Rose never truly realized how long Loki's legs were until that night. She barely blinked and the man was already a couple meters ahead of her, heading back the way they came. Rose jogged slightly to catch up with him.
"Where are you going? We are supposed to finish this hallway-"
"I'm done for the night, you can continue without me," Loki said, not looking at her, attempting to get as far away from the glowing room as possible.
"But-"
"Just leave me alone!" Loki shouted, his eyes glowing red and walking faster. Fearful, she slowed down until she stopped completely, watching as Loki turned the corner and disappeared. It was then Rose realized he was not running away from the room, but from her.
''''
After that night, Loki refused to look or speak to Rose if he could help it. She saw him with Arabella a couple of times since then, both finally coming forward about their relationship. But, as soon as Rose approached, Loki seemed to make up an excuse and walk off, ignoring Rose completely. In places that he could not run away from her, such as in class, he would give her one-word answers with a look that could kill, that said 'don't talk to me.'
After that, Rose allowed him space. She was not familiar with Loki, and she had no idea what that casket was. Was Loki cursed? Was the item? Or does Loki hold some secret power she is not aware of? Would Loki know the answers to any of these questions? She had no way of knowing. So, despite her desire to find the key to this mystery and need to comfort people who seemed distressed, Rose kept her distance.
However, certain situations made this hard. After Arabella kept insisting that Rose join her to the Borson mansion, since she found out Thor had asked, Rose finally agreed. She knew it was a horrible idea, what with having a confusing relationship with Thor and Loki hating her very existence. But, it made her friend happy, so she obliged.
Though, as she sat for her dinner with the Borson family, and Arabella, she came to regret her decision. Thor had formally introduced her to his parents as a friend from school, along with being a classmate of Loki's. Both of his parents exchanged confused looks, with Rose assuming they were questioning where Jane Foster was. She wondered if he even told them they had broke-up.
Small talk was exchanged throughout dinner, mostly about school, sports, and upcoming exams. Arabella boosted about getting the highest grades in both Charms and Herbology, with Frigga stating Transfiguration was her specialty in school, earning top grades there.
"I was also prefect, and then head girl during my time at Hogwarts," Frigga said, sipping her wine. "We were so proud when Loki was given the title this year of being a prefect. I'm sure he'll be made Head Boy during his seventh year. Are you a prefect for your house, Arabella?" Loki beamed with pride, while Arabella blushed slightly.
"Well, no, but only because Ravenclaw is one of the hardest houses to become one in. Rose is one for Gryffindor, but that house does not have much competition," Arabella explained, trying to cover her anger whenever the position is brought up. Frigga then turned her attention towards Rose, with interest in her eyes.
"You're a prefect, too? Why, that's quite an accomplishment. Maybe you could influence Thor to work harder on becoming Head Boy for next year," Frigga said, smiling at her. Rose gave her a shy smile back. Before she could give a response, she heard a scuff from her right.
"Maybe if Thor spent less time on finding a new girlfriend every week, that could be achievable," Loki said, not looking up from his soup.
"Loki, don't be rude," Frigga said, giving her son a look.
"Sorry, mother. I was just stating that if Thor wanted to do better, he only had to look elsewhere. Keeping better company would be a start," Loki said, quickly giving Rose a side look. Rose instantly felt uncomfortable, unsure why he was lashing out at her.
"Loki!" Frigga and Arabella said in unison.
"Loki, if you cannot be civil while we have guests, maybe you should excuse yourself," Odin said, in a calm manner that was more of a command then a suggestion. Loki wasted no time.
"Fine. Excuse me," he said, standing and then leaving the dining area in a haste, with Arabella looking confused and conflicted on whether she should follow. Finally, she decided to go with him, excusing herself as well.
"I wonder what's gotten into him," Frigga muttered to herself, concerned about her son. Thor patted Rose's hand gently.
"You'll have to excuse Loki, he's been a bit grouchy these past few days," Thor said, giving her a smile that would have normally melted her heart. She mostly just felt uncomfortable with the situation, aware of the fact Thor had not defended her.
''''
After reassuring Arabella that he was fine, just not in a good mood, Loki went to his room to be alone. He wasn't sure what had come over him, he had been looking forward to Winter Break since he had invited Arabella to his home. But, upon hearing Rose would be here as well, his mood turned sour fast.
Locking his door, he moved to his desk, picking up his wand and placing it in his pocket. He sat down, and let out a sigh, rubbing his head. Then paused, looking down at his hands. Staring at them, he was reminded of his transformation. He had gone back to the casket every night since the first, holding it, feeling the power call to him.
One the third night, Loki had brought a mirror. As he turned into a blue monster with strange markings, he examined himself from every angle. The markings were all over his body, and he had realized his eyes turned a deep red. It scared him, yet he felt a strange thrill at seeing himself this way.
However, every visit ended the same. Once he let go of the mystical box, he became enraged. He had so many questions, yet no answers. What was this casket? Why was he so drawn to it? And, most importantly, what was he? He briefly considered the idea that the box alone was the reason for his transformation, but the memory of Rose touching it flashed through his mind. She was not affected by it, if anything, it seemed to repel her.
The thought of Rose only made him angrier. Why had she been there when he found it? She had seen him at his most vulnerable, a secret he had not even known himself. She did not deserve to have this knowledge, an annoying muggle-born who had the nerve to gasp at him, show fear, then pity towards him.
Trying to calm himself, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Letting it out slowly, he tried concentrating. When he opened his eyes again, his hands and forearms had changed. He flexed his hands, stretching them out, getting a feel on what he could do without the help of the casket. He placed his hands on his desk, gripping it tightly and concentrating once again.
Another ability he had realized he had while holding the box was he could drop the temperature and possibly freeze certain things. However, nothing happened when he touched his desk. He sighed with annoyance, dropping his arms.
During his search for answers, he went to the library just as much as he visited the casket. He tried looking up the item, but it was difficult without the actual name. He was concerned that if he asked the Liberian for help, it might alert them to what he was doing. Which, he was not entirely sure what he wasdoing, but he did not want the casket taken from him before he found answers.
He tried looking up his family history, hoping to maybe find some genetic link there. His mother's side showed nothing of interest. His father's, however, showed a past family he had not known about. His father was married before Frigga and had a child. Though, the book he had found with his family history had not told him who the child was. It also gave him no clues on why he transformed.
Frustrated, Loki slammed his fist against his desk, knocking a few things to the floor. His skin changed back to normal when a firm knock was heard on his door. Loki immediately recognizing it as Odin. Sneering, Loki walked over and opened it.
"What is it?" he asked, clearly annoyed. Odin opened his door wider and walked in, ignoring his son's question until he was standing in the middle of the room.
"I wanted to talk with you about your behavior earlier. Thor says you've been isolative at school and more irritable," Odin said, opening up to his youngest. Loki bristled.
"Thor doesn't know what he's talking about," Loki said, trying to brush the subject off.
"Well, from what you've shown me over dinner, I feel something is definitely wrong. Your mother is concerned about your wellbeing," he says, trying to bait his son to talking with him by using his mother. Whirling around, Loki faced him with hatred in his eyes.
"You want to know what's wrong? I'll show you!" Without closing his eyes, Loki lifted his arms, so Odin could see as they changed back into the dark blue. Loki saw as his father's eyes widened, seeing a spark of fear.
"What is this? What am I?" Loki whispered, still glaring into the man's eyes. Odin did not respond right away, getting over the shock and was now formulating a response. Finally, he spoke, Loki listening intensely.
"That is what happens when you have Frost Giant in your genes," Odin said, looking him in the eye with solace. Confusion passed over Loki's face, then understanding and animosity replaced it.
"I looked into our family history, fearing one of our ancestors had mated with some creature. I found nothing," Loki said, slowly walking around Odin, hands behind his back. Only Odin's eyes moved, following him.
"Then, you must already know what I'm going to say," he said. He paused, waiting for Loki to respond, but Loki wanted to hear him say it himself. Odin sighed, then continued.
"You're adopted, Loki." The words burned something inside him, finally having insight on why Odin always treated Thor better. Though, he was not as prepared for the next words out of Odin's mouth as he continued talking.
"Your mother, biological mother that is, was a muggle-born witch. A friend of Frigga's from Hogwarts. Your father was from one of those prejudice pureblooded wizard families. I'm not positive on how they became an item, but when your mother became pregnant, he cast her aside. Soon after that, she died giving birth to you. Frigga was with her, and immediately took you home to us. You were a dark blue shade, just like that," he said, pausing to glance at Loki's arms, which the blue has spread up them.
"Who is he? Who is my father?" Loki asked, turning away from him, staring at his bed. Loki could not see it, but Odin shook his head.
"I do not know." The temperature dropped in the room suddenly, but Odin resisted the need to cross his arms to warm himself.
"You're lying…" Loki whispered, his fists clenched.
"Loki, I do not kn-"
"You know who he is! Tell me!" Loki screamed, turning to face him. He had fully transformed, face twisting into a scowl, frost smoking off his fists. It was then Loki noticed that someone was at the door, their face full of terror. Rose was standing half way behind the door frame, frozen. He let out another yell and aimed at the door, letting out a stream of ice, freezing part of his room.
Odin turned around fast, looking at the damage his son had caused. Rose was gone, fleeing when the attack came, only Loki being the wiser of her appearance.
"Loki, you cannot-!"
"GET OUT!" Loki shouted, turning away from his father swiftly once more. He heard Odin let out a slow sigh, then a light behind illuminated the room. After a few minutes, with Loki breathing harshly, he turned back. The ice was melting around his room already, but there was a hole in the ice around his door.
''''
When Rose had first arrived at the Borson Mansion, she was awed and amazed. The place was beautiful, inside and out. Coming from a family of three kids, all living in a two-bedroom apartment at one point in her life, this place was a castle compared to her home. Now, as she was lost between hallways, all she could think was how useless all this space was.
"Stupid rich people. Why is it so hard to find a bathroom? I'm sure they have at least ten of them in this frustrating place," Rose muttered to herself, trying out different doors as she walked.
As she turned a door knob, she immediately let go with a quiet yelp. The door had shocked her, obviously to ward off visitors. Shaking her hand, she heard voices further down the hallway. Not wanting to fight with the door, she followed them, knowing whoever it was, they would know where to find a bathroom, and possibly help her back to her room. Coming upon an opened door, the voices became clear.
"-know what I'm about to say." Rose realized it was Thor's father, Odin, who was talking. He sounded stressed, which caused Rose to move more slowly, unsure if she should interrupt him with whatever he was doing.
"You're adopted Loki." This stopped Rose in her tracks, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. Rose listened more intently, waiting to hear Loki's voice, but it never came. Odin proceeded to explain where Loki had come from and the genes that had caused the change in appearance.
Finally, Loki spoke, asking about who his father is. Rose's legs moved on their own, creeping around the door frame to investigate the room, her curiosity getting the better of her. She saw both men were faced away from the door, with Odin attempting to talk with his son, pleading with him even. Loki would have none of it though.
"You know who he is! Tell me!" Loki shouted, turning to face his father, but his eyes connected with Rose's. She froze, fully aware of the danger she was in. Loki raised his hands, his changeover complete, and aimed for where she stood. That's when she finally woke from her trance and ran down the hall. The sound of her footsteps muffled over the sound of Loki's screaming.
She finally slowed when she felt she was a good distance away from the argument. Taking some deep breaths, she cursed her lack of desire to be in better shape. It was then she ran into Frigga.
"Oh! Hello, are you okay? You seem to be out of breath," Frigga said, giving her a concerned look. Rose tried to slow her breathing.
"Yeah… I'm fine, just lost," Rose said, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "Could you help me find a bathroom? And, then, possibly, my room?" Frigga smiled kindly.
"Of course. I know this place can be a maze, you should have seen me when I first married the kids father and moved in. Odin's father built the place, and if you ask me, it's a bit of an overkill," Frigga said, filling in any awkward silences while they walked. To Rose's horror, they went back the way she had come, eventually walking past Loki's door.
Frigga paused there, noticing the slight damage it had on the outside. Rose held her breath, hoping she wouldn't knock. But, glancing at Rose, she ignored it and walked past. Rose let out a tiny sigh. Finally, they arrived at her original destination.
"It's right over here," Frigga explained, motioning Rose to a charming half-bath. "Your room should be all the way down this hall, and then take a right. Your room is the second door." Rose thanked her, happy to finally have some peace.
''''
Rose stood out on her balcony, taking in the nice breeze the night air gave her. She had changed into a silky, red and gold robe that was waiting for her in the closet with a note that had her name on it. She leaned on the edge, looking out at the garden that was at the back of the house. Despite her comments from earlier, Rose truly felt the place was amazing and gorgeous.
She sighed happily to herself, having never felt as relaxed as this in her whole life. She took a sip of her tea that was brought up to her; she could get used to this luxurious life. She breathed in the smell of her tea, strawberries and a pleasant bitterness, when her thoughts were interrupted by a door closing behind her. Assuming it was Arabella, since the balcony was connected to both of their rooms, she turned around with a smile and a cup of tea extended for her. The smile and arm dropped as soon as she saw who it was though, Loki. She set the extra cup to the side.
He was in casual wear, black pants and an open, long sleeved green shirt, with his hair tasseled. Seeing that he just came out of Arabella's room looking like that made Rose blush slightly. But, despite his relaxed appearance, his face was turned up into a scowl.
"We need to talk," Loki said, leaning against the balcony, a good few feet away from her. Before he could say another word, Rose started talking in a rush.
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have been listening. I was just lost, I didn't really hear all that mu-". She was cut off when Loki held up his hand, stopping her.
"Let me make this perfectly clear. You will forget everything you saw and everything you heard, okay? I do not want Arabella knowing about any of this, let alone my idiot brother or anyone else finding out," Loki said, glaring daggers at her.
"I wasn't planning on telling anyone, I promise," Rose stuttered out, shaking her head.
"Good, then we're done here," Loki said, turning away. Rose wasn't sure why, but her hand shot out, grabbing on to his shoulder to stop him.
"Wait, if you're not going to tell anyone, not even your own girlfriend, you're going to have to speak with someone about all this. A lot has happened in these last few weeks, and I know I'm the last person you want to see, but I'm here if you need to talk," Rose said, hoping to ease some of the hatred he had for her when he paused. But, then Loki smacked her hand off him, only turning his head slightly to look at her.
"Do not misunderstand, mudblood. I do not want your pity and I do not want to talk with you, ever," he spat out, leaving for good this time. As he shut the door behind him, Rose could only stare at the spot with a shocked expression.
No one had called her a mudblood in a long time. It made her feel angry and shameful, having to suppress the urge to throw her tea cup at the door Loki had just left through. Instead, she went back to her guest room, slamming the door behind her. She went to lay on the bed, ready for this vacation break to be over.