TSS: Chapter 14: Schemes Uncovered

> *Lucius leaned even further forward, locking eyes with Rita with a startling amount of intensity. “Here is my ultimatum. From now on, as far as the public is concerned, your boss is Barnabus Cuffe, editor and majority stakeholder of the Daily Prophet. But as far as reality is concerned, you work for me.”*
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— Lucius Malfoy cordially informing Rita Skeeter about her unofficial change in employer.

## Summary:

Harry has another Occlumency lesson with Grace. Benedict loses something important. Harry has another chat with Emily. Lucius invites Bartemius and Bellatrix to dinner. Ginny meets with Percy. Rita Skeeter gets an interview with Lucius Malfoy and finds out she's in deep trouble. Pansy gets the title of Two Faced Bitch.

## Plot:

**October 4th, 1992:** Harry finishes another Occlumency session with Grace. He is somewhat distraught that he isn't speeding at the same speed throughout the second level as he did in the case of the first. Grace informs him that his progression is still impressive and if he were to keep up the pace then he will be able to proceed to the third level by the end of year. She also informs him that he is at a point in his development where he can safely start looking into subskills for the second level, even though there are not many.

Benedict Cuffe returns to the Slytherin dorms planning to rest. Upon entering he notices that the wards on his trunk have been broken. He searches its contents and to his despair he realizes that the small black book that he used to communicate with his mother was missing. Panicking — due to the catastrophic consequences of somebody breaking the diaries enchantments and reading its content, he rushes out of the dorms to send a letter of warning.

In his dorm, Harry has a conversation with Emily via the diary where he reveals his progress in Occlumency. He discloses that he had taken a peak on the subskills for the second level of Occlumency, but that he has not focused on them as he has been more preoccupied with Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Hearing that, Emily expresses her willingness to answer any of Harry's future questions in regards to any of these branches of magic, or any magic for that matter. Their conversation continues with Harry asking for a rundown on the level two Occlumency subskills and Emily regaling him with her answers.

**October 5th, 1992:** At Malfoy Manor, Lucius and Narcissa have a late breakfast, with Lucius still tired due to all the proceedings pertaining to the still debated Muggle Protection Act. Their house elf Dobby delivers a package to Lucius, upon opening it and finding a book with a note on it, he decides to ask Narcissa to invite Bartemius and Bellatrix for dinner as the former's knowledge in Charms is rather impressive.

Meanwhile, at her home, Rita Skeeter is processing in fear the contents of a letter that she has just read. It's contents are damning enough that they might mark the end of her career.

**October 7th, 1992:** As was tradition to do every week since her sorting into Slytherin, Ginny meets up with Percy in the evening to receive help with her classes. They end up discussing the feelings of the family members towards Ginny's sorting. She is glad that her parents seems fine with her being in Slytherin. After discussing with Percy, she decides that she should be the one to approach the twins as they still don't know how to treat a situation that does not revolve around humor. They finish their meeting by discussing the help that Ginny has received from Charlotte Weitts and how Travers is still giving her trouble when Charlotte is not around to intervene. Afterwards, Percy departs with Ginny leaving the classroom some time later. She is ambushed on the hallway by Milicent Bulstrode but she is able to drive the older girl away by using a spell that causes bats to fly out of her attacker's nose. Ginny is then startled by the arrival of Charlotte who asks after her well-being. The two talk, Charlotte finally properly introduces herself and then invites Ginny to study in the library with her and Laine Slater.

In her Office at the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter receives a message from the editor of the paper. It informs her that he had managed to get her an interview the upcoming Sunday night at Summer Isles with a Conservative representative to discuss the Muggle Protection Art. Her mind tells her that its going to be a dull meeting, but her instincts make her believe that the complete opposite is going to happen.

After studying for some time in the library, Ginny, Charlotte and Laine leave for the Slytherin Common Room. There Charlotte leads them to Harry's group and a conversation ensues where she tries to determine Millicent Bulstrode's position in the House. She finds out that at the moment she is in a neutral among the second-years alongside Lillian Moon. Her pondering on the nature of Bulstrode's earlier attack is broken by the arrival of Malfoy and his group. A verbal confrontation ensues between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter when Draco finds out that Pansy has jumped ship and joined Harry's group. Eventually, Draco is intimidated and decides to leave.

**October 11th, 1992:** Rita Skeeter arrives in the evening at Summer Isles in Diagon Alley to have dinner and discuss with the representative sent by the Conservatives. To her surprise, the representative from the Conservatives is none other then Lucius Malfoy. The two discuss over dinner the Conservatives grievances in relation to the Muggle Protection Act, grievances that have nothing to do with the muggles in themselves, but more with the exaggerated power granted to the enforces of the act. After dinner, Lucius reveals his long term plan — the one for which he employed Mundungus Fletcher and later Daniel Shafiq to steal some of her hair — effectively showing Rita how he had successfully framed her for the murder of John Doe. He then confides that he also has the diary that was stolen from Benedict Cuffe, diary that confirms that he is in fact her bastard son conceived with the then married editor of the Daily Prophet, Barnabus Cuffe. Rita is forced to confess about how Benedict came to be and how she ended up poisoning Barnabus' wife in order to hide the affair. In the aftermath, Lucius leave with the understanding that from now on Rita works for him.