Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I pretend to own the characters and story elements J.K Rowling was kind enough to share with us. This story is meant to honor and explore the world she created through the eyes of one of her more lovable but easily looked over characters: Rita Skeeter.

Hogwarts didn't know what it was in for sending out this particular letter. Though if you asked the letter this it would have told you that it never makes mistakes and that was all it would say.

But the letter was out and she was going.

It was a week before the term started and the family was out to do the necessary school shopping. Mother and father wanted to start off in the robe shop. The family wasn't rich and they knew the second hand robes were going to go fast, but the little girl with the loose flowing hair wanted to go to the bookstore. Besides, she rather thought she was too good for second hand robes. And that was al there was to it.

And the robe shop was where the family was going.

However the little girl was marching up to Florish and Blotts. She pushed open the door with an authoritative air. It was her first time in the bookstore, and her little heart was pounding away in her chest. This was an epic day for her. A day she wanted to remember. Her cloud of blande hair kept falling into her face and she kept wiping at it. Her mother was instantly at her side trying to smooth it down.

The little girl swatted at her mother's hands, “Oh mother do leave it.” the little girl said. Her mother was forever fussing over her. The little dresses and the socks and the pink and the white. It was enough to drive any eleven year old crazy. The mother stepped back, a hurt look on her face, but the child had been willful since birth and one would think she was used to it by now.

She wandered through the stores, her eyes drinking in the sheer number of the books it could hold. She had never seen so many all in one place, and her little bedroom by the shore held as many books as she had been able to get her hands on. Up one aisle and down the other, her little hand ran over the spines of the books, she read ever title, memorized every author. It was like being in heaven. “One day my book will be here,” she said to herself. It had been her mantra since the day she picked up her first quill.

“Want to be a writer dear?” a pleasant voice asked. The girl turned around and looked at the woman.

“I will be a writer,” she declared. The forcefulness of her statement made the woman stagger back a little bit. It wasn't everyday a child walked in a book store and said they wanted to be a writer, let alone one so young. The woman was of the opinion that the written word was dead. She nodded toward the little girl and went about the busy of helping another customer. Her parents were off getting her the necessities of a new student heading off to Hogwarts, but the child could have cared less. This trip to Diagon Ally had been all about Florish and Blotts if you asked her. She had 5 galleons in her pocket, and she was itching to buy a new book, and she just wasn't finding anything that tickled her fancy.

Her face was screwing up for a tantrum. This wasn't going right, nope not at all. A camera flashed in her face and she almost fell over. “Hey what's wrong with your face,” a tiny voice asked and the little girl monetarily forgot the massive tantrum she was building up to and looked down at the little boy talking to her. The huge camera he was carrying his making up the bulk of his frame, and that was saying something. She really wondered how old he was.

“What's wrong with your height?” she shot back and the boy smiled, which caused the little girl to smile.

He reached out his small hand for her to shake. “People call me Hiccup.” he said.

The little girl grabbed his hand and gave it a nice little pump, “Margarita Skeeter. Writer extraordinaire.” she told him.

Chapter Guide

Chapter One- Terrible Tantrum
Chapter Two- Bye Bye Parents
Chapter Three- Cho Cho to Hogwarts
Chapter Four- The sorting that started it all
Chapter Five- The Black Storm
Chapter Six- Breakfast of Champions
Chapter Seven- One is the Loneliest Number
Chapter Eight- Mosquito Street's Dilemma
Chapter Nine- Be The Snake
Chapter Ten- Rita's Got a Brand New Bag

Thank you for sharing your unique perspective on Rita Skeeter! I do agree that she is one of the more overlooked characters when it comes to Fan Fiction and I am so pleased to see you writing about her!

Please edit your first post with a chapter index when you post a new chapter

I am looking forward to reading more!

Ohhh I love it, is that boy her future camara man? Cant wait to read more.

PAMSies

~Sarah

This is brilliant! I love it... Rita is awesome

EEEEE! This is so good! PAMS!
I can't wait until you post again
~ Hannah

Rita and Hiccup as far as friends went were two peas in a pod. If the pod had room for the willowy blonde and the tiny Hiccup. And well if Rita were the bigger pod and Hiccup was content to tag along to Rita's schemes. Rita's schemes they were a plenty and a lot of the time Hiccup was left holding the bag. Not because Rita wanted him to take the fall, well that is what Hiccup's brother kept telling him, but because Hiccup just wasn't fast enough to get away. You couldn't tell Hiccup he wasn't fast enough. He wouldn't stand for that sort of talk. He was the tallest boy around and he had the best camera that he bought all by himself; he will have you know. Really he made sure I wrote that. Hiccup didn't like any bad talk about Rita, and he alienated the other children in the neighborhood standing up for Rita.

So the pair of newly molded best friends played together, laughed together, and spied on Rita's neighbors together. That was Rita's favorite pastime. And Hiccup was getting better at hopping over the fence when they got caught than he was a week ago.

And the fence was a nicer fence for it as far as fences went. The gate didn't even squeak anymore. Perhaps on Thursdays it gave a happy little squeak because the fence across the road was painted a nice sky blue and that was its favorite color.

It was the night before the start of term and Rita was in the throes of a major tantrum. This was a tantrum to end all tantrums. In fact Rita's great-great nephew will amuse his children about this tantrum over Christmas dinner the year he will announce his campaign for Minister of Magic. It will be a great night for all in attendance.

Back to the tantrum, “I'm not going,” the blond whirlwind shouted at the top of her lungs; smashing one of the dolls her Great Aunt had owled to her last year.

Her mother was in tears and tearing at the handkerchief in her shaky hands. Her father was towering before her with a scowl on his face, “You are not taking it.” he shouted back.

Rita smashed another doll and jumped on her bed. “Poor Mrs. Skeeter cries her eyes out in the corner of the bedroom of her only child.” She jumped up and down angrily. Her bed was going to have a huge headache in the morning.

“No,” he father said with every jump of his upset daughter. He was pleading with her now and she noted the change in his demeanor. She was breaking him down.

“The evil King Skeeter glowered at his beautiful daughter. Denying her the request of her heart.” She said with each jump. She jumped and jumped. “Where was her valiant wizard to break the spell of the evil king?” She jumped again and a again.

Her father's shoulders slumped and he gave in. “Alright Rita. Stop jumping.” He held out her journal. A simple book was the cause of the joyous dinner the family was having. It wasn't the books fault, all it did was lay open and fluff its pages to primp every now and then. It was a beautiful book. Given to her by her aunt. Whom the entire family was convinced was crazy. But Rita loved it. It wasn't a typical little girl's journal. It was a thick volume, wrapped with the softest black leather inscribed with Rita's name. The letters were magicked to rearranged themselves. Sometimes they were nice and gave Rita funny jokes, sometimes they were sick and begged for a nice polishing, other times they were....You get the picture.

Rita had left it outside by accident when her and Hiccup ran down to the lake to play on the swing. Rita's mother found it and was upset by its contents. Rita had a very active imagination.

She climbed off her bed with a triumphant smile on her face. She grabbed her book and hugged it to her chest. Well done, danced across the front of her journal. She looked at her mother and father, they looked at her. “Well gosh I'm sleepy. Have a big big day tomorrow.” she announced waiting for them to vacate her room so she could get some sleep. Throwing tantrums was a young girl's game and it was getting harder and harder to work up that ear splitting scream.

She climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over her head, and if her parents didn't get that message there was no hope for them in Rita's mind.

Ahaha, this is so good! I especially liked this:

Great job! I hope to see more soon!

Jupiter Hollow was nestled between the rolling hills of the English countryside somewhere between Manchester and London. It is one of the last all wizarding towns in the United Kingdom. Jupiter Hollow was a simple little town as far as towns went. There was a main street lined with all the essential stores a simple wizard could need. An apothecary, a general store, a cauldron repair shop, those sorts of things. Clusters of neat, little homes were dotted around Jupiter Hollow. They were brightly colored and well kept. The people took pride in their homes and it showed.

The air around the sleep village was quiet and the gnomes were up early and burrowing happily away in the morning air. Gnomes like burrowing in the morning. The worms were out and wiggling away and that was the best time for the gnomes to play.

It was a very subdued morning in the Skeeter house and everyone, especially the furniture were grateful for it.

Rita's breakfast of sliced apples, dusted with cinnamon and toast was just what the healer ordered. She sat at the table, her little legs swinging rapidly under the table writing in her journal. It was a rub to her father, but he wasn't going to say anything about it. She was behaving and that's all he could ask for at this point.

Rita was bursting with excitement. She was finally going to Hogwarts and she already had a sidekick. How fantastic was that? And Hiccup was proving to be a very efficient gopher. Though she was going to have to work on his level of deviance.

“We better hurry if we want to be on time.” her mother announced laying down her copy of Witch Weekly and draining the last of her coffee with honey. It was a disgusting concoction of unholy ingredients if you asked Rita which you didn't have to. She would tell you even if you didn't ask. And that was what she was writing in her journal even as I am writing her story.

Rita hopped of her chair and skipped into her room to retrieve her trunk and her bag. Her mother got up to clean up the kitchen before the family was off.

Hiccup came barreling into the kitchen. He was out of breath and his tiny chest was rising and falling. This was the most exciting day of his little young life and he was not going to miss it. Even if he had a whole piece of toast stuck to the back of his hair. The toast was quite happy you know. Rita's mother gently removed the toast and gave Hiccup an affectionate run on the bead. Hiccup's eyes were bright and alert. “I'm ready.” he announced with his camera hung around his neck and his wand in his back pocket.

Rita returned to the kitchen, “I'm ready too.” she gave Hiccup a little pat on the top of his mousy brown head.

And they were off. They had to walk into town to the owl office to catch a portkey to King's Crossing. Rita's mother was scared of flooing. A bad childhood experience will do that to you. The floo network would deny any of those erroneous charges. It worked perfectly fine and there was no two ways around it.

There were only two other families sending their children off to Hogwarts and the Skeeters and Hiccup were the last to arrival before the portkey was ready to go. The parents went off to talk amougst themselves and whatnot. Calamity and Carl eyes Rita and Hiccup like they were frog spawn and Rita and Hiccup eyes Calamity and Carl like they were a potions experiment.

“See you are still dressing like you're blind,” Calamity told Rita.

“Bold words from a girl who's name means disaster.” Rita shot back. The two had been at each other's ruffled collars since Rita had poured ink over Calamity's toy racing broom. 'She had it coming,' Rita had told her parents. Calamity had cut one of Rita's pigtails in retaliation. And over the years they had one upped each other every chance they got. Now that the two had proper wands and were going off to Hogwarts without their parents around to restrain them, it was no telling what the two were going to get on with.

Hiccup and Carl were just there to keep the bloodshed to a minimum. Though Hiccup fainted at the sight of blood he wasn't going to be that much help.

“Alright the portkey to King's Cross is leaving in 30 seconds. Everyone place a finger on the wagon wheel.” The postmaster called. Rita thought it a tad odd to use a wagon wheel, but she didn't say anything as she elbowed Calamity almost knocking the ginger girl over. There was no time for a witty remark as the portkey activated and everyone was whisked off. Hiccup let loose a tiny yelp before they vanished. His stomach wasn't built for traveling by portkey.

Rita landed on her mother's foot and Hiccup landed on Calamity's head. It was a very excited landing all around. Calamity shoved Hiccup to the ground and trounced off after her brother and parents. Rita wiggled her fingers as a farewell after the ginger menace. She helped Hiccup to stand and they both went off to grab carts for their trunks. They were racing through the train station with their carts and laughing. Rita stopped the pulled up her socks when a strangled cry prickled the hair on the back of her neck. She looked up and followed the sound. It was coming from behind the rubbish bins next to the lifts. She had no idea what could have been making that noise and her and Hiccup were utterly surprised by what they found.

It seemed to be a moving grey ball caught in the string of a ballon. “What is it?” Hiccup asked as Rita set to work untangling the grey ball.

She shrugged as her nimble fingers quickly disentangled the tiny ball. It fluttered its wings and looked up at the both of them. “Its an owl,” they both said in unison.

The owl hooted and flew up to Rita's shoulder and nipped her ear affectionally. “Guess its yours. The letter said we could bring an owl.” Hiccup told her as they walked their carts back over to their waiting parents. Everyone else had moved to on the platform only Rita's parents remained.

“What is that?” her mother asked pointing to the little owl perched on Rita's shoulders.

“I rescued her from a string,” Rita announced proudly. She rather thought her mom would know a owl when she saw one. “Her name is Quill.” The owl hotted softly at the proclamation of her name. Rita's mother shook her head and tuned around to see where they needed to go. Rita and Hiccup had no idea where they were going as neither of them had any siblings who had gone to Hogwarts before them and Rita's mother and father had gone to other schools.

It was an uncomfortable few minutes as they all looked around for the platform. “Look they have an owl too,” Hiccup pointed excitedly as a group of people moving through the train station. Rita led the way as they followed in their wake.

It took them all by surprise when they were confronted with a brick wall. “Where's the platform?” Rita asked. She was sure she saw that other family head to that point. Hiccup walked over to the wall and went to reach to touch the brick and fell through. “Hiccup!” Rita shouted and ran toward the wall. She was going after her friend, and that she did. Right through the barrier and right into Hiccup who had just picked himself up and was dusting off his backside when Rita plowed into him. Quill shrieked and took flight.

The air whooshed out of his lungs as Rita's larger body fell on top of him. “Gerrofff,” he wheezed as Rita's parents walked through the barrier.

“What are you two doing?” Rita's mother asked.

“Oh mother do stop it.” Rita shot back as she picked herself up and helped Hiccup to stand. She really hated when he mother asked the painfully obvious questions. Rita felt it lowered her intelligence to have to answer her.

Rita looked around at all the families and their children. Filing away the scene to write about it later in her journal. “Where should we sit?” Hiccup asked in his small voice. He only used it when he was nervous and scared. She finally got a good look at the gleaming candy apple red steam engine that was to ferry them to Hogwarts.

It was the most beautiful thing Rita had ever seen, and it was taking her away from her parents for a whole year. “We can sit anywhere,” she breathed. Quill resettled on her shoulder. Quill nipped at her ear just to let her know how upset she was about that little incident earlier. “Ouch,” she thought that was a little uncalled for. But she let it pass.

Hiccup followed after her as she walked up and down the train looking for a place to sit. Most of the cabins were filling up with friends and acquaintances. There was an empty one toward the middle, “We can sit there.” she announced. Her father was already loading her trunk into the cabin.

Once everything was settled her turned to his daughter, and she looked up at him. He wasn't sure what to say to her. They had never had a good relationship, well Rita wasn't sure she liked her parents to be honest. She gave him a stiff hug and he patted the top of her head. She gave her mother a look and boarded the train. This was going to be a great year, she thought to herself.

Hiccup followed her into the cabin. It took him some effort to pull himself up onto the seat. He hadn't hit his growth spurt yet, so forgive him just this one time. Rita hopped up easier than he did. They were the only two in the cabin. Rita hoped that someone else would join them. Not that she didn't enjoy Hiccup's company, but this was the first time she was away from him and didn't have her parents trying to run infererence with Rita's runaway mouth.

And she was going to enjoy the train crash.

oooh I love Hiccup! and Rita! but mostly Hiccup. Although I definitely remember another character named Hiccup and I'm wondering if he was perhaps named after it...

Rita popped her hands behind her head and relaxed on her seat. Her little owl was perched on the luggage rack nibbling on a piece of toast she pecked from Hiccup's hair. She rather liked his hair. She would explore it more in the morning during breakfast. Rita's hair didn't offer anything but hair gel. What a girl her age was doing with hair gel Quill wouldn't never know.

Hiccup was digging through the candy bag his mom had packed for him. His father didn't like him eating sweets it always made him sticky, but his mom could never say no to him. Her little pumpkin was too precious for her to say no to. Rita always wanted to retch when Hiccup's mom called him pumpkin. It was a right awful name to be called if you asked her. Though no one never had to ask Rita her opinion on anything. She liked to give it out freely.

Hiccup and Rita were both engrossed in their own thoughts when the door to their compartment slid open. Rita opened an eye to take in the new comer. He was a rather tall and lanky boy with a mass of red hair spilling down over his ears. If that didn't make matters worse his mother (because that what's mother do best) wrestled him into a red jumper. So he totally looked like he was dancing in flames.

The newcomer tripped over his shoelace as he walked into the cabin. His arms windmilled around till he righted himself. Hiccup snickered and the boy blushed. Which was not an improvement. He was a windmill on fire. “Sorry,” he stammered. “Arthur Weasley.” he announced. He smiled at both of them and Hiccup smiled back. Rita just raised an eyebrow at him. It was a favorite expression that she rarely got to use. Her father said it made her look off kilter. But her father wasn't here now was he?

“I'm Rita Skeeter and that's Hiccup.” Rita answered as Arthur tripped over himself again as he sat down next to Hiccup. No really, he didn't just learn how to walk, but over the summer he had hit a rather nasty growth spurt, and he was getting used to the height.

“Is that your real name?” Arthur asked Hiccup.

“No, my real name is Patton Holliday.” Hiccup announced proudly. Rita sat up and looked at him.

“You never told me your real name,” she said a little hurt.

“You never asked.” he shrugged. To be honest he didn't like his real name and he preferred to be called Hiccup, but the boy had asked and he had answered. However he was seriously rethinking that with the deadly look Rita was throwing him. He busied himself in his candy bag once again. That seemed to be a safe place for the time being.

Arthur sat next to Hiccup looking mighty pleased with himself for actually making it to the seat without any blood drawn. His brothers hadn't been so lucky over the summer. “So where do you think you will be sorted?” Arthur asked pulling a corned beef sandwich out of his pocket. Rita wrinkled her nose at the smell and her mouth hung open as Arthur proceeded to actually eat the thing.

Hiccup came up for air from his candy bag with chocolate smeared on his cheek, “I hope I get Hufflepuff.” His favorite dragon photographer was in Hufflepuff.

“My mom and dad were in Ravenclaw so I think I'm going to Ravenclaw.” He had almost swallowed his sandwich whole with minimal bites. Rita had been watching him with rapt fascination. This snack time would forever be immortalized in her short story, “The Sandwich Drain.”

Both Arthur and Hiccup turned to look at Rita, “I have no idea where I'm going to be. Neither of my parents went to Hogwarts.” she told both of them. To be honest, she had no idea what to expect and she didn't know a thing about Hogwarts. Underneath her cool exterior she was frightful of what was to come. They left the conversation at that. For the trolley lady came around and Rita bought a few pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs. She wasn't a terrible fan of her mother's cooking and after that tantrum last night she had worked up quite the appetite. They ate in comfortable silence and soon they were engrossed in a game of gobstones. It was Arthur's favorite game and Rita and Hiccup were covered in goo by the time the train slowed to a stop and kids started running around to get off.

“First years this way,” a cool voice called above the clamor. All three of them tumbled out of their compartment, thanks to Arthur and shuffled after the voice. “Leave your trunk and follow me. First years this way.” the voice was swinging a lantern that pulled them from the train.

They lined up behind the other first years and finally got a look at the willowy woman commanding them. She was the tallest woman Rita had ever seen and though she was skinny she had a presence that didn't detract from her loveliness. Rita didn't know woman could look so pretty. Her mother was a rather plain plodder if you asked her.

As you can see she didn't have a high opinion of her parents.

Rita lined up behind Hiccup and Arthur and she felt a sharp jab to her backside. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Calamity behind her. She was not going to give into her right now.

She was preparing herself for Hogwarts. And she had a whole year to put Calamity right into her place.

They filed down a winding path away from the train, but not heading in the direction of the other students either. Rita had no idea what was going on but she had her eyes wide open and she was trying to drink it all in. But the fading light was making it hard.

Hiccup was visibly trembling. He didn't do so well in the dark and on further inspection, his mother wasn't going to be at the end of the line with warm milk and a plate of ice mice cookies. This wasn't at all what he signed on for. And his robes were a tad long having belonged to his father during his Hogwarts years and he was trying not to trip over them and sprawl in the dirt.

They circled around a bend and when they came to the clearing everyone stopped and some even gasped. It was a small dock with several little dingy boats bobbing up and down in the smooth black water. “4 to a boat.” The woman with the lantern called out. Rita was the first to break away from the pack and head over to a boat. She selected one and scrambled aboard. Hiccup was hot on her tail. She sat at the helm of the boat near the lantern. Hiccup rocked the boat stumbling into the boat and Arthur was right behind him. Rita sighed, it seemed she had picked up another clumsy sidekick.

Just her luck.

They all settled in and Rita was happy to have their boat with just the two of them. However another kid had other ideas. See was a rather skinny kid with a curtain of slicked black hair. See eyed the boat and then eyed them all. “Move along down there.” The Lantern Lady barked. The black haired kid stepped aboard and sat down in the very edge of the seat.

“Glad your highness could join us,” Rita told her rolling her eyes. She'd never had much practice rolling her eyes, but she had seen the gesture. She felt she should add it to her repertoire. Hiccup thought it made her look like she had eating bad clams, but he would never tell her that.

The girl ignored her with a menacing glare as the boats pulled away from the dock under their own charm. Hiccup and Rita were wearing matching smirks as they settled into their seats for the ride.

Rita thought this was the best way to arrive at school. It had a certain pomp and circumstance to it. Regal even. Something she rightly wanted to get used to. She enjoyed her neat little home with her boring parents and her mother's subpar food. But Rita had big dreams, her dream had dreams you know. And they went well beyond Jupiter Hollow.

Hiccup just thought her comment to the black haired girl was funny.

His eyes were drawn to Rita's face, her jaw had dropped open and he turned around in his seat to see what had caused that reaction from her. His jaw dropped a little bit, and Arthur chocked on the bottle of pumpkin juice he had been chugging the either ride.

Hogwarts Castle had just come into view. Every little eleven year old pair of eyes was gawking at it. All the windows were light up and the turrets were soaring. Rita's head tried to lean back to see how far up they went. It was impossible with the twilight they were floating in. The sheer rock face seemed to have given birth to the castle it was so seemingly integrated.

“Wow,” everyone whispered.

The boats floated up under the castle into a simple little dock built into a well lit cave. Everyone carefully got out of their boats and stood on the dock waiting for the Lantern Lady. She got out of her boat last and strode to the front of the group and lead them up a wide stone staircase to the huge door that soared 10 feet into the ceiling.

The Lantern Lady had to use her wand to lift the heavy knocked attached to the door. It fell back against the wood 3 solid times.

The door swung open to reveal a sever looking witch with a no nonsense face. “The first years for you Professor McGonagall.” she gave the sever witch a curt nod.

Hiccup gulped, this lady didn't look like she was up to rubbing his tummy when he got sick.

“Thank you Madame Merriweather.” Professor McGongall said. Rita thought she was way to young to look that sever. And she wondered what sort of tragic life she had lead before taking up a teaching post at Hogwarts. “This way,” she turned around sharply and the flare of her cloak caused a few students to falter back out of the way.

The group of first years followed up behind the fast moving professor. The walked and walked, and Rita felt like they were going to end up in the clouds and frankly she was tired at this point. Her dinner was late and a late dinner was not good to a girl that took pleasure in throwing tantrums.

“Are we there yet,” she whined stopping to rub her foot dramatically. Hiccup sighed, Rita was already in a foul mood and when that happened she made everyone suffer for it.

Everyone in the party halted and Professor McGongall slowly turned around. “What pressing appointment do you have Ms. Skeeter?” she asked simply with a raise of her arched eyebrow. Rita didn't answer and the professor turned back and around and they continued on with their journey. Rita frowned, she was not used to her demands not being heeded. But she had to give the witch style, that eyebrow arch was a thing of beauty.

Before she could work herself up the professor opened a door and ushered them inside. “Welcome To Hogwarts.” a few students smiled and she continued. “The start of term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here your house will be something like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Each house as a nobel history and all have produced outstanding witches and wizards.” She looked around at each of them as she spoke. “While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the term the house with the most points will win the House cup. Which is a great honor. I know each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes your home.” Hers eyes lingered on all of them at the end of her speech. “I will be back to collect you in a moment. Take this time to smarten up.” She eyed Arthur who had a orange ring around his mouth and a goofy expression on his face. With a nod she left them alone in the room and Rita stamped her foot for good measure.

Everyone started to mill around, talking among their little group, but Rita was a child spurned and she didn't like it. So she was holding her conversation with the others hostage. Hiccup pouted, he hated it when Rita ignored him. The black hair boy stood in the corner and brooded. It seemed the best way to go about things.

It was only a few minutes that the professor was gone but to Rita it felt like an eternity. At first she thought all this rigamarole was nice, but it was just draining and she was so hungry. Her stomach was not happy either. Her mother's porridge had not made it a happy camper and he was going to file a formal complaint in the morning.

Professor McGongall walked back into the room and all the side conversations ceased. She placed them all in alphabetical order “Follow me please. Stay in line.” she turned around and walked back through the door.

They marched out behind her into a sweeping hall and through a set of double doors. Rita was taken aback. She did not expect this, and her stomach did a few cartwheels. That was its favorite scared and nervous reaction.

They were walking into the lion's den. The entire school was there and staring at them as they marched through up the isle toward the raised dais in the front. Rita took in the entire Great Hall as they marched up toward the front. She was trying to take in every detail, every nook and cranny to put quill to parchment when she finally got to her bed. Rita hoped there was a bed at the end of this. A thousand floating candles lit the place up and added a soft glow to everyone's face, but no one was in shadow or relief.

All the students were seated at four long tables bursting with golden plates and flatware. Rita couldn't wait to eat like the princess she swore she was. The raised dais contained another long table that Rita guessed contained all the staff and professors. It was the only table with all the old people.

Professor McGongall marched them right up to the front so that they faces the students with their backs to the staff. Rita watched keenly as the professor placed a ragged milkmaids stool in front of them with an even dirtier looking hat on top of it. A frown creased Rita's face. What was going on?

No one was making a sound and for a second Rita contemplating saying something and then the hat gave a little twitch. She nearly jumped out of her robes. A wide tear appeared on the hat and Rita stared in rabid fascination.

And then the hat started to sing.

Oh you may not think me pretty,*
But don't judge on what you see,*
I'll eat myself if you can find*
A smarter hat than me.*
You can keep your bowlers black,*
Your top hats sleek and tall,*
For I'm the*Hogwarts*Sorting Hat*
And I can cap them all.*
There's nothing hidden in your head*
The Sorting Hat can't see,*
So try me on and I will tell you*
Where you ought to be.*

You might belong in*Gryffindor,*
Where dwell the brave at heart,*
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry*
Set*Gryffindors apart;*
You might belong in*Hufflepuff,*
Where they are just and loyal,*
Those patient*Hufflepuffs are true*
And unafraid of toil;*
Or yet in wise old*Ravenclaw,*
if you've a ready mind,*
Where those of wit and learning,*
Will always find their kind;*
Or perhaps in*Slytherin*
You'll make your real friends,*
Those cunning folks use any means*
To achieve their ends.*

So put me on! Don't be afraid!*
And don't get in a flap!*
You're in safe hands (though I have none)*
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

Hiccup clapped at the end of the song and there was some giggle through the Hall. He blushed and let his hands drop to his side. But then everyone else applauded and he grinned and joined in the clapping.

Professor McGongall stepped forward and unrolled a short piece of parchment. “When I call your name step forward and sit on the stool, I will place the hat on your head and you will be sorted.” A nervous ripple went through them all. “Apple, Becca.” a chubby pink faced girl waddled up to the stool and sat down.

As soon as the hat touched her head “RAVENCLAW!” it screamed. The table second from the left erupted in cheers and the girl rushed down to sit with her table.

“Black, Bellatrix.” The black haired girl strode up to the stool and sat down. The hat hovered above her head before shouting, “SLYTHERIN.” The table second from the right cheered loudly and Bellatrix swaggered over to them and sat down quite pleased with everything.

“Cribbs, Mackenzie.” The tall girl walked up to the stool and sat down.

The hat was lowered on to her head and it sat there. A second later, “HUFFLEPUFF.” The table on the right cheered and Mackenzie walked over to sit with her house.

Poppy Darby become a Gryffindor and the table on the far left cheered. Dixon went to Ravneclaw, Diggle went to Hufflepuff.

“Patton Holliday.” Rita looked on as Hiccup tipped over himself sitting on the stool. The hat was lowered on his hat and it sat there for a few seconds. “GRYFFINDOR.” The table erupted and Rita clapped as Hiccup scrambled down to sit with his table.

She didn't hear any other the other sortings and almost missed her name came up. “Skeeter, Margarita.” She squared her shoulders and walked up to the stool and sat down.

The hat was lowered onto her head. “Plenty of courage I see but there is a ambitious streak that runs as hot as the blush on your face. Well it better be SLYTHERIN!” Rita took the hat off her head and walked over to her new house.

She looked over at Hiccup and he was pouting, she shrugged. Rita was more ambitious than him. And she was in the right house to claw her way to the top.

Well that's what the hat had told her anyways.

Dinner was a festive event after the sorting. There were 10 of them, Slytherin first years. Bellatrix and Rita were 2 of the five girls and the rest were boys. Not a pleasant looking lot Rita thought to herself. But if she had a great big pimple waving at people at the High Table like the boy sitting next to her she would look sullen too.

“Still going to act snooty with me?” Rita asked Bellatrix as she picked up her chicken leg with her hands and bit into it. Her fingers were already slick with grease as this was her third piece of chicken.

Bellatrix scowled at her fingers, “I wonder where it all goes.” she commented.

Rita gave her a raised eyebrow, being proud that the expression was becoming easier and easier to achieve. “What are you talking about? Do you always speak in riddles?” she asked around a mouthful of chicken.

Bellatrix wiped her hands on a napkin and fixed Rita with a stare, “You have shoveled every available morsel of food within your reach into your awaiting maw. I was just wondering where it all went.” she told Rita.

Rita's face went bright red and she was treated with a nasty smirk from Bellatrix. Bellatrix was drawn into a conversation with another Slytherin and Rita got to sulk in her shame in peace.

The Headmaster made a speech that Rita wasn't even listening to. But she was pulled out of the warm pit of self pity when one of the older boys stood up and clapped for everyone's attention. “Alright let's get a move on. I've got better things to do than give you lot a guided tour.” He told them all. Another girl leaned over and whispered something quickly into his ear. “Yes, yes of course.” he blew out exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes. “I'm Lucius Malfoy your prefect.” he told them in bored tone. Rita stood up from the bench and got in line with her fellow first years.

Her eyes found Hiccup who was deep in conversation with another Gryffindor and he wasn't paying Rita any attention. That brought hot tears to her eyes, that she was not going to let fall. She shook her head and focused her attention on the line of silver and green snaking out of the Great Hall. They turned away from where the other houses were heading toward. While they went up Rita and Slytherins went down a winding flight of stairs.

She wanted to ask where they were going but Bellatrix was behind her and she wasn't up for another verbal spanking from the girl with entirely too much eyebrow.

Rita found they were in a darkened corridor that reminded her of the dungeons she read about in her witch tales. Lucius stopped at an expanse of wall. “This is our common room.” he turned around. “Ambition.” the wall slid open to reveal a cozy sitting room with a roaring green fire leaping in the grate. They all spilled in trying to take in every detail. “When you aren't in class or wiping your noses or crying to your mums this where you will spend most of your time. Try not to get anything on the carpet. And if you know what's best for your health you will stay out of my chair.” He pointed to a high back chair wrapped in all black resting against the far wall. Many of them nodded, Bellatrix rolled her eyes and Rita just stared.

Really they were marking out furniture territory in Slytherin? “So the boys are up and to the left and girls are up and right. Classes start tomorrow so try not to miss any classes. Slytherin won the House Cup last year and I intend to do it again this year.” With a swish of his silver blonde hair he was gone. The boys broke off and milled around the common room, but Rita and the girls nipped off to see their room.

They followed Lucius instructions up and to the right to locate their room. It was marking with a coiled snake medallion on the door. Its open mouth holding a golden number 1. Bellatrix was first in line so she pushed open the door and stepped in. It was a collection of five, four poster beds draped in a deep forest green. Their trunks were at the foots of the beds they were supposed to sleep in. Rita found her bed second from the left and she frowned when she saw Bellatrix's bed was right next to hers.

“So what is your surname Little piggy?” Bellatrix asked as she proceeded to undress for don her night clothes. Some of the other girls snickered and Rita's face flushed.

“Skeeter.” Rita said proudly.

Bellatrix roared with laughter. “Is that even a real surname? I've never heard of it. Are you a mudblood perhaps?” she sat down delicately on the edge of her bed and crossed her legs. Rita's face was burning with embarrassment. “Or maybe your daddy is a muggle who fell in love with a dowdy, dumpy little witch.” she went on as the laughter increased.

“Both of my parents are wizards you ugly cow.” Rita snapped.

The other girls stopped laughing and Bellatrix leaned up to give Rita a good look. “Well, well well. Our little piggy has some fight in her. How muggle of you.” she sneered standing up to fish out her brush from the bottom of her trunk. She was done playing with Rita for now.

Rita didn't bother undressing or even taking her shoes off. She climbed into the bed drawing her curtains closed around her. She didn't even want to see the faces of any of her other housemates. And she didn't want them to see her crying either.

Rita hated Hogwarts and she wanted to go home.

The first day at Hogwarts dawned steel grey and cold. Rita woke up in a foul mood and her hair was in right foul mood. It twisted and snaked around her head in angry knots and clumps and nothing Rita did would make it cooperate. And she never paid enough attention to what her mother did to untangle it.

She grunted as her comb got stuck in a nasty knot next to her ear. This was not going to be a good day, she just knew it.

Rita heard a chilling snicker behind her back and she didn't bother to turn around. “My, my you are going to go bald if you keep that up.” Bellatrix simpered as she sidled up to the sink to primp her curtain of dark hair. Her comb slide easily through her hair which hung straight and thick around her pale face. Bellatrix's dark eyes traveled over the mirror to check her reflection. “Want me to fix your hair for you?” Bellatrix asked tucking her comb into her bag and turning on the faucet to wash her hands.

Rita turned to look at her. “Do you think I'm that stupid?” She didn't really want to know the answer to that, but it escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

Bellatrix smiled like a cat who had just caught a fat mouse in its paws. “What I think of your capacity to learn is a nil point.” She stopped and dried her hands “I am only trying to be nice. A peace offering for my teasing last night.” She batted her thick eyelashes at Rita.

“A peace offering?” she asked. Her hair was in a right state and she didn't want to go around looking like she got into a fight with a brush and lost miserably.

Bellatrix smiled and nodded, “Of course. We Slytherins have to stick together you know. Look out after each other. I do you this favor and later you do me a favor.” She pulled out her wand and rapped Rita on top of her head.

“Ouch!” she cried but she stood still while her hair untangled itself and fell across her shoulders and back in a golden cascades. “Ohhhh.” Her mother had never gotten her hair to lay flat like that. Rita went from a gangly little eleven year old to a confident twelve year old.

Bellatrix stood behind her, “Now that's a Slytherin.” she winked and flounced out of the bathroom, her hair swinging behind her.

Rita couldn't believe her whole day had turned around with a tap of a wand. She was going to have to learn how to do that. She went back to her room to change into her Slytherin robes for class. She didn't want to be late so she could pick the perfect seat in class. That could make the difference between being the teacher's pet, a dreaded label if you asked her, and the teacher's dunce, never a good thing for an ambitious girl like Rita either. You had to find that perfect balance. Far enough from the front to not get called onto hand out books and control the class while the teacher is gone and run the risk of being a large spit ball target. But not too far into the back that you can grown your own soybeans in the soil that has moved in because the light doesn't reach that far back.

“What in Merlin's name are you wearing?” Bobbi Kim asked as Rita was pulling on her robes. Rita looked down at her Hogwarts uniform.

“I'm wearing the same thing you are.” she pointed out.

“On your feet.” she pointed a manicured finger, really an eleven year old with a manicure, down to Rita's sparkly red mary janes. “You do know silver and green are Slytherin colors right?” Bobi Kim flipped her cloud of ginger hair over her shoulder.

“Is there some sort of book I should be reading?” Rita popped her hands on her hips. “I'm getting really tired of everyone telling me what to do and what to wear. I don't remember Professor McGonagal telling me that was a house activity.” It wasn't like she was going to class with underwear on her head or anything.

“Maybe we should write a book so we can ban those shoes. Honestly Rita did you get those things in the trash?” she giggled and bent over to strap herself into her real leather mary janes with her pale silver socks.

Rita wasn't going to change out of her shoes. They were her favorite. Just like the shoes the Little Red Witch wore in her favorite fairy tale. They were the only birthday gift that her parents had ever given her that she actually asked for. She squared her shoulders and gave Bobbi a cold stare. Bobbi wasn't paying her a bit of attention however as she pulled a piece of lint from her Slytherin tie.

“Line up!” The command blared up from the common room and Rita nearly jumped out of her skin at the bark. All the girls went into hyper mode getting ready for class. Rita was the last one down into the common room.

Lucius, and Parker Leslie, Slytherin's female prefect were standing in front of two rows of all the underclassmen. Parker turned her emerald green eyes on Rita and she stopped in her tracks. “I see we have a first year who can't tell time.” A few snickers floated around the common room. Her head whipped around toward the sound and it cut off as quickly as it started. She jerked her head toward the line and Rita scrambled to stand next to Bellatrix. Lucius was lounging against the wall looking gorgeous and bored all at the same time. Parker walked up and down the line looking at everyone. She stopped in front of a willowy girl with thick brown hair held back from her face by a sparkly hair clip in the shape of a crescent moon. “What is this a knockoff Penni Blossom.” she scoffed. The second year girl snatched off the hair pin and stowed it in her pocket. “We have standards to maintain here people.” she snapped. There was some more shuffling as people pulled things off. “The sorting hat may have put you in Slytherin but we get to determine if you belong and wearing knock off jewelery and sickle store tap shoes isn't going to cut it.” Parker sneered as she walked over and stood in front of Rita.

Rita was not taking her shoes off. She loved them more than she loved her parents. She looked up at Parker and the older girl glared down at her. “Oh, the little ragamuffin has some spunk. Isn't that cute.” She reached to pull her wand out of its holster at her hip.

Lucius stopped her hand. “Oh Parker normally your dramatics would amuse me to no end, but I'm hungry.” Parker snatched her hand back from Lucius' and glared up at him. At 15 he was easily 6' 2 already. “Alright everyone Slytherin Theater will resume later. Head up to breakfast.” He yawned in Parker's face and lead the way out of the common room.

Rita went to follow, but Parker blocked her path. Lucius was already out the door, “Shape up Margarita you don't want to be on my bad side.” she gave her a wink and flounced out of the common room. Was flouncing the standard Slytherin walk?

Rita sighed and pulled on her robes and clicked her shoes three times before heading up to breakfast. Honestly, she just wanted to go to school.

From all of Gringotts Goblins (and a special shout out from me!) Happy New Year! May 2012 allow your creativity to soar to new heights just like the dragon the year represents

You already know I am a fan I hope to read more from you soon!

Last Update 02 DEC 2011

reactivated per request

Happy Writing!

Rita took another deep breath and followed the rest of her house up and out to breakfast. It was only the first day and she was ready to give up and go home. Parker kept looking back at her and Rita made a point of stepping harder on the flagstone of the corridor. Her sparkly shoes rang out with each step. She heard Lucius' soft chuckle. Yeah, she was going to pay for that later, but right now it didn't matter to her. Rita was bucking the system.

It was a good thing they were walking up to breakfast together as Rita hadn't paid anything resembling attention last night when they went down to the common room, and she wasn't paying attention now. That just wouldn't do, she thought to herself. If this was how the first day was going to she was going to have to stay on her toes till he left Hogwarts for good. Or Parker, Bobbi and Bellatrix could meet with a accident. Preferably all at the same time, and in front of the entire school, and all the professors. Rita smiled to herself and nearly crashed into the boy in front of her as the line had stopped.

The entire house was lined up. Girls on one side with Parker in the lead and the boys on the other side with Lucius in the lead. They stood stock still as the doors to the Great Hall opened. Parker tossed her curtain of red hair over her shoulder and stepped into the Great Hall.

The rest of the houses were already seated and engrossed in their food as Slytherin marched in and took their seats. A few people turned around and stared, but most just rolled their eyes and went back to their breakfast.

Rita thought it was a bit pompous and she had to hid her own eye roll, but she was in enough trouble already so she kept that remark to herself. She climbed onto the bench and sat down gratefully. Her eyes got wide at the selection spread over the table. Towers of pancakes and steaming crepes. Mountains of clotted cream and with buttery scones. The sweet smell of crispy bacon and fluffy eggs got her attention first and she dove right in. Right piled her plate high with eggs and bacon. She was going to tackle those pancakes next. Bellatrix had ruined her appetite last night, so she was indeed so hungry she could eat a horse. She giggled as she finally got that phrase. The food was better than she had hoped. Her mother wasn't a very good cook and the food at Hogwarts was making Rita regret having to go home over the holidays already. Rita was halfway through her eggs when she felt a tap on her shoulder and she whipped around ready to pounce on whomever it was. This was not a good day to mess with Rita.

Hiccup was smiling at her. “Rita,” he cried throwing his thin arms around her neck. She chocked on the mouthful of eggs she was trying to swallow. Hiccup might have been a wee little thing, but he was stronger than he looked and soon Rita was turning a very unattrative shade of purple.

“Ack!” she chocked and Hiccup released her.

“Oh sorry,” He was smiling when he let go of her neck.

She coughed and swallowed a mouthful of water just to make sure she wasn't going to die. Once she was sure she had gotten all the eggs down, “Hullo Hiccup.” she told him with a smile. Rita leaned over hugged him back and held on longer than their previous hug duration. Rita needed a friend right now and Hiccup was it. Hiccup was quite sure Rita had never hugged him like that and he suddenly found that he rather liked it.

Rita heard a throat clear behind and she sighed and released Hiccup. Lucius was standing behind Hiccup with a amused smirk on his face. “Young love just makes the heart go zing, zing, zing.” all of the Slytherins and a few of the Hufflepuffs laughed and Rita felt her face grow hot. Hiccup beamed at being counted as Rita's lover. “A plus Ms. Skeeter.” He winked and flounced off with a grace that Rita wouldn't have attributed to a boy nearly six feet tall.

“You better go Hiccup,” Rita said as she felt the blush creeping up into the crown of her blond hair. She had lucked out getting Lucius' attention and not Bellatrix, or worse Parker's. She knew she was already on their dragon dung list, for reasons she was still working through but she knew she was there nonetheless. “We can talk later.” she promised him when his bottom lip quivered.

He nodded and melted away back toward the Gryffindor table. Rita watched him go suddenly feeling her breakfast fighting its way back up her throat. She swallowed it back and turned back around to her table. Everyone was looking at her. “Slumming already Skeeter.” Bellatrix drawled as she popped her last piece of toast into her mouth. A few of the girls surrounded Bellatrix snickered.

“He's just a friend.” Rita growled, her little fists balling up at her side.

Bellatrix fixed her with a cool brown stare, “He's a Gryffindor Rita.” she sneered. “He is, and anyone who associates with him is beneath Slytherin.” She flicked a piece of imaginary lint off the shoulder of her black robes “We are the proud and the few. And we stand head and shoulders above the rest.” She stood up and the rest of the stable stood up with her. “And that means we don't consort with the other houses. Because if we did it would make us no better than them.” She gave Rita another look, “And that is unacceptable.” She folded her arms across her chest and sat back down with a satisfied smile on her face and a nod of approval from Parker. Rita was ready to lose her breakfast all over the table. If she were lucky some of it would lodge on Bellatrix over inflated head.

“All right. Buck up down there.” An authoritative voice called down the length of the table. Rita looked up and she could have sworn she was looking at a slim Santa Clause. The man's cheeks were rosy and glistening in the glow of the candles floating above their heads, and he was draped in enough green to carpet half of Kent if they were so inclined. He had beady little eyes that despite their size danced with a little mirth and his mouth was framed with laugh lines. “I am Professor Slughorn, your head of house and I will be handing out your schedules.” he nodded and smiled at a few students trying to catch his eye. “And maybe for the lucky few you will get a invite to my little party later on this week.”

“Oh Professor Slughorn it was so gracious of you to attend our little party last month for my grandfather.” Bellatrix simpered.

“Ahh yes Ms. Black I was so delighted that Pollux remembered an old potioneer like me.” Professor Slughorn simpered right back. “I hope you will mention to him I did enjoy the new dress robes.” Bellatrix nodded and kept the smug look on her face. Professor Slughorn went about handing out their schedules and Rita was as nervous as a cat at starting her lessons.

True be told she had spent more time in her room snuggled on her window seat writing her muggle fairy tales. She loved those the most. She hadn't spent much time trying to steal her mother's wand to give the cat a pair of bat ears or trying to fly her father's broom. Granted it was a hand me down piece of junk and it wasn't very fast, but still it was the principle that she should have been trying to fly it anyways. Rita was sure she was far behind her housemates and with all this added pressure of upholding the pride of Slytherin she was ready to actually puke till her back caved. “Margarita Skeeter. I must say that is a rather unusual name.” Rita looked up into the smiling face of Professor Slughorn. “I expect great things from someone with such an outstanding name.” He let her schedule flutter down into her open palm. The knot in Rita's stomach gave a violent twist and she had to hold herself steady to keep from rocking. He patted her on the head and moved on to the next student.

“Great things from someone named for a muggle drink indeed,” Bellatrix giggled as she stood up. A chorus of laughs followed her every move. “That will be the day.” She threw Rita a smile and turned and walked away. Half the table went with her and Rita was left alone with cold eggs and a burning blush lighting up her face.

Rita was not going to cry. She was not going to shed a tear. She was not going to let them get the best of her. Rita was better than this. She gripped the table to calm herself.

Rita took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her resolve crackled around her like a halo of electricity. If they thought they were going to make her cry and run they were going to be in for a surprise.

Once she was sure her face wasn't burning anymore she finally looked down at the schedule Professor Slughorn had given her.

Rita saw that Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays she had history of magic first followed by potions. Next was transfigurations and defense against the dark arts and then thank Merlin lunch. The last half of the day was potions and then flying. Tuesdays and Thursday she had herbology first then care of magical creatures. That was followed by artimancy and lunch. The last part of the day was ancient runes and astronomy.

Her eyes were crossed by the time she got a good look at everything. How on earth did they expect an 11 year old to retain all that information? How was she going to retain everything. It was pure madness. She had no idea there was this much to magic. Rita shook her head and she gathered her things to head up to her first lesson.

She had no idea where she was going but she figured following all the other first years wouldn't lead her astray. Rita grabbed her bag and headed off to class. The hallways were humming with excited voices and a thick layer of magic. Well more like spells gone wrong. A few kids rushed past with smoking ears and it brought a small smile to Rita's face as she tried to followed the trainers of the boy in front of her. He was a Ravenclaw that had been sorted last night. His blue and silver tie was flying behind him like a a standard on a ship. They weren't headed toward the stairs, but the hallways were twisting back on themselves as Rita hurried behind the Ravenclaw eye in the storm of Hogwarts. She nearly ran into Bobbi who was leaning against the wall waiting for the doors to open.

“Watch it,” she snarled snatching her precious foot back before Rita could trod on it. “How did you get sorted into Slytherin anyways,” Her green eyes flashed in the streaming sunlight.

Rita tried to keep her face from burning. She was tired of letting them get to her, and this was only the first day! She had to put up with them for six more years. But it was hard with Bobbi and all the other Slytherins glaring at her for daring to be sorted into Slytherin.

“Now, Bobbi dear. We mustn't let the riffraff see us fighting.” Bellatrix said laying a porcelain hand on Bobbi shoulders. The Asian girl quickly simmered down and flicker a stray hair out of her face with a practiced ease. Something Rita would never learn to do. But with industrial hair gel she would never need to learn. Some of the Ravenclaws heard Bellatrix's comment and they bristles at the snarky remark, but none of them seemed bold enough to toss something back at her.

Bellatrix was a dark cloud with the power of mother nature brewing under her polished nails. Her lidded eyes hide dark secrets that Victoria had better be keeping. Getting on her bad side this early in the game was a life long mistake everyone was sure Bellatrix would make you pay for for the rest of your life and none was willing to take that chance.

It was too early on to take on that sort of task. “Margarita here didn't mean to scuff your new shoes. Did you?” The smile on Bellatrix's face chilled Rita down to the core of her soul.

“No I didn't.” Rita said through clenched teeth.

Bellatrix smiled and clapped her hands like a girl at play. No one was fooled with her display. “See there. Now we can all be friends.” She looped her arm around Bobbi's shoulders and Rita's shoulder pulling them both under her arms. The doors to the classroom opened and students started filing in. Rita made to move, but Bellatrix held her back. For a wiry Black, she was a strong one. “Now ladies I could honestly strangle you both as you sleep. That is how much I car about you. However you both are Slytherins and we have to stick together. So I must tolerate you by default. But in the future if you let this ugly side of Slytherin show again in front of another house.” She pulled them both closer, her thin arms cutting off their air slightly. “I will make you both sorry the day your mother weaned you.” She released them both and Rita was glad that she wasn't the only one that was left gasping for air.

Rita staggered back a bit. Bobbi regained her footing first and threw Rita a glare before following Bellatix into the classroom. Rita swallowed hard and hurried after her housemates.

History of Magic was easily the most boring and tedious subject Rita had ever been forced to sit through. The only bright spot had been the appearance of Professor Binns. Though he had mispronounced Rita's name and called her Mosquito Street. That brought a fresh peal of laughter from the masses. Binns' droning lecture soon drove the mirth of his roll call right out of the room. Not even Bellatrix's perfectly fluffed hair and rosy cheeks could retain their shine as the lecture went on and on. Rita was ready to drive a quill through her own ears by the time the sands in the hour glass ran out and the bell tolled.

A classroom never cleared so fast.

Professor Binns didn't notice. He was still lecturing about the great Goblin Rebellion that founded Gringotts. It was his most exciting lecture if anyone bothered to ask him. No one ever did. And he didn't care. He just floated back to his favorite chair in the staff room by the fire.

Potions was next and with that came a color change. The Ravenclaws were replaced by the Hufflepuffs and Rita was ready for some cheering up. Especially since they were heading back down to the dungeons. What a poor choice for a common room, Rita thought as her footsteps thudded on the stairs. She wasn't stupid enough to share this with anyone. She heard about Roman torture methods, she wasn't keen to experience one.

The potions classroom was simply teeming with billows of smoke as they walked in. Rita had to nearly punch her way through to an empty seat. She sat down and a little Hufflepuff girl who surely couldn't have been of legal age to be in Hogwarts as she was hardly four feet tall sat down in the chair across from Rita.

“Hi, I'm Mackenzie. Everyone just calls me Pixie.” She was positively bubbling with excitement over sharing her nickname.

“Rita Skeeter.” Rita offered. Pixie bounced in her chair happily and started to unpack her things. A few other students drifted over, but Rita found herself in a sea of yellow and she wasn't fussed about it. It was a welcomed change to her day.

“Alright, alright. Settle down now.” Professor Slughorn's face was flushed and his cheeks looked like they could have led Santa's sleigh all on their own. “Welcome to Potions. I am Professor Slughorn. Let's start off light and go with a babbling beverage shall we.” He pointed at the chalkboard and a recipe began writing itself on the board. It wasn't a terribly long list of ingredients nor a complicated brewing process, but Rita was sure that something had to be complicated. This seemed a tad too easy.

She really hated it when she turned out to be right.

Pixie! *giggles*

Once again, love love love what you have going here! Can't wait to read more. I never actually LIKED Rita in the HP books...but you are making me like her here

Keep up the great work!

of course you would get a kick out of that nickname

glad you enjoy it. I do love it when people appreciate my work *blush*

I've always liked Rita Skeeter. She wasn't a bad person, just ambitious and Potter was her key to fame and fortune.

“How can tell me how we control the heat under our cauldrons?” Professor Slughorn asked and he weaved between the work benches supervising. Bellatrix's hand shot in the air a second before Bobbi's did. “Ms Black if you please.” He offered with a sweep of his hand.

Bellatrix's mouth curved into a smile. “With our wands of course.” She stood up and brandished her wand as if she were about to take the stage in front of the Diagon Alley Philharmonic. “You use your wand as a dial turning to the left or the right to adjust the flame.” She demonstrated the proper technique and Rita's jealously flared up across her face. It wasn't right that someone so evil should be that good at magic at this stage.

A few quills were flying across parchment to take as many notes as possible. Rita sat and listened. She was never one for taking notes. Weird for someone who wanted to be a writer she knew, but it just wasn't one of her strong suits. Rita was sure she could remember what was being said anyways.

Slughorn clapped. Everyone followed his lead and clapped like Bellatrix had just saved a child for a rampaging hippogriff. Rita snorted. Pixie giggled under her breath. It made Rita smile.

“I think that Ms. Black will walk around and help me keep an eye on everyone and answer any questions.” He laid his hand on Bellatrix's shoulder and the girl grinned. Rita shivered. It was a menacing grin.

Wait, wouldn't be an oxymoron? Rita's face scrunched up as she tried to unravel that logic. It was futile as her brain was still fuzzy from the goblin rebellion on the History of Magic. Rita knew that was going to be a really bad idea in the long run, but Slughorn seemed to be in awe of Bellatrix.

Slughorn set them to the task of lighting their own cauldrons and starting the brewing process of their babbling beverage. Rita was grateful that Slughorn wasn't tasking them to do something horrendous or difficult on the first day. She rather hoped the first day would be like a orientation or something. She guessed only muggles did that.

Rita worked with Pixie as the other Hufflepuffs at the table had already paired off. The poor girl could barely see over the workbench even when she was sitting down at one of the stools. Rita was glad she wasn't that tiny. It didn't seem like a good idea to be small in Slytherin. Well maybe Hufflepuffs were nicer to their housemates. Rita was counting the number of stirs as she mixed the potion going clockwise in the cauldron. The recipe said if you over stirred the mixture you could kill someone with the beverage. Though Rita was sorely tempted to over stir and shove some of the liquid down Bobbi's throat. It would be a fitting end to the harpy. She got to her fifth stir when she heard a yelp and a crash.

Rita looked back to see Pixie picking herself up off the floor shaking her hand. She had a porcupine quill protruding from her finger.

Laughter rang out as Rita helped the girl to stand. “If you hold still I can get it out.” She explained. Pixie had fat crocodile tears pooling in her large eyes. “No need to cry,” she didn't scold her, but the girl was opening herself up to a life of bullying if she kept carrying on like that.

“Maybe you can read her a bedtime story and rock her to sleep when you're done,” Bobbi teased. A fresh round of laughter rewarded her. Even Slughorn's mouth was quirked up into a small smile.

Rita glared at the girl for a moment. Bellatrix's raised eyebrow was enough of a deterrent for Rita to back down. Rita turned her back on both of them and helped Pixie clean up her mess. Professor Slughorn went back to his fluttering around the classroom answering questions and doting on Bellatrix. You would have thought Bellatrix hung the moon or something.

If Rita were going to be honest, she rather thought Bellatrix would have hung the moon if someone had asked her too. She shook her head and got back to work on their potion. “Oh no,” she moaned looking at the muddy brown potion congealing in the bottom of her cauldron.

“Somebody forgot their powered scarab,” Bellatrix sang as she sashayed around Rita's table. “Nice try muggle but try adding that before you stir.” she gave her a wink before flouncing off to another table to bark at a Hufflepuff boy with a snotty nose. Professor Slughorn had declared Bellatrix his student helper like that was going to help anyone but her. It was some sort of sick joke if you asked Rita.

Her tiny hands were clinched into fists and her nostrils flared. Why were they taking so much pleasure in tormenting her?! Hot tears stung her eyes, but she was not going to let one tear fall. If she broke down and cried now she might as well go dig her own grave and roll over and die.

The rest of the class she concentrated so much on getting the potion perfect Pixie had wondered off to work with someone else. Rita felt bad about bullying her time with the potion, but she was tired of being the butt of jokes when she didn't remember doing anything wrong.

The class ended and Rita snatched up her things and was the first one out the door. The rest of the day went by in a blur that Rita was sure she was never going to remember. Not even her flying class kept her interest. Though how she managed to stay on her broom was a wonder to her. Lunch was just food shoveled in her mouth and then potions was just as horrid as the first half. Professor McGonagall was firm but she was fair. The only bright spot was her explaining to Bellatrix just how not important she really was in the grand scheme of things.

It was dinner time and she just didn't fancy sitting through another meal, so instead of heading toward the Great Hall she made her weary way out the door in the waning sunlight. The air was just beginning adopt a crisp chill, but it wasn't cold enough for a cloak and a scarf yet. And the winter solstice hand;t occurred so they weren't on daylight savings time. The sun would stay up a little longer for her solitary walk.

She followed the path around to the side of the castle not really watching where she was going. It was just nice to be away from the rest of her housemates for a moment. She spotted the quidditch stadium and thats where she headed. Rita could see a few brooms zooming around the pitch.

“Rita!” she nearly slipped on a patch of uneven ground as someone shouted her name and scared the daylights out of her. She turned to find Hiccup running after her.

He threw his arms around her when he finally made it to her side. “This is the most fantastic thing ever.” he said breathlessly as she pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. “how are your classes going? Did you see the tub in the bathroom. Did you see the house elves bringing in breakfast?” Rita's head started to throb as he kept firing off questions at her. They relaxed into a familiar pace as they walked around the grounds. Rita never realized how much of a friend she considered Hiccup. Well to be blunt he was her only friend and she didn't know how much she missed him. Though it had only been one day since they had been separated.

Hiccup was like a kid on Christmas morning, but Rita let him babble. It was good falling back into the pace of things with him. They must have walked around the castle at least twice before the sun finally sank below the skyline as they were plunged into a cold darkness.

Neither of them were wearing cloaks so it was either stay outside and freeze or head back. Rita was loathed to return, she rather fancied a slow death by freezing but Hiccup was as happy as a clam to get back to his common room. He was actually having a good time. Gryffindor it seemed was one big happy family that liked to play around the fire before bedtime. Rita wished now that she had been sorted into Gryffindor, but there was nothing to be done now.

They hugged each other before parting in front of the Great Hall. Hiccup headed up the stairs and Rita headed down. Everyone was still at dinner as she trudged down to the common room. She was glad that she was going to be the first back. She could be alone and grab one of the nice chairs in front of the fire before once of the seventh years kicked her out.

The panel slide open and Rita walked in with a smile on her face and spotting the chair empty. She threw herself into one and snuggled down. “Parker would have your head on a plate if she saw you.” Rita froze. Lucius slithered into the seat across from her.

Did he have to look so smug all the time, Rita thought as she tried to keep from glaring at him. “She won't see me.” she managed to get out through gritted teeth.

Lucius blue eyes danced with mirth as she picked a piece of imaginary lint off his robes. “However did a little slice of country pie like yourself end up in Slytherin?” Once he was sure his outfit was a neat as it could possible be he looked up at her. Never never met a boy that cared so much about his appearance.

“My family doesn't have gobs of gold to spend on fancy robes and cloaks. We don't live in a big manor home with houseelves to wipe our bums when we get off the pot, but that doesn't make me scum.” She jumped out of her chair. “And I am really tired of the lot of you treating me that way.” Then she stamped her foot.

Lucius gave her little speech a lazy applaud, “Well bully for you. You're a poor slice of country pie. Get over it. As long as its a sour spot for you it will be a source of entertainment for the rest of us.” He crossed his legs and regarded Rita. “You see Slytherins are ambitious. To a terrible fault I might add, but everyone has weaknesses. But what makes us better than the other houses it that we learn to be strong through our weaknesses. We fight past the things that make us weak. And in the end we show no weakness. Ever.” He started to pick at his nails. Which were perfectly buffed and shined with a faint polish. “Never show weakness. Every time you do someone is going to exploit it. Especially the girls. I don't know why they are so vicious with each other.” He shrugged. It was something worth pondeirng about when he was alone.

Once he was satisfied that his nails were perfect he stood up. “They only pick on you because you let them. You think being quite will make them leave you alone. It doesn't. Stop being the little slice of country pie. Be the snake.” He ruffled her crop of blonde hair before she swept out of the common room.

Rita watched him go. She was furious at his flippant manner of trying to help her, but his words were a welcome helping hand. No one had ever given her permission to be naughty before. Well he wasn't telling her to start punching people, but he was telling her to stop bowing down and taking her licks like a good little girl.

A slow smile spread across her face. Margarita Skeeter was going to become the snake. A snake indeed.

Rita went to her room with her head swirling with the conversation she had just had with her prefect. Lucius was telling her to be the snake. Snakes adapted to their environment and then ruled their roost. A cobra didn't run from a rattlesnake. She was not going to run from Bellatrix and Bobbi.

Was she not the terror of Jupiter Hollow? Did she not give old Mr. Brooks a heart attack last year with the story about his wife cheating on him with his barber? Did she not have the best tantrum this side of the Thames? Then why was she running and hiding from a pack of girls. Did she not give Calamity as good as she got? “I'm Margarita Skeeter for Merlin's sake.” she shouted as she pushed open the door to her room.

So what she didn't have a bulging vault like the rest of them. If they thought that was going to be a weakness for her then they were going to get a rude awakening.

She had been put into Slytherin for a reason and she wasn't about to let some jumped up wisp of a girl like Bellatrix or Bobbi push her around. Who did they think they were?! The tears stung her eyes and drew in the breath to start a proper tantrum. They had pushed her over the edge.

She punched a pillow and screamed.Not just an ordinary scream. No Rita was better than that. This scream was a decibel that caused seizures in squirrels and rabbits alike. It caused the baby mandrakes that were nursing in the Herbology shed to applaud her efforts. In years to come the legend of her scream would be handed down from shed to shed in whispered awes. She threw things as she screamed. She punched pillows as she kicked over her trunk. Before long she was dizzy and all dried out. She looked like a q-tip that got in a fight with a werewolf and lost.

Rita plopped down on her bed to catch her breath. She always felt good after a good tantrum. It was like a soul cleansing. It helped her to release all the pent up anger and hurt feelings. With her hands propped up behind her head she lounged back onto her bed with a clear head. She was never going to have the money that the rest of them had, not he connections, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have that. But she needed to figure out how to get more gold. Her parents certainly didn't have it. So she would have to get it herself.

She sat up on her bed, “I can write.” she said aloud. That's how she would build up her vault. She nodded at the thought as she looked around the room. It was a bit of a disaster zone. Her belongings were scattered everywhere and she didn't want anyone to know she had thrown a tantrum.

Before she went to bed she snatched open one of Bobbi's Witch Weeklys and poured over the pictures of models with their hair and make up. She wasn't up to the make up part yet, but she could work the hairdos. She couldn't pull off the ringlets, but she always looked good with bone straight hair. She nodded, and she settled on a style she thought she could pull off.

At the back of the Witch Weekly as she was about to close the book something caught her eye. It was a little smudged bit of print. Almost as if it had been printed by accident. “Be the trend, don't follow the trend.” Was all it said.

That had been enough for Rita.

She didn't have the gold to buy the expensive robes and accessories, but she knew all the sewing charms and spells better than she knew the back of her band. Everyone was still at dinner and the preliminary quidditch tryouts so she had the entire dorm to herself. She sat down and pulled out her charm book. She knew what she wanted to do and it took her the better part of the night to figure out now to do what she wanted to do. She went to bed long before anyone else had gotten back.

And Rita woke up brought a renewed sense of purpose for her. And it was with that purpose that she got dressed. She wanted to set a trend, she couldn't afford to follow it, but she wasn't sure what would be a trend. “I will just have to find out.” she muttered to her reflection after she climbed out of the bath. Nothing like a good soak after a tantrum to make one feel like a proper girl again. No one was talking to her, which was fine for Rita, but Bellatrix was watching her like a boiling cauldron. Rita got ready at the pace she wanted to. She rightly ignored Bellatrix and her lidded eyes boring a hole in her back.

She had the picture of the spokeswitch leaning on the sink as she worked on her hair. She would have to write her mom and ask for the hair potions if she were going to keep her hair straight. Rita had been born with corkscrew curls and she never thought to change her hair or do anything different, but she wasn't in Kansas anymore and it was time to go native. Everyone else sported straight hair, so that's what she was do.

It took her extra time to make her new hairdo work but she managed. She even added a black headband she had found in the common room. It made her look like a chic hippie witch. Rita clipped the silver and green fluttering butterfly to her headband. She had gotten up two hours early just to charm the thing. If anything her quest to look better was going to make her a better charmer if nothing else.

She added a little clear lip gloss to her lips thanks to a stray tube that was rolling around the floor of the common room. Rita also took the time to paint her little nails acid green with little silver dots. She loved how it transformed her hands. The acid color of the green brought out the healthy glow of her porcelain skin.

Rita waited till everyone else had gone down for the line up. She stood in front of the mirror hanging by the door. She looked like a grown polished version of her mother. She pulled back her lips in a sneer worthy of Parker and Bellatrix combined. “Be the snake Rita.” she repeated. It was going to be her mantra for her tenure at Hogwarts. She was going to be the snake and Slytherin was going to regret bringing that out in her.

She walked down the stairs in her glittery green shoes that were formerly her glittery red shoes. She had managed to change the color last night. Parker was commenting on a impending pimple on the forehead of one of the fourth years when Rita sauntered into line.

“Well thank Merlin bumpkin Rita could join us,” Parker snapped before she got a good look at Rita. When she did look down the line the fifth year was rocked back on her heels.

“No problem,” Rita said giving her prefect a wink. A few of the girls were staring at the fluttering butterfly on Rita's head. It caught the light in just the right place to look like an expensive piece of jewelry. Parker didn't know what to say so she just turned on her heels and marched out of the common room expecting everyone to follow her.

“Well played,” Lucius said walking beside Rita with his hands behind his back as they filed out behind Parker.

“Why did you help me?” Rita whispered. The rest of the house was marching ahead of them.

Lucius tilted his head to the side as he thought about the question. It could be said that the Malfoy only cared about himself, his money and his connections. Well that could be said about any Malfoy. I mean after all you didn't remain one of the best of the ancient lines, by being lack in your standards or by being poor. So there was no reason for him to have given two wits about some random first year. Especially not a county mouse like Rita. With her ridiculous name and flouncy of blond curls.

“Do you ask a composer why he composes? Do you ask a speaker why he pontificates? No. So don't ask a Malfoy why he moves pieces around a chessboard. Just take my attention as the wonderful gift that it is. And pray you don't fall out of my good graces. You might be a pretty slice of country pie, but I'm not one for sweets.” He gave her a feral grin before striding to the front of the line to walk beside Parker.

Rita watched him go not knowing what just happened. He seemed almost like a friend last night and now he was flicking her away like an annoying piece of dirt on his robes. Rita narrowed her eyes at his back. She didn't like people playing games with her and to Lucius her emotions were a game that he was going to enjoy toying with. Even if he happened to help her along the way.

Well if he wanted to play that game she would play it too.

She did not spend hours a day sitting with her mother watching muggle soap dramas without knowing how to play people. If Malfoy wanted to keep her on her toes well she would be the prima ballerina of Slytherin house. Rita was not going to let them get the better of her anymore She straightened her spine and marched after the rest of her house up to breakfast.

Last Updated: 27/06/2012