Chapter 123: Rita

Afterward, John and Harry went to the judging room together to wait for the interview to begin.

During the period, the two also chatted briefly.

Harry said Sirius would be coming to Hogwarts in the next two days.

He came specifically because he received a letter from Professor McGonagall, worried that Harry would be dragged into some conspiracy, so he came to look after him; Harry was naturally very happy about this.

Harry also asked John if he had ever had the experience of quarreling with friends.

As soon as he heard it, John knew Harry was troubled because he had fallen out with Ron and was still upset about it.

John naturally had such an experience, but it was always a fight, and then they made up inexplicably the next day.

Quarreling is the collision of emotions; only by venting the anger first can one calm down and talk properly.

Of course, this is limited to situations where no principled mistakes were made.

After listening to John's words, Harry felt it made sense.

He said that after the interview, he would go beat Ron up; after all, he was actually quite angry with Ron and had wanted to beat him up for a long time.

But anger aside, he still didn't want to lose Ron as a friend.

Just as they were chatting, Krum and Fleur also walked into the judging room one after another.

Fleur didn't care about the two little boys; in her view, the only real opponent in this competition was Krum.

And Krum sat silently in the corner, his gaze occasionally looking at John.

For some reason, John always felt that the look Krum gave him carried a hint of indescribable hostility.

And John didn't show weakness, glaring back directly; you're the only one with eyes, right.

Krum was stunned by the glare, then looked away and snorted coldly.

His reaction left John confused; I don't seem to have provoked Krum, right?

It couldn't be that he also felt I cheated, so he's unhappy with me?

But John didn't think too much, because the reporter had arrived.

A female reporter wearing a green robe, wearing jeweled glasses, and heavily made up walked straight in, carrying a crocodile skin bag.

"Oh, four Warriors, this is truly an unprecedented scene!"

As soon as she entered, she revealed a morbid excitement, her gaze scanning the four people's faces back and forth.

"Quick, take a picture."

As she spoke, she urged the photographer on the side, during which one could see the few gold teeth in her mouth.

The photographer quickly raised his camera, the flash blinding people.

"Hello everyone, I am Rita Skeeter, writing for the Daily Prophet."

Rita walked quickly to the few people and shook hands with them one by one.

"Hehe, but that's not the point; the point now is you."

She narrowed her eyes, a meaningful smile rising at the corner of her mouth, as if she had already smelled the news about to ferment.

"Alright, let's start today's interview."

Rita opened her crocodile skin bag and took out a quill with feathers and a tattered notebook.

As soon as the quill touched the notebook, it began to write quickly on its own.

No, we haven't even started talking yet, and this pen is already writing?

John stared at the automatic writing quill, feeling that this wasn't a serious reporter...

"Let's start with who... ah, let's start with the youngest."

As she spoke, Rita's gaze locked onto John, revealing a smile.

John couldn't help but shake his body.

Not out of fear, just purely feeling disgusted.

Then Rita didn't care about John's opinion, grabbed his arm directly, and pulled him to the broom closet on the side to start a separate interview.

"John Merrick, 12 years old, from a Muggle family, with no background in the wizarding world, yet able to pass Dumbledore's Age Line."

"To be honest, besides that Savior, you have the most material worth digging into."

Rita crossed her legs, hands on her knees, and said slowly looking at John.

While speaking, she leaned close to John's face, the gold teeth shining with cold light in the dim broom closet.

"Tell me, how did you do it?"

"Is there an expert guiding you behind the scenes?"

"Or did Dumbledore privately modify the Age Line for you?"

John hadn't even answered yet, and the shorthand quill was writing non-stop on the paper.

【The boy was silent, there was a longing light in his eyes, seemingly fantasizing about the glory after becoming famous, becoming a legend in people's mouths, even if he had to bear the curse of cheating, he wouldn't hesitate.】

John:?

No, how come I don't know I have so much drama?

He opened his mouth, just wanting to refute, but after meeting Rita's fearless expression, he closed his mouth again.

After a moment of silence, John spoke.

"Yes, Dumbledore helped me modify the Age Line; Dumbledore is actually my uncle."

"Oh~ uh...... what?"

The shorthand quill paused abruptly, the ink smearing into a ball on the paper, and Rita was also stunned.

Her mouth twitched, then she squeezed out a smile again.

"Hehe, interesting child."

"Alright, I know, let's change the topic."

Rita waved her hand, letting the quill cross out the record just now, directly keeping the part 'Dumbledore helped him modify the Age Line,' and discarding the rest.

"Then, John, you're only 12 this year; you will face three opponents older than you."

"Do you feel any pressure?"

John thought about it, then answered very seriously.

"Yes, I feel huge pressure now."

"......"

Seemingly speechless by John's serious nonsense.

John didn't look like he was under pressure at all.

Rita narrowed her eyes, a sarcastic smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, and continued.

"Then why do you think you are qualified to compete with them? After all, they are more mature, more powerful, and more qualified than you."

John put on a naive look, thought for a while, and answered.

"Uh... because Dumbledore is my uncle?"

Rita curled her mouth, maintaining her smile for John's 'cooperation.'

"Alright, then the next question."

"Why did you choose to sign up?"

"To show off and prove yourself? To cover up the inferiority of your Muggle origin? So you morbidly seek attention?"

This time John tilted his head and thought seriously.

"Although your description is biased, you put it very aptly."

"I signed up just to show off."

John admitted his motivation very frankly.

As for the proving himself, covering up inferiority, seeking attention, etc., they were all automatically filtered out by him.

This level of slander, or questioning, had no impact on him at all.

Rita blinked, her smile returning to its professional arc.

"Hehe, interesting little guy~"

"Then, do you think you can win the Triwizard Cup?"

Rita finally asked a question, and unlike her previous aggressiveness, she became quite serious.

John met her gaze and smiled confidently.

"Of course." ===== CHAPTER 124 =====