Filling Empty Promises

Cyrus pulled his arm out of Robert’s grip immediately. He wasn’t about to be manhandled by some old brute that thought he could cover up one of the biggest stories currently circulating around Wizarding Britain. The pitiful attempt excited Cyrus to no end. It was exactly the response he wanted. Of course he hadn’t bet on his camera exploding but he could easily reproduce it from his memories. Cyrus mentally threw up some shields to the memory couldn’t be tampered nor Obliviated from its place in his mind. He would put it in his pensieve when he got home though. She wasn’t exactly a sight for sore eyes. She’d make you go blind. It was just gross.

“I wouldn’t exactly say little.” Cy sneered. “It describes no part of me I assure you.” He grinned wolfishly and pressed his lips together before his mouth curled into a smirk. “I’m sure, Lupin but no doubt they will after what I intend to publish. Although, why there is the obsession with the Director of this establishment I have no idea. I had hoped to get a statement from Mr. Dent,” he chuckled at this point. “But he’s obviously not here. Such a shame really. I’m sure he has an opinion on the situation. Merlin knows I would. Now what is it I hear? Werewolf, deformed? Any of those ring a bell? Or perhaps hideous monstrosity? I believe that one was floating around as well. It seems your lovely little granddaughter is quite the disappointment. She’ll be no loss to the Wizarding world though will she?” Cy grinned maliciously and crossed his well sculpted arms over his chest.

"None whatsoever," Robert shrugged. He saw no point in baiting the man. "I fail to understand the obsession with the Director myself. Do you do this for every woman who has a baby in the wizarding world? Well, perhaps you would. And, you are quite obviously correct. Mr. Dent is not here. If he's who you're looking for, then I suggest you move on and keep looking." Robert looked at Cy's notebook and with nonverbal magic, he set the pad on fire and broke his quick quotes quill. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and besides, it was fun.

Brian had no intention of moving. He had positioned himself directly in front of the incubator so that no one coming in would even get the slightest look at Khaat's precious child. He was waiting to see if the idiot connected all the faces in the room--Gabrielle, Mari, Blaire, himself, Robert--not to mention the two patients. That would only add more fodder to the press.

"Either ask your questions or get out," Robert said, drawing his wand. "I refuse for you to jeopardize the life of any patient here by your harrassment of them. You won't be getting a picture today. Sorry about that. Now, if your little glimpse at our critically ill patients amuses you, well, now you have it, so leave. If you have a question, ask it. Let's get this overwith."

“Oh no, I was just assigned to this....fairytale.” he paused and smirked a little before continuing. “I wouldn’t normally busy myself with the lives of those who I have no interest in. Clearly though, the Wizarding world wants to know about this ‘tragic’ story. Obviously the health of this woman means something to them. Or lack thereof, rather.” He paused and cast a look at the woman who was hiding underneath the covers. She probably hadn’t even moved since he’d come in. How sad. He didn’t even know why he bothered sometimes but this story would, unfortunately, sell newspapers and so he had to oblige and get a story. Although, unless he was going to do a feature on a new diet then he had nothing thanks to the two idiots blowing up his things. Plus, writing about this woman was boring. She wasn’t anything particularly special.

“What about the beautiful little Miss. Dent?” he asked, noticing the other people in the room. He remembered Jenifer from school but he neither recognised her face nor could he pick her out. It all looked very grim, like they were gathering around a dead body in a morgue. He would definitely mention that. The fact that they all looked like they were mourning someone who clearly didn’t want to die was quite depressing. Cy didn’t know why she just didn’t get on with it. Illegal potions, amulets ... she should have been dead months and months ago. What a shame. “Not here either I see. What a shame. It must certainly make his wife feel loved, both he and his sister are absent and his daughter is ... behind that oaf.” Cy scowled at the man who had moved in front of the incubator but said nothing else. That comment was directed at Khaat.

Cyrus purposely looked insulted and put a hand on his chest. He pouted but threw a smirk back onto his face and made a new notebook appear, this time he had his own quill and would write in shorthand to get the notes quicker. “Oh, I’m sorry but I’m not harassing anyone. However, your critically ill patient amuses me to no end.” He chuckled softly and shook his head before brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. “Let’s see... I have an abundance of questions but you’re contradicting yourself. Do you want me to ask one or multiple questions? The list is endless.”

Matt took a little more time to get to the crowed which was now scrambled and came up right behind Cyrus. Ah, he remembered his grandmother, she was one hell of a woman. But she was a pain, so he assumed Cyrus would be exactly like her. "How about you buzz off or you'll have an azkaban sentence to deal with. I don't think you should have to answer any questions Robert." he said.

This was all really beginning to rub Cy the wrong way. He remembered now why his grandmother despised the Lupins so much. Robert Lupin had a rather large stick stuck up his arse. It was probably that and the fact that their family tree was marred by a werewolf’s presence there. Cy heard a voice and looked around to see the Minister standing there. Things were getting better and better it seemed. Once again he began to mentally question the obsession with this woman. He remembered her from school and she wasn’t anything particularly impressive even then. The Dents were a force to be reckoned with even then but it seemed as if the Lupins had gotten to them. It was sad really. They weren’t worth anything. “I’m sorry Minister.” He said mockingly. “But I don’t think it is a crime to enter a ward do you? Perhaps if it is then everyone else should serve time in Azkaban with me, hm? Or are we just picking favourites?” he smirked as his pen rolled across the page, forming lines that he could read perfectly.

"If you really would prefer I get a restraining order so you leave the Director alone," Robert said, "I can easily arrange that, seeing as though the Minister is already here.

Khaat's patience had completely run out. She extended one of her tiny hands from beneath the blankets and purposely set Cy's hair on fire. It was a small flame at first and then it seemed to burst, on its own into a fireball. Khaat didn't know how in the heck that had happened. That was not what she intended. She just wanted to singe it a bit. But now that it was a ball of flames, it made her laugh.

Matt quickly stepped into Khaat's room and made his way over to Khaat. "Hello Ms.Lupin, as I hear you are now called again." he said smirking. "Like I said, news travels fast, the walls have ears I swear! But it's secure, so none of the reporters will know...right now." he said. "But if you need anything you can call on me! We always need somebody who can knock some heads together," he added grinning. He'd get the talking over with then head out, knocking some reporters heads together. He hadn't accepted the St.Mungo's security job, but he sure did it. As Khaat set Cyrus's head on fire, Blaire grinned and nonverbally and wandlessly made the fire grow into a fireball. He showed no sign of any of his taking action in that.

Matt snickered as he saw Cyrus's hair catch on fire, and he laughed when it grew. He clapped his hands applauding the work, "You missed that damned quil though Khaat." he said through his laugh. He noticed Blaire look away and grinned even larger. He stopped laughing and turned to Cyrus, "Alright, fine then. But it is illegal to break into someone's ward. If you didn't know, I had sent out a message to all papers and magazines that anyone caught trying to get Khaat's picture, story whatever. Would have to deal with the Minister and her angry father," he said winking at Robert. "So, you can leave and I'll can take that quill, or you can try your luck against Khaat...your pick." he said hiding a small laugh.

Cyrus really didn’t understand the obsession with the woman. He didn’t know why it was rolling around in his mind so much either. Her plight was funny, entertaining and it made for a good story – it sold newspapers. Sometimes he didn’t know why he bothered but as long as he got his pay check at the end of the month he didn’t care. It was all in a good day’s work so to speak. Cy growled something quietly under his breath and bat the flame out with his hand. It burned a little but it didn’t bother him too much. He took his wand out of his pocket and restored the hair before putting his wand behind his ear. “I must have missed that message.” Cyrus purred, turning his gaze back on the Minister. “My mistake.” He flicked the end of the quill out, letting the long, acid green feather flick across his chest. Cy pulled it back and put the end of it in his mouth. He took it back and smirked a little before holding his notebook to his chest. “I’ll be leaving with my quill if you don’t mind.” He smiled innocently and looked around the room, taking in all of the face. “Unless...there’s anything else?”

"Nothing," Robert said firmly. "Not a thing. You are more than welcome to leave. When Khaat is able to make a statement I'm sure you'll be one of the first who will know." He stood firmly just where he was, waiting. It amused him that Skeeter had had to put his hair out and that he left only with his quill and not with his notes. He wanted to laugh that Khaat had had the wherewithall to actually set it on fire in the first place. It actually struck him funny but he did his level best not to actually laugh. He knew she hadn't had that much magic left herself, but he had been grateful for the sly hand who had helped her. It had sent a message.

Of course it would be all distorted in Skeeter's column, but, oh well. Khaat and Robert and Katherine had learned to not let that bother them a lot. And the worst had still not come. He figured that when word got out that Jen and Rob were off to Azkaban, then Skeeter really would be relentless. This had been merely an introduction. This, by far, was not over.