17

A month passed by in a short time and soon enough, Christmas was coming. In the streets of downtown, people were busy getting their present shopping done before it would be too late, and Harriet, along with Hermione and Ron, were doing the same.

What was different from the rest of the Christmases Harriet celebrated was because of the fact that this year, she had a boyfriend who had asked her out on a date to a not-too-fancy-but-still-fancy-enough-to-impress dinner. She was practically jumping in her steps as she walked on the sidewalk.

Ron was just talking about how he was only going to get his parents presents and not his siblings. He had worked a part time job and saving up for the presents, planning it ever since Summer break. Hermione, on the other hand, was listing off all of the people she'd be gifting to this year from the memo app on her phone. She had already bought the presents for half the people on her list. She also had started working at the start of the school year.

Harriet, however, had tons of money in her bank account that had accumulated over the years to a great amount. She did have a part time last Summer, but she quit after finding out that one of the workers at the diner she worked at was a manager during day and molester at night. He'd gotten arrested but she still felt iffy about the place so she left as soon as possible.

"I wish I had a boyfriend," Hermione said all of a sudden, "I wonder what Peter is getting you for Christmas. — What're you getting him?"

"He doesn't have a lot of scarves so I'm knitting one for him."

"But you're so bad at knitting," Ron retorted.

Harriet turned to him with a look. "I'll have my magic to help with that."

"That's cheating," Hermione quipped like a mother would.

"I'm also planning on giving him a private flying lesson."

"With no parents?" Ron asked.

Harriet confirmed with a sly smile, "no parents."

Hermione smirked at Harriet, "oh, well then, you're getting better and better at dating, Harry. I'm proud of you."

- Says the girl who had never dated someone before.

"… Countless people have tried to pull the hammer out, but none succeeded. It is becoming a tourist attraction to the locals after a week of the various attempts of pulling it out from the ground. Some are even calling it the Second Excalibur..."

The news screened to the weapon and then back to the reporter. She was now with an old man.

"We're here with the man who was among the first to witness the falling star. Sir, can you explain what happened?"

"Well, I was sleeping, like everyone should be. The next morning, my neighbour came to me and they tell me they saw a meteorite. I said, let's go mine it and make ourselves rich. We go, and we see this giant hammer. We were disappointed until someone claimed that it should belong in a museum. Each of us tried pulling it out, but no luck! Not even my truck could pull it out."

Harriet turned off the TV, gathering her bag. Lily was there offering her a toast with strawberry jam. "Thanks, mum. Don't wait on me, I'll be back at night."

"A date with Peter?"

Although Harriet was uncomfortable with her parents knowing about her love life, she tried to answer casually. "Yeah."

"Why don't you invite him to dinner for Christmas? I would love to get to know him."

"He's going to spend it with his Aunt, mum."

"Then, Boxing Day?"

"I'll ask." She shied away from her mother when she attempted to give her a peck on her cheek, "Mum, I'm not a baby anymore."

"You're my daughter and I'll kiss you on your cheek whenever I feel like it!"

Harriet received a call from an unknown number on her way to the location of the restaurant, there was still a lot of time before the date. It could be a scam, but Harriet had fun scamming the scammers before, it didn't hurt to do that once more.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Potter, this is Agent Phil Coulson from SHIELD." Harriet let out a disappointed sigh, she was expecting 'is your refrigerator working, ma'am?'. "Were you expecting someone else?"

Harriet continued to ride her bike. "I'd be lying if I said no. What seems to be the problem, Agent Coulson?"

"We had a disturbance in New Mexico, I'm sure you're aware of it from the news reports? — I thought we'd get your insight on the artifact that caused the disturbance."

"What about dad?"

"Your father can't help us now. He can no longer provide help in regards to the energy that the artifact we have in possession is radiating." Harriet had forgotten that her father's gene had officially mutated, meaning that he couldn't produce any magic. He could only sense them. "We'll send a jet."

"No need," Harriet responded, remembering the scene of where the hammer was on the report, "I'm already here."

Before her was a different background however. For one, white tents and borders lined the sight. No doubt the hammer was inside the maze of it all. She set down her bike beside the fence.

"Then I'll send someone to get you." With that, the line ended.

Within a short moment of patience, an Agent she was all too familiar with appeared. It was Agent Clint Barton, sporting his battle gear and weapon.

"So, when you said you had a mission and left me to train by myself, you were here all along?"

Clint had been Harriet's handler for a while now, training her in combat and self defence to get her started. He'd also been training himself to be better too, ashamed of the outcome of what happened with the dementors.

"That's right, I thought I wouldn't be able to see you until next week. — Come on, Coulson's dying to see what you can do. The sooner we solve this mystery the sooner you get better at your punches."

The introductions and greetings were brief, short and to the point. The top priority was something much bigger. No moment to lose, Harriet and Agent Coulson were in front of the hammer.

"Can you feel something?"

Harriet touched the engravings. She felt a familiar energy around the hammer but couldn't place her hand on it. "I think it's similar to the kind of magic I have, but then again, it's entirely different. It's certainly other-worldly. … I think it might be a weapon."

"Can you trace its origins?" Phil was hoping for someone to shed some light. Even the greatest scientists in his team was stumped as to where it came from or what it was, but at least the second part of his question was answered. Why would a weapon from outer space appear here, on Earth? Could it possibly be a threat?

"Give me a moment or two."

The agent nodded, "if you need something, don't be afraid to call the agents outside." He then exited, leaving Harriet alone with the hammer.

"Okay, hammer, give me something here," Harriet muttered to herself as she felt around the said object. She sent a jolt of magic to the hammer. When the hammer didn't respond with a magic of its own, Harriet sent another pang of magic, but a more hostile one. Again, nothing. It didn't even move.

Sighing, Harriet tried for the third time. Again and again, nothing had worked for her. Harriet finally felt like giving up and relaying to the guards placed outside that bringing her was a mistake. But before that, Harriet eyed the hammer. She kind of wanted to try and lift it, like everyone had done before her. She grabbed its handle and-

It worked.

Harriet didn't know what the locals were complaining about. The hammer was as light as a feather.

"How are you able to lift Mjolnir?"

With a gasp, Harriet dropped the hammer to the ground, creating a loud thud. The intruder had almost the same shade as her eyes, hers a little lighter than his. Harriet wondered if it this person wasn't even an intruder from the way he had calmly entered the room without alerting the guards outside. Then, she wondered if he was a persona or a true form of the hammer from his strange attire. Who on Earth would be brave enough to walk around wearing a golden, horned helm?

"Who are you?" She asked, "are you the hammer?"

The stranger stared at her as though she was the one wearing the unusual garb. But his facial expression changed to arrogance as he stared down at her. "I am Loki of Asgard."

"Loki of… Wait, God of Lies and Mischief from Norse mythology?"

Suddenly, the entry opened. Phil entered with another man, one that was bigger than any man she'd seen.

"Ms. Potter, this person claims to be—" Phil took one look at the place where the hammer was supposed to be wedged in, but found no hammer. "Where's the hammer?"

A better question for Harriet was: where had Loki gone?

"Oh, um," Harriet awkwardly shifted to pick up Mjolnir. The man standing behind Phil gave a look over with wide eyes. "Sorry, I wanted to try if I could get it unstuck."

"How?" The big man asked inquisitively. He looked like he was lost in a maze. "You're a mortal being, how can a mere mortal lift Mjolnir?"

It appeared as though Phil wanted to ask the similar question. "She's not just a some mortal. She's more than capable of taking you out if needed. Ms. Potter, he may have some insight as to what that is. If he tries something, use force if necessary."

"Right…" The agent exited again, leaving the two alone. "My name's Harriet Potter, and you are?"

He glanced to the side to make sure no one was hearing their conversation, it was just those two and the security cameras, "… Thor."

"Pleasure to meet you, God of Thunder."

"You believe what I say?"

"I met your brother, if my mythology is right..." Harriet was never the one to study a certain subject to the point she'd remember the names of all the important people, but Hermione wanted to learn, and that meant she had to learn as well from listening to her ramblings.

"Loki?"

"I was going to find you, but found her instead," it was Loki who reappeared.

"Loki, what're you doing here?" Thor found himself asking, fully facing his brother, "have father forgiven me?"

"No… I had to see you."

"What's happened? Tell me! Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to father —"

"Father is dead." Thor was stunned by the news, while Harriet stood by awkwardly. "Your banishment, the threat of a new war, it was too much for him to bear. You mustn't blame yourself. I know that you loved him. I tried to tell him so, but he wouldn't listen."

As Loki was explaining the events that happened with lies mixed in, he could feel a prickling sensation in his brain. He peeked to the side to see that he was correct in thinking that someone had been trying to break into his mind to read his memories.

He speculated that Harriet had also pried into Thor's memories as well, getting only one side of the story. She wanted to know if she could trust Loki. Loki refrained a smirk. He'd give her what she want.

Loki watched as her eyes went wide only a fraction when he let her view his fabricated memories. That only confirmed that she was able to do something that even Asgardians who practiced the arts of magic had trouble doing.

How peculiar. To think that a mere mortal could lift Mjolnir without a sweat and to try break into a mind of an Asgardian. But it wasn't even considered "breaking into" it was more like "seeping into" one's mind. It had a calming effect unlike the magic he wields.

Loki looked back to Thor and said to him, "farewell, brother."

"... Goodbye."

He made to teleport away from the scene until Harriet caught him by his sleeve. "Wait. I—" she briefly glanced at Thor and then back to Loki. "Sorry, but have we- Have we met before? It's stupid, I know, but—"

Loki disappear.

"What did I miss?" Phil had just gotten back.

Harriet sighed as she looked down at her hand which touched Loki. She didn't miss the part where she could sense some kind of a familiar energy exchanged between him and her. Perhaps the next time they meet, she'll get some answers.

Harriet suddenly gasped, "shit! I'm late! Merlin's balls, Peter's going to be so mad at me!" She turned to Phil before disapparating, "sorry, Phil, but you're going to have to handle this on your own."

Before Thor could demand an answer of how she'd lifted Mjolnir, she vanished.

A/N:

There's been a few people who PM me asking me 'when are you going to update your other stories?'

Short answer: I don't know.

Special thanks to people who have favourited, followed, and reviewed.