The letter was brief.
Very brief.
Liam unfolded it and quickly read the contents.
Dear Mr. Liam Hale,
Congratulations on being awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class.
You are hereby invited to attend the award ceremony at the Ministry of Magic on September 10th at 1:00 PM.
We look forward to your presence.
Liam stared at the letter for several seconds.
Then sighed.
"Looks like I'll have to miss classes in a week."
Professor Flitwick blinked.
That was not the reaction he had expected.
"That's all you have to say?"
The Charms professor looked genuinely confused.
"This is the Order of Merlin."
"The highest honor in magical Britain."
"Most people would be ecstatic."
Liam folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket.
"Why?"
Flitwick looked as though he'd been struck by a Stunning Spell.
"Why?"
"Because I know exactly what I did."
Liam shrugged.
"I found a weakened Voldemort."
"I informed Dumbledore."
"He handled the rest."
His expression remained calm.
"It's not exactly a legendary achievement."
The professor stared.
Liam continued casually.
"Besides, I don't need other people to validate my accomplishments."
Flitwick was speechless.
That statement hit far harder than Liam realized.
Throughout the wizarding world, countless witches and wizards dreamed of receiving the Order of Merlin.
Some dedicated entire careers to earning it.
Yet this nine-year-old child looked at the award as though it were a mildly inconvenient appointment.
For a brief moment, Flitwick was reminded of another famous wizard.
Albus Dumbledore.
The difference was that even Dumbledore had cared when he received the honor.
Liam genuinely didn't.
The professor suddenly understood something.
This child wasn't motivated by recognition.
Nor by status.
Nor by public approval.
That made him very different from most people.
"You'll become a great wizard someday."
The words escaped Flitwick almost unconsciously.
Liam smiled faintly.
"I'll do my best."
He was about to continue toward his hidden research room when another group approached.
One of them was Dumbledore.
The second made Liam immediately regret leaving the classroom.
Blonde curls.
Overly bright lipstick.
Ridiculous jeweled spectacles.
A smile that somehow managed to be both fake and predatory.
Rita Skeeter.
Behind her stood a nervous wizard carrying camera equipment.
Dumbledore looked mildly apologetic.
"Liam."
He gestured toward Rita.
"This is Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet."
The apology in his eyes became slightly stronger.
"She would like to interview you."
Rita immediately flashed a dazzling smile.
The kind of smile designed to charm people.
It had absolutely no effect on Liam.
She crooked a finger.
"Come here, darling."
Liam stared at her.
Then rolled his eyes.
"No."
The answer came instantly.
"I have no interest in interviews."
He pointed toward the castle entrance.
"Please leave."
Dumbledore rubbed his forehead.
"You see, Miss Skeeter?"
The Headmaster sounded resigned.
"I wasn't preventing you from interviewing the young hero."
"He simply doesn't wish to be interviewed."
Unfortunately, Rita had never been particularly good at accepting rejection.
Especially from children.
She ignored Dumbledore completely and walked directly toward Liam.
Then she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Now, now."
Her voice became warm and persuasive.
"Think about it."
"This interview will be on the front page of the Daily Prophet."
"You'll become famous across Britain."
The smile widened.
"Your parents would be proud."
"Companies will want endorsements."
"Merchants will pay to associate with you."
"You could earn a fortune."
Liam slowly turned his head.
His silver eyes met hers.
The temperature around them seemed to drop.
"Remove your hand."
The smile vanished from Rita's face.
Liam's voice remained calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Or I'll hang you from one of the castle towers."
The murderous intent hidden beneath the words struck her like a bucket of ice water.
Rita immediately withdrew her hand.
To her credit, she recovered quickly.
To Liam's annoyance, the reaction only seemed to increase her curiosity.
"Interesting."
She smiled again.
A different smile this time.
One that belonged to a predator spotting prey.
Liam's patience finally snapped.
He reached into his sleeve.
A wand appeared.
"Dumbledore."
His eyes remained fixed on Rita.
"Are you removing her?"
"Or should I?"
The threat was perfectly sincere.
Dumbledore didn't doubt that for a second.
"Miss Skeeter."
A shimmering magical barrier appeared between Rita and Liam.
The Headmaster's voice became firm.
"Hogwarts students have the right to refuse interviews."
"You should leave."
Liam immediately put away his wand.
Then turned around and walked away.
The moment he disappeared around a corner, Rita's smile returned.
A particularly unpleasant smile.
"Oh, what an arrogant little genius."
She adjusted her spectacles.
"But that's fine."
Her eyes gleamed.
"I already got what I wanted."
Dumbledore watched her thoughtfully.
The feeling of unease grew stronger.
He knew Rita Skeeter.
Far too well.
The woman rarely abandoned a story.
Especially one capable of selling newspapers.
Liam had just become the most famous student in Britain.
That combination was dangerous.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore couldn't stop what came next.
After all, Rita possessed an extraordinary talent for getting herself into trouble.
And Liam possessed an extraordinary talent for creating it.
Eventually, the reporter and her assistant left Hogwarts.
Dumbledore returned to his office.
The matter should have ended there.
It didn't.
After reaching Hogsmeade Station, Rita gave her assistant instructions to return to London.
Then she waited until nobody was watching.
The transformation happened instantly.
Her body shrank.
Arms became legs.
Hair disappeared.
Moments later, a beetle sat on the station platform.
The markings around its eyes resembled her ridiculous spectacles.
The beetle spread its wings.
Then flew straight back toward Hogwarts.
Rita Skeeter possessed a secret.
She was an unregistered Animagus.
Unlike legal Animagi, she had never informed the Ministry of Magic.
Never completed the paperwork.
Never submitted to regulation.
The reason was obvious.
An unregistered Animagus made an exceptional spy.
The Ministry required registration precisely because the ability was so useful for gathering secrets.
Rita had ignored those laws years ago.
And now she intended to use that advantage again.
A nine-year-old wizard who exposed Voldemort.
A child capable of frightening Aurors.
A student who openly threatened reporters.
There was no way she would be satisfied with a single conversation.
The story was far too valuable.
As the beetle flew toward Hogwarts, Rita's excitement grew.
Heroes always had secrets.
And if they didn't—
A clever reporter could always invent a few.
Readers loved scandals.
Readers loved hypocrisy.
Readers loved discovering that their heroes weren't as perfect as they seemed.
Whether the rumors were true hardly mattered.
By the time the victim managed to defend themselves, the damage was usually done.
That was the beauty of journalism.
At least, according to Rita Skeeter.
As the beetle vanished into the distance, she was already imagining the headlines she would write.
....
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