A/N: Hello, people!
I don't own Harry Potter, the Marvel Cinematic Verse, or any Mythology you recognize.
I have no beta.
ENJOY!
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Harry froze in the middle of his shopping. Something in the air was bothering him. Like that calm before the storm. Like all hell was about to break loose. He looked around, placing the jacket he was holding, back on it's hanger. Something was going on.
Loki had warned him about travelling anywhere on his own, but he was Harry Potter. He had some skills that others could only dream of. He could also Apparate at a moment's notice if need be. And if it got really bad, he could call upon Death and she could deal with whatever was going on.
He walked on over to the display of shoes, considering purchasing a pair for Teddy. He liked the color red a lot. Out of the corner of his eye, he tracked the movements of the people around him. The shop wasn't particularly large and only a few people had come in while he'd been visiting.
A chill ran up his spine and Harry dove to the right, managing to miss the large sword that embedded itself in the wall that had been in front of him. That probably would have bisected him as well. He shivered at the thought of his body being cut in half. Would his parts regrow or would he just stick back together?
While an intriguing thought, he didn't feel the need to test the idea out. Also, people were screaming and running from the shop.
Harry's assaulter ended up being a female who was heavily bedecked in gold armor. She looked ready to tear him apart as she hissed, "Midgardian!"
Okay, so this was probably one of those warriors trying to kill him on Odin's orders. As she was female, he'd assume that she was Sif.
"Assssgardian!" he countered, the word nearly serpentine in sound.
She gave a great yank of the sword, tearing it from the wall in the process. "I, Lady Sif of Asgard, do hereby-"
Harry had cut her off by waving a hand and knocking her into the wall. Since male Asgardians seemed to find that using magic was repulsive, and Sif had never thought to learn to wield any, she wouldn't be able to move from where she was pinned from some time.
Harry turned for the door, fleeing instantly and Apparating home.
Death was sitting in the drawing room, smirking at him as she ate one of the cupcakes he'd baked the day previous. "So… you met the she-Hulk?"
Harry snorted, "I have seen footage of what the Hulk is capable of and let me tell you, she isn't much against him."
Death nodded, her mad curls bouncing at the motion. "Truth. She may be one of the best fighters Asgard has to offer at present but in terms of power she is weak. Her strength lies in physical altercations and even then, she isn't as physically strong as Bruce Banner is when transformed."
"How did she find me?"
Death took a bite out of the cupcake she was eating and without a care in the world, answered while her mouth was full. "Odin made Frigga use her magic to locate you. Your magic is more powerful than hers is however, and along with mine and your mother's interference, they don't have a hope of locating you while behind these wards. The moment you left, it was like a beacon went out and Heimdallr of the All-Seeing Eye alerted his sister Sif, and Odin Borson, of your whereabouts."
Harry groaned, "Are all Asgardians annoying or are these ones just special?"
Death spared a mocking smile, "They are a race of bigots. I don't know how many times Odin has actually had Midgardians who worshipped the Olympians, kidnapped just to punish prisoners. Let them grow close together and then kill the Midgardians off simply to break his prisoners. So some may think that my pure hatred for him is unfounded, but when he takes my subjects and then uses their souls to power Gungnir - his great spear - then I get angry. He's very much like a Dementor. An abomination I would love to destroy, but need permission to do so and as Fate is an ass… you can see how my plans have yet to go forth."
Harry was sorely tempted to just give Death the go-ahead. No matter who he heard it from, nothing good was ever said about Odin All-Father and he was sick and tired of being disappointed where the Asgardian god was concerned.
"Lady Hecate is very close to launching a war on Asgard," Death remarked as she summoned another cupcake.
That pulled him up short. "Why?"
"Do you truly believe the Olympians are going to sit by and allow Odin to continue? Unfortunately, if the gods get into another war… I'm afraid the nine realms will suffer for it. Most of the Olympians and Chthonic Deities were created from thought and belief and should those who believe in them continue to disappear because of Odin, they can cease to exist. Of course they'd terminate the threat he poses before it's too late."
A war of the gods. 'Another war'. They'd been in a war before?
"Of course!" Death stated. She'd been listening to his thoughts again. "Kronos had been a bit of a problem you know. Zeus had called upon the aid of the Æsir to assist in the destruction of his father and when he refused to return payment for the services rendered, the Olympians went to war with Asgard eons later. It was a stalemate. Ever since then, relations have been tight."
Learning about history was becoming a pain. Especially since everything he'd learned in primary and whatever tomes had been created in the Magical World, had been severely incorrect about what had happened. Or maybe they had misinterpreted it all?
"Odin has been slowly killing two birds with one stone for nearly four millennia."
"The gods are so bloody childish!" the Man-Who-Conquered whined in a completely none childish way.
"Yes," agreed Death, already shoving the rest of her cupcake in her mouth.
"Stop eating all of them!" hissed the man. "I baked them for general enjoyment and as your body isn't necessarily real, you aren't affected besides tasting them, so they are wasted on you!"
"But I like them!"
The wards flickered suddenly and both Death and her Master turned to the front door, where none other than Loki, knocked three times before entering. He stopped short at the view that greeted him, finding both Harry and Death slouched in their respective seats, Death's face covered in crumbs and chocolate creme and Harry improperly situated with his legs spread a little too wide.
Harry shifted until he was properly supine, sending the god an inquiring look. "Can we help you?"
"Lady Sif has become bothersome once more."
The younger brunet made an understanding gesture with his hand. "Don't we know it! She destroyed a good section of a shop because she attacked me in the middle of shopping! Like, the Asgardians seem to fancy themselves dogooders and heros but are the ones causing all the damage and being in general, a great nuisance!"
§Father!§
And so Jor had shown up, slithering his way to his sire and rubbing their heads together! Loki took the affection with a smile, but his eyes were tight and his jaw a little more stiff than usual.
"And not to mention all the lovely history lessons that Death has been giving me!" Harry added with a huff. "I just really want to get back at Odin for all the shite he's put us all through recently."
And that was when Death's head snapped in his direction, completely ignoring the fourth cupcake she'd taken since he'd gotten home. Her lips spread, sharp teeth exposed for the room to see and fear.
"I know something that will throw him in a tizzy!"
"What?" asked Loki.
"We're taking the horse today!"
Harry's lethargy disappeared in an instant and he was on his feet. "You mean Sleipnir? We're going to steal him right under Odin's nose?!"
Death's devious cackle rang through the house. "This is going be awesome! Come, Master!"
Death's cold hand had already wrapped around Harry's forearm before even Loki couldn't react. The Jötunn barely got out a word of protest before Harry was whisked away from Midgard.
"We're invisible," Death whispered, her breath like hoarfrost against the nape of his neck. Oh yeah, she was much taller than he was.
"How?"
"Death is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, and can go unnoticed if she so chooses."
Well then.
"Being cloaked by Death affords you some protection, so let's get moving. Animals tend to not like me much, so he may at first be startled by my presence. You're nice and pretty maternal so you'll have to do most of the work."
"Can't you just get Loki? Wouldn't this be easier if the horse knows that his father is seeking to help him?"
She thought about it for a second, before nodding her assent. "It will annoy Odin all the more to realize that the horse is gone and that you had something to do with it. Very well. Free of charge this time."
She popped away, returning a second later with Loki who had been wrapped in a blanket so she couldn't touch him. He was looking ill.
"Buck up!" She hissed. "You've been through worse methods of travel before!"
Loki proceeded to dust himself off and fix his appearance. "The royal stables are this way," he said with a mischievous grin, back to himself.
Loki sauntered down the golden corridor and into a large pasture that was well tended. The grass was verdant and lush, the scent of it permeating the air. Harry had always loved the smell of freshly cut grass in the summertime.
The stables were too fanciful to be stables. Pure gold - according to Loki, everythign on Asgard was as such - and every horse had their own room. Not a stall, a room. A large room with all the essentials they needed. Bloody, greedy gods thinking they where the shite.
The Lord of all Horses had the best accommodations out of all. The grey stallion was much larger than Harry had first assumed he'd be. He was the size of a mega-moose! Harry lived in Canada and the moose there were enormous! But judging by the fact that Harry only just made it to the start of the chest area, meant that Sleipnir was rather large.
And truth to the myth, he had eight legs.
The Trickster clucked his tongue a few times, making the great beast's head swivel around. Sleipnir was blindfolded with a golden cloth - again with the gold, did these people have nothing else to use? - and his great mane rustled as he tossed his head and sent out an inquiring whinny.
A similar sound, though much deeper in tone, came from Loki's mouth and the god placed a calming hand on his child's neck. Sleipnir leaned into the touch, nuzzling Loki's hair and giving a low neigh.
Death had back away toward the door to keep from spooking the horse and Harry had moved a little closer, his interest peaked.
Loki took hold of his hand and brought it closer for Sleipnir to scent. He said something in what Harry was going to assume was horse language, and the great stallion responded, licking Harry's palm affectionately.
The demi-god couldn't help the awed squeal that passed his lips. "He's adorable!"
Loki chuckled. "Perhaps we should go forth with the plan before any of the stable boys come along."
"Yeah, good idea."
Harry gently placed his hands on the large, golden collar - more like a choker - and felt the resistance it had to his magic. This was different than with Fenrir. This magic was much stronger.
"Mother participated in the enchanting of this," Loki muttered, running a curious finger over the admittedly fine work.
Death had told Harry that he was more powerful than her and he wasn't about to be beaten. He forced the magic to sharpen out while managing to increase the amount being poured into the collar. The back and forth movements moving faster, disrupting the natural flow of the magic already inside and overriding it with his own.
With too much magic inside the object and with nowhere for any of it to go, the only choice left was to expand outward. And out it did go. In a massive explosion that illuminated the room in golden light.
"We need to go now!" Loki said urgently. "They will have noticed that!"
Harry placed a hand on Sleipnir's neck and Loki touched Harry's arm. Death flashed to his side and with a yank on his ear, teleported them out of Asgard.
They landed in the pasture outside of Harry's home, all of them had been knocked over during the speedy travel. Loki rose to his feet as if the air had simply lifted him off the ground and deposited him without issue. With little coaxing, he was able to get Sleipnir off the grass.
Death was cackling like a madwoman, rolling on the ground repeatedly.
"Heimdallr noticed the moment the collar disappeared! Your magic has been noted and now Odin is in an uproar!"
Well, good then.
Harry's eyes caught sight of Loki and Sleipnir lightly talking to each other, Loki lightly trailing fingers through his son's mane.
It was so cute!
And… Harry found himself attracted to the idea of Loki being a good father.
Not to mention the smile of gratitude the god sent him sent tingles down his spine.
In the wake of Sleipnir's freedom and Death's madness, Harry felt a warmth developing low in his gut. It was a nice feeling.
A/N: Another is done!
-So because I can, I added more drama!
-Yay! Sleipnir is safe and sound now!
-Will I be writing a war of the gods? Who knows?
How was it? Let me know!
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See ya! :D
CHECK ME OUT ON TUMBLR! HELLY-WATERMELONSMELLINFELLON. I FOLLOW BACK!