Chapter 536: Bagman and Krum

In addition to the latest Daily Prophet article, Sirius carried a thick stack of letters, which he explained were from Dumbledore.

"These are from former students," Sirius said, placing the stack on a nearby table. "Dumbledore asked me to bring them over. He's got loads more, but he hasn't had time to go through them all yet."

Rita Skeeter's article had clearly made an impact. Many alumni had written to express their belief that Dumbledore would never expel Hagrid.

Between the letters and the article, Hagrid's confidence seemed to be returning.

"Thank you... thank you all," he said, patting Sirius on the shoulder with enough force to make the man wince. "I'd better head back. The first Care of Magical Creatures lesson this afternoon is for fourth years, and I haven't prepared anything yet."

"Aren't you staying for lunch?" Kyle asked.

"No, there's no time..." Hagrid said as he strode purposefully out of the foyer.

Sirius rubbed his shoulder, muttering under his breath, "Hagrid really ought to realize how strong he is..."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"No, I'll live," Sirius replied with a dismissive wave. "I'm not that fragile."

He turned to Kyle with a curious look. "How's the second task coming along?"

"Well enough," Kyle said with a shrug.

"That's good to hear," Sirius said, clapping Kyle on the shoulder. "I know you'll do great—especially against Durmstrang. I'd love to see Karkaroff's face when you win."

With a grin, Sirius left the foyer as well, leaving Kyle and Kanna to make their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

...

"I still can't believe Rita Skeeter actually spoke up for Hagrid," Kanna said as they settled into their seats. "You were right about everything."

Kyle said, spooning stew into his bowl. "I told you, Rita Skeeter is a smart woman. She knew exactly what we wanted her to do."

"So," Kanna asked, tilting her head, "are you going to send the photo to the Ministry of Magic now?"

Kyle looked up in surprise. "Why would I do that?"

"Well," Kanna said, blinking innocently, "you didn't exactly promise her anything, did you? If I remember correctly, all you said was that you'd only publish the photo if you were in a good mood. You never said you'd keep quiet."

"True..." Kyle admitted thoughtfully, swirling his spoon in his stew. "But after thinking about it, I've decided it's better to hold onto the photo for now. After all, I'm a Champion representing Hogwarts. It wouldn't look good if I did something so... underhanded, right?"

Kanna raised an eyebrow skeptically.

If this conversation had happened three or four years ago, she might have believed him. But now? Not a chance. She didn't believe a word of it.

"What are you up to again?" Kanna asked, her tone tinged with suspicion.

"Nothing, I promise," Kyle replied quickly, then added with a sheepish grin, "At least... not yet."

"So, in the future, it's not off the table?" Kanna retorted, raising an eyebrow. For some reason, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Rita Skeeter.

Kyle wasn't known for leaving loose ends. The last person he had focused on this intently was Peter Pettigrew, the Animagus rat who had played a key role in exonerating Sirius. If it hadn't been for Pettigrew, Sirius might never have been able to return.

"But that reminds me," Kyle said suddenly, tapping his forehead as an idea struck him. He pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and transfigured it into an envelope.

On the envelope, he neatly wrote Rita Skeeter's name, then slipped ten Galleons inside.

He whistled, and a small owl, Ratton, swooped in from the window above.

"Can you deliver this to the newspaper for me?" Kyle asked.

Ratton gave a quick nod, snatched the envelope in its beak, and flew off through the same window.

Kanna watched the entire exchange with a puzzled expression. "Why are you giving Rita Skeeter ten Galleons?"

"It's payment for this time, of course," Kyle explained matter-of-factly. "The photo was just one part of it. Offering her a little bonus helps build a good relationship. If she feels valued, she's more likely to prioritize writing what I want in the future."

"And it's just ten Galleons. That's not much."

"You're planning to ask her to write for The Daily Prophet again?" Kanna asked incredulously.

"What else?" Kyle replied, taking a bite of Yorkshire pudding. "Her articles have a wide audience. If she's not useful for that, what else is she good for?"

Kanna was momentarily speechless. Kyle had just insisted he didn't have any plans, but now he was clearly preparing for something.

"It doesn't conflict," Kyle said, noticing her expression. "Think of it as being ready for anything. You never know when a resource might come in handy."

...

Mid-January brought the first Hogsmeade weekend of the new term, a much-anticipated event for the students of Hogwarts.

While Fred and George made their usual beeline for Zonko's Joke Shop, Kyle opted for a different destination: Dervish & Banges. He wanted to see if the shop had stocked any intriguing new magical items.

Unfortunately, the owner hadn't restocked with anything particularly exciting. After browsing for some time, Kyle left with only a bag of exploding beans. Though their effect was somewhat underwhelming, he figured they might still be useful for a harmless prank or two.

Kyle soon crossed paths with Cedric, who suggested they head to The Three Broomsticks for a drink.

The pub was bustling with activity as always. At the bar, Hagrid was sitting with Sirius, who looked like he'd been there for quite some time. The cluster of empty bottles in front of them was a clear indicator of how their afternoon had gone.

Hagrid was in the middle of what seemed to be an animated story, his large hands gesturing wildly, while Sirius, visibly tipsy, swayed slightly, looking like he might pass out at any moment.

"Oh, why is he here too?" Fred's voice broke through the din as he pointed at the large mirror behind the bar.

Kyle followed Fred's gaze and saw the reflection of Ludo Bagman. Bagman appeared to be whispering something to a group of intimidating goblins seated across from him. The goblins sat stiffly, arms crossed, their expressions stern and unyielding.

"There's no Triwizard Tournament going on right now," Fred muttered, "so why's he here? He's not a referee anymore."

"What do you think they're talking about?" George asked.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good for him," Fred replied, narrowing his eyes. "That goblin looks like he's about to explode."

"Should we go ask him for Dad's Galleons back?" George's tone turned sharp, his irritation evident. "That liar... If he won't even pay Dad, there's no way he'd pay us if we'd bet anything."

Kyle said nothing, watching the scene unfold.

The door to the pub swung open again, letting in a gust of cold air and a trio of familiar faces: Harry, Hermione, and Ron. They shook snow off their cloaks as they entered and began scanning the room for a spot to sit.

Moments later, the Durmstrang Champion, Viktor Krum, walked in. His arrival drew attention from several patrons, including Ludo Bagman.

Bagman abruptly excused himself from the goblins and hurried over to intercept Krum. His face lit up with what seemed like relief.

"Oh, Viktor!" Bagman called out, his voice overly enthusiastic. "I'm so glad to see you here. I wonder if I could have a few words with you—alone. Don't worry, it won't take long."

Krum, looking slightly startled, didn't have a chance to respond before Bagman grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the far side of the bar.

The goblins watched Bagman intently, their sharp eyes tracking his every movement. Their wariness suggested they weren't going to let him out of their sight.