Chapter 8 - Malfoy
Loki wondered the grounds for a bit, clearing his mind from the humiliation of the boggart and Dumbledore's first warning. The air was crisp but not too cold. He had to admit to himself, the school itself was breathtaking. Large cone shaped towers of various sizes with hardcore stone walls and long curious bridges leading to new adventures created the integrity of the school. It reminded him of home, only older, much much older, or more medieval, but still beautiful. If Asgard had survived, would it become something like this he wondered. A beautiful glistening lake sat adjacent to the castle. Loki closed his eyes and breathed in the air when a memory came to him. Not his own, but from the memory device Mobius had shown him. 'I love you my sons … remember this place … home.' He opened his eyes with melancholy. He actually missed his father, his home, his brother, and of course Frigga.
"YOU!" he heard suddenly breaking his focus. He saw those strange three students again, only the girl was threatening the blond boy. Two larger boys stood by his side. A wide smile spread over his face. He had to see this. Loki concealed himself to get a closer look.
"You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" she yelled putting her wand directly in the boy's face. He whimpered pathetically.
"Hermione, no!" yelled Ron stopping her to Loki's dismay, "He's not worth it." She lowered her wand and turned away, only trick him with a fake out, and sock Malfoy hard in the face after his snicker. His head bounced off a large stone behind him. Loki could not contain his laughter and revealed himself from behind the stone pillar.
"Hahahaha! Good punch!" he said leaning against the pillar with a devious grin. Hermione screamed at his sudden appearance. Most of them stepped back in fear.
"Bloody hell! When did he get here?!" said Ron. Hermione looked scared. The blond boy tried to recover.
"I like her," said Loki pointing at Hermione but looking at the blond boy.
"What?! You are a professor?! Aren't you suppose to do something?! She punched me!" said blondie. Loki chuckled.
"Oh yes, I saw," said Loki. There was an awkward pause amongst them.
"What the hell is the matter with you?!" said blondie.
Loki responded with a sharp grin. He approached the boy. Ron shook his head.
"Wait till my father hear's about this!" said blondie, but to his dismay, the comment only made Loki laugh harder. His striking resemblance to Professor Snape mixed with extreme facial expressions was probably one of the most confusing things Harry had ever seen.
"He's mental," Ron whispered to Harry.
"Is that really how you plan on threatening me? By hiding underneath Daddy's skirt?" he said menacingly while approaching the blond boy with open arms, clearly not afraid. Blondie and his two friends took some steps back. Harry and Hermione noticed a strange, large word on the back of Mr. Laufeyson's jacket. It read, 'VARIANT.'
"No, now if you really want to threaten someone … You should do it like so: " Loki began. He quickly grabbed Malfoy by the neck and lifted him off the ground like a feather. Harry, Ron, and Hermione gasped, taking two steps back. "You threaten me again, and I will unleash my darkest fears upon you. And you have clearly seen them," he said in a gravely voice. Malfoy squirmed underneath his grasp. "You want that raging green monster to throw you around like a rag doll?!" Loki spat, "Or perhaps we should see your fears, but it appears that … everything scares you … " he said dropping a throughly traumatized student. Blondie and his two friends scrambled to get as far away from him as possible. He turned to the three students who seemed to have huddled together for protection when he was not looking.
"Bloody hell," squeaked Ron. Harry began to understand why Dumbledore had that strange device as a precaution.
"Do you realize what you have done?" said a more serious Hermione. Loki appeared unfazed by his actions regardless of Dumbledore's warning.
"I believe I just taught a student a valuable lesson," said Loki.
"You threatened Draco Malfoy!" she said. He put his hands on his hips and looked her up and down with scrutiny.
"You punched him," he noted. She blushed.
"He's got a point … you know," whispered Ron. She glared at Ron.
"Are you going to report her, professor?" asked Harry. Loki laughed.
"Well technically I am not a Professor, so … no," said Loki slyly. All three of them exchanged odd looks, not exactly sure if they could trust him.
"Why? Why not report us?" Harry asked with some doubt.
"Harry," said Hermione attempting to stop him.
"You going to mention the threat?" asked Loki. Harry shook his head.
"Then we have a deal, and besides, it was all in good fun," said Loki smiling. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged concerned looks.
"So … why did he deserve a hit to the face?" Loki asked looking at Hermione. She walked towards the edge of the hill and pointed to a hut far off in the distance. A large creature with the head of an eagle, the body of a horse with wings of a very large bird slept in a pumpkin patch just short of the hut. He almost thought it was a winged horse of the Valkyrie.
"Is that?" asked Loki.
"Buckbeak," said Harry plainly. Loki looked at him not understanding.
"Hagrid's hippogriff," said Hermione. Loki raised another eyebrow.
"Hagrid is a friend of ours and the groundskeeper for the school. Malfoy's father sentenced him to death," said Hermione.
"Why?" asked Loki curiously.
"Because he attacked Malfoy, only he didn't … Malfoy was careless … it's a long story," Harry tried to explain. Loki looked back at the hippogriff.
"So, what are you planning on doing about it?" asked Mr. Laufeyson.
"I'm sorry?" said Harry.
"We can't do anything about it. This is a ministry of magic issue. That is why Malfoy's father has so much power. He works for the ministry," said Hermione.
"Ministry?" remarked Loki. The word practically screamed TVA, "Sounds like a lot of boring paperwork." Ron shook his head again. "Mental," he muttered under his breath. Harry grew more and more curious about this character. Dumbledore hired a strange man, in strange muggle clothes, with little knowledge of the wizardry world let alone the school.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" repeated Loki. A mischievous plan danced in his head.
"What? Didn't you hear us? We can't do anything about it! And the execution will happen any moment now!" said Hermione. Loki could see a few men approach the hut.
"Hmm, then I guess we mustn't waste any time," he said striding towards the hut.
"Profes- I mean Mr. Laufeyson! Wait!" exclaimed Hermione running after him.
"I told you he was mental," said Ron, but him and Harry followed him regardless.