The Chronicles of Fayt

Chapter Fourteen: "Animals"

Jason Black's POV

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

I paused outside the statue to Dumbledore's office. How was I to get past the stone gargoyle? A password maybe? Before I thought too much of it the gargoyle stood up fully and walked aside. "The Headmaster is ready for you." I ground out in a deep voice. I nodded and climbed up the stairs, well, I stood on one step and it moved upwards like an escalator in a mall.

I paused outside the door and raised a hand to knock. "Please, come in Mr. Black." Creepy. I didn't even knock. I opened the door and nervously stepped in. "Have a seat." I lowered myself into the only open chair. Unfortunately it was next to a man who got in a fight with a wood chipper and lost. He gave me the creeps, especially since he had one enormous eye that was spinning around on its own.

"So, Mr. Black." Another man started. "You are aware that you are here to give testimony against your attacker?"

"Um, yeah."

"Can you give us his name?"

Odd question. "Why don't you ask the twelve Aurors who were standing there watching? Or perhaps the six or so Ministrt officials?"

"Just answer the question. We don't want to lead you by giving you a name."

"Fine. It was Fudge. As in the Minister."

Lucky for me the rest of the interrogation went smoothly. Well, for the most part. "So, you admit to provoking the man into attacking you? You are saying you goaded him into it by taunting his career?" He glared at me. "Maybe we have the wrong person in Azkaban right now."

"I'm not the one on trial here you idiot. Try and do your job. Remember, you can stop being a bunch of useless dickweeds down because hey! I did you all a favor and got the crap beaten out of me by the incompetent fool known as Fudge." I paused and got my breath. "There will hopefully be real people in charge so stop sitting there jerking off and moaning about Fudge and do your damn job you stuck up idiot!"

"Language Mr. Black. Whether or not he deserved it is inconsequential. You are still on school grounds and are expected to obey the rules." Something told me Snape was laughing on the inside. If he knew how to laugh that is.

"You little punk." The Auror growled. "You better learn how to respect your betters kid."

"Is this whole damn place filled with useless prejudice dickheads?" I growled in frustration. "This questioning is over until I get a real Auror in here." I stood to leave and the Auror pulled his wand out.

"Sit back down you stupid mud- muggleborn. I'll haul you down for obstruction of justice!"

The wood-chipper man lazily pulled out his own wand. "Shut your mouth and sit down. I'll be running the show now and next time you almost call a victim a mudblood I'll have your badge. Expect a write up on your record." The idiot fumed and sat down. If looks could kill we'd both be dead. Wood-Chipper would've killed him and well, he'd already be dead so I wouldn't be. One dead body then.

"My names Alastor Moody. I'll take over from here, kid." After Moody took over (I'm thinking this is the famous one, after all how many people are known as 'Moody'?) everything went well. No more accusations or threats to arrest me was positive. Also, I liked not having snide little remarks about my "unknown" parentage. I stopped making stupid remarks due to the better line of questioning. Plus, insulting a guy that beat up was a bad idea. He didn't get like that by being level-headed.

It took another half an hour to finish. Well, it was dinner time and Dumbledore asked that I be let go to go eat and finish my homework. If they needed additional questions answered they could contact me at a later date.

"Wait." Moody asked. "You still got that Record-O-Sphere on you?"

I pulled the smokey globe out. "Yep. You want a copy?"

"No," He said hold his hand out. "I want the original. Hand it over boy."

"Hmm, as much as I would love to, no. You can make a copy so that way it's not tampered with but I keep the original. I can hand it over or keep it, and you can't make me do anything. I know the law, you can't take it from me without a warrant. Make a copy for Aurors to review and if need be I'll bring the original to court and play it for everyone."

He threw me a nasty scowl. "Fine." He grabbed in and set it on Dumbledore's desk. He mumbled and tapped the sphere and a second appeared on its left. I grabbed the original and cradled it. "Stupid punk kids knowing the law." I think I wasn't supposed to catch that.

"Alastor." Snape said from his position on the armchair. Had he been there the entire time? "You might want that." He pointed to a pulsing red ball. "Thank Merlin for paranoid people, eh?"

Moody grabbed the ball and stopped it. "You didn't trust the Aurors Snape? Only people with something to hide record meetings with us. You got something to hide?"

"No. Still doesn't mean I'll trust you Moody. Seeing as the only thing that will accomplish is prove Black needs to watch his language and that he can be easily demoted I have no use for it. Take it if you wish." He stood and took his leave. I quickly followed and hurried to the Ravenclaw table to tell everybody about the ass of an Auror I'd talked to. What was with this place? Was the only decent pureblood Neville? Well, probably my dad too, even if I don't remember him. And, Damian can be on that list… Ashley too… Fine, most purebloods I'd met were rude, excluding those in Ravenclaw (And my dad, but I can't say that out loud).

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I walked down the road to Hogsmead, all but bouncing. Flitwick had so subtly suggested that I go down early so I wouldn't be late. I was going down with everyone else at nine o'clock. Ah, it's good to have an awesome teacher looking out for you.

I followed James into the sweets shop and gaped. "No way…"

"Yes way. Now, I need sugar quills, Droobles Best Chewing Gum, and chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. Definitely lots of chocolate." He made his way down an aisle and filled a small back to the brim with sugar quills. "All this, for a sickle." He tossed me a two sickle back. "Fill it with as much candy as will fit. Merry Christmas." James said that for everything…

Regardless. I like candy. I started stuffing it full of candies. Half of it I had never heard of. Fizzing Whizzbees sounded familiar so I grabbed some. By the time I'd filled it up James had several packages.

"What? I like chocolate." He had a lot of chocolate. "Be nice, I'm buying you candy shrimp." He pouted and snatched my candy before buying it. "Don't eat any Fizzing Whizzbees. You'll float around.

"Really? They can make candy do that to you?"

"Uh huh. Pretty cool, huh?" He dragged me from store to store and I tagged along with him and his friends. I refrained from asking anymore questions once we met up with them. I was already the little tag along. I didn't have to annoy them too.

"Well, it's eleven-fifty and I get free food at noon so let's go!"

I rolled my eyes. "Who said free food was in order? I didn't. I never even agreed to let you come along!"

"Yes you did. When I bought you candy you agreed."

"Oh really? Did I?" I glared up at him. "I wasn't aware of this transaction."

"It's in the fine print, trust me on this little man." I decided arguing was pointless and decided that if allowing James to sit there would get him to shut up then I still won the argument. It's in the fine print. Honestly, it is.

"Mr. Black!" A man who looked completely average due to his brown hair, brown eyes, medium height, medium build and non-descript robes. "Marshall Smith of Wizarding Times. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Now, you said the Headmaster Dumbledore set up a room?" He paused but didn't allow an answer. "Now, is it warded against intruders and people listening in? Did he tell you?" Another quick pause. "No, wait, it doesn't matter. I can do it myself. Did you get my last letter? I asked you to bring the Record-O-Sphere you have. Negotiate a price and all. I would've mentioned it in the first two letters but didn't want to seem presumptuous. Now, what room are we in?"

"Three. The rooms on either side and across the hall are empty."

"Good, good. Lead the way." I went to the narrow staircase at the back. "Who's this?" He asked pointing at James.

"I'm an older brother of sorts. I'm sitting in just to make sure Jason is comfortable with everything." He pulled himself up to his full height and I think he tried to make his voice sound deeper. "You have any issues with me being here because if you do you can walk right out that door and forget about any interview and kiss a chance at that Record-O-Sphere goodbye."

If James was going for intimidating, he achieved it. His normally carefree blue eyes were hard as ice and he had a good five inches on Smith. He looked a bit demented too. "Ah, no, no. Seeing as he is a minor that's fine. Feel free to intervene if you don't like a question."

"Good." When Smith moved up the stairwell and me and James followed he had a huge smirk on his face. "Messing with people is fun. I like playing scary." I held back a snicker. James was a damn cool big bro.

I walked into the room and took the seat by the fire and James grabbed the next closest, leaving the reporter to use the bed. He grabbed the table and dragged it over. "Okay, I'll use my Instant Self-Inking and Writing Quill. It records word for word. I'll just set it up and we'll get started." He pulled out a dark blue quill, dipped in a pot of ink and perched it on a scroll of parchment. "Marshall Smith interviewing Jason Alexander Black at the Three Broomsticks on the tenth of January." The quill scribbled away and the words were indeed word for word.

"Okay, first questions." After that it was mostly what do I think provoked Fudge so much, my opinion on the Ministry after the attack, (I treaded lightly and said that I hoped the rest of the ministry wasn't like Fudge) my thoughts on Fudge's comment I would never amount to anything, (I planned on proving him wrong. That's what makes me a Ravenclaw) most of it was pretty easy. I even got to talk about the evil Aurors and the names he called me. I almost cried… or not. Still, I kept my eye on the quill. So far, everything was fine.

"What do you think the outcome of the trial will be?"

"Careful." James said quietly.

"Well, the few Aurors I've met, minus the one that first questioned me all seemed competent. I'm thinking they'll investigate and come to the obvious conclusion. After all, there were quite a few people, most from the Ministry, who saw it. I think you said fourteen Aurors?" He nodded. "Yeah, fourteen Aurors saw it, one of them was the Head Auror and there were about seven or eight other employees. I don't see how anyone can doubt the outcome."

"You seem confident, care to elaborate why?"

"Well, this here in my hand," I pulled out the sphere. "Is a Record-O-Sphere. The entire exchange is in here, and the short medical examination is on here too. All my injuries were recorded as well as the exchange leading up to him as well as him committing the act."

"You said it wasn't a doctor. Why not?"

"I can answer that. Jason has a phobia of doctors and nurses and refuses normal medical treatment."

"I do not have a phobia. I am correct and all doctors and nurses are out to kill me." I am not scared of the doctor… he just is a mass murderer. I can smell dead people there. I am not crazy.

The reporter grinned. "Okay, I'll keep both statements in mind. One final thing, how much for the sphere? Just a copy though. You said earlier that you want the original copy."

I nodded. "I'm not sure on the price though. I've received several offers and if this is going to be an exclusive, I want hefty sum." A lie… no offers yet, all were, 'Meet in public and discuss it' deals.

"We'll pay fifty galleons for an exclusive." James gave me a 'No' look.

"Higher. Like I said, I want more than that, I'd lose money."

Marshall nodded. "Smart on your part. A hundred and fifty for the preliminary and a galleon for every hundred copies of the issue sold. We translate into sixteen languages. We'll sell like crazy. Take it or leave it final offer." James was pleading with his eyes.

"Deal. I want it in writing. Several copies too." The reporter pulled out two pieces of paper, pre-signed. "Dumbledore can sign for you in loco parentis because you're listed as having muggle guardians. He signed just in case. Just sign here, and here." He looked at James. "Are you seventeen?"

"Three days ago I had my birthday."

"Good. You'll be the witness. Sign here." I signed the two spots after looking it over. They would run a word for word nothing omitted, with the exception of profanity, copy of it, I would receive a hundred and fifty plus the galleon for hundred copies sold. No other publication could have it for a month. Sounds good. Straight forward. No loops. James signed and then Smith did. "Good, good. Here is your money good sir, just the copy to be made." He repeated Moody's actions and handed me the original. "Can I intrest you in lunch?"

James nodded. "Why not? It's been a long interview. It's past one o'clock."

I looked at the clock in shock. It was one-fifteen already. "Well, time flies when you are being drilled for information. Let's eat gentlemen." He waved us down to the main bar area and sat us at a booth before waving Rosemerta over. "Today's special. Three of them. What do you want to drink?"

"Butterbeers for us love." James said to Rosemerta. "On the house for once?"

"How many times have you asked me that and how many times have I turned you down?" She had a playful grin on her face. I'm pretty sure James was on everyone's good side unless you made him mad.

"Not enough to discourage me."

"I keep trying." She said with a sigh before getting our food. It was pretty good too. Best damn soup I've ever had. I guess James was happy, he got his free food.

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This was done a while before I posted it. I'm not sure if it was all you or FanFiction but I didn't get any reviews. A whole lot of Favorite Author/Story adds and Author/Story Alerts but no reviews. I all but cried. Maybe it was because it was chapter thirteen. I'm serious. I will continue this on one reviewer per chapter. But not for no reviews. Nope, no can do, I truly am sorry. Well, I'm not. But I will say I am.

Well, now I got reviews and I feel like a jerk for writing all the above stuff.

Reviews- ARedHair- You're right, and I did think of that. I just let it slide about how he'd be twelve starting or a year younger than everyone else. I decided that it really didn't matter or affect the story. Callie258- Sort of, that's part of it. Really, it's minor to the overall plot. I've got big things planned. As in… thinking of what will happen in the future, a first for me. Draque-potter- sorry if it was unclear. He's charging for the recording of events, not the interview. This chapter should've cleared that up.