Tearing through the crowded streets of London, the young reporter stumbled into countless pedestrians, blushing furiously and apologizing hurriedly for her carelessness. Just after running headlong into an older man, mumbling something about “today’s youth,� the young girl rubbed her shoulder and stopped in front of a seemingly abandoned building and sighed. “Mrs. Crockford is going to be furious!� And, sure enough, just as she walked in the door --

“Rita!� exclaimed an older looking lady, wearing too much eye shadow to be taken seriously. “This is the third time this week you’ve been late!�

The young Rita Skeeter lowered her head as to avoid the menacing glare of her boss. Taking the adjacent seat, Rita looked up and saw a lady sitting next to Mrs. Crockford that she had never seen before. Noticing the look of confusion on Rita’s face, Mrs. Crockford began to explain. “This is Ms. Alana Delaney, whom I was just interviewing for a journalist position. What, with Mrs. Spinnet just off and quitting like that, I wasn’t sure we’d be able to publish this week’s issue! Luckily, Alana has just the experience we need. Would you know that she just completed her internship at the Daily Prophet?�

But Rita wasn’t as impressed as she might ought have been. Who was this woman, to come and take the promotion she had been dreaming of ever since she first began at Witch Weekly? It wasn’t Rita’s fault that Mrs. Crockford would never give her the good assignments. Crockford probably only likes her because she’s attractive, Rita thought glumly. The flaxen curls framing Alana’s angelic face were enough to make Rita sick with revulsion. She fingered her own thin, mediocre brown hair and wondered, ‘Why, if I had eyes that bright and a smile that fake, I would be sure to--’

“Rita? Rita!� Bringing the world back into focus, Rita smiled and extended her hand to Ms. Delaney. Alana took it, smiling, and said, “It will be simply wonderful working with you, dear! Mrs. Crockford has shown me some of your work. I truly believe that you have the potential to be a great reporter!� Smiling through gritted teeth, Rita nodded her consent, and with a mumble of something about finishing an assignment, she exited the room and headed straight for her office.

What Mrs. Crockford called an office was in reality little more than a crowded broom closet with a file cabinet. Rita sat down on the floor, brushed a spider off her foot, and pulled out her work from the previous day. These amateur articles on the new selection of dress robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions were not going to bring her the recognition she desired from Mrs. Crockford, Ms. Delaney, or any reader of Witch Weekly. She needed something new, something exciting, something eye-catching… Something eye-catching! Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it before? She would have to work on it on her own time, but what witch wouldn’t want to read an article about the up-and-coming celebrity, Gilderoy Lockhart?

Rita came into the office early the next morning with her article on the dress robes. She was so early, in fact, that Mrs. Crockford had not yet unlocked the door, and Rita had to wait outside until Mrs. Crockford noticed that the person banging on the door was, as a matter of fact, her employee. She did not allow just anyone to visit, particularly outside normal hours. “What are you--� Mrs. Crockford began, but was hurriedly interrupted by a fidgety Skeeter.

“I’ve got the article you told me to write,� Rita said. “It’s all ready for the presses, so you don’t need to worry about a thing. Now, I’ve been working here for a while now, haven’t I?�

Slightly curious, Mrs. Crockford slowly nodded her head, as if trying to comprehend the situation. “Yes, you--� she began again.

“And would you say that I have been a diligent worker, and have completed all of my assignments up to the present?�

“Of course, but--�

“And I’ve completed my most recent work--a day or so early, I might add--and you now have another full time employee,� she took a deep breath, “for the more important assignments.�

Mrs. Crockford looked slightly unsettled. “Y-yes, Rita. Now, what exactly are you getting at?�

“Well, as I haven’t missed a day of work in the near three years I have worked for you, and some… important issues have come up, I was wondering if I could… take a leave, say, for a week?�

“A week! Rita! You know I can’t afford to let you go for that long! Now, what could possibly be so important that you have to go away for a week?�

“I… er… Everyone needs a break, Mrs. Crockford. I’m afraid the last few weeks have been rather stressful, truth be told, and I thought I would take myself a vacation, say… to Armenia, or some place,� she added in a rather nonchalantly.

“Armenia? Do you have family there?�

“Why… yes! A distant uncle, and er… a few cousins. Just thought I’d, er, go visit them for a while, you know!�

“Well,� Mrs. Crockford replied rather thoughtfully, “I suppose I we can manage without you, as long as you don’t decide to visit your… distant relatives for holidays and such. What a difficult first week for Alana, though. You really ought to have given me some notice! This isn’t like you!�

Rita paid no attention to Mrs. Crockford’s complaints at the moment, however. She ran over to hug her boss, and flashed a truly delighted smile. She waved goodbye and promised to be back at work in no more than one week’s time. As Rita dashed out the door, Mrs. Crockford shook her head in amusement. Despite her antics, Rita was a conscientious worker.

---

Rummaging through her drawers, Rita hurriedly shoved random pieces of clothing into a large suitcase. Quite familiar with the Muggle world, Rita had decided to take an airplane to Armenia, as it was too long a distance to ride her broom, or Apparate, for that matter. The only problem then was that her plane was to leave in 15 minutes and she had not yet reached the airport. By the time she had her luggage packed, a mere 10 minutes remained until departure time. Knowing she would never make it by walking, and being rather familiar with the airport as well, she Apparated into a large bathroom stall at the end of a long hall, and, to her good fortune, there was no one occupying the toilet at the time. She ran through the airport with her suitcases in hand and barely made it aboard the plane when takeoff was announced and all the luggage had been stowed away.

Breathing deeply, Rita now had time to plan her interview. Truth be told, she was not entirely sure where to find Lockhart. Just recently, Gilderoy Lockhart had been on the front page of nearly every wizarding newspaper in England. A young man, barely out of his teens, had reportedly saved a small village from a horde of angry trolls. The story had been quite impressive, actually, and some of the spells he was said to have used were rather complex. Over night, he had become a smaller sort of celebrity. Of course, it didn’t hurt that his large, almond shaped eyes were the brightest blue, and his head full of blonde hair seemed unnaturally perfect, and that smile! Oh, needless to say, it was his smile that shone with more magic than the light of the stars that brought him the most attention, particularly of the female kind. But he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, it was one of his fanatic supporters that clued Rita in on his possible whereabouts. She and several others had said that he was going to a small town in Armenia, though none of them knew why. And Rita wanted to be the first to find out.

Once she had departed the plane, she didn’t know exactly where to go. Windymare, the wizarding village in which Lockhart was supposedly residing, was not far from where Rita was now, so she decided to walk. She loved the outdoors, and the change in scenery fascinated her. Once in Windymare, she stopped at a small tavern, hoping to find someone who could tell here where to find the famous Lockhart.

It didn’t seem that she was going to need much help after all, for soon after she arrived, Gilderoy Lockhart waltzed in through the doors and sat down at the bar to get a drink. It seemed as though few people in Armenia read the news from overseas, for Lockhart apparently hadn’t received the welcome he had expected. That being so, he still hadn’t managed to lose his inexplicable charm. Rita walked over to him, somewhat apprehensively, and hesitantly tapped him on the shoulder.

“Er… Mr. Lockhart? Is that you?� she began nervously.

“Why, yes it is!� Gilderoy turned around and flashed his trademark smile. “And what might a lovely young lady like yourself want of someone such as I?� he said smoothly, causing Rita’s cheeks to turn a violent shade of scarlet.

“I, er, work for the, er, Witch Weekly, you might have heard of it, back in Britain, you know,� Rita began to spiel. “I was wondering if, er, I might have… might have an interview with you? If you wouldn’t mind, I mean, I--�

Lockhart interrupted her abruptly, “I’d be utterly delighted! How about we move back to one of those nice booths back in the corner,“ he gestured towards the far side of the tavern, “so as to not be overheard. I’d rather not attract too much attention to myself, you know.�

As they moved across the room and took their seats, Lockhart continued, “I don’t believe I ever got your name. You are…�

“Skeeter. I mean Rita. Rita Skeeter of Witch Weekly.�

“And very nice to meet you! I must admit, I’m curious. Did you just happen to be in the area?�

“Well, actually, I had heard that you were to be in Armenia, and--�

“Is that so? I daresay, it seems as though my business is a public affair all of a sudden. Does it not?� Lockhart laughed heartily and Rita gave a high-pitched, noticeably forced giggle.

“It certainly is!� Rita exclaimed. “So, have people treated you differently since the newspapers got your story? Have you liked the attention?� Rita whipped out her quill and parchment.

“Well, it does get tiresome, I won’t doubt it. But I suppose that saving innocent lives is something to make a fuss over. It is quite flattering, though, hearing from all my fans, I guess you could say. Simply amazed that I could keep such a calm mind in a dangerous situation as I did.�

“How exactly did you manage? I’m sure we’ve all heard the story at least once, but it’s always better coming from the source. How did you stop those trolls?�

“I can assure you it wasn’t easy. First of all, I had to make sure the townspeople were at a safe distance. You know, not everyone can manage a full-grown mountain troll! Then, I had to take on each of the beasts separately. It seemed as though they wouldn’t stop coming! As more and more of them poured over the mountainside, I had to take on three and four at once, which wasn’t all that simple, as they were about twelve feet tall and positively massive. But somehow I managed, without so much as a scratch, I might add. Handled the situation myself, I did. Those poor witches and wizards. Where they would be without me, I don’t like to imagine…�

Rita stared in awe at the young man sitting before her. How was it possible, she wondered, for one man to be that good-looking, intelligent, and pleasant all at once? Gilderoy seemed to notice her stare, for he continued talking, but with a more confident air about him. Or perhaps it was merely the Odgen’s Old Firewhisky, because he seemed to be getting more and more relaxed as they spoke.

“So, why exactly are you in Armenia?� Rita asked, now hanging on his every word.

“You really want to know, do you?� Lockhart playfully asked.

“Oh, of course! Could you tell me?� Rita played along very well.

“I suppose I could, off the records, of course. Have you heard about a device called a Time-Turner?�

“I’ve only ever read about them. You haven’t got one, have you?�

“Smart girl! As a matter of fact,� he whispered as he started digging in his pockets, fumbling around for the small device, “I’ve got it with me now!�

“Oh!� Rita loudly exclaimed. “Oh, I’m sorry,� she continued in a much softer voice. “Is that it? How… how does it work?�

“You see, you turn it over a number of times, depending on how many hours you’re traveling, see? And you can travel to any time, future or past, however far you need to go. It’s really a rather handy instrument, though I’ve only tested it once or twice. And I must say, it was quite an experience. Imagine, seeing yourself, but in the past! It’s as if there’s two of you!� Gilderoy explained.

“That is fascinating!� Rita whispered. “But… I had no idea… into the future? I thought Time-Turners could only be used to travel into the past.�

“Ah, yes. Yes, I understand. Traveling into the future is…er, a rare gift, one might say. Very scarce, these particular Time-Turners. But you mustn’t breathe a word of this, understand?�

“Oh yes, Mr. Lockhart.� Rita nodded furiously.

“Gilderoy, please. I feel as if we know each other well enough to use first names, eh?�

Rita blushed more fiercely than before. “I… why, yes… how… thank you! Er, but what about the Time-Turner? Is that why you’re here? I still don’t understand.�

“Well, you see,� Gilderoy continued in a barely audible whisper. “As I mentioned before, you can not only travel into the past, but into the future, as well.� He paused and seemed to be waiting for her to comment. Once she nodded her head, he continued. “Yes, well, you see, when I… obtained this device, I thought to myself, I said ‘Gilderoy, why don’t you take yourself a week into the future, and just… see what shape the world is in,’ you know?� Rita nodded again. “So, I did, and it was a fascinating experience. I suppose you could use such a tool for all sorts of things, like placing bets, for example. But I have bigger plans…�

“Really?� Rita whispered in awe. “What sort of plans?�

“Well, now, I can’t have you spreading all my secrets, can I?�

“Oh, I promise I won’t say anything! Honestly!�

“Hmmm…� Lockhart said, and Rita could not decipher whether he looked more thoughtful or drunkenly confused. “I tell you what. Come with me to the Kingsley Inn, that’s where I’m staying, and I’ll tell you there. Don’t want these common folk to overhear, eh?� he added rather loudly, causing several heads to turn in their direction.

“Deal!� Rita could hardly contain her enthusiasm. This was just the type of story she needed, and in truth, was far better than she had hoped. Not to mention, she was actually talking with the real Gilderoy Lockhart!

Gilderoy stumbled out of the booth they had been occupying, and ambled towards the door. Getting several amused stares, which he clearly misinterpreted, Gilderoy waved goodbye to his “fans� and walked straight into the closed door. Rita gave a small gasp and opened the door for Gilderoy. After getting lost once or twice, they finally found the right inn.

“Nice man,� Gilderoy whispered to Rita as he waved at the man behind the counter at Kingsley’s. “He reads the newspapers. He’s letting me stay here, free of charge! Imagine, a real celebrity!� Gilderoy said mockingly, and Rita chuckled to herself, though she did not quite understand what he was getting at.

Once they managed to find the room Gilderoy had been so graciously given, it was already getting dark. Rita pulled out her quill and parchment and began to ask, “So what are these plans of yours,� she blushed, “Gilderoy?�

But Gilderoy hadn’t heard, or at least hadn’t comprehended, a word of what she had said. Searching the cabinets for a glass, he had not been paying attention to much else. “Ah, yes, here it is,� he muttered to himself. He poured himself a glass of water and sat down across from Rita at a nice table setting in the corner of his very elegant room. “The Firewhisky,� he began, “gets me every time.�

Rita repeated her question once more, “So what about your plans, Gilderoy?�

“Oh, yes, about those… I’d rather you didn’t write anything down, not that I don’t trust you, dear! No, nothing of the sort. It’s just, well, what if someone were to find it? Couldn’t have it, unthinkable.� Rita had already managed to cast aside her writing utensils. “Yes, well, it happened the first time I traveled into the future, which was only a week or so ago. You see, as I was wondering about, I came upon a newspaper, and I thought, ‘How charming! I can read the headlines before they come about!’ So I snatched the newspaper, and headed back off to the present. Do you know what the headlines read?�

“No! What?� Rita gasped.

“Werewolves Attack Village in Armenia,� he spoke slowly in a hushed whisper.

“When is this supposed to happen? Has it already taken place?�

“Calm down, you don’t have to twist my arm,� he said, winking at Rita. “The headlines read March twenty-eighth, so it hasn’t happened yet…�

“Gilderoy! That’s tomorrow!�

“I know, dear! I know!�

“But…� Rita looked slightly confused. “Oh, so you’re going to do something to prevent it from happening, right?�

“Good idea, but not what I had in mind.�

“Then what--� Rita never finished her sentence, but was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream that seemed to have come from just across the street. “What was that?� Rita screamed. The look of horror that had suddenly swept across her face soon changed to one of dawning, “Gilderoy, is this… could it be the…� She couldn’t finish her question, but pointed desperately at the newspaper on the table.

“Oh, heavens! Is it eight o’clock already?� Gilderoy grabbed Rita’s arm and pulled her into a closet, shutting and bolting the door behind them. Rita wondered at how the broom closet locked from the inside--a bit unusual, and wonderfully convenient.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to try and stop them?�

“No need for that,� Gilderoy said calmly, but did not bother to explain.

Rita could hear shouts of confusion coming from outside the door, even from inside the Kingsley Inn. Her heart began to pound and she could feel her body trembling from head to toe. “Gilderoy…� she whispered nervously. “What’s going on?�

“Just wait and see, my dear, wait and see.�

The screaming began to fade after Rita’s legs had long since gone stiff, and now seemed to be coming from a much greater distance. There were still noises coming from outside the Inn, but Rita could not make out what was going on, so she asked Gilderoy.

“That would be Ari Abaven, fighting the last of the werewolves. It should be safe in a moment. The attack was said to have been very swift. Seems Ari is a dangerous man to have as an adversary! They say he studied Defense Against the Dark Arts all through school--his favorite subject.�

“But why did you come, if only to wait out the attack?�

“Oh, that’s not all we’re here for. I tell you what, you said you wanted an interview? I’ll give you more than just that--you can be the first to write of my latest adventure, saving Windymare from werewolves!�

“But you didn’t--�

“Just watch, Rita. Watch and learn.� He carefully unbolted the many locks he had no doubt mounted just for this occasion, and helped Rita up out of the closet. Rita was still shaking all over, but Gilderoy seemed peculiarly calm. This gave Rita a bit more security, but confused her all the more. What on earth was Gilderoy doing?

Gilderoy and Rita walked outside the Kingsley Inn to find the streets nearly deserted, save for an old Armenian wizard, chest heaving and leaning beside a telephone booth. On the ground beside him lay a man, twitching and sweating profusely. “That’s the last of them,� the Armenian man explained. “Just turned the thing back into a man. Why didn’t you two escape?�

“Trapped inside the room,� Gilderoy blurted, before Rita had the chance to say anything. “We couldn’t get out, but luckily, neither could they get in! So, everyone else is gone?�

“Yeah, it looks as if the rest of the townsfolk fled the city. There were so many of them…� Ari shuddered and nodded towards the man lying on the ground. “I don’t think anyone was hurt, though.�

“How did you do it? Get this one down?� Gilderoy prodded.

“Oh, he put up a bit of a fight,� Ari explained. “I used the Homorphus Spell and changed him back, though. You ever heard of such a spell? Difficult, but thank goodness I had mastered it. Saved plenty of lives, that spell did!�

“Fascinating,� Gilderoy exclaimed, and Rita saw him reaching inside his pockets, holding what looked to be his wand.

Ari began, “Say, I never--� and Gilderoy whipped out his wand and shouted “Obliviate!� No sooner had the words come out of his mouth than Ari dropped to the ground. His head struck the cement as fell, and he seemed to be in some sort of deep sleep.

“What?� Rita exclaimed. “What is going on?�

“As far as anyone knows, it was I who saved them from the werewolves.�

“Gilderoy… is this what happened with the trolls as well?� Rita asked, shocked.

“Of course not! Well, not completely. The poor man who had fought them all off, well, he was struck with a club and lost all his memory. I managed to Petrify the remaining troll, and… it all spiraled out of control! Some young boy saw me do it, told the whole town it was I who saved them, and they all believed it! There wasn’t a thing I could do to stop it!� He suddenly pointed his wand at Rita. “But you can’t speak a word of this to anyone! If there’s one thing I pride myself on, it’s my Memory Charms. I don’t want to do it, but I will if I have to.�

Rita stood petrified and tried to speak, but no words would come out of her mouth. Gilderoy seemed convince she wouldn’t tell, and began to comfort the real hero, Ari Abaven, as he lay stricken upon the sidewalk. Gilderoy muttered “Lumos� and a light emerged from the end of his wand. Ari awoke with a start, asking, “What happened?�

“I saved you, I did,� Gilderoy said quite confidently. “This man beside you was a terrible werewolf mere moments ago. You fell back in shock and knocked your head upon the cement.�

“Thank you, sir! I… I don’t remember a thing,� he said dumbly.

“I don’t expect you do! That was some fall,� Gilderoy said, turning to wink at Rita.

Rita, who had snapped out of the near trance she had entered, quickly pulled out her quill and parchment and began to scribble madly.

“Look!� Lockhart exclaimed. “It seems as though a few of the people are returning!� Indeed, just as Gilderoy had said, several townspeople began walking back down the street, all fearfully glancing from side to side. “No need to fear!� Gilderoy shouted towards them. “There aren’t any werewolves left.�

“What happened?� asked one of the Armenian women.

Gilderoy stood up and gestured towards the man still lying on the ground, “I turned the beasts back into men!� One of the younger women gave a small gasp upon laying eyes on the pitiful man. “Oh, don’t worry--he’ll be fine. Just a bit of a shock, I suppose!� Gilderoy added hastily.

“Oi, Dzerban, it’s all right! This young man’s saved us!� an Armenian man shouted back into the darkness.

“How did you do it?� several people began to ask, all crowding up around him.

“You took them all on yourself?�

“And look at you, not a hair out of place!� Rita added playfully, as she whipped out her camera and took a photo of Gilderoy, surrounded by the grateful citizens of Windymare, smiling luridly back at Rita.

---

Back at the office the next day, Mrs. Crockford took the papers Rita was shaking excitedly towards her. “What’s this?� she demanded. “I thought you were going on vacation! And what’s gotten into you, dear? You’re--Merlin’s beard! It’s… would you look at that!� Mrs. Crockford had just gotten sight of the picture of Gilderoy atop the rather large article Rita had written, carefully explaining in excruciating detail how Gilderoy had once again proven himself. “When did this happen?�

“Just last night, Mrs. Crockford! And I was there! I saw the whole thing! And look! I got an exclusive interview,� she added breathlessly, “with Gilderoy Lockhart!�

Mrs. Crockford looked elated, though the power of speech seemed to have left her. “This is… this is unbelievable!� She sat down in her chintz armchair to read the article. “Imagine…� she muttered more to herself than anything.

“What’s all this about?� Alana Delaney emerged from the printing room looking curious, but not the slightest bit pleased.

“Gilderoy Lockhart,� Rita began to explain. “He saved an entire village from werewolves, and I was there to get the story.�

“How convenient,� Alana said in a rather sarcastic manner, and walked behind Mrs. Crockford to read the story.

“This article is gold!� Mrs. Crockford stood up and exclaimed once she had finished reading it. “All right, we’re going straight to the presses and changing our front page at once!�

“Mrs. Crockford!� Alana pleaded as Mrs. Crockford headed off towards the back room. “What about the National Witch’s Convention in Hertfordshire? People ought to know--�

“People don’t care about garbage like that!� Mrs. Crockford snapped. “But who wouldn’t want to read about Mr. Lockhart? It’s common sense, really, Alana--use your head.�

Rita stood fixed in place with a grand smile upon her face. It had all worked out so perfectly. And she couldn’t help but feel delighted that her story had been chosen over Alana’s, even though she barely knew the lady. And Gilderoy had told her to meet him in Bandon in another two weeks…

The next two weeks were some of the happiest days of Rita’s life. Her article on Lockhart achieved monumental status, and it seemed as though everyone wanted to be the first to read this week’s Witch Weekly. Unsurprisingly, they sold more copies this week than they ever had before, and many excited witches were sending owls back, begging for subscriptions so they, too, could follow Gilderoy Lockhart on his adventures throughout Europe.

Back at the office, Rita was given charge of nearly every important assignment, and it went without saying that her job was now above Alana Delaney, who all of a sudden didn’t seem so important. Witches all across the country were now patiently waiting for the Sunday post to read Rita Skeeter’s next article. It seemed as though everything Rita had ever dreamed of was now coming true, and each day seemed better than the one before it. None better, however, than the day she was to meet Gilderoy in Bandon.

This time around, Rita knew where Gilderoy was staying, and he made sure to get a room equipped with a fireplace so Rita could travel by Floo powder rather than ride on that Muggle contraption. They had decided to meet at 5:30 in the evening so Rita could leave without anyone noticing. Even for a good reporter, knowing the news before it happened seemed a little unlikely. She could hardly concentrate at work, but it didn’t seem of much importance. Alana was reading and answering all the post they had received, which had come in multitudes since Rita’s big article, and Rita was reviewing the articles for the next paper, which just happened to be ready several days in advance. Luckily, the front page had not yet been assigned an article, but Rita had a good idea of what to put there. Mrs. Crockford was in a particularly excited mood, always fidgeting around the office, but getting nothing accomplished. She did not quite know what to do, being so renowned. By closing time, Rita had cleaned up her desk (now in her own real office) and was standing by the door, ready to leave.

“I’ll see you girls tomorrow!� Rita called, and closed the door behind her. As soon as she got home, she set her papers from work in a chair and grabbed a small item of luggage. Heading for the fireplace, she grabbed the vat of Floo powder, sprinkled it in the flames she had just ignited, and said rather loudly, “Number 3, Herrington Corner.� A dizzying sensation made her stomach feel as if it were slowly creeping up her esophagus. She bumped into several cold, stone walls before she emerged in the fireplace of Gilderoy’s room in Bandon.

“Ah, what a pleasant surprise!� Gilderoy said, his bright blue eyes now keenly alight.

“Yes, fancy meeting you here,� Rita replied. Gilderoy laughed heartily and flashed his million-dollar smile.

Rita suddenly became aware that her knees felt as if they could no longer support her own weight. She sat down and asked, “So what’s the story this time?�

“Getting down to business so soon? Why, I asked you to come a while early, hoping we could have a bit of fun before we get to work!�

“Well, I… er, that… that sounds great! What did you have in mind?�

“Nothing in particular. Bandon’s a lovely place, by day, at least. At night, well… that’s really why we’re here. No use worrying with that just yet. There’s this little café right on Main Street, it’s positively divine! I must show you…� And so it all started. For several hours they made their way around Bandon, a lovely old wizarding community, surrounded by the greenest farmland either one of them had ever seen. Three gift stores, a robe shop, and a café later, Gilderoy exclaimed, “Oh, I nearly forgot! Seeing as how I’ll be making the headlines tonight,� he winked slyly at Rita, “I thought I’d stop and get my hair done proper. You wouldn’t mind?�

“Oh, of course not!� Rita quickly responded. The particular salon at which they stopped was quite welcoming, and Rita sat down in the waiting area and pulled out a magazine with an extraordinary-looking blonde wizard on the front.

“Can I do anything for you, ma’am?� a middle-aged witch asked Rita, as her previous customer left.

Rita glanced down at the magazine she was holding. “Well, actually…�

---

“May I be the first to compliment you on your beautiful new look!� Gilderoy exclaimed as they exited the salon. “I must say, it really suits you.�

Rita had bleached her brown hair, and had it fixed in stiff golden curls, curiously resembling Ms. Alana Delaney’s. She blushed furiously and muttered, “Oh, thank you!� She looked down at her watch and back up at Gilderoy. “When do we need to go… wherever it is we’re going?�

“Oh, it shouldn’t be much longer. A certain Lauren Fredericks is going to banish this dreadful banshee that’s been haunting Bandon for years. Young girl with an unsightly harelip--Lauren, that is.� He pointed up towards a long since abandoned building sitting atop a lonely hill. “That’s where we’re headed.�

They slowly climbed the long, dirt road up to the large house. They were no more than fifty feet away from the house when they began to hear several odd noises. First, they heard what sounded like a very old, very heavy door slamming violently. What followed next was a scream so horrific that Rita, unthinking, grasped a hold of Gilderoy’s arm in fright. Gilderoy took her hand and Rita, suddenly aware of her actions, had to look away. No sooner had this happened than a horrible ghost shot out of a window on the top story and fled right over Gilderoy and Rita, deafening them with her cries. Gilderoy grabbed Rita and pulled her to the ground. “Close one,� he muttered, looking up at Rita. “You ready to go?�

“Sure.� She picked herself up off the ground and they headed towards the old mansion. Once they were close enough to the house to nearly see inside the dirty, broken windows, a young girl, roughly seventeen years of age, emerged from front door.

“Oi, there, miss!� Gilderoy called. “I suppose you banished that banshee by yourself?� The young girl looked up in a most startled fashion. “Oh, didn’t mean to frighten you. We were just passing by and heard some unpleasant noises coming from up this way.�

The young girl looked a slight bit more comfortable now. “You clearly don’t live here, then. It’s usually a lot worse. Then the beast makes her rounds through the town. It’s just awful.�

“Why hasn’t anyone bothered to banish her before?� Rita asked.

“Fear, I s’pose. Mum didn’t exactly want me comin’ up here by myself. Said she’s heard stories, but, I dunno. It wasn’t as bad as they all made it out to be.� She looked around, and added in a whisper, “You won’t mention anything to her, will you? I don’t think she’d be too pleased.�

“Oh, don’t worry,� Gilderoy promised. “She’ll never know.� And just at that moment, he pulled out his wand and shouted “Obliviate!�, momentarily stunning Lauren just as he had done to Ari. Rita was scribbling like mad on the parchment she had whipped out moments before.

“So, Mr. Lockhart, what would like to say for the presses?� Rita asked in her most official-sounding voice.

“Only that it’s been a pleasure,� Gilderoy added dryly, bursting out into laughter.

Rita took out her camera and said, “Time for a picture, Gilderoy. Where should you stand? Ah, never mind, don’t move. You look great where you are.�

“Don’t I?� Gilderoy said laughing. Rita giggled, and took the next picture that would carry the Witch Weekly even further up the ladder of success. Standing in front of the large abandoned home, Gilderoy looked, if possible, even more immaculate than usual. And there was that trademark smile… Rita wondered what was going wrong with her; this was the second time in one day she felt as if she were about to collapse.

Just at this moment, Lauren began to awake. Gilderoy rushed up beside her. “Oh good, you’re awake,� he quickly said.

“What’s going on?� Lauren asked. “Why am I up here?�

“I just banished that awful banshee. She made such a ruckus, why, you came up here to see what was going on. She flew right towards you as she left--and I don’t suppose she’ll be coming back--but you fainted, right on the spot. And you say you don’t remember it? Not a thing?�

“…No, no I’m afraid I don’t.�

“How about we take you home, dear? Maybe some rest will help you feel better,� Rita suggested. “You really shouldn’t be out this late!�

“Er… all right.� Lauren seemed to be racking her brain, trying to remember something, anything. Lauren let Gilderoy and Rita follow her home to ensure her safety, and when Lauren’s mother came to the door, her surprise doubled when she saw them both standing there.

“Lauren Nancy Fredericks, where have you--holy mandrakes! Is that… is that Gilderoy Lockhart?!� Mrs. Fredericks seemed to have lost all her anger.

Gilderoy pretended to look surprised, “Why, yes it is!�

“What are you doing here? Not that I mind, I mean…�

“Just got rid of that terrible banshee.� Gilderoy nodded in the direction of the old mansion. “Your daughter here came to see what was happening, and passed out in her fright. Lucky I was able to revive her.�

“My daughter, revived by Gilderoy Lockhart. Why, I never…�

“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, ma’am,� Gilderoy turned with Rita to walk away, but they were both stopped by Mrs. Fredericks’ sudden cry.

“Wait! Wait! Don’t leave just yet… ooohh, where could I have put it? …just my luck to have misplaced it, I had it just this morning… oh, here it is!� She emerged from the house with a newspaper in her hand. Unfolding the paper, she revealed Rita’s article from Witch Weekly only two weeks earlier. “You wouldn’t mind to, er… to sign this for me?�

Gilderoy’s eyes brightened and he gave a small start; he looked positively delighted. “Why, I’d love to!� He took the paper and signed his name in a very curly signature right beneath his picture, which waved furiously out at the lot of them.

Mrs. Fredericks looked as if she were going to explode with excitement. “Thank you so much, Mr. Lockhart! Thank you!�

“A pleasure,� Gilderoy called as he and Rita left the Fredericks’ home and walked back to the inn.

“Well, what do you make of that?� Gilderoy asked once they were back at Kingsley’s. “We’re going two for two--that’s not bad! And things smoothed over nicely with Lauren’s mother, didn’t they?�

“Oh, yes,� Rita responded. “I couldn’t imagine how this could get any better!�

“Oh, couldn’t you?� Gilderoy asked with the wink of his eye.

“I, er… how… what do you mean?� Rita stumbled.

“Rita, you are an incredible reporter. And what’s more, you are a positively charming woman.� Rita started fixedly at her feet. “Quite frankly, I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone quite like you.�

For once in her life, Rita was quite at a loss for words. Furthermore, she wasn’t entirely sure she would have been able to speak had she wanted to. What exactly was Gilderoy getting at? He surely couldn’t mean… A rush of thoughts mixed with irrational fears and momentary panic swirled around inside Rita’s head, causing a great deal of confusion. This was just all too much. “I… I’ll see you, later I guess, whenever… you need to see me. ‘Bye.� Rita sincerely hoped she hadn’t sounded offended, but there was little more she could do at the moment.

---

Aimlessly walking around the streets for a while, Rita soon began to wonder how she was to get home. She had planned on traveling by Floo powder through Gilderoy’s fireplace, but she could not seem to make herself go back to Kingsley’s Inn. She simply could not face Gilderoy this soon. Then the idea struck her, and she took off for the home of Lauren Fredericks, hoping that they had not yet gone to sleep.

As the warm cottage came into view, Rita noticed several lights still on in the house, and began to walk a little faster. Once she got to the door, she knocked politely and had only to wait for a few brief moments. “Hello,� Mrs. Fredericks said upon opening the door. “You… you look very familiar…�

“Yes, ma’am, I met you just over an hour ago. With Gilderoy Lockhart?�

“Oh, yes, yes! How could I forget? And how may I be of help?�

“Actually, I was wondering if I could… er, use your fireplace. See, I’ve got to be back in London for work tomorrow, and--�

“Oh, don’t say another word! Just come right in here and follow me.� Mrs. Fredericks led Rita through several rather cramped rooms until before them stood a large, grand fireplace. “So, you know Mr. Lockhart fairly well?� Mrs. Fredericks added curiously.

“I, er… I suppose you could say that. Er, where do you keep--�

“You two aren’t… together, are you? Because what a lovely pair you two would make!� Mrs. Fredericks looked as though she had just uncovered an exclusive bit of information.

Rita, quick to dismiss the idea, blushed and said, “Er, no, ma’am. I’m just a reporter, and reporters gather news. Now, where do you keep your Floo powder?�

“Oh, yes! The Floo powder… it’s right here darling.� Mrs. Fredericks handed Rita a small, decorative vase. “But what a shame, really! About you and Mr. Lockhart… Do keep me informed, won’t you? Oh, I suppose a bit of information like that would have to be in the newspapers, don’t you believe?� Mrs. Fredericks continued to babble as Rita grabbed the Floo powder, threw it into the flames, shouting “Hollyberry Manor!� and disappearing from the cluttered den of the Fredericks.

She stumbled out of the fireplace into her own home again, and how nice it was to be alone. Rita realized that she had left her things at Gilderoy’s room at Kingsley’s, but it was just a few papers and such. She knew she would have to talk to him again; there was no avoiding it. Not tomorrow, Rita thought. Please not tomorrow. I have so much to think about… But rather than consider her emotions, Rita, like the good reporter she was, sat down and began to write the next front page article on Gilderoy Lockhart.

---

Rita awoke the next morning to the sound of a frantic beating outside her bedroom window.

With only a few hours of sleep, it took her a few moments to realize what was going on. She turned to her window and saw a gorgeous snowy-white owl with a piece of parchment attached to his leg. Rita did not recognize the owl, but she opened the window and the owl perched upon her arm, patiently waiting for her to remove the parchment. She untied the letter and realized with a jolt who it was from.

“Ms. Rita Skeeter,
I sincerely apologize for my assertive behaviour. I earnestly hope that you are not angry with me. I meant nothing by it. Also, I believe you left a few of your belongings here. Would you like to arrange a time for me to bring them to you? I look forward to hearing from you.

Forever Yours,
Gilderoy Lockhart�


Rita stared fixedly at the letter she had just received. “I meant nothing by it…� Her heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes raced over the letter once more. What does he mean, he meant nothing by it? she began to wonder. All of a sudden, Rita folded up the parchment and placed it among her papers to bring to work. She would have to write him back later.

Quickly forgetting the previous night’s events, Rita was on her way to work within a moment’s time. Rita imagined the look on Mrs. Crockford’s face when she saw her article. Even better, Rita thought, would be Alana’s reaction.

Rita’s expectations were nothing short of reality. Mrs. Crockford jumped from her seat and embraced Rita, while Alana looked on in amazement, having just read the article. “How did you know about this?� Alana asked disgustedly.

“A good reporter finds her own stories,� Rita said with a sarcastic smile. “Simply in the right place at the right time, you know?�

Alana narrowed her eyes, and then smiled spitefully. “I like your hair, Rita,� she sarcastically commented, twisting her own blonde curls around her finger.

“Thanks!� Rita replied smiling. “Gilderoy thought it rather attractive, himself.� Alana mumbled and traipsed back to her own broom closet of an office.

---

The Witch Weekly ran off the presses as scheduled, heralding the large photograph of a gleaming Gilderoy Lockhart. As if the witches of Britain had held their breath in waiting the past two weeks, the animated crowd of Lockhart’s followers nearly erupted with excitement. Owls were bombarding the windows of the Witch Weekly headquarters, and Mrs. Crockford was muttering about having to hire more staff just to answer the post. Looking down on the world from the epitome of her dreams, Rita found herself once again in the spotlight. Skeeter was slowly becoming as much of a household name as Lockhart himself, and Rita had even managed to steal the front page of a lesser newspaper also headquartered in London. A small knock on the office door soon shook her from her daydreams.

“Hello, ma’am, is Rita Skeeter in today?� The front door had opened and a stranger walked in.

“Oh yes, sir, she’s--� Mrs. Crockford suddenly looked up from her files and gasped. “Rita! You’ve a visitor!� she called down the hall. Turning to her guest, she breathlessly replied, “Oh, Mr. Lockhart! What a pleasant surprise! I--oh my, I wasn’t expecting…�

“Who is it?� Rita called as she walked into the front office. Upon entering the room, she immediately noticed Gilderoy--he was rather hard to miss--and stared at her feet. “Oh… it’s you.� She forced a smile.

But Gilderoy hadn’t noticed. He was clearly enjoying the attention of Mrs. Crockford, who was positively beside herself in excitement. “I only need to speak with Rita for a moment, if you don’t mind,� he said to Mrs. Crockford.

“Oh no! You go right ahead!� she answered, breathless and muttering to herself as he left.

Once inside Rita’s office, she began to close the door, then thought better of it and left it open. “What was it you wanted?� she asked rather briskly.

“You just left this at Kingsley’s last night. You hadn’t yet replied to my letter, so I thought I’d just come and pay you a visit.� He handed Rita her papers, and then began wringing his hands and staring at his feet. He looked up at Rita and continued, “I do hope you’re not mad at me. You left in such a hurry, I--�

“Don’t worry about it, Gilderoy,� Rita said, flashing a genuine smile. How on earth could I stay mad at him? she thought to herself. “And thanks for bringing my papers. That was awfully thoughtful of you.�

“Not a problem!� Gilderoy replied with renewed enthusiasm. He clasped his hands behind his back and began rocking on his feet. “I wonder if you wouldn’t care to meet me in Transylvania next week. They’ve a vampire there, and, well… you know what to do.� He cocked his head to the side slightly. “Would you…?�

Rita hesitated, but, looking up at Gilderoy, she couldn’t say no. “I’d love to,� she replied.

“Great!� Gilderoy clapped his hands together. “I’ll meet you next week then. I’ll send you an owl once I reserve a place down there, give you specific time and all, and… I’ll see you shortly!�

“Sounds wonderful,� Rita said dreamily. Why was I ever even upset? she wondered. “Here, I’ll see you to the door.�

Rita led Gilderoy out of her office. Mrs. Crockford looked up and smiled gaily. “You have a lovely day, Mr. Lockhart!�

“And you as well,� Gilderoy said on his way to the door. Just at that moment, Alana burst in the front door, nearly bowling over Gilderoy.

“Oh, my dear! I’m dreadfully sorry about that!� Gilderoy exclaimed.

“Don’t worry a--� Alana said crossly, and then looked up and noticed who she had run into. “Well,� she said, smiling, “I don’t believe we’ve met before?�

Gilderoy stuck out his hand. “Gilderoy Lockhart, ma’am. And you are…�

“Alana Delaney,� she said, taking his hand in her own. “I work with Rita. She might have mentioned me before…�

“Er, no, I don’t believe she has. A pleasure meeting you, though!� Gilderoy turned around as he walked out the door. “’Bye, Rita!�

Rita waved playfully in response. As Alana walked past her, Rita whispered malevolently, “You don’t think I’d really talk about you, do you?� Alana glared at Rita with the usual contemptible stare. Rita couldn’t help but laugh.

---

Several days had passed, and Rita was up late again, working on another assignment. She glanced over at the clock mounted on the wall. It read two o’clock in the morning. Rita groaned and threw her papers aside. She couldn’t concentrate on these mundane articles when she still had not heard from Gilderoy, and was supposed to meet in two days. As if in answer to her thoughts, she heard a slight tapping at her window. Rita looked over her shoulder and saw the same beautiful, snowy owl that had visited her roughly a week earlier. She hurriedly opened the window and let the bird inside. It promptly found its place on Rita’s arm, waiting for her to remove the letter. She opened the letter and read,

“Dear Rita,
I am terribly sorry that I could not get back to you sooner. Seems that dreadful vampire is making quite a fuss, but we’ll discuss that later. I have found a place to stay--17 Hilden Place. It’s quite nice; you might want to visit a while before we get to work on your story. There’s a lovely tavern on the ground floor. Meet me there, say, four o’clock, Friday afternoon? I’ll look forward to seeing you!

Forever yours,
Gilderoy Lockhart�

Rita flushed with excitement. Quickly pulling out her quill and parchment, she set straight to work writing Gilderoy back. Despite the sudden rush of emotion at catching sight of Gilderoy’s own handwriting, Rita found it difficult to transcribe a single word of what she wanted to say. Compromising these feelings with a simple RSVP, she paused to read her letter before sending it away,

“Dear Gilderoy,
I would be delighted to see you on Friday. I can’t wait!

Love always,
Rita Skeeter�

If only Alana could see me now… Rita thought haughtily as she tied her message to Gilderoy’s owl. Climbing into bed, she glanced over at her unfinished work, and decided that it could wait until morning.

Rita was in the tavern. It was crowded so that she could barely move. She looked around for Gilderoy, but she couldn’t make out any of the faces. With the strange feeling that someone was watching her, she turned around to see the door slam open and Mrs. Crockford storm inside. “Rita!� she screamed, causing the bar to go silent, and every head to turn and face Rita, turning crimson in her shame. What had she done that called for her boss to come to Transylvania and reprimand her as such? “Rita!� she screamed again, and soon the tavern was a swirling mass of smoke, and all became black.

Rita opened her eyes to see the sunlight pouring through the half-closed blinds. She looked around in a moment of confusion, wondering where Mrs. Crockford had gone. Not until her eyes fell upon the clock on the adjacent wall did she shake herself from her drowsy bewilderment. It was nine o’clock in the morning, and Rita was already an hour late to work! She threw herself from the bed and, on her way to the bathroom, her glance fell upon the stack of papers on the bedside table, and realized with a lurch of her stomach that she had not finished her latest article, which Mrs. Crockford wanted to have that morning.

---

At the Witch Weekly headquarters, Alana and Mrs. Crockford were deep in debate. “Do you suppose she’s feeling all right?� Alana asked with mock concern.

“Oh, I hope so,� Mrs. Crockford replied nervously, not catching the smirk on Alana’s face. She was pacing the office as she often did, wringing her hands together, as though it might help to solve the problem at hand. “I don’t want to sound heartless, but she was supposed to have turned in an article this morning! We won’t have a thing for the Rumors section!�

“Rita always has been a bit, oh, unreliable, wouldn’t you agree?� Mrs. Crockford looked up at Alana questioningly. “And don’t worry about the article she forgot. I’ll come up with something,� she added hastily.

“Yes, don’t worry about that too much, dear. It isn’t really due until next week. But I would have liked to have it ready. Listen to me,� she said accusingly. “Rita could be ill, and here I am complaining about a Rumors article that isn’t really due for another four days!�

But Alana clearly wasn’t listening to Mrs. Crockford, as her mind was already spinning. Her spiteful genius was at work, thinking up some remark to take advantage of this golden opportunity. Still bitter about her disappointing meeting with Gilderoy Lockhart just days ago, she decided to ask Mrs. Crockford, “Is Rita taking another vacation this weekend?�

“I wouldn’t call it a vacation, dear. She takes her work very seriously, you know. You could do with taking a leaf out of her book.� Mrs. Crockford stared reproachfully at Alana.

Alana pretended not to notice and continued, “Do you happen to know where she’s going?�

Mrs. Crockford almost reprimanded Alana for being so inquisitive, but Alana knew Mrs. Crockford too well. If there were one thing Mrs. Crockford loved, it was a good bit of gossip, and she couldn’t help but listen when Rita so carelessly left the door open when Gilderoy came to visit. “I don’t know for sure,� Mrs. Crockford began, leaning over as if to whisper into Alana’s ear. “She hasn’t told me anything just yet, but I heard her talking to Gilderoy the other day, just there in her office, and he mentioned meeting her in Transylvania.� By the time she finished, her voice had sunk to little above a whisper, and Alana was hunched over to hear her clearly.

Alana’s eyes lit up as she pondered this for a moment, but her thoughts were interrupted as the front door crashed open and a bumbling Rita charged through the door. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Crockford,� she began before she even looked up. “I didn’t--� She halted mid-sentence at the sight of Mrs. Crockford and Alana both curiously straightening up, looks of feigned innocence across both of their faces.

“Yes?� Mrs. Crockford asked quite nicely. Rita had been a reporter too long to believe this act. She was almost certain that they had just been talking about her as she walked n the door. Then again, she was late--maybe that was all they were discussing. But knowing Alana…

Rita continued with a look of vague uncertainty. “I didn’t get much sleep last night, and I assure you it was an accident--I just woke up at nine and realized I was late.�

“No harm done, I suppose,� said Mrs. Crockford. “You do have the article, then, don’t you?�

Rita stared ahead with a look of horror on her face. “I--I’m afraid I didn’t get that done, either. I’m terribly sorry, I’ll--�

“No need to worry. Alana has volunteered to do it this time. I expect this won’t happen again?�

“No! No, I can do the article!� Rita protested.

“I think Alana can handle it, dear. You obviously need to do a little catching up. Is anything wrong, Rita?� Mrs. Crockford asked with a genuine look of concern.

“No, I’m fine,� Rita said dejectedly. She was determined never to lose another article to Alana, no matter how small. Alana would never let her forget it.

“I suppose you’re still taking off early tomorrow?� Alana asked Rita, carefully glancing at Mrs. Crockford, hoping to instigate a conflict.

“Yes, I already talked to Mrs. Crockford about that,� Rita replied warily. She continued with a bit more confidence, “I hope you can handle the office while I’m gone.�

“Oh, it shouldn’t be a problem,� she answered with a faint smile.

There was something written on Alana’s face that Rita could all but decipher. She was up to something… but didn’t she always have that look about her? She hadn’t been much of a problem in the past, had she? Couldn’t Rita handle whatever it was Alana was preparing in that devilish mind of hers? Or maybe she was simply paranoid…. It had been a long week.

---

The next morning, Rita woke up promptly at seven o’clock, and walked through the doors of the Witch Weekly at ten ‘til eight. To her great satisfaction, Alana wasn’t there yet. She walked back to her office and took out the Rumors article she had lost to Alana. She smirked, and decided to finish it, anyway, in hopes that she could beat Alana to the deadline.

But when nine o’clock had come and passed, and Alana still had not shown up, both Rita and Mrs. Crockford began to get anxious. Mrs. Crockford, being the worrier she was, remained positive that Alana had been kidnapped. Rita, however, suspected that this had something to do with yesterday, and that curious grin. Then again, Rita had been late just the day before, and it was just as she had said--she simply overslept. Maybe… but she could never be too sure.

Whatever the reason was, it left Rita in a disoriented state of mind for nearly the whole day, so she was no closer to finishing the article than she had been while waiting for a reply from Gilderoy. Alana just wasn’t the type to let Rita get the best of her so easily…

Three o’clock came, and Rita remembered her meeting with Gilderoy. Any feelings of apprehension that had been plaguing Rita slipped away and were replaced with nothing but sheer joy. It had been nearly a week since she had last seen Gilderoy. Much, much too long…

She waved goodbye to a very flustered Mrs. Crockford, who, having no help at all, decided to leave soon after Rita walked out the door. The busy streets, the hurrying pedestrians, the careless children bumping into her at every corner, she saw it all, and yet noticed none of it. All she could see was Gilderoy, smiling at her in her mind’s eye. Those with whom she shared the sidewalk, however, could not help but notice the glassy-eyed young woman, stumbling as she walked.

---

When she arrived at her home, she had worked herself into a giddy frenzy. She was feeling very much alive, all too conscious of her surroundings. She wished for nothing but to be away from here, and wherever Gilderoy was. If she had ever known what love felt like, she decided, it would have to be this.

With fumbling hands she grabbed the Floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and yelled clearly, “17 Hilden Place.� All went black, and she was lost in the darkness. She began to feel light-headed, and with an already unsettled stomach, she wasn’t sure she liked the feeling all too much.

When she emerged from the fireplace, she found herself in a room, small but quaint, fixed with all the necessities of home. It was Gilderoy’s room, but Gilderoy wasn’t there. She peered down the hall, and when she saw no sign of him to either side, she slipped back into the room. Rita decided to wait on him for a while, since it wasn’t quite four o’clock yet, and she thought with some hopefulness that Gilderoy probably had plans up until that time. He was, after all, a busy man.

By a quarter after four, she had begun to wonder, and at half past four, she wasn’t quite sure whether to be mad or worried. Alana was late this morning, also, she couldn’t keep herself from thinking. She wanted to blame everything bad that happened on Alana. It wasn’t hard. She remembered the owl Gilderoy had sent had mentioned the tavern, the same one she had so recently dreamed about. That’s probably where he is! she thought with some renewed enthusiasm.

Rita started wandering down the hall, not sure which way to turn. She asked a young man which way the tavern was, and he pointed her down the left hall. As she walked towards the bar, the clamor grew louder, and she knew that she was headed in the right direction. At the end of the hall, two doors burst forth and a round, smiling waitress emerged. With one hand holding a tray of empty glasses, she held the other open for Rita as she walked into the tavern. Rita cautiously entered the room, but when she turned around to see that the waitress had already left, the door was swinging closed. She walked further into the room.

To her surprise, it wasn’t very different from the tavern in her dream. The dark, musty room, crowded to the point of limited mobility… It was very similar, save that now the faces were harshly clear. They were leering at her, turning their heads and laughing with wide, toothless grins. The grotesque faces were much too close for her liking.

Just when she had been about to turn around and leave, she caught a glance of a head full of striking blonde hair. She twisted her head around instantly, hoping that it might be Gilderoy. Her heart rose up out of her chest as she identified him as the Gilderoy Lockhart, just the man she had come to meet. His smile was, if possible, grander than she had ever seen before. Could it be that he was as happy to see her as she was to see him? The thought filled her mind and flowed through her veins, elevating her from the grimy floor. He threw his head back and laughed, a brilliant echo of song resounding throughout the dismal room. She wondered who he was talking to. With a newfound confidence and the same feeling she had identified earlier as that of love, she crossed the crowded room and came to the table at which Gilderoy was seated. She walked up behind him, with the intention of surprising him, but before she did, something else caught her eye.

Seated across from Gilderoy was a beautiful young woman, her flaxen curls bouncing freely around her jovial face. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter, and her bright eyes sparkled magnificently in the dingy surroundings. Standing with her mouth open, still as if she had been frozen, Rita watched with horror. After a moment, the young woman looked up. “Oh, Rita! Fancy meeting you here!� Rita could not speak a word. It was Alana.

Gilderoy turned around. “Hallo there, Rita!� His eyes were glassy the way she had seen them in Armenia. “I’ve met your friend.� He pointed at Alana and broke out once more into drunken laughter. She wanted to cry, and she wanted to slap Alana. Of all the things Alana could have done, she had to take away the one thing Rita truly loved. But that was the way she played the game.

Rita smiled, noticeably forced, and turned around to leave, tears stinging her eyes. “Where are you going?� Alana asked playfully. “I thought you needed to talk with Gilderoy.�

“Oh, did she?� Gilderoy asked confusedly, turning around to look at Rita, who still had her back turned. A faint look of dawning spread over his face. “That’s right. Rita, come back!� he called to her.

Rita, with her back turned to the table of drunken fools, swelled up in her anger. She could not believe anyone could be so heartless, nor so unfaithful. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Gilderoy. If only for a moment, her anger was cleverly masked. “I waited for you for nearly an hour,� she said calmly and walked towards the table, pulling up a chair.

“Oh, did you? I’m terribly sorry,� he said, glancing at Alana even as he said it. Rita followed his stare, and looked intently at Alana, waiting.

“Yes, very sorry, Rita,� Alana said, smiling. “You should have joined us earlier.�

Gilderoy looked ready to agree, but Rita couldn’t take it anymore. Instantly, she turned into some kind of beast, lashing out in fury against Alana, Gilderoy, and anyone else who dared to challenge her. “And what makes you think you had the right to come here?� she screamed at Alana.

“Rita, please!� she said with a smirk. “I was just in the area, and--�

“You know perfectly well you were not ‘in the area!’� She stood up as she screamed, “You did this on purpose, just to spite me!� She wanted to say so many things that she could not bring herself to utter. She wanted to tell Gilderoy that she loved him, and yet she couldn’t force herself to look him in the eye. She wanted to tell Alana that she didn’t care, but it was obvious that she did. She wanted to say something that would put the two of them back into their places, but she was completely at a loss for words. How could something like this have happened?

“How very clever, Rita,� Alana said in response.

“Yes, she’s a clever girl, that one,� Gilderoy said stupidly, his smile just as brilliant and empty as ever. He looked from Rita to Alana as if nothing were wrong, and she decided it was just as much his fault.

“You!� she shouted, pointing madly at Gilderoy. “You were the one who asked me to meet you here a week ago! And I come in here to find you with her!� She gestured towards Alana, and half of the bar was now intently watching the scene she was making.

“Really, Rita, it wasn’t his fault, he--�

“Not his fault?! You don’t know the half of it! He’s nothing but a fraud! You know all those stories of his? He made them up! All of them! All those wild tales--they’re all lies! He’s nothing but a coward! And a filthy drunk, at that!�

“Rita,� Alana said reprovingly. “You’re making a spectacle of yourself.� Gilderoy continued to smile as if this were nothing but a reunion of old friends.

Rita could see that nothing she could say would penetrate the wall between them. Alana would never understand. Gilderoy could never know how much he had meant to her. Rita stood heaving for breath, glaring at the two of them, so completely unaware of any of the pain that she felt. She felt her eyes well up with tears, and she turned around to leave. She ran out of the bar, down the hall, and into Gilderoy’s room. Throwing the Floo powder into the fireplace, she could barely choke out the words “Hollyberry Manor,� and soon she was back within the comfort of her own home. She threw herself upon her bed and broke into tears. She laid there for hours, mad at the world and all it had done to her, when she had tried so hard to do everything right. She never wanted to see them again, Gilderoy or Alana. And yet with every waking moment, she saw their faces hounding her in her mind’s eye. Only with the quietness of sleep could she forget for a few moments how cruel of a place the world truly was.

---

By the time Monday morning came, Rita had all but forgotten the madness of Friday night. Her despair, however, had somewhat faded, giving room to anger. She was sure that if she ever saw Gilderoy’s face again, she would distort it to unrecognizable proportions.

Determined to pick up her crumbling career, Rita left the house a bit early that morning, so she would not be late to work. She walked in the door of the Witch Weekly, driven by anger and pride, only to be shattered once again.

“Rita! Oh, Rita, look at this article Alana has written!� Mrs. Crockford sputtered excitedly. Turning to Alana, she said, “This is front page material, darling. I am very impressed!�

Rita stood dismally beside the front desk. Of course Alana would write the perfect article, she thought to herself. Kick me while I’m down, the dirty little-- Her thoughts were soon interrupted.

“And look at this photograph! Oh, Alana, this beats our past front page articles by a mile! How did you come by this story?� Mrs. Crockford was holding up Alana’s article, and a gleaming portrait Gilderoy was smiling innocently at Rita.

“Let me see that,� Rita snapped. She seized the article from a startled Mrs. Crockford. Skimming the first few lines, her worst fears were realized.

“Lockhart Saves Transylvanian Town from Vampire… villagers crowded the streets to cheer Mr. Lockhart … ‘Where they would be without me, I don’t like to imagine,’ he replied…�

“So this is what you were doing in Transylvania,� Rita spat accusingly, throwing the article down beside her.

“Simply in the right place in the right time. I suppose you know how that is,� Alana replied with a hint of sarcasm.

“You…!� Rita screamed indignantly, lost in her anger. “You knew that was my story!�

“Oh, really, Rita, how could it have been ‘your story’?� Alana asked, looking quite exasperated. Nevertheless, Rita knew she was enjoying it.

Mrs. Crockford placed a hand on Rita’s shoulder. “Dear, don’t be upset that Alana was there to get the story and you weren’t. That’s how it is in the news world, you know that.�

“But she knew--�

“She couldn’t have known what was going to happen, just as you couldn’t have known. You heard Alana, she was just in the right place at the--�

“Of course she knew what was going to happen!� Rita screamed, her arms flung out at her sides. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Gilderoy told her to meet him there! Told her all about the vampire and everything!�

“Rita, dear, please calm down,� Mrs. Crockford said consolingly. She looked genuinely worried. “It’s not your fault, it’s not Alana’s fault, and it’s not Gilderoy’s fault. How could Gilderoy have told her what--�

“He’s a fraud! He takes credit for things other people have done! He can’t do a lick of good magic himself!� Rita yelled, looking from Mrs. Crockford to Alana in desperation. “Don’t you understand?�

“Rita, you know that isn’t true. Remember all those wonderful articles you’ve written about Mr. Lockhart? You were there! You saw him banish that banshee, and turn those werewolves back into men! I believe you’re acting quite childish. It isn’t flattering to be so jealous of Alana because she got the better story. I think,� she said, pausing for effect, “that you owe her an apology.�

Rita stood there with her mouth open, in quite a quandary. She couldn’t admit to having known Gilderoy was a fraud--that would ruin any chances she might have of regaining her status as a reporter. She obviously couldn’t defy her boss, no matter how difficult it might be to comply, if she wanted to keep her job. With a deep sigh, she turned to Alana. “I’m sorry,� she said, and turned into her office.

---

It was Tuesday morning, and the Witch Weekly was being made ready to deliver. Rita, not having written a single article for this week’s paper, was in a particularly sullen mood as she trudged to work. Copies of the paper would be floating around the workplace, parading before her eyes, all heralding the much-loathed face of Gilderoy Lockhart. For the first time, Rita honestly did not want to go to work.

Headquarters turned out to be very much like she had imagined. As the first papers were coming off the presses, Alana stood waiting to admire her work. Mrs. Crockford was nearby, sitting at her desk, busying herself with something irrelevant, as she often did.

Rita pretended not to notice the glint in Alana’s eye as she walked into her office. As hard as she was trying to pretend that it was just a normal day, she knew better than to believe it.

Sitting at her desk, Rita noticed, for the first time, the stacks of paper she had been hoarding for weeks. Had she neglected her assignments for so long? She flipped through the papers, none of which looked familiar, and realized all that she still had to do. Maybe, she thought, I can redeem myself, if I at least finish these assignments.

By the time midday rolled around, Rita had completed more assignments than she had done in weeks. She had been busy for hours, contacting people, double-checking facts, and typing up drafts. With all that had been happening, she had quite forgotten the simple pleasures of the news world. All withstanding, she was having quite an enjoyable day, locked up in her office.

Enjoyable, that is, until Alana came in, uninvited, to show her the newspaper.

She laid down a copy on Rita’s desk, and stood, still as stone, in the corner. Rita looked at her through narrowed eyes, and began to read Alana’s article, which was what she expected Alana wanted her to do. After a moment, Alana emerged and hastily flipped the pages to the Rumors section, and stood back, smiling. Rita looked up at her, confused and disgusted. “What do you want--�

“Look!� Alana screeched indignantly, pointing to the page with her neon orange fingernails.

Rita turned back to look at the page, and her eyes immediately caught sight of an announcement from the Ministry of Magic. In bold lettering, it read: “STOLEN PROPERTY FROM THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC. Experimental Time-Turners have been stolen from the Ministry of Magic less than one month ago, and have not yet been accounted for. These highly classified devices, which allow the user to travel into the future, are still in early stages of development. As they have not been properly tested, they are NOT SAFE FOR CIVILIAN USE. If you have any information as to the location of this stolen property, please contact the Ministry of Magic, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as soon as possible.�

The color drained from Rita’s face as she realized with a jolt how Gilderoy had been finding out about these events before they happened. Alana looked at Rita with grim satisfaction. Rita turned up at her with revulsion. “What is this? Do you know about Gilderoy’s secret?�

Alana’s smile suddenly faded. She looked as though she thought Rita had lost her mind. “What are you talking about?�

“The Time-Turners! They’re stolen property! Gilderoy isn’t supposed to have those! They could be dangerous!�

Alana chuckled. “Don’t try to change the subject.�

Rita was fuming. “I’m not changing the subject! Gilderoy is in danger!�

“No, he’s not,� Alana said exasperatedly. “Unless, of course, you mean his amazing defeat of that vampire! I didn’t actually see him, but he told me all about it, and--�

“Alana! This is more important than that! Gilderoy could get sent to Azkaban for this!�

Alana rolled her eyes and pretended to ignore her. She picked up the paper and held it right in front of Rita’s face. “Do you like the picture?�

Rita’s mouth was half-formed in reply when she felt her blood run cold. Covering half the page was a picture of herself – a gruesome shot from the tavern in Transylvania. “Famed Reporter Loses her Cool at Transylvanian Tavern,� read the headlines. A detailed account of her clash with Gilderoy followed, encompassing all of two pages, save for the margin that held the Ministry of Magic announcement that Rita had been so quick to notice.

“Did you write this?� Rita asked as her blood began to boil.

“Of course!� Alana said smugly. “You never did turn in that assignment for the Rumors section. We had to have something.�

Just at that moment, Mrs. Crockford walked in. “Alana? Are you in here?� she asked as she opened the door. “Oh, good! You’ve shown Rita the paper!� She was all smiles, so unaware of the growing tension. She reminded Rita sickly of Gilderoy.

“Have you read this article?� Rita asked Mrs. Crockford, snatching the paper from Alana’s hands and thrusting it towards her boss.

“Oh, yes. Best Rumors article we’ve had in years. I’m thinking of giving Alana this assignment permanently.�

“You mean you allowed her to publish something like that? About one of her coworkers?� Rita asked, shrieking in rage.

“Well, why shouldn’t I have? I figured you would enjoy the attention, seeing as you have no front page article this week.�

“Don’t you two understand anything?� she screamed at them. “This isn’t about me! This is about her stealing my article! This is about Gilderoy, giving her the story! This isn’t about me!�

Alana snickered in the corner, and Mrs. Crockford stared at Rita sternly. “I thought you were a better reporter than this, Rita. I believe the fame has gotten to your head. Just because your stories have made the front page a couple times doesn’t mean you can’t share the spotlight. I’m really ashamed of you, Rita, acting so immature about the whole thing. I thought you could give Alana some helpful advice, but you’ve been so cruel to her ever since she started.� Alana nodded her head mockingly.

Rita knew it was pointless to argue with them. They knew what they had done, but they didn’t understand. They could never comprehend this torrent of emotion that they had inflicted. It was pointless, Rita knew, and it would never get any better. Just glancing at their faces made Rita realize where she had gone wrong…

Sighing audibly, she seized the pile of papers from her desk and stormed past, nearly toppling Mrs. Crockford. Bewildered, Mrs. Crockford called to her as she headed toward the door, “Where are you going?�

“I quit!� Rita screamed, slamming the door behind her.

Rita walked with tears in her eyes down the busy London street. She suddenly became aware of all the things she had seen before and never noticed. The bustling center became a new place to her, one of fiends and devils of all sorts, waiting to tear out the heart of some poor, unsuspecting young woman like herself. A respectable young woman, with a heart of gold, who had never heard of the malicious cruelty that lay in waiting for her. But at every corner was a ravenous beast, waiting for a piece of her heart, an irreplaceable bit of her spirit. Through all the hardships she had endured, she had learned one lesson, and that was to guard to heart to every passerby, keeping it well within herself, so that she would be vulnerable no more. She was deserving of a prominent standing in this great world, and she would have it, no matter the trials she must continue to endure. But this episode would forever be kept a secret, locked away in that heart of gold, that no man might find the weakness that lay there.

A/N Thanks a bunch to my wonderful beta, DreaTonksLupin! :-D