RITA SKEETER.

[ritaskeeter]

"The more you talk about other people, the more they talk about you."

- Rita Skeeter

So for this reason, much of this application is written in the form of quotations from the Hogwarts population so you can see just what people think of Rita. Of course, there are many clarifications and explanations from myself (;


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{ A B O U T . Y O U }

Name: Kabby
Gender: Femme
Age: Not too young, not too old (;
E-mail: [e-mail]
Twitter: kabbykabs
Years of RPG Experience: Three - Four Years
Other: removed by admin

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{ Q U I C K . Q U I Z }

How did you find us? RPGC Listing
What about ISS inspired you to join? Friendliness, Organization, Overall Amazingness (:
Do you have any suggestions for us? Nope

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{ A B O U T . T H E . C H A R A C T E R }

Name: "Oh please, I think that every single person in the school must know this name by now! I mean, how can you not know who Rita Skeeter is?" "Someone who was there at her sorting ceremony once told me that supposedly they called out 'Skeeter, Rosalind' when it was her turn to come up but I mean, that's just silly because everyone knows that her name is Rita Skeeter."

Well, they've got it half right. Given name? Rosalind Neptune Skeeter. So then, why, might you ask, does she go by Rita Skeeter? Well, duh, because that's just so gross! I mean Rosalind Neptune? Her mother's lame-ass attempt to sound sophisticated and her father's choice of something "cool" do nawt mix well. Like at all. Ew ew ew. Of course, that's the given name and who in the world cares about that? Sticking to your birth name and only bemoaning your fate is soooo passé. Now if you don't like your name, you just pick a new one. That was certainly this little girlie's logic when she decided at the oh-so-mature age of six that she didn't like her stupid name. It was old fashioned and gross and certainly not suited for the soon-to-be-star that she surely was. So she picked the nickname-of-sorts 'Rita', figuring that it was much more fashionable. And since it started with the same letter it was still a nickname, right? Her parents quickly picked up and starting calling her Rita instead and although her name was still to change, that was the beginning of Rita Skeeter.

Age: ""Sweet Morgana, her seventeenth birthday bash last year was amazing! More crazy times thanks to Rita!" "She'll be eighteen pretty soon, can't wait to see what kind of party she dreams up for that!"

Since she was about, oh... when she turned one, birthdays have always been a huh-uuuuge deal for this girlie. Her mother encouraged her since the very beginning, spoiling the little girl rotten with presents that they couldn't afford and dressing her up in princess dresses. And as she passed from those screwy childhood years to the glamorous teenage ones, birthdays took on an ever better meaning: p-a-r-t-y. Oh yes. Rita always throws the biggest, bestest parties and if gossip wasn't her claim to fame, that would surely be it. Her birthday is on November 1st and while it's not the most glamorous day whatsoever, it falls right after Halloween which means that hell-o midnight countdown to her birthday!

Gender: "Love her or hate her, every girl at Hogwarts must wish that she was her." "The prettiest girl around.... or at least, depend on how you look at it, the most terrifying!"

Alright, so girl is a pretty general term. You've got your sporty girls, your tomboys, etc etc etc. Point is, there are oh-so many opportunities for girls. But that doesn't mean every girl has to be some protesting feminist! Like ewwwww! Rita'll stick to dolling herself up at every chance and playing the damsel in distress role whenever possible. She's a girlie girl to the core, matching almost every stereotype possible about such girls. Also most of the ones about the dumb blonds but we'll get to that later.

Year: "Such a scary thought that she's gonna be a seventh year this year! As if she didn't have this school in the palm of her hand and wrapped around her pinky finger as it was!"

Yep, that's right. She's a seventh year, so hello control! Oh yeah, it's the top of the school for this girlie and nothing less. Love her or hate her, as long as people are still talking about her - and let's be realistic, when is that ever going to stop? - she's still got it. Of course seventh year means thinking about the future and while most people would expect Rita to greet such thoughts with her classic scrunched nose and squealed "Ewwwww" - and she probably would greet them that way - they shouldn't be deceived for a moment because she's got it all figured out. The Plan, or in other words, the simple steps to success. Fame, glamour, the whole shebang is in her grasp and boy does she know it.

Face Claim: Candice Accola

Canon or Original? Canon

Facial Properties: "Blue eyes and blond hair. Of course." "Her hair's so pretty though! She straightens it sometimes but it's usually pretty wavy, it looks great on her." "Blond. And no, I'm not just talking about her hair, she's as dumb as they're supposed to be too." "Her eyes are so big. Sure, you could say she looks all bambi-like or whatever but I just think it only adds to the whole vapid look she has going for her." "Hate her as much as you want but you can't deny that she's pretty, you really can't. She's got great features." "Her nose is pretty straight and of course it's a little button. Adorable, right? Whatever." "You'd think her mouth would legit be huge from all the talking she does but no, it's just normal." "Her lips are strawberry red and constantly glossed. I swear, she must go through twenty tubes a day."

Physique: "She's so skinny, the lucky bitch! I mean not like annorexic-skinny, no, she's got her curves in the right places but she's still skinny and it's just one more reason to hate her." "Rita's in pretty good shape, you have to admit. Apparently she has some exercise thing, she runs or she does sit-ups or something, who really knows. But whatever it is clearly works 'cause she looks great." "She's like all legs, it's crazy. Like okay not all legs but still, they're really long. And thin and everything, of course." "Her arms are like twigs. I don't care how "in shape" she is, she looks really, really weak, there's no denying it." "She's not exactly tall but she's not really short either. Probably closer to tall than short, really." "Tall and skinny, no wonder she's so confident."

Wand Type: "I've seen her with her wand in class; it's thin but really long - maybe even 13 inches?" "It sorta looks like a wand from a muggle fairytale. I don't think anyone would be surprised if she came to class one day with a paper star glued onto the end!" "It's light in coloring and looks kinda springy." "Definitely birch wood, there's no question about it." "I'm pretty sure when we were taking our OWLs she told the examiner it had a core of Veela hair, which is supposedly temperamental, isn't it? So the wand suits the witch."

Wand Expertise: "She's really good at Defense Against the Dark Arts - I guess she's used to having to protect her pretty little face from spiteful hexes!" "I mean, she's a horrible student but at least she gets all those counter-jinxes and Shield spells we have to learn." "Oh gosh, when I had Charms with her it was hilarious - she was terrible!" "She's just so slow at picking up new charms!" "Yeah, she's always going on about how no one needs to know Charms but that's just 'cause she barely passed her OWL exam!" "She would have failed her Charms OWL if her instructor hadn't fallen for all her winking and smiling and giggling and shameless flirting which hid the fact that she couldn't do damn thing!"

Patronus: "It's so fitting you'll just roll your eyes. I mean a cat really? We all know the saying. 'Curiousity killed the cat.' One day Rita's stick her nose too far in, that's for sure." "It's this small little thing, all dainty-like or whatever." "I think it's a mouse. That's what I heard anyways. "It's a snake. 'Cause she's so evil." "Oh please. You really think that Rita Skeeter can conjure up a patronus? Ha!"

Boggart: "That day back in third year when we were dealing with boggarts, I still remember when Rita went to do hers. The boggart turned into a mirror, it was really creepy. Except it wasn't her reflection that it showed, it was this ugly chick. She was kinda old too. So now everyone's saying that Rita's worst fear is being ugly or getting old which is like... so shallow, don't you agree?"

Personality:

"That girl is a bitch, there's no question about it." "She invented the school tabloid and like sheesh, she spreads gossip about people as bitchily and heartlessly as possible!" "I don't have a clue how anyone stands her, she's the type of person who'd flutter her lashes at you one second and then stab you in the back in the next." "Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. That really says it all."

Whoah whoah whoah, calm down people. Yeah. When you're talking about Rita Skeeter, the word gets tossed around a lot. Bitch. We get it. You can say it as many times as you want if that makes you feel any better but let's be serious here. The point of this is provide insight, not to rattle off the same taunts that any other students could tell you. So for the sake of being insightful, what if I told you that the girl who goes by Rita Skeeter is in fact not a bitch? Roll your eyes if you must but it's true. She's really not. Does she act like a bitch? Well that's another matter entirely and the answer to that question a ginormous yes. Duh. Anyone could tell you that. Fact is, Rita relishes her infamous reputation and takes a girlish sort of pleasure in being bitchy when she can. It's just too much fun and when everyone's expecting it from you, well... you don't want to disappoint the fans, right? Exactly. Rita's worked her way up exactly where she always wanted to be - the top. But being the bitch in charge pretty much demands that one be, well... a bitch. So she goes along with it. And alright alright, it's fun to act like a total bitch and put some sniveling loser in place where she belongs. But in all honesty, Rita's far too silly and cutesy to actually be a bitch, even if the mask does become the wearer.

"Okay, okay, I know that everyone hates her but when she's not being a horrible tyrant, she's actually kinda fun." "The girl may be terrifying when she wants to be but no one could deny that she knows how to have a good time." "If Rita Skeeter ever decides she wants to be your friend or hang out with you at a party? Well you're certainly in for a pretty sweet ride."

Yes siree, if there's one thing this girl knows how to do besides gossip it's party. More often than not she gets carried away with it but hey, isn't that what your teenage years are for? Hell-o, they're the best years of your life, why bother not going all out? If that means partying into the wee hours of morning with whoever happens to be around or getting drunk and dancing on the tables? Well if it's all in the name of fun then so be it. Rita's never been all that great at making good decisions and these instincts, like everyone else's, tend to become even worse when intoxicated. But hey, it's not like Rita cares, as long as the night is fun. She loves partying with friends or random strangers, it really doesn't matter. Because the thing is, as far as this girlie's concerned, people are just people. She has no qualms about waltzing right up to someone and introducing herself and then expecting to have a great time together. After all, if it's a girl then surely they'll hit it off with that pretty girl insta-bond. And if it's a guy? Well what guy wouldn't be interested in her? Call her vain for thinking so but there's no point denying the truth.

"I know that it's healthy to have confidence and everything but this girl is just dripping with it, it drives me crazy!" "That girl is definitely confident and that's supposed to be a good thing but like whoah, she's got enough it that it's pretty intimidating." "She thinks the world of herself and apparently all the guys do too, though I don't have a clue why."

From a very young age - as in like the day she was born - Rita's mother always told her that she was beautiful. Special. Exceptional. Stuff like that. And it wasn't just her mommy dearest, no no no. Rita grew up on a diet of compliments from pretty much everyone around her. That's what you get for being a pretty girl in a small town full of losers. Everyone adores you. And when they came to England? Rita certainly didn't expect that to change. So it didn't. Because that's the thing about confidence, it just pulls people in. Girls admire other girls that have that natural confidence. They want to be like them. And so the cycle continued, just like it always had for Rita. And same with boys. They're attracted to confident girls, everyone knows that. And if you didn't well then sheesh, what did your mother ever teach you? Rita's mother always told her that everyone would want to be her friend and every guy would fall in love with her throughout her life and she needed to be responsible with that power. She was told that that was just the way things were. Guys always fall in love, at least a little bit, with girls and that's just a responsibility that every girl needs to handle. And even now that she's become disdainful of the stupid woman who gave birth to her? A small part of Rita still firmly believes that to be true. As anyone and everyone can see.

"You know how they describe some girls as having a different boyfriend every week? Well that's Rita for you." "She goes through boys like tissues, the little slut." "Well, honestly, it's not like I'm surprised that no guy ever puts up with her for very long."

So maybe she doesn't have a new boyfriend every week but yeah, the saying certainly rings true. Rita likes boy. And hello, since when is that a crime? She's a teenage girl, she's predispositioned to be boy-crazy! Or well... something like that. Point is, she's gone through her fair share of boyfriends, one night stands, and absolutely everything inbetween. Does that make her a slut? Pish tosh, she most certainly disagrees. She's not a slut, per say - I mean it's not as if she has no standards and hooks up with absolutely everyone? Au contraire, she's more of a tease than anything. It's just so much fun to play hard to get and make the boys work for it, even if her little games are a poor mask of the fact that when it comes to it, yeah, Rita's pretty easy. But that's not her fault either! How's a girl supposed to resist a cute guy that wants her? Seriously, where's the logic in disapproving of that? Guys can get around as much as they want and that's cool but when a girl doesn't mind paying some attention back to the opposite gender, she's a slut? Puh-leese. Rita's by no means one of those annoying, bitchy feminists - ha! - but she'll surely play the double standards card when it suits her. Though for the most part she really couldn't care less. An infamous reputation is something to be fostered not squashed, remember?

"She may have a bad rep but the girl certainly deserves it!" "Rita's vicious when it comes to spreading stories in that tabloid of hers, or just in general, really." "The one thing you really don't want to do is piss her off because boy does she ever love her revenge."

Ah gosh. Revenge. It's one of the sweetest words in the English language to this girlie. She may backstab like the best of them and smile sweetly like the most innocent but if you cross her, she will retaliate, no question. That whole thing about "two rights don't make... I mean two wrongs and two rights... I mean-" Well however it goes, it was never really a saying that Rita learned. Or if she did learn it, it certainly flew in one ear and out the other. Because as far as she's concerned, when a wrong is done to her? The only way to make it right is to commit another wrong. Preferably an even bigger, more humiliating and social-life-killing wrong. Hell yes. She might not be strong enough - or have the desire - to go around beating people up if they do something she doesn't like (though she can always enlist the help of some big, strong guys if she really needs to) that doesn't mean that she's entirely helpless. Ha! As if. Socially and emotionally destroying someone is much more lasting than physically hurting them and also less disturing. And more gratifying for her. Because yeah yeah yeah, she's not a bitch deep down... Whatever. Carrying out a successful revenge plan and proving once again just how powerful she really is always feels good. There are so many ways to do this sort of stuff but it usually boils down to one thing in particular. Gossip.

"Rita's got the biggest mouth in the entire school and it's no secret." "She's the last person anyone would ever tell anything to if they didn't want it quickly made public knowledge." "You just can't trust someone like Rita Skeeter with a secret. It'd just be ridiculous."

Exactly. The very first thing that pops into your head when you hear the name Rita Skeeter? Pretty much guaranteed that it's gossip. It's what's built up her reputation so much after all, how she got to the top. She knows everything, she always does. And people can bitch as much as they want about how so many of the stories she puts in her little magazine aren't true but when it comes down to it, there's still a lot that she does know and it's flat-out creepy. She's got ears everywhere, she really does. She's the last person you'd ever trust with a secret because she's the last person who'd actually keep it quiet. Rita just loves to talk. Gossip's addicting to her and it always has been. Knowledge is power, isn't that right? And the more she knows, the more powerful she is. The more she can manipulate the people around her - and isn't that always so much fun? Yes, it really is. Because there's no question that this girlie always knows which strings to pull and when to pull them. She's always fully in control of her emotions and expressions and knows exactly how to work them to get you to do exactly what she wants. It's all a matter of timing and understanding the subject, presenting it to them in a way that's appealing. It's flat out trickery and she's pretty amazing at it. Because guys can't say no to or a pretty girl? Maybe. Or maybe because, believe it or not, she's really not as dumb as she looks.

"That girl is like the definition of a dumb blond." "She's an airhead, plain and simple. Shallow and silly and with no substance whatsoever." "It's ridiculous how she manages to have so many people scared of her when she's really such an idiot."

Okay. So Rita has her dumb moments. Who doesn't? And it's not really her fault either - nothing is, after all, right? But no, this fault really does have someone else to blame for it. Her mother. Duh. Everything's that woman's fault. After all, she was the one who always encouraged Rita to be pretty instead of smart, charming instead of brainy. She had her little speeches which were drilled into Rita's head throughout her childhood. And she had a point, right? I mean hello, do you think that nerdy girls are pretty or attract any attention whatsoever from guys that matter? As in guys that have money and can take care of you. It's great and all to be smart but how exactly is that going to help you in life, Rita? No no, you're a pretty girl and that's the important thing here. Guys like pretty girls. They don't like smart girls. Pretty girls go far in life. Smart girls don't. So you can see why Rita's never paid any special attention to her education or intelligence since in the end it clearly doesn't matter. What matters is that she's gorgeous, she styles her hair the right way, puts on her makeup just right, dresses like the superstar she is, and flirts with all the right boys. And if that means that she's gained a reputation as being a shallow little ditz, whatever. Though this certainly prompts a certain question in everyone's mind. That being: why the hell was this girl ever sorted into Ravenclaw?

"The girl's an idiot and yet her house is supposed to be like... for smart people, right? So what the hell is with that?" "She just seems so dumb, it makes no sense! I mean, okay, there are many different types of intelligence but still." "Well hey, you do have to admit that she's pretty good at setting herself up right and controlling everyone around her."

Bingo! Rita may not be the brightest crayon in the box when it comes to rattling off dates or mixing potions or writing essays or well... anything like that, really, but let me repeat: she's really not as dumb as she looks. School might not be her forte and she might not get the best grades out of all her classmates but she's still pretty sharp. Two words: people skills. Rita always knows exactly how to get others to do what she wants, remember? Exactly. She's a go-getter, a social-climber, you get the picture. She knows what moves to make to get where she wants and she knows when to make them. Her entire life, after all, has been about setting herself up right, getting ahead when she was able to. It's just a part of who she is and it always, always will be. Some people just lack that ability - it's one of things you either have or you don't. And Rita definitely does. She knows how to work people, she knows how to manipulate, and she knows how to always make sure she ends up on top. And while that may not ensure her an O on all her assignments, it does prove that she does some smarts after all. And she knows how to use them to her advantage, always. Because even though she probably has the worst reputation in all of Hogwarts, people still gravitate towards her. Always.

"Alright... I have to admit... As much as people love to hate her? Rita's actually pretty cute." "Yeah, she can be horrible and all but when she turns her attention on you, you just really can't say so." "It's crazy. You hate her but you also want to be her friend because she just has this something about her that draws you in, she's freaking magnetic."

Oh yes. It's easy to hate a girl when everyone else does but anyone that's ever spent time with Rita when she wasn't out to ruin their lives can easily confirm that she's really quite the cutie pie. Or at the very least, she's got loads and loads of charisma and she isn't afraid to show it off. And flash those pearly whites and giggle that oh so charming laugh of hers and tell some crazy story that has you completely hooked because even if you feel bad and know that hello, this is Rita Skeeter here, what the hell are you doing? well... that's exactly it. It's Rita Skeeter and the words "unstoppable force" were practically designed for her. She goes after what she wants and she gets it. She's unpologetic. She is who is. And you might not expect that to be someone lovable or adorable but there's no denying it. When she wants you, you're wrapped around her finger before you know it. When she's near you, laughing with someone else or having a great time... you want to be her friend. Sure, you probably know it's crazy and that you really should just hate her like you're supposed to but, well, that's just the thing about Rita. You hate her but you can't help but love her anyways.

Likes:
+ Gossip, duh
+ Boys, and lots of them (;
+ Being number one, always
+ Revenge, nothing's sweeter
+ Clothes, gotta always dress fabulous
+ Her looks, obviously
+ Flirting, all the time
+ Partying, another "duh"
+ Her Granny, her role model
+ Her vault at Gringotts, pretty self-explanatory

Dislikes:
– Losing, ewwwww
– Losers, they deserve to be put in place
– Her mother, trashy to the core
– Being ignored, like what the hell?
– Rules, and the boring ass teachers that enforce them
– Bitchy feminists, remember?
– Fatty foods, skinny = pretty
– Cold weather, it's so stupid
– Jerks, even if she has tendancy to date them
– People with high moral standards, get over yourselves

History:

"No one really knows much about Rita's life before Hogwarts, as much as she talks about other people, she's never let that slip about herself." "I don't really know where she was born, everyone assumes London, I guess, since she lives there now?" "I heard a rumor that she was born in another country and she's like... a refugee or something, isn't that crazy?"

...And you guys think that Rita makes up too many stories? C'mon, she's not a refugee, seriously. But you do have a point. She was not born in England. Ooh la la, shocker! No, seriously. And not only was she not born in England, but she born in the wee town of Woodburn, Indiana. Yes, as in Indiana in the U.S.A. Does that make her American? Hardly, and she'd scoff at anyone who suggested it. Her heritage is English through and through... from her mother's side at least. It's all quite the jumble but one that certainly deserves to be untangled. And as with any good story, the best place to start is the beginning. In this case, the beginning is with a young woman named Eleanor Knightley.

Eleanor was a proper young lady, to say the least. A pureblood witch from a pureblood family, she knew exactly what was expected of her and exactly would her life would be like. She would marry a pureblood wizard after she finish school, she would have children, and she would raise them to be perfect purebloods as well. Oh, and of course she would continue live her wealthy, lavish lifestyle. Duh. But see, there was one thing Eleanor was not conunting on. And that was that anything in her fabulous plan could go wrong. Unfortunately for her, after one night that was supposed to just be about having fun with her friends downtown - she had to let loose occasionally, right? - that was exactly what happened. In the form of one Healer's verdict: pregnant.

Yowch. Pregnant. She couldn't believe it. She was pregnant. Just because she let herself be a little wild and carefree one night. This wasn't supposed to happen! It was completely unfair and it was going to ruin her life, without doubt. Because the very worst part? The guy who she'd hooked up? ...Oh Merlin, she could barely stand to remember it without cringing. He was a muggle. Yeah. Exactly. Shit shit shit, she was not the sort of girl to curse but how was this happening to her? Pregnant?! Really?! No no no. But whether she liked it or not, her problem wasn't going to go away and sooner or later she would need to actually do something about it. So she told her parents. She couldn't keep such a huge secret from them and she didn't know what to do without her mommy and daddy telling her. And as always, they had a plan. They were furious of course, but they needed to save their daughter's reputation first, be angry later. So they sent off to live with her aunt and uncle in northern England.

But see there was one thing that she hadn't told her parents was that her baby daddy had been trying to contact her after that night. His name was Liam Baker and he was actually a pretty decent guy. And after he proved to be pretty persistent with his letters, she'd given in and written back and come to her own decision. There was no way in hell that she could have this baby but she didn't want to hand her off to some random stranger either. So she came up with a plan of her own. She told Liam where she was and she told him she was pregnant and he came to see her. They barely knew each other but he became a fixture in her life during those days. It was awkard to say the least, that she was carrying his baby and they were... well, what were they exactly? A one night stand? Friends? Who knew. But they certainly grew close whenever she could escape the watchful eye of her aunt and uncle. And Eleanor became more and more convinced that she was making the right choice.

And when Liam told her that he would marry her, that he would get a job so that he could provide for them and the baby? She went right along with it, despite feeling terrible about the whole thing. Because soon enough, a little baby girl was born and instead of a white wedding and a happily ever after, what did poor Liam get? A basket on the doorstep with the aforementioned baby inside and a note stating clearly that Eleanor wasn't going to marry him, that she was returning to London, and that he shouldn't bother trying to find her because they could never be together anyways. In a moment of guilt, she had even told him that she was a witch, as if that could explain it all. He just thought she was making a joke or a metaphor or something. In any case, the letter made it quite apparent that Eleanor was gone and she wasn't coming back.

But here's a baby to look after.

Yeah. Poor guy.

- - - - - - - - - -

Dorothy Baker - known to everyone as Dodie - was thee most popular girl at Woodburn High. The head of the cheerleading squad, dating the quarterback of the football team, you get the picture. She and Tommy were even Prom King and Queen. High school royalty in every sense, they were the golden couple if there ever was one. She was the sort of girl that would later look back at her high school years and sigh because yeah, they really were the best years of her life. But she didn't think about things like that when she was growing up, not at all! Her daddy, Liam, and her mom, Elizabeth - well, okay, she wasn't her biological mom but she'd pretty much raised her and her real mom lived in England and was pretty much a total bitch who'd ran off after she was born and left her daddy to raise her - both loved her very much, after all. Everyone loved her. Remember, she was the golden girl? The stereotype of the vapid cheerleader to the tee but she couldn't have cared less. She was the prettiest girl at her school, in her neighborhood, in all of town. That was what really mattered.

Or at least, that's what she always figured. That was her mindset all throughout high school. That was her mindset when she married Tom Skeeter when she was only eighteen. High school sweethearts, weren't they adorable? But reality soon set in when the golden couple found themselves suddenly adults in a very adult world. Money didn't grow on trees and it didn't seem to grow very much for the construction business Tommy worked with either. Nor did it grow all that well in the diner when Dodie found herself waiting tables until her feet were ready to drop off. But despite the odds, they managed to remain pretty happy. They loved each other and that was what mattered, right? That was what Dodie told herself anyways, when things got tough. They loved each other and because they loved each other, everything would be okay. And when she got pregnant, it really seemed that way. They were going to be a family. They were going to be okay.

...And then she lost the baby. And things got tough again. Tom and Dodie fought all the time. About money, what else? There was never enough of it, no matter how they worked. They were struggling to get by and the happy family charade wasn't going to last much longer. Things were getting bad, even if they put on a smile with the rest of the world. They were supposed to be the golden couple. They loved each other, right? They wanted to, at least. But they weren't in high school anymore. They were only twenty years old and they were already dealing with a falling apart marriage. And still more was thrown their way.

Tom and Dodie fought more and more.

Dodie grew desperate.

Tom started drinking more often.

Dodie grew even more desperate.

Tom got fired from work.

Dodie got pregnant.

- - - - - - - - - -

So the golden couple didn't get divorced after all. A baby was on the way and that meant they needed to get their shit together. Tom was a decent guy after all, he wasn't going to duck out and leave Dodie to raise a baby alone. Especially not she'd admitted the circumstances of her own birth to him. He couldn't do that to her. As much as they fought and as hard as things were, he really did love her after all. So he got together with a friend and they started planning their own renovation business. It was the sort of thing he was good at and after they figured things own, the business actually took off, surprising everyone. Dodie picked up extra shifts at the diner while she still could and they gave her time to take off so she could have her baby and be with her - oh, she did so want a girl! - for a while before returning. Things were finally straightening out for the Skeeters and they couldn't have been happier.

And then in the wee hours of the morning on November 1st - thank god cause Dodie had not wanted a Halloween baby - their little daughter was born. Yes, a girl, just like Dodie had wanted so badly. She named her Rosalind, wanting an elegant and sophisticated name for her baby girl. Tom had more, uh, modern ideas however and maybe it was just the fact that Dodie was too doped up on the epidural to come to her senses but, well, somehow anyway, the girl ended up with the middle name Neptune. Yeah. Rosalind Neptune Skeeter. Interesting, to say the least.

Of course, little Rosalind - or Rosie, as she was called back then - was only six years old when she picked her own name. And her parents, and everyone really, went along with it. Whatever Rosie wanted, right? She was about to start the first grade and so she decided to tell everyone that her name was Rita. Why? Rosalind was boring and gross. Whereas Rita just sounded so fabulous didn't it? Like a movie star or something. Oh yes, little Rita had big dreams, that was for sure. She wanted to be famous. She loved performing - singing, acting, dancing, you name it. She loved the spotlight and the spotlight loved her. See, she really was her mother's daughter in every way. The prettiest girl in town all over again. She never had a shortage of girls that wanted to be her friend, that was for sure. No, instead they all wanted to sit beside her for circle time, even in kindergarten, to marvel at the neat curls her mother always styled her hair with. Or something it would be bows or braids or really whatever had taken Dodie's fancy. Rita was like an adorable little doll to be styled and didn't everyone just know and love it.

So yeah, Rita's childhood was a pretty good one. The center of attention, everyone's favorite, you know the story. She was the golden girl all over again. Tom's business was actually doing pretty well and Dodie managed to bring in some money from her waitressing job too so while money wasn't exactly always floating around, they were doing alright financially. Dodie certainly managed to somehow find enough to buy pretty dresses and headbands and shoes for Rita, after all. Yes, life was going pretty well. And Rita had four grandparents to spoil her rotten too, of course. So all in all, her life was normal and stable. She loved it. Although, of course... there were some abnormal incidents too. Such as the time that she was straining to reach the cookie jar and then suddenly it was in her hands. Or the time that a boy went to dip her pigtail in the pot of glue and it exploded all over him. Or the time that Rita was throwing a fit because she didn't want chicken for dinner and suddenly the meal caught on fire and had to be tossed out because it was too burnt. But no one really thought much about any of these incidents. Or at least, they didn't until a certain letter arrived in their mailbox.

- - - - - - - - - -

At first, they were sure that this was some sort of joke. This was a letter from some Salem school and it was saying that their little girl... their little Rita... was a witch? It was crazy. Dodie didn't know what in the world to think. Some crazy lady came to try and explain it to them but she just refused to believe that magic could exist. And that it could pop up randomly. The lady assured her that it did happen sometimes but Dodie refused to believe this. Rita was not a witch. But she was confused and she was a mess and seeing as Tom didn't know what to believe either, she fled to the one man who could everything right. Her daddy.

Now when Liam saw the letter, he also didn't know what to think. Because he was remembering another letter, thirty one years ago. He'd never understood what Eleanor had meant by slipping that in there. As if she expected him to believe that she was a witch and that was why they couldn't be together. He'd thought she was crazy, never suspecting that it had been guilt talking her into revealing an important secret. But now his daughter was here and she had another letter that talked about witches and wizards and... and apparently his little Rita was a witch. It was too much. But before he even knew what he was saying, he told Dodie everything. About the letter. About what her mother had said. It was crazy, he knew, but he had to do something. Eleanor Knightley - or Eleanor Cox, actually, as he knew she'd married only a few months after Dodie was born and a few months before he'd met Elizabeth and they've moved back to her hometown of Woodburn - was the last person in the world that he wanted to think about but his little girl needed him right now and if Eleanor could help... Well he had to tell Dodie.

And what did she do? She did the only thing she could think of. She wrote to Eleanor Cox. She told her who she was and she told her what Rita was. She didn't know what she expected. But she certainly wasn't expecting to receive three plane tickets, a date and address, and a letter from another school. No letter from the mother she'd never met. Three plane tickets to London, a sheet of paper with the letterhead reading "From the Desk of Mrs. Bradley Cox", and a letter informing them that Rosalind Skeeter had been enrolled at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was crazy, right? Crazy and yet... Rita was a witch. They didn't know anything about that but this woman did. Rita seemed to find the whole thing exciting, another opportunity for her to shine, something that made her better than everyone else. But Dodie and Tom were worried. They didn't know anything about this school. It broke Liam's heart to think of losing his daughter and graddaughter to... that woman. But if it was the best thing for Rita than that was what was important. So the Skeeters packed up some stuff and flew to London to meet with Eleanor. They didn't know at the time but that was a really, really bad move.

Well, depending on from whose point of view you look at it.

See, Eleanor had plans of her own. She'd never wanted to have anything to do with Liam or their daughter again. But then she'd come down with a disease that had left her infertile, devastating to both herself and her husband, Bradley Cox. He was a pureblood wizard and he was rich and her parents had been thrilled when they'd married. But that was a long time ago. Before she came down with the disease. Before she found out that she was infertile. Before she decided that Bradley could never know this information. Their marriage had been strained as the years went on and she never became pregnant but it had survived. Until Bradley was diagnosed was lung cancer - he was a heavy smoker, after all - and passed away. And now? Now Eleanor Cox, once Knightley, lived all by herself in a big house with no husband and no children. She was rich but she was lonely.

Enter Dodie. When she'd received that letter, she'd been shocked. She'd never expected to hear from the daughter she'd abandoned, even if she thought of her all the time, always agonizing over her decision. And to hear that this granddaughter she'd never met was actually a witch? It was perfect. She had her enrolled at Hogwarts, the school she'd attended, and sent over the tickets, date and address, and school letter immediately. Once again, she had a plan. And once again, it would work.

- - - - - - - - - -

Tom had a cousin who lived outside of London and the Skeeters moved in with him when they arrived. Neither Dodie or Tom really knew what they were doing in England or how long they were staying there - the only thing that they knew was that they had to meet with Eleanor so that she could explain everything to them. And she did. She told them about Hogwarts, she told them about the world of magic, she told them about witches and wizards, and she told them that they were nothing but muggles. But Rita was different. Rita was magic. Rita would be a witch.

And oh, was Rita ever captivated by this world of splendour. Magic aside, her grandmother's mansion was huge and everything was so pretty and grand and she just couldn't believe it. And Eleanor! Oh gosh, her grandmother seemed to be everything that Rita wanted. She lived the life of luxury, she went to fancy parties, she had fancy friends... everything about her life was so glamorous. Eleanor took her shopping for her school supplies and bought her robes and set up a vault at Gringotts for her and Rita was in heaven the entire time.

Dodie not so much. Just because Eleanor was a witch and could explain it all to them didn't erase the fact that she'd ran off all those years ago. The only reason she was showing any interest now was because Rita was a witch. She tried with Dodie but it was clear that it was hard for her to bring herself to care much about a muggle, even if it was her daughter. Besides, she had a granddaughter, that was more important. Rita was eleven years old, she was young and impressionable and she had her life ahead of her to be moulded as Eleanor pleased. Dodie was bitter and washed up. And she couldn't stand watching Rita grow so close with her grandmother. No way. Dodie was furious and she told Tom that they had to leave, they had to go back to Woodburn. Rita could go to that Salem school, this was ridiculous. Tom agreed with her.

Eleanor did not.

- - - - - - - - - -

She wanted Rita to stay with her and she made that clear. And if Dodie and Tom had a problem with that, Eleanor had no qualms about taking the matter before a wizarding court. Who did they think a group of wizards would find more suitable to raise an eleven year-old witch? Eleanor, the successful witch with the big house and the funds to support Rita or her struggling muggle parents? Furthermore, what did they think Rita would prefer? Honestly, Rita didn't really understand the situation or why everyone was so worked up. She just knew that she never wanted to leave this beautiful house and she never wanted to give up this new rich lifestyle. She was on her way to stardom, she knew it.

And Dodie didn't know what to do. She was furious with Eleanor and so she did the only thing she could think of. She left. She and Tom stayed in London but they got their own apartment and they let Rita stay with Eleanor. And as for what Rita thought? Well this was what she wanted, right? This luxurious, rich lifestyle? Yes, it was. And so she put on a smile and tried to pretend that nothing had ever changed. After all, her life had taken a turn for the better, not the worse. And her parents were still in London, it wasn't as if they had gone back to Woodburn. Dodie and Tom wanted her to live with them and they begged her to but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Besides, school was starting soon. So Rita put everything behind her, tried to pretend that such a crazy summer had never happened, and went off to Hogwarts.

She was sorted into Ravenclaw, surprisingly enough, and loved it. After all, she knew that she looked good in blue. Plus, she made friends with her house mates quickly enough. Specifically with Annie Black and Ted Tonks. The three of them were quite the little group, hanging out together absolutely all the time. Rita was cute and bubbly and happy, despite the summer's event and uprooting. Furthermore, she had a crush. On Ted. He was cute and he was smart and funnily enough, she liked that. She liked him. Until she realized that he liked Annie more than he liked her. Crushing didn't even factor into the equation. Ted liked Annie more than he liked Rita, that was the only thing she was able to absorb. It was crazy, wasn't it? It just... it didn't make sense. And so eventually their little group drifted apart and there were loads of reasons blah blah blah but really, Rita had her own reason, even if she was the only one that knew it.

But from then on, Rita never really stuck around with one group of friends. She was still her adorable self but she also started to garner an infamous reputation. Her parents and her grandmother continued to battle out custody and she ignored it all. The more she stayed with her Granny, the more her world seemed so much more appealing. The more her parents seemed trashy and distasteful. She'd always known that she was destined for more than that sleepy little town and this was it. This was her big break. Going to parties with her Granny, meeting important people. Popularity at school was a breeze but this was more than that. She was becoming a someone. Rita Skeeter. And as things between her and her mother grew bitter, Rita never said a word. She talked about other people, not herself. And when her parents couldn't afford to live in London and moved back to Woodburn without her, she continued to keep her mouth shut. She continued to live fabulously with her Granny because that was what mattered in the long run. She deliberated changing her last name to Cox but didn't because "Rita Skeeter" had become who she was. And one day, it would all be worth it. One day, Rita Skeeter would be famous.

Sample Post: You've got lotssss to pick from (;

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{ C O N T R A C T }

I solemnly swear that I, Kabby, have read the rules, understand clearly what my responsibilities are now that I am joining ISS, and will abide by these standards set by the staff.

[Lily Evans]

I skimmed, I'll read more in-depth when I get back from class buut..

accepted!

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