The sun rising upon the land heralded the start of another wintery day, the grounds covered in a thin layer of snow that rained down from the heavens the night before, and the air still cold and biting whenever the wind passed through.
Harry and Viktor were sitting down to breakfast with their friends in the Room of Requirement, as had become routine. They chatted about what they had been up to the night before. Luna had just finished recounting about being asked to a dance with a male Beauxbatons student, when Dobby appeared with a 'pop', holding a copy of the day's Daily Prophet in his knobbly hands.
"Newspaper for you, Master Harry Potter sir."
"Thanks Dobby."
The house-elf bowed deeply, before disappearing with another 'pop'.
"So what's on the news today, Harrykins?" Fred asked whilst chewing on a sausage.
Harry opened the papers and sifted through. He stopped at an article, eyebrows furrowing a little.
"That's interesting..."
"Vhat is?" asked Klaus.
"Says here that Skeeter has been reported missing."
That certainly got everyone's attention.
"Skeeter? You mean that horrible woman with tacky clothing, stupid glasses and that poisonous quill of hers?" Uliana questioned.
"Yeah," Harry nodded, "she was last seen yesterday evening in the Daily Prophet office, but no one's seen her since. The Prophet's just put a 'missing persons' alert here."
Everyone glanced at each other.
"Maybe she got lost and somehow ended up in the continent?" Anastazja put forward.
"Kidnapped, maybe?" Nicolae suggested.
"Why would anyone want to kidnap her?" George raised an eyebrow.
"Good point," Nicolae conceded.
"Perhaps she's dead," said Luna.
All eyes were immediately on the dreamy-eyed blonde.
"Dead?" Viktor was unsure if he heard her right.
"Yep, dead as a doornail," Luna hummed offhandedly, buttering a scone.
"Not that I'm defending that bitch, but isn't death a bit extreme?" asked Klaus.
"Not necessarily, it is still possible," Luna pointed out, "Plus, there are many ways to dispose of or hide the body, especially with magic."
YOU ARE READING
Vestiges of Normalcy
Fiksi PenggemarHarry Potter saves Bulgarian Quidditch star Viktor Krum from an early death when Death Eaters invade the Quidditch World Cup campsite. From there, a friendship (and something more) blooms, turning everything on its head. New friends are made, old fr...
