A Little Help from a Snake // Tomarry

49: Caught Six-Legged

Reposted: December 13, 2021

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Last edited: July 18, 2020

Summary: Harry and Tracey make a formidable duo

One advantage of being an Animagus, Rita Skeeter decided, was the fact that no one knew of your form unless they either worked in the Ministry and were privy to the list on the Animagus Registry or were told by the Animagus themself. That was, if you were registered to begin with, which Rita most certainly was not.

Right now, she was wandering the halls, looking for something new to write about. A lot of what she heard was interesting, but it wouldn't be enough to make a full impact.

It was dark when she caught sight of Tracey Davis hurrying down the hall past Rita. Her strange behavior piqued Rita's interest and she began trailing after her.

Tracey kept ducking into the alcoves whenever she thought someone was heading her way and sneaking by when the coast was clear. She continued onward, not noticing the large beetle watching her.

Rita's mind was whirling with ideas as to why she was being so secretive, most, if not all, surrounding Harry Potter. They constantly denied they were a couple, yet they went to the Yule Ball together. It was the perfect beginning to a wonderful romance: a pair of teenagers dancing around their feelings until they couldn't hold back and began sneaking out after curfew for some alone time together.

Tracey slipped into another alcove and removed her bag from her shoulder. She knelt down and began rummaging around in it.

Rita moved closer. Was Tracey using a love potion on Harry? Excitement rushed through her at the thought of writing some juicy story, especially since the previous one hadn't been very successful.

She was so caught up in thinking of headlines she didn't notice the wand pointed at her. Before she could react, she was trapped in a jar.

Tracey straightened up, smirking as she held the jar at eye level. "Bet you thought you were in for some juicy story. No matter. It's not me you need to worry about."

And then she opened a classroom door. Harry was waiting.

"There you are. Damn, that is one hideous bug," Harry said, getting a good look at Rita.

He smirked as she flitted around the interior in a frenzy. "Save your strength, Skeeter. I'm not going to expose you. Yet."

His words clearly didn't appease Rita, who continued to jump from one side of the glass to the other.

"It was way too easy, luring her in," Tracey remarked scornfully. "Honestly, you'd think she really was part bug with how attracted she is to anything nasty."

"I wonder what she thought we were going to do," Harry muttered, mostly to himself.

Tracey shuddered. "You're gonna make me hurl."

"If you do, give me enough warning so I can open the jar." Harry patted her on the shoulder. "I better get going."

"Good luck with Skeeter. Whatever it is you're planning," Tracey said, giving the beetle a pitying look.

"Do you think he caught her?"

Severus refrained from sighing. This was the third time in two minutes Sirius had asked that. "Do you doubt your son's abilities?"

"Course not. But he said he should be here by nine."

"And?"

"It's 9:04."