"Dry Her Eyes"

By Loki Palmer

Author's Note: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Loki, Thor, and the Avengers belong to Stan Lee and Marvel Comics.

DragonTamer01: Regardless of whether I was using Fantastic Beast's version of Magical America (debatable), I still admit Sirius was right to be frightened for his friend Dr. Jane Foster. Could a Muggle like her handle the stress of such a mind-boggling revelation like "Magic is real"? And yes, depictions of Magical America differ across even the land of Harry Potter fanfiction. Personally, I have thought Magical America to be friendlier than Magical Britain (see my fanfic, "Harry Potter and the Casino Royale.") And, okay – the definition of the Obscurial is from the Fantastic Beasts movie, so I do plead guilty as charged on that count. It provides a good theoretical basis to explain why a wizard or witch clamping down on the Magic within is a bad idea.

WhiteElfElder: I think ribbing is the mot juste here. Reaming seems to have the wrong connotation …

Beth5572: Why, thank you. I'm glad to keep you entertained.

Chapter 8

Tony slapped the fainted form of Captain America a few times.

"Cap? Cap, are you in there? Come on, Cap … WAKE UP, CAP!"

The last slap woke the Captain out of his faint. "No need for the hard slaps, Tony … though seeing Thor change gender like that –"

"– Oh, yes, it was such a shock, you fainted."

Harry and Hermione helped him onto the couch. "I must confess, I'm out of my depth here."

"Welcome to my world," said Harry with an eye roll and a grin.

"The suffering of many of my fellow soldiers pales in comparison to yours. How have you suffered so much through these years without going crazy?"

Harry shrugged. "Not a day goes by that I don't ask myself that question. If my whole life has been crazy, I wouldn't want it normal."

Hermione snorted. "Normality seems to take a hike wherever Harry is concerned."

"Normality crosses to the other side of the street whenever it sees me coming, but I digress. Look at yourself, Cap: you were a shrimp of a boy who wanted to join the American Army in World War II, but the Army kept rejecting you. If it were not for the super serum Dr. Erskine injected into you, you would not have become the great hero you are known as today." He noted Hermione's look of shock. "What? He was one of my favorite comic book heroes as a kid. My cousin Dudley couldn't bother me in the library, so I was safe there."

"If I had any illusions about war the day I joined – such as war being glorious – seeing the war for myself disabused me of them. The Second World War was horrific, in spite of the Allied cause. People died on both sides."

"Can we expect it to be any less, Captain? By its own nature, war is a cruel beast that calls for the death of many, and it cares not who dies, whether good, bad, or neutral."

The Captain nodded. "Sad but true. However, we must consider examples like your own Prime Minister Winston Churchill. When the forces of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany threatened the Isle, Churchill proclaimed:

We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be.

Though we may see war as heartless, a time comes when you have no other choice but to fight for the sake of justice – to right the wrongs, to protect the innocent, to look Evil in the face –"

"– And to tell Evil to take his grandiose plan of world domination and shove it straight up his motherloving –" said Tony.

"LANGUAGE!" said Hermione and the Captain, much to Harry's amusement.

~DRY HER EYES~

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was deep in thought. Ever since Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire, he felt worried about him …

"As much as I hate to say it, Headmaster, perhaps we should … let these events unfold?"

"Severus, Potter is a boy, nae a piece of meat! He's far ower young tae participate!"

"Harry is too young for the Tournament, I agree. However, you heard Barty … the rules are clear. Before you say 'shag the rules,' Minerva, let us recall: the Goblet of Fire's selection forms a binding magical contract. Whether we like it or not, Harry risks his magic if he doesn't compete."

"Ach, Saints preserve us, Albus! First year, You-Know … ach, fine … bloody Voldemort wis goin' after the Philosopher's Stone … second year, a Basilisk near set Potter's temper close tae bring the castle crashin' doun when it attacked Miss Granger … need I say more? Bloody Dementors third year, ond nou the Goblet of Fire haes forced Potter tae compete in a deadly Tournament?! For the record, A wisna goin' tae say 'shag the rules …' dinna gie me that raised eyebrow, Severus! Barty can tak his rules and shove them up where the sun doesna shine! Thoo canna do onything, Albus? A redraw, perhaps?"

"I am sad to say that was impossible. Once the Goblet had finished its selections, the fire went out."

"So … we can do nocht? Ach! I feel I need a drink …"

"I'll join you in that, Minerva …" Severus gave him a curt bow. "Headmaster …"

He heard a loud knock at the door.

"Enter!"

"I apologize for disturbing you at this late hour, Headmaster," said the old man who entered.

"You have no need to apologize, as I do not require a large amount of sleep … not that I have slept much these nights with my current worries. I don't believe we have met before."

"Aye, we have not. I am Odin Allfather, King of the Realm of Asgard and the grandfather of your student, Harald Lokison Potter, known to you as Harry Potter."

"We are well met, Your Majesty. I am –"

Odin held up His hand for silence. " – Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of the Magical School of Hogwarts, former Transfiguration Professor of the same, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot of the British Isles, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards ... not to mention an alumnus of the Hogwarts House of Godric Gryffindor." He saw Dumbledore's mouth agape in shock. "We may not have met before, but I have My sources."

Dumbledore shut his mouth. "Your Majesty is well informed. Pray have a seat." With a wave of his wand, he conjured a soft armchair, into which Odin sat with a sigh of relief.

"Ah … thank you for the consideration of My old age … would you care to have some wine with Me? It will help us both relax."

"That would be a splendid idea, Your Majesty. Allow me to find us a couple goblets." He summoned a couple goblets from a cabinet and Odin poured wine into each. "To Your Majesty's good health."

"And to yours, Headmaster," Odin said with a grin as they both sipped, though Odin noticed Dumbledore waiting until He took the first sip. "I assure you on the Nine Realms, Asgard has no quarrel with you. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't use poison. Nay – you would face my long-reaching spear Gugnir instead … and it has never missed a target."

"I apologize if it looks like I mistrusted Your Majesty, but a little caution never hurt. As an old friend would say, Constant Vigilance." He took a sip and gazed at his goblet in awe. "I don't believe I have drunk wine this sweet … or this strong."

"Aye, it's from one of My personal stores. Best to sip it … 'tis powerful for the likes of most mortals, stronger than the wines of Midgard … what you call planet Earth."

"Wise advice, Your Majesty." He took another sip, and sighed as he felt its sweet taste melt the stress out of his body. "So what business brings Your Majesty here?"

"It is concerning the innocence of Sirius Black. Why did you not have a trial for him?"

"By the time the Aurors arrested him, everyone saw the damage and was baying for his blood. Barty Crouch Senior threw him into Azkaban without a second thought. Even if I could have cleared him of the false charge of betrayal – and yes, I knew it was a false charge – there still would have been the question of the murders of Pettigrew and 13 Muggles…"

Odin gave a low growl as He finished the thought. "… It would have been impossible to prove Sirius's innocence on all counts without an alive Pettigrew, and you had him not. Yet, Harry and Hermione, with their ex-friend Ron Weasley, did come across him last year … and the rat escaped again ..."

"Even with a Time-Turner, limits remain to what you can do ..."

"Aye … the Laws of Time and Space can take so much bending before they break. Terrible things happen to wizards who mess with time, I believe Hermione said. From what Heimdall and I have seen, she is a brilliant young witch."

Dumbledore nodded. "Her hunger for knowledge could have cost her sanity last year when she took a heavy course load."

Odin pointed to his eyepatch. "At least she didn't have to pay an eye to the Well of Mimir like I did … or hang herself from the World Tree of Yggdrasil for nine days and nights. The uncle of a famous hero told him, With great power comes great responsibility, and, if I may add My own words to this saying, with great Wisdom comes a heavy price tag."

"And with great age comes aching bones …"

"HA! WELL SAID!"

Author's Note: Yes, I know it's been a long time since I posted on any of my stories last. I had an okay 34th birthday recently (February 1st, 2018), but I'm still alive. Read and review, my friends! Happy Valentine's Day!

Smiles and laughter,

Loki Palmer