the one | h. potter

33. prophet

The Daily Prophet: Tuesday, October 27th, 1998

A Single Savior?

by Rita Skeeter

Harry Potter's girlfriend might be his girlfriend no longer.

Young Ginny Weasley, Potter's supposed partner since Hogwarts and now presumed ex-girlfriend was spotted on a Hogsmeade excursion late last night with another man! Photographs, printed above, show Weasley kissing a man that obviously isn't Mr. Potter. We have word that the couple went their separate ways months ago, and that Weasley has been dating a fellow Hogwarts student since August.

What does this mean for our chosen one? Does he feel betrayed by his girlfriend's actions? Or has he moved on? Possibly the most sought-after man of the decade, Harry Potter is now single once more and definitely on the market. The bachelor has begun Auror training in a special advanced program for the past few months, alongside several other individuals. Several colleagues have hinted at a possible romance between Potter and another associate. To learn more about our hero's romantic escapades, turn to page 6.

"It could be worse," I say, and Harry nods.

"I haven't read that shit in months," he replies, "but at least she got some of the facts right."

I sigh. "Now everyone thinks you're single for Halloween," I say, and Harry wraps him arms around my shoulders.

"Would've raised suspicion if we went to the same party with separate people anyway," Harry grumbles, taking a sip of his coffee. I spent the night at Grimmauld Place last night. We'd been brainstorming ideas for our costumes for the first annual Hogwarts Hallow's Eve ball, which we'd been invited to as alumni.

I reach for Harry's hand. "You don't have to go, you know." He'd seemed a bit down when he got the invitation, since it was planned on the anniversary of his parents' death.

He sighs. "I'm expected to be there. But..." he meets my eyes and wiggles his eyebrows. "At least I get to dance with the prettiest girl in the world."

"Don't be silly. I don't think Britney Spears will be there."

Harry blushes and grins. "I mean you."

"I know," I murmur, and lean in.

In the month we've been together, one thing that has resonated most with me is how caring, loving, and uniquely kind Harry is. How he'll take time out of the day to hug me and kiss me and make me feel loved. He makes me feel things I haven't felt in years, a sort of affection I haven't felt since my mother died.

In a sort of way, he completes me. In parts he doesn't even know of yet. 

"I can almost hear the gears in your brain turning," Harry mumbles. "Stop thinking."

"Alright," I mutter back, and our lips crash together once more.

I get so lost in the feel of it; Harry's lips against mine, his hands sweeping my back and burying themselves in my hair, the faint taste of coffee on his tongue, that I almost don't hear the toaster pop and announce that our bagels are ready. I place my hand on his chest a pull away.

"C'mon. If we hurry up, we'll miss the cameras."

"Cameras?" Harry asks. He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair, face falling when he sees the paper on the table and know's that camera will be crowding the Atrium this morning. "Alright. But if we get to the office early..." he trails off, winking. I push him down into his chair and wordlessly conjure a knife and summon the cream cheese.

As I spread the cream cheese on Harry's bagel, I formulate a plan. "We'll have to go separately," I say. "They'll put two and two together if we pop out of the same floo."

Harry nods glumly. "Floo home, then to the Atrium. I'll meet you at the office?"

I peck him on the lips. "Meet you at the office."

• • •

It's official, I hate Rita Skeeter. All morning, our office has flooded with mail. Hundreds of love letters, potions, charmed rings, and photographs spilling out of envelopes. It's infuriating. I wish the Ministry wouldn't just have us deal with it either; each time I look up and see the incoming mountains of packages and chocolates (which we have kept Ron far away from), I can't help but feel a twinge of insecurity.

Harry's been great though. Each time a new stack of letters arrives, he looks me straight in the eye and vanishes them without a second thought.

Besides the hoards of envelopes and packages coming in, the day is fairly boring. At around noon, a young man knocks on the door.

Exasperated, Harry groans. "We don't want any more mail. You can burn it."

The man only laughs. "I'm not the delivery guy, I'm the Minister's assistant. I'm here for..." He looks at a paper in his hand. "Ms. Smith?

All eyes move towards me and I clear my throat. "What for?"

"The Minister wants a word with you."

I look across the room and meet Harry's eyes. He looks distraught; he remembers what happened last time I was summoned to the Minister's office. 

I slowly follow him out of the room, and he leads me through the maze that is the ministry before stopping at a wide oak door. He steps aside and I open it.

"Ah, Liz!" Kingsley says, beckoning me over to a chair by his desk. He gestured towards the man sitting in the seat beside it. "Liz, I'd like you to meet the new Head of the Auror Department, Robards." My eyes widen. Kingsley used to be the Head of the Auror Department before the war, but they haven't replaced him yet. After five long months of ordering the Ministry and the Aurors around, he'd found a replacement for his old job.

I smile at Robards and hold out my hand. He shakes it and gives me a curt smile. "Kingsley tells me you've got special intel?"

Oh. That's why I'm here. "I- uh, yes, yes I do."

"Liz here has expansive knowledge from the war that can be extremely useful in the field. She's the reason we caught Yaxley a few months back," Kingsley says.

Robards shifts his eyes and gives me a once over. "How?"

I don't listen while Kinglsey tells Robards my war story.

"Ah, that is rather brave of you," he replies, finally. I exhale and paste on a forced smile.

"I should hope so," Kingsley chuckles. "The reason I brought her up here is to tell you this, Robards, while she's here as witness. Since this is Liz's secret, it will stay that way until she feels comfortable telling anyone. You are not to tell anyone you've heard this story, and you are not to investigate into any of her affairs. I assure you, they are in order."

Robards gives another curt nod. My jaw tightens as Kinglsey turns back towards me. "That's all, then. Robards will now be letting you know if he needs your assistance for any missions." He pauses for a moment. "Is your training going well?" he asks as an afterthought.

"Oh, yes. It's doing great," I reply.

"That's good. I'm hearing nothing but good reports from your instructors as well. Let me know if you need anything, will you?" I nod. "Phillip, my assistant, will show you out."

"Oh! Tell Harry I say hello, will you?" he asks, when I'm right by the door.

I turn and smile back. "Of course."