Chapter Summary: What is Odin up to? Is he genuine, or will he still make mistakes. A family torn apart, finally brought together once more.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Big thanks to my beta as always!
Please enjoy the chapter!
Family Reunion
Odin's Office, Asgard
September 1, 2001
~*~Loki's POV~*~
As soon as they landed in Asgard, Loki made his way directly to his wing. He wanted to see his sons before he met with his father. He could hardly believe that the All-father would give up control of the fastest and greatest horse in the Nine Realms, let alone the largest wolf. He could only imagine the anger his sons must hold towards Odin for the prisons they had been placed in.
It didn't take him long to find the room given to Fenrir and Sleipnir, guided by the sound of Hela's voice speaking to them both. He pushed open the doors and stopped abruptly; the sight of three of his children, together here on Asgard, was truly a miracle.
"Father," Hela said as she moved to him and pulled him into a hug, "It is good to see you again. How is Catlin? And the boys? Have they made it to Hogwarts yet?"
Loki hugged her back tightly as he nodded. "They should be getting sorted right now. I have no doubt that Catlin will be in Slytherin. She may be the Hufflepuff heir through her grandmother, but she is a snake through and through," he said with a smile.
He turned to his sons and just stared. He had seen both boys in their human forms as well as their respective wolf and horse forms, but they were but toddlers at the time. They had grown into such powerful young men, despite their captivity. "It is truly wonderful to see you both before me once again," he said with tears welling up in his eyes, his voice choked with emotion.
"Mother," Sleipnir said as he approached him. "It has been so long," he whispered before Loki pulled him into a firm embrace.
"My sweet baby boy, how I have missed you." Loki turned to Fenrir, his eldest and biggest child, arm open for him, "Fenrir, you've grown so strong, and so tall. Come, I wish to hold you."
Fenrir quickly moved into the space his father created to hug him as well. "Father… why has it taken so long for him to release us?" he asked softly.
"Because I finally learned the truth of who I am and refused to allow the man to have any more power over me than he already did. I have spent so long working to gain your freedom, only for him to refuse me time and time again. I have missed you all so terribly," Loki told him gently.
The four of them spent time together reconnecting, with Loki and Hela telling Sleipnir and Fenrir about Catlin and her two friends until there was a knock on the door. "Loki, Father wishes to see you and your children in his office," Thor called through the door.
Loki let out a sigh as he rose to his feet and moved to the door. Opening it, Loki said, "Thank you, Thor. Please tell Father that we will be there shortly, and give him my thanks for allowing me the opportunity to spend some time with my sons before we speak."
"Of course, Brother. Mother will be there as well," Thor informed him with a nod, before turning and heading down the hall.
Turning to his children, Loki smiled and said, "I suppose it is time to go face the All-father. From what I gathered from Thor, there was more to his decision that Odin wished to share with me himself. I find myself most eager to learn the rest of our fate."
Loki led the way towards the All-father's office, with Hela, Fenrir, and Sleipnir following him in silence. It took the party mere minutes to arrive at the door to the All-father's office. Loki knocked, and they waited no more than a moment before a loud "Enter!" was heard; he opened the door and entered the spacious room with his children. Thor and Frigga were standing waiting for them next to the desk at which Odin was seated.
"I am pleased to see you, Loki, now that your temper, and mine, has calmed," Odin said with an awkward smile. "I was more than happy to allow you time with your children before speaking to you. It was the least I could do after all the wrong I have done to you and your children. Before we get to the matter of your granddaughter, I have a few things that need to be said.
"The first and most important is that I am truly sorry for the hurt and anger I have caused you and your family over the centuries. It was never my intent, but even the best of intentions are no excuse for what I did. You are my son in every way that matters, Loki, and I have not treated you as such. For that, I apologize, though I wish you to know that I do not seek your forgiveness. That is for you to give to me when you feel that I have earned it."
Loki stared at the man before him, surprised by the emotion and the sincerity that the All-father exhibited, along with the apology. He looked at his mother, only to see a proud and happy smile on her face. "I… I thank you for your apology, Father. It… it is not something I ever expected to receive from you. I cannot grant you forgiveness, not yet, but you have made great strides toward earning it."
Odin nodded in understanding. "I have made a decision with regard to several matters that concern you and your family, Loki. The first being that I wish to perform a blood adoption, making you a true son of Asgard. Secondly, I will tell you of your history, you deserve to know how you came to be with us and the reason we kept you as our son. Next, I have already completed the paperwork to officially establish Catlin as your heir." At this, he raised his hand, forestalling any attempt to object. "I have made this decision because your sons are feared by our people, though they are free to do as they please within the confines of our laws and the laws of the other realms, and Hela is already a queen in her own right. With this in mind, Catlin is the logical choice. Finally, I wish to meet the rest of your family. They are all welcome to visit Asgard and will be treated as the royal guests that they are."
Loki did nothing, could do nothing, but stand there in shock at what he'd been told. First, the All-father had apologized, something that was rarely done. Then he tells him that he would be blood adopted and his past revealed, before informing him that Catlin would be fully recognized as a princess of the Asgardian Royal Family. It was all so very surreal that Loki couldn't help wondering if he was dreaming, surely this couldn't be real.
"It seems, Husband, that you have rendered our son speechless. I am pleased with what you have decided," Frigga said, her happiness evident in her tone.
"It will be wonderful to get to know your family, Brother," Thor added with a booming voice and a broad smile of his own.
"I… I do not understand. Why are you doing this? Why now?" Loki asked, confused but hopeful.
"Because I have wronged you and made many, many unforgivable mistakes, Loki. I was so concerned with preventing a prophecy that spoke of you bringing about Ragnarök, only to come to realize that it was my very behavior that would have led you down that path. I do not claim to be perfect, nor do I refuse to acknowledge my mistakes. I wish to do better by you and to do that, I must try my best to make amends for the wrongs I've done you," Odin said, guilt weighing heavily in his voice.
"I… Thank you, Father. I must ask to be excused. I had promised Catlin that I would let her know of your decision before she went to bed for the night. I would also like to introduce her to her uncles as well."
"Of course, you may do as you wish. Please relay my invitation to those who would come," Odin said with a nod and a small smile.
"I will, though they won't be able to visit until the middle of December. Good night, Father, Mother, Thor. Until we next meet." Loki left, waving for his three children to follow him.
Upon arriving at the Bifrost, Loki stopped and looked over his three children, "We will be going to Hogwarts first, before going to Catlin's father's home. He has welcomed both of you into his home for as long as you wish. He is a good man, and I ask only that you respect him."
"Of course, Mother," Sleipnir said with a smile and a nod. He was pleased to be leaving Asgard to go somewhere new and different, and even more glad that he would be with his family while doing so.
Fenrir gave a nod while Hela simply smiled. With a nod of his own, Loki turned and led them over to Heimdall, giving him the coordinates for their destination. Upon landing, Loki sent a message to Severus, alerting him to their arrival so that he could gather Catlin, Harry, and Draco so that they may speak.
Severus' Office, Hogwarts
Same Day
Once Severus received Loki's message, he went to the Slytherin common room after sending a message to Filius, asking him to bring both Harry and Draco to his office regarding a family emergency. As soon as he entered to common room, the students quieted. "Miss Silvertongue, your grandfather is in my office. He wishes to give you an update on your family. I got the impression that it was urgent. I've already sent a message to Professor Flitwick asking him to bring Misters Potter and Malfoy as they are also involved."
"Thank you, Professor," Catlin said with a hint of a nervous smile. He knew how worried his little mate was about Odin's discovery of her existence.
He gave a brisk nod to his prefects and said, "Make sure the first years get to bed at a decent hour. I'll be escorting Miss Silvertongue to her dorm after she has finished speaking with her grandfather. Good night." With that, Severus spun around and left the common room with Catlin following behind him.
Once they were a good distance from the common room, Catlin spoke up. "Do you know if Grandfather is angry?"
"He sounded as though he was in a state of shock. I imagine that whatever Odin has decided, it will be a surprise to us all," he replied with what he hoped was a comforting smile towards her. He knew that they were both resisting the urge to hold hands, something they had both come to enjoy during the summer but would be inappropriate for their student-teacher relationship.
"Is it just Grandfather coming, or is Dad with him?"
"He isn't alone. From my understanding, Hela is with him, along with two others, neither of whom is your father," Severus explained.
Catlin nodded in response, and they continued on in silence. When they reached the office, she saw that Professor Flitwick had arrived with Draco and Harry. She gave them a tremulous smile and a shy wave, telegraphing her nervousness with such atypical behavior.
"Are you alright, Catlin?" Harry asked as he approached her and wrapped her in a hug.
"Yeah, just nervous. I am unsure of what to expect. Aunt Hela is with him too," she replied as she returned her brother's hug.
"I'm sure all is well," Draco offered with a comforting smile. "With Auntie Hela with him, it must be, right?"
Catlin nodded then turned to Severus, "Can we see him now, Professor?"
"Of course," he replied before turning to Flitwick. "I'll see to it that the boys are safely back in their common room before it gets too late, Filius. Lord Silvertongue understands that they need their sleep after a long day."
"Very well, Severus. I'll see you boys in the morning at breakfast. Don't stay up too late," he warned before departing.
Severus opened his office door and entered in advance of the children, looking around the room he spotted Loki and Hela accompanied by two unknown men. He raised a brow in surprise before asking, "Bringing strangers into Hogwarts? Really, Loki, I had thought better of you than that."
If Loki hadn't known the man as well as he did, he would have taken offense. As it was, Hela giggled, a dainty hand covering her mouth as she did, while Fenrir gave a menacing growl at the potential threat and Sleipnir took a step back, placing himself behind his older brother.
"It is good to see you too, Severus," the god said with amusement.
"Grandfather!" Catlin cried as she rushed over to him for a hug.
Loki bent down low to catch his granddaughter up in a hug. "All is well, Little Cat, you have nothing to fear from the All-father. Before we continue, I would like to introduce you to your uncles." Loki turned so that they were facing the two men, motioning for Harry and Draco to come to him. "Catlin, Harry, and Draco, these are my sons, Fenrir and Sleipnir. Boys, this is your niece, Catlin, her cousin, Harry Potter, and Harry's mate, Draco Malfoy," he said, pointing to each one as he said their name. "The dour man beside me is Catlin's mate, Severus Snape."
"I should take offense to being called 'dour,' Loki Odinson," Severus drawled with a raised brow.
"You should, but you won't," Hela said as she stepped forward and took Catlin from her father's arms. "I have missed you, Little Neko. Tell me, what houses have the three of you been sorted into?"
Draco grinned and spoke up, "The hat sorted me into Ravenclaw. He even told me that I would get to meet Rowena Ravenclaw and that she would help me with my gift. I can hardly wait."
Harry rolled his eyes at Draco and said, "I'm in Ravenclaw as well. The hat said that I would do well in all of the houses, but none would help me complete my tasks better than Ravenclaw. I won't be used by Dumbledore as I would have been in Gryffindor, the school won't go against me as an allegedly evil Slytherin, and none will think me weak as they would have were I in Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw was really the best choice for me."
"And you, Little Cat?" Loki asked.
"Slytherin," she said with a grin. "Hat said it really was the only place for me, even if I am Hufflepuff's heir. He said that because I was raised by Loki Odinson and Hela Lokidottir, it was the only house for me."
"Ah, it is as I thought, then. I am not surprised by the results of any of your sortings. Come, let us sit. There is much to discuss before we must leave," Loki said, waving his hand causing several comfortable chairs to spring into being.
"If you don't mind, Father, I think I will be more comfortable as a wolf," Fenrir said hesitantly.
"It isn't a problem, Fenrir, you're welcome to change into the form you're most comfortable in; though I ask, if you're able, that you shrink your size so that we are not crowded in here," Loki said with a kind smile toward his eldest.
Fenrir nodded and shifted forms into a beautiful wolf. He was larger than the wolves typically found in the UK but remained considerably smaller than his full size. He moved over to the chairs where his sister and brother were seated and laid before them in an almost protective manner.
Catlin found herself hissing at the canine before regaining control with a shake of her head. "I'm sorry, Uncle, I meant nothing by it. Canines are the natural enemy of felines. I hope you take no offense."
The wolf gave a nod to his niece before laying his head down on his front paws. "He understands, Little Neko. I told him several hours ago that you were due for a Neko creature inheritance," Hela said with a smile.
Relieved and reassured, Catlin, Draco, and Harry took their seats beside Loki and Severus. "What did Odin say, Grandfather?" Catlin asked with her earlier nervousness back in full force.
"He has decided to acknowledge you on Asgard as the princess that you are. Further, he has chosen to officially recognize you as my heir."
The children looked at the god in shock, "Truly?" Catlin asked.
"Truly, Little Cat. But there is more. First, he has promised to tell me of my history. He has also informed me that he wishes to blood adopt me, along with Mother, making me their son in all ways and a rightful prince of Asgard. Lastly, he has requested that my Midgardian family visit Asgard. That includes Draco and his parents, Harry along with his father and uncle, Severus, and your father.
"Furthermore, Odin has apologized to me, an apology which I have chosen to accept. He has even stated that he is not asking for my forgiveness but seeks to earn it. He wishes to make amends for his past mistakes. To be honest, I am still in shock about the whole thing," Loki explained.
Severus sat there in as much shock as the children. These were not the actions of the All-father they had heard about, and they could only hope that all would turn out well for Loki.
"And my uncles?" Catlin asked softly.
"Given their freedom, even Jörmungandr. They are free to travel the realms at their leisure, as long as they follow the laws of the realms they visit. Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Sleipnir have all inherited my shapeshifting ability, though they can only change between their human and animal forms. Think of it as a reverse Animagus transformation. Fenrir is a wolf, Sleipnir is a horse, and Jörmungandr is a sea serpent and the only child, other than you, Catlin, to inherit my Parseltongue ability."
Catlin grinned and hugged her grandfather. She was relieved to know that she had been accepted and wouldn't be torn away from her family. The family of eight sat around for the next hour getting to know each other until it was time for Draco, Harry, and Catlin to return to their common rooms. Hela took her brothers to Stark House, while Severus returned the boys to Ravenclaw Tower and Loki escorted Catlin to the Slytherin common room.
It had been an eventful first day of school at Hogwarts, but all those involved, other than Albus Dumbledore, were pleased with how the day had turned out. Secrets had been revealed, mistakes acknowledged, and a family once torn apart had now been reunited. The only questions that remained as tired eyes closed were what the rest of the year would hold for the ever-growing family and how Albus Dumbledore will react to his new plans failing before they even had the chance to fully form.
Please read and review! Your reviews are encouragement!
