"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER PEOPLE, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!" Michelle clapped her hands as she paced at the front of the office. She had recruited everyone that worked for the paper for an immediate, can't-wait-until-after-breakfast meeting.
"Any and all scoop, gossip, or information, I don't care, that you have on James Potter and Sirius Black needs to be said here, and now!" Her nostrils flared as she looked around the room. Some looked through their notepads whilst others shot their hands up.
"I HEARD SIRIUS GETS LUPIN TO PLAIT HIS HAIR BEFORE BED!"
"That works, that works."
"MY SISTERS FRIENDS COUSIN TOLD ME THAT JAMES POTTER HAS THE HOTS FOR LILY EVANS!"
"Yeah I'm pretty sure everyone's known that since second year when his valentines went wrong. But thanks for that Kayla."
"JAMES AND SIRIUS SHARED A BED IN THEIR DORM FOR FOUR YEARS BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
"How the hell do you know that? I don't care that, that was good."
"JAMES CAN'T SLEEP WITHOUT A WARM GLASS OF MILK AT 8PM AND GOES INTO A STROP IF HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY!"
"Uh I'm writing these all down, all of them... ANYMORE?"
——-
Michelle had ended up with a whole page of embarrassing secrets with more to spare. It was beautiful. Her plan was formulating before her eyes, each puzzle piece satisfyingly slipped into place. Now all she had to do was write the first issue.
A weekly exposé on all the things James Potter and Sirius Black wish to keep hidden from the world. The things that are left better unsaid. The things that should never be published in a paper, would be published in News Flash.
Obviously they would still have all their usual columns about; extra curricular activities, Quidditch updates, recent announcements, an agony aunt column, and of course the new edition:EXPOSING POTTER AND BLACK!
Unoriginal? A little. But gripping? Obviously! Hogwarts' 'IT boys' being put under the microscope prodded and pinched to expose them. Michelle Fitzgerald wanted to see how much she could push their buttons.
Now she wasn't evil, there would obviously be an ultimatum. Apologise, publicly, or face the wrath of Fitzgerald. She was the storm that stripped away their make up, that left them bare faced and exposed.
She was knocked out of her day dream by Adiola, her chief editor and closest friend on the papers team.
"Don't tell me you're doing this because of the scene in the hall earlier?" Her eyebrows raised as she waited for an answer. Adiola crossed her arms as her eyes bored into Michelle's skin like knives would into a heart.
"Do I need to answer that question." Michelle countered back, also crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair slightly. She was publicly humiliated, of course she would humiliate them back.
Embarrassment in public was easily at the top of Michelle's 'Hate List'. The Ravenclaw found that she had lists and plans and timetables for everything. Her entire life was scheduled in the pages of her journals. She had to keep track of everything, because everything had to be orderly and right.
The Fitzgerald girl needed everything to go in consecutive order, one thing then the next. It was what kept her head screwed on and her world spinning. Now that the Potter and Black duo had tarnished that, she had no choice but to get revenge to the highest degree. No changing her mind on it now.
"I just mean-, right- isn't it a bit, I don't know, immature? We're a newspaper for gods sake not a gossip magazine!"
"Adiola, my closest friend, the ying to my yang, the stars to my night sky- I am the Head of the Paper and what I say goes. No questions asked about it." Michelle stood from her plush chair checking her watch then glancing at the journal that lay open on her desk, it was time for her first class of the day: Potions.
Sure maybe she sounds a bit harsh, but there was no sugar coating when it came to Michelle. You just gotta rip the bandaid off, this made her seem rude but she just needed to get from one place to the other as quickly as possible and being blunt was the easiest way to go about it.
"I suppose so but-"
"Sorry Adiola, my potions class starts in 5 minutes and it's a 3 minute walk when it isn't busy from here to there. No rest for the wicked am I right?" Michelle didn't wait for an answer as she briskly walked away clutching onto notepad and quill as she rushed out the door.
Potions, unlike other subjects, was a rough patch in the education of Michelle Fitzgerald. Whilst she excelled past her classmates in lessons such as Charms and Transfiguration, Potions always left her stumped. It should be easy, it was a formula and Michelle was good with formulas. You put the ingredients in and you end up with a potion, it was a simple set of rules but for some reason she just never was able to grasp the subject.
Ask her the difference between the Wolfsbane potion and the Polyjuice potion- two concoctions oceans apart, and you would leave her banging her head into a book in frustration. Not before she cussed you out for giving her a trick question. This didn't make her hate the subject, no, it made her want to improve, to want to work harder.
Her mantra was 'knowledge is power' so without, at least a baseline of, knowledge on the class she didn't know what to do with herself. She would envy people like Lily Evans and Severus Snape who had natural talent when it came to potioneering. It was rather embarrassing in hindsight, why did she pick at her flaws when everyone else was too distracted with theirs?
She didn't know, but what she did know was James Potter and Co. were walking mere feet behind her. Their yells and bellows filled the bustling halls, in Michelle's humble opinion 'they have no regard for others if you ask me, they live in their own little bubble!"
She supposed the only tolerable one was Remus Lupin, the lanky boy wasn't as loud as the others. But his mischief didn't go unnoticed by Michelle. After copious years of being a writer, you tend to pick up on small details that are usually missed by the regular, run of the mill person.
"I can't believe you two pulled that prank off, Snivellus was fuming!" Peter laughed, his cheeks a rosy red as he giggled. He was often the one that helped plan the pranks, though he hated being a part of them he would if it was a must. Pettigrew was a sweet boy, but in Michelle's mind he (and Remus) were just as bad for endorsing and contributing to the other twos cruelty.
She looked over her shoulder and glared at the group, all of them halted for a second as they looked at one another. They had completely forgotten she had also fell victim to the prank in all their stupendous glory. Was she angry at them? Duh, but were their dumb teen boy brains able to comprehend this? No. It'll all be okay, she couldn't do anything as she would be breaking at least one of the school rules by doing so.
Michelle makes her own rules and Sirius Black and James Potter were going to pay for what they did to her. Obviously after she finished the article she was yet to write.
I am a firm believer that James Potter did not, and I repeat did not, constantly profess his love for Lily. I think he was more subtle with it, but it became more and more obvious as the years went by. Sure he had his spurts of confidence with his little 'Hey Evans!' in the hallways or in the middle of quidditch games, but I don't think he went around floating behind her with hearts in his eyes. He knew where to draw the line.
On another note, Michelle does not care anymore. Istg if I hear anyone complaining about her attitude I will personally hunt you down. Just kidding.... 🤨
Okay but I'm pretty sure you properly meet Rich next chapter. And i'm in love with him, my favourite white boy.
Y'all wanna see the manips my8 year old brother made for this fic?
ight bet:
he's real talented yall 🥱
Anyways he like really wants to read this fic...