A/N – I'm somewhat in the mood to write instead of study, so I do that even if my grades might suffer a bit because of that.

o-0-o

Travel through Bifrost felt to Harry as exciting and fantastic as usual, bright orange branches of Yggdrasil visible in the space around him, reaching to various dimensions and galaxies and connecting them into one sprawling net. However there was something unusual about this travel, the normal ethereal colors were replaced by their more frigid and dark variants, also the energy that coursed through it felt more cold and perhaps even slightly evil.

However his thoughts were cut by the arrival on Asgard, he stepped out of the Bifrost and almost immediately felt his breath turn into a fine mist and a gust of cold air caress his face and remind him that a very faint and barely visible stubble was growing on his cheeks and he needed to take care of it.

"It's cold," Atalanta stated as she joined him. "Too cold for normal weather."

"Winter has came to Asgard, Your Highness," Heimdall said in his deep, rumbling voice. "You are too young to see it, but the past few years were a slow change of seasons with the winter coming this year."

Harry nodded and smiled, snow and cold were elements in which he thrived and enjoyed being. "Finally something else than scorching sun and warm," he said and almost immediately felt Atalanta's gaze land upon him. "The fact that you love warmth doesn't mean that everybody loves it."

She didn't say anything, just gave him an icy look and took from one of the guards that waited for them a thick woolen cloak lined with a fur of a direwolf and with a wide hood. She put it on and jumped into the saddle of one of the horses. "I won't wait for you any longer," she said and nudged the horse to move.

Harry shrugged at it and took a cloak from a guard that offered it to him and throwing it onto his body he jumped into the saddle and looking at his guards he nudged his horse to chase Atalanta. It was also then that he realized that there was a lot more warriors scattered around the place and an awful lot of them was on edge and looked more grim than normal bodyguards.

"What's going on?" He asked as he looked at Sif who rode to his side. "I don't recall ever seeing so many guards."

"An Unseelie Accords summit," she said and a flicker of disgust passed across her face. "And some of the signatories aren't known for playing by the rules."

Harry nodded in agreement as he had heard more than enough rumors and tales about summits going awry from his family. However until now he didn't realize how dangerous it could get as looking at the amount of guards patrolling the city, checking those entering or leaving it and even more standing on the war it felt as if a war was coming. A quick look at Sif who just slightly tilted her head just confirmed his suspicions.

Even with Sif's grim predictions and outlook on the future the rest of the travel passed blissfully uneventful and soon they caught up with Atalanta and their whole group entered the Citadel where they dropped reins of their mounts onto the ground and hurried into their rooms. Once they entered them Harry paused to catch his breath and looked at Atalanta. "Bath, together, now?"

"As if you read in my thoughts," she said and dropped her cloak onto the ground. "I'm frozen and need something warm to warm me up."

Harry just smiled and followed her suit before rushing into their bathroom and quickly undressing before hopping into the bath filled with water. Water that was steaming hot and upon its contact with his skin Harry let out a small his, but then relaxed and let out a sigh of content before submerging his whole body and letting water wrap around it.

"Gods, I needed it," he muttered as he emerged onto the surface, water dripping from his whole body in massive streams and washing away his pains and worries as well as letting him relax and warm his body after that ride.

"Not only you," Atalanta said with a chuckle and he looked at her naked form. "You love cold and winter, I'm more comfortable in the warmer climates. It's not like it hurts me, I'm just feeling uncomfortable."

Harry smiled and looked at her. "I see, so what do you plan to do?"

"Cuddle a lot and spend time with you," she said and smiled. "And as much time in the warm confines of the Citadel as possible."

"You're lazy," Harry said and ignored her glare. "Sif will kick us out to train even if we don't like it and we will need to train no matter how badly we want to be inside."

Atalanta muttered something under her breath, but then shrugged and ignored him as she closed her eyes and rested her back against the edge of the bath. Harry only smiled and reaching for a nearby towel he climbed out of the bath and started to dry himself.

"Where do you go, love?" Atalanta asked as one of her eyes opened.

"Talk with my uncle," Harry said and added after a moment. "I need to ask him about things."

o-0-o

Loki smiled when he saw Harry enter the chamber and send annoyed looks at the guards that were everywhere. "How was it at Hogwarts?"

"Good," Harry said and hesitated for a moment before adding. "And bad."

"Oh, how so?"

"Something or someone petrified the cat belonging to the caretaker."

"Petrified, you say?" Loki asked, not showing a hint of shock he felt at those news. It seemed that something was roaming halls of Hogwarts. He had suspicions about what it was, but it shouldn't be there.

"That's what Headmaster said, that the cat was petrified."

"And it can be only reversed with mandrake juice," Loki said and smiled when he saw Harry cringe at the word mandrake. "And they are usually gathered in April or so. Can you tell me when and where did it happen?"

"By the girls' bathroom on the second floor and on the night of All Hallows' Eve," Harry said and then his eyes widened. "Someone helped to do the deed as the cat was hanged on the torch bracket."

"Interesting, very interesting," Loki said and nodded. "I will go to Hogwarts and see what's going on, in the meantime, don't be late for today's feast."

o-0-o

I stalked outside of the girls' bathroom on the second floor, my eyes watching for anything that could have been connected to the weird petrificstion and finding nothing. My experience screamed at me, telling that there was something obvious that I missed and couldn't notice. I was about to give up, grab my staff and open a Way to Arctis Tor and from there join Mab during Accords summit when I felt something powerful approach me. I looked in the direction of its source and notice a tall, thin, yet athletic look man dressed in greens, blacks and golds walk towards me, on his head a weird helmet with a pair of horns and in his hands a scepter. However that wasn't what unsettled me, as the thing that freaked me out were black as night hair and emerald green eyes, making the man look like an older, more matured, yet less hulking version of one of my students. "Who are you?" I asked, drawing the blade of my sword out of its scabbard.

"A person of many names and titles," the man said and shrugged. "Now you can call me Lukas."

I considered his words for a moment, I could tell that he was lying to me, but I also knew that he was way out of my league and since I wasn't dead, he wanted something from me. "So what do you want here?"

"The same thing as you, solve this puzzle or at least try to do it," he said, indicating blood on the wall hidden by a powerful veil, water on the floor and a spot where the cat was hanged. "I'm a man that doesn't like mysteries and I believe that the two of us can get better results than we could do on our own."

I ran my hand through my hair and nodded. "Okay, tell me what you know and I will tell you what I know."

"Clever," Lukas murmured with a mischievous smile. "Force your ally to reveal their cards before revealing yours. But anyways, there is no ambient energy in the air and there are no traces of a ritual that could have been conducted in this place. It was done on All Hallows' Eve and the border between dead and alive is thin on that day, so something could have slipped through and cause havoc."

I nodded, somewhat impressed by the knowledge of whoever this Lukas truly was. His accent reminded me of someone I met before, but being unable to figure it out, I sent it away and looked at him. "The letters were written in blood, so the one that did it at least had some basic magical knowledge and most likely was human as the wards wouldn't let in anything supernatural." I licked my lips and paused for a moment. "It wasn't magic, so it was either a ritual of such a miniscule power that it froze the cat and then the energy dissipated or we have some artifact or beast loose inside of the school."

"Good thinking," Lucas said and smiled. "Before this event happened I had my minions and allies try to track down horcruxes of an upstart that called himself Lord Voldemort. They managed to track down three, one that was in the head of the oldest son of Thor, one hidden in a locket of Salazar Slytherin and one concealed inside of a Diadem of Athena that later was given to Rowena Ravenclaw. They also managed to uncover two more, one they managed to track down to Malfoys' Manor and second to this very school."

I paled as I made the connections. "So you suggest that this horcrux was slipped into the school and here it possessed someone or something?"

"Aye," Lukas said. "I think that you know what needs to be done."

I nodded grimly and grasped my staff, runes carved in it pulsing with faint light. "Report it to the Council and be here with a cadre or two of Wardens when the students will return to search them and their belongings for possession and black magic."

"Aye," Lukas said and twirled his scepter. "I will notify the Allfather that the guests on Asgard might be possessed and need to be checked for black magic."

"Thank you," I said and focused on my magic. "If you excuse me, I have a Way to catch and a meeting to attend. Aparturum." The reality parted in front of me and formed a doorway into the Nevernever, Hogwarts was close to Edinburgh and the headquarters located below it and in its own right was a massive nexus of Ways so this trip was going to be short and uneventful.

o-0-o

Luna looked around in amazement as she sat on front of Ulf on his horse, both of them were bundled in thick woolen cloaks that seemed to be enchanted as they kept cold away from them and provided them with some comfort. Everything around her looked wonderful and even unreal, she as they had ridden through the city she could see graceful towers, spires and buildings. While now she could look at an almost untouched forest with vibrant animal life as between the trees she could see animals pass and in the branches there were some birds, those that didn't move towards warmer regions, all of it made her wonder how all of it would look in the middle of summer with all of the animals present.

Yet as she watched all of those wonders she could feel Ulf be a bit unsettled by what was going on around them. So she glanced backwards at her boyfriend and saw him look around in shock, amazement and bewilderment. "What's wrong?"

"Snow and ice," he said and added. "Winters are rare on Asgard, like once per fifty years or so."

"Not on Midgard," she said and looked at him. "You'll get used to it, sooner than you think."

He gave her a look before nudging the horse to move faster. "Mayhaps you're right," he said and paused. "It's just shocking to see everything covered in snow and ice." His hazel eyes darted to the sky and a quickly growing line of clouds far off in the distance. "Also a storm or something similar is coming and we don't want to be caught outside when it hits."

"How bad it can get?" Luna asked as she reached for her wand.

"You don't want to know," said a cloaked figure on a horseback that emerged from the forest to the side. "So dear brother follow me and you should be able to avoid getting buried alive in the snow."

Luna looked at Ulf and then at the stranger that threw back the hood of their cloak and revealed a pair of hazel eyes, a nasty scar barely avoiding one of them and a mane of braided brown hair. She was also obviously female and looked quite young, but Luna was aware that aging was a very random thing on Asgard.

"Ran?" Ulf asked and nudged his horse to move closer. "What are you doing here, sis?"

"Looking out for you," now named Ran said and chuckled. "But I certainly didn't expect you to come with a lover."

Luna laughed at the blush that appeared on Ulf's face and then turned to look into his eyes. "You know that she's right," she whispered before pulling Ulf into a kiss. "So don't lie to your sister."

Ran in the meantime managed to get closer to them and laughed at Ulf's expression. "Now, now, younger brother, I approve of your taste in lovers," she said and then gave them a colder look. "But that can wait, now if we don't want to get buried alive we better hurry."

o-0-o

Illyana's eyes flickered with flames of amusement when she saw Hogwarts students look around in curiosity as they were being showed around by few unlucky souls that annoyed one of deputies of the Lord Commandant or one of senior warriors. She didn't ask how they were chosen, but she also didn't have any desire to do so. There were forces far out of her league and one of them were leaders of the Academy.

"They don't know in what shit they landed, do they?" Idunn asked and Illyana looked at her. "I'm used to crazy security measures, but even for me it was too much when they went room by room and looked everywhere for something suspicious."

Illyana shivered at those words. "That was awful," she said after a moment. "And since the summit is here, Hogwarts will get it today afternoon or so."

"At least it will miss us," Idunn said with a grin. "And Prince Harald should be also on Asgard so he might show up here."

Illyana almost tripped at those words. "It's today?" she asked, catching balance and making sure she didn't lose anything. "Those four months passes so quickly."

"Should be," Idunn said and swept her eyes over the Hogwarts group. "Those two, a redhead girl and a boy with mousy hair, look like a disaster waiting to happen and behave as if the world belonged to them and so hard working that they lack any muscles."

Illyana looked in the direction of those two and after a moment nodded. "Question is just when it will happen and who will bring it," she said and then her gaze darted to a bushy haired girl. "She might be interesting."

"Might be, though with just knowledge you won't get far," Idunn said, making Illyana nod. "Question is what she will show when training in martial arts and how well she will adapt to our crazy lifestyle."

Illyana nodded and on her lips appeared a small smile when she saw a pair of youngest students hurry out of her way when they saw her robes tied with a wide silver sash with a narrow purple strip, that was given to top five percent of each group. "They will also have problems with hierarchy," she said and Idunn looked at her. "I mean Hogwarts students, from what little Prince Loki and Harry told me they believe to be superior and expect that everybody bows to them."

"That, that will be fun," Idunn said with a grin. "Especially if they learn that they are at the bottom of the food chain and need to listen to everybody."

"There will be an even more amusing sight, that is if we can catch it happen."

"Oh?" Idunn asked. "What can be more amusing than them being brutally put into place?"

"Them discovering that Harry is second in line to the throne of the realm," Illyana said and on Idunn's face appeared a grin.

"Can you get me a good vantage point to watch it? My Alf genes scream at me to gather all the data I can and that will be a goldmine."

"I should be able to do it."

"Good girl," Idunn said, planting a kiss on Illyana's cheek and making her blush. "Let's go to the class or we will be late."

Illyana looked at her and then her eyes widened in fear, just before the two of them started to run through the corridors, pushing magic into their limbs to make them work faster and carry them further.

o-0-o

They escaped the storm in just a nick of time as when the storm started to fall more heavily directly in front of them appeared a gate built out of wood with towers flanking them and providing guards with vantage points allowing them to watch their surroundings. It was then that Luna realized that their arrival was noticed long ago and Ullr knew that his son was coming with a lover.

"It feels smaller," Ulf said as he looked at the towers above. "I recall them being bigger than this."

"You grew up a bit," Ran said with a chuckle as they entered the settlement. "Anyways, father is here and will probably want to talk with you right now."

"Probably wants to ask what did I see on Midgard."

Luna muted out the talk of her boyfriend and his sister and instead focused on the town around them, while it wasn't as grand as the capitol was with its graceful spires, towers, wide streets, monuments and shining gold material. It was an impressive sight nonetheless and one that appealed more to her as instead of gold she could see more neutral and pleasant looking colors, as well as plenty of natural wood and stone. Also the buildings were much lower and instead they seemed more solid and certainly were spread over a much larger area.

"That's where we stop," Ulf said as he jumped off the horse. "Ydalir, seat of our father."

Luna joined Ulf on the ground and looked at the thing in front of her, it was a massive manor, worthy of being a seat of a powerful noble and his family. It was built mostly out of wood and stone that was elaborately carved and painted, making it look as if it was alive. She was used to magical architecture that moved on its own, but when she saw parts of the wall move aside and reveal an entrance she was simply stunned.

"How?" she weakly asked.

"Magic is a wonderful force," Ran said and walked through it. "Unless you two want to get turned into icicles you better hurry."

Luna gave Ulf a look, but after a nod from him she smiled and together they walked into the the building, the doors disappearing right behind them.

o-0-o

Hermione looked around, her eyes unable to focus on a single thing and switching from one to another without any particular order. Her mind had troubles believing that this, all of this was real and that she was actually seeing it. According to her books Asgard wasn't a real thing, yet this thing was here and she could see it.

She could see it, yet she couldn't believe what she was seeing as it seemed too surreal to be true. It seemed to perfect, too beautiful and too magnificent to be true. She walked to one of massive frescos covering the walls and looked at it. It showed Odin hanging from a massive tree, a rope wrapped around his neck and a spear piercing his flank, in his hands were twenty-four stones inscribed with signs.

"Runes," she quietly said, her fingers touching the paint.

"Indeed," someone said and when she turned around she saw a small girl walk towards her, too small to an Æsir, she was maybe five feet five while Æsir were higher, at least six feet tall. "You cannot believe that Asgard is real?"

"Who are you?"

"Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina," girl said, showing thick Russian accent. "Yes, I'm from Earth or as they call it here, Midgard or Middle World. You probably know my older brother, Colossus."

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she focused on Illyana. "How can all of this be real?"

"Do you remember myths?" Illyana asked, walking to her. "Stories about gods or beings of incomprehensible power walking among humans?"

"Yeah, but they were created to explain things which couldn't be explained by them."

"In a way they were," Illyana said with a smile. "But they were to explain to them beings and civilizations that existed somewhere else and had technology that even we cannot replicate. What's easier, say that Odin is a god and thus lives for much longer or say that he is a leader of extraterrestrial race that reigns over a better part of the known universe."

Hermione paused and her mind actually was able to think for a moment. "I suppose there is something to it."

"There is," Illyana said and walked closer. "I know that your mind is in denial, but go with the flow and you will be fine."

"Yet it cannot be true," Hermione said. "If they existed we would have seen them."

"Battle of New York. Thor and Loki who took part in it are Æsir and Harry is a halfblood one," Illyana said. "They hid out of our view because of the interstellar politics, if I remember correctly Odin didn't want to risk a war he wasn't sure he would win and thus retreated away from Midgard and here."

Hermione was to say something, but she clamped down her mouth and remained silent.

"That's probably the best thing you could do," Illyana said with a smile. "Be silent and learn, oh, and obey any commands you're given. You are a newbie here and while I could get away with it, you don't have any clout to use it as a support yourself."

"That's unfair!"

Illyana rolled her eyes and they flickered red for a brief moment. "This is a feudal society with strong nobility, you are either born in a family that has power or you climb to the top. I had time to make friends in various places and I'm a ward of His Majesty, so not many will challenge me. While you are a new person here, one that doesn't have anything to support themselves."

"I see," Hermione said, forcing herself to behave politely. "So what can I expect?"

"Learn all of the runes, fast," Illyana said and added with a vicious smile. "And get used to pain."

"What?" Hermione asked

"You'll see," Illyana said and muttered something under her breath. "I suggest that you get to your dorm, soon, curfew will start in ten or so minutes and you don't want to be outside when it happens.

Hermione was about to ask questions when Illyana simply vanished and left her alone, she let her eyes linger for a moment over the fresco before hurrying to her dorm room. She didn't want to get caught breaking the rules on her first day of her stay on Asgard.

o-0-o

Harry looked around the banquet hall and could feel that the atmosphere was a lot more tense than it was normally, even if the feast was in his honor and it was supposed to be a more relaxed affair the amount of guests was slightly unsettling. He knew that the summit was here and even if his grandfather would happily keep most of the invited for the summit far away from feasts, the rules of protocol and étiquette were plain here. They needed to be invited.

"A bit crowded, isn't it?" Atalanta asked as she appeared to his side.

He scanned the room, easily recognizing a couple of vampires, several important and powerful Sidhe, dozens of various gods and the usual collection of Asgardian nobility that needed to be invited even more than the guests. "Aye, it is," he agreed. "Feels like a feast to celebrate ascension of my grandfather to the throne and not like a small affair."

"It's not like you really care about most of them, don't you?" Atalanta asked as she picked up a goblet and started to slowly sip the wine. "But care about yourself, family, me and our friends."

"Fair enough," he said and reached for his own goblet as the two of them skidded along the edges of the room. "Uncle suggested there will be something special today as he told me not to be late."

Atalanta's gaze swept over the room and then she nodded in agreement. "Your grandfather, my own grandfather and Njord are not here," she said. "The feast won't start for half an hour or so, but it is polite to be early, so something important must have stopped them."

"I don't know if I want to know what it is," Harry said and then his eyes widened as a couple of blurry images appeared out of nowhere in his mind. He couldn't make out the details of them, however he could see a pair of rings and his grandfather talking. "That was weird," he muttered, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Something appeared in front of my mind," he said. "Too blurry to make out the details."

She nodded and placed her hand on his. "We will worry about it later, but now, mind taking our seats?"

Harry nodded and the two of them walked to the high table that was packed full with various royalties, wards of his grandfather and other people, however he couldn't find one person he wanted to see, Illyana. He shook his head and sat down before reaching for a mug and with a wave of his hand making a flagon fly to it and fill it with strong, aromatic ale.

"Don't get drunk," Atalanta said, a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

"I don't plan to," he said, slowly sipping the ale and waiting for the feast to start.

He didn't need to wait long as soon the time for it came and with a boom doors to the chamber opened and after his presence was announced his grandfather entered the room, a crown on his head and his robe glittering from all of the gold and gems sewn into them. Harry watched the whole thing with mild curiosity, half of his face hidden behind the mug as he tried to make something logical out of what he was seeing. His grandfather seemed more brisk and radiated with power more than usual and right behind him was Njord with a small wooden box and a large roll of parchment. However before he was given much time to ponder Odin made his way to his place and looked over the room, silencing any talks and making everybody look at him.

"Before we begin with festivities I have to announce news of great importance to the realm, our allies and other realms," he said and Harry's ears perked at it. "After days of considerations and negotiations with various parties we have a pleasure to announce that we have found a worthy person to be a betrothed one of one of our descendants." At this Harry's eyes narrowed slightly and he shot a look at his grandfather. "We officially declare that Prince of Blood, Prince of Asgard, Harald James Thorson is from now on betrothed to Princess of the Amazones, Atalanta Heracleia."

At this Harry almost chocked on the ale he was sipping and coughed a bit as he tried to get over it and live. He took a moment to gather himself and he did it right in time to take a small wooden box from one of the servants. He placed the box on the table between himself and Atalanta, and slowly opened. Inside on a velvet cloth he found a pair of rings made out of platinum that was inlaid with emeralds and yellow sapphires that formed microscopic runes, which in turn formed complex runic wards and spells. He pulled one of the rings and placed it on his ring finger, when his skin came in contact with the metal he felt a small jolt of energy pass through his body.

"It's beautiful," he said as he looked at At. "Not as beautiful as you, but still beautiful."

Atalanta smiled and slipped second one onto her finger. "Thank you, love," she said softly. "Seems that our grandparents saw that not much will separate us."

Harry nodded and focused on the feast as he tried to get used to his grandfather interfering with his personal life, not that this one time he minded it.

o-0-o

Harry smiled as he hugged Illyana, her head pressing against his chest, arms wrapped around his torso. "I also missed you, malyutka," he said. "It's not like we didn't see each other for eternity, just three months."

He could hear his Wolf Guard chuckle, their silent forms standing by any entrance onto the terrace and dissauding any people from venturing onto it. Which also made almost everybody from the Academy unhappy as it was one of the most common spots for sunbathing, tho not during this season, and meeting friends. Now with eighteen members of his bodyguards scattered across it any attempt was squashed ages before it could even start as nobody was insane enough to test themselves against warriors assigned to protect the royal family.

"You don't know how boring it is without you around," she said.

He chuckled and looked at her. "Do you want to spend the whole day here or should we go inside so that they won't murder us?"

"I think we better get inside," she said with a chuckle. "Even they have limit to their patience and I doubt they enjoy you abusing your position."

"That's probably true," he said and looked at her. "Any particular place you want to go?"

"No," she said. "Just wander around the place and do nothing, also can you send away your guards?"

"I wish, I could," he said. "But my grandfather was rather determined on me having them around for the whole period of the Summit." He looked at his guards and paused. "Though I should be able to limit their amount."

She smiled and together they walked out of the terrazzo, he briefly stopped to talk with the commander of his security and just six guards formed into a protective circle around them. Two of which were new additions, powerful sorcerers trained in battle magic and able to murder anything or anybody that got too close to their charge. Only distinguishing feature of them were red robes over their matte black armors and helmets with a plume of hair running down the middle.

"So how was it at Hogwarts?" Illyana asked. "Even if you sent a letter, you didn't mention a whole lot of stuff."

"Interesting and stiff, very stiff," he said and let out a sigh of annoyance. "I wonder how am I supposed to survive the thing. While I enjoy what we learn, the atmosphere is hell."

She chuckled and he looked at her. "You know that older students help with the patrolling the corridors after the curfew?"

"Yeah..."

"I and Ragnar had it yesterday and we found a thing we thought was impossible. Several people in the dining hall so drunk that it was impossible to believe it could be true."

He laughed at those words and he could hear his guards chuckle in agreement. "So, let me guess, they were Hogwarts students?"

"Yes," she said with a smirk. "They were so badly chewed out that I heard that they hid in their dorms."

He chuckled at the image and looked at her. "You know that not all of them are bad and nasty?"

"Yes, I know that," she said. "That girl with bushy hair, Hermione, if I remember correctly, is a nice one."

"Maybe for you," Harry said before letting out a small sigh. "Perhaps I will agree on that, she is certainly nicer than that red-headed banshee of a girl."

"What banshee?" Illyana asked.

"Tries to flirt and looks at me as if I was a trophy she should get at all cost," Harry said. "At talked to her, but I feel that it won't fix the problem."

"You know that many would happily 'explain' things to her?" Illyana asked. "Explain and made sure that the lesson sticks in her head, not float out of her ear as this one most likely did."

"Is it necessary?" Harry asked and made her sigh.

"You don't think the way she does," Illyana said and sighed. "We, girls, especially love struck girls tend to be stupid and do things we would normally not do. She is a prime example of this and if I'm right she already forgot about that warning and will soon try to do something untoward."

"She will need to cross us and dozens of other security measures that are now in place," one of guards said. "We will stop her before she even sees His Highness."

"What about when he is in the changing room here, in the bathhouse or between the two?" Illyana asked. "You will follow him inside and make sure that nothing happens?"

"No," guards said and made Illyana smile.

"Then let me talk with few of my friends and handle that small issue," Illyana said and smiled viciously. "She will remember that lesson for the next few years and should inch away from you."

Harry shuddered at that smile and quickly remembered that her roommate was an Alf, being that excelled at data gathering, but also plotting and murdering from the shadows when their targets weren't looking at them. After all there was a reason why nobody even thought about plotting against two of his cousins that had an unlimited access to Alf, Freyr and Freyra.

"Just lean back and enjoy the show," Illyana said, seeing his expression. "We will take care of things, while you watch it unfold."

"As you wish," he said with a slight tilt of his head. "Just don't murder or maim her."

Illyana nodded and they walked onto one of the main corridors of the campus, ones that were constantly crowded and moving through them was almost a nightmare. Yet now it seemed to be even more stuffed with people, people that didn't seem to move.

"What's going on?" Harry asked when his guards stopped and even their presence was unable to make space for him to pass through.

"Some scuffle," one from the leading pair said. "Caused by some people in black robes with a colorful trim to them."

Harry let out a sigh of annoyance and said, "I hoped they would be able to forget about their arguing and arrogance."

"Who, Your Highness?" one of guards asked.

"Hogwarts students," he said and looked around for a solution. "Einar, what would you suggest?"

Now named Einar, a hulking Æsir that stood at over seven feet and had a braided black beard stopped and looked at him. "Normally I would cut my way through," he said. "But here that would be a bad idea."

"I see," Harry said and glanced at Illyana. "How long before it unloads on its own?"

"Few minutes or hours," she said and he looked at her. "It's completely normal for it to get blocked," she explained. "People go from and to classes, arenas and dorms, we just usually are able to unlock it quickly."

"Einar?" Harry asked. "Mind making some corridor for me to pass through?"

Einar was silent for a moment, but then nodded and started to move forward, roughly shoving aside people that were on their path. Some tried to protest, but stopped when they saw black armors they fell silent and made some space. Nobody wanted to mess with royal guards and usually being in sight of them was enough.

"What the hell is going on?" Harry asked in a growl as he stopped in front of a problem, that is a group of Hogwarts students.

Every student of the Academy paused whatever they were doing and bowed to him, their fists touching against their chests in a sign of submission and respect. At the same time Hogwarts students looked around unsure of what was going on until their eyes landed on him and armored guards surrounding him. Guards that seemed not plussed about the whole thing and looked as if they were ready to pounce onto them.

Hermione's eyes lit up when she saw that he was standing behind the guards and seemed to be surrounded by an air of confidence and power. "It's none of your business," she said harshly. "So don't stick your nose into it."

Lightning flashed and a booming noise of a thunder soon followed as Harry's eyes darkened and Æsir around him shifted uncomfortably, moving away from anywhere close to them. Nobody wanted to find themselves on the receiving end of fury of the oldest son of Thor. "Did you say something, human?" he asked quietly, his voice as hard as mithril. "I'm a Prince of Asgard and this is my home, so I have every right to stick my nose into whatever matters I wish."

Hermione actually paused for a minute and looked at him. "It's impossible," she finally said. "You cannot be a member of royalty."

"Why?" Harry asked in amusement. "I am a son of Thor and a Prince of Asgard, so I am a member of royal family and you cannot question that."

"Then why do you attend Hogwarts? Royalties stayed away from commoners and had their own schools."

"Maybe on Midgard," Harry said with a shrug. "Here, it is Asgard and we have different rules than ones used by you. So I am a member of the royal family, accept it and bear with it."

She looked as if she was going to explode in tears, her petty theory squashed before it could even fully form.

He gave her one last look before sweeping his eyes over the Hogwarts students. "Don't block the corridor and get moving," he said and they quickly nodded, hurrying and emptying the corridor.

o-0-o

Odin swirled mead in his goblet and looked at Mab. "So, Your Majesty, will you accept our latest offer for Midgard and division of spheres of influence there?"

She was silent for a long moment, her cat-like eyes focused on Odin, then she raised her goblet to her lips and took a sip of wine before nodding. "While I would like to gain more, I know that it is the best thing I can hope to get without making this war bloodier, a thing I cannot afford now."

"Indeed," Odin grimly nodded. "I want them crushed, but Chitauri are a bigger threat to Asgard, not to mention that we need calm on Midgard."

"He is coming?" Mab asked.

"Yes, he is. He was the one that engineered the attack of my son on Midgard and one that handed him the Mind Stone. There are also reports about him trying to get the Orb and the Stone hidden inside," Odin said and his gaze flicked to Mab. "So I think that you understand why I cannot fully come to your aid."

"I understand," she said coolly. "It is a ceasefire for just two years so I will take what should be rightfully mine when the time comes."

"When the time is right Asgard will help you," Odin said. "Now we need them to sign the treaty and end the summit."

Mab nodded and together they walked into the chamber where the summit was happening, there would be a lot of moaning about the exact details, but those could be hammered out later and between interested parties. Which most likely would result in several minor conflicts and wars in an attempt to explain border disputes and questionable points.

o-0-o

Harry sighed as he looked at the impressive pile of documents, messages, letters and whatnots that had accumulated on the desk in his study during the time he was away from Asgard. He understood the fact that some were for his eyes only, but now he just wanted to summon fires and burn them all.

With a heavy sigh he sat down behind the desk and started to sort them into a pile that could wait for an infinite amount of time and ones that he needed to read now. At some he just rolled his eyes before crumbling them into balls and hurling into the fireplace where they could be used in a more efficient and useful manner. Marriage contracts were amusing, but he was not going to waste his time on reading them and fueling the fire was a better use of the parchment and paper. His gaze was drawn by a thin scroll bound by a red ribbon and sealed with a seal that showed a pair of swords crossed under a crown.

"Message from Hermóðr," Harry said as he held the scroll and tried feel it. "What can it be?"

He broke the seal and opened the scroll, his eyes running over the lines of runes.

Changes in draft from the year 3659 of His Majesty King Odin Børson reign.

As a part of the reforms of the military and administration launched by His Majesty system of draft has major changes that will affect all of those eligible for it in the next few years.

Those born between 3644 and 3646 will be drafted by the current law, that is at sixteen years of age for nobles and twenty for everybody else. Those born after 3646 and before 3650 will be drafted at seventeen years of age for nobles and nineteen for everybody else, from year 3650 draft age will be eighteen for everybody, no matter if they are nobles or commoners.

Harry skipped reading the rest and instead threw it onto a pile that he would need to focus later when he would have more time, now he simply wanted to reduce the amount of useless documents and letters that just occupied space and didn't serve any purpose.

Next few hours felt for him like pure hell, he was stuck in one place, sorting documents and stoking the fireplace with useless trash he didn't need to read or even look at. As he finally reclined in his chair and let out a pained sigh before reaching for a goblet full of strong wine and emptying it in a single draught. He glanced at the window and let out a sigh of annoyance when he saw that the sun was low on the horizon and light entering the room was orange.

"Damn paperwork," he muttered as he walked out of his study and towards his bedchamber.

o-0-o

Harry's eyes shone with amusement as he stood on the terrace and looked at his siblings and his parents on the terrace below. Both of those terraces were protected by the runic wards of the Citadel that kept the snow and cold away and let them enjoy somewhat pleasant weather, much colder than normally, but still warm. "They look cute," he said as he looked at Atalanta.

"Few months ago you feared that they would push you down in order of succession," she pointed out with a smirk and added after a moment. "Yet now you seem weirdly eager to accept the fact that they are here. Even with my ability to feel your emotions I cannot guess why is it."

"Because I talked with parents and they explained things," Harry said and looked at her. "Also grandfather has the most to say and he decided that we should be betrothed to each other."

"Not that I mind it," she said with a smile and pulled him into a kiss. "Stop worrying so much," she whispered. "You will be fine and forget about Hogwarts and that dreadful atmosphere."

"I try, yet I cannot," he said with a sigh.

"Maybe I can help you?" Atalanta suggested with a flirtatious smile. "Drug is working and I doubt that you don't want to be with me."

Harry could feel his whole body shudder at her words and for a second he felt as if his legs would be unable to support his weight.

"Come, my pet wolf," Atalanta said lightly grasping his hand and leading him towards his chambers. "We have our last night for ourselves and we better use it well."

o-0-o

Frigga smiled as she watched the exchange between her grandson and cousin. "They are growing up fast," she said as she looked at her husband, Odin. "It seems as if days ago they were just children and now they are almost adults."

"Indeed," Odin nodded and she could feel gaze of his sole eye fly towards them. "One day they will make fine rulers for our kingdom and should rule it possibly even longer than I reign and will reign. Also Harald's lovers seem to be better than what Thor chose and know when to support him and know how not to cause conflicts between him and Atalanta."

On Frigga's face flickered a hint of displeasure. "Indeed," she said softly. "They know it and perhaps that's why I don't have issues with him having so many lovers. They are what supports him and sometimes is able to reach where we or his friends are unable."

"True," Odin nodded and winced. "Lovers and spouses can be convincing, very convincing."

"Your words are true," Frigga said. "They will have a profound effect on him and his decisions and they are not as strictly bound by the customs and protocol when it comes to formulating and expressing their opinions on his ideas and plans."

"Asgard is entering another golden age," Odin said and she looked at him. "The future is unclear, but I can see that the power of Asgard will shine brighter than ever and that enemies will fear us even more than they fear us now."

"We will increase in power or other major players will wane," Frigga said quietly and Odin grimly nodded.

"With him coming, that's possible, he has dozens of servants and they can easily wreak havoc, enough to weaken other players and make us emerge as the last remaining power," Odin said. "Even with all of my power and wisdom I cannot see future as clearly as They can do and I won't ask them for help as their answers tend to cause more bad than good."

"There are also my niece and nephew, Freyra and Freyr. They are the most powerful Seers amongst Vanir and they should have better Sight than you have."

Odin's head flew towards her and in his sole eye could be visible a storm forming. "No, I won't ask them for help," he said. "I'm the God of Wisdom and one that made the runes, they are younglings and lack experience."

"As you wish," Frigga said before walking away. Her voice was icy and with a very, very dangerous undertone to it that was almost impossible to miss.

o-0-o

A/N:

Winter, it will be long, nasty and generally harsh. I did it for two reasons, eternal spring or summer is nice and all, but also boring, this will make it more interesting and winter is kinda needed in the environment as in almost every climate zone we have change of seasons and winter here is just that, a change.

Betrothal and Odin not even bothering to mention it to interested parties before, he doesn't need to do it, he is a) their liege b) head of the family c) a king and as such he should ask them, but he doesn't need to. If it was with someone they don't know, he would use that right, but here? Here he doesn't need to as he knows that they will be just pissed off that he interfered in their lives.

For those who don't know, Wardens are extremely careful with possessions, so when Dresden will call the Council they will send Senior Council members and few cadres of Wardens. Wardens that are the oldest, the most experienced and know how to handle ghosts and possessions.

Lukas, he is a reference to someone and I'm curious if someone will guess from where did he come.

Rings and enchants on them, let's just say that you don't want to duel Harry or At, it is purely defensive, but even then they are nasty and can hurt a lot of people. Also since they are betrothal rings they come with a whole lot of enchantments to help them keep people that don't understand no, *cough* Ginny *cough* as nobody wants bastards. Before someone ask, this particular bit of magic is connected to their conscious decision with an exception of sexual predators so when a White Court vamp tries to have a snack at best they will end burned.

Reviews:

WhiteElfElder – He could have answered, but also a good leader won't bother with answering slights from bumbling idiots that forget their place in pecking order. Also Ron wants just that and even if Harry is rash, he got beaten over his head with tactics and strategy until he was able to think in some limited way before reacting.

randomplotbunny – he isn't that big of a mountain of muscles, at least not now as out of Harry's friends this title lands on Hrolf who is bigger, taller and heavier than Ulf, but also five years older and military pushed him through hell when it comes to training.

twylght – yes and no, Ginny is scared shitless when Atalanta is around, remove her out of the picture and Harry might expect the flirting to come back, tho with the ring he got doing that without his consent might end with a hospital stay for one doing it.