Chapter 9

Through portals and magic

NOTES:

Hi everyone,

Sorry to have kept you guys waiting for so long! ^^'

So, about this chapter... It's not really one of my personal favorites, but I really hope you will like it.
It was hard to give this specific character (you might guess who it is by the chapter's title) a good reason to show up in this story, but I'm really happy it worked out.

ANYWAY! Hope you will enjoy nonetheless :D


Thor walked through the halls of the compound in search of the raven god. He sighed deeply, realizing only now how exhausting his little brother could be, whether it was as a young child or as a grown man. His eyes scanned every corner of all the rooms he passed, only turning around as he heard the sound of sparks coming from behind him.

'Thor.'

'Doctor,' the god nodded as Strange walked towards him, a serious expression on his face. 'For what reason do I ow this pleasure?'

'Take a wild guess,' Strange said as he raised a brow.

'My brother?' Thor "guessed" with a sigh.

'Bingo,' with a blink of the doctor's eyes, the two were now in the lounge room, sitting on a lazy chair. 'Now, about y-'

'Could you please stop doing that?' Thor said as he raised his finger to interrupt the man. 'It really gives me a headache.'

Strange took a deep breath, 'Yes, sure. Listen, I just need to know what's going on with your brother, I heard something went wrong? Something with a spell?'

'Verily,' Thor nodded as he adjusted himself in his seat. 'A spell backfired, he is a child now.' He then frowned, 'Wait, why are you asking this? Is it because he is still on your watchlist of, of beings who are a threat to this word?'

'Hey, I put your brother on that list for good reasons and you know it,' Strange looked at the god with a sharp eye. 'He attacked Earth, twice. A total of 88 billion dollars in property damage and, miraculously, "only" 291 reported casualties, and that is just for New York, I'm not even counting the time that he brought the, uh, what was it again? Asgardian Iron man?'

'The Destroyer.'

'Yes, the Destroyer,' Strange nodded and folded his hands, 'I think I have every right to keep him on my list, just to be sure.'

'Those matters are in the past now,' Thor argued, his voice low. 'my brother has changed.'

'Yeah, quite literally, I heard. Listen, about him being a kid, what would you say if we make this spell permanent?'

'Permanent?' Thor repeated as he raised a brow, suddenly finding himself with a cup of coffee in hand. He stared from his cup to the doctor, noticing how the man was now calmly sipping some tea. 'And what good will that do?'

'Well, first off, we can keep a better eye on him. Secondly, he gets a second chance at his childhood, which, I believe, is something we should be happy with. You know, considering he became such a vengeful person with all the daddy issues and the way he has been lied to his entire life and what not.' Strange looked up at the god, noticing how the man was now glaring at him with a very dark expression. He blinked his eyes but as the heavy sound of thunder became audible in the far distance, he quickly continued, 'Look, I'm not trying to be an ass or anything, just stating facts. Your brother can be raised anew and grow up to be all happy and loving, just like he is at this moment. Isn't that something you wanted?'

Thor wanted to open his mouth and counter the man's offer. He wanted to say that he was wrong, that he would never consider letting his brother stay like this on purpose. He wanted to, he really did, but there was this little voice in the back of his head that stopped him from uttering the words.

'Hey, Thor,' Peter called out as he entered the lounge as well, pulling the god straight out of his thoughts. 'Good thing I see you here, cause,' the teen then stopped talking as he noticed the company. 'Oh, hi, mister Strange!'

The doctor looked at the teen for a moment, he then turned his attention back to Thor and sighed, 'Sorry, have too.'

Before Thor could even react, the two were back in the hallway where they started, the god nearly losing his footing as they shifted rooms again.

'I start to understand why my brother does not look at you in favor,' Thor grumbled, leaning against the wall.

'Yes, well, it's a thing, I don't like him, he does not like me. It's actually a really good relationship when you come to think about it. Clear and simple, almost like a marriage but instead of love we have loath. Anyway, what do you say? Wanne give it a go?'

Thor remained silent for a moment as he thought this through. A chance for him to guide his brother, to raise him into a gentle and content adult. To not let him suffer all the horrors he had gone through. He had to admit, looking at it like that, it did not sound all that bad. His brother, placed under a spell for the rest of his life…

The god then shook his head as these words came to mind. Loki would never have wanted to stay under his own spell. He would never agree to this if it was not all by his own choice, and he would never forgive Thor if he would call the shots for him. Norns, he could already imagine his brother's wrath once they would both be in Valhalla…

'Although I appreciate your offer, I would kindly like to decline.' The god stated, nodding slowly. 'I do not know how long this spell will last, but I am not going to interfere by making it permanent without my brother's consent.'

Strange didn't move a muscle. His facial expression stale as he stared at the god. 'Thought you would say that.' He sighed before showing a slight smile. 'Maybe it's for the best. I don't even want to imagine what a nightmare your brother would be during puberty.'

'You have no idea.' Thor said and he laughed, causing the doctor to chuckle as well.

'Well, if you ever need me, or change your mind,' Strange said as he turned around, holding up one hand and waving the other in circles to create a portal. He then turned around and looked at the god again, 'you know where to find me.'

Hearing a sudden yelp, the god and wizard both turned around, searching where the voice was coming from. As they saw nobody, they merely looked at each other again with questioning eyes.

'Yes, well, thank you, doctor' Thor smiled somewhat, ignoring the sudden cry. 'Now, if you would excuse me, I will continue my search for my brother.' He waited for the man to disappear through the portal and continued his search through the compound.

Loki walked through the halls, searching for something he would recognize. He was used to navigating himself through large buildings, the Asgardian Palace was definitely bigger than this compound, but still, he found it hard to distinct all the rooms and halls.

He then looked up, seeing his brother walking a few yard in front of him and turning a corner.

With a bright smile, the raven ran after the blond. He turned the corner as well but immediately stopped in his track as he saw that another man was now talking to the god and he hid behind one of the cabinets. As he could only see the man's back, he saw that he had brown hair and a red cloak, but other than that, the raven could not make out who he was.

We are surrounded by friends, by family.

The trickster could hear his brother's words echo through his head. Thor was right, until now every person he had spoken to had been very nice to him. Loki wanted to step into the light of the hallway, but he jumped back behind the cabinet again as both his brother and the stranger were gone with the blink of an eye.

Loki held quiet for a full minute, after which he cautiously walked through the hallway. 'Thor…?' He whispered softly but he got no reply.

'Brother…?' He tried again, but as he was still the only person in the hall, he started to panic.

Who was this stranger? Was he really family? Was he a friend? Or maybe an enemy? Where had he taken his brother? When would they be back?

He paced back and forth nervously as countless questions started to race through his little brain, but he was snapped out of his thoughts soon enough as he suddenly heard his brother's voice again.

'I start to understand why my brother does not look at you in favor,' The trickster heard his brother grumble as he leaned heavily against a wall.

Did not favor him?

Loki now frowned heavily, quickly hiding behind the cabinet again. So the man was not a friend. The trickster listened to the conversation between the two carefully, hearing how his brother declined an offer that would apparently keep him under some sort of spell.

The raven swallowed nervously. So that was the stranger's plan, to put him under some sort of spell. Did he wanted to curse him? Loki cursed under his breath, this would not happen, he would not let the stranger harm him, or his brother, or his new family! He looked at the palm of his hand, focusing all his concentration to conjuring a small knife with the use of his Seiðr.

He held his weapon close, sneaking towards the man without making any sound. As he opened his mouth, ready to speak up, a portal suddenly opened in front of him with a wave of the stranger's hand. Loki stopped abruptly, wanting to retreat, but as he stumbled over his own feet, he yelped and fell straight through the portal.

The raven looked around himself, trying to figure out where he was. He stood up and walked cautiously through what he could only describe was a library.

He strolled past the bookshelves, his heart beating loudly in his chest as he saw how some of the books were locked behind chains. He mumbled up some of the titles he saw.

'"The Eye of Agamotto"… "The Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth"… "the Mystic Moons of Munapor"…?' The trickster frowned, none of these titles making any sense to him. With one hand keeping a close grip on his dagger, he pulled out one of the books with his other hand. He then sat down against the wall and started to read the first pages.

'I don't think you're ready yet to learn about the Ruby Rings of Raggadorri.'

Loki's eyes grew wide and he looked up as he heard an unamused voice talking to him, looking straight into the brown eyes of the stranger who was just talking to his brother.

As the trickster remained completely silent, the doctor cleared his throat. He held out his hand, his eyes now locked on the large book behind which the raven was hiding. 'So, are you going to give it to me?'

Loki glared, his jaws locked, his one arm tightly wrapped around the book, hiding the dagger he was still holding. Then, without any warning, he threw the heavy book in the doctor's face. He jumped to his feet, holding onto the dagger as the Winter Soldier had thought him.

What was it again? Hold it tight, like this. Then swing, throw it in the air and catch it in the other hand and... stab.

Loki executed the steps, but the stranger was faster than he was. The man grabbed his wrist and pulled him up into the air, his eye twitching in irritation as a small drop of blood dripped down his nose from the impact of the book.

'L-let me go!' The raven shouted, trying to kick the man in his face.

'How come I-' Strange tried to speak, but he closed his mouth again as he tasted some sand in his mouth, coming from the raven's small bright red boots. 'Okay, just- just stop,' but Loki kept squirming and kicking. 'Listen, I just- I- HEY!'

At this last shout, Loki fell completely silent, staring at the man with wide teary eyes.

'I said cut it out!' Strange spoke sternly, a heavy frown on his face. 'God, why is it everyone adores you now yet to me you're still a little b-' But as the doctor now noticed the young raven's tears, he stopped. 'No… no, please don't. come on, have some dignity.'

But it was too late. The small god of mischief, hanging from the man's grip by his wrist, was crying.

'P-please unhand me,' Loki managed to speak between chocked up sobs. 'I-I am a prince of Asgard! You will come to regret it if you put me through any harm!'

'Oh, come on,' Strange sighed deeply, but as he saw some snot running from the child's nose, he pulled a face and quickly placed the raven back on the ground. 'Ew. Okay, Loki, listen, why are nice to everyone, yet I get a book to the face?'

'Because…!' Loki said, rubbing his eyes. 'Because you t-tried to, to place a spell on me!'

'What?' Strange raised a brow, 'I wasn't trying to-'

'Yes, you were! I heard you talking to my brother!' Loki said, sniffing a couple of times. 'You wanted to curse me!'

The doctor sighed and he crossed his arms, 'Look, Loki… kid, I wasn't trying to-' but as the doctor saw the tears dripping down the raven's face, he changed his sentence. 'Uhg, why am I even bothering?' He reached out and grabbed Loki by the back of his shirt, causing him to hang by his grip like a little kitten.

'Unhand me! Unhand me!' Loki shouted, trying to kick the man.

'Hey! Hold still! I'm bringing you back to your nest, you little stray birdie!' The doctor grumbled, opening a portal with one hand while keeping the raven as far from him as possible with his other.

He stepped through the entrance, leaving the Sanctum Sanctorum and into the kitchen of the Avengers Compound, where Thor was just asking Wanda, Steve and Tony if they had seen his younger brother.

The Avengers looked up as they suddenly heard a child crying and a man cursing under his breath.

'Brother?' Thor asked surprised, looking at the two.

'Tho-or,' The raven managed to utter between his hiccups and crying.

'Loki,' Wanda quickly moved forward, taking the crying child from the doctor's hand. The raven immediately wrapped his arms around her neck as she pressed a gentle kiss on his temple. 'So this is how the mighty wizard of time treats innocent children?' She asked, glaring at the doctor, her words heavy with her Sokovian accent.

'What?' Strange managed to reply in disbelief as the woman walked away. 'Hey! Wait, how is this my fau-' But as the brunette turned around, her dark-brown eyes glaring at him, the doctor wisely decided to shut his mouth.

'Come on, love, let's clean your face, okay?' She brushed a strain of raven hair behind the trickster's ear and smiled affectionally to which Loki nodded.

Thor held out his arms, ready to take his baby brother from the woman's hands, but she walked straight past him without even looking, causing Tony to snort loudly at the god's flabbergasted expression.

'Looks like there's not enough Lokes for all of us,' the playboy said and he laughed.

'Loki,' Steve approached the young child as Wanda was now washing his face with a warm wet towel. 'Why were you crying? Did something happen?'

'That man tried to place a curse on me,' Loki murmured while he was sitting on the kitchen countertop, looking at the marble floor. 'If it was not for my brother, he would have cursed me…'

Tony, Steve and Wanda now turned their gazes to the doctor, who looked back at them with an offended frown.

'Oh, come on, you don't seriously believe I would do that, right?!' the man said, now looking at Thor for back-up.

The god placed a hand on his face as he sighed deeply, then rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked at his little brother. 'Loki, this man came here with good intention.' But as Loki kept staring at him with a doubtful expression, the blond continued. 'He… he tried to help you with the spell that has befallen you.'

'… So,' The raven began cautiously, looking at the stranger while now hiding a little behind the blond super soldier who stood next to him. 'You are not trying to curse me…?'

'No!' Strange let out a loud sigh, 'If I wanted to I wouldn't bring you back here, would I?'

The trickster stared at the floor again for a moment, lost for words. He then murmured something so softly that he was hardly audible. 'True… I am sorry, mister…?'

'Doctor,' Strange corrected, crossing his arms.

'Mister Doctor…?' Loki repeated with a raised brow.

'No, it's Stra- Wait! No, I'm not doing this one again!' He took a deep breath, 'It's Doctor Stephen Strange. Now you stay here and don't cause any trouble okay?' As the raven quickly nodded, the wizard turned around and cursed beneath his breath. 'God, I don't like that guy, old or young…' he then looked at Thor. 'And I'm keeping him on my list!' and with that, the doctor disappeared through his portal again.


NOTES:

And there it was. Again, hope you guys liked it.
Like I said, it wasn't really easy to give Strange a good reason to enter the story, but I think this one was okay :)

I hope you guys really liked it anyway. I've got some funny plans for the next chapter and it will be crazy and much better than this one, I promise!

Anyway, hope you will have an awesome day!