"Well that was interesting," She had thought as she watched the bushy-haired girl show something on a parchment to the Headmaster and he almost immediately started running toward the hedges. She kept an eye on that area, and was one of the few people who noticed Dumbledore and Granger walking quickly toward the castle a few minutes later and she kept expecting something to happen. She'd kept her eye on the pair but eventually it readily came apparent that he Headmaster was doing nothing of consequence. Finally she allowed her attention to return to the other judges.
Like everyone else, Skeeter was astounded a short time later when Dumbledore's Phoenix flamed into the area fairly close to the judges table. The majestic bird had made a loop of the area before sweeping down in front of a person Rita instantly recognized as the younger Delacour girl. An uproar of noise occurred as the young lady and her friend disappeared with Fawkes in a flaming exit. That had been too much for Skeeter, she had to know what was going on. She quickly found an area to transform into her animagus form and started flying toward the castle. Along the way she came across the elder Delacours, the werewolf who had taught at the castle the previous year and a large black dog racing toward the castle as well. Knowing Lupin was a friend of Harry Potter, Rita quickly made a decision. She landed on the man's shoulder and crawled under the collar of his robe where she waited.
Soon the Prophet reporter found herself in Dumbledore's office only to be shocked by the initial words she had heard. "Harry has been taken by Voldemort and we are trying to find a way to get to him."
She had heard the brief discussion about an impostor being Moody and then Fleur, Hermione and Gabrielle all started telling the Headmaster things about Harry as if he was talking to them in some way. Telling him what supposedly He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was telling Harry. She had almost stunned out of her Beetle form again when the most wanted man in Britain, Sirius Black, had transformed from the large black dog into himself and NO ONE in the room seemed to be surprised. Her first thought had been about an article implicating The Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Deputy Minister of Magic of France in covering up the location of Sirius Black, but then she had thought about what Harry Potter had said about Sirius Black. "If Sirius Black is actually innocent, it would rock the judicial world and breaking that story would be huge."
When talking about rescuing Harry they had mentioned Peter Pettigrew's name as if he was still alive. "If Sirius is innocent then maybe…" Rita had thought as another story raced into her mind. The Prophet reporter then watched the older Delacour sister portkey out in trying to rescue Harry after calling him her bond mate whatever that was.
Shortly after Fleur had left, Rita found herself on a portkey to a waiting area in a place Dumbledore had said was Little Hangleton. A short time later the young muggleborn witch had told Dumbledore that Harry was free and immediately they had all apparated to a graveyard.
When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had sent the first killing curse at Harry, Rita had quickly left Lupin's collar and hid in case the wand was turned on the werewolf. She had watched as Harry Potter had willingly sacrificed himself for the older Delacour and was shocked as everyone else in the graveyard when Harry rose to his feet. "Boy-who-lived, lives again," Ran through Rita's mind for a different headline in a coming Prophet edition. The final shocking event was when Potter had hit You-Know-Who with a cutting hex. Watching a wounded Dark Lord apparate away only led to another story she envisioned once the story was out.
As she felt the familiar tug of a portkey when Fleur Delacour activated the portkey, she was entirely thankful for the day Harry Potter had agreed to give her an interview. She could already imagine the various awards and bonuses she would be receiving.
....
At Malfoy Manor, Voldemort had shared his story with his Death Eaters, explaining how he had returned torturing several of them as he did so. He described the resurrection ritual and then blamed the failures of the evening on Wormtail. He didn't mention being wounded by Harry Potter or that Harry had survived another of his killing curses. After finishing his tale he then turned to Malfoy.
"Lucius, I want you to take several people to the graveyard in Little Hangleton. Kill anyone who is still there and remove any evidence of my return. I have a pet snake that should still be in the graveyard somewhere. Bring her to me."
"Yes my Lord," Malfoy replied and called out several names of people to follow him. He then slipped on his silver Death Eater's mask and he and the others apparated away.
Voldemort turned to McNair. "Walden, your job is to find a way to kill Pettigrew. He knows several of the plans I have in mind. He must not get a chance to talk."
"But Dumble…" Started McNair but quickly cut it off and replied, "Yes my Lord," He started hoping Pettigrew was kept at the Ministry so he would have a chance to get to him.
....
"Arry!" Gabrielle cried out. "NO! HARRY'S BEEN KILLED!"
"What?" Her mother asked as she pulled her daughter into her arms as she confirmed what her daughter had just said with her husband. She and Gabrielle were with Professor McGonagall and Flitwick, and had been explaining what was going on when the killing curse had struck Harry.
Several nearby students heard what Gabrielle had shouted and quickly the rumors started. From student to student the word passed, and the story changed many times. One of the rumors quickly created and passed on was that Sirius Black had appeared in the maze and killed Harry in cold blood. The Minister of Magic, upon hearing the rumors immediately summoned two Dementors.
"He..he..." Gabrielle couldn't say it. Her eyes were streaming tears. She swallowed and tried again and failed. Finally she resorted to French and quickly told her mother what had happened.
"Oh... Gabrielle," Apolline replied as she held her daughter tighter.
"Is...is he really?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes. 'Arry threw himself in front of a killing curse to protect Fleur," Apolline's own eyes were filled with tears. Through her own connection with Alain, she could see Fleur holding Harry's head.
McGonagall and Flitwick exchanged glances.
Gabrielle blinked suddenly and her face changed. A smile broke out on her tear stained face. "E...'e's alive! 'Arry is alive!"
"Ow? Are you sure?" Apolline asked but she'd already sought out her connection with her husband and could now see Harry on his feet and could feel her husband's astonishment.
"Yes…'E's alive mamam. I can feel 'im and 'ear 'im," Gabrielle replied. "Voldemort's gone. 'Arry drove 'im off. 'Urt 'im."
"Are you saying Harry survived another killing curse?" Flitwick asked in disbelief. He was actually still in disbelief that the girl in front of him could talk to Harry in her mind. It was something McGonagall had to explain when Gabrielle and Apolline had first shown up and told them Dumbledore's orders.
"Oui," Gabrielle replied. "E was dead and now 'e's alive. Oh zey are coming back now. Maman we need to go to ze 'eadmaster's office. I need to see 'Arry."
Flitwick looked at McGonagall. "We have no one left in the maze to patrol for. You go with..." It was then the cold, helpless feeling of the Dementors descended over the area as the wraith-like creatures appeared. Flitwick reconsidered the original thoughts and finished. "Maybe you should stay if those creatures are going to be here."
"I wonder what they are doing here," McGonagall asked. She then looked at Gabrielle who was turning to head to the castle. "Let Dumbledore know of the Dementors."
"Oui. I will," Gabrielle replied and she, with her mother being dragged behind, quickly departed toward the castle. They were almost at the castle when Gabrielle stopped. "Zey are coming down 'ere."
....
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