Wait, if Rita Skeeter's a fake blonde, does that mean she also lied about Roonil being an evil mastermind?
Blink twice if Roonil is holding *you* hostage, PR worker
"Sir?" Barty's fist knocked lightly on the door.
Tom had never asked Barty to call him 'sir'. It made him sound older than he was, and also like he had ordered steak tartare at a restaurant and sent it back to the kitchens for being over seasoned.
"Is this important?" he asked. "I'm busy." His favourite fanfiction had updated last night, and he needed know what was going to happen now that Roonil had uncovered Tom's multiple extremely justified murders. Would learning about Tom's dark tragic past be enough to save their love? Or would their differing morals drive them apart?
"Rita Skeeter has posted a new video about Roonil, sir."
Tom froze, minimized his AO3 tab, and set his phone aside. Slowly, he spun around in his chair to face Barty. "What is she saying?" he asked in a low, dangerous tone. The Skeeter woman knew better than to target anyone who could seriously threaten her, which of course meant Tom and his competitors were out of the picture, but it did leave Harry exposed as a vulnerable victim for her manicured clickbait clutches.
Barty had his own phone in hand. Tom caught a glimpse of Harry on the screen. "She has... accused him of being an evil cult leader."
"Ah." Tom considered this. "Is that all?" What an absurd claim. Anyone simply looking at Harry could tell he was all sexy integrity and blazing righteousness. Besides, the only truly evil person who wore glasses was Dumbledore.
"No one has cancelled him yet," said Barty, "but if the accusations are taken seriously, I worry the show could be cancelled."
Now, that would not do. It would not do at all. "Prepare the studio," Tom decided. "I want us ready to film in three hours. And tell Lucius I need blackmail on Skeeter. If he delivers, he'll finally get to try those new wind noises he's been on about." A video would not only restore Harry's reputation, it would even provide him with more ammunition with which to woo Harry.
"Yes, sir." Barty bowed low and left the room.
Tom had never asked for anyone to bow to him, either. This was his fault for recruiting so many easily-suggestible theatre majors, they always got carried away with roleplay.
On the table, Tom's phone blinked with a notification for another new chapter on AO3. He sighed. No more reading today. He had some writing of his own to do, starting with a new idea he had to expand Voldemort's powers.
It was time for Lord Voldemort to turn his disembodied ghost head to look upon the future. For a COTY, yes, but also for Tom's other major life goals.
In his diary, Tom had once composed a magnificent poem about his feelings for Harry that could now be reworked for a truly impactful 'prophecy'...
