Damaged Raven

35

"Harry!" A voice hissed to Harry as he walked towards the headmaster's office, Dumbledore had sent for him. He turned to try and find the source of the voice and found Rita Skeeter standing there "Come here! Quickly!" She said, gesturing to an unused classroom.

"Now Miss Skeeter, I am flattered" Harry said but he wasn't able to get to the refusing part because she grabbed him and pulled him into the classroom before locking and silencing the room. "Again, I'm flattered but I have a girlfriend"

"Just shut up" Rita said "now I wanted to thank you"

"Again, I'm flattered but I have a girlfriend."

"Not like that" Rita rolled her eyes "it's just I became a reporter because I always thought that people deserved to know the truth, at the start of my carrier I targeted bad people who deserved to have their truth shown in front of the world, somewhere along the line I got caught up with ratings and I changed. But you reminded me about why I started all of this, so I wanted to thank you."

"You're welcome. But again, I'm flattered but I have a girlfriend"

"I mean I want to help you out with your public image" Rita sighed "and if you ever want me to make some one look bad, say...Dumbledore, then just say the word."

"I have a meeting with the old prick now" This time it was Harry who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, can I come?" Rita asked.

"I don't think Dumbledore will..."

"No, I'm an animagus" Rita explained "don't tell anyone, I haven't registered yet. Anyway, I can turn into a beetle and hide throughout the whole meeting."

"Go on then" Harry nodded.

"Great, now I just need to get changed and get in your..."

"Again" Harry interrupted "I'm flattered but I have a girlfriend" Rita's hand went to her face and proceeded to do a very loud facepalm.

"Goddamn it!" Harry cursed as he entered Dumbledore's office to find the headmaster sitting at his desk with Professor McGonagall standing next to him "Why did you call me here this time? Is your life really so boring that you have nothing better to do than mess with mine?!"

"Mr Potter! Show some respect!" McGonagall admonished.

"You've learn nothing over the last few years, have you?" Harry said with a small but sad shake of his head, he then turned to Dumbledore "what do you want?"

"Mr Potter, please take a seat" Dumbledore gestured to the chair in front of the desk.

"I will stand" Harry refused "now what do you want?"

"Very well" Dumbledore sighed "firstly I want to discuss your interview with Rita Skeeter"

"I know, it's horrible" Harry said "she didn't even use half the swear words I said and she censored the few that she did, I should mention that the next time we do an interview."

"Mr Potter, I'd prefer it if you don't do another interview. Your last one has not only caused several problems for me and the ministry, but also encouraged chaos throughout the country" Dumbledore said, and it was true, the interview had caused lots of problems, not just for him but also for the ministry. A lot of time was, and is still, being put into the calming the public down. The minister and himself had publicly announced that the goblet of fire would be destroyed as soon as the tournament is over. A shame, seeing as a lot of the magic necessary to create it is lost in time, making the goblet a one of a kind artifact.

The interview had also damaged his image a lot, people were now claiming that he had lost his marbles and was getting to old to lead. There was also the section of the interview where Harry discussed him, thanks to it people were beginning to call him dark for tricking their saviour into two magical contracts. That, plus the fact that Harry basically said that he joined Libra because Dumbledore had put him with abusive muggles and didn't check on him, made him far from popular with people.