The role of the media is prominent in this book, from the Daily Prophet to Rita Skeeter’s articles. How does the media influence the events and characters in the book? What commentary do you think the book is making about the media? Consider these questions as you formulate your response.

• How does the media’s portrayal of events and individuals affect the reader’s perception of them?
• What role do rumors and speculation play in the media’s reporting of events?
• What responsibility do the media outlets in the book have to report the truth, and how do they fail in this responsibility?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion question allows students to make real-world connections to the importance of journalistic integrity. Consider having a classroom discussion on how rumors can be hurtful and misleading. You may want to have students think of examples of how they have witnessed the harmful effects of rumors in their lives or the lives of others.

Differentiation Suggestion: English learners and students with learning differences may benefit from a 2-column graphic organizer to help them collect evidence from the text. In the graphic organizer, they can find specific examples of rumors spread by Rita Skeeter in the first column associated with the impact(s) on other characters in the second column.