Dark Defense

Seen and Unforeseen.

The results from reading Harry's interview in the Quibbler that morning were mixed, at best, but nonetheless enjoyable to the Boy-Who-Lived.

On the one hand, the fact the interview had been carried out by Rita Skeeter of all people, even under the threat of her being revealed as an illegal animagus by Hermione, had left a foul taste in the teen's mouth. One does not forget being used as a source for gossip so easily, especially when they fabricate facts regarding your private life.

He could have died a happy man without people, particularly any Slytherins, knowing he'd spent eleven years of his life in a cupboard under the stairs, and the less said about the rumors regarding him and Hermione the better.

On the other hand, the name Rita Skeeter STILL carried a bit of journalistic clout from her glory days prior to the conclusion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which meant that even if the public doubted the contents of the Quibbler, they couldn't deny the fact that this was a Skeeter interview, which meant at the very least there was a smidgeon of truth buried beneath all the delicious, scandalous dirt.

This, naturally, brought in mixed reviews, from the people that caught word of the article. Over half the letters Harry received at breakfast that morning were from Witches and Wizards that affirmed their belief in Voldemort's revival and vowed to stand by him, whilst the others were divided between those that deemed him as barmy as Fudge would imply, or torn between wanting to believe him and wanting to wish it weren't true.

Harry, surprisingly, found both sides of the response to be most heartwarming. It was like all the fire and bile in his chest that had built up from Fudge's slander campaign and Umbridge's interfering at Hogwarts had begun to die down, as he finally got a look at what the wizarding public thought of him without Fudge and his censors butting in. It certainly gave him a healthy respect for the power of the press.

Though he had to admit, as he hastily stuffed several, clandestine photos of young, and some not so young, witches out of sight, that he didn't quite expect such a turn out.

Yes he knew that he was still famous, albeit a jaded fame, but he'd never experienced such a turnout from an interview before. The last time he'd gotten one it had been Hermione that had been on the receiving end of the public's opinion, though thankfully they'd managed to clear that up relatively quickly once Hermione had trapped Skeeter in a jar.

"Phoar! Look at this one Harry!" Fred teased with a grin, the Weasley twin holding up a photo of a rather well endowed witch as she posed teasingly for all to see "Blimey, keep this up and you'll give Lockhart a run for his money!"

"And that is why I am never giving another bloody interview as long as I live…" Harry muttered, snatching the photo away and sticking it back in the envelope, out of sight of Hermione and Ginny's disapproving glares, just in time to avoid it being seen by a certain Ministry Toady as she sidled up behind them.

"WHY have you got all these letters, Mr. Potter?" Umbridge asked slowly, eyeing the multitude of owls in suspicion, as she hadn't been expecting so many to get through the ministry's net. The owls, in return, eyed her with obvious distaste, as they could smell a rat, literally and figruatively, no matter WHAT form it took.

"Oh, just answering some fan mail." Harry replied with a bored tone, earning a look of surprise from the twins as he pulled off a passing rendition of Gilderoy Lockhart's foppish expression that caused Ron to snort pumpkin juice out his nose and Hermione to frown disapprovingly "It's such a hassle being famous really," he sighed, shaking his head dramatically "why just the other day I had to turn down no more than ten offers for marriage…I think you'd agree I'm a bit young for all that, Ms. Umbridge?"

"Quite…" Umbridge muttered, the High Inquisitor narrowing her eyes in suspicion, only to sniff pointedly and turned away from the Gryffindor table, having apparently caught sight of one of the posing pictures that Harry had pointedly left on the table "Just see to it that you don't start spreading the wrong ideas to your…fan club, Mr. Potter."