Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.
Chapter 78
The Beetle sat quietly by the doorman Goldrang's chair, safely concealed under the long shadows of the wooden legs wondering to itself.
The Wasp might have managed to attach itself to the naive, loud mouth Irish Auror, Seamus Finnigan, but she was certain it wouldn't have succeeded in shadowing the man without been undetected. It was rather a unique combination. Rita Skeeter had chanced upon the amateur photographer, Billy Styepus accidentally. Way back, during the Celebration Gala party organized at the Ministry of Magic, Styepus was just unceremoniously kicked out by a pair of Aurors, right into the side alley, were Skeeter was taking a break from the glittering extravaganza and indulging herself by smoking a strange Muggle cigar. Newtwit Schlair's recent boyfriend, Marque Simmons had managed to acquire these amazing concoctions bundled up in a roll from a half-blood druggist.
Miss Schlair, along with Miss Tracey Davis and Miss Ife Abdel stayed together on the ground floor of her house. Henry Smolders had reached out to Skeeter wanting to get a place to stay for his girlfriend Tracey. The couple was eager to get married, the only obstacle happened to be their meager payment. Davis had shared Smolders dreamt of opening a book store of his own and also wanted to buy a house before he got settled.
Post-war changes in the society and the several stringent laws placed by the ministry had tied her hands in so many ways, forcing Skeeter to find alternative means to meet her expenses. The reporter's job had turned tasteless without a scoop or a scandal to print. The work at Prophet had truly turned drivel by the end of each day, without a sensational piece of malice to print and feel smug about!
She watched the gangly man with rather a big head curse while picking himself up and dusting himself, checking for scraps and cuts. His camera had ended up next to her feet. Picking it up nonchalantly, Skeeter had taken a peep into the last couple of snaps and had smiled maliciously. The man had the gall to accost formidable Hermione Granger.
"Hey, give that back...ahem, sorry Madam SKeeter, my apologies, I didn't quite recognize you, blame the bad light," the man stuttered.
"Never Mind, what made you go and rattle the Lioness of all the people?" Skeeter asked with bored interest.
"Rather, I am quite miffed how on earth, she discovered me?" Styepus grimaced," I knew the witch was good but that good! Merlin, she didn't when say a word. And there I was flying out of the closet, transforming back into my human form, landing right into the waiting arms of those nasty Aurors."
Hiding her disgust, Skeeter played ago," Yah! nasty skills, that one has developed over the years. So you are an animagus? Which animal…"
He brightened up," A wasp, but thank goodness, Granger was too distraught to notice that...The Weaselbee was brawling and the Malfoy brat might have shoved that quidditch new sensation too hard...It was nasty, but good enough to earn me a week's meal and firewhiskey."
Skeeter looked at him closely and said ina matter of fact way," Second hands rents suit! I wonder why weren't you tossed out hours ago?"
The man chuckled and right in front of her eyes, he had turned into a palm-sized wasp. Transforming back he shook his head and replied smugly, "I know you aren't too fond of her Madam, Psst, everyone in the industry is aware. But I am telling you Madam, that witch is up to something…"
The man had paused, when Skeeter had placed her manicured finger right on top of his trembling lips.
"Sush, Mr…?" She might have looked up and down his coat to find his name tag, but the man had whispered, "It's Billy Styepus Madam. Call me Bill, if you would…"
"Bill, say what, let's go somewhere private and discuss this little hitch you got to share about the Brain of the Golden Trio. After all, its a disgrace to be treated like this just because someone has suddenly risen to fame!" The witch had tutted while grabbing at the man's collar. A second later they disapparated to her house.
Skeeter wouldn't have believed in Bill's fictitious tale, if she wasn't already aware of Davis's observations about the Granger truly doing something other than actually handling the Magical Creatures Discovery and Rescue Missions. Schlair had also complained about trying to get the witch out of the Archives every night and later on spending hours in putting back those delicate tomes the witch managed to gather around her small desk. The Eygptian exchange Scholar Ife Abdel had finally piqued her interest. Granger was onto something, and she was backed by the Ministry of Magic. it so seemed all four of the witches had suddenly found a common enemy to get revenge from. Hermione Jean Granger.
The news of the freak accident at the Archives was brought in by Schlair, the story about the Hogwarts staff visiting was confirmed by Bill himself. And Rita had heard or had nearly guessed the rest from the conversation between Elizabeth 'Liza'Hornbill and Seamus Finnigan at the deserted Cafetaria.
She scurried close to the doorway the moment she felt the shift in the protective wards. By some stroke of luck, they were down. The alarms at the doorman's desk started ringing and Goldrang had all but dashed inside. Baffled by the sudden moments, the beetle remained next to the opening.
There! A pair of white flat heels were approaching the door. She knew those shoes. That belonged to healer intern Liza. As soon as the half veela happened to halt next to the doorman's desk the beetle climbed up her ankle and hit under the edge of her gown.
Liza could feel the change in the wards as soon as she came by the Doorman's desk. Fishing out her wand, she pried the door open and cautiously stepped inside. The corridor that led to the Healers' Visiting Chambers was bathed in flicking lights from the alarms overhead.
"Oh! Dear, no, no, not know, I just don't know why Norman is so full of herself. The Granger girl was a problem from the very beginning. Oh! Dear, I just hope, the others are safe, Mr. Goldrang, is that you!" she broke into a run, the moment she saw, the old man trying to open the door to Norman's Chamber.
"Help me, Miss Hornbill, Healer Norman is stuck inside," The man shouted back pulling at the latch with all his might, he added," Magic is not working, singed my hand while I tried to cast a simple Alohamora'.
Liza joined him but Dilys Deverent from her painting next to the door shouted at her," Hey, Hey, don't waste your time. The Circle is under Threat. Go, go, Get there at Once."
Utterly surprised at being ordered by a portrait the young healer gaped at it, when Goldrang, stirred her to the general direction of the Circle insisting," Please, Miss, go at once, I am not allowed down there, or else I would have gone there at once. The wards are down. Every door is otherwise shut. But I feel it in my old bones, something terrible has happened down there. The portraits are linked, they will get help."
Norman's voice floated out from the locked door, "Hornbill, go, go, get to the Circle. Goldrang contact the security department!"
Nodding at Goldrang, who immediately busied himself in sending the distress flash to notify the security department of the hospital, liza ran as fast as she could. The alarms of the whole ward were blaring, red lights were flashing. The intern sparsely noticed all the patients were locked in miraculously, and mumbled under her breath," At least they are safe. I hope so, at least!"
The corridor that led to the Circle was nothing less than a disaster. The lighting panels were uprooted, the water pipes were twisted, the walls were gaping at different places. Sparks were flying here and there and at places, small puddles of water were already accumulating. She could make out the Circle's Entrance Door uprooted from its hinges. And Fed Mason lying beside the door... panting hard.
"Oh! Dear, are you fine Healer Mason?" the woman had dropped by next to the prone man. Her wand was running diagnostic spells to assess his wounds, but the man grabbed at her hand and stopped her midway.
Mason peered into Liza's wide eyes and insisted, " Get the Aurors now, get..." but then he shudders and his mouth fell open while his eyes grew wide.
The half Veela could feel the chills running down her spine. She took on time to realize Healer Mason might have seen something or someone horrifying enough to so white. That man was barely afraid while handling any of those weird Spell Damage Cases, but then…
Trying to remember the defensive spells she had learned at Beauxbatons and then at Ilvermorny she tried to turn back and look over her shoulder. The assailant never gave her enough time to cast a spell or a charm. She felt the tip of a wand at the nape of her head and in seconds Rita Skeeter had not only cast two precise Stupify duo at the healers she had also made certain that they couldn't bother her anymore by sending a pair of body binding curse at them.