewhat less serious nature. Many of those who follow my works might already know them. They're both Lunar Harmony stories, based to a degree off challenges issued by DZ2, and are humorous to various degrees, with significant bashing, unlike this fic and its prequel.
The first, On the Delights of Drinking Blood, is a vampire Lunar Harmony story that is, frankly, my own take on a crack fic. Where else would you have Luna Lovegood as the Queen of Vampires in Britain?
The second, Just a Touch of Kleptomania, has a VERY OP Lunar Harmony using their powers to rob their foes blind. A couple of the elements were inspired by Faery Heroes by Silently Watches, though I later learned it also echoes, slightly, Larceny, Lechery and Luna Lovegood! by Rorschach's Blot. And while not a crossover, it does take a bit of inspiration from the Legacy of Kain games, particularly the Soul Reaver ones.
Neither fic should be taken as seriously as this one, obviously. They both defile canon quite a bit. But if you don't mind that, and want OP characters doing fun shit, then give them a go.
Review-answering time! Akren Alumni: …Thanks for that mental image.
James018: The sharks with laser beams was more of a reference to Austin Powers, actually. I haven't seen this fake map, but it doesn't surprise me. If that map jokes about how dangerous Australian wildlife is, it reminds me of that scene from the Discworld novel The Last Continent, where Death, in his library, asks for information on the dangerous creatures of Australia-analogue Fourecks, only to be promptly buried under books. When he asks for information on the least dangerous creatures, he gets a small piece of paper that says 'some of the sheep'. Anyway, I'm glad you like this fanfic.
No numbered annotations this time.