CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Abuse of Our Beloved Savour
By: Rita Skeeter
The particulars of Harry Potter's previous love affair are known worldwide. The Fallen Raven, Roger Davies, was caught, red handed by The Daily Prophet just a little under two months ago in rather revealing circumstances. It was Rita Skeeters most horrible task to reveal to Harry Potter the activities of his lover, but the relationship had ended. Many of you wondered how Harry had been taking this latest emotional blow, and sources say that he was devastated, but with the help and support of you all, he was able to overcome the heartache.
There have been whispers, a rumour blowing in the wind that suggested of another in the Saviour's life, one whom Harry Potter has given his heart to. This could never be proven, until the traumatizing event of yesterday afternoon.
It was astonishing!
This reporter watched as our saviour and a group of his friends staggered in to the Three Broomsticks after a fun-filled morning shopping at Honeydukes (Three for two on all hand-picked sweets!) and Zonko's Joke Shop (Give a friend a hand, that stretches ten miles long!) for what at first appeared to be a friendly meeting between father and son.
However, not even minutes into the conversation, this reporter witnessed tension rising at the table of the two Potter's, and the light chatter quickly turned into a full out, standing war. The stunningly handsome James Potter, Auror and lucky father of our gorgeous saviour, was soon to be heard throughout the Three Broomsticks, shouting.
"Yes, you will Harry James Potter! You will listen to me and stop seeing Lucius Malfoy! I demand it." When Harry quietly refused and attempted to leave, James Potter threatened to disown him, and when that didn't work, slapped him.
So it is revealed that Harry Potter, our saviour, has given his heart to none other than the notorious Lucius Malfoy, Harry's very own Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry Potter was not able to comment as he left soon after, led away by his loyal and passionate friend Hermione Granger. We can only hope that Lucius Malfoy takes care of our saviours heart, and treasures it always. Harry Potter well-wishers would do well to remember the hurt that the Fallen Raven, and now his father, has caused.
-
Harry felt sick to his stomach, as Lucius sat at the edge of the bed watching him read the words. He groaned in pain and then shimmied under the covers; he drew out one hand and shoved the Daily Prophet forcefully off the bed, causing the pieces to scatter all over the emerald green carpet. It was a move he had done so many times before. He rolled over and buried his head under the pillow, blocking out the light that streamed in through the window and the face of the man who was probably humiliated to pieces.
"You're gonna smother." laughed Lucius softly. He was trying to break the embarrassment and sickened humiliation that Harry was feeling at the moment. He playfully moved his hands underneath the folds of the covers, to find his partner.
"Good!" said a muffled Harry, "Maybe then they'll all leave me alone."
"Argh, don't say things like that. You die on me, I'll pay a necromancer to raise you up just so I can do it myself!" hissed the man, trying to pry the covers away from Harry's slender frame.
Harry couldn't help but giggle weakly under the coverlets and pillows at the remark Lucius made. "Good Merlin, how many covers do I have on this bed?" He murmured, as he found the flesh of Harry's back. Lucius smirked, "Aha," His bare hand ran up Harry's back and then down gently before pushing the restriction and smirking, and raised his hand and playfully slapped Harry on the arse, causing the teen to yelp and bring his head out from under the folds.
"Ouch!"
He laughed again and then brought a surprised and pouty Harry closer to him, until half of his body was in his lap. He wrapped his arms protectively around him and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Don't hide from me."
Harry gave him a weak smile and lay there quietly in Lucius' arms; his hand came up and touched the man's bare chest. "I'm hiding from the world." He whispered, "Not you."
"I'm glad to hear it." said Lucius, pressing random kisses against his forehead, and running his fingers along Harry's arm. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did not cause this."
"But, I humiliated you-"
Lucius snorted, "They know better, Harry. They did not humiliate me; they stated a fact that was in no way harmful toward me nor toward you."
"But, my dad-"
Lucius scowled, "He made a fool of you in public and it backfired. He's getting a taste of what you have to go through, maybe this time he'll learn just what you have to put up with..."
"I didn't want it to come to this."
The Hogwart's teacher brushed against the cheek that had been been bruised just hours before. "I don't think you saw just how angry I was yesterday. When I saw that bruise on your face." He looked away as his eyes flashed a cold type of ice that was chilling and lethal. Harry raised his head, and brushed his hand against Lucius' cheek. The man's gaze softened when he looked down at Harry, who placed kisses on his lips; Lucius captured those quick kisses and drank them in deeply.
He left Harry breathless and laying there, in his arm. "You need to get up. You cannot hide away from the world for much longer. You might as well get the stares and whispers over with, not to mention the sympathy mail." said Lucius dryly. "Which have already been pouring in since four o' clock this morning… and are now being directed to an abandoned classroom until you figure out what you want to do with them…" Harry looked horrified at the prospect. "Destroyed they'll be." Lucius said, reading the answer.
After several moments of self-brooding, Harry rolled out of the bed and with a little more encouragement from Lucius, he dressed for the day. Twenty minutes later, he was staring at himself in the mirror, when Lucius sauntered in.
"I realise you're a gorgeous thing to behold, but to stare at yourself-"
Harry scoffed, and glanced over, "I'm not staring at me." stated the teen, sheepishly. "I'm staring - beyond."
"I think you have been around Miss LoveGood or Trelawney for far too long."
Harry laughed and turned his attention back to the mirror. "I'm just wondering how someone as simple as myself was able to do something no one else was able to do and get punished for it at the same time."
Lucius didn't know how to answer him on that. It was a question that he was sure that even the Headmaster had no answers for. So, instead of supplying an answer he walked around and wrapped his arms around the back of his frame, pushing the black hair out of the way, he brushed caressing kisses along Harry's ear and neck gently. Harry's eyes fell shut and he hummed at the supple touch. The man's lips pressed against his ear and spoke, "You will be punished no longer, I promise you Harry."
Harry opened his eyes, "I doubt even you could stop it all."
Lucius smirked, "A man has his ways." he said huskily. "Leave it to me." The teen couldn't help but shiver at the possessive voice Lucius spoke in.
"Okay," Opening his eyes, Harry smiled, he would let Lucius handle it. Allow the man to handle it all without complaints. It made him feel a little more at ease with everything going on at once. He assessed himself once more, he was wearing black trousers that fit snugly against his hips and loose in the legs, and the shirt was a button up silver silk. He looked well together, even though he didn't feel it.
The corridors of Hogwart's were deserted around that time of the mid-morning. Harry walked close to Lucius, keeping up with the man's pace. The tall aristocrat in question placed a hand against Harry's back and ran it up and gripped his shoulder firmly. A few students that were wayward passed and quickly stopped to look back, as if trying to understand, just what they were seeing.
They got to the Great Hall, Harry's eyes flickered down to the ground when Lucius stopped just before entering; he looked at the Gryffindor and shook his head, "I don't think so. You're with me, hold your head up."
Harry looked at him, "I'm proud to be with you." he said, without question.
"Then show it." He pushed the Great Hall doors opened and they stepped through together.
The Great Hall was filled to the brim with just about every single student and teacher albeit the Headmaster, and the multiplication of eyes immediately fell on the Slytherin and Gryffindor that had been the talk of the whole morning, whispers broke out.
Even teachers were whispering to each other as the two walked together. Harry cringed inwardly, while Lucius stared coldly. The first stop was Gryffindor, where Hermione already had a plate set for him. His whole body was tense and he was on the verge of screaming, when Lucius scowled at the nearest on-looking Ravenclaw, and before Harry could take a seat; Lucius grabbed his chin, lifted it, and stared at him piercingly in the eyes, sending a wave of calmness and emotion over the throttled Saviour before kissing him… hard.
"See you later." He nodded to Hermione, and then let go of Harry and stalked away, leaving the teen to stare after him and then slowly sink down by Hermione's gentle pull.
Gryffindor was staring at him stunned. Neville's mouth was gaping, and Ginny was staring struck between horror and girlish indulgence over two gorgeous guys. Hermione smiled and added Harry's favourite foods.
"Bout time you crawled out from under the blankets." murmured Hermione, and then made a jerking movement, causing the pitiful looking boy across from her to yelp and look up at Harry.
Harry raised his head and met the black ringed eyes of Ron. The redhead looked worse for wear; it was as if he hadn't slept. He swallowed, "I'm sorry, Harry." He said, in the quietest voice he could muster and what little voice he used cracked in half.
Harry grimaced his whole heart dangling against his sleeve, as he was forced to look away from Ron and down at his food. The teen nibbled at the sausage on the plate. He was still aware of the on-lookers are Hermione squeezed his knee under the table.
"Harry?" hissed Ginny. Harry looked up and met the redhead. "What the hell's going on?"
"What's it look like?" asked Harry.
"Is this serious?"
"What do you think?" retorted the teen, his face expressionless.
"You - and -" she didn't glance up at the Staff Table.
"Yes, why else do you think, my father went mad?" He smiled to her and then went back to his sausage.
"You are serious." mumbled Ginny, distantly.
This caused several Gryffindor's to murmur to their friends, as Harry picked up half a grapefruit that Hermione had sat down for him. She passed him the sugar cup to him, and glared hard at anyone who decided to try and open their mouths with a smart remark.
Harry's body began to relax a bit; he busied himself with mild conversation with Hermione as Luna bounded over and nudged Neville down. He glanced up to see Lucius watching him closely, the man's eyes never left him through out the morning, even when Severus leaned over to talk to him.
It offered him some sort of comfort through the hell of the world knowing his business.
000
"YOU WHAT!!??" The whole world could have heard the irate redheaded mother, with the livid green eyes, as she stared her shrinking husband down as if he were a slug about to be squashed.
The Potter Elder swallowed, and sat there on the couch, trying to look away from his wife's lethal stare. His throat was dry and he was unable to speak.
"You - you -" Lily brought the crumpled Daily Prophet in front of her and stared at the most horrific picture before her and the words on top of the reporter's name. "Y- you - you hit my son-"
"I didn't mean too." croaked James, snapping his eyes closed.
"You hit my son-" she repeated, her eyes staring at the picture, her heart breaking and ripping every time it repeated. "You - you laid - lay your hand - on my son!" her nostril's flared and her teeth were gritting by this time. "You - you - you even - threatened to disown him!" "I didn't mean it!" said James at once. "I was mad! I was hoping he'd listen-"
Lily screeched in rage and brought her hand up and slapped him across the face for the first time in her life. James' head went back upon impact and he gasped, as his jaw felt almost dislocated. "You - horrible, horrible, horrible, man you!" she crumpled the paper and threw it at him. "You don't touch my baby that way! I don't care how angry you are at him; you leave your hands off my baby!" Her fists were balled, at her sides and she was shaking she was so upset.
James was trying to understand what had happened as the burning and stinging sensation of being slapped by his wife registered along his brain. How did this whole thing get so out of hand?
"That's my son!" she shouted. "That you humiliated one that you harmed! You hit him!"
"I am sorry!" snapped James, holding his jaw. "Aren't you the least bit worried about who the fuck he's seeing?" He asked, gathering some of his dignity.
Lily growled and brought her hands up, for James to shield himself, but instead of smacking him she grabbed the Daily Prophet and opened it to page 3 where a picture of Harry had been taken at the End of Summer Ball, he was dancing and smiling in the arms of Lucius, although you couldn't tell it was Lucius for the face was gone, but you could see the ends of blond hair.
"When my son is actually smiling and happy? How can I be worried, when he seems to be in damn good care?" Her eyes narrowed, and he looked away, "You and your foolish pride!" she spat and smacked him with the Daily Prophet on the arm. "Gryffindor Bastard! That's what you are!"
"Lily- I made a mistake okay? I'm sorry!"
"I'm not the one you need to apologise too, you son of a bitch. Maybe, if you would wake up and get to know your son and stop it with this insane vendetta you have against anyone who does not come from the same house as you did! It's a fucking house not the whole damn world."
"He's with a teacher!"
"So? I'd rather him with a mature teacher than with some stupid jerk who's going to yank my son's heartstrings around just for a bit of fame." she growled, "You never saw, just how bad your son was hurting. You didn't hear him cry in his bedroom, because you refused! You didn't hear him when he was crying out for support, because all you thought about was your foolish and selfish person. I can't tell you how many times you've actually hurt your son's feelings without knowing it, pushing him away and now - you go and do this!" She was still gripping the Daily Prophet, as if hoping it would change. Lily leaned up and rubbed her forehead with her trembling hand, and closed her eyes. "I gotta go to him- my baby probably thinks, I agree with this -" She sniffed and threw the prophet at James, and turned just as two pops could be heard; Sirius and Remus came barging through the room.
Sirius was looking stunned and in disbelief, while Remus looked as if it were the full moon and he were about to kill.
James groaned, "Ah damn." he said, looking away. How many more ways was he going to be yelled at?
"You are damned." Hissed Remus, his eyes narrowing. "You touched him-"
"I didn't mean too!" shouted James, throwing his hands up in a desperate attempt to stop the attack. "I was mad! He was seeing a Slytherin! Surely, Remus-"
"I KNEW about it all along!" snarled the lyncanthrope, causing James to look up in shock. "Who the fuck do you think you are to tell your son who he can and cannot love? Who gives a damn who he is, or where he's from? You don't have to live his life each and every damn day. Who are you to tell his heart what to do? You insensitive, pompous jack arse! You hurt my cub and I ought to tear you from limb to limb."
"Calm down, Moony!" Sirius barked grabbing his partner, who had drew himself up to an impossible size and height. "Get yourself together!"
James looked at Remus in terror; it did not take a genius to realise that the werewolf in Remus had claimed Harry as his, and any damage of what was his property was a violation in the eyes and heart of a werewolf. It seemed that James had just violated the most important property to a werewolf, his cub.
"I'm sorry!" shouted James. "Okay! I am sorry, maybe I did overreact, but I was damn mad!"
"That gives you no right to strike him!" spat Remus. His eyes had dilated and he was breathing rapidly. "Or to threaten to disown that child who has been through more fucking pain than you could imagine! You had no idea, what you've done to him. You have absolutely no idea how much you've hurt him because of your-"
"Stupid, Gryffindor, Pride, I got It." murmured James, weakly. The guilt had already been climbing through his chest, but now the guilt was replaced by fear of being tore apart by a group full of advocates. "Siri?"
Sirius glowered, "I am not backing this up! You did exactly, what my parent's did to me. The only difference was a switch of houses."
Lily had sunk down into an armchair and was hanging her head. "You hit my baby…"
James had apologised but it wasn't doing anyone any good. No one was listening. "I was in rage, I wasn't thinking straight when I said that. I thought he would stop after I threatened him!"
Remus growled and moved forward, but Sirius was read and intercepted, "No, Moony!" ordered Sirius, his eyes narrowed. Remus gripped Sirius' shoulders, wanting to remove him from the space, but the last male Black stood firm. "Harry wouldn't want you to do that-"
"You can't stop - what's in someone's heart, James! He listens to his heart and he will listen to nothing else." Remus' voice had lowered after Sirius had brought Harry's want into the mix. "The only one saving your arse from Moony, is Harry. You owe him-" Remus' eyes widen for affect.
James recoiled, and wanted so badly to move from his position on the couch, but wasn't sure if it was actually safe. He knew how wrong he was, he didn't need all these people trying to kill him to tell him this.
"I believe we all need to calm down." said a calm and collective voice from the floo room. Eyes snapped over to the Headmaster of Hogwarts. James breathed a sigh of utter relief, as he collapsed against the back of the couch. "Pleasant morning James?" asked Dumbledore, warmly.
"Delightful." answered James dryly.
"How's my baby?" asked Lily standing abruptly. "Is he hurting?"
"He's just fine and has been taken care of by his closest friends. I do believe Lucius, Severus, and Hermione are doing him justice." James cringed inwardly, but said nothing, when Remus threw him a nasty look. "Now, I see that James has been punished quite a bit, for the last hour…"
"And a half." added James, and shrunk back when Lily cast him a cold glare.
"Yes, well, James you did decide to act foolishly." said Dumbledore taking a seat on the other armchair.
Sirius eased Remus down into a seat, but the man was still staring coldly at James about ready to pounce at any second.
James did not miss this look, "I know I did." said James, closing his eyes and leaning closer to his lap. He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed in heavily. "I regret it, and I have every intention on talking to Harry about this…"
"He would listen to you, because he is Harry. But, the question I have for you James is will you listen to him?"
"What? I do listen-" He shrank at the startling unblinking pale blue stare he received from the Headmaster. "Don't I?" He swallowed, and looked back down at his hands. "Well, he's just a kid-"
"He's seventeen years old, James. He has quite the head on his shoulders. He's been pretty good up until this summer when it came to the paper's botching his name and reporter's following him everywhere he went. But, then they interfered in what should be an average and almost expected teenager's life. They blew it out of proportion like Harry was the only teenager to have ever had a broken relationship. He found company in an unlikely source." James grimaced and looked sickened. "A source that has done him a world of good."
James looked up in horror, "Headmaster? You do - realise-"
"That his name has absolutely no reason to be dragged through the mud, like you have already done." admonished the Headmaster. "I believe Lucius has paid his dues to the Wizarding world, by laying down his life for the sake of his son. His background should be water under the bridge. Your son loves Lucius and if I am not mistaken, after what I witnessed yesterday afternoon, Lucius loves your son."
James looked disgusted, "Ulgh, don't tell me this!" The man sulked and covered his head with his hands. "He's too young! Lucius is too old for him-"
"Shouldn't you allow your son to make that decision for himself?" asked Dumbledore softy. "He is of age to make that decision. You may be his father-" He said, and held up his hand to stop James from interrupting. "But, you are not the keeper of his heart. The more you resist and the more you act childish and petty over a stupid child vendetta the more you will push your own son away, until he wants absolutely nothing to do with you."
James' head rose, "Would he really?"
"If you force him to choose between what you want and what his heart wants, you will not win."
"And-" said Lily, in a soft but firm voice. "If you continue to act this way, and if you even think of following through with your threat to my baby; I will divorce you…" James' mouth went dry. "There is absolutely, no way I will allow you to hurt him. He's my child and it is my job to protect him." Her eyes were glassy while saying this and the tears ran down her pale cheeks. "Don't you make me choose James, because my son will win and you will do nothing but lose."
James felt sick to his stomach; he had never felt so small in his life. He was sure that he had been whacked down three feet. First his own guilt and then the papers, his wife, his best friends, the Headmaster, and now his wife's threat with divorce. How did this ever begin like this?
"Tell me something-" whispered James. "Do you support Harry and - Malfoy?" He looked at everyone in the room.
"Yes." They all said at the same time.
That was way too quick, "Why?" asked James, weakly. He first looked to Sirius. "Why, Sirius?"
Sirius looked up at his best friend, "It's what Harry wants. I do not like Malfoy personally, but this is Harry we're talking about and it took the last night of summer holiday for me to realise that I have been an unsupportive godfather and that I didn't even know my own godson. He has never come to me with anything secretive, never confided in me because of my closeness to you."
That hurt.
He hesitantly looked to his wife, who arched an eyebrow, "You even have to ask me? It's my son's relationship. It's his choice, I mean, I shouldn't even be surprised and I'm wondering why I didn't see it in the first place. He came over, that day unexpectedly because he had apparently been concerned over Harry and then the invite to his manor. He's and upstanding man-" James made a face, "Whether you like it or not-" she snapped. "It's a bit different, but I'm not going to shoot the idea down until I've heard my son's say in all this. It is his life after all."
"Actually, Lily." said Remus, having calmed down. "Lucius had taken care of Harry the night before he came to the house…"
"Taking care of him?" asked James, frowning.
Remus glared at him, "Yes, he was distraught and drinking himself into a frenzy until he was three sheets to the wind. Lucius stood by him that night and even kept him from being humiliated. He took care of Harry, when he was on his knees in the bathroom sick and consumed with grief and humiliation from what he had been put through. He had turned up the next morning to make sure that Harry was alright and safe, James. He was concerned over Harry's wellbeing and wanted to make sure he was together. Why else, do you think he accepted the invitation I offered for dinner?"
James cringed inwardly, and he found himself rubbing his face once again, trying to take in everything he was being told in.
"I hadn't seen Harry so happy, since that stupid kid Davies humiliated him. He looked as if he were healing so nicely. He had a new interest, and interest that I believed would do him some good." He said, softly. "I nudged Harry, and kept him from shying away. I'll be happy to do it again if he needs me. I like Lucius, and I am very confident that he will do right by Harry. He has absolutely nothing to gain by falling in love with Harry. He needs no money, he needs no fame, and he needs no social elevation. He's a mature man who does not play games and frankly I believe that's what Harry needs."
James glanced over at Dumbledore who smiled, "It is not my place James, to dissuade or persuade anyone in or out of a personal relationship. I realise that he is on my staff and that the protection of my students is the most important matter. But, as I've seen it, Harry is being protected quite well under Lucius' wing. He is also a man who does not allow personal relationships to interfere with his work. From the rumours I have picked up, Lucius is no better to the Gryffindors than he was before, except for the probability that he is fairer in his choices. I however, must inquire about you. You harmed a student." The last words Dumbledore spoke were sharp.
"He's my son." tried James. "We were having a personal squabble…"
"He's my student." said Dumbledore mildly. "You do not touch any one of my children whilst I am Headmaster of Hogwarts. It is an offence that I do not take too kindly of. I do not care who you happen to be." Dumbledore slowly stood, and James bit his lip, when Dumbledore took two steps away from the chair and then turned to James. "I believe you have been punished enough by those who love you, so I will save my wrath if there is a next time." Dumbledore smiled but it was a smile that had caution in it, a caution that James saw instantly. "But, I have to warn you, the next time you touch my boy, my Harry, Moony will be the least of your worries."