A/N –thanks again to my amazing Beta in Kaystar742, who has been kind enough to point out a lot of my mistakes, though any that remain are still mine. And as always though I don't say it enough, thanks to Karasunova for telling me when my muse is smoking the good stuff. Without further ado, here we go again... BTW, I hate Rita Skeeter too

18 Propaganda

After lunch was over and Tonks and the director had left to verify the limits of Skeeter's expulsion from Hogwarts grounds, McGonagall and Pomfrey arrived. With them were Padfoot and Moony, much to the delight of the young couple. Once hugs and greetings were exchanged, the group settled in for a talk.

"So kiddo," Sirius began, "What's this I hear about you going and getting hitched?"

"Er…" Harry hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected question. He glanced at Hermione, sitting next to him. Squeezing her hand, he turned back to his dogfather and grinned, "Best decision I ever made actually."

Sirius started for a moment before barking out in laughter.

"Good one kid," he chuckled, "You almost had me there. Tell me, how'd you get old McGonagall in on it?"

Harry just sat there grinning, looking at his dogfather as the chuckling died off. Sirius's face slowly calmed, noticing the others weren't laughing, he started seeing each serious face in turn. Even Moony seemed more withdrawn than usual.

"Seriously?" he asked, turning back to Harry, "How? You're fourteen. Even your father took longer than that."

"Magic," Harry replied, "works in mysterious ways," he glanced at Hermione, "and so do friendship and love."

"Sappy much, pup?"

"When you have a golden heart bond with your best friend, it tends to bring it out in you."

Sirius's jaw dropped and Moony spit out the tea he'd been drinking. Harry chuckled as the two stared flabbergasted at his statement.

"A what bond?" Moony asked, astounded.

"A heart bond," Pomfrey explained, "Witnessed by everyone at the first task, though I doubt many, if any, realize what it was."

"But, but, they're a myth," Sirius denied, "They're the stuff of bad romance novels and wishful thinking."

"No, they're just extremely rare," Pomfrey huffed, "In fact, there've only been three, now four, confirmed cases in history."

"So you've confirmed it?" Sirius asked.

"Friday night," McGonagall confirmed, "Which is why we are here today. We felt it best to give them time to settle before we discussed the repercussions of this."

"What repercussions?" Anne asked, "They're not in danger are they?"

"No, nothing like that," McGonagall assure her, "Just some details and story coordination. We have to have a legitimate reason to give them separate quarters and I felt that everyone should have a say in what we tell who."

"Separate quarters?" Hermione asked, "Why would we… oh."

"Yes, 'oh' Mrs. Potter." McGonagall confirmed, "At this point, my best idea is to grant you the Gryffindor Married Quarters off the common room. I'm just not sure of the best reason to do so."

Harry looked confused for a moment before a blushing Hermione leaned over to whisper in his ear, at which point Harry blushed even deeper.

"Minerva," Remus started, "How accurate are the reports from the paper?"

"That…. Person," McGonagall fumed, "doesn't have a clue," she gathered herself, "That said, there have been incidents. None have been their fault, but they have involved Harry and Hermione."

"Can we use them as a reason?" Lupin continued, "If they're threatened from within their own dorms, could be use this as a security measure to ensure their safety?"

"Though I am loathe to admit it," the Scotswoman sighed, "That was the best I could come up with as well."

"Why make it about us?" Hermione asked, "Make it about the tournament."

"What do you mean?"

"Just give the quarters to Harry," Hermione said, "Because he's a champion. Get Sprout to do the same for Cedric. Then it's not about us, it's about the tournament."

"And what about you?" Pomfrey asked, "You won't be able to join him this way."

"While I'm sure you'd have no problem finding a way," McGonagall cut off her response, "Eventually someone, probably your roommates, would notice. Once that happens, it becomes much harder to let you two continue."

"Actually, that's the point," Hermione grinned, "I get 'caught' sleeping out of my dorm, someone will undoubtedly accuse me of sleeping with Harry, then we just use the Virginum Virtus spell to prove them wrong. After that everyone will know we aren't, and anyone who says we are will have no leg to stand on."

"No," Harry said, "I don't want you looking like some, some, some…" Harry searched for the right word.

"While inelegantly put, I agree with Mr. Potter," McGonagall agreed, "even if you are cleared, it will haunt you for the rest of your years at Hogwarts."

"So hiding is better?" Hermione asked, obviously upset.

"Yes," Harry replied, startling her, "If we try it your way, there's so many ways it could go sideways. If we do it as a "For their protection and ours" situation, we'll be underestimated in the future."

"Or…" Remus cut in, "We do it as a 'he's a champion and she's training him' thing."

"Remus?" McGonagall said curiously, "What are you thinking?"

"Well, Hermione had a point," Lupin expanded, "If we make it a champion thing, it'll take some criticism away. So we say he's getting the quarters as a champion. Miss Granger has already shown her loyalty and offered to help him train. So as not to disturb her roommates with the long hours of training, she is being offered the second bedroom in the suite. It will have the same alarms and protections as the girls' stairs in the common room, so she'll have her privacy and placate the more conservative staff."

"Then how…" Pomfrey started, then grinned, "I get it, he may not be able to enter her 'bedroom', but nothing is stopping her from entering his."

"Just like the dormitory stairs." Sirius said, "I like it. It's sneaky and uses the rules against those who'd argue."

"Now, as we all know the real reasons why this must happen, I still need permission to change their sleeping arrangements." McGonagall said softly, looking over at George and Anne. "I understand if you two are uneasy about this. I'm not entirely happy about it myself, but this is for their own good."

The elder Grangers looked at each other, speaking without words in that way some married couples could. A moment flickered between them and both turned towards the couple in question.

"Harry," George began, his voice heavy with resignation, "I know this isn't what either of you wanted. Well, maybe you did want it but not like this," even George's grin was wry, "But I'm about to do something my mind tells me should never happen, yet my heart says the right thing. That said, if you two get pregnant before you graduate, I will break your legs, magical superman or not," turning to the Deputy Headmistress, "We give our permission."

Shortly after the teachers and the Marauders left, Madam Bones and Tonks returned. They detailed how they'd verified the limitations of Miss Skeeter's movements at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore's written statement to the fact. After a heartfelt goodbye, and several big hugs from both Granger women, the couple left with them to visit the Prophet.

"Excuse me, I'd like to speak with the Editor?"

"So would half the public, but he's a very busy man," the receptionist said in a bored tone, not bothering to look up from her copy of Witch Weekly, "Make an Appointment and then you can see him."

"I think he'll want to see me."

"That's what everyone says," the same bored tone returned, "and they're all wrong."

"So he doesn't want to discuss the illegal actions taken by his staff against the Boy-Who-Lived?"

This got the receptionists attention. Looking up, she saw an older witch with a monocle and a purple haired young woman in Auror robes, along with a bushy haired girl and…

"Harry Potter?"

"Last time I checked, though I'm not sure if your paper is calling me a cheat, the next dark lord, or an attention seeking glory hound this week," Harry grinned back at her.

"Wait one moment," the now frazzled receptionist said as she hurried down the hallway.

"Harry…" Hermione said menacingly, "That wasn't very nice."

"Maybe not dear, but it worked."

"Mr. Cuffe will see you now," the receptionist told them as she hurried back.

They were ushered into a rather well appointed office, containing an enormous desk with two overstuffed leather chairs facing it and a couch over to one side. A very large coffee urn sat on a table behind the desk, within easy reach of the man behind it. The heavy set wizard behind the desk looked to be on the short side, but what he lacked in height he made up for in girth. Seeing them enter, he set aside the papers he'd been looking at and rose to greet them.

"Mr. Potter, what can the Daily Prophet do for you today," asked in a falsely jovial tone, "If you are here to complain, we just report the news, we don't make it."

"Funny you should say that sir," Hermione said gleefully, "Because that is in fact what you have done. One of your reporters, Miss Rita Skeeter, whom you gave a full front page story, twice, has made some allegations without proof. By displaying her gossip pieces on the front page, lending her unconfirmed supposition credibility, you have promoted very untrue and frankly insulting gossip as reality. We hereby request a retraction be printed, and a factual account be reported. We also request Miss Skeeter be removed from your staff with prejudice and a formal review of the accuracy of her previous reports be conducted."

"You do, do ya?" the man sneered, dropping his friendly facade, "Well let me tell you what missy, that's not how it works. We're a newspaper, we report what happens, whether you like it or not. So Rita's story hurt your feelings? Too bad."

"So you stand by your reporter and the accuracy of her reporting and the legality of her actions?" Harry asked, still grinning.

"Of course I do," Cuffe snapped, "Who do I believe, a prize winning reporter, or some snot nosed school kids? Easy choice, now run along."

"Very well Mr. Cuffe," Harry responded levelly, "If that's the case, have Miss Skeeter come in here and present her evidence. I'm prepared to present mine. I'm sure the DMLE would be more than happy to be impartial witnesses, they are after all, the upholders of the law."

"You, what?" Cuffe fumbled, thrown off by the unexpected tact, "What do you want?"

"It's easy Mr. Cuffe," Hermione explained, "Miss Skeeter has made some very accusatory and inflammatory comments about both myself and Harry, we request to face our accuser and hear her evidence. If it is as factual as you claim, then we'll be proven wrong and be on our way. But I wonder," she let her tone get thoughtful, "What if we're right? What if she has misrepresented her facts in a way to sensationalize the story? What would happen if someone had verifiable evidence to contradict what you have reported? Or worse, evidence of a crime committed by one of your employees while reporting on a story for you?"

"Jumped up little pip squeak, I'll show you..." mumbled Cuffe, making his way over to the second doorway in his office. Opening it he bellowed, "RITA, GET IN HERE."

A moment later the bleach blonde witch arrived wearing hideous acid green robes.

"What do you … Oh," Rita spotted the editor's guests and sneered, "What are they doing here?"

"They are accusing you of falsifying a story," the editor explained, "so we're going to prove them wrong."

"We are?" Rita asked incredulously.

"Miss Skeeter, in your article published Saturday morning," Hermione began, cutting off any response from her editor, "you claimed that by receiving assistance, Harry broke the rules of the tournament. Please cite the rule broken."

"I don't have to do that silly girl," Rita denied, "This is ridiculous."

"You may think so, however you accused Harry of breaking a rule, please state the rule he broke," Hermione pressed, "Or can't you?"

"This is preposterous," Rita huffed.

"You can't because there was no rule broken, the judges even agreed with us on that count," Hermione turned to the editor, "That's retraction one."

She turned back to Rita, "How about your claim that Harry called for help during the task, he did not."

"Says you," Rita sneered, "of course you'd say that."

"Says me," Harry cut in, "I'm willing to swear on my magic that I did not call for, nor desire, Hermione's assistance in the arena. I'm grateful, for I'd likely to have died without it, but I did not ask her to. Are you prepared to swear that you saw me do so?"

"That's irrelevant," Rita declared, "You must have called her or she wouldn't have entered that hell hole."

"That is supposition," Hermione declared with finality, "and as such not admissible as evidence. That's retraction two."

"I saw you planning it in the champions' tent," Rita accused them, desperation tinting her voice.

"You saw us comforting each other before Harry faced a bloody dragon," Hermione raged, then calmed, "but we'll get to that in a moment. First, you claimed to have knowledge of things and interviews with students about our interactions with each other. When did you acquire these statements?"

"Huh?"

"When did you conduct your interviews?" Hermione asked as if speaking to a small child.

"At the first task," Rita brushed the question aside.

"Here's the problem with that," Hermione grinned evilly, "One of the incidents you reported on happened AFTER the tournament. And since that would prevent you from talking to anyone, given your expulsion from Hogwarts grounds outside of one half hour before and after the tasks of the tournament, I believe that is evidence of trespassing, wouldn't it?"

"I do believe so," Auror Tonks said, moving towards the reporter.

"Now just wait a minute, you can't prove that!" Rita said, backpedaling.

"And you couldn't prove what you said about us," Harry countered, "But name your source, how and when you talked to them, and that will be considered."

"That's confidential!"" Rita screamed in fear, "and without it you can't prove it."

"Maybe we can, maybe we can't," Hermione grinned, "We can however, prove you violated your restrictions and therefore are guilty of trespassing."

"Can not!" denied the witch, looking like a caged animal.

"Actually, we can, since you told us yourself," Hermione's grin split her face, "You're limited to the public areas of the tournament, and I quote, ''I personally witnessed them plotting in the champion's tent". The champion's tent is most assuredly not public."

"Rita Skeeter," Tonks intoned, pulling out Magic Suppression cuffs, "you are under arrest for…"

Corruption at the Prophet

By Megan Flowers

Yesterday marked a sad day for the Prophet as one of our own was arrested by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Rita Skeeter, prize winning reporter, was arrested initially for trespassing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but more charges were added after her interrogation.

The incident happened in our own editors office when Mr. Harry Potter, accompanied by Miss Hermione Granger and two members of the DMLE, confronted Miss Skeeter about her recent articles. After confronting her with several verifiable falsehoods in her report, the young couple proceeded to point out that by her own admission, she had entered the Champion's tent of the Triwizard tournament. Why is this so important? Because weeks previous, Miss Skeeter was expelled from the grounds of Hogwarts except for the public areas of the tournament up to one half hour before and after each task, to allow her time to get a seat and to vacate the premises. Since the Champion's tent was most assuredly not public, she was in contravention of that decree and therefore, trespassing.

Once in custody, Miss Skeeter was questioned, and after an unsuccessful escape attempt, interrogated with Veritaserum. From that interrogation, additional charges of blackmail, extortion, fraud, and being an unregistered animagus have been added. No date is set for her trial, and the investigation is ongoing.

We at the Prophet, and I personally, would like to apologize to Mr. Potter and Miss Granger for the stories that caused this incident. As we review the reports, the Prophet will be issuing corrections and updates on all Miss Skeeters previous reports. At this time, we can report this about the Tournament:

Mr. Potter did not enter his name, nor ask to be entered, into the tournament. There is speculation it is a murder attempt by proxy by former Death Eaters still at large, but this is UNCONFIRMED

Miss Granger entered the arena of her own volition, with no prior planning on the part of Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter, in fact, stated while he is grateful, he wished she had stayed safe in the audience.

The DMLE has verified that no spells, compulsions, or potions are influencing Mr. Potter. This puts paid to supposition reported about Miss Granger manipulating Mr. Potter into a relationship.

Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall reported that while there were several incidents involving the couple, they never started any of them and used appropriate force in defending themselves and diffusing the situation. No specifics were given due to Hogwarts privacy standards, but she presented the statements of two additional instructors who praise the couples calm and measured responses to attacks upon their persons.

Once again, the Prophet vows to do it's best to ensure fast, accurate reporting of the facts as they happen, and hopes you, the readers, understand that we are human too, and mistakes do happen.