Chapter 17
"Incarcero," Regulus said, aiming his wand at the stiff woman, and she was instantly tied tightly with ropes that outlined her surprisingly near-perfect figure.
"It's a pity she dresses with such little taste," we shook our heads.
"Why did you tie her up?" Hermione asked, letting our comment pass unremarked and voicing what truly troubled her.
"Of course, so we can safely chat with her," Regulus replied, while Andromeda, having cleared a spot for herself near the wall, sat down and closed her eyes. A quick recovery will help us much more right now.
"Are we not going to be in trouble? First there were threats, then an attack, and now we're taking someone prisoner. We're going to get expelled!" The girl, who'd started doubtful, sounded increasingly anxious with each word.
"Calm down. No one can do anything to us. She entered Hogwarts grounds illegally, although as far as I know, that's already long forbidden for her. As for the attack — we defended ourselves from a witch with clearly malicious intent who appeared out of nowhere. And as for the ropes... even among students many fool around with such things."
"Especially among the older students," we finished mentally, involuntarily recalling the chapter on the bandage spell—specifically Japanese shibari—from a book, which, by the way, is freely available in the Hogwarts library!
"Sounds reasonable," the girl accepted our arguments, before looking strangely at Regulus. "Why are you blushing?"
"It's nothing," we waved it off before aiming the wand at a part of Rita Skeeter's body that wasn't bound and said, "Finite."
As soon as the petrification was lifted, the woman, still unable to move more than turning her head because of the ropes, glared fiercely at Regulus.
"And who here has no taste, you insolent brat! Untie me this instant! Or you'll regret it," Skeeter burst out in an angry tirade.
"Not yet, we'll talk first," Regulus said calmly, and with a wave of his wand used a non-verbal Leviosa on the ropes, lifting her from the floor and putting her on her feet against the wall.
"Hee-hee… ahem, excuse me," Hermione laughed involuntarily when the woman's face came into full view: her right cheek was smeared with owl droppings. She quickly apologized when Skeeter shot her a murderous look.
"You are walking on thin ice, you little devils," the woman almost growled.
"Our ice is certainly no thinner than yours," Regulus replied coldly, though he did use a cleaning spell, keeping his wand aimed at the captive's face.
"You, of all people, should know that some secrets are better left unheard."
"I'm a reporter—there are no secrets I'd rather not know," the woman replied proudly, nearly toppling over and forcing Hermione to steady her.
"Which is why you have so many enemies, especially in the Ministry of Magic. And if information about an unregistered beetle Animagus were to reach them, what do you think are the chances that beetle would end up in Azkaban—or simply squashed like any other insect?" Regulus asked smoothly.
"What do you want?" the woman asked through clenched teeth.
"It's simple: no slanderous articles about me, my sister, or those close to us," seeing the woman's displeased grimace, we added, "We won't ask about Dumbledore; he can handle things just fine without help from first-years."
"Fine, now untie me already," the woman agreed, then impatiently urged him on.
"Of course, finite," Regulus said, dispelling the ropes.
"Phew. Was it really necessary to tie me up so tightly? I'll be full of bruises," the slightly staggering woman grumbled.
"What's the point of tying someone up if you're going to do it unreliably?" Regulus asked, raising an eyebrow as he lowered his wand.
"Hm, I don't know, maybe so that—" the woman began, suddenly snatching a wand from her sleeve—but it flew immediately from her hand. She finished quietly, "—doesn't happen…"
"Bloody mutants," Skeeter muttered, seeing that our other half was still sitting aside, keeping all our mind focused on one body.
"I thought we could settle for an agreement where sharing each other's secrets is like burying ourselves, but I'm going to demand an Unbreakable Vow," Regulus sighed, still aiming his wand at the woman and holding her wand in his other hand.
"I'd rather skip the vows," Skeeter winced.
"Too late," Regulus said coldly. "And you'd better hurry up, unless you want Dumbledore to find you in Hogwarts. He's a master Legilimens, by the way."
"Don't tell me who Dumbledore is! I surely know more about him than you!" the woman snapped, extending her hand.
"Excellent. Hermione, you'll be the witness," Regulus said, taking the outstretched hand.
"Alright," the girl nodded, pointed her wand at our joined hands, and began to whisper a spell.
"Do you swear not to reveal secrets belonging to us and our loved ones?" Regulus began, feeling her squeeze his hand painfully. Physical training or not, an eleven-year-old boy simply can't compete in strength with a forty-year-old woman leading an active lifestyle.
"I swear," Skeeter said through clenched teeth, squeezing even harder as a golden-red ribbon of energy shot from Hermione's wand and wrapped around their hands.
"Do you swear not to slander us or our loved ones in your articles?" Regulus continued, gritting his teeth from the pain in his hand.
"I swear," the woman said, and another strip of energy wrapped around their hands. As soon as it bound them, we pulled our hand free of the painful grip, feeling she almost broke it.
"Is that all?" the woman asked, sounding a bit aggressive and clearly regretting coming here.
"Yes," Regulus confirmed, returning her wand while still massaging his aching hand. "But before you go, may I ask you a question?"
"Hurry up."
"Why didn't you mention in your article who owned the rat? Did your conscience finally wake up and you felt sorry for the Weasleys?"
"As if! The story will be on the front page this very evening!" Skeeter declared, then, reaching the window, stopped and turned. "And by the way, little mutant—"
"What?" we rolled our eyes at her insult.
"Go to hell," she snapped, flicked her wand and sent a dark beam that splashed on the shielding spell. Then, turning into a beetle, she flew off.
"What a nasty woman, only cares about making things worse for others," Andromeda grumbled, getting up as well.