Mischief Managed!

20.

The first thing she noticed when she woke up was that her scarf appeared to be strangling her. Letting out a low growl of frustration, she loosened it.

The things she would do for approval…

Rita Skeeter sat up, and slid her slightly skewed glasses back up her nose. Blinking, she took a cursory look around the room. Usually, Rita was very suspicious about sleeping where anybody could get to her. It was almost as if she asked for the pranks, for the sniggering and malicious intention.

Well, actually, the more she thought about it…. She did.

Rita blinked, suddenly realising that she had awoken in an unfamiliar room. The air was distinctly chilly, and she huddled on the lounge, drawing her robes closer in a futile attempt to gather warmth.

Next, using her fantastic and finely honed powers of observation, Rita noticed that she was not, as she had suspected, the sole occupant of this cold, foreboding room.

James Potter and Sirius Black leant against a table across the other side of the chamber, regarding her suspiciously.

Which really was a bit rich considering they were the ones who had kidnapped her…

Noticing that James and Sirius were without the other Marauders, irrational hope flared within Rita's heart. Maybe, if she was lucky, that Lupin boy who was always so pale had gone to find Lily, to bring her back here… Maybe, if she was lucky, the Marauders wouldn't steal her thunder after all?

After all that work hiding and spying on Scamander for months on end, Rita felt it was the least she deserved.

James, however, was of the opinion that Rita Skeeter deserved to have her filthy secrets burnt, and her camera and quill confiscated. As Head Boy he was quite entitled to do this, too: so long as he filed a report explaining his reasons, that is. A report that Lily, as Head Girl, would readily have access to.

Well, James sighed. It had been a nice idea…

Sirius watched the girl on the lounge sit up, his mouth twisted into some semblance of disgust. Had Sirius been a less-attractive boy, it would have been an ugly look. James' knuckles, he noticed, were clenching on the table for support. Rita watched them for a moment, looking (Sirius felt) strangely hopeful, before she tried to stand up.

For the second time that day, Rita Skeeter found herself at Sirius Black's wand point.

"Sit," he snarled, looking very much intimidating.

James came to stand by him, and rested a soothing hand on his shoulder. Then, crouching down, he addressed Rita with a quiet tone – he would have seemed almost gentle, had his eyes been not so hard.

"Why would you do that to Lily?"

Rita blinked. "Do what to Lily?" she asked sweetly.

Sirius felt the insane need to punch something. Luckily for Rita, Sirius wasn't all inclined to hit a girl, although it was a close call.

Suddenly, the door to the Room of Requirement opened, and all three occupants startled. For a wild moment, James feared that Lily had discovered them – what would he tell her?

"We brought supplies!" Peter announced happily, entering the room with food piled in his arms. Remus followed in procession, setting his load down on the table that had appeared helpfully by the doorway. "What's up?" he asked briskly.

James and Sirius stepped aside silently to reveal their captive. Remus raised his eyebrows, able to appreciate the absurdness of this situation. "You kidnapped Rita Skeeter?"