Chapter 21: Skeeter's interview
The very next day Lucy and Snape headed down to the great hall in the evening ready for Skeeter's interview. Lucy was absolutely terrified as she knew the woman could take people's stories and make them into complete lies. Whereas when Lucy and Snape met Shona outside the great hall she was full of confidence.
"Afternoon!" Shona smiled at the two. "Are we ready to be interviewed?"
"Yes," Snape sighed. Although dreading what was to come.
"No," Lucy cringed.
"Well here's some advice for both of you." Snape pulled both of them aside. "No showing off, act normally and don't tell lies as it will just come back to you, understood?" (The girls nodded.) "McGuire, I expect you not to make a fool of yourself and others as it's a pathetic choice."
"Very well, Snivels, I'll try my best!"
"And if I am mentioned in your interview I suggest you address me as Professor Snape not one of your immature names that you have given me over the recent years." Snape turned to Lucy. "Be confident with this interview, don't let Skeeter get to you. The woman has a very clever way of manipulating her audience's into believing anything she wants them to. So just ignore her quick quotes quill and answer her question's as though I was asking them."
"Alright...But what if I get those visions again?" Lucy panicked.
"The risk has been reduced majorly when I took the orb from you."
"It didn't help, when you came to see me at midday I just had another one and I wasn't near the orb!"
"Bring yourself away from even thinking about Zuc or Kingston, as well as the orb. Think that you have no troubles at all and vampires don't even exist."
"Alright...I'll try."
"Not try you will."
"I will..."
Just then Professor McGonagall came out of the great hall with a sad smile on her face. Immediately Lucy knew something was wrong...
"You may come in," she whispered and led the three of them in just as Cedric was being interviewed. But the thing was Skeeter and Cedric weren't alone. The whole hall was cramped with students which meant that Skeeter was doing these interviews publicly and not private how Lucy thought she would.
"Now, Cedric," Rita grinned. "My final question for you..."
"Go ahead," Cedric said he was full to the brim with confident but he wasn't over confident.
"I know very well that the Yule ball is coming up and I know that you'll have to ask a girl to it. Anyone in mind?"
"Oh of course...She's one of the smartest girls I know - "
"Not me." Lucy whispered to Shona.
" - One of the most bravest too."
"Certainly not me."
"And she's much different to all the girls in this school. In a good way..."
"Well that's not me!"
"Her name!" Skeeter said excitedly as her quick quotes quill scribbled down furiously.
"Lucy Snape."
"Me?" Lucy whispered.
"You!" Shona snorted.
"Her?" Snape raged. "Mr Diggory is going to wish he had never said that..."
"And next up! We have the gifted all to be interviewed separately! Now first we'll have...Professor Severus Snape!"
Lucy thought these interviews were like a game show. "Good luck, dad." She said.
"You too, if I don't see you until after the interviews." He replied.
"What about me?!" Shona yelled as Snape made his way down the space the students had provided to let him past.
Snape took the interview very well, it was as though he'd done this all before and could ask Skeeter some question's instead.
Next Shona was called up Lucy waved goodbye and watched as much as she could. Shona also took the interview very well, ignoring all of Snape's advice as on her own she could make the crowd laugh and even Skeeter.
When Shona was called off Lucy knew what was coming next...
"Next up we have the final of our gifted, the youngest one you've all been dying to meet! Lucy Snape!" Skeeter smiled. Lucy's stomach flipped and she made her way up to the front, some people giving her pats on the shoulders and others just cheering and clapping.
Lucy sat down in the chair opposite Rita and waited patiently for her line of questions that would either be terribly easy or so hard she couldn't take it. Skeeter smiled as she had already found the chink in Lucy's armour.
"Lucy Snape, the youngest of the gifted and the smallest too..." Skeeter smiled. "Let's start with the tri wizard tournament, we all know you've been put in the tournament but how does it feel to be one of the youngest next to Harry."
"Quite terrifying actually, especially as I'm one of the youngest contestants and I know I could die any minute. But I know if I put my mind to it I could get through it."
"Would you like to win the tournament? Would you like to show the older students that you're better than them? And prove them wrong?"
"I don't want to win the tournament, I just want to complete the tasks and let whoever wants to win, win."
"Good choice! I was talking to the other champions earlier and I asked their thoughts on you, being the gifted and all, and what do you think their reactions were?"
"Probably bad, some people turned against me when they found out my name was in the goblet of fire but some stayed true to me and didn't believe I put my name in. But I can assure everyone that I did not put my name in and would never do a thing like that."
"Yes, well, Miss Fleur Delacour had other ideas. She told me that she thinks that you want all the glory to yourself. Mr Victor Krum isn't sure, bless him. Mr Harry Potter told me that he believes you didn't do it much like himself and Mr Cedric Diggory said he'd place money on his own life that you didn't put your name in there...He's quite fond of you, you know?"
"Oh is he? Well it's nice to know I have one of the champions that's going to take me under their wing."
"Isn't it just..." Skeeter said her voice trailed off. She wasn't getting to Lucy in any way and she had to find a way fast. "Now, moving onto the gifted. How do you feel about battling vampires?"
"At first I was terrified and would rather throw myself off of a cliff than fight them but then I realised I'm being selfish. It is my job, whether I like it or not, to save the wizarding world. And if I don't so many innocent lives could be lost. All because of me. And I know what it's like to sacrifice your life for someone else as my dad did too."
"Oh! Do tell!" Skeeter gasped excitedly.
"Well, many of you should know I am not really Snape's daughter. He is not my biological father. He found me, and took care of me and treats me like his own. But he forever supports me in everything I do, much like the first task when he gave me advice on that. Sure he wasn't happy about it but it wasn't either of our's choice. And he gave me advice to keep me alive."
"Exactly what a good father should be! Now, have you figured out the second task yet?"
"Not yet. I am yet to find out what the secret the egg holds but I'm sure I'll find it out before the second task comes."
"Of course you will! Cedric said you were a smart girl! And speaking of the devil he told me that you were his choice to go to the Yule ball with. Your thoughts?"
Lucy gulped. She looked around and saw Fred, he shook his head in denial and Lucy knew that she couldn't say that she was definitely going to go to the Yule ball with Cedric.
"He'll have to wait and see, won't he!" Lucy laughed, Skeeter smiled and waved Lucy off the stage.
Lucy 1 Skeeter 0
* * *
When Lucy had made her way out of the great hall she was greeted by Snape and he immediately gave her a hug. When he let go he actually gave one of his rare proper smiles.
"That was excellent, Skeeter didn't trick you out once!" He said.
"She did me! Snivels was right, I should of acted normal...ish" Shona smiled. "Oh and perfect answer about Cedric: he'll have to wait and see!"
"Well, thank you!" Lucy bowed. "The more she asked the questions, the easier it got. I don't suppose she's very happy about the weakest one of the gifted being able to escape her clutches."
"I think you're one of the many few that managed to get away. Miss Delacour, Mr Krum and Mr Potter didn't look too pleased with themselves. I don't know why Mr Diggory was looking so smug..." Snape snarled.
"Because he got away from Skeeter too! He probably blinded her with those teeth of his..." Shona snorted. "It's not surprising..."
"Do you think we'll be interviwed again?" Lucy wondered.
"Probably not, well, she might grab you again. She isn't satisfied that you didn't land in her trap and she's determined to make a fool of you."
"Well that's good..."
"She won't be back for a while though. She's got to write up all the interviews then sulk about why she didn't get you to land in her trap." Snape sighed.
"She should just give it a rest and stop trying to make fun of everyone." Shona grumbled.
"Well you never know..." Lucy smiled. "Well I say we go down to Hogsmeade and get butterbeer."
"Agreed!" Shona cheered.
"I didn't think you were allowed to go to Hogsmeade, McGuire?"
"I am now!"
"Did your parents sign the letter?"
"Nope, but you're taking me down there. Lets go!"
And with Snape grumbling away about how much he hated Shona, the three headed off to Hogsmeade and into the three broomsticks.
The girl dressed in blue with the hazel eyes following closely behind...