https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-155-We-Can-Now-Sit-Down-and-Have-a-Proper-Talk/13440892/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-157-Book-List-and-at-Flourish-and-Blotts/13440897/
Chapter 156: How Much Did You Pay That Reporter?
Chapter 156: How Much Did You Pay That Reporter?
Rita Skeeter hesitated for a moment before reluctantly sitting down. She was worried that Ivan might have some decisive evidence against her.
In fact, even without evidence, Ivan could report her to the Ministry of Magic, causing her significant trouble.
After all, over the years, she had often used her Animagus form to tail interview subjects or sneak into their homes to gather secret information. Not only did this violate the Ministry of Magic's regulations, but it also earned her the enmity of many prominent wizards. If her illegal Animagus status were exposed by Ivan, she would most likely be sent to Azkaban.
"Where is the Parchment?" Ivan said, his tone growing more serious.
Rita Skeeter fumbled through her Alligator Skin Handbag, and as soon as she pulled out the Parchment, Ivan snatched it from her.
Seeing the nonsense written on the Parchment, Ivan unceremoniously tore it to shreds right in front of Rita Skeeter.
"How dare you!" Rita Skeeter's eyes widened, her lips trembling as she tried to say something, but under Ivan's cold gaze, she swallowed her words.
"Rewrite it, and I'll be watching!" Ivan said, tapping the table.
Rita Skeeter hesitated for a moment before reluctantly taking out a new sheet of Parchment and began to write.
Under Ivan's watchful eye, Rita Skeeter struggled to come up with various flattering phrases. Initially, it was a bit difficult, but after a few paragraphs, she seemed to find her inspiration and became increasingly enthusiastic, eventually losing herself completely in the task.
Ivan watched in astonishment from the side.
Especially when she wrote that he had the mind of a Minister of Magic at the age of eight, often pondering the future of the magical world under the quiet night sky.
"Cough, cough", Ivan couldn't help but clear his throat.
Rita Skeeter, who was in the middle of a crucial part, looked up at Ivan with a puzzled expression.
"I think you need to make some adjustments", Ivan said succinctly.
Adjustments? Rita Skeeter didn't quite understand what Ivan meant, but then she realized it must be because she hadn't praised him enough!
With this thought, she decided to polish her writing further when she got back, determined to satisfy Ivan.
When the two finally emerged from the interrogation room, Douglas had just finished talking with the Head of the Patent Office, Mr. Stamp.
Seeing Rita Skeeter's forced smile and Ivan's handshake, Mr. Stamp hurried away as if he had encountered his nemesis, clearly worried. He then turned to Ivan and said, "You've offended that old woman? She's not exactly known for her broad-mindedness."
"No, we had a great chat. You'll see in the Daily Prophet!" Ivan shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.
Douglas was very curious and didn't understand why Ivan was so confident. He knew some of Rita Skeeter's background. As the most famous reporter for the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter was known for digging up explosive stories. Those she targeted often found themselves embroiled in various troubles and scandals, and no one knew how she managed to uncover such secret information.
Ivan shook his head, not willing to reveal more. He had been able to control Rita Skeeter because he had read the original story and knew her weakness. He couldn't prove the source of his information to Douglas.
Douglas had to suppress his curiosity and accompanied him out of the Ministry of Magic.
By the time they returned home, it was nearly midnight. Ivan dismissed Douglas and briefly explained to Aisia that the trip had gone smoothly before he fell into a drowsy sleep.
On Wednesday morning, Ivan was yawning while eating breakfast when suddenly a swarm of owls flew in through the door, windows, and Fireplace.
Was there an owl infestation in the house?
Before Ivan could figure out what was happening, countless envelopes started falling from the air, piling up so high that they almost buried the dining table, along with some owl feathers.
Besides the envelopes, Ivan noticed a newspaper among them. He reached out to take it and found it was the Daily Prophet, sent by Rita Skeeter.
The front page featured a moving photo of him and Fudge posing with a Werewolf before leaving the observation room.
Below the photo was Rita Skeeter’s article. Ivan read it carefully and found that she had not only ignored his advice but also exaggerated the content even more, leaving him feeling both amused and exasperated.
However, Ivan had to admit that Rita Skeeter’s writing was indeed impressive.
In just a few paragraphs, she had vividly portrayed him as a Potions Genius, and the touching stories she had made up even moved Ivan to the point of almost crying.
"What’s going on here?" Aisia, who had heard the commotion, came out of the kitchen with a cooking utensil in hand, looking bewildered at the pile of envelopes.
"Hmm, I’m not quite sure, but it might be because of this?" Ivan waved the Daily Prophet in his hand.
Aisia curiously picked it up and read a few lines, her expression growing increasingly strange.
"How much did you pay that reporter to speak so highly of you?"
"I didn’t give her a single Knut. Maybe the Daily Prophet reporter just thinks I’m that kind of person", Ivan said innocently, shrugging his shoulders.
Aisia smiled and pinched Ivan’s cheek; she didn’t believe a word of it.
The two of them then used Spells to clean up the envelopes. Under the influence of Magic Power, the countless letters were neatly gathered and stacked in the corner.
Ivan casually opened one of the letters and found it was from a Werewolf wizard. The content was heartfelt, filled with gratitude for his concern for the living conditions of Werewolf wizards and praise for his contributions to Werewolves.
Ivan blushed as he read it, realizing he had done more for Werewolves than he had thought.
At the end of the letter, there was a deposit for the first batch of Wolfsbane Potion.
"Are all these letters going to be similar? How long will it take to reply to them all?" Ivan looked at the pile of letters, feeling a headache coming on.
"Many people would love to have this kind of attention", Aisia rolled her eyes but still helped to open the envelopes and count the number of people ordering the Wolfsbane Potion.
Thinking about the Quick-Reply Quill at the store, Ivan realized he could modify its judgment mechanism to automatically reply to the letters.
(End of Chapter)
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