Moody slammed his cane against the floor in frustration. "We were this close to getting answers, and now this! Those bastards acted faster than I expected."
Minister Bagnold sighed, her expression grim. "It's a shame, but we did capture five Death Eaters. That's still a significant achievement."
Barty nodded in agreement. "Yes, but letting the big fish slip away leaves a sour taste."
Minister Bagnold tilted her head thoughtfully. "That Alex Wilson… wasn't he the same young wizard who helped us capture four Death Eaters during the Christmas ambush two years ago?"
"That's him," Moody replied, still pacing the room.
"Civilian heroes, and they're Muggle-born underage wizards. Isn't that the kind of news that boosts morale the most?" Millicent Bagnold said with a smile as she turned to Crouch.
"True enough, but... what about Dumbledore? He might have objections. Alex is his student, after all," Crouch replied, hesitating.
"It's a good thing, not a bad one. What could he possibly object to?" Moody interrupted, his gruff voice loud and firm.
"I remember Dumbledore wanting to keep things low-key after Alex's last achievement. He was worried that too much attention might put the kid in danger," Crouch explained, glancing at Moody.
"Hah! That's old news! The Death Eaters are scattered, and You-Know-Who is gone. What's there to fear? As for the usual dark wizards, I'm not bragging, but they'd barely last a minute against Alex. You've seen his equipment, haven't you? Incredible stuff!" Moody laughed, his eyes gleaming with a mix of admiration and envy.
Millicent nodded, her decision made. "It seems Moody has complete faith in Alex. Then it's settled. If Dumbledore has questions, I'll explain. Now, let's move on. The remaining Death Eaters will be dealt with in public trials."
"Yes," Crouch and Moody replied in unison.
Meanwhile, Alex was finally meeting with The Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter once again. "Mr. Wilson, I never imagined you'd think of me first after accomplishing such a feat. Truly, I'm honored," Rita said, a sly smile curling her lips.
Rita Skeeter had built her reputation by unearthing juicy gossip about celebrities, but today's events had brought her to the doorstep of real news. The Ministry of Magic had been buzzing with rumors since dawn. Witnesses claimed an underage wizard had single-handedly defeated five Death Eaters, dragging them into the Ministry's custody.
Despite the Ministry's tight security around the incident, a tip-off had reached The Daily Prophet. Skeeter, determined to sniff out the truth, had spent hours waiting outside the Ministry. To her surprise, she received an invitation directly from Alex Wilson himself.
Rita adjusted her glasses, her quill poised above a parchment. "So, Mr. Wilson," she began, excitement dripping from her voice, "as an underage wizard, you defeated five Death Eaters this morning and brought them to their knees. Tell me—was it Slytherin cunning that gave you the edge? Or could it be that you had an informant among the Death Eaters? Perhaps this was a trap you meticulously prepared?" Her eyes sparkled with the thrill of speculation. "Oh, the secrets you must be hiding! This could be the story of the century!"
Alex raised a hand, stopping her in her tracks. He could feel a headache brewing. Skeeter's imagination ran so wild it was hard to keep up. The quill beside her seemed just as overzealous, scribbling notes as if every word was gospel truth.
Alex sighed, pulling a folded parchment from his robes and tossing it lightly onto the table in front of her. Then, from another pocket, he retrieved a small leather pouch and handed it to her. "Here," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Report exactly what's written on this parchment. No embellishments, no extras. Just follow the script. Got it?" He gestured to the pouch. "That's 20 Galleons. Your reward."
Rita blinked, momentarily stunned. She had been paid for stories before, but never like this—direct, no-nonsense, and with a literal script to follow. "You're serious?" she asked, clutching the bag to her chest.
"Dead serious." Alex pulled out a small coin from his pocket. With a flick of his wand, he transformed it into a tiny metallic beetle. The resemblance to Rita's Animagus form wasn't lost on her.
He placed the beetle in her hand, leaning in slightly. "This is just a little token of cooperation. From now on, I'll contact you through this. Trust me, working with me will make you famous far faster than you ever imagined."
Rita stared at the metallic beetle, her thoughts racing. How did he know? Her illegal Animagus ability was her most closely guarded secret. "This...?" she stammered, her voice unusually hesitant.
"It's nothing special. Just a little trinket." Alex straightened up and headed for the door. Before stepping out, he turned back to her. "Well? What are you still sitting there for? Isn't it time for pictures?"
"Uh, yes, I understand." Rita Skeeter quickly realized Alex had more in mind than he let on. She stood up hastily, tucking away the money bag and metal beetle she'd been fiddling with, her movements unusually flustered.
In just a few short minutes, Alex had completely taken the reins of the conversation. Rita, usually the one pulling the strings, was now scrambling to keep up—a rare feat considering her reputation for relentless probing.
When they stepped out of the room, the two posed for a few polished half-length photos in front of the Ministry's photographer. After that, Rita wasted no time hurrying out of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's gate. Ministry staff nearby exchanged curious glances. "Is that really Rita Skeeter? The same woman who usually interrogates people to death? Why's she suddenly acting so efficient?" one muttered, bewildered.
Vanessa, standing nearby on duty, couldn't help but join in. "Alex, what did you do to her? She was tearing into us earlier like a Niffler in a jewelry shop. Now she's quiet as a Kneazle sunning itself."
Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? Maybe deep down, she's an introvert."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow, but before she could press further, Alex smoothly changed the topic. "By the way, Vanessa, I haven't had the chance to say it yet—congratulations on becoming a full-fledged Auror. Moody said your internship performance was the best he's seen in years."
Vanessa's face lit up at the compliment. "Really? That means a lot coming from him. But honestly, it's all thanks to his guidance. Even as a full Auror now, I haven't had many opportunities for field missions yet—still stuck doing paperwork most of the time."
She smirked. "Though let's be honest, Alex, you've completely stolen the spotlight this time. The Minister specifically told me to bring you to her as soon as you came out."
"Really? Then we'd better not keep her waiting," Alex said, nodding. As they started walking, he paused, suddenly remembering something. "Oh, Vanessa, can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure. What do you need?" she replied casually.