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Chapter 33: That's It I am going to Hex her
To say that Hermione was not happy was a little bit of an understatement. When she saw the Skeeter article the swearing started and this was where the rest of the household including the guests finally learned that Miss Hermione Granger had a mouth. Who knew that Miss Prim and Proper could swear like a sailor or should that be a sailor and a trooper combined together cause she would certainly make the average sailor blush with the broad and detailed vocabulary she seemed to have when describing the retribution she was going to have on the despicable bug better known as Rita Sodding Skeeter. The hysterical rant when on in a room full of witches and wizards who had been stunned to silence at the performance that the brains of the golden trio was providing them. Pansy decided that it was time to act and threw a stupefy at Hermione so she could take her back to her room.
"Professor Snape I do believe we need a calming draft or two would you not agree" advised the Princess of Slytherin to her former Head of House.
"I am sure I can find something suitable," advised Professor Snape with a bit of a grin. Ms Granger had certainly been creative in her discussion about the forms of retribution she was going to get on the insufferable woman.
At that point the stunned silence wore off the room and everyone started to talk animatedly. Something this time had to be done about Skeeter. Luna breezed into the lounge area looking absolutely calm and sat down next to Harry.
"So Harry are you going to inform the rest of the room that the Ministry has already started to work on the problem and today's article was the last nail in the coffin for Ms Skeeter's journalistic career and I would not think that the management of the Daily Prophet will survive this either" said the blonde before delicately sipping her tea.
"I cant cause I am not part of the investigation but I agree Rita has certainly cooked her goose and I don't think I will let Mia alone with her in the same room" advised the boy wonder.
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Severus Snape decided that they needed to get Poppy in to help administer the calming draughts to Miss Granger. He wasn't sure that they wouldn't get hexed for her removal back to her apartment. When he showed her the paper and she saw the grasp the witch concerned had on her wand she agreed that the calming draught would have to be intravenously rather than oral administration. This witch was rigid with fury after they had finited the stupefy.
Luna came into the bedroom with Pansy and Draco to talk to Hermione. Even though Hermione had the calming draught she still had a tongue which was working and she applied it with some vitriol at Luna letting all the hurt of the last week out at the girl. Hermione was still worked up and turned it on to the others who were in the room. Hearing the heated verbal discussion after seeing Poppy back to breakfast, Severus came in to find that Hermione was getting agitated all over again.
Coming into the bedroom he could see Tinky was crying in the corner worried about her Miss Mia. The Headmaster had to use his worst angry professor tone to break through the shouting. The potions master pointed to the three standing and barked at them to sit down. When Hermione attempted to start round 2 of the venting of her spleen he looked at her and said "Hush now, We are now going to discuss the issue as adults and talk about the options we have here". The Headmaster had just knocked the wind out of Hermione's sails in her own living room.
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Kingsley flooed into Grimmauld Place and on hearing Kreacher welcoming the Minister of Magic Harry ran out into to the entranceway looking at him with a hopeful face.
"I am here on official business do you think you could escort me to Hermione" he asked. When Harry said follow him he did so and they entered the apartment knocking on doors on the way trying to get the attention of everyone in the apartment. There was a hello to Narcissa who was in the private sitting room before a knock on Hermione's bedroom door.
Opening the door Harry put his head in "I have a senior Ministry official here Severus to see Mia. I believe that the business is important and relevant to the current matter you are discussing". Upon being granted entry Harry was hopeful this news would cheer Hermione up.
"Hi ya Mia I am here on official business so first I need you to sign some paperwork for me. I have the defamation complaint work and we are going to also launch a couple of civil actions as well. Ah Miss Lovegood you are here as well. Harry needs to sign this set of paperwork. Now what can I tell you. Miss Rita Skeeter and her photographer were taken into custody late last night from Diagon Alley to assist the MLE with their inquiries. The journalist with this paperwork and everything else will be in court this afternoon. We will also be charging and laying civil suits against the editor and the owners of the Daily Prophet. We are taking them to the cleaners" advised Kingsley.
After chewing her lip for a bit Hermione finally spoke. "Do you think I can have a newspaper for Christmas please Santa Kingsley?" After this comment there was a rippling of laughter round the room and the Gryffindor princess gave a smirking grin at Headmaster Snape.
"If I own the paper and have the executive editorial control I can put in a general manager to act as the day to day controller who I trust to follow my editorial policies. Pansy can you go and get Narcissa for me while you take Kings, Harry and Draco out to lodge the relevant additional paperwork to support me," she advised watching them fall into her orders.
"Luna come here please" and the blonde witch came round to the side of the bed where she patted. "I am sorry that I lashed out at you can you please forgive me I did not realise that you had a plan. I was hurt by Monday's article, as you know I don't want to talk about my situation or my personal life. I understand that it was part of grand plan and you really did not have much time to put it into place. Please the next time you are going to do meddling in my life please talk to me about it first" Hermione asked before reaching out and hugging Luna tightly. "I am sorry that I have been a bad friend to you this week".
There were some tears and then Narcissa came into the room with Pansy. "Tinky do you think we can have morning tea or an early light luncheon in the front garden room?"
"Certainly Miss Mia" advised the elf who was much cheerier now that her Miss Mia sounded happier.
"Miss Granger you requested my presence?" enquired Narcissa Black Malfoy.
"Call me Mia please Madam Malfoy. I was wondering what your plans were now that you have been released?" inquired Hermione.
"I don't really know. I was for many years the quintessential politician's wife but I don't want to sit round for the next five years waiting for Lucius. I don't believe that I would easy slip back into my previous charity work since I am a tarnished woman and it would not be good for the public relations of the charities to be associated with me. I was going to use the next couple of months while Draco was in school to find out where and what I have available to me. I might go back and do further training. I really cannot see myself unoccupied. I am one of these people that have to be kept busy," advised Narcissa in a slightly dejected voice. While she may not be in prison any more the future was looking bleak for her. It was going to be a long and lonely road while she was waiting for her husband's release from prison.
"What would you want to do if you could do anything at all Cissy?" inquired Severus.
"I really don't know. I am good at organisation and the management of house elves for events. I have some experience at estate management and I always took an interest in the politics of the Wizengamot. Can I ask why you are so interested in this please?" queried Narcissa, as she was curious to what was going on.
"They are all necessary skills for the role of General Manager," advised Luna as she helped Hermione transfer from the bed into her wheel chair.
"Oh that would be a sweet revenge" smirked Severus. Pansy and Cissy were going "What? What?"
"It is not definitive yet as it depends on the outcome in the courts this afternoon and the next couple of weeks. But how do you feel about working for me as the General Manager and Executive Editor of the Daily Prophet when they go bankrupt for the libel and defamation. Draco told me it was you who taught him to read and write. I have even read some of your short stories so I think you have the skill set required. I need a strong woman to take the control of horribly disorganised organisation and clean house.
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The small group had an interesting luncheon and Hermione advised her legal counsel, Mr Gambol, what was going on. The wizard was a famous pureblood lawyer who the Twins had introduced to her. At 1pm the Wizengamot was holding a special court session on a Saturday to deal with a number of cases before the Christmas break. Rita Skeeter spluttered and carried on but knew her number was up when she saw who the lawyer for the prosecution was. The reporter was only left with a public defence lawyer as the Daily Prophet Owner when he had received his own summons had dropped her like a hot potato refusing to pay for her legal counsel.
By the end of the session Rita Skeeter was going to be doing 5 years for being an unregistered animagus, defamation, publication fraud, and citing public panic. The troublesome witch was also required to pay reparations and court costs for the civil actions. The former not readily known owner of the Daily Prophet, Barnabas Cuffe, also found himself bankrupt and having a hefty legal bill to pay. The wizard got the really thick end of the stick as everyone knew him as the Editor but they did not realise he was the owner as well. The cunning man had been hiding that fact for about 50 years but that explained his self-assurance when people had attempted to threaten him as the Editor saying they would be taking it to the owner.
Barnabas Cuffe also joined Rita on her trip to Azkaban for a number of years of residence. The court appointed the Goblin Nation through Gringotts in the recovery of funds to cover the cost of court and the payment of fines and reparation. All in all it was a very nice present for Hermione. The first issue of the new Daily Prophet was a little thin but covered the new direction that the newspaper was going in was pulled together with the assistance of Luna and most of Harry's guests so that there was a paper for Christmas Eve.