[a/n]Brought to you by setokayba2n "Harry after knowing what Dumbledore did, putting him iwth the dursley decide to stop being silent? Maybe tell Rita about how the great Dumbledore decided without asking anyone to take Harry and put with muggles and how if he did that with him, he could do it with anyone"

Harry Does Different DXXVb

Rita's Redemption

"Dear Mr Potter, the Ministry has received intelligence that at six twenty-three, this evening, you performed the Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle. As a clear violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

Harry immediately wrote letters to Sirius, Hermione, and Ron. In an act equal parts of inspiration and desperation, he followed up with a letter to his most favorite scandalwitch. After three days of being locked in his room, while dealing with his anger from the lack of response, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were preparing to leave to attend an award ceremony for the Best Kept Suburban Lawn in England.

"Ready yet, Pet? Get a move on, son!" the proud homeowner was eager to get on his way "Shouldn't take us more that a half hour to get to Kensington as a crow flies. But I want to make sure to get there early. Show off our portfolio, got all fifty pictures."

Harry didn't bother displaying a sneer since he was locked in his [or rather, Dudley's second] bedroom. He just called out "Merlin forbid you'd actually take the wizard who actually did all the work!"

"Shaddup Potter!" came from the boy's cousin on the other side of the door. A plate of food was shoved through the cat flap. It was, at best, adequate. Uneaten, probably because Dudley considered it unworthy of bothering with. "Off to be honored by the Queen. Have fun, hahaha. Coming Dad!"

*dingdongdong*dingdingdong* "May I help you?" Petunia saw what might be a smartly dressed blonde woman in a sharp pants-business-suit. Except the color of the glasses clashed furiously with that of the suit, which also offended her sensibilities. Bright orange did not belong on people, in her perfectly normal opinion. Any more than pea-green did. Both? It was beyond the pale.

"Indeed you might." Replied the visitor sunnily "Might this be the famous #4 Privet Rd? Home of the one and only winner of the TriWizard Tournament? The legendary Mr. Harry Potter?"

The housewife snorted "Legendary indeed! For getting my sister blown up! You another of his freaks? Wha'd'yu want?"

"The young na-Earl's commoner relative seems to have no appreciation for our Boy-Hero's status." The colorful visitor dictated to the quill that appeared at her shoulder. It scratched away on a scroll. "Now, while Harry might have some legal inconvenience with regard to Mrs. Hopkirk, such problems do not persist after the teen years. Catch my meaning?"

Petunia spat "Potter? Nobility? PAH! The brat's been a drain on our lives since the day that old coot dumped him on my doorstep."

"Well then, why don't you just point me in the direction of your young freeloader." Rita's smile was utterly false "Then the two of us can be about our freak business with minimal Muggle contact."

This was when Dudley appeared, feeling his oats as a red-blooded teenage boy "Dammmm! Who's the hottie?"

"My my my" smirked the witch. Her Quik-Quotes-Quill© tickled the paunchy neck "A handsome young man, who is also discerning." She cooed, then kissed him, allowing just a hint of tongue before pulling back "So, Mrs. Dursley? Harry please?"

The dazzled Dudley Dursley was yanked away by a furious Vernon who bellowed "NO DOING FREAK STUFF ON MY SON YOU FREAK!" and launched at her.

"Petrificus Totalis!" Rita wasn't necessarily of Auror grade, but she'd been forewarned of the possibility of violence once she revealed her nature. Nor was the heavy falling body a threat, simply sidestepping allowed it to hit with a thud.

"AHHHHHHH! Vernon!" screamed Petunia. Which was still not enough to bring Dudley out of his stupor.

Again, having been told in his letter just where Harry was, Rita took the opportunity to press on "I see. Upstairs? Well thank you, Mrs. Dursley. Do not worry, the mister will be fine within the hour; give or take. Heheh….Harry? ….. Ahh, catflap, Alohamora! …Well, young man, would you mind telling me more about your loving guardians?"

"Why Miss Skeeter!" exclaimed Harry, affecting a surprise face "Imagine meeting you here! Yes, Vernon Petunia and Dudley are among the finest citizens of good old Surrey. Got an hour or two to spare? Their finest moments among other stories?"

She sat in the desk chair, across from his bed, crossed her legs and they went to work. Rita gasping and awing at all the appropriate moments. Thinking the while 'Sometimes truth is better than fiction'

"Dear Mr Potter, the Ministry has received intelligence that from eight ought eight through eight twenty-two, this evening, you performed multiple Charms in the presence of and upon the persons of Muggles. This goes well beyond your prior egregious violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, you are hereby re-expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

"Curious that, don'cha think?" Harry caught the second owl-delivered Ministry letter of the night before it fell. This one a near howler, he was considerably less bothered by. Holding it to his guest "I didn't even draw my wand during that period. Wonder who did?"

Rita took it "Note the word REASONABLE? Seems to me self-defense counts. Never mind the painfully obvious false reporting. I don't mind a bit of stretching …or creative interpretation… but outright lying offends my journalistic ethics."

"Just stick to the truth here, and we're good." Harry was very sincere. "Let's see, now, about the Dursleys, my earliest memory, I guess I was maybe four ….." he still hadn't got to his First Year when, simultaneous with pulling his wand asked "Wazzat?"

There was thumping, heavy footsteps, non-Dursley voices whispering. Multiple approaching, then stopping outside the bedroom door. The knob jiggled and twisted. Door moved.

"Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus Expelliarmus Expelliarmus !" not that Rita wouldn't've fired, Harry just had the better angle. Two intruders were downed in a trice, a third Harry yanked into the room and forced against a wall -face-first. He snarled "You won't be the first DE I've killed!"

The point of a wand touched the teen's neck "Ease off Potter!" said a gruff male voice "We're from Dumbledore."

"By some accounts that's not a high recommendation." Rita poked hers into the heavyset wizard's back "How about dropping yours, Moody. And I know there's no o nebehind you. The Muggles don't count. So drop it." **giggle** "How many get one over on Mad-Eye?"

Refusing to yield, he snarled "Don't know what you're playing with Skeeter!"

"I'll throw in with anyone who can score three wins against four. And this one's definitely better than fiction." **giggle** "Three Aurors and a werewolf. Harry, I think they're safe, after all the werewolf is your old schoolmate."

Harry gave what he finally realized was a woman one last shove as he backed away, twirling his wand coolly and into his wrist holster "Don't know the black bloke, so I'll take your word for it. Thanks Rita. Hermione will cringe, but I owe you one."

"THAT we'll call square if I can see her face." The reporter was amused and appreciative.

Remus was on his feet first and pulling the 'black bloke' to his "There you go, Shack." He deliberately positioned himself in front of the angry-looking Auror "Now, Harry, don't you think that was a bit of an overreaction?"

"You wouldn't stun someone sneaking around your house after dark?" Rita shot back "Think we were kind of nice about it. You four are still alive."

Kingsley Shacklebolt attained his full, impressive height and glared, but nodded "Gel's not exactly wrong. This hit wizard scheme was rather ill-conceived. Black said one of us should just knock on the front door at noon or so."

"As in the escaped mass murderer? Why would a top Auror be in contact with him? Other than to arrest or kill, of course." This was the stuff global reputations were made of.

Harry overrode everyone "SIIIIILENCEEEEEE! Rita, here's a deal. Call it a bonus. Don't mess with what we talked about tonight and you'll get my Third Year, which involves meeting Sirius Black."

"Professor Dumbledore would not approve, Harry." Said Remus, severely.

The boy glared at the man "All I got from him is a letter ordering me to sit down and shut up. I haven't just been telling Rita about the Dementors, seems he was behind dumping here after Voldemort killed my parents. It's HIS fault I was treated like a House-Elf all my life."

"The Headmaster is one of the greatest wizards whose EVER lived. He deserves our loyalty." The werewolf was very teacherly in tone.

That earned a scowl from Harry "I Don't see much loyalty toward me. What's he been doing to help? Preview Rita: Wasn't Sirius owed some? Question, Professor …if you have to choose between me and Dumbledore- -"

"I should hope that is a hypothetical, Harry." Lupin interrupted, his tone hurt "But, as for now, we have to get to HQ. And my apologies Miss Skeeter, but there's only room for five on this trip."