Chapter 69 - You Did What? - 2

Tifa stopped, raising her eyebrow, placing her hand on her waist, "You did what?"

"Oops," Aerith stuck out her tongue.

"Did you leave me there for thirty minutes!"

"I did not! Ok…I did. Oh wait, I gotta give the statement!"

Tifa laughingly shook her head and returned to the Titan's palm that hadn't disappeared. She picked up Cho, waking her up, helping her sit up before moving to help the others.

The second task started at 9:30 in the morning and ended at 10:00; when the other champions came out and scored, the time was already half-past ten. Everyone slowly made their way to the Great Hall for lunch, an afternoon feast.

The teachers and the Headmasters were also sitting in on this feast, and Aerith, who came in after the interviews, became the center of the attention.

"Awesome job!! Champion!!!"

"Aerith!!!"

"Team Aerith all the way!!"

Aerith grinningly waved her hand at her fans and sat down on the seat Cloud and Tifa saved for her, "And I triumphantly return!"

"Please don't talk to me," Angelina looked away, causing Aerith to blank out, "What? What did I do?"

"We have been friends, roommates, for how many years?"

"Five."

"Five."

Fred and Geroge said one after the another, emphasizing five.

"Yes?"

"And…I never knew you could do something like that! I knew you were a powerful witch! But this is a whole other level!! For god sake! The papers might be right, you know! About you being stronger than…Headmaster Dumbledore!"

"Ah, that's not true," Aerith shook her head, "Headmaster easily has much more experience than I have. I have big moves…sure…but beating Headmaster would need more than some big moves."

"So modest."

"Very modest."

"Eh…I agree with her," Lee shrugged, "There is a reason why Dumbledore is the greatest magician of this century."

"What do you think?"

"Oh, please, those two have been in a world of their own," Angelina curled her lips.

"It's not that," Cloud glanced at Tifa, "I am just worried…she's still feeling weak."

"Aw…I am the one who was drained after using the magic! Pamper me!" Aerith puffed her cheeks.

Tifa leaned on Cloud, "Maybe it's because you left me there for thirty minutes that I feel so tired. Cloud…feed me?"

Cloud took the soup that he asked the house elves to make. It wasn't usually allowed, but they had made the connections. He blew on the spoon, ensuring it wasn't too hot before placing it in front of Tifa's mouth.

Aerith parted her lips, closing them, wanting to speak, but couldn't. She furrowed her brows, glaring at Tifa, "You are not going to let that go anytime soon, are you?"

Tifa gulped the soup down, looking up as if thinking, "Nope."

"WHERE IS SHE!!!!"

They were enjoying lunch but stopped in between, looking towards the door where the hysteric scream came from.

"That's…Rita Skeeter, right? What happened to her?"

Cloud had to say, Lee's question was rational since the woman seemed a mess. Nothing like her usual self, mad and hysteric, "Where is TIFA LOCKHART!!!"

"Ah, this one is mine," Tifa stood up, "I'll be back, guys."

She walked up to Rita Skeeter, "How about we talk outside?"

"Outside?!!! Why! You want to hide what you and Dumbledore cooked up together!! I knew it was the two of you!! The ones who got me fired! So how did you do it?! Huh?!"

"It had nothing to do with Headmaster Dumbledore, and we can talk about this outside."

"NO!! We are going to talk about this right here!! Let all of them know what you did!!! How did you do it, huh? How did you manage to get me fired?! An orphan girl likes you! Did you use the unforgivable curse!!"

Tifa raised her eyebrow and sighed, "I didn't get you fired."

She turned back, walking to her seat when Rita spoke and shouted, "Little girl!! You don't know my reach!!! My connections! I know for sure you were the one behind it! I will tell the world that you used the unforgivable curse!!"

"Miss Rita Skeeter!" Dumbledore's booming voice silenced her, "We take accusations like that very seriously, and Tifa Lockhart is an ideal student. You better watch your mouth."

"Oh, please! Ideal student? Like that would—"

"I didn't get you fired," Tifa stopped her in the middle of the sentence, "But you are right. It has something to do with me. I am the one who fired you as the new owner of Daily Prophet; I am getting rid of a few liabilities."

Everyone from Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons was enjoying the show when they heard her. They gasped; most of them felt blanking out, much like Rita Skeeter was.

"What…no…impossible! That old man would never sell!"

"Well, he wasn't keen on it, but after a few conditions, incentives, and a good business plan. He agreed and as to why I fired you. I heard rumors that you get your information illegally and might be an Illegal Animagus. You see, that makes you a liability."

She crossed her arms, sighing, "Since these were just rumors, I didn't want to say anything and get you in trouble. I would hate it even more if the Ministry started investigating you; that would make it hard for you to get a job, right? Sorry about that."

"Baseless rumors…you will regret this!! I will make sure you will regret picking a fight with me!!"

"I am not the one who threw the first punch."

"Huh," Skeeter turned her head, looking mad, "What? I never wrote an article about you! Oh, wait! Is all this for some attention?!"

Tifa pressed her lips, smiling, pointing her thumb towards Hagrid, sitting at the end of the teacher's table, "Hagrid's a precious friend and a respected teacher of ours. I wouldn't say I like it when someone hurts my friends. And usually…I do something about it."

Tifa sat down, giving her one last look, "You really shouldn't have written that article."

"For him…for him…this is not over yet!!! I am telling you!! This is not over!!!" She left the hall as fast as she came.

Tifa took a deep breath, placing her palm on Cloud's, "Cloud…feed me…I drained all the energy that I collected."

"Ok."

"Ok…? IS that all you are going to say? Did you know about this?"

Cloud shook his head, answering Angelina's question, "No. Did you?"

"I had no idea," Aerith was so confused about whether she should ask or continue the fight where they left off.

"So…shouldn't you say something?"

Cloud thought for a moment, taking a spoonful of soup, feeding her, "Sell it at a loss if it becomes too much."

"Not that!"

Angelina took a deep breath, sitting down, "Fine. You guys do you! Not gonna say anything!"

Professor McGonagall came over to the table, patting Tifa's shoulder, "Miss Lockhart, Miss Gainsborough, could you two come with me for a moment?"

"Sure, Professor."

Cloud looked over his shoulder, and Professor McGonagall looked away, saying, "I told you so."

"Gloating is not very nice, Mr. Strife," McGonagall shook her head, guiding the two girls out. While Hagrid wanted to run over and hug them, face covered in tears, Dumbledore stopped him.

Cloud put down the spoon, staring at the soup, thinking about his plans, "One more task."