Impromptu Interview
Anthony was headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts when Rita Skeeter accosted him in the middle of the busy third-floor corridor.
"Hello, darling, I'm Rita Skeeter of The Daily Prophet. Do you have a minute to answer a few questions about Harry Potter?"
Without waiting for his reply—which would have been a resounding "no'' as he was well-acquainted with her sensational articles—the reporter dragged him off to a quieter alcove around the corner.
"I'm going to be late—" he began.
Rita finally let go of his robes and waved a hand at him. "Your studies can wait, Mr...?"
"Simmons," Anthony lied quickly, not wanting any of her twisted words to be attributed to him later. "Er, George Simmons."
He watched as Rita pulled an acid green quill and a piece of parchment out of her handbag and wrote down the fake name with a grand flourish.
"So, Mr. Simmons, how well do you know Harry Potter?" She looked him up and down. "You look to be around his age, but I see that you're a Ravenclaw, so I suppose you have limited contact with him."
"I don't interact with him much at all, but he's always been—"
"An attention-seeker?" Rita supplied. "Eager to hog the spotlight?"
Anthony shook his head. "No, nothing like that."
Rita's face fell slightly, and her quill didn't move. "Are you quite sure about that, Mr. Simmons? Perhaps you feel the need to protect Mr. Potter? Has he threatened you in some way, told you not to speak with me?"
"What?" Anthony stared at her. "No!"
She pursed her lips. "Fine. I suppose I'll have to try another student, then. I'm sure I can find someone who might be willing to speak more...candidly."
She shoved the parchment and quill back into her handbag and closed it with a snap. "Good day, Mr. Simmons."
"Good riddance," Anthony muttered as she stalked away. There were probably plenty of people willing to speak ill of Potter at the moment, but he wasn't going to be one of them.
WC: 341