Nine Lives and Bad Luck

8

I know I've been updating a lot lately, and I'll probably end up updating every Monday or every other from here on out, but I just wanted to wish you all a happy end to the year, and to thank you for the support you've given me in this book and others. I love seeing feedback for my stories and it brightens my day as much as I hope that my stories help brighten yours.

I'll see you around (or rather not given this is the internet).

Always,
-A.

"Crouch. Always glad to hear your opinions."  The man was short- although not to the degree of Flitwick- and had black hair and a barely noticeable mustache.

      Seeming to register the position and gathering crowd they stepped back one hand still clenching and unclenching. "Well? What brings you here then? We certainly don't want any of your kind here."

The only response was an unimpressed, raised eyebrow and a clear glance towards the sign proclaiming the dueling ring, "I'm here for the dueling, like everyone else. I should have thought it was obvious? Then again I've been told the ministry is well known for missing anything to do with the written language. You know, the usual, citizen documents, trial records, laws."

"I don't know what you are suggesting T-"

"Don't you? Oh well, like I just said, that is pretty typical." Harry had risen to sit on a single shoulder by now, hackles raised at his clearly insulting tone towards Silk, this earned him a nervous look from Crouch.

"Y-you monster." Harry hissed wordlessly in rage at the insult.

Silk however, waited calmly a second, "Are you not going to finish that? Because I'm pretty sure that wasn't a full, grammatical, English sentence."

"You should control you're animal better. If you're not careful the beast might be put down like you should have long ago. Here you'll find we're quite civilized."

At the comment toward Harry her off smile turned downwards- a piece of Harry felt pride she had learned basic human tells like that so well already- and her face became downright unfriendly- although nowhere near terrifying, "You should not say things like that."

Before he could further insult Silk leading to Harry saying or doing something he'd probably regret, Harry decided to take action. Not thinking, he stepped off her shoulder (it didn't even occur to him how poorly this could go as he still struggled to land a full switch between forms when moving) he landed firmly in front of Silk though, on his feet, head held high.

"Excuse me, sir, but I rather think you have gone more than far enough. That is my guardian you are speaking of in that simply despicable manner and you have even gone so far as to suggest my baseless murder."

He seemed too far off balance to recognize the crowd or think about the effects his words might have, "Wha- Keep out of matters that don't concern you freak! No one wants you half breed scum here- we all know the real reason you come here, attacking woman and children, taking advantage of-"

"Mr. Crouch, there is no need for that sort of language, much less in this place." A platinum blond dueler strode over towards them, something about them striking Harry as familiar.

      "Figures the cowardly Death Eater would take a stand with the mindless beast. Don't think you can hide from justice." The words were said under the man's breath, clearly Crouch was not brave or stupid enough to say them any louder.