Minerva McGonagall rolled her eyes as she read the cover of the latest issue of the Quibbler. She knew that the magazine didn’t have the best reputation for accurate or factual information, but as she stared down at the cold face of Lucius Malfoy – again – for the third time in four months, she began to wonder if maybe what Malfoy was saying was actually real and not a bunch of gibberish. And if it was true, then they were all in terrible trouble.
She grabbed the copy and flipped to the corresponding page to read a bit of the article itself.
Lord Voldemort to Return Says Aide to the Minister
By Rita Skeeter
Minerva sighed and shook her head. “So that woman is still writing,” she murmured to herself as she sipped a cup of tea slowly. “But not for a reputable source such as the Prophet, thank Merlin,” she added a bit ruefully.
How a woman of Skeeter’s personality, nastiness and overall tactlessness was still in the business, she couldn’t understand.
Minerva sat and read the article quickly, trying not to take the news too seriously.
I was incredibly lucky to once again get the opportunity to interview the aide to the Minister of Magic this month and get his views and opinions on our current political situation.
She tried not to laugh. Incredibly lucky to get a chance to converse with Lucius Malfoy? Incredibly lucky to get away from him without having to speak with him was more like it!
Mr. Malfoy, well-spoken and polite as always has very much to share with the Wizarding community about the future of how we will run our Ministry of Magic. And he has the full support of Mr. Cornelius Fudge, our own Minister.
Minerva smiled with amusement. Now that was a load of dragon dung, if she had ever seen one. Cornelius would never support a platform such as Malfoy had created and rabidly supported. The minister had always been the first one to express that he believed that Lord Voldemort was gone and would never return. And well spoken and polite were as far from the truth as was possible.
She threw the magazine down with disgust. How could anyone read such bull without growing sick to their stomach?
She stood and decided to make a trip upstairs to visit with Albus. After a moment staring at the magazine with contempt, she picked it up and moved out of her office. Although the whole article was a load of dung, it wouldn’t hurt for Albus to read it.
.........................................................................................
Hermione Granger held a new copy of the Quibbler in her hand as she read yet another article about Lucius Malfoy and his hate for Dumbledore and his insane support of Voldemort. And now, added to that incredulity, he was spewing around the idea that Voldemort was returning! It was right there in black and white.
Hermione set the magazine aside and she took a bite of the oatmeal in front of her. The Great Hall was just starting to fill up at this time of the morning, and she looked around to see if she could spot her friends.
Obviously Harry had decided to sleep in that snowy morning, as he was usually the first one to join her for breakfast, but Hermione couldn’t see him at all. She took another bite of breakfast as she scanned the growing crowd of students that were gathering for breakfast.
The Slytherin table was empty.
Hannah Abbot and Ernie MacMillan sat at the table in front of hers, also perusing the new issue of the Quibbler.
Dean Thomas and a few of the other Gryffindor boys, including Seamus Finnigan and Colin Creevey were sitting down wind of her, and she waved to them when they noticed her.
Then some of the other girls from Gryffindor walked into the room, including the Patil twins with Lavender Brown.
Hermione noticed the thin blond head of a small girl eating in the corner by herself, looking incredibly edgy. It was Luna Lovegood. Hermione didn’t blame her for looking so nervous. Her father was the owner and editor of the Quibbler. And everyone who had read the articles that had been published in the past recent months was running to Luna, wanting to know if what was written was true or not.
Hermione glanced back down the front cover of the issue in before her. Lucius Malfoy stared back up at her with contempt, and the letters on the cover glared at her as well.
Lord Voldemort is Soon Returning.
Hermione shivered slightly as she looked up from the magazine and back at the girl in the corner, who was trying to act like she wasn’t there.
Poor Luna. As soon as word got out about the latest issue, the kids would be all over her, demanding answers to questions that Hermione doubted Luna even had an inkling in how to answer.
She sighed and finished her bowl of oatmeal and glanced around again. The buzzing in the hall was growing in pitch as students were sitting and chatting all around her.
And it was no surprise that more than half of them were holding issues of the dreaded wizard tabloid magazine.
Surprisingly though, no one had made a move towards the little girl in the corner, although some were watching her with curiosity.
The Slytherin table was still mostly empty, except for the tall blond boy who had just gracefully sat down, away from the crowds. Hermione watched as he tossed his cloak aside, turned and glanced in her direction momentarily, turned back quickly, and opened one of his schoolbooks, expertly not catching any of the eyes that were watching him.
That was Draco Malfoy. Perpetual snob and foolish believer that he was better than everyone else. Hermione wondered in amusement if he was enjoying the fact that his father was all over the tabloid news.
That now, no one had to wonder if Lucius was a supporter of He Who Must Not Be Named.
That everyone was talking about his father and wondering how involved he, Draco, was in the plight of the Death Eaters.
That everyone was wondering if the rumors about his father and mother divorcing were true or not.
He was certainly the center of attention at the school. She wondered what he really thought about the whole bloody mess.
Hermione was deep in thought as she watched the stone still body of Draco Malfoy, and she didn’t notice that her friends had finally entered the hall until Ron sat down in front of her. “’Lo, darling,” he said with a wink.
Hermione jumped in surprise and then she blinked and grinned. “Hi yourself,” she told her boyfriend. His bright red hair was sticking up on the side and she affectionately smoothed it down as he sat. Ron raised one eyebrow.
“Where were you just now?” he asked. “It took us all of ten minutes to finally get your attention,” he said with a wink. “Thinking about me again?” he teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled at Harry when he sat down next to Ron. A few minutes later, Ginny joined them with a happy smile. She had Ron’s grin and his bright red hair, although hers fell down around her back in a fiery waterfall. She glanced down at the magazine lying in the center of the table.
“That rag again?” she asked, her tone a bit miffed. Hermione rolled her eyes once more.
“Unfortunately,” she told her friend. Harry shrugged as he sipped his juice.
“Everyone is talking about it,” he told them with a shrug, pushing his glasses up his nose carefully. “They’re saying Lucius Malfoy is telling the truth.”
Ron laughed a bit sharply. “Please, Harry, we all know that no Malfoy is capable of doing something as good as telling the bloody truth,” he spit out, adding a dollop of honey to his oatmeal. Harry shrugged nonchalantly at his friend.
“I don’t know,” he said, his green eyes glancing around the large room. “I haven’t got a hold of this morning’s issue of the Prophet, but I’ve heard that Lucius’ rantings have finally made the paper,” he said softly, so not to be overheard. “And that is a reputable source, so say all the professors,” he added quickly.
The small group of friends was silent for a moment before Neville Longbottom joined them, wearing a bright red sweater, his usual goofy grin, and carrying the latest copy of the Prophet.
The group glanced at the paper eagerly, as the tall boy sat down.
“What’s going on?” he asked, reaching for the cinnamon rolls. Hermione coughed.
“The paper,” she told him, nodding slightly. “We need to see it.”
Neville heaved a huge sigh and shrugged. “You’re after the news about Lucius Malfoy too, I suppose,” he said in a slightly bored tone.
“So there is news?” Ginny piped up from her corner of the table. Neville shot her a slightly surprised and overly nervous glance.
“Not really, unless you count in the fact that his ramblings, which have up until now been only in the Quibbler, have finally made it into the newspaper,” he said.
Harry shrugged, flipping through the paper to the opinions section. “Well, it’s still only his bloody opinion, and not anyone else’s,” he snapped. “Thank Merlin,” he added for good measure.
The group leaned in around him and read through the short article. Hermione sat back first.
“It’s the same stuff he’s been spewing all through the Quibbler,” she said with a bit of relief. “No one is going to buy this stuff,” she said confidently.
.........................................................................................
Albus Dumbledore sat back in his chair, holding the copy of the Quibbler in his large, wrinkled hands. The Daily Prophet lay open on his quite messy desk. Minerva gave him a slightly uncertain look.
“Do you suppose that any of his ramblings are to be taken seriously, Albus?” she asked finally, after what had been several minutes of silence. Albus moved his eyes away from the magazine and gave a small smile.
“This article,” he began with a chuckle, “Although quite well written, holds no truth, my dear,” he told her gently. “I wouldn’t fret over it. Lucius Malfoy has been insane for over half my life, and that is a long time.”
Minerva could only crack half a smile. She nodded towards the newspaper somberly.
“You read what the paper said," she reminded him sternly. “It’s one thing when his comments are printed in a tabloid such as the Quibbler. But it is a whole different issue when they start appearing in the Daily Prophet,” she said, her voice slightly agitated. “I’m afraid that people will read his drivel, and believe it,” she said, watching the headmaster through her small glasses, her lips pursed tightly.
Albus met her eyes slowly. “Perhaps they will,” he said softly, “Or, perhaps they will surprise you,” he added slowly.
She grabbed the copy and flipped to the corresponding page to read a bit of the article itself.
By Rita Skeeter
Minerva sighed and shook her head. “So that woman is still writing,” she murmured to herself as she sipped a cup of tea slowly. “But not for a reputable source such as the Prophet, thank Merlin,” she added a bit ruefully.
How a woman of Skeeter’s personality, nastiness and overall tactlessness was still in the business, she couldn’t understand.
Minerva sat and read the article quickly, trying not to take the news too seriously.
I was incredibly lucky to once again get the opportunity to interview the aide to the Minister of Magic this month and get his views and opinions on our current political situation.
She tried not to laugh. Incredibly lucky to get a chance to converse with Lucius Malfoy? Incredibly lucky to get away from him without having to speak with him was more like it!
Mr. Malfoy, well-spoken and polite as always has very much to share with the Wizarding community about the future of how we will run our Ministry of Magic. And he has the full support of Mr. Cornelius Fudge, our own Minister.
Minerva smiled with amusement. Now that was a load of dragon dung, if she had ever seen one. Cornelius would never support a platform such as Malfoy had created and rabidly supported. The minister had always been the first one to express that he believed that Lord Voldemort was gone and would never return. And well spoken and polite were as far from the truth as was possible.
She threw the magazine down with disgust. How could anyone read such bull without growing sick to their stomach?
She stood and decided to make a trip upstairs to visit with Albus. After a moment staring at the magazine with contempt, she picked it up and moved out of her office. Although the whole article was a load of dung, it wouldn’t hurt for Albus to read it.
.........................................................................................
Hermione Granger held a new copy of the Quibbler in her hand as she read yet another article about Lucius Malfoy and his hate for Dumbledore and his insane support of Voldemort. And now, added to that incredulity, he was spewing around the idea that Voldemort was returning! It was right there in black and white.
Hermione set the magazine aside and she took a bite of the oatmeal in front of her. The Great Hall was just starting to fill up at this time of the morning, and she looked around to see if she could spot her friends.
Obviously Harry had decided to sleep in that snowy morning, as he was usually the first one to join her for breakfast, but Hermione couldn’t see him at all. She took another bite of breakfast as she scanned the growing crowd of students that were gathering for breakfast.
The Slytherin table was empty.
Hannah Abbot and Ernie MacMillan sat at the table in front of hers, also perusing the new issue of the Quibbler.
Dean Thomas and a few of the other Gryffindor boys, including Seamus Finnigan and Colin Creevey were sitting down wind of her, and she waved to them when they noticed her.
Then some of the other girls from Gryffindor walked into the room, including the Patil twins with Lavender Brown.
Hermione noticed the thin blond head of a small girl eating in the corner by herself, looking incredibly edgy. It was Luna Lovegood. Hermione didn’t blame her for looking so nervous. Her father was the owner and editor of the Quibbler. And everyone who had read the articles that had been published in the past recent months was running to Luna, wanting to know if what was written was true or not.
Hermione glanced back down the front cover of the issue in before her. Lucius Malfoy stared back up at her with contempt, and the letters on the cover glared at her as well.
Lord Voldemort is Soon Returning.
Hermione shivered slightly as she looked up from the magazine and back at the girl in the corner, who was trying to act like she wasn’t there.
Poor Luna. As soon as word got out about the latest issue, the kids would be all over her, demanding answers to questions that Hermione doubted Luna even had an inkling in how to answer.
She sighed and finished her bowl of oatmeal and glanced around again. The buzzing in the hall was growing in pitch as students were sitting and chatting all around her.
And it was no surprise that more than half of them were holding issues of the dreaded wizard tabloid magazine.
Surprisingly though, no one had made a move towards the little girl in the corner, although some were watching her with curiosity.
The Slytherin table was still mostly empty, except for the tall blond boy who had just gracefully sat down, away from the crowds. Hermione watched as he tossed his cloak aside, turned and glanced in her direction momentarily, turned back quickly, and opened one of his schoolbooks, expertly not catching any of the eyes that were watching him.
That was Draco Malfoy. Perpetual snob and foolish believer that he was better than everyone else. Hermione wondered in amusement if he was enjoying the fact that his father was all over the tabloid news.
That now, no one had to wonder if Lucius was a supporter of He Who Must Not Be Named.
That everyone was talking about his father and wondering how involved he, Draco, was in the plight of the Death Eaters.
That everyone was wondering if the rumors about his father and mother divorcing were true or not.
He was certainly the center of attention at the school. She wondered what he really thought about the whole bloody mess.
Hermione was deep in thought as she watched the stone still body of Draco Malfoy, and she didn’t notice that her friends had finally entered the hall until Ron sat down in front of her. “’Lo, darling,” he said with a wink.
Hermione jumped in surprise and then she blinked and grinned. “Hi yourself,” she told her boyfriend. His bright red hair was sticking up on the side and she affectionately smoothed it down as he sat. Ron raised one eyebrow.
“Where were you just now?” he asked. “It took us all of ten minutes to finally get your attention,” he said with a wink. “Thinking about me again?” he teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled at Harry when he sat down next to Ron. A few minutes later, Ginny joined them with a happy smile. She had Ron’s grin and his bright red hair, although hers fell down around her back in a fiery waterfall. She glanced down at the magazine lying in the center of the table.
“That rag again?” she asked, her tone a bit miffed. Hermione rolled her eyes once more.
“Unfortunately,” she told her friend. Harry shrugged as he sipped his juice.
“Everyone is talking about it,” he told them with a shrug, pushing his glasses up his nose carefully. “They’re saying Lucius Malfoy is telling the truth.”
Ron laughed a bit sharply. “Please, Harry, we all know that no Malfoy is capable of doing something as good as telling the bloody truth,” he spit out, adding a dollop of honey to his oatmeal. Harry shrugged nonchalantly at his friend.
“I don’t know,” he said, his green eyes glancing around the large room. “I haven’t got a hold of this morning’s issue of the Prophet, but I’ve heard that Lucius’ rantings have finally made the paper,” he said softly, so not to be overheard. “And that is a reputable source, so say all the professors,” he added quickly.
The small group of friends was silent for a moment before Neville Longbottom joined them, wearing a bright red sweater, his usual goofy grin, and carrying the latest copy of the Prophet.
The group glanced at the paper eagerly, as the tall boy sat down.
“What’s going on?” he asked, reaching for the cinnamon rolls. Hermione coughed.
“The paper,” she told him, nodding slightly. “We need to see it.”
Neville heaved a huge sigh and shrugged. “You’re after the news about Lucius Malfoy too, I suppose,” he said in a slightly bored tone.
“So there is news?” Ginny piped up from her corner of the table. Neville shot her a slightly surprised and overly nervous glance.
“Not really, unless you count in the fact that his ramblings, which have up until now been only in the Quibbler, have finally made it into the newspaper,” he said.
Harry shrugged, flipping through the paper to the opinions section. “Well, it’s still only his bloody opinion, and not anyone else’s,” he snapped. “Thank Merlin,” he added for good measure.
The group leaned in around him and read through the short article. Hermione sat back first.
“It’s the same stuff he’s been spewing all through the Quibbler,” she said with a bit of relief. “No one is going to buy this stuff,” she said confidently.
.........................................................................................
Albus Dumbledore sat back in his chair, holding the copy of the Quibbler in his large, wrinkled hands. The Daily Prophet lay open on his quite messy desk. Minerva gave him a slightly uncertain look.
“Do you suppose that any of his ramblings are to be taken seriously, Albus?” she asked finally, after what had been several minutes of silence. Albus moved his eyes away from the magazine and gave a small smile.
“This article,” he began with a chuckle, “Although quite well written, holds no truth, my dear,” he told her gently. “I wouldn’t fret over it. Lucius Malfoy has been insane for over half my life, and that is a long time.”
Minerva could only crack half a smile. She nodded towards the newspaper somberly.
“You read what the paper said," she reminded him sternly. “It’s one thing when his comments are printed in a tabloid such as the Quibbler. But it is a whole different issue when they start appearing in the Daily Prophet,” she said, her voice slightly agitated. “I’m afraid that people will read his drivel, and believe it,” she said, watching the headmaster through her small glasses, her lips pursed tightly.
Albus met her eyes slowly. “Perhaps they will,” he said softly, “Or, perhaps they will surprise you,” he added slowly.
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