Chapter 26

Hey my lovelies,

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm a bad person. I've been really busy with college and revision.

I have a few weeks off so I'm going to upload as much as possible.

As promised here is the second half of Rita's trial. I've tried to detail and add everything, but as you know the Potterverse is a big place. If I missed anything you really wanted to see I'm sorry.

-x-

Hermione made her way to the center of the room, as Rita moved to her seat at the side of the floor. She sat down in the big black chair and looked up at Kingsley, nodding with a small smile. Another man in the crowd of plum robes stood.

"State your name." He instructed and Hermione sat up straight trying to stay calm though her face showed how nervous she was. She hadn't been in one of these chairs since the death eater trials after the war.

"Hermione Jean Granger." She said.

"Do you agree, before any further questions, to provide memory evidence of all accusations you make?" He asked.

"I do." She nodded.

"Very well. Miss Potter, You can begin your questioning of the witness." Kingsley nodded towards Jazz.

Jasmine walked up to the front of Hermione and smiled, "Miss Granger. Do you remember the moment you met Miss Skeeter?" She asked Hermione and she was slightly taken aback by how formal Jasmine came off. It was strange to see her friend like this since Jasmine was usually much more laid back.

"Well, I met Rita in the champions tent of the first Triwizard task in my fourth year," Hermione stated.

"Why were you in the champions tent Miss Granger?" A female in the crowd asked.

"Well, I was there to see Jasmine. I knew she'd been worried and I hadn't really been there for her since the Halloween before. What with the tension between her and the rest the students at Hogwarts. Plus I'd been spending most of my time with Viktor Krum in the Library." Hermione said and blushed as she'd realised what her words suggested. "Reading!" She quickly added. Jasmine noticed Viktor, who had come to testify against Rita, shift embarrassedly in the stands.

The member nodded though it was evident on her face that she didn't fully believe Hermione's last statement. Jasmine smiled and continues with her questions.

"Did you have any sort of connection to the other two champions?" She asked Hermione.

"Erh… not at the time of the tournament, but Fleur and I have grown closer in the past few years and although Cedric was dating my best friend at the time, I never really spoke to him more that to say hello," Hermione answered truthfully, Jasmine knew all of what she was saying but she needed the courtroom to hear it.

"So when Miss Skeeter wrote this-" Jasmine picked up an old copy of the daily prophet that she had retrieved from the archives. A picture or Jazz and Hermione plastered on the front. "-she was lying?" Jasmine knew the bint had lied and just thinking about it made her livid. Jasmine handed Hermione a copy of the horrid rag and then picked up a stack of copies from the side of the room. Minister Shacklebolt waved his wand and the papers began to disperse around the room to all the important people.

"'Gryffindor fourth years. Do they share more than a dorm?'" Jasmine read out, using most of her self-control to keep her face neutral and her hands from around Rita's neck. "'Fourth years, Hermione Granger and her best friend Jasmine Potter, the fourth Triwizard Champion, seem to share a lot more than just a living space for over three years. Both girls, at the mere age of twelve years old, have seemed to set their sights on Bulgarian Bonbon Viktor Krum and Hufflepuff Hotty Cedric Diggory. Both boys make up one-half of the Triwizard Champions and the two Gryffindor girls seem to have them wrapped around their fingers. But the question is, who wants who? Both Hermione and Jasmine have been seen by sources with both boys and each time they have appeared to be more than friends. Do they plan on dividing the dishes or has their time at Hogwarts made them more accustom to all-you-can-eat feasts? Do the two Pretty Pre-teens plan on sharing the elder boys or will they settle for one each?'" Jasmine finished the first paragraph, sure the Wizengamot understood the articles implications. Hermione's cheeks were red with anger.

"She was lying through her teeth!" Hermione said glaring ahead. "Everything she implied was fabricated. Yes, I was 'seeing' Viktor and Jasmine and Cedric were dating, but that was it. Her sources were falsified and her motives were purely self-gain. Rita Skeeter is nothing more than a washed up storyteller with nothing better to do than to demolish the reputations of school children by spinning yarns that could potentially ruin their lives. She is a whole new level of low, transforming herself into a beetle so she could spy on school children is vile and may I add punishable by prison time in the muggle world."

Skeeter had had this coming for a long time.

Jasmine couldn't help the small smile of satisfaction that slipped onto her face as she watched Rita's fall. It was like a huge weight was slowly being lifted off of her chest and she was beginning to be able to breathe again. With every jab Hermione took at Rita's pride, Jasmine felt a bit better. Though Rita's refusal to defend herself had Jasmine feeling uneasy.

After Hermione, who had to be reprimanded by Kingsley a few times for the names she had called Rita, there was Hagrid. The Half-Giant cried, but Jasmine knew him too well and had a few enlarged tissue boxes nearby. After Hagrid explained how the article Rita had written about his parentage had affected him, Jasmine saw a few sad and angered expression in the Wizengamot. Most of them knew Hagrid and that he would hurt a fly. Rita had exploited that and used him to make herself money. She was low. Though Jasmine knew Rita couldn't be sent to Azkaban for hurting the half giants feelings, there were some other things that could have her sent there. Like forgery.

After Hagrid, there was Molly, George, and Arthur, who one after each other recited what they knew and thought of Miss Skeeter. Needless to say, none of them were happy about the so-called Interviews, Rita had written about in her book, they made sure everyone in the room knew that the Interviews were faked. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan were there to testify the same thing. Skeeter had made up or dramatically enhanced most if not all of her book was more Fantasy than fact. She had written all of the interviews herself and published them in countless names.

Viktor Krum told the room, in his thick accent, about how he'd been followed constantly by Rita during the Triwizard Tournament. He even wanted a restraining order at the time. The only place he could get away was the library. Jasmine almost giggled at the blush that flushed upon to Hermione's face.

Jasmine felt the room slowly turning against Rita Skeeter. Everyone was slowly starting to see that this woman, who caused her so much misery during her fourth year of school, was a fraud who would finally get what's coming to her. Though Rita still refused to cross-examine any witnesses.

"Miss Potter, do you have another witness?" Kingsley asked and Jasmine glanced up at Ron in the stands. Ron eyes narrow and Jasmine couldn't help but roll her eyes at his stubbornness. Ron's idiocy had her one witness down.

"No Minister." Jasmine shook her head.

Kingsley nodded and then look to Rita. "Miss Skeeter, your defence?"

"Actually-" A familiar voice from the crowd caught Jasmine's attention. Her eyes widened as she turned towards the source of the voice.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Kingsley was just as shocked as everyone in the room. Jasmine was slightly confused but she knew that after the war there were no hard feeling between her, Draco and Narcissa. Narcissa had even been to reconcile with her sister while they were still in England. Kingsley sent a small glance over to Jasmine and she nodded, hearing Draco out wouldn't hurt.

"Go on Draco." Jasmine nodded.

"I'd like to testify against Miss Skeeter." Jasmine's eyes widened, but the smile settled back onto her face.

"Very well." She used her hands to gesture towards the chair and Draco made his way down from where he sat next to his mother. Lucius was sent back to the new and improved dementor-less Azkaban. Draco and Narcissa were found innocent because they both helped Jasmine before Voldemort fell. Jasmine's statement was one of the main reasons neither of them ended up spending a good part of their life in a cell, Draco would never forget that.

Draco Malfoy took a seat in the big black chair and faced Kingsley.

"So, Mr. Malfoy, what is that made you stand up."

"I have memory proof that Rita Skeeter is a lying bigot." He sneered as he turned to glare icily at the washed up Reporter. Rita looked and felt petrified, only moving her wide eyes rapidly between Draco and Jasmine.

"Could you explain to the Wizengamot, exactly what this evidence is?" Jasmine asked, feeling a little curious herself.

"Just after the death eater trials, Miss Skeeter came to see me, much to my displeasure. She said she was writing a book about Jasmine Potter and needed some interviews with people who had grown up with The Girl Who Lived. At first, I saw no harm in telling her about the Big-headed Gryffindor idiot who saved the school countless times, by running head first into danger without any plans." Draco smirked and Jazz rolled her eyes.

"So I had a meeting set up where Rita could ask me some questions and I would tell her about the bold Jasmine Potter who I had rivaled and fought against for attention for almost six years of my life.

"As soon as she started I knew something was wrong. These questions were about Jasmine, but not the sort I had expected. Her quick quotes quill was speeding away.

"She would ask me things like, 'When did you start noticing the change in Jasmine?' Or 'How many times did Jasmine conspire with the Dark Lord?

"At first, I was very confused and I couldn't understand what she was trying to implicate."

Jasmine felt her face getting hotter and her eyes shifted to Rita who looked like she would rather be anywhere else. Draco continued, "Then it hit me. Rita Skeeter was trying to make Jasmine, the girl who had saved us all from Lord Voldemort, into the bad guy. Like she had been on Voldemort's side all along. Like it had all been a big ploy and Jasmine was really the Dark Witch we should have been fearing all along.

"Getting an interview confirming it from the last Death Eater who A; was not on the run or in Azkaban or B; wasn't dead would have been enough proof for most people that Jasmine potter was indeed Evil. As soon as I realised what she intended, I told her to get out, she insisted that she'd get the interview she wanted or she'd fake it anyway. After a few threats from a lot of Lawyers, Skeeter was forbidden from ever using my name in her books again."

Jasmine was livid, "What made you come up and tell us this, Mr. Malfoy?" Jazz asked and Draco shifted in the seat.

"After reading her book, to make sure our terms had been met, I was utterly confused and angry that she had still gone ahead and tried to smear Jasmine's name. Rita Skeeter, who hid in her house for the best part of the war, was calling out the people who had actually tried to do something about You-Know-Who. Sitting in that stand and watching Skeeter get away with that was something I was NOT going to do!" Draco concluded and Jasmine gave him a small nod of thanks.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy, could you please stay behind to give the Wizengamot a vial of your memories to back up your evidence." The minister instructed as Draco stood from where he sat and gave a curt nod.

Kingsley sighed, looking towards Jasmine who came to stand in front of the Wizengamot.

"Members of the Wizengamot and Witnesses in the stands, this woman has torn apart countless lives. Ruined people's names and for what? To make herself money. She is the lowest of the low and she doesn't deserve to call what she writes 'fact'. A great man once told me 'If you want to know what a person is like, take a good look at how they treat their inferiors, not his equals.' Miss Skeeter swooped down like a vulture at the possibility to get a good scoop. Even if it meant emotionally screwing with a 14-year-old girl.

I hope you all see this woman for what she is and give her what she deserves and at least stop her from doing this to anybody else." Jasmine looked down to her feet. She knew she needn't say anymore, so she took her seat at the side of the room.

"Miss Skeeter, do you have anything to say?"

"Yes, Minister. I do." She said shortly as she stood from her chair at the side of the room and made her way to the center, where Jasmine had been a few moments before.

Rita paced in front of the minister but turned her body so she had faced at least everyone in the room twice.

"I understand that I have broken the law, on probably more than one account and some of the things I have done would probably result in jail time or some sort of discipline, and yes I probably deserve it." Jasmine watched the Vulture dressed in green as she circled back around to Kingsley and smiled. "Except that being an unregistered animagus isn't illegal in the muggle world, Minister." Rita reached into her suit jacket pocket and pulled out a brown letter, passing it to the minister, Rita stepped back and sent a bone chilling glare Jasmines way. It was taking everything in Jasmine power not to hex the bitch right there and then.

Kingsley eyes widened for a moment and then settled in a small frown.

"Well, it appears Miss Skeeter has quit her Job as a journalist and is leaving the Wizarding world to pursue her real dream and become a Writer." Kingsley sighed, shaking his head at Rita's conniving schemes.

Jasmine's eyes widened, she didn't think it was possible to fully denounce the Wizarding world. Jasmine almost growled as the anger towards Rita Skeeter resurfaced. All hope of any of her careful planning working in her favour evaporated, "That bitc-"

Kingsley, thankfully, saw Jasmines outburst coming and talked loudly over her, even though a few close people heard her. Katherine tried to hold back her own anger. She had met this Skeeter woman once and she already wanted to throw her into a bottomless pit.

"Very well, Miss Skeeter. The Wizengamot will gather back here in two hours with a verdict, whether that verdict can be acted upon by the Wizengamot will be decided in this time as well. Please, everyone, return to your waiting rooms. Though those who gave evidence please stay a while, so we can collect your memory evidence."

Jasmine gave Katherine a short look. "Convince them!" Jasmine muttered angrily.

Katherine nodded and made her way towards the back room where the Wizengamot would gather. Katherine had the job of snuffing out the Skeeter sympathizers and making them change their opinions.

Jasmine had her own job to complete.

-x-

Hermione walked hand in hand with Ron towards the waiting room though Hermione could tell something was off. His eyebrows were creased in concentration and there was a small frown on his face.

"I think Skeeter is right!" Ron said making Hermione stop walking in shock. She had expected him to say something stupid, but that was extremely idiotic, even for Ron Weasley.

"That's barbaric!" Hermione almost shouted. It came out as more of a hurried whisper.

"Is it?" He asked seriously. "Did you see her in there, she has changed Hermione and maybe it's not for the best. Something has happened to her in American and I'm telling you, it's not good."

"Ronald, you are being imprudent. There are consequences for the things you are implying and quite frankly, I won't listen to your ranting." Hermione hissed and then marched off in the opposite direction.

After turning a few corners, Hermione came up to a corridor, she was there just in time to Jasmine enter the room labeled, Miss Skeeter.

-x-

Jasmine was furious.

Skeeter caused her so much misery, made people think less of her and even convinced the whole of Wizarding Britain she was unstable because she was the only person at Hogwarts who had the balls to tell the old bint where to go.

And Skeeter was going to walk away, into the muggle world, free of any sort of punishment.

Jasmine wasn't going to let that happen.

Not by a long shot and she was going to let Skeeter know it.

She stood in front of the door labeled 'Miss Skeeter', she made sure nobody was in there, expect for Rita before entering and closing the door quietly behind her.

Rita didn't notice the Potter girl slip into her private waiting room.

It's a cliffhanger.

I'm evil, I know. Don't worry, Jasmine isn't as rash as Ron.

That chapter has taken me while to write because of all the stuff I had to try and cram into it. I hope it all made sense and wasn't too confusing.

Next chapter will be short but sweet and hopefully up as soon as possible, and for all of you who want more Klaus, I'm sure you'll enjoy Chapter 28.

Please comment or PM with your feedback, I love to hear what you guys like and what you want next.

Kat xox