Disclaimer: Snape, Harry, Hermione, Ron, etc. aren't mine. Never will be. So please don't sue me! I have no money.

Meet Lucy Puckle

"I thank you for meeting with me, Miss…" The squat, white-haired man peered down his nose through his wire-rimmed spectacles at my application. "Puckle."

"Oh, do call me Lucy, won't you?" I batted my eyelashes in the epitome of innocence. Lucy Puckle was actually my mother's maiden name and since she was a Muggle, I knew there was no chance of there being another witch by that name--or my future employer, Mr. Dennis, remembering it.

Right now, he glanced up at me with his watery blue eyes, his eyebrows arched high in what he probably thought was a kindly way but actually made him look a bit creepy. His extraordinarily short fingers traced the lines of the paper as his eyes followed. "Well, Miss—Lucy, it says here that you were once a reporter on a Muggle paper, The London Query, is that right? I've never heard of it, I'm afraid."

I was quick to the ball with my lie. "It was a small tabloid weekly newsletter but went out of business because of the competition. You can still speak with my former boss there, Mr. Allen Wilson. He still lives in Surrey, I believe." Mr. Lovegood was going to pose as an Allen Wilson if needed.

Mr. Dennis nodded. "You were the star reporter?"

I shook my head. "No sir, I only did bits. I'm not as good at fabricating lies from truths as Julie was. In fact, to be honest, I was quite deplorable at it."

"Then what on earth did you write?"

I smiled warmly. "Instead I went out and searched the world for the most unbelievable, oddest stories that looked like they should belong in a tabloid but were real. And I mean odd by Muggle standards. Nothing on wizards or witches." I added the last bit so he didn't think I went and talked about our world.

Mr. Dennis' gaze levelled on mine and I could tell he was not a gullible man. It was a good thing I'd rehearsed this interview a million times since I hadn't lied when I said I couldn't tell fibs very well. "Why did you write for a Muggle newspaper, then, and not a wizarding one?"

I shrugged. "I grew up around Muggles, and after fighting in the war, I decided I would have a bit of a break, you know, to submerge myself into simplicity. Can you blame me?" Acting as if I was somewhat new to all the magical events would lead any suspicion away that I was actually here to find the identity of Calus. In the past few weeks, there had been many other news syndications buzzing about his articles.

The overhead candles, bright as fluorescent lights, illuminated Mr. Dennis' bald head, casting a glare directly into my eyes as he looked down at my application and turned it over before looking back into my eyes. "I'm afraid we don't have any reporting jobs open, but we do have an editor's position available—does that sound ok to you?"

OK?? I could possibly have Calus himself hand me his work! Then I could be out of here in no time! I gushed in the most feminine way, "Oh, that's just fine as all I wanted to do was work here for this fine newspaper." Fine? They used to make up rumours about Harry and me!

We arranged for me to arrive at The Daily Prophet headquarters the next day, my first day as Lucy Puckle: Editor.

A/N: I got Hermione's alias from two different sources. One, J. K. Rowling said she was originally going to give Hermione the last name "Puckle" so I made it her mum's maiden name.

And Lucy is named after my neighbor who had just brought us cheesecake.

Mr. Dennis is inspired by my odd boss Phil.

Loads of gratitude to my intelligent betas!

Next chappie...Hermione makes a friend...