Thank you so much to all those that are following this story. This chapter and the next are the conclusions to story arcs from Tales of the Third Brother, so if you haven't read this already, you might want to have a look. Just a little one this time, as I didn't want to repeat a lot of what has already been discussed at some length in Sif's Quest.

As always, I do not have any claim on JKR or Marvel's characters, and do this solely for my, and your enjoyment.

Happy New Year to you all. Merrick xx

Christmas the Second. The Palace of Asgard.

Hermione tweaked the evergreen garlands and candles which adorned the special chamber, with its magical and military wards in which Harry Potter lay, back into place to her satisfaction. It had been forty seven years since he had made his sacrifice, for her, for Loki and for the family they would build, and every day she came in to sit with him for a few minutes, to talk, to read to him and to check that all was as it should be. She knew that Loki also dropped in, sometimes with her, sometimes alone, as often as his duties to Asgard allowed. And every night, without fail, their children, Lilja and Haldor would come in to bid goodnight to Unca' Harry.

"I have to go now. I am due at the Midwinter Festival, and I cannot be late. Jane and Frigga will need me for the final details."

Bending to drop a kiss onto his forehead, she smoothed her new gown.

"Happy Christmas Harry"

ooo0ooo

The Great Midwinter Festival was in full swing. The long tables, which a few hours ago had been literally groaning with roasted meats, side dishes, bread, fruit and sweetmeats, not to mention enough ale, mead and mulled wine to render a small Midgardian country drunk for a week, were now looking distinctly lighter, although the supply of drink showed no sign of flagging. Hermione had drunk enough of the wine to feel full and pleasantly mellow. The children had been born away to the family wing to enjoy their Midwinter gifts for they loved the chance to each as much as they wished without parental nagging to eat their vegetables, but rapidly bored with the carousing and talking which followed.

"My Lords and Ladies. My Friends. You are most welcome." Hermione smiled, looking to her right, where Thor had risen to make his customary speech, causing the hall to fall silent for the first time that evening. "Before we all become too befuddled by the feast, I would like to wish you all on behalf of the Queen and I, the Lady Frigga, Prince Loki and Princess Hermione, and all of our family, a very Good Midwinter." He paused to allow for his audience to return his good wishes before continuing. "As those of you familiar with these occasions know, this is a time for feasting and rejoicing, but also for reflection on the year past, and a chance to look to the future. It is also a chance to appreciate the presence of those we love, and to remember those that are not with us. As has become our custom, I ask you to raise your glasses. "To Absent Friends"

As one, the whole hall rose and roared the toast back to him. In the silence that followed, one voice was heard from the back of the hall.

"To absent friends"

Thor froze, as every eye turned to the travel stained figure, dwarfed by the huge doorway. Long missed, but still familiar, especially to Thor, who abandoning his seat circled the end of the top table to meet her. Shedding her baggage and staff, she dropped to one knee, fist to shoulder in formal salute. "My Lord"

Strong hands raised her to her feet. "Lady Sif. You are most welcome. You have been greatly missed" Thor kissed her formally on both cheeks before waving a hand to those at the tables. "Please my friends. Continue – enjoy yourselves." As the volume rose once more in the hall he picked up her bags himself, drawing her up to the top table with an arm around her shoulder where Frigga and Jane came forward to greet her.

But Sif had other things on her mind. Acknowledging her friends with smiles, she made her way to Loki, where to his surprise she dropped to one knee before him. Startled at this unexpected greeting, he rose to his feet to raise her. "Lady Sif?"

"Prince Loki. I apologise for taking you from the Midwinter Feast, but might I beg a conversation with you in private please?"

Loki looked at her, perplexed. "Lady Sif, it would be my honour to speak with you. But you have had a long journey, you have been away for a long time. You need rest, refreshment. We can speak when you are rested."

Sif shook her head. "I thank you My Lord, but this is a matter of grave importance to me."

Loki looked down at Hermione, who looked wary, but smiled encouragingly. "If you need to speak to my husband Lady Sif, I will go to ensure the servants have your room prepared for your return."

"Thank you My Lady" with a little bow of gratitude, Sif allowed herself to be led out of the hall and into Loki's study, taking a seat, at his invitation, in a comfortable armchair by the fire."

"Can I get you some wine Sif?"

"Thank you." She looked at this new Loki, more relaxed, more confident, and compared it to the Loki of her memories, brittle, acerbic, masking his insecurities behind a frigid royal mask. He handed her the goblet with a smile, a little puzzled by her scrutiny as he sat opposite her. "What is it?"

"You're different"

He smiled. "So are you. Thor never told me where you went or why. By the time I awoke after my injury – you were - gone."

"After the convergence I had a long talk with Thor. Learned that I'd been wrong about a lot of things – about you." She shrugged. "I was a mess. He and Frigga sent me to Arno. To her old mentor"

Loki's face brightened. "You went to An-Kela."

"Eventually. I spent a long time travelling on Arno, trying to find her. Nearly got eaten by a Direwolf."

"If you survived a Direwolf attack you have my eternal respect, they are formidable creatures. How badly were you wounded?"

She grimaced. "Badly enough. Fortunately An-Kela found me at that point. I was her guest for some time. We talked – a lot."

"She took you soul walking of course?"

"She did." Sif took a deep breath. "I am not certain how you will feel about this, but I do not feel it is fair to keep it from you. It was your past that we walked through"

He nodded. "I had assumed that that might be the case. It might be better if you did not tell me which bits of my reprehensible past you dug into though"

Sif nodded. "That is fair. But there is one thing I must tell you, for it was not a part of the soul walk. An-Kela nearly lost me." She took a deep breath. "There was a critical moment – a difficult moment, when I fell."

He looked at her, searchingly "You fell?"

"I fell through a section of your memories and landed in a cell. Forgive me, but I now understand why you allied yourself with the Chitauri when you did."

Loki's eyes were very bright in his pale face. "I see. And if I asked you to keep these details to yourself?"

"You have my word My Lord. As an Aesir and as a warrior, that all I learned that day will not be disclosed to a living soul, unless you or the Allfather demand it of me"

He nodded, satisfied eyes widening in surprise as she left her chair to kneel before him once more. "What is it Sif?"

"My Lord. In my initial conversation with Thor, then in the long years I spent wandering alone, and later in my discussions with An-Kela I realised that I had... I had misunderstood many of your actions. That I had been wilfully cruel in the early years of our fr... acquaintance. I made no effort to understand the reasons for your actions, always putting the worst interpretation on them. I have been no friend to you or to the Princess Hermione. I allowed my friendship with Thor to cloud my judgement, ignoring the lack of wisdom he showed in his youth." She took a deep breath. "A very long time ago, we were friends, you and I, and I threw it away. And I am sorry for it. Is it too late to ask your forgiveness?"

Rising, Loki raised her to her feet and returned her to her seat. "Wow"

She quirked an eyebrow, risking a joke. "An eloquent response"

"Is this to do with you and Harry?"

"Yes – and no. Yes, that was what prompted me at the beginning. But as I began to unravel things in my mind, with An-Kela's aid it became so much more than that. I dared to hope that with the help of the Princess Hermione, and Harry, that you may be further along this road than I already. I know from Harry that you never attempted to prevent our relationship, no matter how justified that might have been, and for that I thank you. But it is wrong that those we both love are caught forever in the cross fire. If we cannot yet be friends, I hope that there may at least be peace between us.

Rising, he offered her his arm with a smile. "I have born you no true ill will for many years now Sif. Even before the Convergence, before your departure I wished only that you could see that I had changed. That I was not the man I had been. Do you wish to return to the Hall, or would you prefer your chambers?"

Sif smiled, relaxing a little. "My chambers please. I do not want to return to the Hall in all my dirt. I will bathe, eat and sleep, and face the rest of Asgard in the morning."

"A wise decision I think. Although I cannot guarantee that my mother will not be waiting for you." Sif realised with some confusion, that he had led her into the family wing. "Before you return to your chambers, there is something I wish you to see."

Silently opening a door, he led her into what she swiftly realised was a nursery, warm comfortable, filled with books and toys with a table at the end for meals and lessons. To her left were two further doors, both ajar, with nightlights shining through. Finger to his lips Loki led her to the first door where a black haired girl was sprawled asleep across the bed, the covers tangled around her, book in hand. With a smile, Loki smoothed the covers with a practiced hand, rescuing the book from the edge of the bed before it fell.

"Lilja, our eldest. Named for Harry's mother Lily."

"Papa" the voice came from behind them. Turning Loki smiled. "Shh Haldor. Do not wake your sister." The speaker was a sturdy little boy of perhaps 35 with soft brown curls of a similar shade to his mother, well grown, but not too grown for his father to scoop him up in his arms and whisk him back to his room, Sif still in his wake. "Who's that Papa?"

"That is a very old friend of mine and Uncle Thor's. Her name is Lady Sif and you can talk to her tomorrow. Bedtime young man."

"'Kay Papa. Night night." Dropping a kiss on his sleepy son's forehead, Loki slipped out, smiling at Sif's expression.

"What?"

"You – a father, and a doting father at that. I had not thought..."

"You were not alone in that. Before I met Hermione... I never thought either."

Closing the door behind them, he offered his arm once more as they headed back to Sif's chambers, talking gently of this and that, for there was much for her to catch up on. When they finally arrived at her door, Loki bent to kiss her on the cheek.

"Goodnight Sif, sleep well. And in answer to your question. Yes, you are forgiven, for I have had much to atone for myself." He held out a hand and she gripped his forearm as was their tradition. "Friends?"

"Friends."