Chapter 4

It was barely morning and Harry Potter was shivering from the cold as he cuddled inside his blanket. The child, who lay abandoned on the doorstep of a house which would never truly welcome him, was not aware that the entire wizarding world was hailing him - 'The Boy-Who-Lived.' His fate as decreed by Dumbledore was to live the rest of his childhood relying on the generosity and benevolence of his Aunt Petunia who had resented her sister because of her freakishness (magic). However, what Dumbledore failed to factor into consideration while formulating his grand plans was Chaos. It was after all, the Norse God of Mischief's speciality.

There were very few things which rendered Loki Silvertongue, the ultimate Trickster, absolutely speechless. He was famed for his ability to spin tales and yarns whenever the situation arose. He always kept his wits around him generally compensating for the lack of intelligence portrayed by Thor and his loyal group of lackeys (popularly known as the Warriors Three and Sif). He was composed when they faced the great fiery dragons of Muspelheim. He was unfazed when the sneaky dwarves tried to cheat him of his very head. He even looked his father, the Allfather, in the eye and lied on multiple occasions (a feat which would have resulted in death if he wasn't Odin's son). However, the sight of a child sleeping in a bassinet on the cold doorstep of Number 4, Privet Drive filled him with such unbridled rage that he was surprised that the offending doorstep hadn't yet crumbled.

Loki carefully picked up the child hoping that he didn't disturb his slumber. The last thing he wanted was the mini-Thor to wail his displeasure on being awoken. But as he gazed upon the face in front of him, Loki's eyes widened. The child bore no resemblance to Thor Odinson, even though he was the actual father (for James Potter looked more like Loki then Thor). His black soft hair curled around his face, giving the impression of a cherub. The child may be half Aesir and a Thorson, but he bore a distinct resemblance to him. Loki smirked, he couldn't wait for the gossip which would spread across Asgard when little Harry was presented in the court.

The child squirmed (his eyes still closed), opening his mouth a little before closing it to form a smile. If Loki was sentimental in nature, his heart would have melted at this sight. But he was not one to give in to the charms of a child, even though his eyes were bright and the corners of his mouth were upturned.

He gazed at the door in front of him and scowled. He could see an envelope within the folds of Harry's blanket. As he required both his hands to hold the child (Odin forbid if he accidently drops him!), he magically opened the letter. Suspending the parchment in front of him, he read the words of Albus Dumbledore before incinerating it.

So Headmaster Dumbledore was responsible for his nephew's plight. What sort of monster abandons a child on a doorstep? Decency demanded that he at least ring the bell and properly hand him over. As Snape, he had held begrudging respect for the powerful Headmaster. However in Loki's eyes, Dumbledore was a manipulative dunderhead who wouldn't know what hit him. There was something about a child lying abandoned in the cold which stirred something within Loki. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over him. He shook it off as it was an improbable feeling for he was a Prince of Asgard.

He traced with his finger the bolt of lightning which scarred Harry's forehead. A powerful curse had caused this. But the scar seemed representative of something malign. It was the sort of magic Loki was not accustomed to, but that wouldn't stop him from investigating it. The scar was probably caused by the Killing Curse if rumours were to be believed.

The rumour that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, had defeated Lord Voldemort, the Darkest Wizard of all times was spreading like a contagion across the wizarding world. Loki knew that it was Harry's Aesir heritage which enabled him to resist the effects of the Avada Kedavra curse like his father. Loki grimaced, Lily was not so fortunate.

As soon as he heard the rumours, the Trickster panicked. The Death Eaters would be desperate for revenge and Harry would turn into target practise unless he found him soon. It wasn't difficult to make the connection that Harry was placed at the Dursleys for they were considered his only living relatives. However, even Lily would never choose Petunia as a suitable replacement for herself. Loki hid back a scowl as he thought of Petunia (Tuney) Evans. She was the horse-faced blight in all of his childhood encounters with Lily.

Before he left with his nephew, Loki scanned the surroundings for traps. Sure enough, he realised that Dumbledore had created blood wards around the house tying Harry to the Dursley household. He carefully rearranged the magical threads binding Harry and tied them around the child which slept within the Dursley's house (most probably Petunia's son). So, Dumbledore could still live happily in the delusion that Harry was staying with his aunt. Loki knew that his former headmaster had personally weaved the wards and while they were powerful, they were not absolute. Dumbledore would be aware if the wards broke which is why he circumvented it by using the Dursley's child.

To make his deception complete, Loki created a complex illusion of a replica of Harry and placed it in the cupboard under the stairs. This illusion would only be visible to those with magic, so Petunia would not 'freak' out about the little intrusion in her perfectly normal household.

Loki would have to renew this illusion as time passed if Dumbledore appointed spies. He would also need to make it more interactive and complex; maybe even a poltergeist in disguise. But for now, he didn't think it was required. Dumbledore believed himself to be omnipotent, a belief Loki wanted to exploit.

Loki levitated Harry's tiny bassinet and placed the child in it. They both disappeared as the first rays of sunlight dawned upon Surrey. When Petunia Dursley awoke that morning, she didn't find any mysterious bundle on her doorstep. She spied on her neighbours, indulged her son and ate an ordinary dinner with her husband. To her, that day was perfect as was the days following it. For it was everything she wanted – exquisitely and blandly normal.

"You were supposed to keep them safe!" growled Loki in despair as he sat with hunched shoulders in front of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He had to play the role of the aggrieved and distraught Snape who had lost the love of his life. Dumbledore was a puppet master and Snape was his puppet. He didn't want to disillusion his former mentor with the fact that the puppet had cut off his strings.

Loki was currently wearing his 'Snape' skin. He shared a few features with Snape so the transformation was not tremendous as it was in the case of Thor. It wasn't strange for him to change form. He was a renowned shape shifter. Snape's greasy hair covered his face in a veil of mourning. Loki was grateful for it as it made his stance seem much more sorrowful. Anything and everything was acceptable if it abetted the deception.

"The Potters put their faith in the wrong person. Just like you when you asked Lord Voldemort to keep her safe," said Dumbledore as he looked down upon the miserable man in front of him. He had to guide Snape into becoming a spy for the light. Direct the man to devote the rest of his life to protect Harry Potter. The sullen man in front of him needed direction and guidance, which he would provide.

Loki moaned, his eyes focusing on the Elder Wand which lay innocuously in Dumbledore's hand. The wand was extremely powerful for an object found on Earth. It carried much more power than an ordinary wand. For a second Loki contemplated snatching the wand. Well, he had time for that later.

Realising that Dumbledore was expecting him to be more sorrowful; Loki distorted his face into that of a man who had lost all hope. If the Headmaster wanted a performance, who was he to disappoint him? Tears rolled down his eyes as he clenched his fist and held it to cover his mouth in an attempt to stifle his cries. The phoenix Fawkes who occupied a perch in the Headmaster's office, regarded him with amusement.

His pitiful attempts at pretence however had the desired effect. Dumbledore appeared to be more sympathetic to his case, his hand coming to rest on the younger wizard's shoulder in an attempt towards console.

"My dear boy," said Dumbledore, "You must not lose hope, for her child lives."

I know he lives, thought Loki; he is currently asleep in my house!

"I wish … I wish I were dead," muttered Loki as if he was well past the point of coherent speech. His family had often complained of his melodramatic ways. He had not wanted to go to Dumbledore but realized that the Headmaster would expect Snape to visit him. If he didn't, it would raise suspicion.

"What good would your death bring about?" asked Dumbledore, his cerulean blue eyes piercing into Loki. "Lily Evans died to save her son. Harry has his mother's eyes."

That statement hit Loki. It was easy to lock his emotions and heart, but Lily was still a sore point for him. Those green almond shaped eyes had haunted his dreams as Snape. Dumbledore was playing dirty and he resisted the urge to permanently terminate the man in front of him. He closed his eyes and steeled his heart. He would not think of Lily Evans. She brought him nothing but heartache and misery.

"Don't…," said Loki quietly, for the first time during the entire conversation, "Don't talk about her." Dumbledore ignored the sudden chilliness which permeated through the room. His eyes were focused on the young Death Eater.

"Her son is in danger," said Dumbledore, "Voldemort will return and when he does, Harry Potter will need your protection."

Loki nodded his head absently. Let Dumbledore think he has got his way. He knew that the older wizard had connections in the wizarding world. He may need to use them later, so it would be better to keep the bearded goat alive till then.

"But don't tell anyone. No one must know," stuttered Loki, "Promise me!"

"That I will not reveal the best of you?" asked Dumbledore, "Very well, if you insist."

The child was definitely a Thorson, thought Loki, as the boy seemed hellbent on making his displeasure known. His cries echoed throughout the house Loki had created for himself. It was in an isolated area on the borders of a dense forest. When the cries had begun, he had placed the child next to the prone figure of James Potter. He had hoped that the child would rouse his brother, but that was not effective. He then tried to feed the child, after all, children cried when they were hungry. This effort resulted in him being thoroughly drenched in the mushed food which resided more on him then in his nephew's stomach.

"YOU DARE!" snarled Loki, as the mashed potato dribbled from his forehead onto his eyes. This seemed to please Harry, for the child laughed in obvious delight. This was why Loki never had any children even though the Midgardian bards seemed eager to credit him as the sire of many monsters.

"You are a prince of Asgard. You should behave with the comportment befitting one of such rank," said Loki. Harry was seated on a high chair, his feet swaying wildly. He tried to feed the child again. This was proving to be a difficult task, as the child seemed fond of pinching his nose. He didn't want to use too much magic on Harry for the child was recently exposed to an extremely potent curse.

Harry seemed to think that he had eaten enough food for he began to take the food on the plate before him and attempted to feed Loki by shoving it up his nose.

"That is it," spluttered Loki, as he began wiping the food of his face. "You have defeated me. Name the terms of the surrender and I shall acquiesce."

Harry clapped his hands in contentment. He again reached towards Loki in an attempt to pull his uncle's hair.

Loki contemplated using one of the Aesir nurses to look after the child, but thought against it. He would do this without Asgard's help. Until he figured out the reason for his banishment on Midgard, he wasn't going to face his father. That ruled out Asgard and most of the Nine Realms. Jotunheim was also ruled out for Loki would prefer to live his entire life without ever meeting a Frost Giant. They were crude monstrous creatures, probably more primitive and boorish than a bilgesnipe. In the end, only Midgard (Earth) was left, so he resigned himself to his situation.

Harry began crying, probably in an attempt to regain his uncle's attention.

"I am still here, you attention seeking brat," said Loki in an amused tone. "You are a whiny creature for sure. I have gained a newfound sympathy for my mother for she raised Thor. I never gave her any problems. I was a peaceful child."

But Harry seemed to shake his head and hands in a forceful manner as if refuting the statement. He wanted Loki to carry him and the God of Chaos realised that the only way he would regain peace in the house was if he bowed to his nephew's wishes.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" asked Loki as he began to gently rock his nephew. It was strange that the child seemed to like him. Children were known to be wary of strangers. Maybe the child was defective; his father was the mighty Thor after all.

The child did not answer but the skies did. The weather which seemed fairly pleasant till then suddenly turned darker and the clouds began to gather as if preparing for a storm.

Loki rolled his eyes and placed the child in the high chair. This could only mean one thing. His brother had awoken.

To Be Continued…

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