Incendio

The intense feelings left behind after the Yule ball hung over Samantha like a darkened cloud. She was hurt both by her brother's actions, and by the actions of those who didn't tell her. Both Ginny and Colin insisted they had no clue. Samantha tried to believe them, but she had a hard time believing it. She decided it was best to assume everyone had known. Especially when she heard the whispers as she walked through the hallways. She'd never been the object of negative conversation before.

The whispers would echo in the common room and down the halls.

"Just think, no one was willing to fight a hex from her brother to date her."

"I wouldn't have taken her, hex or no hex, she's too annoying."

"She must have no friends if no one told her."

If everyone wasn't talking about her brother's threat, they certainly were talking about her rejection of Nicolas' kiss.

"I bet she rejected him because she thinks she's all high and mighty because she writes for a paper no one reads."

"She's lucky someone wanted to snog her at all, have you seen her hair?"

"It's no surprise she's a prude."

She even found herself avoiding eye contact with everyone on the Gazette when they met to discuss the Yule Ball edition. She spoke about business and avoided the smug look on Genevieve's face. It was the first time in the Gazette's short history that Samantha left a meeting as soon as it ended and didn't doddle to answer questions.

She avoided the library like the plague, she instead begged Hermione to get all of the books she needed. She didn't think she could face Nicolas so she was avoiding anywhere he could run into her. Hermione conceded that she in fact, knew about Jack's threat, but had figured it wouldn't have mattered since she had a date.

She spent a week trying to figure out how to confront her brother. Her mother had offered to send him a howler, but Samantha wrote back that it would be more embarrassment on her part and not on Jack's. She also insisted that she needed to confront her brother because he already accused her of being a tattle.

It wasn't until the new semester started up, that she even saw her brother again. She wasn't attempting to avoid him, but it wasn't anything she was ungrateful for. She was partially in belief that he was avoiding her as well.

It was when she was on her way to Defense Against The Dark Arts, the first week back, that she saw her brother walking with his friends to class. Upon sight of him, all of the anger in her spilled out. She quickly blurted out at him, "How could you?"

"What are you talking about?" Her brother feigned.

"You know what I mean!" She insisted strongly, but she chose to keep her voice steady. "You told every bloke in school that you'd hex them if they asked me to the ball."

One of the Slytherin's in her brother's year was laughing, "It's not like she'd really have been fighting them off though. Threat or no threat the only person who would have asked her was probably still that little oaf Longbottom."

"Shut up, Warrington." Her brother looked at the Slytherin dead on.

Warrington crossed his arms and stopped laughing.

Her brother rolled his eyes and looked back to her. "I was doing you a favor."

She crossed her arms. "I felt rejected and humiliated."

"You don't understand how men's brains work!" He pointed to his head aggressively and people had begun to gather around them. "I do."

"You have no right to decide who I date." Samantha quietly insisted back.

Her brother rolled his eyes and continued, "You don't understand, it's basic biology."

"I can take care of myself."

"Can you?" He asked, his voice becoming broader and echoing through the halls, "You aren't cool enough to have gone with anyone even remotely trustworthy. And obviously you didn't. Your judgement isn't to be trusted. Never focused on the real world, always living in your writing isn't going to give you real life skills Sammy."

Samantha began to feel hot tears in her eyes.

"Is there a problem here?" Professor McGonagall asked striding through the hallway.

The two Fyre children both stopped their argument immediately.

"I didn't think so." She said walking between them. "Mr. Fyre I please ask that you keep my hallways free of your aggressive nature."

Her brother looked ready to talk, but Samantha knew he secretly feared McGonagall. She'd known him since childhood and he knew she would tell his mother.

"Mr. Fyre, I now expect you will be late for your potions lesson. Wouldn't want you to be caught doddling, and I mean that for all of you." She addressed the small crowd around them. "Except you Miss Fyre."

Her brother strode off with barely a glance at his sister. Everyone else quickly followed. Samantha worried she was about to be in a tumble of trouble.

"Now Miss Fyre." McGonagall turned to her. Samantha who couldn't hold back the hot tears looked her in the eyes best she could. "This is no way for a Gryffindor to behave. Much less a Gryffindor in such a high position." McGonagall pulled out a handkerchief out and handed it to her.

Samantha nodded dabbing her eyes.

She commented. "Now compose yourself, Professor Moody is quite aware that you will be late for his class. I need to speak to you regarding Tournament matters."

Samantha followed McGonagall through the hallways and she started breathing a little steadier. They made their way to the Transfiguration classroom.

"Now Miss Fyre. The second task is in a few weeks, on the 24th of February." McGonagall handed Samantha a paper. "On the 23rd, I would like for you to meet me here. Each of the four Champions will have an important person in their life that they must, in a word, save from the black lake."

It suddenly clicked in her mind, she remembered the sound of the egg when Harry had opened it during the post Dragon challenge party. It had screeched loudly.

"Mermaids." Samantha blurted out. "Oh I feel daft now."

"If you feel incompetent, imagine how the champions are feeling." McGonagall chuckled to herself. "I would like you to be here to interview their chosen people."

Samantha nodded and chuckled a little herself.

"I would also like you to meet me every Sunday afternoon for the rest of the school year for a private lesson of sorts." McGonagall continued. "It's about time you learned how to transfigure your papers properly. I am becoming far too busy to oversee it myself for another year."

Samantha's heart leapt in excitement. "Truly professor?"

"Of course. You have improved greatly in my class, seeing as you and Miss Granger were the only students to have properly transfigured hedgehogs into pincushions, I believe you are up for the challenge."

Samantha let her professor's words hang in the air and her mind dashed wondered what kind of spells she would be learning.

"Now I do hope this will get your mind back on track Miss Fyre." McGonagall said with a wave of her arm. "As a witch, you hold a valuable power. No man, or anyone for that matter, should ever make you feel inferior, no mind to who he is or how he demeans you. You must remain strong and powerful."

Samantha nodded and stood a little straighter, "Of course Mam." Samantha wasn't used to that. She walked out of that classroom deciding to use the best power she had, that of her words, a great and powerful strength. She threw herself into her studies and writing. If people were going to talk about her, it was going to be about her writing and her skills.

A few days later, she stood straighter and taller as she strode into her next Gazette meeting. She had just had her first lesson with McGonagall and she felt on top of the world, she had successfully made words and pictures move. She couldn't wait for her next lesson.

"Alright, the next task is in a few weeks, I can guarantee an amazing scoop, but we need some good hard hitting stories till then." Samantha said strongly to her group, looking each and every one of them straight in the eyes. Only Neville was missing, but Samantha knew he had detention with Snape. She was going to be firmer with the Gazette, she wanted things to really take off, especially with her reputation suddenly in question. "I don't want some nappy little story about how Professor Binns is a ghost, for god sakes we already know that."

Everyone stood silently for a moment before Daphne piped up.

"We have a temporary Care of Magical Creatures professor. She caught a unicorn and brought it to class last week. Maybe I could add a story about that into her profile." Daphne suggested.

"Wicked." Samantha remarked, "Excellent start. Anyone else?"

"We could do a follow up to the Prophet's claims about Hagrid." Ernie suggested.

"Hagrid didn't want that to be written about." Ginny exclaimed. "My brother told me Hagrid never meant for people to know about it."

"It could be seen as exploitative, especially if it was originally published without his consent." Samantha agreed. "Good idea though."

Marietta raised her hand slightly. "I know we don't do gossip, but maybe we could do a little article on relationships, but in a positive light. My best friend, Cho, is dating Cedric, maybe we could write something about their experience as a couple during the tournament."

Samantha nodded. She suspected that Cho may end up as Cedric's person to be stolen for the second task, it would really tug some heart strings if it was built up to. "As long as it's tasteful, and probably written by someone else. You could be seen as biased."

"I didn't want to write it, you know I'm better with the pictures." Marietta agreed.

Genevieve rolled her eyes but responded, "I'll write it."

"Alright. Genevieve, you work on that. Daphne you and Ernie interview Professor Grubbly-Plank. Marietta you and Neville work on the regular advertisements and layout, one of us should let him know. Colin, photograph what you can. Ginny, you and I are taking the week off of writing so we are prepared to write when the second task happens." Samantha nodded. "We have our assignments. I'll see everyone back here Wednesday to approve for publishing."

Everyone nodded and Samantha felt her mojo coming back. She walked out with her head held high, arm in arm with Ginny. She was ready to face the months ahead.

A few weeks later Samantha stood outside McGonagall's office on the 23rd of February. She had her notebook ready and she'd decided to take her hair out of her signature pigtails. This would be the first time she'd be the only journalist covering the event.

She knocked on the door and Ludo Bagman greeted her.

"Oh, Miss Fyre. Minerva said you would be along."

Samantha wasn't used to anyone referring to her teacher as Minerva.

"We're still waiting on a few of the participants but if you'd like to go ahead and interview Miss Delacour's sister." He continued although Samantha hadn't even spoken. "Once you finish this, you really should submit your article to the Prophet. The prophet has been fuming since Rita Skeeter isn't allowed on property anymore." Ludo Bagman said with a chuckle. "I know a few people and I could pull a string or two."

Samantha shrugged, she hadn't really considered it, but now she was. It could be a real opportunity for her. "Really?"

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "Look really good for your career too."

Samantha nodded before rethinking a few of her questions. Especially if she could be submitting this to the Daily Prophet. She took a deep breath before introducing herself to Fleur's little sister and beginning her work.