Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 51 ⚡️

Rita Skeeter had just entered Three Broomsticks. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby.

Vega reconfirmed to herself that she was not a fan of this person's fashion sense and promised to herself to do better in the future. Next to her, Harry, Ron and Hermione were glaring at Rita Skeeter as she approached. She was talking very fast and looking very satisfied about something.

"... didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think?
And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights... What nonsense... He was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging?
'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman...'
Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo – we just need to find a story to fit it –"

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" Harry said loudly, before Vega could stop him and she almost choked over her butterbeer when a few people looked around at them.

And Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jewelled spectacles as she saw who had spoken.

"Harry!" Skeeter said, beaming. "Vega Lestrange! How lovely! Why don't you two come and join –"

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," Harry responded furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?" Rita Skeeter raised her heavily pencilled eyebrows.

"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry," Skeeter replied. "I am merely doing my –"

"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted at the woman. "There's nothing wrong with him!"

The whole of Three Broomsticks had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing. On the other hand, Rita Skeeter's smile flickered ever so slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulling out her Quick-Quotes Quill.

"How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Harry?" Skeeter asked. "The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?" Vega looked at her furiously, not like how she was playing with Harry's loss of parents.

Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade.

"You horrible woman," Hermione spoke up, through gritted teeth. "You don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman –"

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita Skeeter said coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... not that it needs it –" She added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair.

"Let's go," Hermione said, ignoring Rita Skeeter. "C'mon, Vega, Harry, Ron..."

Without any further words exchanged, Vega, Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Three Broomsticks – many people were staring at them as they went. Vega glanced over her shoulder as she reached the door and saw that Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was well out – it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table. She knew that this wasn't going to end up well.

"She'll be after you next, Hermione," Ron finally spoke up in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the High Street.

"Let her try!" Hermione responded defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Vega and Harry, then Hagrid..."