Chapter 42: A Plan in the Making

"Loki Laufeyson!" Amelia Bones exclaimed while walking up to the trickster in a brisk pace. "I thought I made myself clear when I said that I wouldn't stand for you endangering the magical community of England."

"Excuse me, please?! Is it now my fault that this bastard Zachariah is after Harry? I told you all I know about the entire thing so don't blame me when this son of a bitch decides to show up in the middle of the day only to try and get Harry possessed by a demon!" Loki raged, he was far too worried about Harry at the moment to properly appease the woman.

The others, especially the younger ones, seemed calmer though even if fearful in Bone's eyes. She wondered what happened here.

Hermione in the meantime stared at the pagan in shock and surprise over how he talked to the woman. By now she was used to Loki seeing rules and laws more like advice he then promptly ignored but talking to someone like that was usually not his thing. So, she narrowed her eyes in determination, stepped in front of Loki and dragged him with her away from the others, closely followed by the twins and Neville who warily glanced at Bones. Sam watched them before he turned towards her once they vanished around a corner into a side alley.

"Ms Bones was that correct?"

Amelia Bones could only nod in her surprise over what just happened, she couldn't believe that Loki was that enraged or possibly worried that he would snap at her like that and if she wasn't wholly mistaken she also saw something akin to fear in his eyes. Something had happened and that in turn made her worried, primarily if it was something that sparked fear in Loki.

"Sorry for Loki's behaviour but he is apprehensive about Harry because he vanished and Loki isn't able to track him. Believe me, Loki isn't the bad guy in this, and that's nothing I say lightly. Zachariah showed up and tried to get Harry possessed by a demon," Sam explained the woman who still looked to where Loki had vanished between two buildings.

"You want to tell me that an angel works together with a demon?" Bones asked in disbelieve, she heard a lot of things throughout her work but that indeed was novel and nothing she would believe without proof or at least an excellent explanation.

Sam rose an eyebrow. "What did Loki tell you about the recent occurrences?"

"That Zachariah faked the prophecy to bind Harry to get him Riddle's soul," she replied confused.

"And what about Lucifer?"

"What has that to do with Harry?" she frowned, sure Loki told her everything about the cage and the seals in case one would influence even Britain, but she couldn't see the link to Harry.

Sam looked at her strangely when he realised just why she didn't know about the connection, Loki hadn't had the time to tell her yet.

"Sorry, I forgot that it is something we found out only recently and it seems that Loki didn't have the time to tell you yet. Zachariah made a deal with a few demons so that they would help him to get Lucifer out, but in return, he would have to deliver them Riddle's soul," Sam explained, it actually was something that Crowley managed to find out and told them about two weeks ago.

"That explains…a lot," Bones mused watching how two Aurors carried the dead man away for a later closer inspection. "I already wondered why that angel needed the soul this desperately. Besides that who killed the demon? Just for the record."

"That was me, I couldn't allow him to touch or possess Harry, not that it would have worked anyway," Sam answered with a chuckle.

"How so?" she asked curiously.

"Loki gave all of us a tattoo that prevents possession of any kind. Well, Harry, Neville, the twins and I got one while Hermione wanted to talk with her parents first," Sam said with a shrug. "It was sparked by Riddle possessing Quirrell."

"That sounds highly useful," Bones agreed, even if not with the fact that neither the twins nor Neville asked for consent from their parents first, but that was not for her to sort out.

"Why didn't I know about that?" Sirius exclaimed. "I want one too!"

James nodded eagerly next to him, and even Lily and Ellen didn't seem to be averse to the idea of getting such a tattoo.

"And you shall get one but not now," Loki's much calmer voice suddenly came from behind them. "My apology Ms Bones, it wasn't my best idea to let my anger and worry run away with me."

"No damage done, I had worse," she said waving him off. "Mr.…?"

Sam winced when he realised that he completely forgot to introduce himself. "Sam Winchester."

"Wait, the American hunter?" She was surprised that he was here since he was, as she said, an American Hunter. "What are you doing here and aren't you…older?"

"Uhm yes?!" Sam asked confused. "I'm currently visiting Hogwarts and Loki de-aged me for that. Don't worry, the staff knows about it. But how do you know who I am?"

"The heads of the British and American DMLE regularly update each other on who work in their own department as well as any other law enforcer working in their country. You and your brother are registered as hunters with them. Did you think they wouldn't keep track of people like you? Anyway, Mr Winchester told me that Harry vanished and you couldn't track him so I can understand your worry Loki."

"Yeah, where is my son?" James interrupted them obviously never having stopped to worry about him even if he didn't speak up about it until now. He knew from his own work as an Auror that it didn't get him anywhere letting himself being blinded by fear and worry.

"Actually, I learned where Harry vanished to while getting berated by four children," he said with an accusatory glance at said children who only looked at him innocently.

"And why isn't he with you then?" Lily wanted to know.

"It seems that there is a place where I can't track him and for him to get there he drained his magic to the point that it needs to recuperate or he would only hurt himself with trying to get back. But don't worry he's somewhat safe there and will be back within the hour," Loki explained.

"Then why don't you just go and get him?" Sirius was confused. "And it takes far longer to replenish a depleted magical core than one hour."

"Because it is a place I cannot get into and don't ask me how Harry got there because I have no idea. Though the time there runs faster, so it is only an hour for us while it is long enough for him to recuperate."

Slowly but surely Harry came around, and the first thing he noted was that he hurt...everywhere. His entire body felt as if he ran a marathon while his head felt as if someone was prodding it with a hot knife. So, all in all, he didn't feel like moving at all at the moment.

The second thing he recognised was that his head was lying in someone's lap while he was lying on the floor. However, he had absolutely no idea where he was or whose lap it was. He shifted a bit in the hope of getting in a more comfortable position but instantly groaned in pain. Hell, even thinking hurt.

"So you're finally awake," a soft female voice above him stated that sounded as if she was about his age.

"I feel like I met the wrong end of a stampede," Harry muttered. "What happened?"

"No wonder, you nearly completely depleted your magical core. You shouldn't move too much. On the other hand...," she began but hesitated.

"On the other hand...what?" Harry asked but winced because it sent a new wave of pain through his head.

"I could block the pain so that you won't feel it anymore, but you'd need to trust me...I mean really trust me," she explained.

"So the options are to either feel like utter shit or trusting a girl I don't know," Harry summarised with a groan. "Ah hell, do it, it isn't as if you could make it any worse."

Harry felt how the girl placed her hands on either side of his head. He didn't know what he expected to happen, but the soft, warm feeling beginning at his temples and reaching out through his body took him by surprise. The feel was soft and warm but also had a darker edge to it, Harry just couldn't place it, but he couldn't deny that it worked as he instantly began to relax. Slowly the pain ebbed away, and he sighed in content.

"Thank you," he said once the warm feeling stopped, leaving him blissfully pain-free though he didn't want to move just yet.

"You're welcome," The girl said with a snicker. "I just blocked the neuronal stimuli that make you feel pain, so the pain is still there, but you don't feel it...for now."

"How long will that last?" Harry asked while opening his eyes only to snap them shut instantly.

"About a day so you should be careful during that time because you won't feel any pain whatsoever. Is something wrong?" She inquired when she saw him closing his eyes again as quickly as possible.

"So, trying not to get injured and no not generally wrong, just your aura..., it would give me a headache if I looked at you for too long," Harry told her not putting into account that he wouldn't feel the headache thanks to the girl's spell or whatever it was. However, it wouldn't be a good idea anyway because he would probably feel it tenfold once the charm that girl put on him faded.

"You're an Auramancer," the girl said in surprise before concentrating a bit. "It should be alright for you now."

Tentatively Harry opened his eyes again, relieved that the girl wasn't surrounded by a blinding white anymore. For all that he saw made him smile slightly. From his position, he could see that the girl had dark honey blond hair that reached just past her shoulder and was bound at the nape of her neck. Her azure blue eyes were looking at him with a little worry, and her mouth was curled into a small smile.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Now that I do not feel as if I was run over by a truck multiple times...yes, I'm alright," Harry replied while slowly sitting up, not wanting to hasten anything and hurt again. He felt miles better than he had a few minutes ago even when he was hit by dizziness.

"Take it slowly. While I suppressed your pain, you're still weak from depleting your core," the girl said while coming to aid Harry when he began to sway.

Harry nodded slowly and closed his eyes, waiting for the world to stop spinning. In the meantime, he thought about his situation. Not only did he have no idea where he was but that he was here with an angel. Be that as it may, thanks to her healing him, he would give her the benefit of the doubt. Somehow, he doubted that Zachariah would attack him, make him teleport away only to have someone help him afterwards, which made no sense at all in his eyes. However, he would have to find out where he was if he wanted to get back, but the more pressing question was who the angel was and whether he was safe.

"So, who of those angels are you? I know you're not that bastard Zachariah, are you working for him?"

The girl rose an eyebrow at him though he didn't see it because Harry still had his eyes closed.

When he received no answer, Harry opened his eyes again but as soon as he looked at her properly for the first time, his mouth fell open, and he could only gape at her. After a few minutes where none of them said anything, the girl just observed him curiously, Harry slowly looked around carefully as not to ignite another dizzy spell. He was in a large, hall-like room that was bare except for an armchair and a table in one corner next to a filled to the brim bookshelf. What he also could see was that the wall opposite of him was interrupted by barred windows.

"Eh...what?" Was all he could get out. "How the hell did I end up here of all places?"

Harry had instantly deduced where and with whom he was. If the vast, nearly empty hall with undeniably no exit wasn't a dead giveaway, the aura of the angel indeed was. It was to equal parts the usual blinding white and a pitch black. However, what made him curious was the golden streak flowing through it, he never saw something like that before, and he had to admit that it looked beautiful.

"That is an excellent question, it should be absolutely impossible for anyone to get in here," she replied while watching him with unconcealed interest. "This makes me even more curious about you."

"Even more?"

"I felt it when you teleported into hell to dump an angel in a hellfire lake three levels above us," she amusedly replied though she could also see the benefit in this situation.

Initially, she had sent out a few demons to get information about the boy who currently sat in front of her, but now she would be able to obtain said information first hand. She wasn't one to let such an opportunity pass, especially not when presented on a silver platter and when he would have to spend some time with her while regenerating his magic. Lucifer wanted to cackle upon that but refrained in fear of alienating the boy.

"What can I say to that, Lucifer is curious about me," Harry retorted while carefully shuffling over to the closest wall.

He still felt weak, but luckily it wasn't that far. With Lucifer's help, he quickly got there and wasn't that strange? From what Loki and Michael said about Lucifer he would have expected, well he didn't know what he expected but definitely not a concerned girl his age that was curious about him. He also was utterly calm around her, he didn't doubt that anyone else, who was not a demon – and probably even those –, would already have freaked out, but Harry actually felt safe as if he knew that Lucifer meant no harm to him.

"So, what got you so curious about me? I mean I'm no one special. Sure, Loki is teaching me some stuff and all that, but it isn't as if I'm suddenly the greatest guy in the universe."

"You're kidding right?" Lucifer asked in disbelieve while sitting down opposite of him but Harry only shook his head. "Do you know how many thirteen-year-old boys teleport into hell as if they are on a field trip or anyone else not belonging to hell for that matter? I'll tell you…none…as in not one single person in all the millennia I'm now in here. Not to mention that you managed to get in here."

Harry looked at her wide-eyed. When he teleported into hell, he hadn't thought it something special, but with what Lucifer just told him it made him wonder even more just how he was able to pull it off, or how he landed in this cage…hall...prison…whatever.

They sat there for quite some time both lost in thought, Harry musing about how he got here and how he could get out while Lucifer thought about the mystery that that boy in front of him was. To her surprise, she felt at ease in his presence, which was rare. She usually was wary when in the company of others, always expecting the worst and them to turn against her especially since all the shit happened that consequently landed her here but with that boy, it was different, curious…so curious.

"I didn't introduce myself, did I?" Harry suddenly spoke up.

Lucifer blinked a few times before she registered what Harry said and she smiled at him. "No, no you didn't."

"Harry Potter, Loki's apprentice, Boy-who-lived, Boy-who-is-obviously-capable-of-the-impossible aaaaaand a shit ton of other things people call me," he introduced himself.

"Lucifer," she replied with a smile and curt bow of her head. "Though you already knew that and you can call me Lucy, I think that it fits my momentary body better. I also hope that you won't mind if I give that Pagan Loki a piece of my mind when I get out."

Harry stared at her in surprise. "Why's that?" he asked.

"As I see it, Loki tries to get me out so that I can help him to bring Ragnarök over the Norse pantheon and I can tell you that I won't let anyone use me," Lucifer growled. "And certainly not a measly pagan god like him."

Harry blinked at her, blinked again before he began to laugh…hard.

"What? Don't tell me you're supporting him in this!" Lucifer asked indignantly, she would never admit it but the thought somehow left her cold, the idea that this boy would want the apocalypse didn't sit well with her, not at all.

"Oh, I am supporting him in his endeavour of getting you out that certainly is true, at the same time for a completely different reason than you might think. I'm not fond of that whole apocalypse tripe at all," Harry answered once he calmed down again only to receive a disbelieving look. "No, no, not going to tell. Oh, this will be so funny. I would never have thought that I might be able to prank the devil himself...herself and get away with it. Say, why a female body and why a child if you don't mind me asking."

"For no other reason than, that I thought that you might be less inclined to panic if I look like someone your age," Lucifer shrugged. "I have to admit that you're surprisingly calm for someone who knows who I am."

"You're Lucifer, so what? As long as you don't give me a reason to panic as you put it...," Harry said with a shrug. "I mean, hell, I'm friends with Crowley and Alastair as well as two angels and several pagan deities, I am taught by Loki, was attacked by a demon and an angel alike and came out on top. I miraculously managed to revive my parents and don't ask me how because no one knows and have been made a Horcrux by that idiot Riddle. A stupid feather brain thinks that I have to dance to his tune and do what he wants and even threatened to get me possessed by a demon so all in all I can confidently say that stranger things have happened than sitting here in the cage and having a nice conversation with you."

"What did you say about that angel threatening you?" Lucifer asked, her face darkening.

"Yeah, that dick Zachariah continuously tried to force me to do his dirty work now only because he's too god damned lazy to do it himself, he even faked a prophecy for it," he shook his head in exasperation. "I went as far as dumping him in that hellfire lake, and he still didn't get the message."

"So, it was him that followed you, I already wondered. You're absolutely impossible, I hope you know that" Lucifer added with a snicker.

"Your brother pretty much said the same."

That, however, let Lucifer instantly tense. Harry was acquainted with one of her brothers? Lucifer didn't like that one bit. "Which one?" She, therefore, demanded to know.

Harry looked at her in surprise of her sharp words, but in the end, he grinned broadly.

"Still not going to tell you anything," he said in a singsong voice.

Sure, he knew that teasing the devil definitely wasn't a good idea, but from the narrowing of Lucifer's eyes, he knew that she wasn't inclined to hurt or punish him for it and that was a good sign in his eyes. Not that he was overly fond of the safe approach. Sure, he could be sly and stealthy when it suited him but where was the fun in that? That was when an idea occurred to him, and his grin became impossibly broader.

"Just had an idea, how about a little deal? I tell you what brother of yours I meant and you, in turn, help me with a prank once you get out. I even give you one free shot at Loki. How is it?" he asked her.

"What kind of prank?" Lucifer asked sceptically, she wouldn't agree to anything without knowing the details.

"Oh, you'd just have to show up at Hogwarts as yourself once you're out. Best in some flashy way, you know as a new teacher, or...," Harry looked at her contemplatively. "A new student."

"And what do you hope to achieve with that except freaking out those students who know who I am?" she was still sceptical about that entire endeavour.

"Pff, the only ones who might recognise you – and it is questionable at best that someone recognises you – are the Muggle-born and the ones with ties to the dark arts. The first group will probably be weary in the beginning but accept you when they see that my group doesn't react negatively and see that you are nothing like they think you are."

"You came to the last conclusion why?" she asked him challengingly.

"What, you mean other than the fact that you helped me when I collapsed, that you were worried about my reaction towards you hence why you took a form I find less threatening and not to forget that we now have a decent conversation for I don't know how long?" Harry retorted amusedly.

"Don't mistake my behaviour towards you as my general behaviour!"

Harry snorted. "Trust me I don't. But you peg me as intelligent and someone who tends to think strategically. To me, it sounds like you're not inclined to start the apocalypse any time soon once you're out of here and therefore you need to hide somewhere. So why not hide somewhere, where heaven and especially Michael would expect you the least."

"Then again if I hide as myself it would defeat the purpose of hiding at all," Lucifer didn't know what to think about that.

Now Harry outright laughed. "Do you know how ignorant the population of magical Britain is? They still think that the muggles are nothing more than cavemen so I highly doubt that they would even connect you to...well yourself when you come to Hogwarts as a first-year."

"Then I understand your reasoning for me coming to your school even less," Lucifer was utterly confused now. "Why coming there in the first place as myself if no one recognises me?"

"To pull one over your brother Gabriel," Harry replied with a grin, he knew he just gave away the information he wanted to trade for Lucifer's help, but he somehow had the feeling that Lucifer would be more inclined to help him when he knew just why.

Lucifer frowned though Harry could also see pain flickering over his face. "Gabriel is dead."

"Not dead, just in hiding – his personal witness protection as he calls it – and can you imagine his face, when you suddenly show up as if it's the most normal thing in the world?" the mischievous grin on Harry's face spoke volumes about what he thought about it.

Slowly the frown on Lucifer's face merged into a smile that was downright evil and sent shivers down Harry's spine but not in fear. Harry had to admit that the smile suited the fallen angel.

"Should you be right then this will suit him right, some payback for his annoying pranks is long overdue."

With that settled they fell into a comfortable conversation which they relocated to the corner where Lucifer conjured a chair for Harry and sat down in her own. Harry told Lucifer more about Hogwarts and whatever else happened to him while Lucifer told him a few things about herself. Once they ran out of stories to tell they began to discuss Books when Harry recognised a few novels in Lucifer's bookshelf, it seemed that the demons regularly supplied him with new ones. From there they went over to the film versions and Harry – luckily, he never went anywhere without his bag – introduced Lucifer to movies on his laptop. He briefly wondered how it was possible to have working internet in the cage, but hey he wouldn't complain.

They were currently watching the second Lord of the Rings movie when they were disturbed.

A/N: 'til next chapter!