Chapter Nineteen
The Price of Fame
Quintin couldn't help but be impressed with how cool Jeremy played it that week, knowing what sort of explosion was going to happen when the Veritable Wizard came out on Friday. In fact, Jeremy didn't talk about the newspaper at all, concentrating on the festival booths that Joey, Jack, and Rus had been making, and offering them some tips and even alterations.
"These general booths are great for peddling gifts and cookies and stuff, but not so much for games. You'd be better off making specialized booths for that... especially for things like darts," Jeremy explained.
"Well, we don't have time to make a whole bunch of specialized ones, so we're going to have to settle for one popular game and use tents for anything else," Jack said. "Do you have any time to work on it, Jeremy?"
"I don't know yet," Jeremy admitted. "I guess we'll have to see how this weekend goes."
That was the closest that Quintin ever saw him come to acknowledging that anything was going on, and since Jeremy was the only student who helped Anna and Hermione run off all of the copies that week, the dam didn't burst until the other students came out of their last classes on Friday to pick up their copy of the paper.
Curious to their reactions, Jeremy decided to go to dinner in the Great Hall that night. He was immediately swarmed with students, congratulating him on both his nerve and the interview himself and asking him a lot of questions.
Quintin stepped in behind him with a smile, chuckling softly and shaking his head.
"It would appear that your so-called friend has taken the spotlight," Zelda observed, stepping up beside Quintin. "I guess that means you're not the most popular student in the school anymore... or the most famous once word gets out."
"I'm very happy for him," Quintin replied, unconcerned by her scrutiny. "He's finally learned that he can be famous on his own, and not just because of who he hangs out with. It's great to see it, and I'm proud of him. I bet when he goes home for Christmas this year, it won't all be about who his friends are now."
"Aren't you at all jealous of all the attention?" she inquired.
"Of course not. There's room enough in the world for everyone to succeed who works for it," Quintin replied. "The world is big enough that lots of different people can be up on the stage at once. Besides, no matter whose time it is to shine, I am still the most famous kid in the school. And since that's never going to change, you might as well just get used to it," he said unabashedly.
He walked over to congratulate his friend, getting pulled up onto the bench to stand beside him as the rest of the students crowded around.
Zelda seethed for a moment before reigning in her jealousy, clearing her mind to think of some way to knock them from their perch. Then she smiled, realizing that sometimes the simplest ways were the best. Whispers began to manifest around her, following her over to the Slytherin table but still working their way through every table that she walked by.
At the Gryffindor table, Markus and Rich were sitting with other members of the Quidditch team and heard two students they didn't recognize whispering down the row.
"It isn't even a real article. I heard from a member of the journalism team that he actually made the whole thing up," one of the students said.
"I heard it was Quintin's idea... he was trying to get his friend some attention so he could get a break from being Mr. Popular for a while," said another student. Markus and Rich both leaned over the table to see who was talking, but they couldn't narrow it down. Most of the kids in their section were talking about Quidditch and football or complaining how hard their last Potions test was. Markus and Rich glanced at each other.
"You don't believe any of that, do you?" Markus asked.
"No," Rich whispered. "My mother stayed over last night to help Anna and Jeremy print out the paper and knew all about it, and my mother certainly wouldn't let them print something like that unless she was certain it was factual. I'm sure it's just a rumor since it's causing such a stir."
"Let's tell Elliot and Olivia about it when we can so they can warn Jeremy in the Owl Room," Markus suggested. Rich nodded in agreement.
But the small ripples at the Gryffindor table were nothing compared to the large ripples developing at the Slytherin table. In fact, by the time Zelda sat down at the far end, nearly everyone was hunched over the table, whispering about what they'd overheard. Moira, Bonnibel, Douglas, and Cadha looked over as there sister sat down with a satisfied expression on her face.
Do you suppose you'll get in trouble for that? Douglas wondered.
Why? I didn't manipulate their minds. They're manipulating their own minds, Zelda pointed out. I'm not responsible for whether or not they decide to listen to rumors on the wind, am I? They're responsible for their own fact-checking, not I.
Cadha glanced across to the Ravenclaw table, making eye contact with Culver before he turned his attention to Gloria's protests.
"Look, I don't know who told you that, but it simply isn't true," Gloria told Milo, sitting across and a few seats down from him. "I happen to know that Jeremy had special permission to go to Hogsmeade last weekend, and Professor Black escorted him for a secret journalism assignment. I'm positive that must have been when he met the Dashing Doppler for that interview."
"But why would someone on the Ministry's top five most wanted list be willing to sit down for an interview with some kid? It just doesn't make sense. No matter what his motives, it would have been much too risky to do that," Milo replied.
"Well, as it says in the article, he was disguised as Alchemist Willowby at the time," Gloria reminded him. "Considering how talented of a Metamorphmagus the Dashing Doppler is, he probably didn't feel that he was in any danger. If you actually take the time to read the article, you would see that he was actually bragging that he wouldn't get caught unless he wanted to."
"That still doesn't explain why he'd sit down for an interview with a kid," Milo argued.
"Obviously because he wanted to leave a message for the Minister of Mysteries," Gloria said. "And I'm sure that sitting down with Jeremy was probably a lot less threatening than sitting down with a reporter from the Daily Prophet would be."
"Maybe," Milo said thoughtfully, mulling it over. "But I'm still not convinced. I'd like more proof that this article isn't a fake."
Gloria sighed at that, not sure of what else to say, but Culver was busy looking at the doorway.
"Hey Gloria, look! It's your cousin," Culver said. Gloria looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing at the entrance and scanning the crowd with a school paper in his hand, and he didn't look happy. Finally he strode over to the Dusthorn table.
"There you are, Milo. The Minister of Magic wouldn't be here to confront them about it if it was a fake," Gloria murmured.
They all turned around to watch as Draco went over, easily figuring out which student was Jeremy just by the amount of kids were crowded around him.
"Jeremy Miller? It's time we had a talk," Draco said sternly.
Jeremy chuckled nervously as the many of the students scooted away from him. Jeremy slid out of his seat.
Severus, Jennifer, and Serendipity had just settled down to dinner in the Headmaster's Study when the quill of Severus' appointment journal suddenly began to write. Sighing at the inconvenience, Severus walked over long enough to see what was being jotted down, frowning when he saw it was in the current hour.
"'Emergency appointment with Draco Malfoy about the school's freedom of speech policy and the possible misconduct of young wizards,'" Severus read out loud. "What do you suppose that is about?"
"I guess we're about to find out," Jennifer said noncommittally, more interested in cutting Seren's food than looking in Severus' direction. He was not altogether surprised to see that her spectacles were pushed up on her nose when she turned back around again.
Instead of questioning it, Severus decided to warm up his coffee cup, barely sitting down before there was a rapid knock. He waved the door open, and Draco stepped in with Jeremy Miller and Anna right behind him. Jeremy had a very rueful expression, while Anna had that fixed look she got when preparing for battle.
"Good evening, Draco, Anna, Jeremy. Care to join us?" Severus inquired.
"I want an explanation of what is going on here," Draco snapped.
"We're having dinner," Severus explained calmly.
"I meant about that article in the Veritable Wizard this afternoon," Draco said impatiently.
"I haven't had time to read it yet," Severus admitted. "I've been writing the final proposal for the final renovations on the Guard Tower and haven't had time for leisure reading..."
"Did you give them permission to interview a wanted criminal?" Draco demanded.
"I don't know. Are you referring to someone on staff?" he asked, then glanced at the front page. "Oh, it's the Dashing Doppler. It'd be difficult for him to get in here, we have all sorts of detection security in place. Then again, if I have learned anything over the years, it's that no security is entirely foolproof, so I suppose it's possible he found a way around it. Oh, I see, it happened in Hogsmeade. Jennifer, did you give permission to Anna to take Jeremy to Hogsmeade?"
"Oh, yes. She came to me and requested that I allow her to escort Jeremy there to complete a journalism assignment," Jennifer said, pushing her plate back in favor of her dessert. "I told her that she needed to have his parent's permission for something like that, so she went to America and retrieved it. Hermione and I both have copies, but since it was a standard sort of request, we simply filed it."
"Interviewing the Dashing Doppler was a standard request?" Draco asked skeptically.
"She didn't tell me who they were interviewing. She only told me that he needed to complete an assignment," Jennifer explained. "But I can confirm that everything was filed according to school rules."
"Of course I didn't tell them who Jeremy was interviewing. It had to be kept a secret so that the Dashing Doppler would actually show up for the interview," Anna said bluntly. "He certainly wouldn't have if I said something and a whole squad from the LE Department decided to stake out the place."
"You didn't tell them because you were afraid they would have stopped you," Draco accused Anna.
"I probably wouldn't have stopped her," Jennifer admitted. Draco sighed silently in exasperation. "Harry told me during Auror training that sometimes you have to be patient. Sometimes it's better to allow the person you're planning on capturing to go about their business, and use the time to gather information and learn their routine to make for a less dangerous capture. It seems to me that gathering intelligence is the right strategy considering how easily the Doppler has dodged capture thus far."
"One summer as an Auror does not make you an expert on captures!" Draco snapped at Jennifer.
"I've had an LE Investigations license for four years," Jennifer reminded him.
"I've had an Auror license for over five... and I'm a retired agent," Severus chimed in. "I think Jennifer has a point. I might have insisted that my sister bring along another faculty member to act as backup if she had told me what was going on, but I probably would have given permission... if it had been up to me, that is."
"If it had been up to you?" Draco repeated.
"Student Affairs is Hermione's job, and Housemaster Affairs is Jennifer's. As long as they're doing their jobs, I really have nothing to do with it. Now, if either Hermione or Jennifer fail their due diligence to follow the rules, then it ends up on my desk. But so far I haven't heard anything that would indicate that either them or Anna stepped out of the bounds of their job description," Severus concluded. Draco turned on Anna.
"I want a report filed on this incident with the Ministry with whatever details you left out," Draco demanded.
"Already done. I filed one with Alex the other day," Anna informed him.
"And I want Jeremy interviewed, plus a Pensieve record in case anything was left out," Draco added.
"Alex requested an interview already, but I have to get the Headmaster's permission for something of that magnitude," Anna admitted.
"Permission granted, provided that as his parents are informed in case they have any objections and if Jeremy's student counselor, Professor Boulderdash, is present during the questioning," Severus replied.
"Understood," Anna said.
"There, that's settled. So now you are clear as well, Draco, to tell the press and the council that you have stepped in, and confirm the matter is being handled internally," Severus suggested, Draco gazing at him fixedly.
"Don't be surprised when I file a complaint with the board about not being informed of Ministry business happening in or around school property... licensed Auror or not, you are required to keep us informed," Draco said.
"I didn't know anything about this," Severus reminded him.
"You're right, Draco. I should have informed you. Go ahead and add another reprimand to my record," Anna suggested unabashedly.
"Meet me in my office tomorrow so I can do so formally," Draco told her sternly, finally turning and striding out the Doorlift in a huff.
"There, you see? I told you he wouldn't sack me. We've got too much history together," Anna told Jeremy. "Draco never sacks anyone who has been loyal to him, he depends on them too much."
"Wasn't it disloyal that we didn't tell him what we were doing?" Jeremy asked.
"No, not really. See, that wasn't personal outrage, that was political outrage," Anna explained. "There's a difference."
"So there is," Severus said. "Staying for dinner?"
"Sure," Anna said.
"I think I'm going to finish my dinner in the Owl Room," Jeremy said quickly.
"Go right ahead," Anna replied.
"Feel free to use the Doorlift if you want to dodge nosy students," Severus offered.
"Thanks, Professor," Jeremy said gratefully, and they watched him go.
Anna sat down by Serendipity, who had been watching all of the action without understanding any of it.
"I must confess, if I had known just how entertaining it was not knowing everything going on in my castle, I would have learned how to delegate information years ago," Severus decided. Jennifer laughed at that.
"Yes, but aren't you afraid that you're going to be left out of the loop on something you really should know about?" Anna challenged him dubiously.
"Not in the slightest. Between my faculty and my personal network of informants, I am confident that the only things I don't know about are things that I'm better off not knowing... like this little excursion of yours. Of course, I did have my suspicions," Severus added. "I've simply learned not to go out of my way to confirm them." Anna shook her head at that, smiling.
"Your stress level has been ever so much better since you decided to stop confirming things, Severus," Jennifer commented.
"Yes, indeed it has," Severus agreed, handing Anna a cup of coffee.
