it's not proper journalism unless someone's trying to kill you for it

[dogbitesman]

There were, as yet, no angry letters.

William had been sick for the last week - he'd caught the tail-end of Maladicta's flu, and apparently living in whatever remained of her vampire immune-system had turned it into something to be reckoned with, or at least that's how it had felt at the time - and upon his arrival back at the office both the box

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[dale_cooper_fbi]

Dale had, in fact, been waiting to catch William de Worde in his office again before voicing his own opinions, rather than slipping a note into the box.

"Mr. de Worde," he said, a copy of the paper in his hand. "Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought we had developed a rapport."

[dogbitesman]

William sighed inwardly. The reasonable complaints were always so much worse.

"Mr. Cooper," he said, with a brief, somber smile. "I'd like to think so."

He sat forward, putting his pen aside and resting his hands on the desk. "But when it comes to the editorial, following the dictates of my conscience is always going to take priority; I could have come to you first, I suppose is what you're saying? And yes, I could have. But I didn't. Because the public comes first."

He sat back. "It's an opinion. I'd like to think I can express it, even publicly, without too much damage being done to whatever rapports I may or may not have."

[dale_cooper_fbi]

"I would never question your right to express your opinions," said Dale. "But I have to wonder why a man who calls himself a journalist would neglect to ask his questions of the person who could actually answer them. It, in fact, makes me wonder if you really want answers to those questions, or would rather incite distrust in the population based on conjecture rather than fact?"

[dogbitesman]

"Oh, I do want answers," William said. "Rest assured of that. But the fact that these particular questions have not been publicly answered as a matter of course, that we have to investigate the matter, that's news, just as much as the answers are."

He folded his fingers together. "Tell me, Mr. Cooper, have you spoken to anyone who has begun to distrust the council based on my editorial? Because if you haven't, aren't you making an accusation based on conjecture right now?"

[honestlyclever]

"Hello?" Hermione peeked around the door of the Times office, looking for Mr DeWorde. She had been looking for him since the last issue came out, but so far had not managed to locate him. "Mr DeWorde?"

[dogbitesman]

"That's me," William confirmed, looking up from his work. "Can I help you with something, miss?"

[honestlyclever]

"Oh, good, I was hoping you'd be here," said Hermione. "My name is Hermione Granger. I wondered if you might be accepting any more editors for your paper?" Hermione had never written for an actual newspaper before, but she technically had experience working with newspaper reporters (cf. Rita Skeeter).

[dogbitesman]

"You want to work for the paper?" William said, taken aback. This was not the sort of conversation he'd been expecting to have today. "Er... aren't you a litte-"

Young had been the next word, but William had just that moment considered what he thought of as the Sacharissa Factor.

"-do you have any experience?" he said, smoothly1 changing tack.

1For a given value of smooth, involving sandpaper.