Nine Lives and Bad Luck

5

       In no time Silk was released to compete, but this time Harry was accompanied by the vampire, who appeared the epitome of muggle vampire lore; tall, pale, thin, and with aristocratic features. His shoulder length, silky black hair was held back by a tie and he wore sweeping black robes with stylish but ultimately plain, yellow-tinted sunglasses covering his eyes. All of this was of course ruined by the pink with magenta polka dot and frills umbrella he carried, shading himself from the harsh sun and by his near perfect composure's frequent and abrupt disappearance.

    Harry was perched easily on the railing as always, Silk's cloak and a few protective rune engraved pieces she normally wore lay beside him as nothing charmed was allowed into the ring unless it had been double checked so it didn't interfere with the match. The vampire leaned next to him as the host warmed up the crowd. "She speaks as if you can comprehend English."

   Weighing his choices Harry shifted so that he returned to his human appearance, "So she does." His hair had grown long and was messy as he hadn't bothered to brush it that morning, but it kept his scar hidden in a way that also kept it free from his eyes, and he was dressed smartly enough so he didn't look too out of place.

     To his disappointment the other didn't even jump. "Well that explains it, I am Ambroglio Zagan as we haven't been introduced. May I ask how you know her?"

    "Silk?" He felt slightly stupid saying the name in English for once but forged on, "Uh, we just ran into each other a few months back. She's been helping me out.... how do you know her then?"

     "I see, my sire is greatly in her debt, she is well known amongst the whole coven."

      He wasn't quite sure how to respond to that sentence nor the awe that Ambroglio held for the person he had been living with for the past months. "Oh. Cool." 

       Cheers erupted as the two contestants entered and bowed- the match ended in two minutes however so all the lead up was for nothing leading the host to introduce an exhibition group (it seemed they planned for Silk's speed this time) and held back the two contestants some- any further conversation was interrupted; however, as a small figure bounced their way through the crowd, "Ambroglio! No, down here!"

    "Filius! It's been some time, how have you been up at Hogwarts? I've heard nothing but praise from any of your students that I come across, but I have to ask about the vampire bat I keep hearing about...? Akasha is just about ready to murder the next person who asks if she has a sibling teaching at Hogwarts or some variation of that. It's delightful."

      Filius laughed excitedly and Harry had to wonder how someone could be so chipper, "Its good, all good! It has been a few years hasn't it? I didn't see you at the Dragon circuit and didn't get the chance to talk at the Eastern one... Have you been speaking with some of my more recent graduates then? Which ones?"

    "Yeah, I got a bit torn up in the bout didn't I? Don't worry, I'm much more prepared to counter it now that I've actually heard of it, you wouldn't believe how hard it was to find though. In the end I was forced to enlist some help. I haven't seen many of the new Hoggy-warts graduates to be honest, uh, let's see here... one William Weasley and Warren Davis from Gringotts- new curse breaker trainees as I'm sure you've heard- there was a Daniel too, through Gringotts again, Daniel.. S... Saf... Sa... Samp... Safa..." he gestured vaguely with one hand as he struggled to recall the name.

     "Daniel Saphandre?"

      "Yes! There it is. And an Allison Franklin and Cody Hart. Mungos for them."

      "Oh yes, I knew them; Davis was a favorite of Minerva's- transfiguration- he always was determined to get things down to perfection, it was truly inspiring- he picked it up quick enough, but would still put in such effort to get it to have that extra detail. Saphandre was always gifted in runes though- what branch did you say he was in?"