That wasn't a nickname. It was a fact.
"I... I was wrong..."
Rita's voice trembled, filled with the terror of someone who had barely escaped death.
"I... I'll withdraw the paper right away... I'll publish another article saying yesterday's story was nonsense, that I slandered you..."
"Please, don't torture me anymore..."
At that, Hermione gently shook her head, a hint of distress crossing her face.
"That won't do."
She crouched down and leaned closer to Rita. "You'd make it look as though I'd coerced you."
Wasn't that exactly what she'd done?
Lockhart and Tom stood to one side, watching Hermione say this with a perfectly straight face. Both were speechless.
Hermione ignored the look of near-collapse in Rita's eyes and continued.
"So you can't retract it."
"Not only can you not retract it, you have to keep publishing."
Rita jerked her head up, her eyes full of bewilderment.
"Publish... publish what?"
"What I told you yesterday, of course," Hermione said lightly.
"I'm from another world, Voldemort is my lackey, and I can predict the future because I've read the original books. Put all of that in."
"Oh, right, one more thing." Hermione seemed to remember something. "Make up some stories about the Ministry of Magic officials while you're at it."
"Fudge, Umbridge, and Lockhart here... make up whatever you like. The more outrageous, the better. The more sensational, the better."
"Drag everyone into it."
Rita was utterly dumbfounded, her mind blank.
What did this mean?
She wanted her to keep spouting nonsense, and go even further?
Tom frowned too, clearly not quite understanding what Hermione was doing.
Only Lockhart wore a knowing smile.
He stepped forward and patted Rita on the shoulder. Naturally, she flinched in terror.
"Still don't understand, Ms. Skeeter?" Lockhart said.
"Think about it. If you retract