bioinnovel Chapter 405 Why Me Again?
Chapter 405 Why Me Again?
Chapter 405 Why Me Again?
Rita Skeeter had certainly read this biased report, and more than once.
Rita just wants to say that Braithwaite's imitation is clumsy and doesn't capture the essence at all; it's just a superficial imitation.
That's what I'm thinking, but I can't say it out loud.
"Betty is a very good journalist," Rita Skeeter said reluctantly. "I also tried to interview Bashat, but not only did I not get any information, I was also kicked out by the old lady."
The interview with Bathilda Bagshot was certainly not to discuss the history of magic; Rita was visiting her because of Dumbledore's past.
As a result, Rita was turned away by the old lady and failed to get what she wanted.
Unfortunately, before Rita could even devise a plan to deal with Bassett, Betty Braithwaite's article had already been published.
"Are you resigned to this?" Belvina asked again. "Are you really resigned to this?"
Her tone was like that of a strange aunt trying to lure children to see goldfish.
Upon hearing this, Rita Skeeter's anger flared up instantly.
"Wasn't it you who suppressed me all those years, preventing my reports from being published?" Rita shouted. "Now you're asking me if I'm content? Why don't you ask me if I was content back then!"
If Belvina hadn't left the Public Press Service, and if it hadn't been for the Quidditch World Cup, Rita Skeeter might have had to say goodbye to journalism.
It could be said that Belvina almost ruined Rita's career and nearly forced her to change careers.
"Times have changed," Belvina said seriously. "Back then, you and I were enemies, but now we can become friends."
Belvina looked into Rita's eyes and continued, "Lord Palmerston, the Muggle prime minister of the 19th century, once said, 'There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.'"
Henry John Temple Palmerston launched two Opium Wars and suppressed the Taiping Rebellion, expanded the Crimean War, suppressed the Indian Rebellion, and also supported the slave owners in the American South.
"A Muggle prime minister?" Rita Skeeter said sarcastically. "Professor Black certainly has a professional spirit."
Belvina smiled, completely unconcerned by Rita's sarcastic remarks.
She said, "Because of Sirius, Goughfair is taking his anger out on you and ostracizing you at the newspaper. And because of Goughfair, Braithwaite has risen to power and taken your place. Rita, don't you really want to prove yourself? Don't you really want to take back everything that's rightfully yours?"
How could I not want to!
Rita Skeeter dreamed of teaching the Daily Prophet a lesson.
But faced with the opportunity offered by Belvina, Rita wanted to back down from the bottom of her heart and didn't want to get involved in Belvina's dangerous schemes.
From the resurrection of Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr., to the sudden reappearance of the missing Bertha Jorkins, and then to the deaths of both Crouch and his son, Jorkins became one of the masterminds behind the plot to overthrow the Ministry of Magic.
Each and every one of these incidents demonstrates that a storm is brewing in the wizarding community.
Now, the Ministry of Magic has once again begun to spare no effort in smearing Dumbledore, and this abnormal behavior further indicates that a storm has already formed, enough to destroy the entire wizarding community.
Rita would never believe that Belvina wasn't involved in this storm.
As the storm passes, Belvina Black may be able to weather it, but Rita Skeeter may not.
It was precisely because of her fear of the unknown dangers that Rita dared not accept Belvina's renewed offer, and that she was so hesitant.
Sunlight streamed through the bright windows into the editor-in-chief's office, and the metallic display board gleamed with an alluring luster. The editor-in-chief of a newspaper, even though it was just a shell company, was enough to make people flock to him.
Belvina stood up, walked slowly to the window, and looked down at the deserted cobblestone street.
She said, "Rita, you must have attended every single trial of the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic back then, right?"
Rita Skeeter frowned. Was this a threat?
"You not only participated, but you also published news reports about it in the newspapers," Belvina continued. "Do you think those Death Eaters will hold a grudge against you?"
"So what if they hate me?" Rita said. "Do they think they can escape from Azkaban? Are all the people in the Ministry of Magic useless?"
Rita Skeeter suddenly froze.
"No way, how could that be?" Rita said in a panic, "This is impossible!"
Like many others, Rita Skeeter's first reaction was denial; she was unwilling and unable to believe it.
Unlike those people, Rita knew that although she wanted to deny the truth, she knew that the truth would not become false just because one person denied it.
Following that afternoon in Fukuo Ward, Rita Skeeter once again felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
She slumped into a chair, utterly distraught, muttering, "He's back—it's little Crouch—he's really back—he's back—"
Inside the red brick building at 92 Diagon Alley, the temperature was pleasant, without a trace of summer heat, but Rita Skeeter's clothes were soaked with sweat, as if she had just been pulled out of the water.
After a while, Rita looked up at Belvina standing by the window.
"The mysterious man is back, isn't he?" Rita Skeeter's voice trembled; she also hoped to get a negative answer from Belvina.
"That's right, the Dark Lord is back," Belvina said. "Although he hasn't made a public appearance yet, he won't remain hidden for long. The war has begun again."
"Does the Ministry of Magic know?" Rita asked again. "Does the Ministry of Magic know he's back?"
Belvina shook her head, then nodded. She said, "Connelly knows, some people in the department know, but most don't."
"No wonder the Ministry of Magic is acting so strangely; it turns out Fudge doesn't want anyone to know he's back," Rita said. "But why would Fudge attack Dumbledore? Dumbledore is the only person Vader is afraid of."
"Because Cornelius thought Dumbledore wanted to be Minister for Magic."
"Nonsense!" Rita exclaimed. "If Dumbledore wanted to be a minister, he would have been decades ago. Why wait until now!"
At this point, Rita Skeeter's fear of the mysterious man turned into anger towards Cornelius Fudge.
She continued, "That idiot Fudge! That man is back, and instead of thinking about how to defeat him, Fudge is worried about being replaced by Dumbledore and getting rid of the only person that man fears from the Ministry of Magic!"
In the brightly lit editor-in-chief's office, Rita Skeeter was furiously berating Connelly Fudge, her curses growing louder with each swear.
Belvina stood quietly by the window, not disturbing Rita as she vented her fear with a string of profanities.
A long time passed, until Rita Skeeter was exhausted from yelling, until her throat was hoarse, before she finally stopped her tirade against Fudge.
At that moment, Belvina picked up the bell on her desk and bit it.
Soon, a young witch entered the office. She first glanced curiously at Rita Skeeter before looking at Belvina, who was ringing the bell.
"Teach—" the young witch immediately corrected herself, "Miss Black."
"Two glasses of chilled orange juice, Penelope," Belvina said. "Thank you."
Penelope Crivate left the office and soon returned with two glasses of chilled orange juice.
Although it's unclear why Penelope and Percy broke up, Belvina readily agreed when Percy recommended the Ravenclaw prefect.
Penelope Crivate thus became a member of this newspaper, which had not yet officially opened.
"You've got plenty of pretty girls here," Rita said in a hoarse voice. "You even brought over that half-breed Veela from the Delacour family."
This statement is ambiguous and could easily lead people to mistakenly believe that 92 Diagon Alley is not a legitimate business.
"You've had your fears and your curses, now you should consider whether you want to join this newspaper, Rita."
""
Belvina took a sip of the cool orange juice and continued, "Join us, and you'll be the editor-in-chief. Don't join, and I can send you away; you can go wherever you want."
"If I stay, what guarantees my safety?" Rita asked in a hoarse voice. "Can you even persuade Dumbledore to come and oversee things here?"
Belvina neither nodded nor shook her head.
Despite having the strength to go toe-to-toe with Voldemort, she couldn't guarantee Rita's safety.
Even Albus Dumbledore couldn't guarantee anyone's safety. In this war that was about to resume, anyone could die.
Seeing that Belvina didn't speak, Rita wasn't in a hurry. She picked up her glass and took a sip. The cool orange juice made her throat feel a little better.
"You can't guarantee my safety," Rita said, her voice still hoarse, but slightly better than before.
"Yes, I can't guarantee that," Belvina said softly. "When war comes again, people will die every day, and people will go missing every day, whether they are strangers or acquaintances."
Upon hearing this, Rita Skeeter suddenly burst into laughter like a madwoman, laughing very loudly.
She said, "If you can guarantee my safety, I'll leave immediately. You're annoying, but you can be honest sometimes."
Rita Skeeter walked to the window, looking down at the deserted street below, and swirled the chilled orange juice in her hand as if she were shaking a glass of whiskey.
"Belvina, why me again this time?" Rita said. "Can't you find someone else to scam?"
"I don't have many people to choose from, and you are the most suitable," Belvina replied earnestly.
"Tell me where I'm best suited, and I'll change it right away," Rita said.
"I've read all your published biographies and news reports," Belvina said. "Although you always spread rumors, fabricate stories, and exaggerate the facts—although your character is really not good—your writing is annoyingly charming, and you write very quickly, incredibly quickly."
Because of her fear of Voldemort, Rita Skeeter just berated Fudge, calling him a stupid donkey.
Now, because of Belvina's words, Rita wanted to curse again, and she even wanted to sew the mouth of this bastard woman in front of her shut.
"And there's something even more important," Belvina said, seemingly oblivious to Rita's anger, "You're a bad person, and I have absolutely no qualms about messing with you."
"Thank you so much, Blake!" Rita Skeeter said through gritted teeth.
"You're welcome, it's my pleasure," Belvina said softly.