SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN
3 June 2002

Ginny savoured the chance to stay in bed past sunrise. She couldn't remember a time before she had to be up at the crack of dawn to train on the pitch and after her medical leave she had been plagued with morning sickness that urged her out of bed in the early hours. For the first time in ages she had no intention of getting up while Harry snored in the bed beside her. But old habits die hard and it was mid morning when she became restless. She tiptoed out of bed and down into the kitchen where she put on the kettle for tea.

The water was starting to boil when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror hung in the hallway. Ginny noticed her stomach was protruding more than usual, stretching the fabric across her middle. Of course she knew this was bound to happen ever since Angelina gave her the big news, but a part of her was still in denial that she and Harry were about to become parents. But she didn't have time to dwell on it when there was a rustling outside.

Coming in through the open window, a petite owl flew straight onto the kitchen table and dropped a rolled up copy of The Daily Prophet with a pink note wrapped around it. Ginny recognized Pig and gave him a couple of owl treats she kept in the kitchen. Then she unrolled the package and read the handwritten note.

Ginny

Thought you'd like to read this pile of rubbish before you get off to practice. She's done it again!

-H

Confused, Ginny unfurled the paper and found the headline Hermione had circled in red. A lengthy article was posted below an image of Ginny shopping in Diagon Alley. Her hand absent-mindedly rested on her stomach, which she swore had been enchanted to look bigger in the image. She should have known the news would break, but she never expected it this quickly or in this manner.

CHASING POTTER'S FORTUNE
by Rita Skeeter

You heard it here first! Starting Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, Ginny Weasley has been mysteriously suspended from the National Quidditch team. The redhead, better known as Harry Potter's latest squeeze and a member of the notorious Weasley clan, will not be making her debut on the pitch during next week's Quidditch World Cup. As of this time, it is unknown if she will be returning to the Harpies in the Fall.

The whole world is wondering why a healthy young girl has been removed from the roster. Could it be she's turned to Firewhiskey like her older brothers? Or does she partake of too much Knotgrass? It turns out, the little witch better stay away from these indulgences as she's with child.

Yes, by the end of the year, we will have another Weasley in our midst although this one will be masquerading as a Potter. I'm sure Minerva McGonagall is already handwriting the little tyke's Hogwarts letter. But, is this truly the child of The Chosen One?

My sources tell me, despite their engagement earlier this year, Harry Potter's relationship is rocky at best. With his Auror missions and her busy Quidditch schedule, the two hardly see each other.

More importantly Potter's line of work keeps him in the throes of dark magic and it's safe to say he has been on the receiving end of more hexes than any wizard or witch alive today. As his latest antics reveal, it has certainly affected his psyche. This raises the question, can Potter even conceive a child naturally?

Perhaps we should be looking more closely at Miss Weasley's other relationships with men. There is, of course, her old friend Neville Longbottom, current professor of Herbology ay Hogwarts. They attended the Yule Ball together in her third year. He reportedly split from kooky girlfriend Luna Lovegood last year. Could he be the one Ginny turns to when her boyfriend is off fighting what's left of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's followers?

Ginny stopped reading. She knew Rita Skeeter was incapable of writing an article that wasn't dripping with sarcasm and lies. She particularly liked Rita's suspicion that Harry had become sterile. But she hardly had time to consider Rita's half-brained drivel when another owl came in through the window and dropped a letter on the table address to her. She picked it up and opened the letter.

Miss Ginevra Weasley

It has come to our attention that you will no longer be playing in the Quidditch World Cup. As such, we would like to offer you the position of Junior Quidditch Correspondent for the Daily Prophet.

If the position is of interest to you, please send an owl to confirm you'll be at our offices noon tomorrow.

-Barnabus Cuffe

The Daily Prophet

Editor in Chief

Ginny dropped everything and shrieked in amazement. For once, Rita Skeeter's meddlesome antics had finally worked in her favour. She was rereading the letter from Barnabus Cuffe when Harry came running down the stairs.

"Is everything okay?" he asked concerned.

"I'm fine," she told him. "Sorry to scare you."

"Don't scare me like that," he wrapped his arms around Ginny and kissed her forehead.

"Look," she handed him the note, "and skip the article from Rita Skeeter. It's mostly lies, as usual."

"Save it," Harry said. Ginny gave him a look. "It will make good kindling for the fireplace."

"Good point," she laughed, thinking about a ritualistic burning of Rita Skeeter's Harry Potter collection. "But I really wish I had a chance to tell my parents before it made the news."

"We still have time," Harry told her. "We have dinner at The Burrow tonight. Maybe your mum hasn't even seen the article."

"Hopefully," Ginny sighed, "but we should go early to intercept it and tell my parents first. Mum will be so hurt if she finds out same as the others."

"I think we can manage that," Harry said. "I'll go get changed and then we can stop at the flower shop to bring your mother the largest bouquet she's ever seen. That should butter her up."

"Brilliant!" Ginny squealed.

The forgotten kettle began to hiss and Ginny poured herself a cup of tea while Harry bolted up the stairs to get ready. There was no denying her nerves about being a mother but she knew that her family would be supportive and a new baby was just what the family needed to move on. It worked for George after all. They hadn't seen him take a drink in over a year, despite what Rita might publish in her articles.


This was a fun chapter to write. I both love Rita Skeeter and abhor her entirely. I feel like she's a necessary evil and Harry Potter's story would be incomplete without her. So, I hope you enjoyed it!

COMING UP: It's World Cup time!