Faith .|. H. J. POTTER ✔

Chapter eighty-seven

Harry had officially made a deal with himself not to think about Faith that way anymore. For at least as long as he could manage. He told himself that he had spent his entire life (well, most of it) without longing to kiss Faith or to make her feel safe and secure, he could do a couple of days without it. 

Despite the deal, he knew it was never going to work so he focused all his attention on finding out what Malfoy was doing at Borgin and Burkes and why his mother couldn't know anything about it. If he just spent every second of the day pondering about that, he didn't have time to daydream about Faith in whatever way he felt. 

Faith, Ron and Hermione got annoyed over the fact that he kept inquiring them about theories on what Malfoy could be up to. They weren't as curious and certainly got bored of it after discussing it every day. 

"Yes, Harry, we've agreed it's fishy and weird," Faith rolled her eyes impatiently when Harry brought it up again. "But we've also agreed that there could be thousands of explanations as to why he was there. He could just be buying his nutter of a mum a birthday present, like - er - the skull Hermione saw. Crazy people like the Malfoys like that stuff,"

Harry rolled his eyes, reminding himself that she was annoyed at him and not making jokes to brighten up the mood.

"Maybe he's broken his Hand of Glory," Ron said. "Remember that shrivelled-up arm Malfoy had?"

"But what about when he said 'Don't forget to keep that one safe'?" Harry countered for the hundredth time. "That sounded to me like Borgin's got another one of the broken objects and Malfoy wants both,"

"You know, hands come in pairs on most humans, maybe he wants his broken Hand of Glory to have a buddy to hold hands with?" Faith sighed. "Maybe he's gone mad and now obsesses over the fact that his stupid dead hand shouldn't be alone in life and wants Borgin to mend its broken heart and buy the other so they can live happily ever after!"

Harry looked at her for several seconds, as she stared back twice as hard, and wondered why he was so attracted to her at that moment. 

"Malfoy's father's in Azkaban. Don't you think Malfoy'd like revenge?" Harry then continued, tearing his eyes away from Faith.

Stupid deal.

"Malfoy? Revenge?" Ron blinked. "What can he do about it?"

"That's my point, I don't know!" Harry said frustrated. "But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously. His father's a Death Eater and -" Harry stopped talking and stared out the window behind Hermione, mouth open and feeling weirded out at the thought that just occurred to him.

"Harry?" Hermione asked carefully. "What's wrong?"

"It's not your scar, is it? Because you make that face when it hurts but you pretend it doesn't," Faith said, hand subconsciously rubbing over her own forehead where she had felt Harry's pain so many times before. 

"He's a Death Eater," Harry slowly said. "He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!"

There was a moment of silence before Ron started to laugh. 

"Malfoy? He's sixteen, Harry! You think You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join?"

"It seems very unlikely, Harry," Hermione agreed with Ron. "What makes you think -?"

"In Madam Malkin's. She didn't touch him, but he yelled and jerked his arm away from her when she went to roll up his sleeve. It was his left arm. He's been branded with the Dark Mark,"

Faith, Hermione and Ron shared a look. 

"Well ..." Ron said, not sounding very convinced. 

"I think he just wanted to get out of there, Harry," Hermione said.