While Potterheads unanimously found Dolores Umbridge, the most aggravating character wrapped in pink—Rita Skeeter was my personal frustration. Seriously, every time she showed up in the Harry Potter books, I felt like skipping the pages. She has got the hair of a ‘90s pop diva, the attitude of a Real Housewife, and the morals of… well, none.
But somehow, while she annoys the life out of me, I believe that in today’s world of fake news, deepfakes, and social media propaganda, Rita Skeeter’s character hits harder than ever. She was basically doing clickbait journalism before it was popularized. So now, with HBO’s Harry Potter reboot on the horizon, I somehow want them to mess with the canon and give Rita the reckoning she so desperately deserves.
Rita Skeeter didn’t change a bit despite Hermione’s blackmail
Let me tell you something—Hermione Granger was a force to be reckoned with. While most moviegoers consider her a brainy, bold, and rule-abiding individual, this witch was also unhinged. So if Hermione blackmailed me, I’d immediately change my name and address, and move to a remote cave in Albania.
But turns out, the one person who actually faced Hermione’s wrath was completely unfazed. Yes, we’re talking about the notorious Wizarding World journalist Rita Skeeter. This woman was so numb from selling all the fake news that she literally felt nothing and had no remorse, despite spending a year under Hermione’s thumb.
Like, when I read The Goblet of Fire, I kept hoping Rita would grow a conscience. But nah! She framed Harry and Hermione with her yellow journalism, later got caged and blackmailed by Granger, and yet learned nothing. The moment she was let go (Hermione threatened her for a year), Rita came right back swinging with her glittery acid quill.
I mean, Hermione caught her spying on people as a bug, threatened to expose her illegal animagus secret, and forced her to go on a one-year writing sabbatical. During that year, Rita Skeeter was basically sweating in her fancy robes while forced to write the truth. Yet, the second she got free, she went back at it again.
This woman lscribbled away scandalous notes at Dumbledore’s funeral, which likely inspired her later biography about the deceased headmaster. And in that biography, she portrayed him in a negative light, making claims that he played with dark magic and was even partially responsible for the death of his younger sister, Ariana, who was a squib.
HBO’s Harry Potter must deviate to offer Rita Skeeter her retribution
Now, coming to the worst part—despite spreading wild and fake news like confetti, Rita Skeeter neither gained a conscience nor did she face any real consequences. I mean, even Voldemort got vaporized, and Dolores Umbridge got Centaur-stomped. But when it came to Rita—she got a book deal.
I’m not happy with her arc. I need retribution. So, now that HBO’s Harry Potter reboot is on the horizon, I want the show to change the canon… a tiny bit. I know the show is trying to stay loyal to the books, but when it comes to Rita Skeeter, feel free to go off-script. Because if there’s one character that deserves a public takedown arc, it’s her.
Look, we’re living in a time when deepfakes can ruin careers, misinformation spreads like wildfire, and people believe headlines without reading the article. So, this seems like the perfect time to play with Rita Skeeter’s arc. I mean Rita represents everything that’s wrong with media propaganda today.
And if you’re telling me a magical journalist like her, who literally transforms into a beetle to spy on people, still gets to walk around free and famous? I’ll flip. I need to witness her dramatic downfall—maybe get her sued by every Hogwarts professor, or even get her cancelled by the wizarding community.
Well, even a plot twist where she finally grows a heart will work for me. I know, it sounds fake. But imagine Rita Skeeter joining Luna Lovegood and doing actual journalism for once—I will clap. So please, HBO, don’t let her off the hook this time. Let the beetle fall.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
