Fake news

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 2

Cleaning out the trunk after all these years. A sign that Harry's life has a new normal, or, more accurately, a new abnormal.

This is the time of life when Harry reflects on what has been. He knows what's coming, but it's good to reflect. However, it's never a good idea to read Rita Skeeter. I hope the Daily Prophet charged her for that puff piece on her upcoming unauthorized, sensationalized biography of Albus Dumbledore.

She's dug up all the dirt. More likely she's twisted facts, embellished and generally done everything imaginable to make it fly off the shelves.

I can just see Donald Trump in a news conference with Rita Skeeter.

Rita: Mr. President, why have you failed so far to stop Voldemort?
Trump: Failing? Who says we're failing? We're making progress. Tremendous progress.
Rita: Well, you haven't caught him yet.
Trump: Where are you from? The Daily Prophet? You know, your paper never tells the truth. You'll be out of business soon and no more fake news. I mean that. You'll be out of business soon. It will be beautiful.
Rita: Then, when do you expect to catch him?
Trump: Soon. Maybe as soon as tomorrow. We have great people working on it. Harry Potter is doing a great job. A great job. But your fake newspaper would never say that. Harry and his team are superb. They really are. Just superb.

Time to move forward, Harry. Get your team together, buckle up and begin the ascent.

I'm ready for the roller coaster.

Get ready to fight

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 25

Despite the utter awkwardness of Harry and Cho's date, Cho did raise an interesting question. Where are the Dementors? And why aren't they near Harry where a Death Eater seems sure to go? Well, it's hard to imagine 10 people breaking out of Azkaban all at once without the help of Dementors. That's my theory anyway.

Harry needs a little date coaching, but who is he going to get it from? Ron? Mad-Eye? For now, Harry will go on stumbling all over himself. Is there a magical word for clueless?

Blame it all on another of Hermione's schemes. She's made Cho jealous for starters. And what kind of repercussions will there be for Harry's tell-all tabloid tale. It's true, of course, but must readers will look at it as more Rita Skeeter lies and half-truths. The Prophet - or Profit if you prefer - won't run it, so when it comes out in the Quibbler it will be a laughingstock.

Big picture, there are lots of Death Eaters on the loose, the Dementors seem to be under Voldemort's control and, yes, Voldemort really is back.

There's a war coming.

More bad press

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter 23

It's probably good for Harry that Sirius is staying in touch. Not sure what he's going to need him for, but I can only assume he will need his assistance one day.

OK, some observations on the ball.

• Hey, I got a prediction right. Hermione shows up on Krum's arm. I surmise from the descriptions that Hermione was the belle of the ball or close to it.
• Harry and Ron turned out to be nothing close to dream dates. They raised ignoring to a new level.
• Balls are always a good place for eavesdropping. What were Snape and Karkaroff talking about? I won't venture a guess here.
• Rita Skeeter, or one of her informants, must have been hiding in the bushes when Hagrid gave away his giant secret.
• Cedric seems like a good bloke after giving Harry a hint about the egg.
• Hermione had a lovely time at the ball, but in the end she sounds as if she would have rather gone with someone else. I can't imagine why.
  

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter 24

I tried to get Rita Skeeter fired, but she is obviously selling papers. Her hearsay piece on Hagrid has made everyone on Harry's side of things at Hogwarts realize that Rita can be trusted to twist the facts - or simply make them up.

I would have liked to be at The Three Broomsticks when Harry and Hermione told her off. I might have had a few things to say myself.

I do wonder what Bagman is up to, if anything. He's acting strangely, but maybe he's just strange. Maybe it's Crouch we need to keep a Mad-Eye on.

As for Hagrid, I should have known Dumbledore, great man that Dumbledore, could be found at Hagrid's house telling him the truth. I can't imagine Hagrid going against Dumbledore and not showing up for class on Monday.

And Harry's chosen to take Cedric's advice. Everyone can always do for a little pride shelving.

Staying on task

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter 19

Rita Skeeter, you have brought shame on all journalists. Yes, Harry Potter is the story for sure, but you have fabricated quotes and blown his story out of proportion and context.

You're fired.

But before you go can I have that device that writes down the quotes for you during the interview. It sure would be nice to not have to decipher my scribble or transcribe from my recorder.

Just when Harry sinks about as low as he can by becoming invisible, his circumstances begin to improve. Mad-Eye spots him under the invisibility cloak but doesn't give him away. Harry has definitely made another friend, who it turns out must also be friends with Hagrid.

Then Hagrid tips him off about the dragons, followed by his conversation with Sirius that tips him off about Karkaroff being a former death eater.

The chapter does end with a run-in with Ron. Yes, Ron started this by not believing Harry. But Harry could stand to be a little more mature and not be too proud to take the first step.

Despite his appointment with a dragon looming, things are starting to go Harry's way again.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter 20

After hours of book research, Harry learns a valuable lesson when he gets advice from Mad-Eye on how to think about conquering the dragon. The lesson is always go to somebody first who might know, then do research only if you must. Sometimes research is needed for validation, but always pick someone's brain first when possible.

So after realizing that being on a broom gives him the best chance to beat the dragon, he has a problem. Second lesson learned is ask Hermione. After hours of training on summoning charms, Harry is ready to slay his dragon.

I have to wonder if someone put a spell on the dragon action figures to make Harry draw the most difficult assignment of the Hungarian Horntail. Right now we're supposed to think that Karkaroff is an agent of Voldemort, but it's probably someone else. Karkaroff is just too obvious.

Bravo to Harry for being the fastest to the egg and the most original. He used less magic than the others, therefore he should have gotten the highest score. But Karkaroff did his best imitation of a Soviet judge during the Cold War and gave him only a four. They should throw out the lowest and highest score and average the rest. Harry would probably be in first place if they had done that.

And having incredibly partial judges is ludicrous. Some department of some kind of affairs at the Ministry ought to launch an investigation.

I am glad Harry and Ron are friends again and that Harry took a high road. It's no fun being a dragonslayer if you haven't got friends to share your triumph with.

The plot to eradicate Harry has thickened again. Somebody tell Rita Skeeter to investigate that story.