JKR Writes a New Rita Skeeter Article for Pottermore

[stmargarets]

It's a write-up of the Quidditch World Cup and her (Rita Skeeter's) speculations about various members of Dumbledore's Army

Comments

[author_by_night]

Percy's head of Magical Transportation? Must work into my fic, somehow.

Deep down, a seventeen year old fangirl still lurks inside me. And she objects to the "half-werewolf" bit. :P Sounds like some things haven't changed. (Although obviously this is also Rita Skeeter, who takes delight in being controversial.) Though he's in Harry's care? What happened to Andromeda? Then again, as I just said, it's Rita Skeeter so who knows. "Raised by his grandmother and occasionally visited by Potter" doesn't have the same ring to it. And I don't doubt that Harry did raise Teddy, in a sense.

I LOVE that she called Hermione the "femme fatale." I wonder if JKR knows some of the things fandom did with Hermione... or if that's precisely why she said that... I was never sure how much JKR really knew about fandom except for the "surface" things (if you will) like The-Leaky-Cauldron and MuggleNet.

This isn't a criticism, I'm just curious, did Neville and Hannah even interact in canon? I know they had a bit of a following, but almost everything did, so

[stmargarets]

I think JKR is playing with the Rita Skeeter persona and having a grand old time. Besides Hermione being a femme fatale - she's also a mom of two! I think she's poking fun at all of those puff pieces about career women that always mention their domestic life. (Unlike career profiles of men.)

Rita Skeeter portrayed Hermione as a heart-breaker in OotP (which is why Molly sent her a smaller Easter egg), that part is consistent characterization of Rita - and could well be an acknowledgement of Emma Watson's popularity. I think she knows about the fandom - maybe not all the nuances, but she knew about the shipping wars.

I'm fuzzy on the origins of Hannah and Neville as well. They were both in Dumbledore's Army and Neville was close to Professor Sprout who was Hufflepuff's head teacher. Weren't they all in Herbology together?

[author_by_night]

Oh, she is definitely having fun with it! And you're right, she probably IS poking a bit of fun, too.

You know what, you're right, the Hufflepuffs were in Herbology with the Gryffindors. Or at least they were in CoS, not sure if they were the whole time, but I would imagine so. So it would make sense.

[rumpelsnorcack]

Heh, that was so much fun to read. I loved that Rita is still herself - still trying to poison with gossip. I can just imagine the six of them reading it and laughing hysterically at the way they've been presented.

[stmargarets]

I know! I'm tempted to write just such a fic.

[rdprice29]

Please do!

[author_by_night]

Do it!

[girlspell]

I'm glad about Hannah! I thought poor Neville married to a bar maid! I think the author meant to "educate" Hannah in a more respectable job. I still think Neville and Luna should have gotten together. At least Harry is still with Ginny. The way things are going, I thought Hermione would ditch Ron (and Harry would do the same with Ginny) and those two would sail away.

[stmargarets]

LOL - I don't think JKR wanted to open a shipping can of worms. It's one thing to think aloud in an interview and another to write something undermining your previous work.

[sherylyn]

I think using Rita in this way lets JKR snipe a bit at the insanity that followed her interview w/Emma, too. And from what Emma said about it, it seems like even the interview was manipulated to some extent in the editing.

Who better to fuss about snarky writing than the queen of snark? Rita may be awful, but she does *that* well, even if you wanna smack her for it ;-)

[sea_thoughts]

This reminded me of just how despicable Rita is! Sniping at Harry still wearing the same glasses, implying that he and Krum murdered Cedric and calling Hermione a femme fatale. But of course, she clearly wanted the job herself and didn't get it, so she's going to be even more vindictive than usual. *smirk*

[stmargarets]

It's fun to write vindictive characters. I'm sure JKR had a blast writing it.

[sea_thoughts]

Absolutely, especially all the stuff about Hermione, Ginny and Luna.

[author_by_night]

Wait, she implied that Viktor and Harry murdered Cedric?! I must have missed that... oy.

[rdprice29]

I read it, I loved it! And it's soooo in Rita's style. Thank goodness I don't have to deal with stuff like that in real life. :). You are supposed to know Luna had twins. It came out back when the family tree did, I think. Love it and I'm so glad she's spoiling us and writing more in the HP world. And lol andnRon's hair thinning like in the movie and suggesting that Ginny caused Harry's new scar. If she did, it probably happened in the bedroom. ;). And I love that Hermione is Amelia Bones now and possible to become Minister. I don't remember that detail from before. Love it! OMG 2 days in a row; I'll have to post on my own LJ soon, lol!

[stmargarets]

Someone should write the "bedroom scar" fic!

Yes, two days in a row! If you keep this up for 30 days, it will be a habit!