Rita Skeeter was not a political correspondent. Political writing required knowledge of far too many nuances, often resulting in unnecessary and far reaching consequences for her taste. Members of the political elite repeatedly proved their pettiness, ignorance, and willingness to double-cross anyone if it benefited them. Few could endure constructive criticism, an opposing viewpoint, or anything less than outright sycophantic behavior. Writing any article for the prophet regarding a Wizengamot member required significant evidence. It was simply not worth the effort.
Her current assignment, from the Daily Prophet's editor, was covering the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Originally Rita planned on focusing her articles on the incident involving the Goblet of Fire selecting two champions for Hogwarts. The international scandal provided the perfect grounds to subtly inquire on the effectiveness of how Albus Dumbledore operated Hogwarts. Rita burnt the drafts she'd written the moment she learned the second champion was fourteen-year-old Harry Potter. Negative articles of the Boy Who Lived did not sell papers.
Instead, Rita chose to focus on the youngest champion, considering the popularity of the Boy Who Lived amongst her readers, but also due to the age difference between him and theother competitors. Ensuring she always knew his location, Rita appeared at a last minute Wizengamot Session that morning. Due to the lack of a published agenda, Rita presumed Mr. Potter was trying to extract himself out of the international tournament, though she wasn't sure who could possibly be representing him.
It struck her as odd, but her suspicion of an abnormal hearing was confirmed the moment Madame Bones called theWizengamot into session. Noticing Albus Dumbledore's expression of mild befuddlement when Madame Bones did not defer to him to lead the meeting, Rita began summoning her Quick Quill Notes.
While Madame Bones laid out the charges against the two wizards, had three Quick Quill Notes set up in front of her. Politics be damned. If she didn't cover this session, her editor would have her job. While one of her quills was transcribing the events word for word, Rita was directing one to scribble out every question that popped into her mind regarding the information being presented.
Did former Head Auror Bartimus Crouch conspire with Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore in a blatant power grab and attemptto destroy the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black?
Did the Albus Dumbledore knowingly abandon an innocent wizard to the cruelty of Azkaban Prison to achieve his political agenda?
What threat did the Sirius Black, heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black pose to Albus Dumbledore to warrant a life-long prison sentence?
Is the Ministry responsible for the fall of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black?
Have the Malfoy and Blacks resurrected their alliance to restore order to the Ministry?
Who authorized Albus Dumbledore to retrieve Harry Potter from his home in Godric's Hollow the night his parents died?
Did Albus Dumbledore have prior knowledge of the abusive tendencies of the family with whom he abandoned Harry Potter?
Did Albus Dumbledore violate his role as either Chief Wizengamot or the Headmaster of Hogwarts by removing Harry Potter without proper authority?
Will the knowledge of muggles abusing the Boy Who Live detrimentally impact Dumbledore's muggle rights campaign?
As a former member of the Wizengamot, will Bartimus Crouch face charges for his crimes of grievously violating the law and abuse his position of power?
Will the Ministry review all convictions, which occurred while Crouch held the post of Head Auror?
Will the Wizengamot allow Albus Dumbledore to retain his position of Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts,considering the accusations he allowed a scion of the Sacred 28 to languish in prison without a trial?
Will the Wizengamot or The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black prosecute Albus Dumbledore for the kidnapping and abandonment of Harry Potter?
"Make a note," Rita muttered, "Research Potters, at least two generations, and how Dumbledore knew them aside from academics." Never had she been so grateful for the magical writing aide as she was at this moment.
"Do not interact with or slight Remus Lupin," Rita ordered the Quick Quills Note, ensuring it was marked as high alert. "Lord Black is extremely protective of him. Laud his appointment to the Wizengamot has progress for our society."
Highlighting Remus Lupin's appointment would certainly sell more papers considering the abhorrent scandal of a werewolf sitting on the Wizengamot. Rita, however, shared a dormitory for seven years with Narcissa Black, a formidable witch considered to be one of the saner members of her family. Rita had a front row seat over the course of seven years watching Narcissa Black bring several witches brought to utter ruin for a variety of offenses. The family was a possessive as they were ruthless.
Bartimus Crouch and Albus Dumbledore, however, were entirely fair game and she planned to pen article after article dragging them through the mud. The former was a misogynisticwizard who never learned the definition of the word no when it was uttered in his direction. Whereas Albus Dumbledore hadfinally plummeted from the ornate pedestal that he'd perched upon for decades. Rita had long desired to orchestrate the old man's fall from grace for the repeated humiliation she endured due to his bias towards Slytherins.
One of Rita's earliest research projects as a reporter dug into Dumbledore's past, and turned up scores of long buried family secrets and relationships that would ruin the man's reputation. While she'd written up quite a tome as a tell all biography, she didn't possess the clout to go against the man, at least not until this moment. Prior to this Wizengamot hearing, the Daily Prophet would never consider publishing the dirt she'd collected. A grin blossomed on her face has she envisioned a title of such a book.
The Rise and Fall of Albus Dumbledore
Rita Skeeter
Rita paused, before summoning a blank piece of parchment and quill to her. A series of articles, which could be rearranged differently than the date they were published in the Daily Prophet. First and foremost, Rita needed to edit her article regarding the politically loaded Wizengamot Session.
Boy Who Lived Betrayed
Rita Skeeter
Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, mysteriously defeated theaspiring Dark Lord, You Know Who, thus liberating the British Enclave from a reign of terror when he was a mere infant. Later that same night, baby Potter vanished, not to be seen again for eleven years. The wizarding community was led to believe the child succumbed to death along with his parents. It was not until Mr. Potter arrived for his first year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry that the community learned the truth: Harry Potter, the savior of the British Enclave, had been muggle-raised.
Despite his four-year attendance at the famous academy, little is known about Mr. Potter's childhood, and even less about the family who took him in, until exclusive details emerged during an emergency session of the Wizengamot earlier this week. The special session featured testimony from Harry Potter, muggle-born Hermione Granger, and esteemed Hogwarts professor Remus Lupin, regarding the innocence of convicted criminal Sirius Black.
Both Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's testimony included accusations against Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore, citing that not only was he in contact with Sirius Black, but withheld evidence of his innocence from the Wizengamot. This revelation came to light after both Chief Warlock Dumbledore and former Head Auror Bartimus Crouch, were found to be remiss in their duties to provide Lord Black a fair trial twelve years ago. In fact, the Wizengamot chose to officially clear him of all previous charges and Sirius Black has been reinstated as Head of the House Black.
Lord Black's first act as Patriarch was to petition the Wizengamot to grant him sole custody of his Godson Harry Potter. Chief Warlock Dumbledore, who had assumed guardianship for Mr. Potter, who promptly objected. It should be noted that despite Mr. Potter's presence at this hearing, at no time did the young wizard request to remain with his muggle guardians.
During his petition to rightfully reclaim guardianship of his godson, Lord Black revealed, with significant evidence, the abuse the Boy Who Lived has endured since he was an infant. The newly reinstated wizard provided evidence, including, medical records from both Mr. Potter's childhood and his wellness checks from the Hogwarts Medi-Witch. The records revealed tragic details implicating abuse on the part of the muggles responsible for Mr. Potter's welfare, and subsequent questioning revealed the famous Albus Dumbledore was aware of it.
It was during this inquiry that the Wizengamot learned Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts, squirreled away the infant Potter shortly after the demise of his parents. Not only did the aged wizard seize Mr. Potter from the wreckage of his home, but Dumbledore proceeded to abandon the infant with muggles.
As an upstanding witch, this author is horrified by the reports Lord Black supplied to the Wizengamot, which were publicly examined in great detail. Throughout Mr. Potter's childhood, several muggle healers noted concerns with his development compared to children his own age, a concern which was repeated by Hogwarts' own medi-witch during routine wellness checks required by the Governing Board. In addition, concerns of severe malnutrition were also cited in the health reports among other severe concerns.
The Daily Prophet encourages all of its readers to question the moral integrity of an individual who has the arrogance and audacity to treat any magical child, regardless of age, in such disregard. Perhaps, the Wizarding Community of the British Enclave should reconsider if it trusts the education and safety of the children currently attending Hogwarts to Albus Dumbledore.