Chapter 17: Broken Ties

"Mahaad," the magician turned to see Hermione walking toward him. He gave her a ghost of a smile. She frowned, back at him. "We needto talk," she said evenly.

Mahaad nodded slowly and settled into a chair by the dying fire of the Gryffindor common room. Hermione sat opposite him, perched on the edge of her seat. Dreaded questions he didn't want to answer bubbled up in his thoughts.

"What happened to you?" she asked, indicating his bruised cheek.

Mahaad felt some of the tension leave his body. He feared she was going to ask questions about Shadow Magic and Katie's attack. "I—" Mahaad's lie evaporated, leaving him scrambling for a new one. "I tripped," he stated, hating how easy it was to return to his former Master Qaa's expectations.

Hermione folded her arms. "I don't believe you. You are a cautious and a graceful person. What really happened?" she asked. The dying fire cast eerie shadows across her face, her bushy hair pulled back.

Mahaad took a deep breath and looked away into the remnants of the fire, as he gathered his thoughts. "Don't be angry," he half urged, half pleaded. When she didn't respond immediately, he opened his mouth the forge ahead.

"Did Draco hit you?" She asked, breaking his concentration.

He shook his head. "No, that would have been less shameful though. The Pharaoh was displeased with me and struck me."

The busy haired teen's eyes widened in horror, as her hands flew to her mouth. "Yugi wouldn't do that...He's such a sweet boy."

Mahaad smiled apologetically. "It was my fault. I angered the Pharaoh. I lied to him…"

"And he did that to you?" she asked, incredulously.

Mahaad nodded.

"He doesn't have the right to hit you! You're friends!" She cried.

Mahaad gave her an imploring look. "Actually he does, Hermione. The Pharaoh has the right to do whatever he pleases to me," Mahaad countered.

Hermione started at him, nonplussed and shook her head. "I can't accept that," she stated firmly. "You're in England now. Our laws are more civilized—"

Mahaad shot to his feet. "Civilized?" he repeated, his tone acidic. "You think I come from some backwater oasis in the middle of the desert?" he demanded. "That my people have no order, no honor?"

Hermione rose too, refusing to let his height intimidate her. "Yes, if you can try and justify a Master's right to beat his servant, as an honorable act!" she challenged.

Mahaad blew out a breath of air in frustration. "If a servant disobeys his master, he shames the master. The only way to restore the master's lost honor is to punish the servant."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and snorted. "What if the master simply forgave the servant?"

"Most men do not forgive easily, but if a master forgave his servant, the servant would be more indebted to the master than he was before."

"So Yugi is a man who doesn't forgive easily?" Hermione asked icily.

Mahaad quickly shook his head. "Quite the opposite. He is the most merciful and generous man I know. The Pharaoh has learned much from his lighter half. But, he is still a king and my Pharaoh. He has been far more merciful to me than I deserve," Mahaad's shoulders slumped, as he gazed into the embers of the fire.

"Far more merciful than you deserve, by hitting you in the face?"

"Yes. When we were both alive, if I looked at him without his express permission I or anyone else would be killed. There are many offenses I committed against my king with his best interest at heart. He was angry this time, I think, because he wanted to ensure he never lost me again."

She raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't excuse his actions. He still hit you."

"He struck me, to discipline me, to correct me."

She shook her head, looking unconvinced. "The whole system of slavery, of servitude is wrong Mahaad!"

"Only according to your culture!" he snapped. "The Pharaoh—"

"—I what?" a rich baritone voice cut in. Mahaad whirled to see his king, arms folded across his chest, giving his servant an expectant look.

"Pharaoh!" Mahaad croaked, as he sank into a low bow.

"Well what about me?" the Pharaoh asked with a note of humor in his voice. Mahaad opened his mouth to reply.

"You hit him!" Hermione cut in.

Mahaad's stomach clenched, and a spike of fear ran down his spine. Even though, Mahaad's gaze was fixed on the floor, he could feel the shift in his king's demeanor."

"Yes, I did," he said evenly. "What else did my servant tell you?" The Pharaoh asked, a slight edge to his tone.

Mahaad swallowed. "My king I—"

"I asked Granger-san, not you." The Pharaoh overrode him.

"He said you struck him, because he lied to you." She spat, glaring at the teen.

The Pharaoh remained unruffled by her accusations. Mahaad shifted his weight uncomfortably, momentarily forgotten by the two arguing Gryffindors.

"Yes, he lied to me. He had secretly been taking my pain since we arrived at Hogwarts, last year. He became a silent martyr. The question is why."

Mahaad swallowed hard, his throat dry, "I wanted to spare you pain my king. I…" He shifted his gaze to Hermione.

"You still hit your friend!" Hermione shouted at the shorter teen.

"Hermione, as I said before, he is my Master. He has a right to punish me as he sees fit," he said softly.

"You're not thinking straight," she retorted.

"Come, Mahaad. I wish to speak to you alone," the Pharaoh commanded.

"Whatever you say to him you can say to me!" she cried.

Mahaad rose slowly to his feet, his gaze on the ground.

"Please stay," she implored.

"Granger-san, I've been foolish. I can no longer court you. My soul belongs to him, it always has. He gives me the very air that I breathe."

Hermione stared after them as they left the common room, Mahaad a few paces behind his sovereign.

Author's Notes: Sorry this chapter took me so long. I had a bit of writer's block. But this is a scene that I've wanted to write for a while now.

Review Responses:

FallingToast: Thanks for your feedback. I agree, I've read a lot of fanfics too. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

Fireking492: That's true. The virus has been picking up lately here too. Thanks for your support!

Jackie Mueller: Yes, I actually started posting the Pharaoh and the Magic of the North and some of my other work on AO3. But I haven't posted this one there yet. Good question.

Hi: That is an interesting question. It's definably possible, I'll have to think about that. :)