Chapter 12 - Confrontation at the Quibbler
"I beg your pardon?" Parvati said, eyebrows slightly raised and with arms folded across her chest.
"You must be kidding!" sneered another incredulous voice which turned out to be Cho. "No one reads that rubbish, you know."
Harry glared at the two girls while still holding Luna protectively. "Quibbler's reputation may not be that good but it was the ONLY newspaper that bravely published the truth about Voldemort's return when the others were too busy slandering me." he said venomously.
"I am not forcing it on you and besides I haven't even agreed to that yet." said Luna, glad for Harry's support and unconsciously leaned slightly on his chest. She felt Harry put her arms around her lightly as if it was the most natural thing to do but she didn't mind. She felt warm and secure and slightly light-headed.
"Well, I still think the idea stinks!" shouted Cho much to Luna's embarrassment and to the astonishment of all.
"Cho!" gasped Hermione. This was not exactly the reaction she expected when she stated her idea. "You don't have to be so rude. We're on the same side here in case you haven't noticed."
"I don't want our reputation to be tainted by that piece of trash! It's bad enough being on this situation without adding insult to our injuries." Cho declared stubbornly.
"So, is that what you care about? Your stupid reputation? What about the TRUTH? Or would you prefer that the world be ignorant in this chaos?" cried Luna angrily, shaking her head in disbelief that someone from her own house, supposedly the house of the most clever ones, would utter such nonsense. She turned to Harry and let her tears flow on his shoulder. Harry, oblivious to all, embraced her tightly while murmuring words of comforts to her.
The other DA members just stared at the scene in front of them, not really sure on whose side to take. But they were quite upset and confused about the situation. They thought that after what they just went through, everyone would behave more compassionately towards one another. They SHOULD behave that way. And when did Harry and Luna became a couple?
"Do you think your father would mind if we use his paper to publish the atrocities of Voldemort and what the whole community can do about it?" Hermione suddenly asked Luna, making a mental note to ask Harry about the PDA later.
"Well, if you put it that way....I think he will be very proud to be a part of it. But who would write the articles?" said Luna, focusing back on Hermione's idea now much to the irritation of ridiculous house mate who seemed on edge for some reason that she could not fathom.
"We, of course. Colin and Creevey can take care of the pictures and the rest of us could take our turns writing the articles. We don't have school right now so we have so much time in our hands." The Creevey brothers looked excited at this but a few groaned at the thought of doing paper work.
"It's for a good cause, guys." prodded Harry. "Besides, Hermione will be the one to write all the major articles and the editorial. Don't worry." he added with a sly grin at Hermione.
"So, is it all agreed then?" prompted Hermione.
"Are you really going to write all the major stuff?" asked Lee.
Hermione glared at Harry who simply shrugged his shoulders and shot her an 'I'm-Innocent-Don't-Look-at-Me-Like-That' look. "Fine." she said finally.
Everything went smoothly after that. Several suggestions flew into the air regarding what to write about, when to publish and where they were going to get the funds. They would have stayed longer if Harry had not remembered something.
"Hold on, guys, I think we better get back now. We have a meeting with Professor Moody ----Where's Cho?" He looked around and saw the pretty Asian girl sobbing furiously on a swiveling chair behind a desk overflowing with books and documents. He let go of Luna and walked towards her. 'Crying again!' he thought, wondering what made her cry now. She was a walking teardrop last year when Cedric died and the memory of her walking out of their date in tears didn't exactly endear her to him.
"What's the problem, Cho?" he asked gently.
"Oh, Harry!" cried Cho. She threw her arms around him and tried to kiss him but Harry resisted and carefully pried her arms away from him. Not a very smart move because then, Cho suddenly slapped him and screamed angrily, "So, I'm not good enough for the wizard savior now, am I? And who do you like now? That pathetic Luna? You could do better than that, you two- timing liar! Why not Granger or Ginny? At least they're both pretty and intelligent. It's so humiliating to be dumped for someone like HER!" she pointed her finger at a stunned Luna.
"Don't call her pathetic! At least Luna doesn't get all teary-eyed in every stressful situation. Besides, Luna and I are just friends and there's nothing between you and me anymore so whoever I date does not concern you now. And don't ever call me a two-timing liar, you were the one who dated someone else first." said Harry angrily, berating himself for being idiotic enough to fall for this narrow-minded girl.
The other DA members, except Luna whose eyes were transfixed on the wall, looked at each other awkwardly and tried to busy themselves with trying to figure out how to operate the machines there. The office was quite impressive now that they had taken the time to observe it and its contents. Magically operated printing machines were strategically placed to make the place seem spacious. The folders in the file cabinets were all in order and judging from the posters and smiling pictures on the wall and tables, they assumed that the working relationship of the employer and the employers was quite harmonious.
They were enjoying themselves. But no amount of distraction, however, could make them fail to notice how Cho tried to curse Luna and how Harry sent the spell back to its originator. Unable to say anything, they watched as Cho, hiding her now pus covered face, exclaimed in horror and fury as she hastily tried to remember the spell's counter-curse. Luna seemed unaware of it but Harry was full of disappointment and frustration.
"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS? AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE HEADQUARTERS BY NOW" growled a very familiar voice after a soft 'pop'. They all turned to the person with their wands out. They heaved a sigh of relief when they recognized who it was ----Professor Moody. His normal eye was eyeing Cho with great curiosity while the other was scanning the room for some hidden enemies. His 360-degree eye stopped at the sight of four cloaked figures jumping up and down in a far corner of the office. "And who are those idiots?" he asked pointing in the direction oh the cloaked figures.
Harry gasped as he followed Moody's gaze. "Stupid death-eaters! I didn't realize they are still here." he stated apologetically.
"Obviously." Moody spat as he approached the figures.
The death-eaters let out terrified yelps when they saw the professor. Who wouldn't? With his rotating eye, wooden leg and heavily scarred face, Moody looked like an improperly reincarnated corpse. That, aside from his usual paranoia and unorthodox way of handling a situation, was frightening enough.
"Who are you?" demanded Moody at the four cowering figures who only looked dumbly at one another.
"W-what?" one asked fearfully.
"I SAID WHO ARE YOU?" repeated Moody, pointing his wand at them but still they couldn't seem to understand his question.
"E-er, Professor, I hit them with the stupidity curse a while ago." Harry offered the information. Moody's lips twitched slightly at that and muttered some spell to remove the cloaks from their heads.
"That's Crabbe and Goyle!" exclaimed Ron. "Harry, your curse was a waste of time. They're already stupid!"
"Pansy!" Hermione couldn't believe Voldemort was recruiting children to be his servants.
"The other one is called Nott! His father is also a death-eater." said Harry.
"Hmm....come on, let's bring them to the new headquarter. We might find out some useful information from them." said Moody gruffly as he tied the death-eaters and made his way to the fireplace. He dumped them unceremoniously in it before stepping in himself. Others followed suit until only Harry and Luna remained.
Harry, still remembering the uncomfortable feeling of using the floo network. decided to apparate instead. Luna was already stepping into the fire when he quickly grabbed her hand and spun away to the Training Room where the others were waiting for them.
"Where's Moody and the others?" asked Harry when they arrived.
"They are with Professor McGonagall right now but he told us to stay here and wait until he comes back." answered Hermione.
Now that the immediate danger had passed, they all talked about the day's events animatedly while waiting for Moody's arrival. Some flourished it up a bit to make it sound more exciting. One even went as far as claiming that he had almost beaten Lucius Malfoy to the ground in a duel, in which his group mates laughingly protested that he couldn't know it for sure because the enemies wore masks and disapparated quickly when they sensed their disadvantage.
Everyone was in a jolly mood after that except for one extremely pretty girl who discreetly stayed away from the others while her eyes were gleaming with hatred as she looked on the happy faces of a handsome black- haired boy and a blond-haired girl wearing a dreamy expression on her face. However, her expression turned blank as soon as Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody entered the room.
"I'm glad that all of you returned safely and without a trace of any major injury however, I am not at all happy about what happened afterwards." said Professor McGonagall. "Professor Moody has informed me that you had an UNPLANNED visit to the Quibbler's office and fought several death-eaters there. Had your enemies been adult dark wizards, you would have been severely injured or worse, killed by now?" she continued, eyeing each of them carefully. "Care to tell us what really happened?"
Each of the DA members present at the Quibbler tried to explain at once but after seeing the irritated expressions of the teachers, they willingly let Hermione do all the talking with the other team leaders adding some details from time to time. As if planned, no one bothered to mention the disagreement about the Quibbler and the issue with Cho.
"Very well, then. I understand but this must never happen again." said the stern professor.
"So, that's settled. Are you all going to undergo auror training?" Professor Moody scrutinized each of them, sizing them up. He stopped at Hermione who looked as if she was on the verge of saying something and decided against it.
Harry, however, did not hesitate. He stared hard at Cho before he spoke clearly, "Professor, i hate to say this but all of us are going to train ... except for Cho." he declared.
"May I ask why?" asked Moody, recalling the scene he witnessed when he arrived at the Quibbler.
"She has an attitude problem that I believe may be dangerous to our operations." answered Harry with a certainty that shocked the others.
Cho, unusually silent since the professors came, quickly exploded with rage. "HOW DARE YOU! IT'S YOU WHO HAS AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM, NOT ME!" she eyed the others warily. "YOU ALL AGREE WITH HIM? TO HELL WITH YOU ALL! I QUIT!" With that, Cho hastily removed her DA cloak, threw it on the floor and left the room after throwing one last contemptuous glare at Harry and Luna.
"I beg your pardon?" Parvati said, eyebrows slightly raised and with arms folded across her chest.
"You must be kidding!" sneered another incredulous voice which turned out to be Cho. "No one reads that rubbish, you know."
Harry glared at the two girls while still holding Luna protectively. "Quibbler's reputation may not be that good but it was the ONLY newspaper that bravely published the truth about Voldemort's return when the others were too busy slandering me." he said venomously.
"I am not forcing it on you and besides I haven't even agreed to that yet." said Luna, glad for Harry's support and unconsciously leaned slightly on his chest. She felt Harry put her arms around her lightly as if it was the most natural thing to do but she didn't mind. She felt warm and secure and slightly light-headed.
"Well, I still think the idea stinks!" shouted Cho much to Luna's embarrassment and to the astonishment of all.
"Cho!" gasped Hermione. This was not exactly the reaction she expected when she stated her idea. "You don't have to be so rude. We're on the same side here in case you haven't noticed."
"I don't want our reputation to be tainted by that piece of trash! It's bad enough being on this situation without adding insult to our injuries." Cho declared stubbornly.
"So, is that what you care about? Your stupid reputation? What about the TRUTH? Or would you prefer that the world be ignorant in this chaos?" cried Luna angrily, shaking her head in disbelief that someone from her own house, supposedly the house of the most clever ones, would utter such nonsense. She turned to Harry and let her tears flow on his shoulder. Harry, oblivious to all, embraced her tightly while murmuring words of comforts to her.
The other DA members just stared at the scene in front of them, not really sure on whose side to take. But they were quite upset and confused about the situation. They thought that after what they just went through, everyone would behave more compassionately towards one another. They SHOULD behave that way. And when did Harry and Luna became a couple?
"Do you think your father would mind if we use his paper to publish the atrocities of Voldemort and what the whole community can do about it?" Hermione suddenly asked Luna, making a mental note to ask Harry about the PDA later.
"Well, if you put it that way....I think he will be very proud to be a part of it. But who would write the articles?" said Luna, focusing back on Hermione's idea now much to the irritation of ridiculous house mate who seemed on edge for some reason that she could not fathom.
"We, of course. Colin and Creevey can take care of the pictures and the rest of us could take our turns writing the articles. We don't have school right now so we have so much time in our hands." The Creevey brothers looked excited at this but a few groaned at the thought of doing paper work.
"It's for a good cause, guys." prodded Harry. "Besides, Hermione will be the one to write all the major articles and the editorial. Don't worry." he added with a sly grin at Hermione.
"So, is it all agreed then?" prompted Hermione.
"Are you really going to write all the major stuff?" asked Lee.
Hermione glared at Harry who simply shrugged his shoulders and shot her an 'I'm-Innocent-Don't-Look-at-Me-Like-That' look. "Fine." she said finally.
Everything went smoothly after that. Several suggestions flew into the air regarding what to write about, when to publish and where they were going to get the funds. They would have stayed longer if Harry had not remembered something.
"Hold on, guys, I think we better get back now. We have a meeting with Professor Moody ----Where's Cho?" He looked around and saw the pretty Asian girl sobbing furiously on a swiveling chair behind a desk overflowing with books and documents. He let go of Luna and walked towards her. 'Crying again!' he thought, wondering what made her cry now. She was a walking teardrop last year when Cedric died and the memory of her walking out of their date in tears didn't exactly endear her to him.
"What's the problem, Cho?" he asked gently.
"Oh, Harry!" cried Cho. She threw her arms around him and tried to kiss him but Harry resisted and carefully pried her arms away from him. Not a very smart move because then, Cho suddenly slapped him and screamed angrily, "So, I'm not good enough for the wizard savior now, am I? And who do you like now? That pathetic Luna? You could do better than that, you two- timing liar! Why not Granger or Ginny? At least they're both pretty and intelligent. It's so humiliating to be dumped for someone like HER!" she pointed her finger at a stunned Luna.
"Don't call her pathetic! At least Luna doesn't get all teary-eyed in every stressful situation. Besides, Luna and I are just friends and there's nothing between you and me anymore so whoever I date does not concern you now. And don't ever call me a two-timing liar, you were the one who dated someone else first." said Harry angrily, berating himself for being idiotic enough to fall for this narrow-minded girl.
The other DA members, except Luna whose eyes were transfixed on the wall, looked at each other awkwardly and tried to busy themselves with trying to figure out how to operate the machines there. The office was quite impressive now that they had taken the time to observe it and its contents. Magically operated printing machines were strategically placed to make the place seem spacious. The folders in the file cabinets were all in order and judging from the posters and smiling pictures on the wall and tables, they assumed that the working relationship of the employer and the employers was quite harmonious.
They were enjoying themselves. But no amount of distraction, however, could make them fail to notice how Cho tried to curse Luna and how Harry sent the spell back to its originator. Unable to say anything, they watched as Cho, hiding her now pus covered face, exclaimed in horror and fury as she hastily tried to remember the spell's counter-curse. Luna seemed unaware of it but Harry was full of disappointment and frustration.
"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS? AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE HEADQUARTERS BY NOW" growled a very familiar voice after a soft 'pop'. They all turned to the person with their wands out. They heaved a sigh of relief when they recognized who it was ----Professor Moody. His normal eye was eyeing Cho with great curiosity while the other was scanning the room for some hidden enemies. His 360-degree eye stopped at the sight of four cloaked figures jumping up and down in a far corner of the office. "And who are those idiots?" he asked pointing in the direction oh the cloaked figures.
Harry gasped as he followed Moody's gaze. "Stupid death-eaters! I didn't realize they are still here." he stated apologetically.
"Obviously." Moody spat as he approached the figures.
The death-eaters let out terrified yelps when they saw the professor. Who wouldn't? With his rotating eye, wooden leg and heavily scarred face, Moody looked like an improperly reincarnated corpse. That, aside from his usual paranoia and unorthodox way of handling a situation, was frightening enough.
"Who are you?" demanded Moody at the four cowering figures who only looked dumbly at one another.
"W-what?" one asked fearfully.
"I SAID WHO ARE YOU?" repeated Moody, pointing his wand at them but still they couldn't seem to understand his question.
"E-er, Professor, I hit them with the stupidity curse a while ago." Harry offered the information. Moody's lips twitched slightly at that and muttered some spell to remove the cloaks from their heads.
"That's Crabbe and Goyle!" exclaimed Ron. "Harry, your curse was a waste of time. They're already stupid!"
"Pansy!" Hermione couldn't believe Voldemort was recruiting children to be his servants.
"The other one is called Nott! His father is also a death-eater." said Harry.
"Hmm....come on, let's bring them to the new headquarter. We might find out some useful information from them." said Moody gruffly as he tied the death-eaters and made his way to the fireplace. He dumped them unceremoniously in it before stepping in himself. Others followed suit until only Harry and Luna remained.
Harry, still remembering the uncomfortable feeling of using the floo network. decided to apparate instead. Luna was already stepping into the fire when he quickly grabbed her hand and spun away to the Training Room where the others were waiting for them.
"Where's Moody and the others?" asked Harry when they arrived.
"They are with Professor McGonagall right now but he told us to stay here and wait until he comes back." answered Hermione.
Now that the immediate danger had passed, they all talked about the day's events animatedly while waiting for Moody's arrival. Some flourished it up a bit to make it sound more exciting. One even went as far as claiming that he had almost beaten Lucius Malfoy to the ground in a duel, in which his group mates laughingly protested that he couldn't know it for sure because the enemies wore masks and disapparated quickly when they sensed their disadvantage.
Everyone was in a jolly mood after that except for one extremely pretty girl who discreetly stayed away from the others while her eyes were gleaming with hatred as she looked on the happy faces of a handsome black- haired boy and a blond-haired girl wearing a dreamy expression on her face. However, her expression turned blank as soon as Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody entered the room.
"I'm glad that all of you returned safely and without a trace of any major injury however, I am not at all happy about what happened afterwards." said Professor McGonagall. "Professor Moody has informed me that you had an UNPLANNED visit to the Quibbler's office and fought several death-eaters there. Had your enemies been adult dark wizards, you would have been severely injured or worse, killed by now?" she continued, eyeing each of them carefully. "Care to tell us what really happened?"
Each of the DA members present at the Quibbler tried to explain at once but after seeing the irritated expressions of the teachers, they willingly let Hermione do all the talking with the other team leaders adding some details from time to time. As if planned, no one bothered to mention the disagreement about the Quibbler and the issue with Cho.
"Very well, then. I understand but this must never happen again." said the stern professor.
"So, that's settled. Are you all going to undergo auror training?" Professor Moody scrutinized each of them, sizing them up. He stopped at Hermione who looked as if she was on the verge of saying something and decided against it.
Harry, however, did not hesitate. He stared hard at Cho before he spoke clearly, "Professor, i hate to say this but all of us are going to train ... except for Cho." he declared.
"May I ask why?" asked Moody, recalling the scene he witnessed when he arrived at the Quibbler.
"She has an attitude problem that I believe may be dangerous to our operations." answered Harry with a certainty that shocked the others.
Cho, unusually silent since the professors came, quickly exploded with rage. "HOW DARE YOU! IT'S YOU WHO HAS AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM, NOT ME!" she eyed the others warily. "YOU ALL AGREE WITH HIM? TO HELL WITH YOU ALL! I QUIT!" With that, Cho hastily removed her DA cloak, threw it on the floor and left the room after throwing one last contemptuous glare at Harry and Luna.