Diggory Is Still A Loser (book 2)

23- The Quibbler

Shortly after everyone returned to Hogwarts, Umbridge passed a new Ministry Decree that forbid all teachers from giving students advice that was not related to the subject they were teaching.
After that, it also became common to see members of staff whispering together in the corridors, since none of them were brave enough to talk in the staff room anymore.
Celia didn't have Benjamin to talk to to vent her feelings about Umbridge, as he had gone back home to France, and wouldn't return until Easter.
Hermione's big plan to undermine Umbridge, turned out to involve coercing Rita Skeeter to write an interview with Harry, which was to be published in the Quibbler.
Harry told Skeeter all about the night in the graveyard, during his trip on Hogsmeade, and Luna promised him that his interview would be published in her father's paper, soon.

On the morning that the Quibbler published Harry's interview, Luna was sat next to Celia.
"It looks like today's the day" smiled Luna, as she looked at the paper in front of her.
"We had better go and warn Harry then" sighed Celia, as she got up and headed over to the Gryffindor table.
As they approached the table, they saw numerous owls dropping off letters for Harry.
"It's good isn't it. I asked daddy to send you a free copy. I expect all these letters are from readers" beamed Luna.

"That's what I thought" mumbled Hermione, as she looked at all the letters.
Luna skipped back to the Ravenclaw table, as Celia sat down beside Harry.
"Need a hand?" Asked Celia, as Harry picked up the first letter.
"Yes please" replied Harry.
Celia, Ron and Hermione all began tearing into some of the letters on the table.
"This one's from a block who thinks you're off your rocker" admitted Ron, as he glanced up from his letter.
"This woman reccomends you try a good course of Shock Spells at St Mungo's" sighed Hermione.
"Mine says something similar, but uses some inventive and rude language" informed Celia.

Fred and George shuffled up to them and began to join in with the letter opening.
"This one looks O.K though. She actually says she believes me" announced Harry.
"This one's in two minds. Says you don't come off as a mad person, but he doesn't really want to believe that you-know-who is back. Blimey, what a waste of parchment" commented Fred, before throwing the letter away, and moving onto another.
"This one is really unpleasant, and this person clearly has a lot of anger inside them" grimaced George.
Celia leaned over and read the letter that George was holding, before scowling.
"Who writes that in a letter? Honestly, if you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" replied Celia, as she tore the letter out of George's hands and screw it up.

"Here's another one that you've convinced. Oh, this is wonderful" squealed Hermione excitedly.
Ron opened two at once, before revealing his findings.
"The one on the left thinks you're barking, but the right one thinks that you're a real hero. She's even put in a photograph too, and she's pretty" announced Ron.
"Hem hem".
Celia spun around instantly, as she recognised the silly little cough, since she heard it so often. And sure enough she found Umbridge, standing behind them.

"What is going on here?" Questioned Umbridge, who had crept up behind them without them realising.
"Why have you got all of these letters, Mr Potter?" She demanded.
"Is that a crime now, getting letters? Mocked George.
"Be careful Mr Weasley, or I shall have to put you in detention" warned Umbridge.
Celia shuddered and clenched her fist, at the mention of detention.
The scars on the back of her hand had remained, even though she had not used Umbridge's quill in months. And she felt sure that the scars would never fade.

"Well Mr Potter. Explain what all this is about" instructed Umbridge.
"People have written to me, because I gave an interview, about what really happened last June" revealed Harry.
"Yes, Harry told them how my brother really died. And he also listed the names of all the death eaters who were in the graveyard that night" added Celia bravely.
"An interview? What do you mean?" Asked Umbridge.
"I mean, a reporter asked me questions and I answered them. Here you go" said Harry, before picking up the Quibbler and throwing it at Umbridge.
"When did you do this?" Questioned Umbridge.
"Last Hogsmeade weekend" answered Harry.

"There will be no more Hogsmeade trips for you, Mr Potter" snapped Umbridge.
"What a shame. Too bad that doesn't undo what I did" mocked Harry.
"How dare you... How could you... I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies. This message has apparently not sunk in. 50 points from Gryffindor, and another weeks worth of detentions. And any student found in possession of the Quibbler, will be expelled immediately" informed Umbridge, before hurring away, with the newspaper clutched to her chest, so that no one could look at it.
"Great" grumbled Harry, as he thought about all the detentions coming his way.
He was also annoyed that Umbridge had banned the Quibbler, before any other Hogwarts students could read it.

Hermione however, didn't seem concerned, in fact she seemed very cheerful.
"What are you so happy about?" Asked Ron.
"Don't you see? If she could have done one thing to make sure that every single person in this school will read Harry's interview, it was banning it" smiled Hermione.
"She's got a point. Now that the paper is banned, students are going to want to find out why, so they will read it. You know what schools are like. If something is forbidden, everyone will try it" admitted Celia.

"And even if it is banned here, it's not forbidden in the outside world. People will be talking about your interview, Harry, for weeks to come. Everyone will know what really happened, and many will start to believe you over Fudge" Hermione said brightly.
"I'm proud of you" Celia said softly to Harry.
"Thanks. I hope it was enough to make people see the truth" sighed Harry.
"It's one step in the right direction. This is the first time people have heard directly from you, so I think it's going to change a lot of people's minds. I'm just sorry that you had to get more detentions with the hag".

Harry looked at the scars on his hand, that matched Celia's.
"It will all be worth it in the end. Besides, we only have to put up with Umbridge until the end of the school year" admitted Harry.
"You're right, no Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has lasted longer than a year. I hope she ends up like Quirrell or Lockhart" replied Celia.
Hermione gasped, "You shouldn't say things like that".
"If you'd been forced to slice your hand open with that quill, on numerous occassions, then you would agree with me" said Celia, coldly.
"Celia's right. Umbridge will be out of here in no time, and I pray that her exit is dramatic" smiled Harry.
"Yeah, and I hope we get to see it" agreed Celia.
"The end of the school year, can't come fast enough" replied Harry.