Harry Potter : In the shadow of divinity44.05%

Chapter - 37 : The Associates' Whisperings part - 3

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

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During one of Loki's frequent visits to Hogwarts, he and Harry ventured deep into the Forbidden Forest to have a semblance of privacy as they practiced hand-to-hand sparring. Harry was slowly improving with practice and age; he'd barely been able to defend himself the previous, but the thirteen year old was now able to go against Loki and win as many times as he lost. With a few more years of practice, he might even be able to go against Thor or even the fearsome warrior Lady Sif, and actually have a chance at winning.

The fact that Harry had gained his Asgardian strength, speed, and endurance, gave Loki hope that, maybe, he had inherited his mortality, or lack thereof, as well.

"No more," Harry finally said after several hours had passed. "Let's take a break, I'm exhausted."

"Would you like to work on your mannerisms?" Loki asked as he gingerly settled down onto the ground beside Harry. "Your disdainful glares and upturning of the nose at those beneath you could use a little work."

Harry groaned. "How about we just relax? Let's talk."

"About what?"

"What has Uncle Thor been getting into recently?"

Loki winced at the mention of his brother. "Ah, your uncle has been getting into all sorts of mischief as of late," he said. "And none of the good kind either."

"Oh, there are good kinds?" Harry teased.

"Why of course." Loki pretended to be offended. "I am the very embodiment of mischief, and do I look all bad to you?"

His son gave him a glancing once over and then shrugged. "About fifty-fifty to me."

Loki huffed a laugh. "I suppose I'll have to take that." Harry settled his head in the older man's lap and closed his eyes in contentment when fingers began carding through his hair. "How have you been, little trickster?"

"So far this has been my most peaceful year, especially compared to last year. It's nice."

Loki laughed softly, but his heart twinged painfully at the reminder of the incident in the Chamber last year, and how he had nearly lost his son. That was not an experience he was ever willing to go through again.

"We, my friends and I that is, have been trying to find Sirius Black though."

The trickster god groaned in exasperation. "Why ever are you trying to find him? Do you enjoy causing me worry?"

"We think he's innocent," Harry assured his distressed father. "Some of the things that happened the night and the days following Mum and James' deaths don't add up."

"How so?"

Harry explained everything he knew and everything he and his friends had concluded, and then waited patiently to hear what Loki had to say about it.

"I think you may be right," he said and Harry was able to breathe easy again, "but please at least try to be careful if you ever come face to face with him. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you."

Harry crossed an X over his chest, it was a childish muggle quirk but it made them both feel better when the gesture was made and the words were spoken. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Finally, we're done with these blasted exams," Neville moaned after exiting the last exam of the year.

"I'm saying," Harry agreed. "Is it just me, or did they seem especially horrible this year?"

"Oh, it wasn't just you," Blaise said. "The Professors were ruthless."

"Let's head over to Hagrid's," Hermione suggested. "We haven't visited in a while now."

"I could use some tea," Ron agreed.

The group all chorused their assent, then headed out of the school and down to Hagrid's hut.

"Well aren't you lot a sight fer sore eyes," Hagrid greeted when they arrived on his doorstep. "Just finished exams?" he laughed at the cacophony of groans his question earned. "All righ', how 'bout a cup of tea and some fudge?"

"That would be fantastic, Hagrid," Hermione beamed. "Thank you."

"Ah, it's my pleasure, Hermione. Could you grab the milk pitcher ou' the cupboard fer me?"

"Of course," Hermione bustled around the table, helping Hagrid make the tea as the others conversed softly, but when she went to pour milk into the pitcher she let out a shriek and dropped the milk bottle onto the table. "Oh my goodness," she shoved the pitcher under Ron's nose. "Please tell me that's Scabbers."

Ron cautiously peered into the pitcher and gasped in delight when he saw the grimy gray rat curled up at the bottom "Scabbers!" he cried. "What're you doing in there?"

"Oh, thank Merlin," Hermione sighed. "That thing gave me such a fright."

Ron reached into the pitcher and grabbed the struggling rat. Harry didn't remember the rodent much, but he did recall that Scabbers hadn't looked half as horrible as he did now. He was incredibly thin, and had large tufts of hair that had fallen out leaving wide bald patches all over his body, and just like the last time Harry saw him, he felt as if there were something off with the animal.

"It's okay, Scabbers!" Ron said soothingly. "I've got you now! You're all right."

"That thing looks revolting," Draco said wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Yeah, well how would you look if you'd been missing for going on four months now?"

"Much better than that, I can assure you."

Harry conjured a hasty cage. "Here, you can put him in that until we're ready to go, he looks ready to run off again."

"Thanks, mate," Ron said in relief, quickly shoving the squirming rat into the cage and latching the door shut.

Ron, Harry, Draco, Neville, Hermione, and Blaise hung around Hagrid's house for several more hours, enjoying their enormous cups of tea and just catching up with the gamekeeper. Somewhere around the second hour, Scabbers exhausted himself and gave up wildly scratching and running around his cage. But when the sun finally began to set, Harry and his friends decided to head back in for dinner rather than eating with Hagrid; they all bid the man a good night, then headed back up to the castle.