A/N::: Sorry...I forgot to do this yesterday...

In light of all the attacks at the school, Harry was rather relieved to be headed home for Yule.

The parseltongue thing was baffling. The days following the dueling club disaster had been hellish. Justin Finch-Fletchy's petrification shortly after an encounter with Harry over his gossiping about Harry's status as the Heir of Slytherin had convinced most of the school he was the heir. Whispers had followed him constantly as more and more people became convinced he was the Heir of Slytherin.

Additionally, his knowledge that the Malfoys were somehow involved in this, and he was certain this was the plot Dobby had been talking about, did not seem to be of much help. He could tell that Draco Malfoy had absolutely no clue what was going on just by the way he acted. Lucius Malfoy had done something but he had no idea how or what.

Dumbledore also seemed clueless if his trip up to the man's office had been an indicator. Though he had hoped to learn some more information, he had merely been assured that Dumbledore didn't think it was him, despite everything. He'd also met Dumbledore's phoenix, a rare bird native to Muspelheim.

Otherwise, the end of the fall term had gone off without a hitch and, as the express pulled into London, he wondered who would be collecting him.

His question was answered when he spotted Thor, with—presumably fake—glasses, standing next to Jane, both wearing muggle clothing and somehow managing to avoid notice. He would have suspected magic except for the fact that it was Thor.

As it were, he wondered if wizards really were that dense. Would a name change convince them that someone was a completely different person? Was the secret to avoiding his fame getting contact lenses?

He hoped so. He also sincerely hoped that wizards were not actually that dumb. But Thor…

"Thor! Jane!" Harry exclaimed when he got close enough that he didn't think anyone would hear them.

"Brother!" Thor grinned and bounded up to him, Jane following at a more sedate pace. Thor swept him into a large hug with a beaming smile.

Harry embraced his brother before smiling brightly at Jane, any residual bad mood vanished. "Hi, Jane!"

"Hi, Harry." Jane smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you?"

"Good." Harry shrugged, "How're you and Darcy?"

"Good," Jane answered, a touch coy.

"That's good!" Harry said cheerfully, "Let's get out of here."

It wasn't until they all arrived on Asgard that something occurred to Harry.

"Er...Thor?" Harry started, groping for a way to approach what he wanted to know.

"Brother?" Thor responded immediately.

"Aren't...mortals...not allowed on Asgard?" He asked, resolutely not looked at Jane as they walked down the rainbow bridge.

"They are not…?" Thor prompted, half answering the question, but seemingly unaware of where Harry was going.

If he'd looked at Jane, he'd see that she, at least, knew what he meant.

"Yeah...but Jane's with us?" Harry observed, sheepish.

"Jane is to be my companion for the festivities this year!" Thor said, beaming, "Mother and Hela convinced Father to allow it. You live down on Midgard often anyway."

"I...see." Harry muttered, "So you guys are serious?"

Jane cut in here, rescuing her boyfriend. "We are getting there."

"Oh," Harry said, not able to think of anything else to say.

It wasn't until he got to spend some quality time with Hela that he could talk about it more.

"So...Jane…" He began, settling his feet back on the ground, from the table, and pulling himself more upright on the couch. He watched his sister carefully. "What's up with her and Thor?"

Her eyes were calm and calculating, her lips set in their natural positions, her posture was relaxed, but she moved her head up to meet his eyes. He could not determine her feelings on the matter—if they existed—which he did not doubt they did.

"Do you not like her?" Hela inquired softly.

"No, no!" Harry said quickly, "I do like her—you remember from this summer—I enjoyed those trips!"

"Are they having a fight then?" She asked, her lips twisting into a confused frown.

"Not that I know of," Harry said, glowering when he spotted the amused shine of her eyes. "You know what I mean! Are they getting married?"

"No." She paused, "What made you think that?"

"Well…" Harry shifted awkwardly. "I can't ever remember anyone bringing a—er—a date to the festivities—in our family, I mean. Not unless you guys were friends. So I thought, maybe…"

Hela chuckled. "You are correct about it being rare that Thor, Loki, or I brought an actual date to an event. As for this time, I think Thor is smitten, and he would marry her now, but she is much more cautious."

"So they are getting more serious." Harry said, "Jane could be the next Queen of Asgard."

"No," Hela said. "That would never happen."

"Why not?"

"Our parents would never allow it." Hela said, "For one thing, they could never get married and even if they did—well, father has proven himself more than capable of banishment."

"You don't think that—?"

"I think that they may be a good match personality-wise, they would not be a good match in practical terms. Jane is mortal, not Asgardian, much less an Asgardian goddess." Hela said gently.

"What's wrong with mortals?" Harry asked hotly, thinking of his friends at Hogwarts.

"They are short-lived, physically weak, fragile, and fickle." Hela eyed him for a moment, "Not all of them, but they were never a particularly sturdy race and she may not even live long enough to see you become a grown man in the eyes of Asgard."

"I come of age at 21." Harry pointed out.

"Same thing as most humans." Hela retorted, "They are of age at 17 or 18…but when are they considered fully grown adults? When do they move away from their parents and support themselves? You will not be an adult for at least a century."

Harry knew she was right, so did not argue. "Dad could make her a goddess, she could eat an apple, it wouldn't be hard."

"There is also our parents to consider." Hela said, "Father would not make a human a goddess."

"Why not?" Harry demanded.

His sister gave a long-suffering sigh, "You realize they view letting you live amongst the mortals part-time for two decades a lot differently than their heir marrying one."

"Their heir?" Harry echoed incredulously, "Mum would let that stop them?"

Hela breathed out slowly, "No, but Thor would probably have to give up being Crown Prince. Jane simply doesn't have the personality or knowledge to be Queen as it stands."

"Oh." Harry felt a pang of pity for Thor and began to hope that—that what? They broke up? Jane underwent a personality transplant? His dad changed his mind? "But they are allowing them now…"

"They are hoping it is a fling, I think." She shrugged. "And they might not have the heart to deny him right now, especially since it's harmless."

"I see." He supposed he could, Thor had had plenty of flings with brainless pretty girls who wanted to say they were dating the prince, but he didn't think this was the same. Jane wasn't the type, for one thing, and Thor wasn't acting the same. He was chasing Jane around, not the other way around.

"She is good for him, though," Hela said after a moment.

"She is." He concurred.

LATER THAT DAY

Harry ducked under the swinging blade and sidestepped to the right before shooting up and thrusting his own sword. He was parried nearly before he could blink.

His opponent stepped forward with one foot and slashed to the side. Harry parried him and took a step back but failed to notice the blade that he'd just parried drop down behind his ankle.

He fell onto his back with a yelp while his father chuckled above him.

Harry pretended to glare as he took the pro-offered hand to right himself.

"That was a cheap shot." Harry groused. They were in the training grounds, his father helping him shore up his skills, which had gotten rusty due to the only sporadic practice he'd gotten at Hogwarts. With the whole school watching his every move for signs of evil, he'd decided it would be best if he didn't disappear for long periods of time.

Odin shook his head, "There is no such thing in battle. Most of our enemies do not have the honor codes we follow. You must be prepared to defend against that."

Harry frowned, "I thought we were gods, we shouldn't be using unfair advantages."

"We are a powerful race, yes, gods, maybe, but immortal? No. We should never lord our strength over another, but it would be foolish not to be prepared for tricks. Do not use tricks in battle unless you are overpowered, but be prepared for them always."

"Yes, dad." Harry aquised. He shifted from foot to foot and his father frowned at him.

"What troubles you, my son?"

"When I was at school," he began, "I understood a snake."

Odin lifted an eyebrow, "That is not surprising, there are many beasts that have perfectly understandable languages."

"Yes, but, when Fred and George—my friends, I've told you about them, haven't I?"

"Indeed, you have mentioned them several times since you've met them." His father said with some humor.

"Right—well, they told me that I was a Parselmouth, which is apparently taboo in the Wizarding World. So I told them about all-speak—"

"You told them about all-speak?" Odin asked, tone not giving away any of his thoughts.

"Er—yeah, kind of." Harry said, "but I said I didn't know how it was possible and when they asked for proof...I wasn't sure what I was speaking...Fred heard French but George heard English."

"I see." His father said.

"Why did they think I was speaking two different languages? Why did Fred even hear me in French? I mean I was trying to speak French, but then George shouldn't have heard English…"

Odin held up his hand to forestall his son's rambling. So like Thor, he thought as he regarded the boy's earnest expression.

"All-speak is a tricky thing, my boy." He said, "it works on intention. You speak as you intend. Were you trying to speak French or have your friends understand you?"

"But I wanted to speak French-"

His father regarded him with a humorous glint in his eyes. "Did you want to speak French or the language your friend was speaking?"

"Oh, oops." He gave his father a sheepish smile, "That makes sense."

"Excellent." Odin said, "Now I believe we will be having dinner soon, and you know your mother doesn't like tardiness when we have guests."

Harry looked at his watch and noted, with alarm, that it was indeed nearly time to eat. His father waved someone over and they took their swords from them while Odin turned and led the way back to the palace proper.

They walked in companionable silence as Harry steeled his nerves before he blurted out another thing that had been bothering him. He didn't like it when his family fought, and he liked it even less of late.

"Thor is upset with you." He said, "Because you didn't give Jane a guest room in the family wing."

His father did not respond immediately.

"Thor does not think with the forethought and measured wisdom of a king, but rather with the passion of a young lover," Odin said. "He will move on, in time."

"What if he doesn't?" Harry asked.

"Then we will deal with it."

"Why don't you like Jane?"

"I do like Jane, she is a perfectly nice girl."

"But not with Thor."

"I am not required to explain my thought process to you." His father said shortly.

Harry swallowed his retort, taken aback by his father's tone. "Of course." He agreed, not prepared for an argument with his father.

His dad sighed, "Your brother is young yet, and can not afford distractions while he prepares to become king."

Harry frowned slightly. "I thought you were holding off on abdicating until we found Loki."

"I am." Odin countered, "but you can never be too prepared to become king."

"No, I suppose you can't." Harry concurred quietly. There was silence for a moment.

"What troubles you, my son?" asked his father calmly.

Harry debated shrugging him off, but another, more reckless part of him dared him to say what he felt had to be said. It was not his place, part of him countered.

His indecision must have shown on his face because Odin was frowning at him suddenly. "Speak to your father," he said, "if your thoughts are unspeakable, you should not be having them."

Harry hesitated before meeting his father's even stare head-on. "Thor may not end up with her, but his relationship with Jane is not just a fling. I think they're serious about it."

The All-Father closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to be reigning in his temper, but Harry held his ground. He took a deep breath before regarding his son again.

"Time will tell." He said at last. "Until such time as it becomes evident that that is the case we shall treat it as we did his previous relations. When that day comes, we shall not be surprised but there will be things that must be done to adjust if he is truly set in his course at that time."

Harry did his best to follow, though his father sounded like he was dictating a royal decree. Maybe he was in a way. No more was said on the topic and Harry wondered what his father had planned.

YULE BALL SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Thor and Jane's appearance as a couple caused quite a stir at the Yule Ball. She was the first human from Earth to appear at the ball in a millennium apparently, and that caused gossip to run rampant. Harry, who was expecting yet another boring affair in which he would sneak away to hang out with his friends, was sorely disappointed to find himself the center of attention.

Apparently, with Loki "dead" and Thor having been banished only a few months previously (never mind that he'd returned), Harry was expected to take on a bigger role in his own family.

As a result, alien rulers and foreign dignitaries came from every corner of the various galaxies to exchange pleasantries with him while he looked around for any sort of rescue. Unfortunately, he had no such luck, and his friends, it appeared, would be enjoying the video games he'd gotten without him.

"Prince Haraldr," a voice called to him in greeting.

Harry turned to the face he recognized from years past. "Prince Hrimhari!" He greeted cheerfully, "how are you?"

"Well, thank you," the wolf prince said, "and yourself."

"As well as can be expected," Harry fought not to shrug his shoulders, a bad habit he'd picked up at Hogwarts. "Having an enjoyable evening, I trust."

"At the Royal Palace of Asgard's Yule Ball? Of course!" Hrimhari said with genuine cheer.

Harry had always been impressed (and slightly confused) by Hrimhari's ability to ignore those who looked down on him and his people, similar to how the wizards of Midgard looked down on Werewolves. Of course, the official stance of the Royal Family was that being part wolf didn't matter, but again, that didn't stop everyone's nasty remarks. "I'm glad to hear it," he said. "How are things in Jorlena?"

"Your father's reign continues to be kind to us."

Harry smiled with pride, "that continues to be the priority in my family, no matter our own grief."

"I have not had a chance to extend my condolences to you personally—no one should lose a brother at such an age."

Harry swallowed thickly, "thank you."

"I am sure you shall find him," Hrimhari added, "your mother's vision certainly holds promise."

Harry froze, "pardon?"

"Your father told me," Hrimhari said reassuringly, "and I think she is correct—yourself and Prince Thor shall be reunited with your brother soon."

Harry had not heard anything about a vision. "Oh," he floundered, deciding then and there to try to fish for more information, "thank you. Do you think it will happen like that?"

Hrimhari shrugged, "I do not know. I am not, after all, a seer."

Harry inclined his head politely, filing the tantalizing hints away for later. "Well, I wish you a pleasant rest of your evening but I had better start making the rounds…"

Hrimhari gave him a short bow and he continued on his way, spotting Leif out of the corner of his eye surrounded by several other nobles' children. He almost made it before he was intercepted by Lord Freyr and Lady Freya, his mother's siblings, and King and Queen of Vanaheim.

Vanaheim was a strange place, in Harry's opinion. The Vanir was the sister race to the Aesir and were essentially the same except that the Aesir were more focused on war and knowledge, while the Vanir's powers and culture valued fertility and magic. It was more complicated than that, but Harry honestly wasn't that concerned about it. His aunt and uncle, neither of whom were married, had co-ruled Vanaheim as Vassals to his father since the conclusion of the Aesir-Vanir War. Said war had been on and off since the beginning of Bor's reign.

Apparently, the war had started over Freya's, his mother's oldest sibling, magical shenanigans on Asgard. Bor (his paternal grandfather) had demanded Njord strip Freya of her magic and when he didn't, declared war on them. This had led to a long war that had dwindled as other things had happened in the universe and both of his parents had been born, slowing the war to a few occasional spats and a lack of diplomatic relations. Until that is, Odin and Hela went about conquering the realms and Njord opposed them and lost.

Thankfully for both parties involved, the dispute was settled when Odin and Frigga married. Njord has abdicated at some point in the ensuing years, leaving Freya and Freyr to split the ruling duties.

"Prince Haraldr," Freyr called with a congenial smile.

"Lord Freyr," Harry greeted with a bow, "Lady Freya."

"Good evening, nephew," Freya said with a smile. His maternal aunt had a timeless quality to her and the natural beauty shared by his own mother. His uncle had similar coloring but a distinctly earthy, masculine presence.

"How have you been?" Freyr asked, "and I believe 'uncle' will suffice, even tonight."

Harry grinned, "then call me Harry."

They nodded in agreement and he continued, "I've been well. I have spent most of my time at school, of late."

"On Midgard, yes?" Freya asked.

Harry nodded.

"I'm sure your parents have their reasons," she said diplomatically, but Harry could tell she disagreed. He couldn't entirely blame her. A prince should have an education of his own kingdom, he thought.

"They do, the fates-" Harry said, but Freyr waved him off.

"The fates are best to be kept appeased. If they said it was in Asgard's interests to have you on Midgard then you must trust them, even if they deserve no trust. For no other reason, perhaps, then to keep them happy with you."

"Yeah," Harry said, "they were pretty straight up about where I should be."

"Then you have a grand destiny ahead of you, nephew," said Freya.

Though his aunt and uncle were perfectly pleasant company, once he spotted Thor, he made his excuses and went straight for his brother. Hela was busy with their father having a very important conversation with Nova Prime and the head of the Kree Empire, trying to force the war to wind down. Additionally, rumors of a 10th realm had, according to his friends, been making the rounds, and apparently, his father wanted them squashed, so his mother was sent to speak with the originators of that rumor. Thor did not have a particular job tonight and was goofing off with Hercules until Harry dragged him out to one of the balconies.

He didn't beat around the bush. "What is this I hear about mum having a vision of Loki?"

Thor looked alarmed, which Harry took as confirmation of Hrimhari's comments. "Visions? What visions? Mother didn't have any visions."

Harry snorted, "We both know you are lying and this shouldn't have been kept from me, so you better tell me."

"I cannot," said Thor. "Father forbade talk of it."

"Why?"

"Because of its contents-he didn't want to give false hope or provoke you to go after Loki," said Thor.

"That's stupid," Harry said, "tell me what was in it."

"But father-"

"Dad isn't going to do anything to me or you," said Harry dismissively, "he's a softy when it comes to internal matters. Usually."

"Fine," Thor relented, "but if I get in trouble, I'm blaming you."

Harry looked at him smugly.

"Mother saw a vision of you, Loki, and I gathered in a room speaking," said Thor. "It was of the future she insisted, but she couldn't make out what we were saying."

Harry breathed in and out deeply. "That's-that's good news!"

Thor finally lost control of his own beaming smile, "It is, indeed, excellent news."