THE THIRD CAMP
CHAPTER IX-- INK AND PAPER
"Mr. Lupin-- I have a few questions to ask you--"
"Mr. Lupin, I'm writing a weekly column on the regulation of dangerous beasts, could you tell our readers a little about being a--"
Getting up the path was a task well within itself, even with Viktor at her back, Hermione felt the undeniable urge to start kicking shins to clear the way.
"Mr. Lupin, what kind of a monster is Sirius Black?"
Suddenly the cry took hold, "Its Harry Potter and Viktor Krum!" suddenly the attention drifted away from Lupin, who was almost ten feet away from the seemingly unattainable goal of the front door, to the fourteen year old boy at his side.
"Harry, how do you feel about--"
"Mr. Krum, I work for Quiddich Today and I was wondering--"
They were almost there, almost, Lupin was on the stoop-- then Hermione saw her, saw her in her moment of glory, smiling at them from the front door.
"You!" Hermione shrieked.
"Hermione Granger, what a pleasant surprise!" Rita Skeeter smiled, showing all of her teeth.
"You lied to me!" Hermione ran past a fuming Ron.
"You are truly naive, little girl, to think I would pass up a story like this one because of a little school yard promise." Rita smiled parentally again, "Live and learn, dear."
"You know it isn't true!"
Ignoring her, Skeeter turned to Harry, who was just about to make a break for the door, "How does it feel to be stalked by a monster like Sirius Black, Harry?"
Harry turned to her, and for the first time in his life felt grateful towards Lucius Malfoy, "I don't recall us being on first name terms, and he's innocent. Can you really believe that Albus Dumbledore is would do what you accuse him of?"
"I don't believe what I write, dear, I sell papers," Skeeter said not bothering to sugar-coat her dislike.
"Lord Voldemort is back!" Harry said so loudly, that heads turned, "Don't you understand? We can't fight among ourselves, that's what he wants!"
"Ve saw him at Drumstang," Viktor said, surprising everyone, "The Dark Mark... over the school."
Lupin unlocked the door, "If you would excuse us--" he said ushering the four of them inside, as the lawn exploded in a buzz of chatter.
----
An utter silence rang in the living room of 12 Rivermede Road. No one moved, no one spoke, all just stared blindly ahead, at the paper spread across the living room couch, blaring its headline out like a messenger of doom.
DUMBLEDORE LEADS COUP ON THE MINISTRY
Albus Dumbledore, considered by many as the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen has finally crossed the line between eccentric behavior and insanity writes Rita Skeeter, Special Corespondent. Shocking evidence, witnessed firsthand by your Daily Prophet reporter shows Dumbledore has been leading a conspiracy against the Ministry of Magic since the end of the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore must be stopped in his fevered quest for power before he becomes the next Dark Lord.
While covering the Triwizard Tournament, this Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Albus Dumbledore conspiring with none other than the infamous Sirius Black. This terror of thirteen years ago has been evading the recapture by the Ministry with the help of Dumbledore. According to David Macnair, a top officer in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures, who was present at Black's shocking escape last year, "Black could have never gotten out on his own, and it is more than unlikely that the Dark Arts were any help to him in a place like Hogwarts. He must have had inside help." This "inside help" turned out to be none other than the much respected Albus Dumbledore.
Sirius Black is an illegal animagus, a small crime to add to his formidable resume, and has been roaming the country in the form of a large black dog. Currently Black is in residence with another contact of Dumbledore's a Mr. R. J. Lupin of 12 Rivermede Road, Exeter. Lupin, much like Rubeus Hagrid, is another of Dumbledore's questionable decisions in the running of the Hogwarts School. A werewolf, Lupin taught Defense Against the Dark Arts but was forced to resign when his secret came to light. "A man who hires werewolves and half-giants for that matter, is obviously playing some hidden game of his own, and does not have the interests of his school or students at heart," says Rhetor Paedegogus, a former Hogwarts teacher and an expert in the field of elementary education. So what is Dumbledore's hidden game? In their talk, Black and Dumbledore confessed it all; they are planning to lead a coup in the Ministry of Magic to murder our much beloved Minister, Cornelius Fudge. Dumbledore covets the top spot, and once he has it within his grasp, he will extend his web of control until he becomes the next He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Many upstanding (until now) citizens have joined in the plot, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Mudugnous Fletcher, Arabella Figg, Minerva McGonagall, and to the great dismay of this reporter, Harry Potter. A known Parseltounge, Potter's true loyalties may be slowly be coming to light with the discovery of another link to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Their wands share the same core, a core that, as we have all seen is able to perform powerful feats of Dark Magic.
Through all of this sobering tale only one man has behaved in such a way he may still hold his head high, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. When asked to comment on his "friend's" true intentions, Fudge blinked back tears, "Albus and I were on very good terms, until the Triwizard Tournament when he started telling me these addlepated stories of hippogriffs and graveyards." Hippogriffs and graveyards? It sounds like Albus Dumbledore is trying to mask his true intentions. Can we leave a man this power hungry, this deranged as the head of Hogwarts School, as the guardian of our children and the future of out world?
Remus stared up at the ceiling, he had read Skeeter, read her trash on Harry and Hagrid, but he had always seen her as a minor annoyance, never guess she would go as far as to implicate the one man who, so far, had been untouchable in the endless mud slinging of the press. The vendetta on Dumbledore had finally broken. "Incidio," Walking over to his now-burning fireplace, Remus grabbed a jar sitting on the mantle, fishing inside he found a handful of bright blue powder, which he flung into the flames turning them pure white. "Albus, it's Lupin-- a word." There was a whirling of color and sound and suddenly, Albus Dumbledore was stumbling over the flames while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Viktor gaped.
"Celerity Powder," Dumbledore said calmly, never missing an opportunity to teach, "Allows you to summon someone. Yes, Remus?"
Lupin held up the Daily Prophet, "Have you seen--"
"Most unfortunately," he said, shaking his head. "Though I dare say she'd be delighted, Rita has no idea how much trouble she's causing. This will set us back weeks."
"What about Sirius?" Remus stared at the Daily Prophet, disgusted. "He can't hide anymore."
"I'm afraid we may have to follow Gabriel's suggestion," Dumbledore said.
"What? A Prophet article?" Remus looked incredulous.
Dumbledore sighed, "When in Rome..."
"What about the Diggorys?"
"I have just spoken with Lucy," Dumbledore said, "She agreed."
"Poor Amos," Remus shook his head slowly.
Suddenly there was a crashing noise from the roof and something-- someone-- fell down the chimney and landed in the fireplace with a dull thud, "Sorry--" it said sitting up slowly, apparently unhurt by the white flames.
"Gabriel Cox?" said Remus tilting his head as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.
"Tremendous entrance, eh?" Gabriel stood up, hitting his head on the mantle, "Sorry--" he ducked out leading a trail of soot into Lupin's immaculate living room.
"May I ask what you are doing in my fireplace?" Lupin asked, slightly defensive, but more amused.
"You have some sort of spell, I couldn't apperate in and I sure as hell wasn't going to try the front door.
So the fireplace was the only other option." He looked to Dumbledore, "I thought you'd be here. Fudge is coming after you, he'll be here in a few minutes."
"He's taking this tabloid trash seriously?" Lupin looked amazed.
"Ink and paper-- the entire history of mankind can be governed by well written tabloid trash, especially if it plays on emotion," Gabriel said in a tone that said he had had this argument many times before.
"I want you to write your article, Gabriel." Dumbledore said gently, a smile playing over his lined face. Harry was amazed suddenly at how old he looked... how old he was. "If what you say is true, I must leave now. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Viktor here can fill in the details you need." Dumbledore turned and looked directly at Harry, "It is the only way." Harry realized he was talking to him, choking back memory-- he nodded. With a slight smile, he was gone.
"I thought you couldn't apperate," Ron said.
"You can't," Lupin sighed. "But you can dissapperate, there's a flaw in the ward I haven't gotten around to fixing." There was a whooshing sound from behind them and without another warning men in hit wizard uniforms began piling out of the fireplace and into the shocked living room. Finally, when all of his bodyguards were in place, a rather disgruntled Cornelius Fudge appeared muttering something about floo powder. Brushing off his robes he glowered, "Where is Dumbledore?"
"Why would Dumbledore be here?" Gabriel managed to sound extremely snide as he stared at the small dumpy minister with obvious dislike.
"What are you doing here?" Fudge said, and from his tone it was easy to discern that Gabriel Cox was the last person he wanted to see in a time like this.
"Exclusive interview with Harry Potter and Viktor Krum, what it is to be a celebrity when you're underage for an apparition license. Absolutely riveting stuff, but nothing to rival the headline today," he said sarcastically.
Fudge bristled, "Don't you start! Rita Skeeter had just turned out a fine piece of investigative journalism!"
"Try investigative imagination," Gabriel took a step towards the Minister. but he was blocked from going any further by the hit wizards. "It's all rot."
"I do admit the animagus detail is... a tad but farfetched, but I always had my doubts about Albus Dumbledore--"
"Always meaning the last twenty-four hours," Gabriel snapped, and Harry felt a wave of admiration, he had never seen anyone speak to the Minister of Magic like this before.
"Now really Gabriel... don't be rash!" Fudge sputtered, turning bright red, "Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have--"
"--let Alastor Moody kill you--" Gabriel finished, "I've heard it a thousand times, so think of something new, hmm?"
"You are publicly humiliating me!" Fudge roared, throwing his dignity to the wind.
"Well you are used to public humiliation..." Gabriel sneered.
"Where did you get this?" Fudge turned an even brighter red, "How did you turn out like this-- oh yes, I forget, your father!"
"My father!" Gabriel exploded, "It always boils down to my father with you, doesn't it!"
"He got what he deserved!" Fudge wagged a finger at Gabriel, "As will this man I SHOULD be tracking down!"
"What's keeping you?" Gabriel gestured at the fireplace violently.
"Good-bye, Gabriel-- I am leaving now, You are a waste of my time!" Fudge bellowed.
"Good! Then its mutual, old chap!" he roared back as the party of ministry wizards disappeared.
"Was that wise?" Lupin said, a faint smile of amusement crossing his face.
"Let him try and arrest me," Gabriel said still bristling. "For what? Excessive angst? It would reflect back on him anyway so he wouldn't dare. Besides," he gave Lupin a cheeky grin, "He didn't arrest you, did he? I was the ultimate distraction."
"What did I miss?" said Harry, rather slowly, sitting up.
Gabriel turned to him, a smile of triumph on his face. "He's my Uncle, my guardian actually—but he'd never admit it."
Ron gave a snicker, "Cornelius Fudge is your uncle?"
"I lived with him until I was seventeen," Gabriel shrugged, "That was positively amiable compared to most of our conversations."
"Tea?" asked Lupin, "Since you'll be staying a while…"
"Yes—definitely," Gabriel smiled as he sat down in a particularly squashy armchair.
"Who was your father?" Hermione asked, as he pulled out a notebook and a quill.
Gabriel looked frozen for a moment but it was Lupin who replied, "My Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, and I'm afraid its your turn to be interviewed," he said gently.
"Right," said Gabriel, "Harry, could you tell me what happened the night you touched the Triwizard Cup?"
Swallowing the images, Harry nodded, took a breath and began to relive the night he would never escape.
CHAPTER IX-- INK AND PAPER
"Mr. Lupin-- I have a few questions to ask you--"
"Mr. Lupin, I'm writing a weekly column on the regulation of dangerous beasts, could you tell our readers a little about being a--"
Getting up the path was a task well within itself, even with Viktor at her back, Hermione felt the undeniable urge to start kicking shins to clear the way.
"Mr. Lupin, what kind of a monster is Sirius Black?"
Suddenly the cry took hold, "Its Harry Potter and Viktor Krum!" suddenly the attention drifted away from Lupin, who was almost ten feet away from the seemingly unattainable goal of the front door, to the fourteen year old boy at his side.
"Harry, how do you feel about--"
"Mr. Krum, I work for Quiddich Today and I was wondering--"
They were almost there, almost, Lupin was on the stoop-- then Hermione saw her, saw her in her moment of glory, smiling at them from the front door.
"You!" Hermione shrieked.
"Hermione Granger, what a pleasant surprise!" Rita Skeeter smiled, showing all of her teeth.
"You lied to me!" Hermione ran past a fuming Ron.
"You are truly naive, little girl, to think I would pass up a story like this one because of a little school yard promise." Rita smiled parentally again, "Live and learn, dear."
"You know it isn't true!"
Ignoring her, Skeeter turned to Harry, who was just about to make a break for the door, "How does it feel to be stalked by a monster like Sirius Black, Harry?"
Harry turned to her, and for the first time in his life felt grateful towards Lucius Malfoy, "I don't recall us being on first name terms, and he's innocent. Can you really believe that Albus Dumbledore is would do what you accuse him of?"
"I don't believe what I write, dear, I sell papers," Skeeter said not bothering to sugar-coat her dislike.
"Lord Voldemort is back!" Harry said so loudly, that heads turned, "Don't you understand? We can't fight among ourselves, that's what he wants!"
"Ve saw him at Drumstang," Viktor said, surprising everyone, "The Dark Mark... over the school."
Lupin unlocked the door, "If you would excuse us--" he said ushering the four of them inside, as the lawn exploded in a buzz of chatter.
----
An utter silence rang in the living room of 12 Rivermede Road. No one moved, no one spoke, all just stared blindly ahead, at the paper spread across the living room couch, blaring its headline out like a messenger of doom.
DUMBLEDORE LEADS COUP ON THE MINISTRY
Albus Dumbledore, considered by many as the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen has finally crossed the line between eccentric behavior and insanity writes Rita Skeeter, Special Corespondent. Shocking evidence, witnessed firsthand by your Daily Prophet reporter shows Dumbledore has been leading a conspiracy against the Ministry of Magic since the end of the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore must be stopped in his fevered quest for power before he becomes the next Dark Lord.
While covering the Triwizard Tournament, this Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Albus Dumbledore conspiring with none other than the infamous Sirius Black. This terror of thirteen years ago has been evading the recapture by the Ministry with the help of Dumbledore. According to David Macnair, a top officer in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures, who was present at Black's shocking escape last year, "Black could have never gotten out on his own, and it is more than unlikely that the Dark Arts were any help to him in a place like Hogwarts. He must have had inside help." This "inside help" turned out to be none other than the much respected Albus Dumbledore.
Sirius Black is an illegal animagus, a small crime to add to his formidable resume, and has been roaming the country in the form of a large black dog. Currently Black is in residence with another contact of Dumbledore's a Mr. R. J. Lupin of 12 Rivermede Road, Exeter. Lupin, much like Rubeus Hagrid, is another of Dumbledore's questionable decisions in the running of the Hogwarts School. A werewolf, Lupin taught Defense Against the Dark Arts but was forced to resign when his secret came to light. "A man who hires werewolves and half-giants for that matter, is obviously playing some hidden game of his own, and does not have the interests of his school or students at heart," says Rhetor Paedegogus, a former Hogwarts teacher and an expert in the field of elementary education. So what is Dumbledore's hidden game? In their talk, Black and Dumbledore confessed it all; they are planning to lead a coup in the Ministry of Magic to murder our much beloved Minister, Cornelius Fudge. Dumbledore covets the top spot, and once he has it within his grasp, he will extend his web of control until he becomes the next He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Many upstanding (until now) citizens have joined in the plot, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Mudugnous Fletcher, Arabella Figg, Minerva McGonagall, and to the great dismay of this reporter, Harry Potter. A known Parseltounge, Potter's true loyalties may be slowly be coming to light with the discovery of another link to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Their wands share the same core, a core that, as we have all seen is able to perform powerful feats of Dark Magic.
Through all of this sobering tale only one man has behaved in such a way he may still hold his head high, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. When asked to comment on his "friend's" true intentions, Fudge blinked back tears, "Albus and I were on very good terms, until the Triwizard Tournament when he started telling me these addlepated stories of hippogriffs and graveyards." Hippogriffs and graveyards? It sounds like Albus Dumbledore is trying to mask his true intentions. Can we leave a man this power hungry, this deranged as the head of Hogwarts School, as the guardian of our children and the future of out world?
Remus stared up at the ceiling, he had read Skeeter, read her trash on Harry and Hagrid, but he had always seen her as a minor annoyance, never guess she would go as far as to implicate the one man who, so far, had been untouchable in the endless mud slinging of the press. The vendetta on Dumbledore had finally broken. "Incidio," Walking over to his now-burning fireplace, Remus grabbed a jar sitting on the mantle, fishing inside he found a handful of bright blue powder, which he flung into the flames turning them pure white. "Albus, it's Lupin-- a word." There was a whirling of color and sound and suddenly, Albus Dumbledore was stumbling over the flames while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Viktor gaped.
"Celerity Powder," Dumbledore said calmly, never missing an opportunity to teach, "Allows you to summon someone. Yes, Remus?"
Lupin held up the Daily Prophet, "Have you seen--"
"Most unfortunately," he said, shaking his head. "Though I dare say she'd be delighted, Rita has no idea how much trouble she's causing. This will set us back weeks."
"What about Sirius?" Remus stared at the Daily Prophet, disgusted. "He can't hide anymore."
"I'm afraid we may have to follow Gabriel's suggestion," Dumbledore said.
"What? A Prophet article?" Remus looked incredulous.
Dumbledore sighed, "When in Rome..."
"What about the Diggorys?"
"I have just spoken with Lucy," Dumbledore said, "She agreed."
"Poor Amos," Remus shook his head slowly.
Suddenly there was a crashing noise from the roof and something-- someone-- fell down the chimney and landed in the fireplace with a dull thud, "Sorry--" it said sitting up slowly, apparently unhurt by the white flames.
"Gabriel Cox?" said Remus tilting his head as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.
"Tremendous entrance, eh?" Gabriel stood up, hitting his head on the mantle, "Sorry--" he ducked out leading a trail of soot into Lupin's immaculate living room.
"May I ask what you are doing in my fireplace?" Lupin asked, slightly defensive, but more amused.
"You have some sort of spell, I couldn't apperate in and I sure as hell wasn't going to try the front door.
So the fireplace was the only other option." He looked to Dumbledore, "I thought you'd be here. Fudge is coming after you, he'll be here in a few minutes."
"He's taking this tabloid trash seriously?" Lupin looked amazed.
"Ink and paper-- the entire history of mankind can be governed by well written tabloid trash, especially if it plays on emotion," Gabriel said in a tone that said he had had this argument many times before.
"I want you to write your article, Gabriel." Dumbledore said gently, a smile playing over his lined face. Harry was amazed suddenly at how old he looked... how old he was. "If what you say is true, I must leave now. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Viktor here can fill in the details you need." Dumbledore turned and looked directly at Harry, "It is the only way." Harry realized he was talking to him, choking back memory-- he nodded. With a slight smile, he was gone.
"I thought you couldn't apperate," Ron said.
"You can't," Lupin sighed. "But you can dissapperate, there's a flaw in the ward I haven't gotten around to fixing." There was a whooshing sound from behind them and without another warning men in hit wizard uniforms began piling out of the fireplace and into the shocked living room. Finally, when all of his bodyguards were in place, a rather disgruntled Cornelius Fudge appeared muttering something about floo powder. Brushing off his robes he glowered, "Where is Dumbledore?"
"Why would Dumbledore be here?" Gabriel managed to sound extremely snide as he stared at the small dumpy minister with obvious dislike.
"What are you doing here?" Fudge said, and from his tone it was easy to discern that Gabriel Cox was the last person he wanted to see in a time like this.
"Exclusive interview with Harry Potter and Viktor Krum, what it is to be a celebrity when you're underage for an apparition license. Absolutely riveting stuff, but nothing to rival the headline today," he said sarcastically.
Fudge bristled, "Don't you start! Rita Skeeter had just turned out a fine piece of investigative journalism!"
"Try investigative imagination," Gabriel took a step towards the Minister. but he was blocked from going any further by the hit wizards. "It's all rot."
"I do admit the animagus detail is... a tad but farfetched, but I always had my doubts about Albus Dumbledore--"
"Always meaning the last twenty-four hours," Gabriel snapped, and Harry felt a wave of admiration, he had never seen anyone speak to the Minister of Magic like this before.
"Now really Gabriel... don't be rash!" Fudge sputtered, turning bright red, "Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have--"
"--let Alastor Moody kill you--" Gabriel finished, "I've heard it a thousand times, so think of something new, hmm?"
"You are publicly humiliating me!" Fudge roared, throwing his dignity to the wind.
"Well you are used to public humiliation..." Gabriel sneered.
"Where did you get this?" Fudge turned an even brighter red, "How did you turn out like this-- oh yes, I forget, your father!"
"My father!" Gabriel exploded, "It always boils down to my father with you, doesn't it!"
"He got what he deserved!" Fudge wagged a finger at Gabriel, "As will this man I SHOULD be tracking down!"
"What's keeping you?" Gabriel gestured at the fireplace violently.
"Good-bye, Gabriel-- I am leaving now, You are a waste of my time!" Fudge bellowed.
"Good! Then its mutual, old chap!" he roared back as the party of ministry wizards disappeared.
"Was that wise?" Lupin said, a faint smile of amusement crossing his face.
"Let him try and arrest me," Gabriel said still bristling. "For what? Excessive angst? It would reflect back on him anyway so he wouldn't dare. Besides," he gave Lupin a cheeky grin, "He didn't arrest you, did he? I was the ultimate distraction."
"What did I miss?" said Harry, rather slowly, sitting up.
Gabriel turned to him, a smile of triumph on his face. "He's my Uncle, my guardian actually—but he'd never admit it."
Ron gave a snicker, "Cornelius Fudge is your uncle?"
"I lived with him until I was seventeen," Gabriel shrugged, "That was positively amiable compared to most of our conversations."
"Tea?" asked Lupin, "Since you'll be staying a while…"
"Yes—definitely," Gabriel smiled as he sat down in a particularly squashy armchair.
"Who was your father?" Hermione asked, as he pulled out a notebook and a quill.
Gabriel looked frozen for a moment but it was Lupin who replied, "My Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, and I'm afraid its your turn to be interviewed," he said gently.
"Right," said Gabriel, "Harry, could you tell me what happened the night you touched the Triwizard Cup?"
Swallowing the images, Harry nodded, took a breath and began to relive the night he would never escape.