Mortal, But At Least I'm Free

Chapter 7

"Oof!" Harry felt his shoulder clip a table before being body slammed into the floor.

"Korakas! You bugger!" This was ridiculous! Harry was nearly twice this child's size! He flipped the man on his back and pinned his shoulders down, pulled his arm back to hit back when he saw his eyes.

It was the same color as the ocean in the distance. They were surprised and wide, and soft.

"Don't hit me."

"I'm sorry? I'll remind you that you stole from me."

"Yeah. That was out of character. Name's Harry."

"Harry, would you mind getting off of me?" Harry blushed and scrambled to his feet.

"Sorry, yeah, sorry."

"So why'd you do it, kid?"

"What?"

"Why'd you steal the pomegranates?"

"Oh," he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling bad. "I ran into Demeter earlier and I thought that maybe you were taking the seeds to Persephone and taking her back to the underworld, I know that's crazy but I-"

"Well, you're right. But I don't see why it should matter to you."

"What? You are? You're the messenger from Hades?"

"Yeah. How do you know the gods? Demeter doesn't usually break down in front of strangers."

"I- I'm so confused. I'm the son of Aphrodite."

"Makes sense pretty boy, you look it." Harry could feel his pulse speed up.

"But now I've got to go back to Hades for more pomegranates or show up to Persephone empty-handed," the blue-eyed boy shook his head and started to walk away. Harry felt suddenly panicked. He followed after him, finally taking in the full picture of this man. He wore all black, his hair grown out over his ears, he walked with a power Harry wasn't sure he'd seen in all of Mount Olympus.

"Wait, um, you-" the boy turned just outside the restaurant and into the street.

"What?"

"You, um, didn't tell me your name." The man smiled and fluttered his eyelashes at Harry.

"It's Louis. Messenger of Hades. Great demon of the Underworld. At your service sir," he winked and started walking away. Harry couldn't follow him. He couldn't even breathe.