Chapter 38: Troll: "I've Been Framed!"

Chapter 38: Troll: "I've Been Framed!"

Rita Skeeter was a gaudy woman.

Her hair was set in elaborate, stiff curls that clashed horribly with her large face. Jewel-encrusted spectacles perched heavily on her nose. Her thick fingers sported two-inch-long nails, painted a garish crimson.

"It's simply thrilling to meet you, Harry! I'm the star reporter for the Daily Prophet, you know. Entertainment and Celebrity Gossip section, primarily."

Rita rubbed her hands together eagerly, a gesture that reminded Leon unpleasantly of a fly.

"May I see the scar?" Without waiting for an answer, she lunged forward and pushed Harry's fringe aside. "Oh, goodness me, it really is lightning-shaped... How extraordinary."

Leon pulled Harry back, his gaze cold. "I didn't pay you to state the obvious."

"Of course... of course..." Rita retracted her hand awkwardly. "Then you, sir, must be Mr. Shelby? Thank you so much for your family's generous remuneration. Please, do pass on my gratitude to the head of your family, I..."

"I am the head of the Shelby family," Leon cut her off, clearly having no patience for pleasantries. "Let's get started. I don't intend to miss lunch."

Rita blinked, clearly taken aback. The way she looked at Leon changed instantly. But under his impatient gaze, she quickly adopted a professional air.

She pulled a long, acid-green quill and a roll of parchment from her crocodile-skin handbag. She stood the quill upright on the parchment, where it balanced perfectly on its tip, quivering slightly.

Clearing her throat, Rita began to speak, and the quill instantly sprang to life, scribbling furiously across the parchment.

"On a pleasant autumn afternoon, I met the legendary boy—Harry Potter."

"The ugly scar marring his otherwise handsome face did little to dim the sparkle in his eyes..."

Harry glanced uncomfortably at Leon and touched his forehead. Leon sighed and interrupted Rita again.

"I hired you for an interview. Save the embellishments for later."

Rita looked distinctly annoyed at being cut off, but the Shelby family's payment had been substantial, so she swallowed her irritation. Taking a deep breath, she began the interview properly.

"Very well. Let's get straight to it. Tell me, Mr. Potter, how did you manage to defeat a fully grown mountain troll just weeks after starting at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked utterly bewildered and tentatively raised his hand. "Ms. Skeeter, it was Mr. Shelby who defeated the troll, I didn't..."

"Yes, Harry, you did," Leon said firmly, pushing his hand down. He turned back to Rita. "Continue."

"..." Rita looked confused.

"..." Harry looked even more confused.

But Rita was a seasoned gossip columnist. She quickly recovered. "Could you tell me how you encountered the troll? Hogwarts is supposed to be perfectly safe, after all."

"I'm not sure where the troll came from," Harry answered honestly. "The professors told everyone to go back to their dormitories, but I remembered Mr. Shelby might be in danger, so I ran upstairs, calling his name..."

Leon picked up the narrative smoothly. "Yes, the situation was dire. The troll had me cornered. Just as I was beginning to despair, I heard Harry calling my name." He paused, his expression perfectly sincere. "I swear, that sound was sweeter than any siren's song."

Harry: "..."

"Ah! Risking your own life for a friend in peril? If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Potter, you must be a Gryffindor! And how exactly did you defeat the beast?" Rita asked, her eyes narrowed shrewdly.

Harry began, "Well, I am a Gryffindor. But when I got there, the troll was already..."

"It was the Disarming Charm, followed by an advanced Levitation Charm," Leon interrupted smoothly. "When Potter arrived, the troll was raising its club to strike me down. But Potter acted instantly, disarming the beast."

He recounted the tale with dramatic flair. "The troll's weapon flew high into the air. Then, quick as a flash, Harry used a Levitation Charm to seize control of the club and bring it crashing down precisely on the troll's head. Knocked it out cold."

Harry: "..."

Rita Skeeter said nothing, just looked thoughtfully from Leon to Harry and back again. She gave a small, knowing chuckle before pressing for more details.

Although Harry stuck to the facts, Leon was there to embellish at every turn.

And so, the final version of the story emerged:

The Saviour, Harry Potter, beloved by professors and demonstrating extraordinary magical talent from his first days at Hogwarts, had bravely faced down a terrifying mountain troll to save a fellow student who had stumbled into danger.

"I believe I have all the key details," Rita said, tucking her quill and parchment back into her handbag, beaming at Leon.

Leon nodded. "And the photographs? You got full-length shots? Including Harry's clothes?"

"You mean the black suit?" Rita glanced at the photos. "Yes, all included. The cap and shoes as well, just as you requested."

When the interview began, she had been far more interested in Harry, barely paying Leon any mind. But now, even a fool could see who was pulling the strings. Compared to The Boy Who Lived, Rita decided, this Mr. Shelby was a far more intriguing story.

A mysterious, extraordinarily wealthy family... a head of house who was only eleven years old... capable of single-handedly defeating a troll at that age...

"Mr. Shelby," Rita gushed, "if you would permit it, I would love to do an interview with you!"

"I guarantee it would be the front-page feature for the Entertainment section! It would be sensational! You'd receive hundreds, thousands of letters! You'd be a star!"

Leon couldn't be bothered. He took Harry by the arm and turned to leave. "Not interested. As agreed, the remainder of your fee will be paid upon publication."

"Wait! Mr. Shelby, you..." Rita's pleas were useless. She could only watch as Leon and Harry walked out the door.

The moment they were outside, Harry burst out with questions, demanding to know what that was all about.

Leon didn't answer immediately. After a long pause, he spoke, his voice low and serious.

"Harry, there will be many troubles ahead. The Peaky Blinders need influence, we need prestige. When we speak, people must listen, without question."

"The Peaky Blinders," he said, looking directly at Harry, "need a hero. A shining symbol."

"And you, The Boy Who Lived, are the only one suitable for the role."