A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts
Chapter 626: Infiltration - (2)

The next morning, Rita Skeeter confidently knocked on the door of the Minister for Magic's office. Two women sized each other up across the desk.

"Please have a seat, Skeeter," Minister Bones said, adjusting her monocle and lifting her head from a stack of thick files.

"Hello, Minister Bones," Rita Skeeter said, wearing a beaming smile. Minister Bones scrutinized her, and after a moment, her gaze shifted away from Skeeter's explosive curls. She coldly remarked, "Someone recommended you, claiming you have some influence in the Muggle press."

"Not just 'some,' Minister," Skeeter replied, her emerald-green nails delving into her crocodile-skin handbag to retrieve a press pass. "I am a correspondent for The Daily Prophet, with a distinguished status. I have my own office there, though I can't make it there more than once a month. However," she paused, "that office is reserved for me."

Minister Bones gave a slight snort. "Considering your past legal troubles, I have reason to worry that your actions might adversely affect the Secrecy Act."

"Oh," Rita Skeeter hesitated, her long nails playing with the zipper of her crocodile-skin bag. She said disdainfully, "There's no evidence to suggest—"

"It hasn't been discovered yet," Minister Bones corrected.

"The Ministry's most crucial responsibility is to conceal all aspects of magic, and now there's someone openly appearing in Muggle society, surrounded by a group of colleagues with keen senses and expertise in finding shadows—yes, I've heard about The Daily Prophet, you seem to have found your niche."

Skeeter opened her mouth. "Not to mention," Minister Bones didn't give her a chance to interject, continuing, "this person has a light legal conscience, a long list of criminal records, which just means no one has bothered to investigate further. Otherwise, I believe many would like to see her in trouble."

"Now, tell me, Skeeter," Minister Bones stared at her face and asked calmly, "will such a person suddenly become law-abiding in the Muggle society?"

Rita Skeeter's expression stiffened. She took a few deep breaths, trembling, and said, "I thought you called me here today because—"

"The Ministry needs your help?" Minister Bones asked coldly.

"No, of course not," Skeeter flashed a pleasing smile, "I just heard there's an opportunity to earn some extra money. If I can serve the Ministry, I," she gritted her teeth, "won't ask for a single Galleon."

"The Ministry doesn't lack your compensation," Minister Bones said, pushing over a confidentiality agreement.

Rita Skeeter frowned, her glasses sliding down, and she lowered her head to repeatedly read the terms. Behind the bejeweled glasses, her eyes widened little by little. She suddenly looked up, met Minister Bones' serious and steady face, and said in disbelief, "You want me to stay in the Muggle society for a whole year?"

"On weekends, you can come back," Minister Bones said calmly.

The refusal that was about to be spoken stopped at the lips. Skeeter bit her nails, thought for a while, and then said through gritted teeth, "When the matter can be made public, I want to publish this experience, and you cannot stop me for any reason."

"I agree," Minister Bones nodded.

So Skeeter signed her name on the confidentiality agreement, and her expression softened. Anyway, it seemed like she had pre-ordered a bestselling book. She stood up and walked to the door, looking at Minister Bones.

"Forgot to ask, what do I need to do?" Skeeter said.

Minister Bones, with a stern face, said, "No need to use magic; your identity is the best source of information. What you should be most concerned about is how not to be discovered as a wizard in the coming year."

"Don't worry," Skeeter's smile jumped slightly, making her expression full of provocation. "Did Mr. Harp also sign a confidentiality agreement?"

"This matter was initiated by him, and he recommended you," Minister Bones raised an eyebrow. "So you can understand that, on the one hand, he trusts you a lot, although I don't know where that trust comes from. On the other hand... he doesn't want 'any' mistakes to happen."

Rita Skeeter glared at her in annoyance and turned to leave.

"No need for your reminder."

In the office, Minister Bones rubbed her forehead. She somewhat understood why Fudge desperately wanted to distance himself from Dumbledore. As the Minister for Magic, she actually had to rely on the reputation of Hogwarts professors to warn Rita Skeeter. A wizarding figure like 'Felix Harp' might not be as famous outside of Britain.

A knock on the door echoed from outside.

Kingsley Shacklebolt entered, handing Minister Bones a document.

"Minister, Carlotta Pinkstone will be released next week," he said in a low voice.

The Minister felt her headache intensify. "That troublemaker?" Undoubtedly, this was a woman more troublesome than Rita Skeeter. After careful thought, she said, "Assign an Auror to keep an eye on her."

"Secret surveillance, or—" Kingsley hesitated.

"Of course, openly follow her," Minister Bones gritted her teeth. "Let her know the Ministry's stance; otherwise, she might end up back in Azkaban within a few days of her release."

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