"Dry Her Eyes"
By Loki Palmer
Author's Note: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The Avengers belong to Marvel Comics and Stan Lee.
WhiteElfElder: Well, I can think of grosser relations than Sirius Black and Bellatrix Black/Hel … Jaime and Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones, anyone?
Chapter 10
The arrival of Madam Amelia Bones through the Headmaster's office Floo connection interrupted the laughter between the Allfather and Albus Dumbledore. "Headmaster, the Ministry has an urgent problem: the island prison of Azkaban has disappeared into the sea, along with the Aurors and prisoners within!"
This sudden news quelled the laughter in a moment as Albus Dumbledore spun his head in shock. "Were there any survivors?"
"Just one of my Aurors survived – Auror Jenkins. This mysterious Lady told him Hell had come, Her debts to pay … but that doesn't make any sense … Hell is a place, not a person."
"In the eyes of the Old Norse, Madam Bones, Hel – spelled with one L, unlike the English cognate – is both a place and a person," said Odin. "Her Realm is a Realm of Death – not a Realm of mere punishment as the Christians believe – and She is its Queen."
"Madam Bones, this is Odin Allfather, King of the Realm of Asgard," said Albus.
Madam Bones curtsied. "It's my honor to make Your Majesty's acquaintance. Forgive my interruption of the merriment you were enjoying."
"Given the apparent emergency to your Ministry, I understand."
"My thanks to Your Majesty. This Hel person – She sounds dangerous ..."
Odin nodded. "She can be dangerous … but to Her enemies … and to anyone who stands in Her way."
Albus paled. "Is Harry among Her enemies? Should we warn him?"
Odin smiled. "Young Harald, an enemy of Hel? Nay – he has nothing to fear from Her – he's Her brother."
"Her brother?!" said Albus and Madam Bones.
"Half-brother, if you want to be technical, but I'm not going to quibble on that. The bonds of Family are strong regardless. Two of my sons, Thor and Loki, have had a long sibling rivalry – Loki loves to prank him, while Thor responds with anger – but they still love each other as the brothers they are. I see no reason to doubt the ties between Hel and Harald.
Those who have harmed him or have plans to harm him, on the other hand … let us say this much: they should pray for the mercy of whatever Deity or Deities they believe in, for She will have none to spare. Have we ever known Death to be merciful and to hold back when it is time for a mortal to go on the journey to – as you have said it, Albus – the next great adventure?"
"Some deaths are peaceful," said Albus.
"True … and some deaths are not. If She discovers how the Dursleys treated Harald …"
"They were the only family I knew he had, until I met Your Majesty."
"Were they?" Albus noted a twinkle in Odin's eye and a smirk on his face. The sight of both made him shiver. "Whether he was their kin or not, their neglectful treatment of him was abominable by all accounts."
"Minerva did warn me, saying they were the worst sort of Muggles. I didn't believe her at first; why should family members harm one of their own?"
"Sad to say, they mistreated him – and they will pay a hefty price for it. I wish a good night to ye both."
A good night? thought Albus as he watched Odin leave. It will be more like another sleepless night …
"So, this Hel, whoever She is, is out free on the rampage, willing to take revenge against everyone who has wronged Harry Potter, Azkaban Prison is no more … is there anything we can do? Albus?"
"I'm out of my depth here, Amelia. I fear there is nothing we can do … we are talking of forces more powerful than us humans."
"You mean gods."
Albus nodded. "Yes, and we were in the presence of one of these gods. I have something to confess here: I'm getting too old for this …"
"Good night, Headmaster. I'll keep you posted, as I'm sure you'll do the same for me."
"Agreed. Good night, Amelia."
~DRY HER EYES~
Professor Severus Snape fell out of his bed in shock as his wards warned him of a couple visitors, one of whom was knocking on his door.
"Snivellus?"
How could this be? Unless his senses were deceiving him, his wards identified his visitors as two dead people …
"Come out, come out, you greasy-haired bat!"
That voice – impossible!
"Potter, if this is one of your pranks, stop it and leave me alone!"
"Oh, Snivellus, you know how much I love playing pranks on you and your fellow Slytherins … so much fun … and you want me to stop?"
"Why don't you go away?"
"You would like that, wouldn't you? I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." A pause filled the air. "That means no. We have words to share, Snivellus … open up …."
Professor Snape opened the door to see a grinning James Potter. "There we go … dear me, is your face looking paler than normal? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Are you going to stand there all evening mocking me, Potter, or will you come into my room?"
"Why, I would be delighted to come in! I do declare, it is drafty down here in the dungeons …" James's face took on a look of puzzlement as he entered. "You call this a room? Seems a bit … cramped."
"Some might call it cozy, James," said Lily, "but I guess Severus needs all the comfort he can find, after what happened to us that fateful night."
Professor Snape fell to his knees. "Lily … I'm so sorry …."
"Nú, Loki?" (Now, Loki?)
A moment after Lily hoisted him up, Professor Snape found himself looking into the stormy eyes of a pissed-off God of Thunder.
"Severus, thou greasy-haired, sniveling, pathetic worm, thou canst take thy sorry and shove it down the wide gullet of the wolf Fenrir, along with thyself! Thou wert one of the people responsible for our mortal deaths, wert thou not? Thou revealed the existence of the prophecy to Voldemort, right?"
Professor Snape had no hope to deny the accusation. "Yes, though it was just the first part."
"It was just the first part," said Loki in a mocking tone. "Even that first part you heard and relayed to Lord Voldemort was enough to send Him out in our direction. Pettigrew finished the betrayal when he ratted us out."
"Pettigrew?"
"Peter Pettigrew, the last of the Marauders? Rat-faced man? Pudgy little coward?"
"He was the Secret Keeper all this time?"
"As usual, you applied your keen, penetrating mind to arrive at the wrong conclusion last year. Sirius was too bloody obvious a choice for the Secret Keeper."
"Ironic, isn't it … the infamous God of Mischief falling prey to a trick."
Loki rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes … I must appreciate the irony, hmm? Release him, Thor, unless you want him releasing all over you."
Thor threw him to the ground, uncaring of Professor Snape's dignity or the lack thereof.
Loki knelt to look Professor Snape in the eyes. "Think yourself fortunate we are letting you live, Severus, though you are skating on thin ice as far as we are concerned. You have your service to Harald – such as when you saved his life in his first year – to thank for that favor."
"Upon the Nine Realms," said Thor, "let us assure you of this: if you should do anything that leads to his death – Æsir forbid – there will be a line of people stretching out to the Forbidden Forest with us who will want to avenge him by killing you."
"Not before we make your last moments the worst you have spent in your mortal existence," said Loki. "You will beg for the nonexistent mercy of My Daughter Hel before we're done. Do we have an understanding, Severus?"
Professor Snape gave them a fearful nod.
"Good. We will be watching you."
A slow applause sounded from the door. "Well done, My sons."
Loki and Thor spun around. "Father?" said Thor.
"What are you doing here?"
"I sensed Thor's anger spiking, and I feared the worst … much to My relief, I note my initial fear was groundless."
Odin glared at Professor Snape. "This does not mean you are off the hook with the Realm of Asgard, Professor Severus Tobias Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts and Head of Slytherin House. Your future behavior will determine whether you will live, or whether you will die. If you will indulge Us a tidbit of wisdom, let Us say: Be careful what alliance you choose."
"My thanks to His Majesty for His mercy."
"We think perhaps 'tis more than you deserve, but don't make Us regret this, Our gift of indulgence. Betray Us, and there will be no place within the Nine Realms where you will be able to hide yourself from Our wrath."
"I understand. If it will make it easier for His Majesty to trust me, I can offer my alliance to the Realm of Asgard."
Odin nodded. "You understand what you offer?"
"I do, Your Majesty. Will His Majesty accept?"
"Professor Severus Tobias Snape, do you choose, of your own free will, to renounce your alliance to Lord Voldemort and His schemes against Harald Lokison Potter?"
"Of my own free will, I do renounce Him and all His schemes."
The Allfather pointed His spear at Professor Snape's Dark Mark. "Then, by the power of Asgard, I, Odin Allfather, King of the Realm of Asgard, break your alliance to Thomas Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, and cement your alliance to the Realm of Asgard." The Dark Mark disappeared. The picture of the Valknut took its place on his arm.
"Now that We have concluded Our affair here, We shall go. Thor, Loki, behind Me, please."
As they left, Thor said to Odin, "What news, Father?"
"If you are wondering about Asgard, it's fine."
"Fair enough," said Loki, "but something else troubles you, Father."
"Ha! No matter how hard I try, I can't hide anything from you, can I, Loki?"
"I've lost count of how many times You have tried."
"Hel has escaped from prison. I assure you, I did not place Her there; it was the mortals who did so."
"Mortals placed My Daughter in a prison?! What were they thinking?"
"She had tortured a couple mortals who had stolen Her Son …"
"Well, that sounds par for the course, and Her whaaaaaaat?"
Thor snorted and laughed. "Seeing a dumbfounded look on your brother's face: priceless!"
Loki rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha, ha, you might as well laugh it up while you still can, Thor."
Odin smiled at them. "You two have come a long way since your boyhood days of bickering at each other."
"Thor and I still bicker, Father … we are just a bit more playful now. I'm the loveable scamp, and he's the Grumpy Gus."
"I AM NOT A GRUMPY GUS!"
"Who's a Grumpy Gus? Who's a Grumpy Gus? Who's a Grumpy –" a punch from an irritated Thor interrupted him "– OW! I rest my case. Back to the subject of Hel's escape from prison … should we warn Harald?"
Odin shook His head. "She is no danger to him, Loki, and She will find him sooner or later."
Loki nodded in thought. "Now that I think about it, they did seem close when he was but a little child."
Thor nodded. "Yes, they were. That is an encouraging sign right there … and during our time here as mortals, wasn't She with an old mutt we know and love?"
"Garmr?"
"Are you kidding me? Garmr's ancient!"
"You said old mutt."
"Yeah, but I didn't mean that old!"
"He's adorable, as is Fenrir."
"Fenrir is one of your kids, prophesied to loosen his bonds at the coming of Ragnarǫk. I didn't mean him either."
Loki thought back. "You mean Sirius Black? If Father is right in saying She has a Son, that would mean he is more than my brother – he would be my son-in-law!"He grinned. "Good for him! That is, assuming they got married, of course. Where is he, by the way?"
"You will see him again, and soon. Stay with Harald."
"Of course, Father," they said.
The Bifrost shone down and took Odin Allfather back to Asgard …
Author's Note: I know, it's been a long while, but during this year of 2018, I have been working on a writing project (an original one), and I anticipate it will come out soon – most likely early in the year of 2019, by my best estimate. It's a romantic comedy by the name of "Gargoyle Willie." Keep your eyes open for it!
Smiles and laughter,
Loki Palmer