Rita Skeeter is the news Queen of the Wizarding World; even after disappearing for almost a year, she remains a legend in the media industry.
On this day, she openly brought with her former editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet, Chief Editor Gufei, her personal photographer, Bozo, and John Hollingworth, a former reporter for the Witch Weekly's advisory section and also a die-hard fan of hers, to the Entrance Hall on the eighth basement level of the Ministry of Magic.
"Rita Skeeter!?" The receptionist announced her arrival with a mixture of surprise and fear.
A short while later, a Magical Law Enforcement Squad surrounded the four people.
Rita flashed her signature fake smile and reached out to lightly lift the jeweled gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.
She glanced at Bozo, then looked contemptuously at the enforcement team. "Are you trying to arrest me?"
She had her reasons for daring to appear so openly at the Ministry of Magic.
However, the enforcement team completely ignored her. Just as they were about to take her away, John took out two thick legal codes from his crocodile-skin handbag.
One is the Fundamental Laws of the Ministry of Magic, and the other is the Code of Wizengamot.
"Thank you, John." Rita took the two law books and held them high with an air of confidence.
"I have a question," she said confidently as she approached the law enforcement team. "Excuse me, which law have I violated?"
The Ministry of Magic's initial arrest warrant for her was for spreading false rumors, but this crime does not exist in the Fundamental Law of the Ministry of Magic or the Code of Wizengamot.
The enforcement team members all stared wide-eyed.
The arrest warrant was simply meant to scare Rita. They thought she had disappeared for almost a year because she was scared, but it turned out she was just temporarily laying low.
What if we arrest her now, and she sues the Ministry of Magic for abusing its power?
They're just small fry in the department; if they win the case, they'll become scapegoats.
The enforcement team was caught in a dilemma and had no choice but to report the matter to higher authorities.
A moment later, Umbridge, dressed in a pink outfit, came over.
Rita shook her head in disappointment. "Another scapegoat."
Umbridge exploded on the spot, her voice much louder than usual, "Who are you calling a scapegoat? Who is the scapegoat?"
Rita flashed her signature fake smile again. "Oh, my dear Senior Deputy Minister, I think the Ministry of Magic should draft an 'Image Management Act' as soon as possible."
Everyone could tell who she was mocking, and the wizards watching the show in the hall couldn't help but chuckle.
Umbridge's face flushed with anger. "Miss Skeeter, what do you mean! If you've come here to provoke the Ministry of Magic— "
"Wait a minute." Rita pretended to be frightened and took a few steps back. "My dear Senior Deputy Minister, I was just giving you a suggestion. How did that become a provocation against the Ministry of Magic?"
Bozo moved aside and secretly snapped a picture of Umbridge's contorted face.
Even though Rita, who exploits legal loopholes, is not a law-abiding citizen, does that mean the Ministry of Magic can arbitrarily frame her?
"Insolence!" Umbridge's shrill voice soared to the heavens, and everyone in the hall felt as if their ears had been stabbed hard with a knife.
"Rita Skeeter, according to Section 233 of the Fundamental Laws of the Ministry of Magic, your actions constitute a serious threat to the Ministry of Magic, and I hereby formally arrest you!"
Rita recoiled in terror again, Bozo perfectly captured her desperate eyes and staggering steps.
Just as Rita was about to try to gain sympathy from the hidden cameras, Fudge walked out of the elevator, leaning on his cane.
Umbridge, who was about to arrest someone, suddenly fell silent, but her eyes remained fierce, as if she wanted to devour Rita alive.
But her wish was destined to be in vain, because Fudge greeted Rita with a beaming smile, "Oh—isn't this our news Queen? What brings you here?"
Rita waved the two law books in her hands. "Minister Fudge, I'm here on official business."
Fudge's smile faltered for a moment. "Really? What exactly is it about?"
Rita reached out, and her die-hard fan John took out a document from his crocodile-skin handbag. "My dear Mr. Minister, I'm here to apply for the establishment of a company."
Fudge casually took the document and flipped through it.
His pupils suddenly contracted, and the smile on his face froze. "Wayne Media? Miss Skeeter, it seems you've found a powerful backer."
Rita adjusted her glasses. "Mr. Minister, you're joking. What's with all this talk of connections? We're just business partners."
The name "Wayne" in Wayne Media speaks volumes.
Following Gwent, alchemical products, magical appliances, and Flying Boots, Wayne Enterprises has now extended its reach into the media industry.
Fudge pondered for a moment and began to weigh the pros and cons.
Since it's called media, it certainly won't be a print media like the Daily Prophet.
If he wasn't mistaken, Wayne Media was probably similar to Muggle television news, so the only platform for broadcasting it would be Magical Appliances.
The Ministry of Magic controls the base station and can block the interface at any time.
A media company whose fate is in the hands of others is not a threat; Fudge cares about is why Vincent would cooperate with Rita.
These two people clearly had no connection before, and Rita even wrote many articles deliberately smearing them. Logically speaking, they should have had absolutely no connection.
Is there something they're unhappy about?
Fudge turned and glanced at Umbridge, who, startled and confused, hurriedly looked down.
The Luke Wood affair ended with the Auror confiscating illegally modified Muggle -handled grenades, which accidentally detonated, much to the displeasure of Vincent, a Muggle-born wizard.
Fudge smiled, took a quill pen from his suit pocket, and signed his name on the last page of the application.
Starting a company in the Wizarding World is a bit simpler than in the Muggle world, but the necessary procedures still apply.
First, you need to register your business with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Then, depending on the nature of your company, you can go to the Muggle Artefacts Office, the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the Department of Potions Materials Control, the Department of Magical Transportation, etc., to sign agreements and accept supervision.
If it involves overseas countries, it also needs to be registered with the International Magic Trade Department.
The media company has to go to quite a few departments, since it involves news reporting, and in principle, even the Goblin Liaison Office needs to be visited.
But with the Minister for Magic's signature, all the tedious procedures become mere formalities.
Fudge handed the signed document to Rita. "Miss Skeeter, I look forward to Wayne Media's future development."
Rita accepted the document with great respect. "Mr. Minister, we will certainly not let you down."
It was expected that he would be the focus of attention. If he only occasionally made sarcastic remarks to the Ministry of Magic, Fudge wouldn't be so petty as to deliberately cause trouble.
Rita handed the documents to John, who carefully placed them into his crocodile-skin handbag.
With her keen intuition honed over years as a journalist, she had long suspected that there was some unspeakable secret between Vincent and Fudge, and now it seemed that the secret was quite significant.
She was very curious, but ever since she met Vincent, she has come to understand the adage "curiosity killed the cat."
Whatever huge secrets he might have with Fudge, Rita Skeeter is determined to become the media Queen, starting today.