Forsakened

Duel Me?

 After buying the very excited Green mamba and an absolutely thrilled Hedwig from the Animal Underground at the mere price of ten galleons, Death quietly accompanied Harry to the exit of Knockturn Alley. His demeanor was near-silent, much more reserved than any of their shared time in Knockturn Alley up to this point. Harry minded the shadows as they traveled onward, his gazed darting from point to point on the location of Harry's attack, the vampires no longer clung to the shadows and the alley honestly seemed bare without their presence. A part of Harry hoped they would find some source of food, while the other was horrified at himself even humoring that line of thought. Harry couldn't help but give sympathy given he knows what it's like to live on an empty stomach, he just wished there was another way for them to feed other than preying on helpless muggles or traveling wizards.

With the vampire's eyes missing from the alley, everything seemed much more blanker of life. The only real signs of life were sparse scuttling of people around them, and the watchful shop owners eyeing them through shop windows with hooded hungry gazes. Different than the vampire's hunger, but still hunger.

Finally the bright marble of Diagon Alley insight, Harry glanced up to Death who was frowning with a thoughtful look on his face while he fiddled with his sleeves. Harry yet again found this entire situation surreal, the feelings struck him again while he watched Death fidget. Death, an all-powerful sort of being, fidget with his sleeves. The humanity of Death was highlighted boldly with this exploit down Knockturn Alley when Death wasn't about to explode every five seconds seeing past the cold exterior to something warmer was possible. With Death in a good mood, seeing the humanity was possible. Harry was very surprised at just how human he was.

The first time they met, only days ago, Death seemed to be some Godly Angelic-Demonic figure who knew literally everything. Who has known everything, everything that has happened, everything that was to come, was utterly above and detached from it all. A type of apathy to the living after watching the Magical and muggle population for eons, to watching downfalls over and over. Growing boredom and resentment in place of what at one point could have been sympathy. The way Death stared through him as if gazing into his soul when they first met, made Harry originally think resentment and boredom were some of the only things that drew Death forward. Now, Death just seemed to be kind and empathetic to some. Not a soulless bastard who runs on hatred and only hatred, a three-dimensional person who sympathizes with the abused and the ones in need. A fracture of a good person.

Harry silently hoped for Death to continue to treat him like this, with a sort of respect and kindness, not like an annoying fleck of death underneath his fingernails he couldn't quite get rid of. Today, he seemed to actually like Harry, which was very different from their first encounter where he bashed and loathed Harry's very existence the whole exchange. Even if Death secretly hated every moment of time he spent with Harry today, the Master of Death would still find himself feeling grateful for all Death had done for him today.

Being munched on by vampires was not something Harry wanted to actively deal with, even with the chance he would later arise alive, it would still be a horrible experience all the way around. But far more importantly, he had Hedwig again, something that he would always be thankful for. His feathered friend was always someone he would love and trust, she would always be at his side in her owlish ways. Harry's new companion seemed to be someone he could also very much get along with after she and Harry debated they settled on her name being Kiwi. Which was a name Harry very much didn't expect to be the final result of the brainstorming. Kiwi wasn't a bad name, don't get him wrong, but it was simply not what he expected her to name herself. Still, a cute name for a cute little snake-like herself. Mentioning Kiwi, she was currently snuggled up under his sleeve, where she peeked out up near his neck. Kiwi was silent, just as Harry asked her to be until they were alone.