Disclaimer:

Me: I've got Rita Skeeter here to do the disclaimer! So, Rita, will you say the disclaimer?

Rita: Why would I do that? You had me arrested!

Me: Remember, I am still writing the story, so it could go a lot worse for you. Now, just tell everyone that I do not own the characters, J.K. Rowling does.

Rita: Wait, characters for what?

Me: J.K. Rowling wrote a series of stories about Harry, Ron, Hermione, and everyone else. I just want people to know that I don't own the characters.

Rita: She already wrote about Harry Potter! That was going to be my big story! How dare she take my subject and write about him!

Me: Rita... she imagined all of you... Harry is kind of 'her subject'.

Rita: NO! J.K. Rowling cannot write about him! I write about him!

Me: RITA!! J.K. Rowling owns you too! She controls everything you've done!

Rita: No...No... SHE STOLE MY SUBJECT!! storms off to duel J.K. Rowling for ownership of the 'subject'

Me: Look out J.K. Rowling, you have a couple people coming after you!


"Mr. Potter, there are some people who have heard you use the word 'dude' in the not too distant past. 'Dude' is common slang elsewhere in the world, but not here in England. Why have you used these words?" asked a rather large reporter in the third row.

"Well, on those days I must have been under the influence of the Culture Charm. I have been traveling to the United States on occasion on Ministry business and needed to, for lack of a better phrase, get rid of my English accent and vocabulary. Therefore, I underwent the Culture Charm. This charm will change your accent, vocabulary, and knowledge of a culture. The side affects include a time where you use words uncommon in your life." Harry said from a podium in the front of the room.

Harry and Ginny were in the middle of the dreaded press conference. A large room in the lower levels of the Ministry held about 37 reporters, all ready to ask questions. A raised podium was situated in the front of the room. The reporters were forced to accept that no real plans (not any that Harry and Ginny were ready to tell them yet) and had to settle with asking them normal interview questions.

But that didn't mean that they weren't going to milk it for all it's worth.

"Ms. Weasley, you has expressed interest in playing Quidditch professionally. When do you plan to follow this dream?" asked a female reporter in the front row.

"There were scouts at the Hogwarts Quidditch games, but I cannot really apply until after the Finals in a few months." Ginny answered. She had her hands on the podium in front of her and was trying to figure out something she could do with them.

"Mr. Potter, we all know that you are revolutionizing the Auror office. Did you have any resistance from older Aurors?" asked a dark haired man in the last row.

"There was a little resistance from a few people, but I did hear their views and tried to make the office as efficient as possible."

"Did you use anything you had learned during your disappearance during the war?"

The room went very still. Harry rarely said anything about the war, especially in public. Each reporter checked their Quick Quotes Quill (all Ministry issued, of course) to make sure it would catch every word. Harry's eyes dulled a bit, as did Ginny's. Ginny looked down at her engagement ring. Harry noticed and covered her hand woth his own.

"Yes, I learning from that time." He said simply. "A time like that changes your views on life and all that you love. You can't help but look at everything differently." The quills scratched furiously as he spoke, straining to keep up and not miss a word. Harry looked down, signaling the end of his answer. The tensioned remained in the room as the reporters silently dared each other to ask the next question.

Finally, a young, female reporter in the second to last row had the courage to ask another question. "Mr. Potter, Ms. Weasley, do you feel comfortable talking about this?"

Ginny looked up and smiled at the reporter. "Not really. That was a very hard time for us. But you're the first reporter to ask that. Thanks."

"Mr. Potter, we have heard that you considered Hogwarts your first real home. Did you ever consider teaching as a career?" asked a female reporter in the fourth row.

"I never really thought about it seriously. I knew that I had to fight Voldemort," many of the people in the room winced as he said the name, but, to Harry's happiness, most did not, "eventually. By the time I thought about careers, Voldemort had returned. By the time I defeated him, I was already on a certain path." Harry said. His lips turned up at the sides as he thought about the DA. He had been a teacher for a few months, and a pretty good one at that. He could tell that Ginny was thinking the same thing, for she was smiling and her eyes had a twinkle that just screamed laughter.

The reporters obviously had no idea what was so funny. Incredulous looks covered everyone one of their faces. No one knew about the DA except for a couple Ministry officials, teachers, and Harry. Oh, and the rest of the DA, but none of them would tell. They did not want to test and see if Hermione's spell on the list of names still worked.

"Ms. Weasley, how do you feel about other women flirting with your fiance?" asked a young, rather pretty female reporter in the last row.

"Random question... well, I obviously don't like it at all." Ginny said in a pleasant voice, her eyes contradicting her tone, screaming 'murder'.

Before any reporters had the opportunity to ask any more questions, a bell tolled a few floors above them. The reporters groaned and picked up their quills as they quivered on the spot, ready to take notes that would not come. For you see, the reporters had been told that they would have one hour to ask questions and the bell signaled the end of that time. A few tried to ask a few more questions, but Harry and Ginny refused, trying to make their way out the door at the back of the room.

When they were free of the crowd, they were met by Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Thank you both for this. I would never ask for it, but their questions were becoming too much. I have never seen reporters so focused on a subject. Even during the war, though I suppose that the media was controlled by outside forces." Kingsley said in his low, deep voice.

"Yeah, I guess. But the reporters were just so... nice!" Ginny said. "They didn't ask any rude questions and were actually pleasant! What did you do to them?"

"This room is used for certain conferences. It makes those inside act pleasant to each other. They can't ask rude questions or anything that would slightly disturb the people around them." Kingsley told them with a grin. The three walked to the lift and stepped in before the doors closed. "It's kind of a Ministry secret. None of the reporters know about it. AND... their memories are erased of the location where the conference was given. They remember being in the main room, not the magic one. But they will still wonder why they were so nice to everyone." Kingsley laughed and soon, so did Harry and Ginny.

"I am using that room from now on." Harry announced as the pleasant female voice of the lift announced their arrival in the Atrium. The reporters will still on their way up, so no one bombarded them with questions when they stepped out. But Hermione and Ron were standing there, waiting for them.

"Just so you guys know, we were there." Hermione explained as they floo-ed to the surface world after a quick 'farewell' to Kingsley. "We used the Cloak. Sorry, but we were attacked in Hogsmeade and did not feel like going through that again. But we did notice that the reporters were extremely nice."

"They room makes everyone be nice, if you would. They couldn't ask rude questions or make anyone else uncomfortable on purpose." Harry explained. The four were standing on a London street with cars whizzing by them. "It was the best interview I ever had. Actually, the interview with Rita in the fifth year was pretty good. Her face was hysterical as Hermione threatened her." Harry added as an after thought.

"So, you guys want to get a drink?" asked Ron. The group was headed towards the Leaky Cauldron. Aparating was not the most comfortable experiance and it was avoided whenever possible.

"Sure. But how 'bout we go somewhere different? The Leaky Cauldron will be bursting with people." Harry said, not wanting to deal with all the reporters and fans. Man, did he hate the word 'fan'. Harry looked at Ginny, who immediately caught on. She smiled and nodded.

"Fine. Where should we go?" asked Hermione.

"We'll show you!" Ginny said happily. The four ducked into a dark alley and checked to make sure no one was watching them. She grabbed her brother's arm as Harry grasped Hermione's arm. "We'll guide you."

Harry and Ginny concentrated and the four disappeared into thin air.


OK. Short chapter. I know. Don't need to say it in reviews.

I've been on vacation and was told that I would have computer access on the trip. Unfortunately, that was a lie and I have been cut off from the internet for over a week.

So, I still hope you enjoyed it. Please review for you all know how much it means to me.

So, update on the Quibbler awards. Today, August 19, is the last day for nominations. There is a reading period after that so you are informed and can decide which stories to vote for. Then, voting will begin on August 26th. So, last chance to nominate and in five days, vote!

Thanks to the numerous people who have reviewed.

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Defying Gravity