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'Yes； I suppose you are；' said Hermione coldly。
Unemployment did not suit Rita。 The hair that had once been set in elaborate curls now hung lank and unkempt around her face。 The scarlet paint on her two…inch talons was chipped and there were a couple of false jewels missing from her winged glasses。 She took another great gulp of her drink and said out of the corner of her mouth； 'Pretty girl； is she； Harry？'
'One more word about Harry's love life and the deal's off and that's a promise；' said Hermione irritably。
'What deal？' said Rita； wiping her mouth on the back of her hand。 'You haven't mentioned a deal yet； Miss Prissy； you just told me to turn up。 Oh； one of these days：〃 She took a deep shuddering breath。
'Yes； yes； one of these days you'll write more horrible stories about Harry and me；' said Hermione indifferently。 'Find someone who cares； why don't you？'
They've run plenty of horrible stories about Harry this year without my help；' said Rita； shooting a sideways look at him over the top of her glass and adding in a rough whisper； 'How has that made you feel； Harry？ Betrayed？ Distraught？ Misunderstood？'
'He feels angry； of course；' said Hermione in a hard； clear voice。 'Because he's told the Minister for Magic the truth and the Minister's too much of an idiot to believe him。'
'So you actually stick to it； do you； that He Who Must Not Be Named is back？' said Rita； lowering her glass and subjecting Harry to a piercing stare while her finger strayed longingly to the clasp of the crocodile bag。 'You stand by all this garbage Dumbledore's been telling everybody about You…Know…Who returning and you being the sole witness？'
'I wasn't the sole witness；' snarled Harry。 There were a dozen…odd Death Eaters there as well。 Want their names？'
'I'd love them；' breathed Rita； now fumbling in her bag once more and gazing at him as though he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen。 'A great bold headline： 〃Potter Accuses：〃 A sub…heading； 〃Harry Potter Names Death Eaters Still Among Us〃。 And then； beneath a nice big photograph of you； 〃Disturbed teenage survivor of You…Know…Who's attack； Harry Potter； I5； caused outrage yesterday by accusing respectable and prominent members oj the wizarding munity oj being Death Eaters：〃'
The Quick…Quotes Quill was actually in her hand and halfway to her mouth when the rapturous expression on her face died。
'But of course；' she said； lowering the quill and looking daggers at Hermione； 'Little Miss Perfect wouldn't want that story out there； would she？'
'As a matter of fact；' said Hermione sweetly； 'that's exactly what Little Miss Perfect does want。'
Rita stared at her。 So did Harry。 Luna； on the other hand； sang 'Weasley is our King' dreamily under her breath and stirred her drink with a cocktail onion on a stick。
'You want me to report what he says about He Who Must Not Be Named？' Rita asked Hermione in a hushed voice。
'Yes； I do；' said Hermione。 The true story。 All the facts。 Exactly as Harry reports them。 He'll give you all the details； he'll tell you the names of the undiscovered Death Eaters he saw there； he'll tell you what Voldemort looks like now … oh； get a grip on yourself；' she added contemptuously； throwing a napkin across the table； for； at the sound of Voldemort's name； Rita had jumped so badly she had slopped half her glass of Firewhisky down herself。
Rita blotted the front of her grubby raincoat； still staring at Hermione。 Then she said baldly； The Prophet wouldn't print it。 In case you haven't noticed； nobody believes his cock…and…bull story。 Everyone thinks he's delusional。 Now； if you let me write the story from that angle …'
'We don't need another story about how Harry's lost his marbles！' said Hermione angrily。 We've had plenty of those already； thank you！ I want him given the opportunity to tell the truth！'
There's no market for a story like that；' said Rita coldly。
'You mean the Prophet won't print it because Fudge won't let them；' said Hermione irritably。
Rita gave Hermione a long； hard look。 Then； leaning forwards across the table towards her； she said in a businesslike tone； 'All right； Fudge is leaning on the Prophet； but it es to the same thing。 They won't print a story that shows Harry in a good light。 Nobody wants to read it。 It's against the public mood。 This last Azkaban breakout has got people quite worried enough。 People just don't want to believe You…Know…Who's back。'
'So the Daily Prophet exists to tell people what they want to hear； does it？' said Hermione scathingly。
Rita sat up straight again； her eyebrows raised； and drained her glass of Firewhisky。
The Prophet exists to sell itself； you silly girl；' she said coldly。
'My dad thinks it's an awful paper；' said Luna； chipping into the conversation unexpectedly。 Sucking on her cocktail onion； she gazed at Rita with her enormous； protuberant； slightly mad eyes。 'He publishes important stories he thinks the public needs to know。 He doesn't care about making money。'
Rita looked disparagingly at Luna。
'I'm guessing your father runs some stupid little village newsletter？' she said。 'Probably； Twenty…Five Ways to Mingle With Muggles and the dates of the next Bring and Fly Sale？'
'No；' said Luna； dipping her onion back into her Gillywater； 'he's the editor of The Quibbler。'
Rita snorted so loudly that people at a nearby table looked round in alarm。
'〃Important stories he thinks the public needs to know〃； eh？' she said witheringly。 'I could manure my garden with the contents of that rag。'
'Well； this is your chance to raise the tone of it a bit； isn't it？' said Hermione pleasantly。 'Luna says her father's quite happy to take Harry's interview。 That's who'll be publishing it。'
Rita stared at them both for a moment； then let out a great whoop of laughter。
'The Quibbler！' she said； cackling。 'You think people will take him seriously if he's published in The Quibbler？'
'Some people won't；' said Hermione in a level voice。 'But the Daily Prophet's version of the Azkaban breakout had some gaping holes in it。 I think a lot of people will be wondering whether there isn't a better explanation of what happened； and if there's an alternative story available； even if it is published in a …' she glanced sideways at Luna； 'in a … well； an unusual magazine … I think they might be rather keen to read it。'
Rita didn't say anything for a while； but eyed Hermione shrewdly； her head a little to one side。
'All right； let's say for a moment I'll do it；' she said abruptly。 'What kind of fee am I going to get？'
'I don't think Daddy exactly pays people to write for the magazine；' said Luna dreamily。 They do it because it's an honour and； of course； to see their names in print。'
Rita Skeeter looked as though the taste of Stinksap was strong in her mouth again as she rounded on Hermione。
'I'm supposed to do this for free？'
'Well； yes；' said Hermione calmly； taking a sip of her drink。 'Otherwise； as you very well know； I will inform the authorities that you are an unregistered Animagus。 Of course； the Prophet might give you rather a lot for an insider's account of life in Azkaban。'
Rita looked as though she would have liked nothing better than to seize the paper umbrella sticking out of Hermione's drink and thrust it up her nose。
'I don't suppose I've got any choice； have I？' said Rita； her voice shaking slightly。 She opened her crocodile bag once more； withdrew a piece of parchment； and raised her Quick…Quotes Quill。
'Daddy will be pleased；' said Luna brightly。 A muscle twitched in Rita's jaw。
'OK； Harry？' said Hermione； turning to him。 'Ready to tell the public the truth？'
'I suppose；' said Harry； watching Rita balancing the Quick…Quotes Quill at the ready on the parchment between them。
Tire away； then； Rita；' said Hermione serenely； fishing a cherry out from the bottom of her glass。
… CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX …
Seen and Unforeseen
Luna said vaguely that she did not know how soon Rita's interview with Harry would appear in The Quib