Understanding the Scar

Chapter the Only


It was just an average day in late spring for Harry. The sun was shining and the air was warm. It was one of those days were everyone sat outside after class, relaxing in the sun. He, Ron, and Hermione sat provoking the Whomping Willow, throwing stones at it, talking about Voldemort, homework, the War, dating, Snape, and Malfoy's odd new behaviour. The blond boy seemed to be twitchier than normal. He was always looking about, fleeing from them in the halls, hiding what he was doing after classes, researching something or other in the Restricted Section. The current most popular idea was that he was trying to raise an army of slugs to combat the mop on Harry's head that he amusingly called hair. Enough slime may be able to tame it.

Said object of their discussion was surprisingly approaching them. The pureblood left curiosity and malicious anticipation in his wake. The fist fights between he and the male two of the Golden Trio were the stuff of legends nowadays. A good brawl would be the perfect end of the day for many of the blood-thirsty students. But to spite them all, Malfoy didn't seem that pugnacious at the moment. If anything he seemed to be. . . apprehensive and embarrassed.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" As Hermione was the only one capable of maintaining a civil tongue within the presence of the other boy, she took it upon herself to be the first to speak.

"Um. . . you three noticed that I've been doing some research in the Restricted Section, correct? Well, I wanted to get the exact translation of the words right, otherwise he might be able to refuse and I can't-let-him-do-that cause then-bad-things-would-happen and I really-couldn't-live-withmyselfifanythinghappenedto -" He stopped to take a breath and sighed it out slowly. Harry had a very bad feeling that the pureblood knew his secret. If he did, then the situation could turn out very bad, or very good, depending on what the other boy said and did. The blond took a plain black slave collar from his trouser pocket and held it out to Harry. "I offer the only thing I can to you in return for your protection of me and mine."

Harry stared at the other boy. "Bugger me sideways." Hermione shot him a scandalized look. "What tipped you off?"

The blond looked sheepish. "I hired an investigator over the summer, who happened to be Greek. She saw the Mark and figured it out."

Harry raised an eyebrow before making his offer. "Not a word of explanation to anyone or anything, living or dead or in between. Understand?"

"Of course."

Harry stood and took the scrap of leather from him, his touch transforming it to a solid gold collar. When the ends fastened around Malfoy's neck, the metal fused into an unbroken ring. Harry took a moment to look up at the cloudless sky, speaking to no one that any of the students could see. "You're either punishing me for some crime I had no idea I committed, or you're finally getting around to rewarding me." A streak of red lightning shot out of the sky to impact his forehead. "Ouch! That stung, no need to smite me! I was only mildly sarcastic! You let Hephaestus get away with way more than that!" Another bolt felt from the sky. "Okay already! Lay off! Let me enjoy my reward before I go off and do my job. Sheesh Dad." A quick gesture and Draco was following at his heel like a pet as Harry fled into the school.

Hermione, the few Ravenclaws present, and a handful of Slytherins looked on gobsmacked as Ares, son of Zeus walked away and back into their midst.