Chapter 275: Rita Skeeter
Chapter 275: Rita Skeeter
Sherlock's words hit hard, and Harry's face showed a pained expression as he sat down opposite the desk.
"Do the other professors know about this?" Harry asked hopefully.
Sherlock shrugged and poured a cup of black tea for both himself and Harry.
"Of course, not everyone believes it, but from last night's performance, you can see that Dumbledore and Professor Mcgonagall definitely believe you. Anyone with a bit of insight can tell that it's not easy to deceive the Goblet of Fire. This alchemical artifact has been the judge of the Triwizard Tournament for centuries. As I said, if you can really cast such a spell in your fourth year, Dumbledore will be working for you after you graduate."
While listening to Sherlock, Harry pulled the plate of cookies closer to himself.
Because he was afraid to appear in the Great Hall, he hadn't eaten anything since morning and was now close to noon. This visit to Sherlock was partly to get some food.
With his mouth full of cookies, Harry still managed to ask,
"Professor, do you have any leads? Who could have put my name in the Goblet of Fire and made me participate in this tournament?"
Sherlock, unlike Harry, sipped his black tea calmly and said,
"Of course, I have leads, but it's not appropriate to tell you. In any case, don't put too much psychological pressure on yourself. Participate in the tournament as you normally would, and I'll handle the rest with others."
These words were undoubtedly a soothing balm for Harry.
Afterward, Harry confided in Sherlock about the enthusiasm of the Gryffindor students over his selection as a champion. He also mentioned how even his best friend Ron refused to believe him and that Hermione was reading some strange books recently.
Sherlock didn't comment much on the first two issues but showed a keen interest in the last one about the books Hermione was reading.
"Tell me, what did you see her reading this morning?"
Harry recounted the titles of the few books he could remember. Sherlock's expression became thoughtful as he murmured,
"It's a good sign that she's thinking along these lines."
After a satisfying meal and drink, Harry finally left in a good mood.
In the following days, Hogwarts remained calm, with the castle's focus still on the four newly selected champions.
Harry, who was not eligible but was chosen, naturally received a lot of attention.
There were few supporters from other Houses. Hufflepuff students felt that Harry was stealing the glory of their champion, Cedric. Slytherin, always at odds with Gryffindor, naturally didn't have anything nice to say about Harry, especially with Malfoy leading the charge.
They even pinned a magic badge to their chests, which read "Cedric is the True Champion" on one side and "Potter Stinks" on the other.
Because of this badge, Harry nearly got into a conflict with Malfoy and his group in the castle. Fortunately, Mad-Eye Moody arrived in time. Upon learning that Malfoy and his group had started the taunting, Moody, in front of the grim-faced Snape who arrived later, mercilessly deducted 20 points from Slytherin.
These days, Sherlock had been hoping to go out for a walk with Silke. However, he couldn't find her anywhere on campus.
According to Professor Mcgonagall, she had taken a three-day leave the day after the Halloween Feast and had been out on some business. During this time, her Arithmancy classes had been covered by Trelawney.
Sherlock was puzzled about what Silke was up to, but he didn't write to her to ask. Silke had her own privacy, and there were certain things he shouldn't pry into. Instead, it was Fleur who had been visiting him more frequently, chatting about all sorts of things.
On the day Silke returned, Harry and the others began preparing for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, gathering for the Wand Weighing.
Before the Wand Weighing, Harry was also approached by a Daily Prophet journalist named Rita Skeeter for an interview.
Harry had already sensed something amiss when he was singled out for special treatment. His mood worsened when he realized that what he said during the interview was completely different from what Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill recorded on the parchment.
After putting Harry through this ordeal, the not-so-simple journalist had no intention of ending her Hogwarts trip. Instead, she sought out Dumbledore.
"Oh, I wonder if the famous Professor Forest is in the castle? I've always wanted to interview him, but I've never had the chance. This time, it seems perfect."
Dumbledore chuckled and said, "You can try the office at the end of the third floor. I believe if Sherlock is here, he would be happy to grant you an interview."
With the specific location of Sherlock, Rita Skeeter left contentedly. She prepared her interview equipment and knocked on Sherlock's office door.
At that moment, Sherlock had just received the news that Silke had returned from outside the school. He was putting on his coat, preparing to go out, when he was greeted by the Daily Prophet journalist, who wore a green robe and had a fake smile on her face.
"Is Professor Forest planning to go out?"
Sherlock glanced at the witch, who seemed to be smiling insincerely, and nodded slightly.
"Who are you?"
Rita Skeeter extended her hand and shook Sherlock's.
"I am Rita Skeeter, a special correspondent for the Daily Prophet. I'm here at Hogwarts because of the Triwizard Tournament, and I would like to conduct a few interviews. Do you have some time? I would like to learn more from you."
Sherlock had no intention of getting entangled with her and wasn't particularly interested in the interview. However, when he heard her name, he became a bit more curious.
Rita Skeeter.
In the Daily Prophet, the most authoritative newspaper in the British magical community, she was a well-known journalist.
She always managed to uncover the private affairs of famous people using methods that others knew were questionable, yet no one could find any evidence to bring her before the Wizengamot. At the same time, because she could dig up the dark secrets and gossip of public figures, she was widely known in the Wizarding World. Anything she reported was sure to appear on the front page of the Daily Prophet.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
