Harry Potter And The Breeding Darkness

Chapter 7

Two days later, Harry's interview with Betty Braithwaite appeared in the Prophet. The front cover of the Prophet had a photograph of Harry sitting beside 'Nicodemus', with Nick's arm wrapped around Harry's shoulder. Harry would periodically turn his head and look at the other boy and smile brightly before ducking his head and grinning while Nick looked down at him and laughed lightly. It was taken in the private room of the hotel where they had met with the reporter. Beside the photo was the intro blurb of the article, and then it said 'continued on page 2-5'. It had turned out to be a rather long interview, but the Prophet had been more than enthusiastic to print the whole thing and Harry was sure that Betty had gotten quite a pretty commission out of the piece. It would likely sell a ton of papers.

The headline read:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HARRY POTTER

By Betty Braithwaite

Before the actual interview had even commenced, Harry and Tom had put the young reporter through a vigorous grilling session of her own. Tom had learned through his sources that Betty had basically been Rita's personal trainee. Betty idolized the late Rita Skeeter and had been quite devastated by her mysterious disappearance. Not that she hadn't instantly latched onto the opportunity to fill the missing reporter's shoes and take over her regular column when given the opportunity.

Harry and Betty had struck an agreement that he was willing to go to Betty with all future journalistic endeavors of his so long as he was pleased with the results of their little encounter that day. Betty was not to under any circumstances report anything about Harry without contacting him first to at least ask for his comment on the matter, and she was not to intentionally misquote him, or ever take something he had said out of context with the intent of leading people to incorrect conclusions. He also insisted that she avoid any malicious gossip about his 'friends' without consulting him first. He made sure to emphasize that he wasn't requiring that she write nothing about his school friends, just that he be informed before hand and be allowed to make adjustments or contribute details.

As long as she stuck to these rules, Harry agreed to make Betty his exclusive journalistic contact and promised her more interviews and information in the future.

Betty, seeing the incredible opportunity for what it was, quickly agreed. Every gossip journalists' dream come true was to be a celebrity's exclusive contact, and to be Harry Potter's contact was an opportunity that she would have to be a fool to pass up.

And so the interview had commenced.

Betty Braithwaite:

Mr. Potter, I would like to start by thanking you for your willingness to answer my questions.

Harry Potter:

Don't mention it Betty, and please, call me Harry.

BB:

I would also like to thank you for contacting me, I must admit, it was quite a surprise to get your owl.

HP:

Well, after I saw your article in the Prophet about my supposed status as 'missing' I thought it would be a good idea to clear some things up. I certainly didn't want anyone to worry needlessly about me.

BB:

Speaking of which, what do you have to say on the subject? Are you, in fact, 'missing?'

(Harry laughed)

HP:

Hardly. The truth of the matter is that, towards the end of the last school year, I arranged to stay with a good friend of mine, rather than return to my muggle relatives house.