Chapter 18: The Odin Family
Sylvia Hoderta knew she was the daughter of Hoder, granddaughter of the Allfather and part of the House of Odin. She had just picked up her past, which was darker than she had prepared for.
Odin and Frigga got married and had three children before Odin went to war. Hela was firstborn, Balder and Hoder were twin brothers. They were Goddess of Death, God of Light, and God of Darkness. The three grew up together, but they hated each other. Balder was the one who got all Frigga and Odin's attention, while Hela and Hoder lived on by themselves. The fight for the throne started ever since they were born, because all three of them thought they deserved to rule.
Odin, the Allfather, was nothing like he was just before he died. He was ruthless, cruel, knee-deep in blood and shed blood wherever he went. Not only to his enemies, but to his family as well.
Hela, Balder and Hoder followed their father to rule to Nine Realms. Hela attempted to take what she deserved as the firstborn – the throne of Asgard, but Odin saw that as a threat to him and sent the Goddess of Death to Helheim. Thor was born just before the war with the Jotuns.
Hoder had a wife not long after the adoption of Loki, then a child – a girl was born. Balder had a daughter with his wife a few months after as well, but the young Matilda grew up with Thor and Odin instead of Loki and Frigga, because she was more favored by Odin.
Matilda grew up in a world full of praise and happiness, while Sylvia grew in the dark. She was used to the dark, of course.
Odin saw Hela's shadow in young Sylvia and feared for his throne. He faked a prophecy to let all people suspect that Sylvia was going to kill them all. Even Hoder believed in the prophecy, and thought it was her. Only Loki, who was her only friend for her childhood, was his trust in her and went against everyone.
She learned to protect herself since no one would teach her how to fight because of the prophecy. That was why there were so many weapons in her own chamber.
She did her best to let them not to believe that prophecy, but all changed when Odin sent someone to lead the blind God into shooting his own brother Balder with an arrow. The God of Light was killed, and Hoder was executed for being the murderer. Matilda was sent away by Thor because he feared that the people behind the incident would do something to her as well.
The child of a murderer could never be good, that was what people thought at that point.
Loki continued to be at her side, but she wasn't going to stay in a palace full of lies for the rest of her life. She chose to leave, to run away from the problem, and asked Heimdall, one of the few people who believed in her, to send her away.
After the girls left Asgard, Loki and Thor came back to be brothers, but their fight for the throne wasn't yet over.
Then, that led to the things that happened at the start of Sylvia's time-travel.
She stared down at the Time-Turner that she asked Kreacher to get for her – she had no idea where that little old house-elf got it from – and touched the golden circle with her fingertips. She told him to keep it a secret even to herself and anyone in the Black family who could command him. She knew she couldn't make a Time-Turner herself despite her powers but knew that Matilda could because she could control metal.
Go back or not?
That was a serious question for her. She was bond to the Avengers from nearly ten years' time with them. They fought together, laughed together, did nearly everything together.
If she went back, herself would be at the final battle and the timeline would be different.
But if she didn't, she would be stuck in this time for another five years.
Better leave a note, then.
"Captain, you there?" She knew that Steve was one of the only people she could rely on at this point, because Thor should be drunk, and Mr. Stark would be enjoying his life with his wife and new-born daughter.
"Sylvia, you're alive?" The reply was pretty fast, sounding surprised.
"I am alive, and… I'm sorry."
"For what? We've killed Thanos in revenge." Natasha's voice came from the earpiece.
"For lying to all of you for so many years." She decided to bring the truth out, no matter the cost. Taking a deep breath, she started to tell them about how she shifted back to 2006 and went to Asgard, then started to take part in every single fight the Avengers had been through in order to make sure that they happened the way they should have been.
"I can go back now, partly because I've got a Time-Turner, and for the other part… I will come back to the compound five years later as Sylvia Black, and I don't want to meet myself… does that make sense? I mean, the me in this time will find you guys and I don't want to change things by letting myself see me."
There was silence, and Sylvia wondered whether they believed it or not.
"I'd say I believe you, pal." Cap finally replied.
"You believe it? Thank god, because I think you will have to believe a lot of other things being with me… I'll leave that to me five years later though."
"Wait, I'm still fussed about it." Nat sounded like she was confused, and Sylvia could picture the Russian Agent frowning.
"Look, I don't have too much time, but basically it's that I time-travelled back to your time, and now I'm going back to your future, which is where I came from."
"I'll try not to act too surprised when I see you again unexpectedly, then."
"Another thing, I suppose I look different from what I look like now, but it doesn't matter, and please do explain it to Mr. Stark and the others before July 1st, 2023." She checked with the two again before turning the Time-Turner.
3p.m, November 22nd, 2025.
Sylvia Apparated to a place near Hogwarts grounds and flew into the castle invisibly, then went to the library as quickly as she could. After seeing herself disappearing from behind the bookshelves, she let herself appear to human eyes.
"Matilda Lily Potter, I suggest you come out of that damn room right now, and remember, it was my room, I was there for six years before you went in to do your -" She stormed to the Room of Requirement, her robes pillowing behind her back.
"It's Lensherr now." Matilda voice came from behind.
"What?" She turned swiftly to her back, surprised that she wasn't where she was supposed to be.
"You're not the only one who did time-travels." Matilda responded.
"Lensherr, by Eric Lensherr, Magneto?" Sylvia narrowed her silver eyes, "You've been with the X-Men, you're a mutant?"
"You can take it that way." Matilda smirked, "I know you went with the Avengers, and let me guess, Thor and Loki?"
"Exactly." She raised her eyebrows, "I hope you're ready for our duel."
"What duel? You're stronger because I sent you on your stupid time-travel."
"You didn't think I'd make it back on time, did you?" She took a step forward, "You think I'd be lost in time and never come back in a whole piece, isn't that right? In order to let the Muggles and Mudbloods win this war with us purebloods? Well, you screwed it, because I grew way more powerful than you'd imagine."
"And you think I did nothing with Magneto for the past few years? You're wrong. I know how to control my powers now, and they might be better than yours."
"Really? Who's your father?"
"Magneto, of course." Matilda replied without hesitation.
"Not possible." Sylvia hissed, "You're the daughter of Balder, granddaughter of Odin, my cousin, Hoder, Hela, Loki and Thor's nephew. Whoever told you this, even for Mr. Lensherr himself, they're lying."
"What's the proof? How do I know if you're not lying?" Matilda narrowed her green eyes harshly, "We're not sisters anymore."
"You are my cousin, whether you like it or not."
"Would any one of you be kind enough to tell us what in the name of Merlin is going on?" Tim, Rodfort and Tiffany walked out from the corner.
"Nothing is going on, really." Sylvia said quickly.
"Merlin's beard, you look like you're three days dead." Tim exclaimed at Sylvia.
"I won't let you be Captain even if I died." She retorted.
"I know, you've been Captain ever since third-year."
"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Rodfort frowned at the two of them.
"Really, it's nothing." Matilda said, "Amy and Elsbeth are waiting for me." She found an excuse and left as quickly as she could.
"Blimey, I thought we were in the same house." Tim took a glance at her back.
"She's turning into a Hufflepuff for sure." Tiffany commented.
"And we're turning into Slytherins." Tim laughed brightly.
"Really, you shouldn't be playing like we used to. Purebloods are in danger, for god's sake, and Hufflepuffs are turning on us." Rodfort said seriously.
"He's right." Sylvia agreed.
"Anyways, we won't be scared by Muggles at all, right?" Tim smiled, hoping to get their spirits up.
"Tim, I know you're being optimistic, but do face the truth: we need to choose sides, wizard or Muggle, or neither, the fate of our lives depends on this." Sylvia told him.
"Perhaps we can find a way for wizards and Muggles to live together?" Tiffany suggested, "We're living on the same planet, after all. Besides, wizards have been hiding away for so long that they know nothing about Muggle technology."
"True, but we don't know if Muggles are ready to accept us." She sighed, "Muggle technology is getting closer to magic these days."
"Like Tony Stark who sacrificed two years ago?" Tiffany asked.
"Exactly." Sylvia noticed the blank look from Rodfort, "Honesty, Roddy, you need to learn something about the Muggle world. We might be fighting them sooner or later!"
"We've got magic -"
"They've got technology. Like what Tiff said, Tony Stark, Iron Man, he created his own metal suit to fight villains, what if villains made the similar?" Sylvia interrupted him, knowing what happened when people stole Stark's technology.
"Right, so what do we do?" Tim started to take this seriously.
"We're quite safe here in Hogwarts, but who knows? There's the Hufflepuffs, like Slytherin when Voldemort was rising." Rodfort frowned.
"Hufflepuffs aren't bullies, but yet no one knows what they could do to get us out of this planet." Sylvia reasoned.
"That's exactly why we need to be careful." Tiffany agreed, "Do you guys think we should hide in the RoR just for now?"
"Nope, not the best choice I'd come up with." Tim said, "They kind of know what we're doing in there, since they have Matilda on their side."
"True, but -"
"Unless we find a new use for it." Sylvia cut in.
"So, you think we should try now?" Rodfort got her point.
"No, not now," she replied, "right now I'd rather go to the Common Room."
"For what?" Tim looked confused.
"For having a break and getting some homework done," Sylvia responded to him, "and to make sure that nobody's blowing the place up without us Heads."
"Oh, right!" Tim exclaimed as if he had just forgotten the fact that he was Head Boy.
They went back to the Ravenclaw Common Room and broke up with Tiffany and Rodfort, who gone back to their own House Common Rooms.
"What?" She looked back to Tim, who has been staring at her along the way.
"Nothing." He looked away instantly.
"Tim Davies, I suggest you to be honest with me, because I would know whether you're lying or not anyways."
"I just think… I feel like you're a different person." He had to tell the truth.
"Do you?" She narrowed her eyes, "Perhaps it's because I'm Head Girl, seventh-year student, a Black and the Quidditch Team Captain all at once?"
"Perhaps." Tim said, half doubting.