A/N: This is my version of Vikings and a Harry Potter crossover. I do not own any book/movie/tv show and will not make any money from this.
This story is my first fanfiction. I am not a professional writer and would never claim to be. I am doing this for my enjoyment and hope to bring some joy to others, if possible!
I'm changing up the timeline a little bit from the tv show. All these characters will be OOC. As I am making them mine!
This was a harder chapter for me. I am trying not to focus too much on religion, but I feel that this chapter was needed with Athelstan.
All translations have been done by Google Translate.
Rated M for a Reason.
Athelstan had tried to get Hermione alone for the last few weeks, though every time he had tried to bring up what had happened with Freya it seems like someone would need the woman to help them with one thing or another. Athelstan wondered if Hermione was avoiding him. Did she not want to talk with him? Athelstan felt his faith in his God had been shaken. His faith in his Lord's son. Was Jesus just a witch like Hermione? Was anything he believed real? Athelstan sighed as he looked at Ragnar's children who were talking with their father.
Ragnar was telling them tales of Loki's three most well-recognized children; Fenrisúlfr (Fenrir), Hel, and Jörmungandr. Athelstan sighed as he listened to the impractical story of a God having children that were all so different from a wolf, one that was half-dead, and a snake so big it wrapped around the world. While he felt it was not possible, he was not as sure anymore as Hermione was constantly proving what he believed impossible to be possible.
Athelstan stood when he saw Hermione walking into the entrance of the hut with a book in her hands. Athelstan quickly moved to the distracted woman, leaving the children to their father. As he walked up to her, Hermione looked up and started smiling at the Monk. "Hello, Athelstan."
Athelstan returns her smile with a strained smile of his own. "Hermione, I would like to talk with you."
Hermione hesitates in her response as her smile disappears. "Of course. I believe it is well past time that we've talked. Let me tell Rollo that we are leaving for a little while."
Athelstan quickly agreed. Hermione left the anxious man standing at the entrance of the hut while she walked toward the bedrooms. Athelstan briefly wondered why Rollo would be in Hermione's room, but he shook the thought away. It was not his business. When Hermione returned to the entrance, she held her hand out for the Monk. Athelstan took a deep breath as he grabbed the woman's hand. "We are going to go to the cliff. We shouldn't be interrupted there."
Athelstan gave Hermione a small smile while nodding. Without another moment's notice, Athelstan felt himself being squeezed and felt the dizziest he had ever been in his life. As it stopped, he fell to his knees before throwing up the bread and meat that he had eaten not long before. Hermione rubbed the man's back. She quickly vanished the mess Athelstan had made. "It will get better."
Athelstan stood, accepting the cloth that Hermione handed him to wipe his mouth. They stood awkwardly as Athelstan did not know how to start what he wanted to ask her.
--
Hermione smiled softly at the ruffled man. She felt so badly that he had gotten more and more ragged-looking over the last few weeks.She wanted to talk with him sooner but it seemed like she never had time to talk with him. Hermione had started to help Floki finish the boats, she had begun to teach Gyda and Bjorn how to read, and she had also continued to learn how to fight with Rollo and Ragnar. As well as keeping Lagertha and her baby healthy with the necessary potions. Hermione felt overwhelmed and felt if Athelstan truly wanted or needed to talk with her about what happened with Freya then he would seek her out like he did today.
Hermione was brought out of her musings as Athelstan cleared his throat. "I am shaken. My faith was being tested before you came, Hermione. Now...' His voice was shaky as he continued, 'Now… I am not sure what to believe. Do I believe in the benevolent God I know and love?' Athelstan's eyes started to water as he voiced all the questions he had only thought of the last few months. 'Do I believe in the chaotic Gods and Goddesses of those around us? Will I go to Hell for questioning My Lord? Has everything I have ever known been a lie?"
The man's voice quivered as he fell to his knees with the weight of the questions he was asking. Hermione slowly knelt on the ground next to the conflicted Monk. She brought his hands into hers forcing him to look her in the eyes before she started to speak. "I do not believe that everything is a lie. I believe that there is a benevolent God. I believe that just because one exists doesn't mean the other isn't there. I genuinely cannot believe that a truly forgiving God will ever send you to Hell for your doubts Athelstan. He will expect your doubts but leave it up to you to truly decide. That is why we have free will Athelstan to make that choice. Whether it is the Æsir or God you must do what you believe is right."
Athelstan let out sobs as Hermione's words struck his soul. Maybe he wasn't Damned to Hell. Maybe he could question and still be worthy. Doubts were almost strictly forbidden and highly frowned upon in the Monastery, but here with these people how could he not doubt. Athelstan had seen many terrible and amazing things. He knew that anyone he had known in the Monastery would have had doubts and then some. Those truly blind or in denial of the world around them would be the only ones who would not.
After Athelstan had calmed down. He and Hermione sat next to each other on the cliff for most of the day talking about life and religion in the future. How much had changed and how much was still the same even centuries later.
--
After Hermione's afternoon with Athelstan, time had passed quickly, and before she knew it months had passed.
--
Hermione stood and smiled at the woman in front of her as she ignored the man next to her. Lagertha's stomach was starting to show the child within her, and she looked more beautiful than ever with a healthy glow on her pale skin. "You and your child are perfectly healthy. I have your potions ready. They will be in stasis for the remainder of your pregnancy. Take one each week."
Ragnar smiled at the witch in front of his wife. "We are ready to depart then?"
Hermione gave the man a quick glare, not noticing the smirk he gave her, before smiling again at Lagertha. "Yes, everything is ready for us to go west. Though I recommend that we stay until your child is born."
It had been five days since Ragnar had found that Floki and Hermione were done with the boats. He had immediately begun preparation to go west. Hermione had warned him against it until after Lagertha had given birth, but that was still five to six months away. Ragnar was not listening. Hermione was very frustrated with Ragnar. He wouldn't listen and she felt deeply that they should not leave yet, but she couldn't force him to listen to her. He was the Earl. His ambitions for treasures in the West were blinding him to the warning he was receiving.
Rollo, who was watching the whole exchange, had tried to talk with Ragnar about Hermione's feeling against leaving. Still, Ragnar felt that Hermione didn't want to raid her country. She was holding them back because she didn't approve of their way of life. She never outright said it, but she had more than made it known that life, where she was from, was nowhere near being the same as life in Kattegat. Ragnar called to the rest of the room. "We leave to go West tomorrow!" Those in the room cheered. Rollo quickly followed Hermione as she stormed off from Ragnar and Lagertha
Hermione stormed into her room. She waved her wand as everything slowly started to pack into her beaded bag. She sat on her bed with her head in her hands. She had tried, she only hoped she had prepared everything for Lagertha in the coming months. Hermione was concerned she was changing history. Lagertha was only known to have one child with Ragnar. A son, named Bjorn. The fact that they also had Gyda made Hermione skeptical of the history books she's read, but she tried not to write them off. She wondered what happened to Gyda for her to never be mentioned.
Hermione was trying everything she could to help Lagertha bring this child into the world. According to legend, Aslaug, Ragnar's next wife, would give Ragnar his sons. Hermione privately wondered why that would happen. Ragnar loved and worshiped Lagertha. He did so more than anything in this world. She could never see him purposely hurting her. Hermione had long since decided that she wouldn't tell them what she knew about their lives. She couldn't give up hope for a brighter future for her Viking friends.
Rollo walked into Hermione's room without her noticing. He watched the different things floating and bobbing around the room before he cleared his throat bringing the witch out of her thoughts. Hermione jumped slightly, giving the man before her a slightly strained but bright smile. Rollo returned the smile with one of his own. Their relationship hadn't progressed past quick and heated kisses in the last few months. Hermione blushed at the thought of Rollo running his hands across her body the night in the tent.
Rollo's smile turned tense as he broached a topic Hermione didn't want to talk about, "We leave tomorrow."
Hermione's face which was flushed with desire was now red from frustration. She let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "Of course, we do. That man will not listen to me!' Hermione laid back on her bed throwing her arm over her face. 'If I am not here in Kattegat. I won't be able to help the people here. Though I can't justify letting you go on this raid West without me! What about Lagertha, can I risk the chance of not being here?"
Rollo walked to Hermione before sitting on her bed bringing the irritated woman to his lap. "The Gods will protect us. Those that are meant to go to Valhalla will go. Those that are meant to fight will fight. You have no more control over what happens than anyone else. You have been a blessing and will continue to be one, but do not think or worry that you will be able to save everyone. Save those you can and accept those you cannot. We will go together; we will return together. That will not change.' Rollo paused as he thought of Lagertha as she was heavily pregnant with Bjorn. 'Lagertha wants to go West and once this raid is done and the baby is born another will be planned. She will go as she has before. She is strong."
While Rollo's words helped ease some of Hermione's ever-growing guilt. Hermione couldn't help but feel like she was missing something. Hermione looked around the room and all her items were packed. It was time to sleep. Hermione looked at Rollo as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed watching her. She gave him a sleepy smile before she stuck her hand out
for him to join her. Rollo gave her a smirk before he put his hand in hers. She giggled as he pulled her up into his arms. He picked her up as he turned them, so he was the one next to the bed. He quickly let her go to get undressed before pulling her down to the bed on top of him. She didn't have any time to admire him, but Hermione blushed as she felt his naked body against her clothed one. She snuggled up to Rollo even more as her eyes started to close. When Hermione let out a soft snore Rollo sighed as he relaxed into the bed.