Cassie Potter - Lady Gryffindor

Chapter thirty three

Chapter Thirty Three

The days had passed at Potter Manor, during which they had held meetings with the young people living in the house. Harry had come to Cassie after Christmas and explained that he felt his friends had a right to know what was going on in their lives. Sirius, Regulus and Cassie sat down with the children the day after Harry had come to her and explained the situation with Voldemort, his horcruxes and that the final battle would be happening soon. They explained their dispute with Dumbledore and their current plans to expose him. Cassie had being going on about trying to find a way to inform the public of truth behind his lies without doing it themselves when Hermione said she had an idea. Hermione had taken off towards her bedroom and came back through holding a glass jar with what looked like a beetle inside. Cassie looked around the room and was pleased to see she wasn't the only one sporting a look of confusion.

"This is Rita Skeeter." Was all Hermione said, no further explanation appeared to be coming from the bushy haired female.

"Sorry, did you say that the beetle in that jar is Rita Skeeter?!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Yes. I found out how she has been writing all her silly little articles about Harry and Cassie. She is an unregistered animagus." Hermione explained although not enough.

"Alright, that doesn't explain why she is in a jar Hermione?" Regulus asked.

Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet. Cassie decided to put the girl out of her misery.

"Okay so Hermione has a journalist in a jar. That is another matter that we can totally deal with but I am assuming the idea you have Hermione is that you intend to blackmail Rita with knowledge that she is unregistered and get her to do what we want?" she asked. Hermione nodded her head in agreement.

"How positively Slytherin of you." Regulus drawled.

"Well let's get to blackmailing then. Lets head to Grimmauld and then we can speak to her there, she won't actually be able to see this place." Sirius spoke ushering Hermione, Harry and Cassie through the fireplace.

They arrived at Grimmauld place and Hermione opened the jar to let Rita out, whilst Sirius cast the spell to return her to her human form. In front of them stood a very sour looking blonde haired witch whose lips were pursed angrily staring at the younger witch in front of her. Cassie moved in front of Hermione in a protective stance.

"Rita, it's been a while." She said.

"Hmm yes. Cassie Potter. You sold me a lot of articles a few years back." She spoke.

"Yes well we have a proposition for you. We have a lot of dirt on Albus Dumbledore that we would like to get out to the public and we think you are the woman to do this for us." Cassie replied.

"What makes you think I intend to do such a thing? You keep me in a jar and think I am going to do your bidding?" She exclaimed.

"Ah well I see we've hit that little snag, only you have a secret you really don't want to get out isn't that right Rita? You know being unregistered and all. So you will do what we ask and we won't inform the ministry that you are an unregistered animagus? How does that sound?" Cassie asked her tone turning cold.

Rita had the good sense to shift uncomfortably under the brown haired witches cold gaze. She seemed to be thinking it through before asking another question.

"Alright show me the dirt you have on the old man before I decide if this is worth me remaining unregistered?" She said arching her eyebrow.

Cassie pulled a large stack of files from her bag and handed the first one over the Rita. Rita scanned through it, her face forming all the surprise and desire Cassie expected to see. Rita wasn't stupid, she knew what was inside these files would have the papers flying of the shelves.

"I assume the rest of that stack holds much the same scandal?" She asked. Cassie nodded.

"Right then, I'll do it but I want to do a few teaser articles and then launch it as a major expose novel."

Cassie and Sirius shared a look before agreeing the woman's deal. Sirius ushered Hermione and Cassie back through the floo before turning towards the blonde journalist in front of him.

"You turn against us Rita, you hurt a hair on any of my families head's and that includes Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Fred and George Weasley and Ginny Weasley and I promise you that you will find out exactly what the Black madness entails. I will obliterate you and leave the parts of you across the globe to never be found again. Stick to your word." He said, stepping closer to her with each venomous word he spoke. His grey eyes darkened and he towered over the witch. She nodded her head before turning to leave through the front door.

Sirius returned to the manor, comfortable in the knowledge that his family would be safe. When he got back, he pulled Cassie into a hug and held her there. He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter. Cassie sank into him, breathing in his musky aftershave and holding him back just as tightly. She loved him so much and he was everything to her. They stood in the kitchen like that for a while.