Though they'd had a bit of a tense start to the night, the residents of the Granger home slept well. Both teens were able to join her parents for breakfast before the latter two had to head off to work, their first day back after their two and a half weeks of vacation time.
Because he was eating and she was down early, Harry relieved Hedwig of her load of the Daily Prophet and immediately handed it over to Hermione.
"You can have it first," he said, when she looked confused. "I'm still eating and you're better at reading while eating, than I am."
"Alright Harry, thank you," she replied, accepting it.
It appeared she had only started to read for a few seconds before she said, "You made the front page, again."
"Oh?" he asked.
"Give me a sec," she replied, clearly reading.
A few moments later she said, "It covers: You didn't show up at Hogwarts, me neither; you claim you'll be late due to the need to attend family business matters; but, you've still asked for access to the Lords' Quarters; so, you will eventually get there. Then Skeeter gives her 'opinion couched as questions' where she asks just how many special privileges you're going to demand before you're satisfied.
Harry snorted in amusement and said, "She's still miffed about Ted going in there and slapping her and Cuffe down for her articles that denigrated me. And me doing it directly right before the first task."
"It's still rude," Hermione practically growled.
Harry shrugged and said, "If I sic Ted on her and the Prophet management for every article they write about me, then she'll be able to claim we were picking on them.
"Let her have her little victories, like this. It's not as if anyone who's worth knowing won't know both the truth and how petty she's being. She's just more and more showing herself to be someone not worth paying attention to."
Hermione seemed to think about that for a few moments before she looked at him in pride. "That's actually quite wise, Harry. I'm liking this new Harry a lot better than the old one, now I'm getting used to him."
Harry smiled back and returned to his breakfast. However, it was only a couple of minutes later when she said, "Yet another article about you."
"What's it about, this time?" he asked.
"Actually, it's about the Alliance in general," she replied. "It states the Alliance held a secret meeting at Longbottom Hall, where they were 'obviously' going over plans that may or may not include taking over the Ministry." She gave a snort of amusement and said, "They mention that two of the direct members are Madam Bones and Miles Ogden; the Director of the DMLE and the Chief Warlock, respectively. And wonder if they're... you... are planning to see your choice of Minister elected."
"Okay, wow!" he said. "What's the name of the idiot who's trying to get him- or herself called out?"
She quickly scanned the article and replied, "A... Kate Erister?"
Harry frowned and thought about it for a moment before he said, "That's not a wizarding name. And 'Erister' is not a muggle name I can think of either. It must be a nom de plume."
Hermione frowned as she stared at the page for a long few moment before she suddenly smiled. "It's an anagram for Rita Skeeter."
Harry gave a snort and said, "We'll take note of it and, if she gets too comfortable using it, we'll hand the lot over to Ted and tell him to go to town on her and the Prophet.
Hermione gave a nod and continued through the paper as the aurors brought up the rest of Harry's mail.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
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As her parents' cars disappeared down the street; Hermione, who had watched them from the parlour window, walked into the dinette and asked, "Could we go to Pottermore today?"
Surprised at the question, Harry replied, "Sure! If that's what you want to do. I've not asked Willy to sort the books in the library out, though."
She shook her head in the negative and said, "No; though it'd be nice if you did ask him to do that. Since we've been here we've hardly cast any magic. And we've definitely not cast anything too powerful.
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