Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Avengers.

Authors note: Thank you to those of you who reviewed and welcome to the new followers and those who favourited.

Chapter 22

Dahlia lay in bed the night before the wedding with a smile on her face. Her sister was finally getting to marry the man she loved with approval from everyone she loved and without fear of disappointing them. She looked to the dress that was dropped off earlier in the day that was hung on her wardrobe and hoped tomorrow went smoothly. She began to play with her locket and wondered if her sister would be able to hear her after having to clean out her belongings.

"How are you feeling?" she projected her thought into the locket.

A few moments passed before she got a reply. "Scared and really excited. Do you want to have a sleepover tonight?"

"The night before your wedding, is that allowed?" Dahlia asked already pulling the covers off of her.

"Yes. You're my sister, it's just males I'm not allowed to see".

"On my way," Dahlia said then walked out of her room. Hela's room was next door so it really didn't take any time at all but the guards outside couldn't just let her walk in as usual and asked Hela if she wanted her sister visiting before they allowed her in.

Dahlia was more surprised than she should have been to see Hela's belongings not scattered around the room but boxed away.

Hela was sat on the bed, the only source of light coming from the bed were a few candles lit. Hela was sat on top of the covers as she was reading what seemed to be letters. Dahlia climbed onto the bed as Hela said, "I heard you had fun today. I heard you went travelling with the twins and Hermione then got together with the royal kids".

"Yeah. Well, Micah got everyone together. Seems the older royals had politics on their minds and Micah wanted all of us to have some fun".

"How was it seeing others? None of them said anything mean, did they?" Hela asked protectively, knowing how other royals and children of importance could be.

"No, don't worry. It was good, fun even. Honestly, when we all first got together, it was tense, no one knew what to say to me, some of these royals have known each other for generations and here I am. Micah made a joke though about me being mixed and that broke the ice," she laughed and Hela smiled.

"I'm glad he was there for you. If I had to call any planet my ally, his would be the first. It's good you two are getting along".

"He's become a friend I never thought I would have after my parentage was revealed. He told everyone that Fred and George were pranksters and they got to show off some of their products, safely by the way. I warned them against ruining your cleansing ceremony and your wedding if you had to come out to fix an incident with another royal".

"Good. But I still want to know what happened".

"Well they showed off some of their products like the sweets which we made sure were safe to eat and a few other things like extendable ears and a few indoor fireworks. Don't worry, nothing is broken and everyone is safe but I think Fred and George might have some customers that may not be so easy to deliver products to".

Hela laughed and nodded, "I assumed so. Listen, if the boys do start delivering off world, tell them I'll help. They can shrink their products and send them through the box to you, then I can have them teleported or delivered to where they need to go".

"Really?" Dahlia said, excited for her friends.

"Yes, but Fred and George may need to come up with a system of credits though. They won't have their kind of money but credits are used in most galaxies for businesses that trade off world. I'll have to talk it through with them one day but if they decide to go to the credit route, maybe I can get the money changed here on Niflheim or they can save up and maybe one day buy a ship".

Dahlia's eyes went wide and she slowly shook her head. "Mrs Weasley hates her children being out of the country, I don't know how they managed to get her to let them come here. Not that she had a choice, they're of age but if I told her Fred and George got a ship and they're spreading mischief across the stars…let's just say I don't want to be on Midgard if that happens".

Hela giggled, "she does seem like the type. Very motherly".

"Yeah, sometimes she can go a bit overboard but I'm glad I met the Weasleys," Dahlia said then looked at the papers. "I didn't expect you to be working the night before your wedding. There must be some law against it".

Hela smiled, "I'm not working, these are all transmissions sent to Niflheim. Lord Thatun isn't just in charge of engineering but he watches over a communication station. We get signals and calls all the time from off realm, the station sorts through all of that and I get told what comes through. I was expecting a lot of communications when it came to the wedding getting out and a lot did come through. The past few weeks, I've just had communications with people asking me if there is any truth to the rumours of marriage. Since yesterday and the arrival of the guests, I've had 2000 communications sent to me, and there's still more coming in".

"Wow," Dahlia said wide-eyed. "Please tell me you've not wasted your time reading all of them?"

"Not all my time, just after everyone left. I made sure Lord Thatun delivered each and every one to me, well to Baelen who then gave them to me. I knew he'd try to hide the bad ones if I didn't get them immediately".

"Bad ones?" Dahlia questioned and frowned. "What have people been saying? If it's stupid or ignorant or mean, just ignore them".

"Not all are bad. Some congratulating me and some saying Falcon and I falling in love is unnatural and that we are both incapable of feelings and the wedding shouldn't be happening".

"Let them think that," Dahlia said firmly. "The only people that matter love you and Falcon together. There are haters in all walks of life, let them hate while you're in blissful happiness and when it comes to threats, I'd love to see them try anything".

Hela reached out to hug Dahlia and said, "thank you" as they hugged.

When they pulled away, Dahlia climbed off the bed to get the waste bin before climbing back up. She reached for one sheet of paper but couldn't read the writing in a language she didn't recognise so she turned it to Hela and asked, "good or bad?"

"Bad, disapproves of the wedding." Hela frowned and then asked, "what are you doing?"

Dahlia stared at the paper for a moment before it caught fire and she put it in the bin before reaching for another.

They went through almost a hundred letters before Dahlia came across one, she could read in Asgardian and didn't know whether to put it in the burning bin or on the pile of good letters. "Frigga," she said, "wishing you joy and happiness in your marriage. That's good but considering who she is, are you keeping or burning?"

She watched as Hela thought for a moment before she answered, "keep. I'll burn it in front of her next time she lies or betrays one of us".

Dahlia hummed as she put it on the good pile, knowing that Hela might not do that but then again, Frigga had made many mistakes when it came to Dahlia's father and siblings and Hela might just burn it to spite her.

The next one she picked up she couldn't read again but this letter seemed to make Hela stiffen instantly. "Burn immediately. It's from Angrboda".

"What does that bitch want?" Dahlia asked as she dropped the letter into the flames.

"Language," Hela said, almost amused.

"Not apologising for the truth".

"I don't expect you to. I have people tracking where the communication has come from now but it's likely she is long gone as usual when I find a trace on her. She's trying to mess with my head like she tried with Fen and Jora".

"Saying what?"

"Saying that she loves me, she regrets what happened, that she felt controlled by papa and that the boys are more like him. She also said that she hopes one day I will go and meet her".

"I don't even have to ask if that's going to happen".

Hela raised a brow and said, "if I ever did decide to arrange a meeting with her, it would be with an army behind me so I could kill her and everyone she is with. The woman is crazy, she can't just send this and believe all is well. She can't wish me luck in marriage and happiness and say she hopes I understand the struggles of what is it to be a mother one day. Shows how much she knows about me; she doesn't even know I can't have children".

"Wait, what?" Dahlia asked shocked. "I didn't know that".

Hela suddenly felt sympathy for Dahlia as it sounded like she just accused her of not knowing her but it wasn't like that. "Sorry. I'm so used to everyone already knowing, I guess I forgot to tell you. Falcon and I can't have children".

"Why?"

Hela shrugged, "it's the power of Death. When Falcon became Death, he gave up his Midgardian side, his soul bounded with Niflheim making him Death. No Death has ever bore a child, some believe it's because when Death has taken a wife in the past, the wife has always been one of the dead but they still believe Death can't reproduce because he is constantly going between this world and the in-between. When it comes to me, I've always known I can't have children, it's the way of being the Goddess of Death. The way gods and goddesses work on Asgard is that there are only so many titles and powers as you've seen with Tora, she isn't a goddess but has power. The power of death can only be given to one person at a time. When I die, the power will be passed on to someone else. Sometimes, it can be a child that's born or conceived right after I die, sometimes it can take few generations before the power comes back again and a new god or goddesses of death is born".

"How do you know who has what?"

"The fates tell the royals when they sense a new god or goddess born. The babies are born with the gifts but most of the time can't use them until they get older as they grow into their powers. They don't always tell the kids who they truly are when they are little because they don't want them to grow up arrogant like Thor, but they tell the families because the royals usually offer better education and care and money so the child grows up good and loyal to the throne. Sometimes the fates do miss a child though, like Sif. When she was born, the fates completely missed that she would grow up to be the Goddess of War, it was only when she showed an interest in war and fighting and became very good as a child that suspicions were raised. When it comes to death, no one has ever looked like me before, they were born normal but their powers were the same as mine. The last was a god and he was born in the time of King Buri, that's Odin's grandfather so you can see the title passed on quite a few generations before surfacing again".

"So, the gods and goddesses of death never had children?"

"No," Hela answered, "from the stories and diaries kept by them to help the next one, they tried but never could. They believe it's because our bodies hold the power to kill and harm and they believe we cannot sustain life".

"I'm sorry," Dahlia said and Hela reached over with a smile to hold her hand, "you would be a great mum".

Hela squeezed her hand and smiled, "Dahlia, it's okay. Falcon and I have always known and accepted this. If we ever do decide to become parents, we can adopt and we still have to train our prodigies that will be children, according to Ari and Alec, that's like having kids. It's one reason why no one is making a big fuss about this wedding. A half frost giant child, raised on Asgard for the early years of her life with the powers of an Asgardian, then raised as Queen of the Dead on Niflheim falls for a man who's Midgardian born turned Death. My blood may be weakened down because of Angrboda but I am still a part of the nine realms, as is Falcon. Some people wouldn't have been happy with the marriage and the possibility of mixed child that they would have done a lot more than send messages, especially seen as we already have one mixed child in the family. Like I said, my inability to bear children is common knowledge".

"Well if you ever want to talk about it-"

"I don't need to but thank you. Now, let's get through some more of these then go to sleep".

They went through a few more before Dahlia pushed some papers aside and found a letter in an envelope, Dahlia herself had the same one in her room with her name on whereas this one had Hela's. "Mum," she said.

Hela stared at the letter for almost a minute before she said, "I didn't want to lose it. With all the packing and burning other things, I didn't want that to get lost so I put it on the bed. Must have got muddled up with these".

"You were going to read it, weren't you?"

Hela slowly nodded, "Lily was one of the first people to point out my feelings for Falcon and his feelings for me. She was happy for us to be together and always said if we confessed our feelings, she would deal with papa. The cleansing, the wedding tomorrow, it's all just got me thinking about what she would say if she was here".

"Well, I think she would be happy. She'd make sure herself that everything was in order and everything would run smoothly so you feel nothing but love and happiness on your wedding day. Look, mum may not be there tomorrow, but she looked at you as a daughter. She's not going to miss her eldest daughter's wedding, she'll be watching tomorrow from Valhalla".

"You think I should open the letter?"

"I think that it's been more than four months and you still haven't read it. Tomorrow is the start of your new life and I think you should read it and then it's over with and you finally know what mum wanted you to know".

Hela shifted on the bed as she stared between the letter and her sister before almost snatching it quickly, knowing if she didn't open the letter quickly, she would back out and it would be another few months before she had the nerve to look at it again. She took a deep breath before she read…

To my darling Hela,

Do not blame yourself for my death, I know that is a strange way to open up this letter but I know the kind of person you are and I know you will be blaming yourself for my death forever. I know you are thinking you should have had guards protect me but I didn't want that and you respected my wishes on the matter. The truth is, I know I am to die. Recently I've been having this feeling that I will not survive, this war is becoming darker every day and I know Voldemort is closer than ever to finding us, but I will give my life to protect Dahlia from him. If she is truly destined to be his downfall, I will make sure it does not happen here and now, that she does not grow up in a world of darkness with a prophecy hanging over her head. I wish her to grow up loved with her big sister there to protect her and to show her the universe and all of its wonders. I recently read an enchantment in the Apex citadel, one of sacrificial protection, and I know if need be, I would give my life for your sister in order to protect her. Do not blame your sister or yourself for my death, I wanted you to know this so that you know I went willingly but I wish I didn't have to. I do not wish to leave you, your sister, and your father.

I know you may think it morbid of me doing all that I have done. My memories in the vault, my valuables, times together and letters being written but I am a mother and I have to prepare for every possibility. I am not just thinking of Dahlia but of you. I remember the moment we met, you were so nervous and angry, you believed me to be a spy for Odin then you believed me someone who wanted to hurt you, a fanatic about the prophecy I believe you said. I was so nervous that day, all I wanted was for you to like me but I know it took a few hours before you finally accepted that I wasn't some spy or fanatic but someone who loved your father. I know we started off as acquaintances then became friends and I know we became something more. Everyone around us saw us as mother and daughter but we never really talked to one another about it, I think we were both scared of the same thing; rejection. I was afraid you would reject me for being a simple Midgardian. You have been so unfortunate with a mother's love, your own trying to kill you then your grandmother allowing you to be banished. I see why you have hesitation to look to anyone as a mother figure but I know you saw me as that and every day you worried that I would disappoint you and I suppose I have by leaving, even if leaving you is the last thing I want to do.

I remember the day you called me momma, it's okay if you don't, you were half asleep. It was a week after Dahlia's first birthday, your father and you were visiting and he was putting her to bed and I was tucking a blanket around you on the couch when you said it. It's one of my happiest memories. I never brought it up as I didn't want you to feel under pressure to call me anything else but Lily and I know you may have felt embarrassed that you said it while you were tired. Truly, with all my heart, I wish that I could be your biological mother. I don't say real mother because in my heart, I am your mother. I wish I could have carried you and birthed you and don't you dare think why would I want to carry a monster. You are not a monster, you are a strong, brave, loving young woman who I am so proud of. You became my daughter, my little girl, and I would do anything for you. I wish I could be there to hug you one more time and tell you I love you but I can't so I hope this letter and my memories offer you some comfort.

Now, if your feelings for me as a mother are even half as much as I feel for you as a daughter, I want you to do something for me. Firstly, do not let the darkness consume you. We all have light and dark within us, but the nine realms have already made its mind up about you and your brothers, I do not want you to listen to them. Prophecies are never completely true, you make up who you are and from the girl I see and know, you are an amazing, caring, loving ruler. If you were to ask anyone on Niflheim, I am sure they would agree with me. Secondly, I want you to let love into your heart. I know you hold back, believing you will be hurt, and I hope my death does not add more shields to your heart because I want you to find happiness and love. Perhaps confess certain feelings for a raven-haired blue-eyed boy we both know and see where it might lead. Finally, take care of your father and sister, they'll need someone to guide them and care for them. Keep searching for your brothers and be the family we always hoped would be reunited but above all else, take care of yourself. I don't want you to become overwhelmed with all that has happened and lose yourself. Take care and let others help you. I love you, always.

All my love, Lily

Hela didn't know when she started crying, just that she was and that Dahlia had moved to sit beside her to wrap an arm around her. When she finished reading, she dropped the letter and turned her head into her sister's neck to cry. She cried, "she really loved me. I called her momma and I didn't even know".

"Of course she loved you," Dahlia said tightening her arm around her while reaching for the letter to read herself. It took a few minutes for Hela to calm down but when she did, Dahlia pulled away from her just so she could reach and wipe Hela's tears away. "You honestly don't remember?"

"No," Hela answered. "If I remembered, I would have been embarrassed but talked to her about it".

Dahlia seemed to think for a moment before she asked, "can I Apparate in and out of this room or is there some spell on it?"

"No, you should be able to Apparate. You're my sister, my blood, any wards that are on this room allow you entrance".

With that, Dahlia quickly Apparated. Hela tried to contact her through the locket but Dahlia wasn't answering and Hela was quickly getting more and more curious and concerned. It wasn't too long though until Dahlia Apparated back into the room, this time carrying what seemed to be a pensive and a glass vial.

Dahlia sat back on the bed and made the pensive levitate near them as they sat on either side. She said, "mum gave us her memories so we could remember the past, so that I could get to know her and look back on memories whenever we wish to. It just so happens; mum gave us a memory of a week after my first birthday with the label 'momma'. Do you want to see it?"

Hela nodded slowly.

Dahlia poured the memory into the pensive before the sisters moved closer and were pulled into the memory.

They found themselves stood in the Potter's Cottage. They saw it was night time outside and the living room was only lit by the firelight. Lay down on the carpet with a pillow under her head near the fire was Hela, sleeping peacefully with baby Dahlia on her chest who was just as peacefully asleep.

"I'm certain he's there or they at least know something," the all too familiar voice of Lily Evans said and both sisters turned to see their parents in the dining room, the lights much brighter as they were sat at the table with all the research on Jörmungandr spread out.

"Then perhaps they lied to you," Loki said. "Beings like the sirens are notorious for lying and even if Jora isn't with them, they will know something. There are many different creatures like the sirens that they consider kin that are spread amongst Midgard, someone will know something even if Jora is hiding, he would have sought out help when he was younger. I've tried speaking with them before but they refused. I'll try again".

Lily sat at the table and put her head in her hands as she sighed. Loki walked behind her and began to massage her shoulders before she leaned back and said, "if only he wasn't so smart and stayed in one place for a while or allowed people to see him so we had some sightings to go off of".

"Our family will be whole," he said and kissed the top of her head. Lily turned and stood before wrapping her arms around his neck as his went to her waist. They kissed briefly before he placed his forehead on hers as he said, "I will make this right".

"You can't make right what you never made wrong. What happened to this family is the faults of others, not yours. You've just been trying to put the pieces back together that others destroyed for a thousand years".

"And now I have you".

"Yes, you do. Forever," Lily said smiling and the two smiled before they kissed.

Dahlia said, "it's hard to imagine him like this. Dad smiles when he's with us but not like that".

"They're in love," Hela said giving a small sad smile. "I don't think papa ever thought of it ending, he knew there were threats but I think he never thought of anything really parting them".

Lily pulled away from the kisses as they were getting heated and said, "we should put the girls somewhere comfier; I don't want Hela waking up with a bad back because she slept on the floor. It's late, we could all use some sleep".

"What time is he back?" Loki asked.

Lily looked down, not wanting to think about James returning from patrol but she had to. "Not till morning, he said around seven".

"Don't be upset," he said placing his fingers under her chin to raise her head so he could look into her eyes. "As much as I want to be with you every second of every day, as much as I dislike him for thinking he has claim on you and Dahlia, he stops questions from being asked that we don't want asked".

"I know," Lily said and turned to begin to pack up all the research on Jörmungandr.

Loki made his way into the living room and took Dahlia from Hela but he said quietly, "it's just me," when Hela's arms tightened around her. She finally let go and Loki cuddled with his baby daughter as he took her upstairs.

Lily waved her wand and the research began to pack itself away and the dishes in the dining room and living room levitated to the kitchen and began to clean themselves. She then went into the living room and kneeled beside Hela. She pushed the hair out of her face and behind her ear as she said softly, "Hela, sweetheart, wake up".

"No, momma," Hela mumbled.

The older Hela froze and watched Lily as she froze too but then she smiled and said, "just to the couch, sweetheart".

She helped Hela stand and took her to the couch where the young queen immediately crashed down and Lily got the blanket from the back of the couch and began to tuck her in. Hela's eyes were fluttering, sleep was fighting to take hold as she said, "love you, momma".

Lily smiled to see this time Hela's eyes were open, just barely, as she called her momma. She kneeled down beside her and kissed her forehead as she said, "I love you too, my sweet girl." Hela's eyes then closed but Lily didn't move from her spot. She was stroking the young queen's hair as she smiled.

Dahlia and Hela then left the memory and Hela looked like she almost wanted to cry again but Dahlia said, "you know, you can call her mum if you want to. Or mama, or momma, whatever you want to call her".

"It's weird if I do that".

"Why? Because you're older? Technically, she was physically older than you. Because you don't share blood? That doesn't matter. It's all about who you accept in your heart. You don't call Angrboda your mother so it's not like you're offending anyone by calling someone who didn't give birth to you the title".

Hela looked down and began to pick at the bedding and mumbled, "are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't say you could if I had a problem with it. Now, I assume you're keeping mum's letter," Dahlia said smiling.

She gathered up the good letters sent to Hela and the rest they had yet to sort through. She then put them in the drawer of the vanity table before taking the bin filled with burnt pieces of paper and putting it on the balcony so the room didn't continue to smell of burnt paper. She even put the pensive on the table near the fire.

Dahlia then climbed back onto the bed and said, "okay, now enough of letters and memories. You're getting married, you'll be standing in the temple saying your vows in thirteen hours and you need sleep. I know I need sleep for the wedding and I'm not even the one getting married. So…"

Dahlia then climbed under the covers and Hela followed her giggling. With a wave of a hand, the candles went out and the only light was that of the moon and stars coming through the windows.

"Love you".

"I love you too, Dahlia," Hela said and reached to hold Dahlia's hand as they were facing one another and they both smiled before they fell asleep.

Authors note: Please review.