Chapter 312: Making And Selling News

A growing crowd gathered to witness the unfolding spectacle.

Not far away, members of the Harry Potter crew arrived on the scene.

Despite the studio being filled with numerous stars, Emma Watson outshone them all in that moment, becoming the most prominent star in the night sky.

While several photos were taken, Bruce wasted no time and accelerated toward the set.

"What's going on?" Martin inquired as he listened to voices behind him, "I heard someone ahead shouting that Emma Watson was attacked with firecrackers."

Bruce also listened closely and recorded the voice from behind, "It appears someone used firecrackers to startle Hermione in the restroom."

Firecrackers causing a restroom explosion – quite the talent!

Martin promptly thought of someone and said, "It must be that Peeping Saoirse Ronan!"

Bruce nodded, "its most Likely her doings. She had a confrontation with Emma Watson over firecrackers earlier in the day."

Martin and Bruce returned, and a swarm of crew members rushed to the scene.

The trailer was deserted, and after parking the electric cart, Martin intended to pick up his bag and head back to the hotel.

In the dim light on the left, a black figure suddenly dashed out.

Martin reacted swiftly. Without waiting for anyone to approach, he seized the person and pinned them on top of the car with a thud.

This individual was dressed in a black robe with a pointed hat and an exaggerated white skull mask, resembling the maniac from "Scream."

However, she was notably smaller in size.

Saoirse whispered, "It's me, Saoirse!"

Martin pulled back her hood and warned, "You're lucky I didn't give you a beating."

She said, "Well... can you take me to the studio entrance?"

Martin began to pack his things in the car and asked, "What did you do to Emma Watson?"

"I did it," Saoirse admitted. She used firecrackers borrowed from Martin and couldn't deny it, saying, "I tossed them over the partition while she was in the restroom. It must have been quite a spectacle."

Then her tone shifted, "Actually, I overheard your earlier argument with her. You won't tell her, will you?"

Martin thought for a moment and decided to maintain his persona. He showed her the photos on his phone.

Saoirse took Martin's phone and browsed through the somewhat unclear images. Nevertheless, she recognized Emma Watson's embarrassed appearance in all of them, clutching toilet paper, and she burst into laughter.

Martin warned, "Be careful with your words. You're provoking the queen of all Harry Potter fans, and you could get into real trouble."

Saoirse nodded eagerly, "I won't tell anyone! Martin, you won't tell anyone either, right? This is our secret."

She asked, "Can you give me a copy of the photos?"

Bruce extracted a notebook with clearer images taken under the bright streetlights, saved them on two USB drives, and handed one to Saoirse, saying, "Keep it for your amusement."

"Thank you," Saoirse replied, sounding slightly regretful, "Unfortunately, I missed the scene."

Martin reminded her, "Let's go."

Saoirse retrieved a plain black bag, stashed the robe and mask inside, left the trailer, and hopped into the electric cart driven by Bruce. They left the studio together.

Upon reaching the parking lot near the gate, she disembarked and waved to Martin, "The hotel I'm staying at is nearby. I'll visit you another day."

Martin waved back and joined Bruce in the car.

Bruce hesitated before starting the car and asked Martin, "These could fetch a decent sum if sold to a Sun reporter, right?"

Martin queried, "Extra pocket money?"

"The surplus will cover my day-to-day expenses," Bruce replied. "I plan to buy some new bags for Kim and Khloe, using these photos as currency."

Not forgetting Martin, he added, "Lily's in Los Angeles, and you wanted to get her some gifts. I think this money will buy a lot of crocodile teeth and bison horns."

Martin glanced at the time and urged, "Sell them quickly before others come out. Don't reveal yourself."

Bruce knew he occasionally appeared in the media following Martin's steps and nodded, "I'll stay discreet."

He promptly made a call.

Pinewood Studios, being a hub for film crews and stars, attracted numerous gossip reporters and paparazzi.

Newspapers like "The Sun" and "Daily Mail" had reporters stationed there for an extended period.

Gerdes, a long-standing "Sun" reporter at the studio, was preparing to finish for the day. Suddenly, someone from the studio approached his car and knocked on his window.

Gerdes lowered the window and inquired, "What's up?"

The man stated, "You're from The Sun, I know. I've got news to sell. Would you be interested?"

Gerdes advised, "It's best to have photos or videos."

The man nodded, "We've got pictures – from the Harry Potter crew, featuring Emma Watson. Absolutely exclusive!"

Gerdes invited him into the car and said, "I need to see a photo first."

The man retrieved his mobile phone and displayed a photo of Emma Watson with the studio in the background.

Gerdes, seasoned in the industry, recognized something amiss immediately. Under the bright streetlight, there was a large wet patch between her trousers, and her clothes were heavily stained. It even looked like she had a piece of toilet paper on her head – far from her usual composed self.

Gerdes was intrigued and wanted more.

But the man reclaimed his phone and stated, "There are nine shocking photos in total."

Recognizing the immense value of the photo to "The Sun," Gerdes inquired, "I need to know what exactly happened?"

The man hit play on his phone, and a recording started.

In the nighttime breeze, a girl's voice could be faintly heard, exclaiming, "Someone attacked Emma Watson with firecrackers in the toilet! Emma Watson was so scared that she peed her pants..."

Gerdes simply said, "Tell me your price."

The man responded, "£40,000, no bargaining." He gestured to another car in the distance, "Reporters from the Daily Mail and Metro News will be interested, for sure."

The price was steep. Gerdes couldn't make this decision alone now: "Give me some time, I'll make a call."

The man urged, "Don't make me wait too long; I don't have much patience."

After a brief phone call, Gerdes returned, saying, "I want all the photos, audio, and the verbal account – £40,000."

The man nodded, "Deal."

Within ten minutes, the transaction was completed.

Martin and Bruce had made it back to the hotel where the crew was staying.

From the hotel room's balcony, they could still see the studio's bright lights.

Bruce reported, "I paid £5,000 to the contact, and the remaining £35,000 will be transferred to me soon."

Martin didn't require the money and suggested, "You keep it. You don't need to give it to me."

Bruce refused to let Martin cover the costs: "I covered the bills for our purchases in Australia this time."

In a cheerful mood, Martin remarked, "The Sun should be grateful to us. We've helped them secure several big stories."

Bruce added, "Bale, Blanchett, and now Emma Watson." He recollected, "And the leads we provided about Harvey Weinstein back in New York."

Martin nearly forgot about it and inquired, "Has there been any coverage from the News of the World?"

"No, we're still in the learning phase," Bruce kept track. "I've got the latest intel that the team is tracing from New York to Los Angeles. They're still on the hunt."

Martin took note, as this information could be useful in the future.

Bruce understood Martin's dogged determination.

Checking the time, Martin said, "I need a good rest for another day of shooting."

"I'll gather information about the situation at the studio," Bruce said, dialing his phone.

Back at Pinewood Studios, on the Harry Potter set, Emma Watson had freshened up and changed into clean clothes. She aggressively approached Cheryl, attempting to grab her hair.

Several crew members quickly intervened.

Emma Watson scolded, "You, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Cheryl had an innocent look on her face, saying, "You asked for help, and I did as you said! I called for help!"

She burst into tears, appearing emotionally shattered, "I followed your instructions, and you treat me like this. How could anyone be so heartless? How could this happen..."

The crew exchanged glances, pondering Emma Watson's real thoughts: "Both of them are unreasonable!"

Emma Watson leaped to her feet, declaring, "You'll regret this!"

Cheryl felt even more wronged.

These two individuals had vastly different personalities: one was domineering, the other, a picture of innocence.

Emma's agent and her father, Chris Watson, entered from outside and shouted, "That's enough, stop the commotion!"

The office fell silent.

"Stop the arguments, the fuss," Chris told his daughter, then approached several producers on the crew, urging them to act quickly. He requested the crew block news dissemination, coordinate with nearby crews, and prevent the spread of any violent content like photos or videos.

Without such material, the news could only remain a matter of hearsay.

"There were too many onlookers tonight; it's impossible to keep everything under wraps," producer David Heyman admitted. "We can only do our best."

The noise generated by the incident was too substantial; tabloid paparazzi might have already caught wind of it.

Chris said, "Then prepare a statement as soon as possible. Say the crew needed these props for filming, or that a group of young girls was just playing a harmless game." David Heyman turned to the crew's public relations director: "We need the plan out tonight."

The director immediately sprang into action, calling for an emergency meeting with his team to strategize.

Despite their preparations, the following morning saw the release of a new issue of The Sun, featuring a series of photos and related news about Emma Watson on the front page, sending shockwaves throughout the UK.

Even in North America, across the Atlantic, the news spread rapidly.

The crew's explanation at the press conference was met with skepticism. Subsequently, Emma Watson temporarily stepped down from her role in the Harry Potter film, and The Sun's paparazzi captured photos of her visiting a therapist.

This incident eventually became infamous as the "Diaper Scandal."