Harry Potter : In the shadow of divinity8.33%

Chapter - 7 : Revelations and Illusions part - 3

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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Loki remained in the park, pushing himself back and forth on the odd, pendulum-like entertainment device for nearly an hour after his son's departure; the unexpected conversation with the boy had left him lost in the dark recesses of his mind, scrutinizing every gesture, every facial expression, and every word that had made up their encounter.

Haraldr, or Harry as he likely knew himself as, had gone against every thought and belief Loki had formed in the years he'd be watching over him. He'd always known the boy was smart, precocious even, not to mention incredibly perceptive. He was a son of Loki, how could he not be? But he hadn't ever considered how smart, how perceptive. Harry had been able to see past his constantly shifting faces, he'd been able to identify him each time because he recognized how he felt, but what was more, he'd managed to fool him, the God of Lies, into believing that he didn't suspect a thing. For years, Loki had been operating under the assumption that Harry had no idea that he was being watched. The truth was astounding, but, more than anything else, it made him proud. His son had not been trained in any form of magic, and yet he was already unconsciously using it to one up his father.

Now that Harry was in the know regarding their relation, Loki could begin taking steps to instruct him on how to better control his magic. They would have to start slow of course, the spells Loki had cast over the boy when he was a babe were still effectively keeping him concealed from Heimdall's all-seeing gaze, but they had had to be renewed on more than one occasion after a particularly strong bout of accidental magic on Harry's part. Actively using magic on a regular basis would likely require some tweaking to those spells to ensure Harry remained hidden, at least long enough for him to get a better handle on his abilities. Loki only hoped Harry would allow him the chance to teach him. The boy had seemed wary of him after their conversation, it was obvious he didn't trust Loki in the slightest, and he understood that, respected it even. Despite the countless times he'd paid the boy a visit these past few years, he was still only a stranger; it would be foolish for him to trust the word of a man he knew nothing of so easily, and Harry had proved on more than one occasion that he was no fool.

He tried not to be bitter about it, but each reminder that he hadn't been allowed to raise yet another one of his children made something sour curdle where he'd once thought his heart to reside. He shouldn't have had to keep his identity a secret out of fear of losing his son, Harry should have known him and who he was from the very beginning, he shouldn't have had to look at him through the face of a stranger every time they met. Harry deserved better, Loki deserved better, but until he was presented with an opportunity to make any sort of change, he would have to make do with the clandestine meetings and resource draining protection spells if he wished to remain in contact with his son.

Loki gently kicked his feet off of the ground, allowing himself to rock back and forth for a few more moments before he rose from the uncomfortable strip of plastic he'd been perched on for the better part of an hour and began a slow tread in the direction of the darkened treeline. He would return home for the night, show his face around the palace in order to stave off any more suspicion on Odin's part, and await Harry's return. The ball was entirely in the boy's court, he would do nothing until his son had had enough time to work through all that had been discussed that day and decide where he stood in regards to his relation to Loki. He could only hope the final decision he settled on weighed in his favor; Odin had taken all of his other children before he'd ever been given the chance to truly make an impact on their lives, this would be the first chance he'd had in centuries to build a relationship with a child of his own blood. If he failed, he would have no one to blame but himself.

It took Harry three days to settle his thoughts and emotions into something that tentatively resembled order; his conversation with Loki, the man who claimed to be his father, had left them a mess of confusion, hurt, and the smallest bit of hope. When he'd returned to the Dursley's home that night, he'd been promptly shoved in his cupboard where he stewed in his thought under the cover of the dusty darkness. After only a handful of hours, he thought he'd come a decision on how he should he react to the possibility of not being the son of James Potter, but, come sunup, he found himself doubting his decision and rethinking how he should really feel.

The next few days carried along a similar vein; Harry spent a few hours mulling over everything he'd been told, comparing Loki's words with the facts he'd been told his entire life. He would settle on one thing, but, after only a few hours alone with his thoughts, he would once again find himself reconsidering. Every moment not devoted to being the Dursley's personal slave and scapegoat, he was silently warring with himself, torn between his desire for any form of familial connection and his intense distrust towards just about everyone.