"Loki?"

"Yes, James?" Loki replied distractedly, busy learning Dutch on the island table. It had been several months since their tour of Europe – a yet to be finished tour – and she was cracking down on the European languages she hadn't yet learned, wanting to know them even if she didn't have the official qualifications and backgrounds in them like she did for the ones she studied in college.

"What did you do with Natalia?"

Loki paused. He must mean Natasha. She looked up at the assassin, wearing her apron as he made all-American apple pie from scratch. He looked conflicted. "I remember training her, back in the fifties. She was…good."

"And I am a Goddess. She was no match for me." Loki eyed him. "I did not kill her, James, if that's what you're thinking. I merely did to her what I did to you, except with less caution. She will appreciate my gift in time."

"I saw her yesterday." James admitted, causing Loki to frown. "She'd dyed her hair blonde. I think she was…sight-seeing. She had a guard, but still, I think she was actually being normal."

"Good," Loki said quietly, thinking back to what Barton had told him of her past. It was unlikely that SHIELD would let her go very easily, or let her become a proper civilian in any capacity, but normality was always good. "How old is she?"

"Less than a decade younger than me," he replied, before glancing down at her work, pointing at a sentence she'd put together. "Other way around." Loki peered at it, before silently correcting it.

"Thank-you."

"You're welcome." There was a silence, for a time, and it took a few moments for Loki to realise James wasn't going back to his pie.

"Is something the matter?" She questioned, watching as he frowned to himself, looking at the island table. "James- Bucky." His head snapped up, their eyes meeting. "What is it?"

"In Holland, you kissed me."

Oh.

That's why he's being so odd. Loki shook her head. "It doesn't have to mean a thing, James. I did it to keep up an act, though you are welcome to try courting me if you want – I'm not saying you'll succeed. I'm different in romantic relationships than I am in platonic ones." She narrowed her eyes, watching him as he stared at her. "Am I not being clear, James?"

"No, you were clear," he said in a strangled sort of voice, "I just- do you want to be in a relationship with me like that?"

Loki tilted her head, "James, I said you were welcome to try. I do not decide quickly, on matters such as these. As with any argument, you must show me why and how you are a good suitor, before I consider claiming you as my own."

"'Claiming'?" He questioned.

Loki looked at him amusedly, "I am a Queen, James. Even if our relationship did not last, you would still be temporarily considered King Consort, just like any of my other suitors – though, they were admittedly Princess Consort and Prince Consort."

"You were in a relationship with a girl?" James frowned lightly. "Like, officially?"

"Vali's father was a woman, James, I thought we'd already covered this, no? Oh well, you might as well know." Loki sighed, leaning her chin on her hands, elbows resting over her papers. "My first official partner was a woman named Angrboda. She was a Frost Giant, and we were together purely to spite my father. She was the father of three of my children – Jormungandr, Hela and Fenrir, in that order. We were together until shortly before I gave birth to Hela, due to Odin's continued hate and bigotry towards my children. Angrboda did not want to see her daughter, for she knew that once again, she would be malformed and Odin would take her."

"Malformed?"

Loki gave a humourless smile, "My magic changed my children in the womb. Babes and young ones are creations too new of the world to face magic without consequences. I am one of the most powerful Sorceresses in the universe – the effects my children suffered were monstrous indeed, and it is maybe a blessing that Odin killed them."

"Loki, that's…" James washed his hands in the sink, drying them before coming to sit beside her. Loki turned to face him slightly, feeling the loss of them, her heart aching dully. "I don't really know what to say. Sorry?"

Loki shrugged a little, before continuing, "My sons, Narfi and Vali, were conceived through another woman, by the name of Sigyn. I believe Vali told you about his past life, what little he knows?"

"Yeah," James nodded, "he did. You got some time with them."

"I did. My last daughter, Einmyria, was the result of a short affair with the Crown Prince of Muspelheim. In any other circumstance, if I was not Jotun, I believe we might have been able to be together as husband and wife, but other natures clashed just as harshly as our personalities – it was one of the reasons I liked him. I know not the fate of Einmyria, though I am aware that Gludt still calls her his daughter, and that he searches for her still. I have not spoken to him since Einmyria was taken, but for our standards, a century is barely any time at all."

"So he's my best competitor," James joked, causing Loki to chuckle.

"In a way, but you have nothing to fear. I come from a world parallel to this one."

James blinked, "What?"

"Have I not regaled you with this story?" She questioned, blinking, trying to remember- "Oh, no. I've only told Vali and Eisa. I come from another universe."

"But you said that Vali was reincarnated," James became confused, "so his soul came from your universe?"

"Yes. You must understand that when souls are reincarnated, it is not always to the same world. I know that in this universe, my children as my children do not exist – they could not be reincarnated here if they were."

"But there are still versions of them out there, somewhere?"

Loki shrugged, "I suppose they must be, but they will more than likely simply be bodies, different beings inside, that are named the same. But that is not important. The point to this line of conversation was to explain my past suitors. So there: Gludt is in another universe, so shall not be coming for me any time soon, though he may contact me if he finds Einmyria in the distant future."

James nodded, and for a few moments they were silent, before he paused. "I've heard you talk about your children before, and Vali. What about…Sleiphnir?"

"Sleipnir," Loki swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut. "Forgive me if I do not want to talk of Sleipnir's genealogy."

"Is it like in the mythology books?"

"Do these mythology books you have read talk of Svadilfari?" Loki questioned lightly, eyes still shut, knowing what he talked of.

"Yeah. So it's true?"

"…unfortunately," she opened her eyes, looking away, out into the living room. I need to hide our magical belongings before she gets home with Bran. She had been wanting to have her friend over for a while now, and Loki had finally agreed after getting to know his mother, Elizabeth. "May we change topics?"

"Course, doll," he replied, before his hand came to her chin, turning her face. Loki swallowed, blinking rapidly at how close their faces were. "Stop me if I'm wrong, but you could do with a distraction."

"Yes," Loki uttered, ashamed to find herself breathless. I am a Goddess of over two thousand years old. I should not be acting like a child with an infatuation! I'm not even infatuated with him. Cheeks flaming, Loki fidgeted, before James kissed her lightly, slowly increasing pressure until she sunk in, mind awhir. Norns, I have not felt like this in a while – not since Gludt. Feeling something rise in her, Loki started to reciprocate, own hands rising to cup his face, becoming ravenous. She moved onto his lap, pushing paper and books onto the table as she brushed past, straddling his lap with confounding ease despite the fact that he sat on the edge of his stool.

"Doll-" he bit out, arms wrapping around her waist, tugging her to him tightly. Loki held on tightly, grinding into his lap. "Loki…"

"James, I have been celibate for nearly two hundred years," she whispered huskily, "My apologies if this is moving a little fast."

"No complaints here, doll." Loki grinned as he stood, kissing her, wrapping her legs around his waist. Loki held on tightly, grinning into his mouth as he walked towards her bedroom. "Just warn me if you want to stop, because you're beautiful, babe, just- fuck, you're a doll."

"Thank-you," she used magic to shut her bedroom door, before getting down, kissing him lazily before dropping back down onto her bed, stretching out. "Now, let's have some fun."

Eisa would later come home with Bran and Elizabeth, and Elizabeth would be the one raising her eyebrow as James in a muscle-shirt, arms shining, left hurriedly to go on a run, leaving the two woman to socialise in the kitchen with the half-done apple pie.

"You got some."

"That I did, dear Elizabeth. Jealous?"

"Very. My husband is nice, but he isn't as fit as your john. You're a lucky woman."

"Hah, he's the lucky one."

"Right you are, Lokes."

Loki smiled at the woman. I really do like this woman. "Elizabeth, I can see us becoming very good friends."

Elizabeth grinned, before wiggling her fingers, "Same, but only if you give me a cuppa, right now."

"Done."

"-help."

Loki looked around at the professors, all of who seemed a variation of worried, scared or angry, with the exception of Lockhart. Loki sneered lightly at his happy calm. She was completely against his employment at Hogwarts, but seeing as Vali could teach himself what he needed to know, she wasn't exactly bothered – she wouldn't know who he'd have to be replaced with, either, seeing as he was apparently the only applicant. I will have to look into this 'one year' curse on the Defence position.

"Lady Loki, it really would be much appreciated if you gave us some advice on this issue. You've helped revive our petrified students – surely you have some wisdom to bequeath?" Professor Flitwick asked, squeaky voice layered with nerves and desperation. Loki glanced over, nodding slightly, before taking a sheaf of parchment from her pocket.

"This 'Chamber of Secrets' is hidden, even to those who have mapped the castle more thoroughly than even I." Loki unfolded the parchment, splaying her hand over it, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Before their eyes, ink spread, creating lines and circles, footsteps and words. "I borrowed this from two students who have recently become quite avid worshippers. They send me the occasional letter."

"These 'two students' wouldn't happen to have the last name 'Weasley', would they?" Snape drawled. Loki smirked a touch.

"Indeed. Fred and George entrusted this to me a few days ago. This map shows the entirety of Hogwarts, and can track any inside. I must say though, whoever 'Moony', 'Wormtail', 'Padfoot' and 'Prongs' are, they are even more ingenious than the twins, for even I cannot understand how the magic of it is configured." She unfolded the map a little, pausing as she saw Vali's human name following close behind Tom Riddle and Ginevra Weasley, which was odd considering her body would 'lie in the Chamber forever'. She shouldn't be walking around then, I suppose.

But then she continued to stare, as she watched as the three disappeared from view. She pointed to where they had been. "Where is this?"

Snape swept over, peering down, "Second floor girl's bathroom. It is also, coincidentally, where the ghost of Moaning Myrtle can be found."

Loki narrowed her eyes, before looking to the Headmaster. Dumbledore seemed to be having an epiphany. "Headmaster? Did, by any chance, this 'Moaning Myrtle', die due to the monster that hides within the Chamber of Secrets? For if she did, then my son and Ginevra Weasley's lives are in danger. Who is Tom Riddle?"

Eisa scrunched up her nose.

"Why's it green? Daddy doesn't suit green."

James seemed to agree, frowning lightly as he scratched at the basilisk hide jerkin. Loki glanced over at Vali, who wore a matching suit, but with significantly more flexible pieces of hide to accommodate for his highly limber way of fighting.

"It's green because the basilisk was green," Vali answered for her. "We could dye it black though?"

"I want it dyed black," James agreed, before tugging it off, "and can we get rid of the skirt bit?"

"It's not a skirt."

"Yeah, I know, it's a tunic," James rolled his eyes, "I still want to get rid of the fu- fudging skirt." Loki huffed, before waving her hand. Basilisk hide fell to the ground. "Thank-you."

"Do I get a suit, mummy?"

"No, my darling," she muttered darkly, glaring at James, who had gone back to playing with Vali's hood, pushing it off his head. "You'll have to wait until you're older, when you've stopped growing. There's no point in giving you more than a vest right now."

Eisa pouted. "Not fair."

"Life's not fair, sweetie, now go and put your vest away and get started on your Hungarian."

"Mum?" Vali questioned as they laid out on the sofa together. Loki hummed, running her hand through Eisa's long hair as it splayed over her back. "How did I die?" Loki stilled.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"I want to know, Mum," Vali answered quietly, "I want to know what happened to Narfi, and what Odin did that separated us all. I want to know what happened to my other mother, afterwards. I want to know what happened to you, and just- I want to know," he said plaintively. Loki was silent. "Mum?"

Loki sat up from the sofa, adjusting Eisa. "Let me put your sister to bed. I don't want her waking up while we talk." She went through to Eisa's room, setting her down in her bed, under the Minnie Mouse covers, before returning, sitting down with Vali and kissing his forehead, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"When you and your brother were born, there wasn't anything immediately wrong with you, unlike your siblings. I think it was because I left Asgard – magic is strong there, and probably had never helped me or your brothers and sisters. It was your curiosity that let the Einherjar find us."

"Mine?" Vali seemed stricken. Loki shook her head frantically.

"Oh, no, not like that, and not just yours. I and Sigyn kept you and your brother from ever leaving us – you were to stay within sight of the house, at all times. We were very protective of you, but neither of you understood. I don't know whose decision it was, or whose idea it was, but you both decided to visit the village, only a few dozen miles from our home. Sigyn and I were frantic when we couldn't find you, and eventually went there – only to find Odin and the Einherjar there with you, waiting for us. Sigyn was stripped and bound for all to see, branded with my mark, as if it were such a disgrace that two women have a child – unlike on Midguard, procreation can happen in a variety of different ways to a variety of people. It was simply because she was my consort that she suffered such a shaming."

"What did you do?" Vali asked, voice cracking.

"I tried to help, of course, but they held me back," Loki replied. "Odin had a fighting pit built, and threw you both inside. He said, whichever one made it out alive could live. But you were brothers, and nothing he said would force you to fight each other. So he cursed you."

"Cursed me?" Vali's eyes went wide.

"You were the youngest. You didn't have enough control of your magic to defend yourself like Narfi would have been able to. Odin turned you into a wolf, and set you upon your brother. Narfi…" Loki's face twisted, eyes stinging, "Narfi was torn apart."

"No!" Vali cried, sobbing, "No, I couldn't have, please, no!"

"I'm so sorry, Vali," Loki pulled him to her as he cried, tears running down their faces. "I'm so sorry…"

It took a while, before Vali talked again, sniffling. "What happened next?"

"Vali-"

"I want to know," he said, screwing his eyes shut, rubbing them, pushing off his glasses. Loki grasped them, folding them and setting them to the side.

"I will be fixing your eyesight soon," she murmured, before speaking in a hush, "After Narfi was dead, Odin dropped into the pit and opened you head to tail. With your entrails, he bound me to a rock, deep under Asgard, and enchanted a poisonous snake to drip venom onto me for a hundred years. Sigyn was the only one willing to help me. She would spare me the pain of the venom, filling bowl after bowl. After my punishment ended, we took solace in each other for a sparse few months, before Sigyn's father, an Ambassador to Alfheim, claimed her mind was unstable and returned her to her childhood home. I was not welcome there. She took her life a few centuries later, after hearing the news that Einmyria was gone, distressed on my behalf beyond belief."

Vali hiccupped, "Did you love her? Did she love you?"

"Very much. Very much so. Of all the fathers of my children, your mother was by far the one I loved most. None will ever compare to her, and what she did for me. I-" but finally, it was enough, and Loki let out a heart-wrenching sob, louder and more grievous than any before it. She cried, falling apart, allowing herself to finally let go.

Vali wrapped his arms around her, crying too, and soon both Eisa and James were slotting themselves around them, James' arms wrapping around them all as Eisa filled the remaining space between Loki and Vali.

"I miss her, I love her, I still love her, I want her back. Just give her back."

"You're gonna be okay, doll," James murmured, kissing her head, "She's at peace now, up in Heaven, or Valhalla, or wherever you Gods go when you pass. She's happy – she's looking down at you, happy you have your life together, that you're here, that you have all of this after everything you've gone through." Loki sobbed again. "Just shh, darling. Let it all out. Shh…"

The thing with Loki is that she loves, and she loves hard. No matter how fleetingly she is with them, or how destroying that person is to her, she loves them, unconditionally. Even after everything Odin has ever done, Loki still loves him. She hates him, he is not her father – she loves him. She feels too much, not too little.

Which is why she decides to stay with James.

Eisa already calls him daddy, Vali's getting there – she thinks, what does she have to lose? Elizabeth is under the impression they've been together since he returned from Norway, and while Loki doesn't want to tell her the truth about everything, Elizabeth is her friend, and Elizabeth gives great advice. Like, really great advice. So if she hypothetically knew how 'Åsmund' was under witness protection after a job gone wrong for the Secret Service, and that he wasn't actually Vali's father, and anyone asked around, Elizabeth would claim she knew nothing.

"So, you're not sure how to tell him you want to stay together in a permanent fashion and potentially have a kid, but not get married or anything legal?"

"No more kids," Loki quickly corrects, "I don't want to lose another one." Elizabeth knows bits and pieces, like how her crap father forced her to give up a lot of her kids due to their 'ethnicity' that she now can't get back, and how she's lost a few more to childbirth and basically had a shit life in regards to kids, up until Vali and Eisa.

"That's something he'll respect," Elizabeth noted, "But you want him around?"

"I really do," Loki murmured, hands tightening around her mug as she sipped her tea. "I just don't really know how to approach him about it. We have a really good thing going. Vali's in boarding school, so he sends letters home – recently he's started sending letters to James, like he does to Eisa."

"That means like, every second week, right?" Loki nodded. "Awesome. Continue."

"Eisa has been calling him daddy since day one."

"Very good point in his favour."

"Yes – and the holiday we just had, finishing up our big tour of Europe, well, I had to help James' sister get out of a mess she'd found herself in, meaning I had to leave the kids with James while I literally hijacked an ambulance to get her to a hospital rather than a KGB bunker." She said bluntly. Elizabeth frowned, putting a finger up.

"Hypothetically, is this as a vigilante or as a Secret Servicewoman?"

"Hypothetically, I was an unknown to my friend's agency, but used my SS-ID to get around the police who came sniffing. Her people picked her up afterwards, so I didn't have to worry about any Russians."

Elizabeth hummed, sipping her tea, "Hypothetically, what would her agency be? Because you know, they'll track you down sooner or later if you did use your ID."

"Hypothetically? SHIELD." Loki raised an eyebrow as Elizabeth spluttered, choking on her tea. "Elizabeth, do you have something for me?"

"Hypothetically, my husband works as an IT-man for their off-shoot branch, SWORD. Loki, that's shit you do not want to be mixed up with."

"I can handle myself, El, don't worry," Loki threw her a tea-towel to clean up the spilled liquid, before glancing over to the living room, where Eisa and Bran were watching TV. It was a new addition to their house, and Loki was only slightly regretting it – Netflix had been infamous on Asgard, because of Thor, and now Loki had discovered why having an application dedicated to archiving the thousands of television shows and movies that Earth had to offer, she was eagerly waiting its invention. Eisa herself was slightly obsessed with Disney, Lilo and Stitch the family favourite currently – Loki loved it too, and Vali found it 'nice'.

And James? Well, James had been there when the original movies came out – he was what Loki liked to call an 'original fan' of his works. The less said, the better.

"Eisa, TV time will be over soon, so we can have dinner," she warned, getting a nod, before Elizabeth looked ot the clock.

"Shit, is that the time? Bran, we have to go – Daddy said he was making dinner tonight." Loki wrinkled her nose, slightly jealous – Brian's cooking was amazingly delicious. Bran seemed to agree, hugging Eisa tightly, practically yelling goodbye as he went to get his shoes. Elizabeth finished the last of her tea, before coming around to kiss her on the cheek.

"Just tell him what you've told me. He'll understand, hopefully. If he doesn't, send him over to our house – your couch is too soft for someone being a dick."

"Thanks, El," Loki smiled, before walking her to the door, crouching down to fix the Velcro straps on Bran's shoes. "There you go."

"Thank-you, Eisa's mum," the brunette boy kissed her cheek wetly, before taking his mums hand. "Bye Eisa!"

"Bye Bran!" She called back, before Elizabeth nodded to Loki.

"See you tomorrow."

"Good day, Elizabeth." They left, Loki shutting the door after them before looking at the clock again. James is at work. He'd started working as a private martial-arts trainer at a gym a few blocks away the year before, after getting back from Europe the first time, but Loki knew his schedule. Where is he? He should be back by now…

A hoot caught her attention, drawing her eyes to the window where Hedwig sat. Going over, she opened it up, taking the letter from her leg.

"Thank-you. Would you like to hunt, or sit inside?" Hedwig hooted again, fluttering onto her wrist. Lifting her up, Loki took her over to the kitchen, setting her down on her stand before summoning some frozen mice, feeding them to her with levitation charms before opening up Vali's letter.

Mother,

The twins you mentioned, Fred and George, came to me today to give me the Marauders Map. They gave it to me because the teachers won't let me go to Hogsmeade, despite how you signed the permission slip, because they think that Sirius Black is after me. I can't say they aren't wrong, but it wasn't fair. So I went, and then I saw the Minister of Magic in the pub there. I used my invisibility cloak, as well as the tricks you taught me, and managed to spy on them.

Sirius Black is my godfather, mother, and was the one to betray my mortal parents to Lord Voldemort.

Loki stilled, eyes suddenly scanning the paper. She could smell salt, and she gnashed her teeth as she saw tear-stains.

I'm upset. I need some time to figure this all out. Would you mind not coming to see me next week? More of this stuff keeps coming up. I'm going to be talking to Draco Malfoy about my family, see what he knows, and what – assumingly – the rest of the Wizarding World knows. Please don't be angry.

All my love,

Vali.

Loki placed the letter down. Looked over to Eisa. "James, you'd better hurry the fuck up – I have a prisoner to catch."

Vali blinked at the sight of the hound on their sofa.

"Mum, when did we get a dog?"

"A few weeks ago," Loki replied airily. "I'm trying to figure out why, when I try searching for Sirius Black with my magic, I'm am led to it." Vali blinked.

"Well that's…weird."

"True, but I can't say I've not slightly fallen in love with the mangy mutt. Eisa likes him too, and he's very well behaved – James likes to take him out to the park a lot, too, so I don't have to worry about walking him, either."

"Sweet…" Vali dropped down onto the ground in front of him, burying a hand in the fur on top of his head. "What are we calling him?"

"Well, I liked the name Mutt, but James insisted upon the much 'politer' name, Orion – he's got a tiny patch of grey fur in the shape of the constellation on his underside, apparently." Loki rolled her eyes, before looking back to where the Graham Norton Show was playing. Vali looked back to the hound, who seemed happy to see him. Scratching behind his ears, Vali moved to sit beside him, patting his lap. The hound moved onto him, and they sat down to watch the TV.

It was picture perfect.