"God damn stop pushing me will you?" A man called as he stumbled into the circle, a larger more aggressive man walking in after him.
"Well maybe I wouldn't have to push you if you had some manners. Trying to take my wife…" the larger man yelled back. Many people backed away from them, for none of them fancied getting in a fight.
"I did no such thing!" The smaller man answered as he raised his hands in defence." They continued arguing for a few minutes as several people watched, whilst many others continued waiting for the actors to arrive.
However the argument did not die down, and it actually took a violent turn. The larger man began pushing the smaller man, who seemed hesitant to stand up for himself. Instead he was getting backed into the centre of the circle, where he tripped over his own feet, and fell onto his back. The larger man reached down and pulled the other man up by the collar of his shirt.
"If you think its so funny trying to take my wife from me then maybe you should be pushed around a bit to!" He said as he lifted the man up as high as he could, so the smaller man's feet were waving some feet above the air.
Then in a sudden movement which caused several people to gasp, he threw the man down onto the ground so hard that there was a loud crack sound. The smaller man lay still for a moment, unconscious or worse, as everyone looked on.
Several seconds past before he gave a groan, rolled over and coughed up some blood.
"Someone call the Medi-Wizards cried someone from the crowd." The large man looked satisfied as he looked down at the other man writing in pain. He knelt down and whispered something that they couldn't hear, which seemed to be offensive by the facial expression that could be seen from the small man.
There was a silence that followed as people stood round watching what to do. Someone had run off to fetch the Medi-Wizard, but until then, the man was in serious danger. Harry tightened his grip on his wand as he looked on.
"We have to help Hermione!" He said as he went to make a move forward. Hermione tried to hold him back but he brushed her off.
"Are you alright?" He asked as he knelt down besides the injured man. "What's your name?" He asked.
"I'm Albert…" He replied weakly as he gave another cough and spat up more blood next to Harry's feet. "And you are Harry Potter, won't you help me?"
"He won't help you if he knows what's good for you?" The large man replied as he squinted at Harry with a look of disgust.
"I don't know what he has done to you." Harry said as he gestured to Albert. "But whatever it is there is no excuse for your behaviour. I don't want to make a fight here, so if you leave then I will let you."
"And if I don't leave?" Asked the man as he lent over Harry and gave a breath of putrid vodka smelling breath.
"Then prepare for a fight." Harry said as he raised his wand and drew into a fighting stance.
"A fight it is then, though not any of your girly magic. Men fight hand to hand. Still since you're but a boy I shall give you a chance. I will give you three days to prepare, and if you should still wish to take a beating then meet me here then." He said as he gave a spitting gesture and marched off. Harry was about to turn his attention back to Albert, when a young woman, hardly older than Hermione ran up to him.
"Thank you brave sir for saving my brother from that fearsome brute. May I in some way repay you for your kind deed?"
"Um no that's ok." Harry said sheepishly as he scratched his head. There were still an awful lot of people watching.
"Please my sir there must be something. I know I am not the most beautiful woman in the land but perhaps I could reward you with some physical pleasure?" She said as she ran a hand down his chest. His eyes widened in fright as he backed away from her. His eyes looked round at the people in the crowd, many of whom were chuckling lightly. He then turned to Hermione who was shaking her head in disbelief.
"You're in the play!" She mouthed to him, causing him to relax a bit, before realising if possible he were now in an even worse situation.
After a moment in which he composed himself as best he could he returned to her expectant gaze.
"To take pay for a favour would be to put a price on the deed done and the values for which it stood." He replied in a fluent tongue which matched the manner in which she spoke.
"Such wise words spoken from thy lips. Indeed such a noble heart have you that I flush in embarrassment as to have offered you my body."
There was a groan from Albert as he pulled himself to his feet. He had some blood on his chin which he wiped off with the back of his hand.
"Noble man who doest save me and earn a place in mine family and mine heart. Doest they know the nature of the danger in which you have placed yourself?" He asked as he put a hand on his knee for support. They were indeed great actors.
"I no not the danger, nor the fear that I should. Tell me what is it that I should have to fear. Could not the man with whom you fought simply be taken by a sword."
"Oh no no!" The woman answered as she shook her head.
"Whilst you could draw his blood and spill his guts, it would only beseech a more dreadful danger upon thee. The man with whom my dearest brother Albert fought, was the cousin of the king Gerrard who doest rule these lands with an iron fist. He came to fetch me for King Gerrard doest wish to take me to his bed.
"You see the one thing king Gerrard wants above all others is not gold or power, for he has both of those, but a son to whom he may pass it one day. You see he doest take every woman of age to bed, though none of them will fall pregnant. He blames them when he needs look no further than the mirror. There are only two ladies left in the kingdom to whom he has not wed himself, myself being one, and the other being the daughter of the noble lord Fialfa. She said as she gestured to a woman who walked though the crowd.
The new person to enter was wearing old clothes, though given the wizards dress sense it was not immediately noticeable. She had long flowing hair which blew in the wind. She was average in height, about five foot five at most, though she was no less beautiful for this. She wore a dress which accentuate her figure and made Harry stare a little more than he normally would. He had to suppress a small smile at this, for he knew that in some whole way it had been planned, though he didn't understand her true motives.
She had done it masterly though, she thought to herself as she entered the area. Hermione had rushed off round the back of the crowd shortly after the large man had left, and explained to him what she wanted. He had led her over to where the other actors were hidden, and had her dressed up as the fair princess. If Harry did not notice her before then he would have to now. After all Hermione had breasts too!
