A Child of Black I Harry Potter fanfic

Rita Skeeter

Jamie took her usual seat beside Hermione in potions class awaiting Professor Snape's arrival. 

"Any word from Snuffles?" Hermione asked, having been clued in on Sirius' code name.  Jamie shook her head. 

"Nothing yet, but I only wrote him a day ago, I'm sure he'll write as soon as he can," Jamie quickly stopped talking as Professor Snape entered the classroom.  

"Antidotes!" Snape said looking at his students with his usual emotionless expression.  His black eyes had a particularly unpleasant tint to them today.  "You should all have prepared your recipes by now.  I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one..."

Harry and Snape stared at each other, neither willing to be the first to look away.  But before anything could go further a little blond third year entered the classroom.  

"Yes?" Snape asked curtly.  

"Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs," The little boy squeaked, clearly uncomfortable to be the one catching the attention of Snape's unfriendly gaze.  

"Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," the Potions master answered coldly.  "He will come upstairs when the class is finished. "

"Sir-sir Mr.Bagman wants him," The boy continued nervously.  "All the champions have got to go.  I think they want to take photographs..." 

"Very well, very well," Snape snapped.  "Potter, leave your things here.  I want you back down here later to test your antidote." 

"Please, sir- he's got to take his things with him.  All the champions-"

"Very well!" Professor Snape growled.  "Potter, take your bag and get out of my sight!"

"Oh, and sir, they need Jamie Black too," the third year added.  

Jamie quickly packed her things, not bothering to question why her presence had also been requested.  Anything that got her out of Potions couldn't be that bad.  

"It's amazing, isn't it Harry?" The third year, whose name Jamie now learned was Colin, asked as they made their way down the corridor.  "Isn't it though? You being champion?"

"Yeah, really amazing," Harry answered, his sarcasm lost on the boy.  Jamie tried to hold back her laughter.  "What do they want photos for, Colin?"

"The Daily Prophet, I think!"

"Do you know why they need me?" Jamie asked.  She wasn't one of the champions, so she had no clue why they needed her.  Colin simply shrugged in response.  He was as clueless as Jamie was on the topic.  

"Good luck!" Said, Colin, once they had reached the correct room.  

Harry knocked on the door and entered, Jamie quickly followed and the door slammed shut behind her.  The two entered a classroom where Ludo Bagman and Rita Skeeter were talking. Viktor Krum was in a corner by himself while Cedric was having a conversation with Fleur. 

Bagman spotted Harry and quickly rushed over to greet him. 

"Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come... nothing to worry about.  It's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a minute." 

"Wand weighing?" Harry repeated nervously. 

"We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," Bagman explained.   "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore.  And then there's going to be a little photo shoot.  This is Rita Skeeter," he, added gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes.  "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet..."