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'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 Quibbler； that her father was expecting a lovely long article on recent sightings of Crumple…Horned Snorkacks；〃… and of course； that'll be a very important story； so Harry's might have to wait for the following issue；' said Luna。
Harry had not found it an easy experience to talk about the night when Voldemort had returned。 Rita had pressed him for every little detail and he had given her everything he could remember； knowing that this was his one big opportunity to tell the world the truth。 He wondered how people would react to the story。 He guessed that it would confirm a lot of people in the view that he was pletely insane； not least because his story would be appearing alongside utter rubbish about Crumple…Horned Snorkacks。 But the breakout of Bellatrix Lestrange and her fellow Death Eaters had given Harry a burning desire to do something； whether or not it worked：
'Can't wait to see what Umbridge thinks of you going public；' said Dean； sounding awestruck at dinner on Monday night。 Seamus was shovelling down large amounts of chicken and ham pie on Dean's other side； but Harry knew he was listening。
'It's the right thing to do； Harry；' said Neville； who was sitting opposite him。 He was rather pale； but went on in a low voice； 'It must have been： tough： talking about it： was it？'
'Yeah；' mumbled Harry； 'but people have got to know what Voldemort's capable of； haven't they？'
'That's right；' said Neville； nodding； 'and his Death Eaters； too： people should know：'
Neville left his sentence hanging and returned to his baked potato。 Seamus looked up； but when he caught Harry's eye he looked quickly back at his plate again。 After a while； Dean； Seamus and Neville departed for the mon room； leaving Harry and Hermione at the table waiting for Ron； who had not yet had dinner because of Quidditch practice。
Cho Chang walked into the Hall with her friend Marietta。 Harry's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch； but she did not look over at the Gryffindor table； and sat down with her back to him。
'Oh； I forgot to ask you；' said Hermione brightly； glancing over at the Ravenclaw table； 'what happened on your date with Cho？ How e you were back so early？'
'Er： well； it was：' said Harry； pulling a dish of rhubarb crumble towards him and helping himself to seconds； 'a plete fiasco； now you mention it。'
And he told her what had happened in Madam Puddifoot's teashop。
'： so then；' he finished several minutes later； as the final bit of crumble disappeared； 'she jumps up； right； and says； 〃I'll see you around； Harry；〃 and runs out of the place！' He put down his spoon and looked at Hermione。 'I mean； what was all that about？ What was going on？'
Hermione glanced over at the back of Cho's head and sighed。
'Oh； Harry' she said sadly。 'Well； I'm sorry； but you were a bit tactless。'
'Me； tactless？' said Harry； outraged。 'One minute we were getting on fine； next minute she was telling me that Roger Davies asked her out and how she used to go and snog Cedric in that stupid teashop … how was I supposed to feel about that？'
'Well； you see；' said Hermione； with the patient air of someone explaining that one plus one equals two to an over…emotional toddler； 'you shouldn't have told her that you wanted to meet me halfway through your date。'
'But； but；' spluttered Harry； 'but … you told me to meet you at twelve and to bring her along； how was I supposed to do that without telling her？'
'You should have told her differently；' said Hermione； still with that maddeningly patient air。 'You should have said it was really annoying； but I'd made you promise to e along to the Three Broomsticks； and you really didn't want to go； you'd much rather spend the whole day with her； but unfortunately you thought you really ought to meet me and would she please； please e along with you and hopefully you'd be able to get away more quickly。 And it might have been a good idea to mention how ugly you think I am； too；' Hermione added as an afterthought。
'But I don't think you're ugly；' said Harry； bemused。
Hermione laughed。
'Harry you're worse than Ron： well； no； you're not；' she sighed； as Ron himself came stumping into the Hall splattered with mud and looking grumpy。 'Look … you upset Cho when you said you were going to meet me； so she tried to make you jealous。 It was her way of trying to find out how much you liked her。'
'Is that what she was doing？' said Harry； as Ron dropped on to the bench opposite them and pulled every dish within reach towards him。 'Well； wouldn't it have been easier if she'd just asked me whether I liked her better than you？'
'Girls don't often ask questions like that；' said Hermione。
'Well； they should！' said Harry forcefully。 Then I could've just told her I fancy her； and she wouldn't have had to get herself all worked up again about Cedric dying！'
'I'm not saying what she did was sensible；' said Hermione； as Ginny joined them；