The New Marauders and the Trickster God

Chapter 16: The Rise and Fall of Demon Bitches

"Harry...where did you get those scars from?" he asked slowly.

Harry instantly stiffened and with one smooth move got as far away from Sam as possible without actually standing up from the bed. Thanks to the entire thing with Ruby, he completely forgot that he had no shirt on. He looked at Sam panic rising within him.

"Harry..." Sam said in a soothing tone wanting to take the boys hand, but he only jumped up and sped over to his shirt before quickly donning it.

"P-please...don't tell Loki about it" his voice now trembled, even more, panic tainting it.

"Tell me what?" Loki finally stepped out of the shadow he stood in for the last ten minutes. "That you were abused?" he growled, but it made matters only worse.

Harry stared at him wide-eyed, assuming that the growling was directed at him before turning around, running into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. There he sank to the floor the head on the knees and started to cry. It was just too much for him at the moment. Loki finally saw how weak he in reality was and that the strength and fearlessness he displayed was only a façade. Now he would leave and together with him then the twins, Neville, hell even Sam and Dean. He would be alone...again. Especially the twins would never forgive him that Loki left because he wasn't strong enough.

Outside in the bedroom, Sam threw Loki a look that said more than a thousand words.

"If you don't sort this out, I swear to god..."

Loki rolled his eyes upon Sam's choice of words but had to admit that he was right. He had to get that right and quickly.

So he walked over to the bathroom door.

"Harry?" he asked in a soothing tone, but all that he could hear was Harry's sobbing. He teleported into the bathroom with a sigh seeing Harry sitting at the door he crouched down opposite of him.

"Go away. You don't like me anymore anyway," he said between sobs.

"Harry...why would I not like you?" he inquired.

"Because I'm weak. I'm not the strong boy everyone expects me to be..."

Loki sighed. "You are far from weak, never ever think that. Just a few minutes ago, you defeated a demon singlehandedly where seasoned hunters would have failed. Then there is the instance where you saved your friend's...Neville's life by risking your own health."

Now Harry looked at him blinking owlishly.

"I assume that you didn't know any other life than that with those who did this to you before you came to Hogwarts?" Harry nodded. "How were you supposed to do anything against it? You're eleven, Harry. Even adults would be unable to do anything after having to live such a life for so long. There is nothing wrong with it" he tried to explain.

He didn't know much about human psychology. Still, one thing he knew. The fault might lay with everyone else, especially his tormentors but definitely not with Harry.

"But I could...I should..." he didn't know what to say.

"Harry, come here."

Loki held out his arms expectantly. Harry blinked a few times before throwing himself at Loki, which let them both land on the floor upon which Loki chuckled. Loki placed his arms around Harry, and they both lay there, not moving for a few minutes until Harry calmed down completely. It seemed that Harry needed this having been denied it for so long...too long.

"You should get to know that I knew about it ever since the very first time I saw you, or at least I had my suspicion."

He went with his right hand under Harry's shirt and pushed his magic into it, healing the scars while continuing to talk.