Difficulties

Rita knew she was powerless to struggle in such a situation. Her face turned ashen.

"Rita Skeeter, the Daily Prophet's star reporter. Who would have thought you were an illegal Animagus? That counts as quite the scoop!"

"Tut, tut. I hear you've got the secrets of quite a few important people. Tell me, if I let this news out, what do you think they'll do to you?"

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Rita's eyes. She seemed to regain her usual shrewdness and venom, raising her head to stare straight at Eli. "They absolutely won't do anything to me, unless they want me to reveal their secrets!"

Eli raised an eyebrow as he looked at the woman who didn't know what was good for her. It seemed she thought he did not dare touch her. "Ms. Skeeter, do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

"Yes, you wouldn't! The Ministry of Magic would catch you, and the Dementors would kill you!"

Eli suddenly laughed. The chill in his laughter made Rita tremble from the depths of her soul.

"Y-you, what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at how naive you are."

"Me?" Rita was somewhat angered.

"Yes, you. Do you really think those people wouldn't dare touch you? True, they haven't done anything to you, but that's only because they had no reason to, and no need to risk dealing with an insignificant nobody like you."

"Think about it. If someone suddenly produced evidence enough to have you punished by law, what would they do?"

"W-what would they do...?"

Rita's voice trembled. She suddenly no longer felt so confident.

"They would immediately use their power and influence to send you into a bottomless abyss! They would never give you the chance to say even a single word! You know