.Yes,.yes,.one.of.these.days.you.ll.write.more.horrible.stories.about.Harry.and.me,..said.Hermione.indifferently...Find.someone.who.cares,.why.don.t.you?..
They.ve.run.plenty.of.horrible.stories.about.Harry.this.year.without.my.help,.
.said.Rita,.shooting.a.sideways.look.at.him.over.the.top.of.her.glass.and.adding.in.a.rough.whisper,..How.has.that.made.you.feel,.Harry?.Betrayed?.Distraught?
.Misunderstood?..
.He.feels.angry,.of.course,..said.Hermione.in.a.hard,.clear.voice...Because.he.s.told.the.Minister.for.Magic.the.truth.and.the.Minister.s.too.much.of.an.idiot.to.believe.him...
.So.you.actually.stick.to.it,.do.you,.that.He.Who.Must.Not.Be.Named.is.back?.
.said.Rita,.lowering.her.glass.and.subjecting.Harry.to.a.piercing.stare.while.her.finger.strayed.longingly.to.the.clasp.of.the.crocodile.bg...You.stand.by.all.this.
garbage.Dumbledore.s.been.telling.everybody.about.You‐Know‐Who.returning.and.you.being.the.sole.witness?..
.I.wasn.t.the.sole.witness,..snarled.Harry..There.were.a.dozen‐odd.Death.Eaters.there.as.well..Want.their.names?..
.I.d.love.them,..breathed.Rita,.now.fumbling.in.her.bag.once.more.and.gazing.at.him.as.though.he.was.the.most.beautiful.thing.she.had.ever.seen...A.great.bold.headline:..Potter.Accuses…..A.sub‐heading,..Harry.Potter.Names.Death.Eaters.Still.Among.Us...And.then,.beneath.a.nice.big.photograph.of.you,..Disturbed.teenage.survivor.of.You‐Know‐Who.s.attack,.Harry.Potter,.15,.caused.outrage.yesterday.by.accusing.respectable.and.prominent.members.oj.the.wizarding.community.oj.being.Death.Eaters.…...
The.Quick‐Quotes.Quill.was.actually.in.her.hand.and.halfway.to.her.mouth.when.the.rapturous.expression.on.her.face.died..
.But.of.course,..she.said,.lowering.the.quill.and.looking.daggers.at.Hermione,
.
.Little.Miss.Perfect.wouldn.t.want.that.story.out.there,.would.she?..
.As.a.matter.of.fact,..said.Hermione.sweetly,..that.s.exactly.what.Little.Miss.Perfect.does.want...
Rita.stared.at.her..So.did.Harry..Luna,.on.the.other.hand,.sang..Weasley.is.our.King..dreamily.under.her.breath.and.stirred.her.drink.with.a.cocktail.onion.on.a.stick..
.You.want.me.to.report.what.he.says.about.He.Who.Must.Not.Be.Named?..Rita.asked.Hermione.in.a.hushed.voice..
.Yes,.I.do,..said.Hermione..The.true.story..All.the.facts..Exactly.as.Harry.reports.them..He.ll.give.you.all.the.details,.he.ll.tell.you.the.names.of.the.undiscovered.Death.Eaters.he.saw.there,.he.ll.tell.you.what.Voldemort.looks.like.now.‐.oh,.get.a.grip.on.yourself,..she.added.contemptuously,.throwing.a.napkin.across.the.table,.for,.at.the.sound.of.Voldemort.s.name,.Rita.had.jumped.so.badly.she.had.slopped.half.her.glass.of.Firewhisky.down.herself..
Rita.blotted.the.front.of.her.grubby.raincoat,.still.staring.at.Hermione..Then.she.said.baldly,.The.Prophet.wouldn.t.print.it..In.case.you.haven.t.noticed,.nobody.believes.his.cock‐and‐bull.story..Everyone.thinks.he.s.delusional..Now,.if.you.let.me.write.the.story.from.that.angle.‐..
.We.don.t.need.another.story.about.how.Harry.s.lost.his.marbles!..said.Hermione.angrily..We.ve.had.plenty.of.those.already,.thank.you!.I.want.him.given.the.opportunity.to.tell.the.truth!..