His heart leaps oddly in his chest, and his cheeks color despite everything.

"Nah. We were... the guys doing the dirty work. Cannon fodder. That was the whole point of having us around, as far as those assholes were concerned. The other guys were too desperate to say no - not when it meant they were out on the streets."

He lets his fingers brush Harry's hand, before pulling away again, uncertain. "You couldn't have done anything."