The next morning students were told that the castle was safe and they could return to their dorms before coming back down for breakfast. There was a hush within some groups of students whilst others were excitedly swapping theories about how Sirius Black got into the school, the rest didn't really care and just got on with their lives, they weren't going to waste their Sunday.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were part of the second group.
"There has to be a connection between Black and this new creature." Hermione was busy scribbling notes down once again at the Great Hall table, this time though, she wasn't alone in her theories. There were several students from a mix of houses crowded around the end of the Gryffindor throwing ideas about which Hermione was writing down at rapid speed ("What if he used one of Iron Mans suits?" "There's no way he would get hold of one and good luck stealing from Tony Stark." "What's Iron Man?" "Quinjet?" "Just stop.").
"Has anyone found out anything about the blue guy? What is he?" A fifth year Hufflepuff asked.
"Not yet, I think there are a couple of Ravenclaws have locked themselves in the library,"
"So we should know everything by dinner." Fred and George chimed in, practically shouting to be heard from what seemed like the other side of the table (apparently using an army of owls to fly into Hogwarts was a valid reason to be shunned from the group of serious theorists), "You should join them Hermione,"
"We'd know by lunch."
"Has anyone here actually seen the blue guy? We just heard the crash." Ron asked, thinking back to the transfiguration lesson that was interrupted by the miniature earthquake, "I mean, that must have hurt, to crash that hard."
"I did," Susan Bones of Hufflepuff said, "you couldn't see much of it, it was covered by too much cloth, like its clothes were too big." There were some nods of agreement in the group, "I guess it looked like a boy but he was tiny, just past toddler height from what I could tell," She raised her hand to just past her waste, "yeah, umm, what else…There were lines all over its face, like they were part of its skin…that's all I can remember, we were forced back to lessons pretty quickly."
Hermione's brow furrowed as she wrote every down onto the overflowing piece of parchment.
"He's got little horns too, tiny ones right here." A Gryffindor second year said, pointing to his hairline just above his temples. He got many questioning looks which he laughed off and explained, "I managed to get a peak yesterday before Madam Pomfrey came in." Well-earned pats on the back were given.
"I've never heard of anything like it." Hermione admitted after scanning everything fact on magical creatures she could think of. Stunned silence, it was a rare for Hermione to admit not knowing something.
"Do you really think it's related to Black getting in?"
"The timing is too coincidental for it not to be, Harry. Think about it, a mysterious creature shows up, all the teachers are distracted so Black uses that distraction to sneak in." Hermione explained, piling up the notes and stashing them into her bag, "I'm going to the library, there has to be something."
Harry and Ron left the Great Hall about five minutes after Hermione, who could sustain herself using the smell of books alone instead of eating food like mere mortals, and went up to the Gryffindor common room. Well they were heading that way decided it would be a great idea to try sneaking past Madam Pomfrey. If they failed, they could always come back later with the invisibility cloak.
The wing seemed empty on first glance, beds neatly made and nothing looking overly out of place except for the white curtain blocking off one of the beds. Usually a normal sight if there was someone staying overnight, just to give them a little privacy. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight. Good.
Harry was non-too subtly nudged forward by Ron but walked towards the curtains anyway, hesitating slightly when drawing them back. He wasn't expecting to see a small blue child. People kept saying 'creature' this and 'creature' that but he really was just a child, a slightly abnormal appearance but a child all the same.
"Hello. Are you a student here?" Red eyes, wide with hope as he stared at Harry, "can you take me to the library while the matron is away. Sitting in this bed is so boring." Harry just blinked, unable to form words. The blue child was standing on the bed now, practically jumping and buzzing with energy, taking a moment to appreciate the springiness and higher bounce he was getting from the mattress, "Please take me while the matron is gone, I'd go myself but I don't know the way."
"Ummm…." Still no words formed, Ron had joined in with the staring, poking his head around the curtain. The little blue boy jumped down from the bed, slipping over the too long pyjamas bottoms briefly but righted himself quickly and scurried into the store room and running back out while throwing and oversized robe on.
"Please, we have to go now, Lady Pomfrey will be back soon," he grabbed Harry's hand and started pulling him out of the door. Harry took note of the cold feeling of the boys hand even through the layers of cloth, "If she sees us I'll never get to leave."
"Harry, I don't think this is a good idea." Ron whispered, but could do nothing to stop the child from pulling his friend out of the infirmary.
"I don't think I have much choice." They were out of the room now and Harry just gestured to the little vice attached to his wrist as if to say 'I'm not able to escape right now', "maybe get a professor." Harry muttered, hopefully quiet enough that he wouldn't be heard by anyone but Ron.
"I am Loki, who are you? Which way do we turn now? Where's the other one gone?" The boy, now introduced as Loki, questioned while looking left and right down a split in the corridor. Harry could take him to the library or he could take him to a professor, Loki wouldn't know the right direction but Ron was bringing someone to the library and they would be able to ask the kid some questions at the library (it would make a group of students very happy to see him).
"Umm, this way, and my name's Harry Potter." To the library they went. They passed by several students on the way there and Harry could see Loki hesitating when the stares intensified but just tugged the hood over his head and allowed Harry to guide him a bit more (Harry had to ask Loki to loosen the grip on his wrist when it was becoming too tense, "ah, sorry,").
"Are we almost there yet? This staring is irritating." Loki spat out, glaring at several students who had stared for just a moment to long (they quickly turned the other direction, apparently red eyes freaked some people out), he just wanted to read up on magic.
"Yeah, it's just up the next set of stairs." Harry pointed to a doorway just at the top of the stairs and Loki's face lit up, "Careful, you'll trip." The warning didn't stop the boy from practically leaping up the stairs, if it wasn't for the Ravenclaw trim along the edges of the robes Harry would think he was looking at a baby dementor but he froze at the top of the stairs and hid around the doorway, allowing Harry to catch up, "come on then, we made it this far."
"I can do this, just ignore their gaze," Loki was muttering to himself, playing with his sleeve nervously. With a deep breath and determined nod Loki walked into the library. He turned several heads but he ignored them all, choosing to stroll down the towering shelves instead. He felt so at home within the leather-bound pages, like all the confusion that had been clogging his mind was suddenly gone, pushed to the side and out of the way. He could work out how he got here later, he'd get back to Asgard eventually and there would be a way to change form again when his Seidr had returned fully (all his magic felt drained at that moment).
Hermione and the group of Ravenclaws looked up from their books and gaped, they had spent all morning searching for information and in comes the topic of research.
"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione grabbed Harry and whispered into his ear, "What is it doing here? Is it even safe?"
"I think it's fine. He said he wanted to go to the library. Ron's gone to fetch a professor." Hermione nodded, staring at the small figure who was skimming the books at his eye level. Every now and then he would pull out one the giant tomes and flip through the pages before putting it back on the shelves exactly where he found it. After five books Loki had decided on the one he was going to read first and carried it to the nearest empty table (with moderate struggle).
No one dared to approach, although one Ravenclaw recognised the robes as being theirs, they just stared at the figure until Ron entered the library followed by a very tired looking Lupin.
"What's going on here then? So many people spending their Sunday in the library." Everyone suddenly became far more interested in their books again as the DADA professor walked into the library and, once everyone was at least pretending not to be paying attention, he walked towards the child kneeling on the benches reading, "hello there. My name is Remus Lupin, I'm the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Red eyes peaked out from under the robe, scanning the raggedy professor who was offering out his hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, sir, I am Loki, I look forward to studying under you." He shook the offered hand, "I apologise for the sleeves but it's for the best."
"So I've heard." A moment of silence.
"Thank you for trying to make them stop staring, it is much appreciated." Loki said quietly.
"Now, I know it's an accomplishment escaping from Madam Pomfrey but we really should be getting you back now," Loki was pouting, "you can take the book, just let Madam Pince check it out." With a sigh and longing look at the rows of books Loki nodded. Loki followed Lupin back through the halls, every now and then asking a question but not taking his eyes away from professor.
Getting back to the hospital wing Loki was met once again by the stern matron who waved him towards the bed and handed him a clean set of clothes (in just about his size) and some food for a late breakfast (maybe brunch was a more appropriate term).
"Once you're ready I will take you to Diagon Alley for school supplies and some clothes," Loki nodded happily, finished food, changed and was ready to go in five minutes.
Loki's probably really OOC...meh