Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

Hearing Abernathy's question, Rita Skeeter felt cold sweat instantly soaking her clothes, and her whole body trembled.

Quickly, Rita opened her mouth and said:

"Sir, if it were just a regular Hogwarts student, there would naturally be no story to catch the readers' attention. However, if we give this young wizard a strong or mysterious background, that's a different matter entirely!"

"Judging by the situation, this wizard named Wentworth must be extraordinary, a cut above the rest. But… which family does he belong to?"

"If he's the heir to an ancient wizarding family, then this article will definitely have traction! It could even create the impression that Dumbledore shows favoritism to students from prominent families! And surely, the Ministry of Magic would be delighted to see such a report!"

At this point, Rita Skeeter, ever the opportunistic journalist, grew more excited as she spoke. Despite her fear, she realized she might have inadvertently stumbled upon a major scoop, which thrilled her.

Abernathy fell silent upon hearing Rita's words.

Recently, Abernathy, Rosier, and others had discussed Wentworth's background and agreed that his identity as Grindelwald's heir could not be revealed yet.

First, Wentworth was at Hogwarts, far from everyone except Rosier, leaving him vulnerable without constant protection.

Second, even with his identity still hidden, there had already been attempts on his life. Once his lineage was made public, those targeting him would only increase.

For the enemies of Grindelwald's followers, eliminating an eleven-year-old future leader would be far easier than confronting the entire movement.

Thus, Wentworth's identity had to remain secret.

Realizing this, Abernathy's gaze at Rita Skeeter grew cold, tinged with killing intent.

Rita immediately sensed Abernathy's murderous glare. He made no effort to conceal it, and she could almost hear Death knocking at her door.

Faced with mounting tension, Rita's mind raced. Some people freeze under pressure, but she thrived in moments like this.

Sensing the chilling atmosphere and the danger in Abernathy's eyes, Rita's thoughts sped up. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and a smile crept onto her face.

"Sir! Judging by the draft in your hand, I assume you're looking to build publicity for this young Hogwarts wizard?"

Abernathy raised an eyebrow, surprised. He nodded slightly.

Seeing her hunch confirmed, Rita's confidence grew, and she said enthusiastically:

"Sir, you truly have foresight! Fame should come early! Leave this matter to me—it's my area of expertise!"

Abernathy, intrigued by her sudden shift, asked, "So, what do you propose?"

Brimming with confidence, Rita began explaining:

"Sir, creating publicity takes skill! Simply publishing a report about this student's excellence won't attract readers. Even if they read it, they'll forget it immediately!"

"To generate buzz, the student needs controversy or intrigue. For example… a scandal—"

Abernathy cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Not that! Try another approach!"

Rita wasn't surprised by his rejection and continued:

"Well, there's always… stirring up debate!"

Abernathy's curiosity piqued. "Go on."

Relieved to see his interest, Rita relaxed slightly, even sipping her wine before continuing:

"Sir, here's what we can do: We could have another newspaper publish a rebuttal to my original article in The Daily Prophet. The new piece could claim that Dumbledore's actions that night were to protect the most exceptional student Hogwarts has ever seen! Then, we can elaborate on how remarkable this young wizard is—embellishing the story as much as possible!"

"Afterward, I'll respond with another article in The Daily Prophet, taking the opposing stance! A back-and-forth exchange, several rounds if needed, will heat up the topic. The buzz will grow, and naturally, the young wizard's reputation will skyrocket."

"This… is how you create publicity!"

Rita's tone brimmed with confidence as she finished. Abernathy and Auston Greengrass, who had been silently listening, looked enlightened. Seeing their expressions, Rita smiled smugly.

Still, Abernathy felt conflicted. While this plan could be more effective than Rosier's suggestions, something about it felt off.

After a moment of silence, he said, "We'll need to discuss this further."

"Of course! Take your time!"

Rita rose hastily, eager for them to leave so she could relocate immediately.

But Abernathy, seeing through her intentions, smiled faintly and suddenly raised his wand toward her.

"What did you do to me?"

Rita stared in terror as a spell struck her. Though she felt no immediate effects, dread consumed her.

Abernathy calmly replied, "Nothing much, just temporarily disabling your Animagus transformation."

Rita's face turned deathly pale. The confidence she'd regained vanished instantly.

"Now, which newspaper do you think would be suitable for this?" Abernathy asked casually before leaving.

"… The Quibbler!"

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