Rita Skeeter Has Impressive Professional Skills / Miss Granger Shouldn't Celebrate Too Soon ...

(P. S. As those familiar with the author probably know, Sanmiao rarely creates original characters in her fanfiction. The main reason for this is that she doesn't know how to name characters... sigh)

Therefore, our usual approach is to select characters from the original work, or at least those related to the original work, and add a rich backstory for them based on our own plot settings.

For example, this important vampire, Herbert Vani, is actually a character from the Chocolate Frog Card added in the Harry Potter: Prisoners game. He is a rather vicious murderer.

And his middle name, Degar, those who know, know. That's all.

Chapter 235 Rita Skeeter's professional skills are formidable.

The series of thefts at Hogwarts did not cause much of a disturbance to the peaceful school life, especially since Scabbers, who had previously 'disappeared,' reappeared just two days later.

Ron was overjoyed to have found his pet mouse again, but he also felt apologetic towards Harry... though the latter didn't need it.

Harry never blamed Ron, nor did he care about Ron's previous suspicions, because they had nothing to do with him.

To be fair, Ron is indeed a good person, but Harry and he don't get along very well in many ways, so there's no need for them to become close friends.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning that Ron only found his mouse; his wand is still missing, as are Neville's clothes and Madam Hooch's Flying Broomstick.

These matters became unsolved mysteries at the school, and even Filch muttered during his inspection that the school should really establish an investigation team or Detective Society agency to thoroughly investigate these old, long-standing 'unsolved mysteries'.

The reason I say this is because Filch has also lost quite a few things, some of which were quite important contraband items that he had confiscated many years ago.

Harry also strongly agreed with the suggestion, because when he was working on fingerprint evidence, he had considered starting a private Detective Society so that he could take on cases as a pastime while also exploring the interesting secrets of Hogwarts.

With final exams just around the corner, Harry clearly couldn't possibly focus his attention on such leisure activities.

What's more, he's currently in a state of utter shock because of something very important.

'Peter Pettigrew Peter appeared in Highgate Village and even had a secret meeting with Lucius Malfoy!'

The front-page news in the latest issue of the Daily Prophet has practically set the entire Britain Wizarding World on fire!

In this news report, journalist Rita Skeeter, with her dazzlingly eloquent writing, gave all the newspaper readers a rambling account of the entire process of Peter Pettigrew meeting and plotting with Lucius.

In her writing, Peter Pettigrew and Lucius "talked very happily," their faces "both beaming with the joy of a long-awaited reunion," and even during their brief meeting, they "looked around" as if worried about being discovered by others.

However, Rita Skeeter cleverly chose to gloss over the issues they discussed, only repeatedly emphasizing the previous incident involving the Inferi in Highgate Village, leaving readers with some speculative connections.

What truly impressed Harry and made him marvel at Rita Skeeter's incredibly imaginative mind was that she actually focused the entire article on the case from twelve years ago!

There were no eyewitnesses to the bombing back then, Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban without trial, and now Peter Pettigrew Peter is making a comeback...

It is clear that Rita Skeeter was actually attacking Barty Crouch, because she wrote extensively about her experiences as a reporter at the Wizengamot trial of Death Eater in 1981.

She also sharply criticized Barty Crouch's behavior at the time, calling him an "arbitrary and stupid useless bureaucrat" who not only imprisoned Sirius without any evidence, but also refused to give Igor Carrow and Ludo Bagman, two confirmed and suspected Death Eater, a chance to reform.

So... why has Peter Pettigrew Peter been missing for twelve years? And what conspiracy does his secret meeting with Lucius Malfoy signify?

At the end of the article, Rita Skeeter used two question marks, leaving the entire Britain Wizarding World with a suspenseful question that piqued everyone's curiosity.

"That Peter Pettigrew... he actually showed up?" After flipping through the newspaper several times, Hermione's face lit up with joy. "This means Sirius is innocent after all, right? Will he be released soon?"

Hermione had never met Sirius, but that didn't stop her from being happy about it; after all, there's a saying that you love everything about someone you love.

Furthermore, Sirius is Harry's godfather, which essentially makes him her...

"If my godfather knew that everyone around me cares about him just as much as I do, he'd be so happy he wouldn't be able to sleep," Harry teased the overly excited academic girl with a laugh, but then he poured a little cold water on her enthusiasm, "Unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic won't release him based on just one report."

"Why?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Because this report was written by Rita Skeeter."

Rita Skeeter is probably the most famous journalist in the entire Britain Wizarding World, but it's worth mentioning that her reputation is mostly infamous.

Maliciously fabricating news, exaggerating facts without any bottom line, and writing anything to grab attention and boost sales... This is how the public sees Rita Skeeter.

This is a female journalist who has absolutely no professional ethics except for being dedicated. In addition to reporting fake news, she also enjoys digging up scandals of various organizations. Last year, she was the first to report on the Gringotts theft.

Therefore, the Ministry of Magic will absolutely not acknowledge her report, which is likely full of exaggeration and falsehood, and lacks any pictures or evidence.

However, her professionalism truly astonished Harry. Whether it was the Gringotts theft or the Inferi in Highgate Village, she was able to dig up firsthand big news. Harry couldn't figure out how she did it at all.

In short, this female reporter unintentionally did Harry a huge favor.

At least with her outburst, the reappearance of 'Peter Pettigrew' won't seem so awkward, and the attention from all sides in the Wizarding World will definitely skyrocket.

"However... I'm now very curious about how Lucius will react."

Regardless of whether Lucius Malfoy was actually the one who met with Peter Pettigrew, this incident was absolutely a case of "sitting at home and getting caught in the crossfire," and one thing is for sure, his expression right now must be quite something.

Just as Harry had guessed, in a luxurious manor in Wiltshire, England, the current head of the Malfoy family was furiously smashing a valuable vessel on the ground, cursing viciously under his breath.

"That damned coward, Peter Pettigrew, if he's not dead, fine, but why did he have to show up now of all times? And that shameless female reporter Skeeter, I really want to curse her to be blind and have her hands cut off, so she can never see or write any more fabricated stuff again!!"

In stark contrast to Lucius's reaction, at the same time in Azkaban prison, the newly appointed prison doctor was holding hands with the only prisoner he needed to care for, and both of them were incredibly excited.

"He's here... he actually showed up! He's not dead... Oh, Blake, I really have to apologize to you, I misunderstood you for so many years..."

The prison doctor's face wore a mixture of joy and regret. He was joyful because he had finally confirmed that his best friend was innocent, but he was also regretful because... he, like everyone else, had harbored resentment towards Sirius for a full twelve years!

"It's alright. Actually, I've been blaming myself all these years for being so clever as to change the Secret Keeper ..." Sirius shook his head slightly, but his face showed considerable regret. "It's a pity Harry wouldn't let me escape, otherwise I would definitely go and kill that bastard with my own hands!"

"Let's wait patiently, my friend. We have to believe in Harry," the prison doctor earnestly comforted Sirius. "The situation is now at its best; Harry will definitely seize this opportunity."

Indeed, although this prison doctor had never met his old friend's son, after hearing about Harry's experiences, he was willing to genuinely believe in Harry.

This child will surely enable his godfather to leave Azkaban with dignity!

Chapter 236 Miss Granger shouldn't be too happy yet.

In the final month of second grade, the final exams arrived as scheduled, and this school year, which had been filled with many events, was finally coming to an end.

Just like in their first year, the exams were a breeze for the Mr. and Mrs. Granger... well, anyway, Harry and Hermione passed with ease.

Hermione even studied while brewing Polyjuice Potion for Harry, and still managed to get all 'O's, easily becoming the top student in the entire school once again.

Harry was busier than Hermione, because in addition to taking his second-year exams, he was also in charge of the first-year Defense Against the Dark Arts exams.

Substitute teachers will be responsible for assessing their own students; this was a decision Dumbledore announced just before exam week.

Harry's assessment method for this test was direct practical application.

He had all the students attack him with Waddiwasi Spell for five minutes, and then used the feedback from the force and accuracy of his own Shield Charm to determine each student's score.

This exam format naturally drew cheers from all the first-year students, who had been tormented by Harry for months and were itching for revenge.

However, the announcement of another exam item immediately froze everyone's excitement on their faces.

"Your score on the Waddiwasi Spell will only count as half. Next, you'll have to take the Shield Charm test. The format and duration will remain the same, the only difference is... it'll be my turn to fight you!"

"No!" *N

Upon seeing Harry's smile, which resembled that of a demon king, all the first-year students simultaneously donned masks of anguish.

"It's too late to say no now, prepare to face the challenge!"

After a flurry of marbles flying everywhere, the first-year Black Magic Defense exam room was filled with heartfelt laughter and cheers.

Harry's role as a substitute teacher has now come to an end.

To be honest, he was actually quite reluctant to part with it...

After the exams were over and the results were released, a grand finale banquet was held at the end of the semester.

After reviewing the events of the academic year, Headmaster Dumbledore solemnly awarded the House Cup to Ravenclaw House.

Frankly, this was a completely predictable outcome.

Ever since Ravenclaw gained Hermione as a "points-generating machine," the rule of awarding points for answering questions in class seems to have become somewhat unreasonable.

It was precisely because Snape frequently gave Slytherin students extra points while constantly deducting points from the other three houses that Slytherin House consistently led the House Cup.

Snape could only truly dominate in Potions, while Hermione excelled in every subject, racking up points in every single one. Faced with this money-printing machine-like efficiency, Snape simply couldn't compete.

Winning the House Cup naturally thrilled the students of Eagle House, who even called it the 'Lost House Cup,' showing that many Eagles still haven't gotten over the fact that they missed it by just one point last year.

With the End-of-Year Feast over, all that was left was to pack our bags and take the Hogwarts Express home.

This time, the Granger couple had two more first-year students in their train compartment.

"You still have that easel?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised, seeing the square easel next to Luna Lovegood. "I thought you threw it away a long time ago."

Harry waited a whole school year without seeing Luna Lovegood's paintings, and he really thought that the girl had completely given up on painting.

"I told you, I couldn't paint the way I wanted the Black Lake because the color wasn't pretty. But didn't you say the lake would be more beautiful when we come back in the summer?" Luna Lovegood explained in a gentle voice, "So I was planning to wait until then to start painting, and now I'm taking advantage of the summer break to practice in advance."

Hogwarts will carry out sewage system renovations and Black Lake water purification during holidays when no students are on campus. Harry had mentioned this to Luna Lovegood before.

Therefore, she actually cares a lot about the 'homework' that Harry assigned, otherwise she wouldn't have waited until now without even starting to write it.

"Hmph, you need to practice before drawing a picture? You're quite dedicated, aren't you?"

Hermione clearly noticed Luna Lovegood's concern for her, and for some reason, she felt a little jealous.

It's highly suspicious that a girl who's usually aloof, eccentric, and completely different from everyone else is paying so much attention to what Harry says.

Especially since she and Colin were completely unaware that they were being a third wheel...

Hermione was now filled with resentment. When were these two first-years going to stop disturbing her and Harry's time together?!

"Hmm, I feel like I shouldn't be here..."

The lemon scent emanating from Hermione finally seemed to be noticed, and the little fanboy subconsciously shrank back, instinctively deciding that he should make a run for it.

"Alright, enjoy your journey home." Harry chuckled, easing the awkward atmosphere in the carriage. "I've decided to start a Detective Society next year; you can use the summer break to think of a name."

"Is it really going to happen? That's great!" Upon hearing the news, Colin was so excited he almost jumped up in the train carriage.

To be able to become 'colleagues' with your idol after following them all – that's probably every fan's dream come true.

"Detective Society ...that should be more interesting~" Luna Lovegood's eyes darted around, seemingly quite interested in Harry's suggestion as well.

"Hmph~" Hermione let out a displeased snort.

She had no objection to forming a Detective Society, but she strongly objected to Detective Society with two first-year students, mainly Luna Lovegood.

Especially in the third year, they have to take elective courses and take care of Prince William, who has just entered school. If they add this Detective Society on top of that, wouldn't the time she and Harry spend alone be even less?

However, just as Hermione was sulking to herself, she suddenly felt someone hook her palm with their finger.

Subconsciously looking up, the academically gifted girl inadvertently met Harry's smiling gaze.

'Mom and Dad don't have summer vacation, they have tons of free time, and I'm basically all yours anyway, aren't I?'

Hermione read the expectation yet unacknowledged in the other person's eyes, and while her face flushed slightly, she also felt a sense of relief.

Yes, although we've already planned a family trip to France for summer vacation, my parents can't stay off work forever, so she and Harry will definitely have plenty of opportunities to be alone together...

Well, at this moment, Miss Granger was clearly unaware of the Great Celestial Empire proverb, "Don't be too happy too soon."

Amidst laughter and joy, the train finally arrived at King's Cross Station. The students fished their way out from Platform 9 3/4, but the adventure of Ha and Hitchcock this school year... was far from over!

After packing their luggage and changing trains, the two Granger didn't go straight home. Instead, they drove around central London for a long time before heading to the Leaky Cauldron at Charing Cross Road.

When they entered the bar, they were Harry and Hermione, already dressed in casual clothes. But after wandering Diagon Alley for a while, one of the two Granger had become 'Harry'.

The other one, however, became the one about to head to Gringotts...

'Peter Pettigrew Peter'.

Chapter 237 Gringotts has very strict anti-theft measures.

Gringotts Wizarding Bank located in Diagon Alley, wasn't crowded today, as it was the first day of summer vacation and already evening.

While the Goblin in charge of greeting guests at the door was distracted, a short man, whose head and body were covered by a black robe, hurriedly pushed open the door and entered.

"Sir, uh..." The Goblin who was greeting him wanted to say hello, but the latter seemed as if he couldn't bear to be seen, and even carefully covered his face with the hood of his robe.

"I want to open Gilderoy Lockhart's vault," he said to the Goblin teller as he approached the counter, deliberately lowering his voice.

"Are you Peter Pettigrew Peter?"

From her vantage point above, the Goblin clerk inadvertently caught a glimpse of the other person's face. Although she wondered why the person before her looked exactly the same after twelve years, Goblin instinctively called out his name.

"This is none of your business. Gringotts should only handle banking matters." The man lowered his head slightly, urging impatiently, "I brought Gilderoy Lockhart's vault key. Stop dawdling and get my business done!"