A National Treasure

Author's Notes: Keikokin Challenge Response (modified slightly to fit the story, so sorry about that but I had to)

Post Hogwarts

^^^^^^^^

Harry followed the buoyant figure of his boyfriend from the car park. Snagging the blond's arm, he asked again, "Simon, what are we doing here?"

Laughing blue eyes met his, the consternation clear on a youthful face that seemed far too innocent to Harry despite his couple of year's advantage in age. "These are the tickets my mother gave me for my birthday."

"I thought you were going with her?"

"She's sick, remember?"

"Oh."

Harry stopped a moment, trying to remember if he'd been to visit his neighbor recently. He'd lived in a Muggle townhouse in Notting Hill for almost five years. He'd never even met his female neighbor until her son knocked on the door one day to ask the locals to keep an eye on her. Of course, that had led to seeing both the woman and her son more often, especially when he started to date the other man.

Simon shook his head and started to march his companion closer to the building. "You'd know these things, Harry, if you ever got out of that house. What's the point of being a rich guy if you spend all your time locked up in doors."

It was difficult dating a Muggle… Harry couldn't exactly explain that he Apparated when he needed to leave the house and actually had a side job working for a Ministry of which Simon had never heard.

Realizing that he was placing a drag on the other man's day, Harry forced a smile on his face and shifted his arm in the grasp until it was companionable rather than insistent. "So, what are these tickets for?"

With a roll of his eyes, Simon answered. "The British Olympic Equestrian team is having an exhibition. Invitation only, but Mum knew someone. A demonstration, horses, hot men in tight pants."

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. Sometimes he wondered if his boyfriend was horse-mad, or if it was truly about the riders. "I'm keeping you company while you ogle men and beasts."

"Only if you continue to act like a beast yourself."

Harry sighed. "Simon, I'm sorry. I'll cheer up, I promise."

The promise was accepted, like all others had been, by the easy-going man. Harry occasionally felt like he was using Simon. After all, the other man knew nothing of his real life - his obligations, the death and darkness, the pain of loss and war.

No, Simon was Harry's opportunity to have a pleasant time untouched by his commitments.

After they'd passed through the building, Harry zoned out the babble of the background and kept only the barest watch on his surroundings. Voldemort was dead and the young wizard no longer had quite the need to be paranoid. Not that he didn't still have enemies, but they wouldn't be looking for him at a horse thing.

Catching the end of a comment by his boyfriend that he probably should have been listening to, Harry asked, "What's so special about this?"

Simon shook his head and tried to pretend a lack of condescension at his boyfriend's insular nature. "Okay, quick background on the sport." He dragged Harry to a side wall of the stables, allowing the others to move past them to the stadium for the demonstration. "Barcelona Olympics, 92, the British team had a new captain. Before that, we were a joke. But, in 92, suddenly we're organized and we're placing, even if no one but the captain medaled. Atlanta, 96, the team's in the top five and there were two individual bronze medals in addition to the captain's gold."

Harry focused, trying to think of it in the same way as a discussion of Quidditch standings. He could tolerate this sport enthusiasm, since he really couldn't share his own sporting preferences with a man who'd never heard of the sport.

"Then, 2000, in Sydney… The team took silver almost across the board. We had individual silver and golds, once more, still the captain. He's like, a national treasure in this sport."

Harry nodded. "Okay. And, this thing?"

Simon rolled his eyes. "The Olympics? That thing in Athens that just got finished?"

The green-eyed wizard nodded, unable to admit that he hadn't paid any attention to the concept because he'd spent the last three weeks hunting a dark wizard in Russia.

"You're impossible, Harry. The Team took gold. The captain, again, took gold. A couple of the jumpers and one of the dressage people took gold." He waited for the enthusiasm, but received none from his disinterested companion.

"That's really good?"

"Yeah, Harry, that's really good. Look, I know you couldn't care less, but this is a thrill for me. So, can you try and just support me in this?"

Harry nodded again. "Of course."

He was left to follow along as the other man turned, without waiting, and began to work his way into the stables. "I thought there was a demonstration?"

"I saw the coverage of the events. I'd rather meet the horses than watch the same activities."

A moment later, Harry was reaching for the wand in his sleeve as his companion declared in excitement, "Oh my God, A Death Eater!"

"What?!"

Harry's hurried exclamation was ignored and he rushed after his companion, hand still tucked away. He couldn't yet pull his wand; there was no indication of the threat. He caught up to the other man, scanning for the opponent and mind boggling at the idea that Simon could have any clue what a Death Eater would be.

"Isn't he beautiful?"

Harry turned. "Who?"

"The Death Eater."

The wizard looked around again. There was one other person in this part of the stables and he certainly didn't look like a wizard. At least, no wizard he knew of would be cleaning out a horse stall… Twisting, he realized that Simon was staring in rapt appreciation at a horse. It was a pretty horse with some sort of white thing on its head, but it was a horse.

Harry looked from the horse to his boyfriend, still lost. "Simon, what did you mean a Death Eater?"

"The horse, Harry."

Harry looked at the horse again, still not seeing the threat. "The horse is a Death Eater?"

"Umm hmm… Isn't he gorgeous?"

"Uh… Can you explain, please?"

Simon sighed. "The captain of the team has a private stable. He won't sell the horses. He won't allow them to be bred. The horses are known as Death Eaters. Some Celtic myth thing."

Releasing his frantic grasp on his wand, Harry leaned on the wood and looked at the horse. "Someone named their stable Death Eater?"

"Yep."

Harry knew he wouldn't get any attention from his boyfriend when the other man was this heavily occupied by an animal. And, looking at the beast, Harry noted a sort of arrogance about it. But, then again, these were highly skilled animals. He shook his head, laughing the panic off.

He watched as another person approached. An older man, grizzled and worn in the manner of someone who'd spent his or her whole lives outside. He locked brown eyes on Simon and Harry, making sure they weren't a threat to his horseflesh.

"I see you gentlemen have met our beautiful Boy?"

Simon turned his rapt attention to the older man. "Are you in charge of the horses?"

"The Cap's at least. Boy here is deserving his rest after his gold."

Harry simply waited, following along as best he could with a language that may have been English but made no sense. Simon breathed out heavily, a sigh of want that Harry usually only heard in the bedroom.

"May I touch him?"

"Sure thing… Just keep your hands away from his blaze. Cap says it's 'quite apropos' that Boy doesn't like people touching it."

Harry could only stand the confusion so long. "What's a blaze?"

As Simon allowed the horse to nuzzle his palm, the older man turned to Harry. He recognized the look of someone dragged along for domestic peace rather than any real interest. Taking some pity on the confusion, he explained patiently. "The blaze is a mark on his head. You tell the horses apart from their markings. Boy is pure chestnut, except for that white spot."

Harry looked at the horse a moment. "The squiggle?"

"When he's combed right, it's a lightening bolt."

The young wizard froze, turning to look at the horse more directly. He could see it now, the shape of it in the hair. Suddenly, he was growing increasingly uncomfortable. "You call the horse Boy?"

The older man shrugged. "Most of them have a nickname, easier than the full."

Simon had stepped back, still staring reverently at the large beast. "It's the Boy Who Lived, Harry. How can you possibly not know these things?"

Harry turned on his boyfriend with a fierce expression. "What?!"

"The horse, ridden to a gold medal, Harry. You have to climb out of your cave, dear."

The wizard's glare was turned on the horse, daring it to explain. Of course, being just a normal animal, even if well trained, it had no words for him.

From behind, a new voice asked a question. "Is everything under control, Dougal?"

As Harry entertained a growing anxiety over the speaker, the older man who'd been talking to the pair answered back. "Aye, Cap, just showing off your horse."

"And how is our Boy today?"

The clicking of boot heels on the floor brought Simon's attention around and Harry turned to face the new arrival. His eyes tracked up gleaming black leather to the form-fitting white of the usual equestrian uniform. Somehow, the man's carriage made the tailored jacket carry the faintest hint of menace rather than a touch of silliness. The required helmet was tucked under an arm, long blond hair braided tightly in a tail that lay across his shoulder.

Harry met Lucius Malfoy's eyes and was pleased to see the aristocrat's pupils widen in shock. "I think the Boy's feeling a tad annoyed. But then, I'm not an expert."

Simon watched the silent interplay between his boyfriend and the team captain. "Harry, do you know Mr. Malfoy?"

"We've met." The answer was almost a growl.

Lucius smirked and stepped forward until he could lift Harry's left hand to his face. A faint puff of air marked the passage of his mouth near the smooth skin. "Mr. Potter has a continuing antipathy towards me."

Simon gaped at the interplay and couldn't help but see that even as the noted horseman lifted his own hand in a sensual greeting, his eyes never left Harry's face.

Harry was still unpleasant in tone, the conversation helplessly witness by Simon and Dougal. "I hear you had a good time summer of 92. I found that surprising, but maybe you usually celebrate with large snakes in the fall."

The taller blond raised an eyebrow, surprised at the blatantness of the younger wizard's challenge. "A few associates were displeased with my Olympic showing. I reminded them of my connections."

Harry sneered. "Always good at covering your ass, weren't you?"

The younger man knew, without a doubt, that they wouldn't have been able to stop Voldemort so quickly without the older Malfoy turning to their side. Even though he knew the man had sided against his own son, who'd stayed loyal to the dark, he still couldn't forgive.

"What good is freedom, Mr. Potter, without the ability to enjoy it?" Lucius dragged his eyes from the shining green to look over to his horse. It stepped forward, a pleased huff at the sight of its master.

Dougal nodded. "The Boy's been missing you. Are you taking him out today?"

The older wizard ignored the snort from his observer and smiled knowingly. "I think so. The Boy might be more pleasant with a good, hard ride."

Harry couldn't help the retort. "Not likely, Malfoy."

Lucius met his gaze with one of challenge. "Someday, Potter. There's always an end to resistance, when the two come together as they're meant in a rhythm older than time."

After the equestrian champion led his horse from the area, followed by his handler, Simon turned on his boyfriend.

"What was that about?"

Harry dragged his attention back to the Muggle. Suddenly, he was incredibly unhappy that his boyfriend was a slightly effete blond. "Nothing, Simon."

"Nothing? The bloody British equestrian Captain just came onto you. I want to know where you know him from."

"Well I'm not going to tell you, so deal with it."

"Then find your own damn way home."

Simon strode off and Harry didn't follow. The threat of abandonment without the car was hardly the imposition the Muggle thought it would be. It took a few minutes to find a quiet corner, but it didn't take long after that for Harry to Apparate home. He supposed that this could probably be considered one of his easier breakups.

Voldemort was long gone, but Lucius Malfoy was still haunting his life.

Finis

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