𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍 - 𝐡.𝐩.

24 | The Chase Of Skeeter And The Skrewt

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that!" the redhead shouted angrily as he and Potter backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the skrewt off with their sparks.

"Well, well, well... this does look like fun."

Rita Skeeter was leaning on Hagrid's garden fence, looking in at the mayhem. She was wearing a thick magenta cloak with a furry purple collar, and a crocodile-skin handbag was over her arm.

Gemini rolled her eyes incredulously as she summoned the rope from Weasley's hand without any warning. She tied it into a loop and threw it around the skrewt's sting as Hagrid had directed. She gave the rope a jerk and pulled the skrewt away from the awe-struck pair of Gryffindors.

"Who're you?" Hagrid asked Rita Skeeter.

"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter," Rita replied, beaming at him. Three gold teeth glinted.

"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," said Hagrid.

Rita acted as though she hadn't heard what Hagrid had said.

"What are these fascinating creatures called?" she asked, beaming still more widely.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," grunted Hagrid.

"Really?" said Rita, apparently full of lively interest. "I've never heard of them before... where do they come from?"

A dull red flush rose up out of Hagrid's wild black beard, which made Gemini mentally facepalm. "Oh dear," she muttered under her breath.

What made it worse for him, she thought, was that he was talking to Rita Skeeter of all people — who, in Gemini's opinion, was a horrible excuse for a human and the worst kind of journalist. Her prying eyes left no stone unturned. Gemini had read several of the woman's articles, the most recent one being about the Triwizard Tournament (she'd rather call that article 'The Biography of Harry Potter'). But while this one had been on the funnier side, the others were just unpleasant. For example, she had also covered the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference during that summer, describing Dumbledore as an "obsolete dingbat" amongst other nasty things. Now Dumbledore was as impervious as they came, but Gemini knew that if Rita wrote something as terrible about Hagrid, it would break his heart.

"They're very interesting, aren't they?" a voice then spoke up, saving Hagrid from any further embarrassment, "Aren't they, Harry?"

Gemini had to simply look around to find the source of that voice; it was Hermione.

"What? Oh yeah... ouch... interesting," answered Potter — Gemini had to suppress a laugh when she saw Hermione step on his foot.

"Ah, you're here, Harry!" said Rita Skeeter as she looked around. "So you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favorite lessons?"

"Yes," said Potter stoutly. Hagrid beamed at him.

"Lovely," said Rita; her eyes almost immediately turned to Gemini, who was still controlling the skrewt, having forgotten about tying it off somewhere after catching it (it wasn't struggling at all, though). "And who is this stunning lady? Do you know her, Harry?" she said a bit eagerly.

Harry hesitated — he had no idea what to say to that. Luckily for him, Gemini opted to reply instead.

"Gemini Delmar," she said shortly.

All eyes were on her now. (Harry was secretly glad that people weren't ogling at him for once.)

"Delmar," said Rita thoughtfully, "How come I've never heard of that name before? A face like that, I'd be sure to remember it. Regardless, it's never too late for introductions, is it? I would very much like to take an interview of you, Miss Delmar."