The story has been updated, so I apologize for any inconsistencies.
The Victim
"Now then, shall we?" said the headmaster, ushering him down a spiral staircase guarded by a gargoyle-like statue. Once they left his wondrous office, Loki became overwhelmed by something else. Huge columns towered above them connecting all the stone walls, stairs, hallways and ceilings. What seemed to be hundreds and hundreds of students dressed in black robes of various ages from children to teenagers filled the magnificent hallways of the castle like water droplets flowing down their own paths through massive semi-circular arch ways. The air in Hogwarts carried the faint scent of old parchment, magical herbs, and cool stone, blending with the distant murmur of students and the occasional echoes of laughter from unseen corners. It wasn't nearly as metallic or shiny as Asgard, but the castle reminded him of the palace and bustling with its many inhabitants also grabbed in their flowing Asgardian attire. Loki felt oddly at home if not for his branded, Variant jacket. However, he would much rather be here in the castle looking a bit out of place than the drab, non magical TVA. Loki's eyes darted around, taking in everything as best he could.
"Mr. Laufeyson?" said Dumbledore. He could see that the Trickster was a bit starstruck. Dumbledore put a gentle hand on his back, waking him from his shock.
"How ... how have I never heard of this place?" he breathed. Of the time spent on Earth, albeit not that much time, he'd never seen a place so spectacular.
"Because you've never needed to, not till now ... come," the headmaster as they pressed onward. Loki had heard those words before, and an uneasiness settled over him. The Trickster kept looking all around, the entire place practically consisted of soaring architecture, towering ceilings, large stone columns, thick stone walls and moving pictures, all lit by some form of candle or sun light. Despite Dumbledore's terms and conditions, and his affiliation with the TVA, he didn't feel completely confined here. Loki nearly ran into a couple of students who threw him some odd looks, but he did not have the focus to care.
After their exploration of the castle, Dumbledore led Loki through the towering corridors, winding his way towards a more secluded section. The grandeur of Hogwarts gave way to a hushed ambiance as they entered the hospital wing. The headmaster drew an odd looking stick from his robe pocket. It was long and pale with five spherical looking notches marking each part of its length. Loki squinted his face, slightly disgusted by it. He hoped it served a greater purpose than the TVA's pruning, death batons. With a smooth flick from his wrist, the magical stick creaked open a door, revealing a room veiled in shadows where a body lay on a table. A white sheet sprawled over it. Once they passed through the threshold, the door clicked behind them, locking them inside, a feature that made Loki's skin crawl.
"He was found at night, leaving the library," the headmaster began in a solemn yet delicate tone. Dumbledore gently peeled back the sheet by hovering his magical tool over it. The sheet followed it as Dumbledore slowly moved the end away from the body. Once unveiled, the young man's appearance took Loki by surprise. He was expecting to see a ghastly mess or a dirty figure, but the person was incredibly pale, yet oddly handsome, even with his eyes closed. Not a single blemish harmed his cheek. Loki recalled some Asgardian women who would kill for his poreless skin. Dumbledore peeled back more of the sheet revealing the young man's black school robes similar to the ones he saw on the more lively students. Loki took a mental note of an emblem on the side. It was composed of what appeared to be a furry creature in colors of gold and black. He scanned the body further, looking for the entry wound. Finally an imperfection showed itself; a single deep strike could be found in his chest, painting his pure white school shirt in a mess of burnt red.
"So he was stabbed and bled to death. I hardly think you needed me to figure that out," Loki said in a snarky attitude.
"Then I can assume, you know what your Variant will do next and how to apprehend them?" Dumbledore remarked smoothly from behind his half moon glasses. Loki scoffed. "Furthermore, there are two fatal wounds," the headmaster continued.
"Two?" questioned the Trickster who clearly saw the single frontal assault. With another smooth and unspoken gesture from the grand wizard's hand, a Levitation Charm wove through the air, cradling the body as if time itself bowed to the headmaster's command. The body itself floated motionlessly as if gravity had no effect on it or the billowing clothes. Loki watched in awe of his skill despite the fact that this young person was indeed dead. It had been too long since he had seen magic, let alone practiced it. The Trickster walked around the table to view the other injury. The stab wound in the back looked older than the front. It was not exactly a quick death nor a clean one for that matter. The victim may have fought back, but without the whereabouts of the assault, Loki would not know for sure.
"Death was not instant … at least not at first …" Loki said, musing out loud.
"No … " Dumbledore said quietly. The playful glint in his eyes dimmed at the thought of one of his students suffering such cruelty. The headmaster delicately floated the body back down to its original position, leaving the sheet off. Loki circled around to the other side of the table once more, searching for any more clues. Other than the TemPad and the lone dagger, he found it hard to believe that a Loki Variant could be responsible for a motiveless murder, let alone in a place with so many people, unless the boy was in his way … and if he was, to what end he wondered. The deed was sloppy, most likely conducted by a less superior Loki, the Trickster thought. Besides, of all the battles Loki had fought, to blatantly kill a child was not in his repertoire.
"Were there any witnesses?" Loki probed.
"No one saw the attack … but regrettably, his body was discovered by another one of our students," he said with less confidence than at the start of their union. Loki pondered deeply. He knew he would have to socialize with the little beings at some point, but he was certainly devising other methods of extracting information with little personal interaction.
"Other than your elusive device, and quite lethal weapon … two defensive spells were cast from his wand," added the old wizard.
"I beg your pardon?" the Trickster asked with a raised eyebrow, ever skeptical. The headmaster opened his palm face up, delicately balancing the illusive bone colored stick in his long fingers.
"You may not be as familiar or in need of such items," the wizard said, hinting towards some hidden knowledge, "but every witch and wizard has a wand … and every wand … has an unforgettable past." Another prickling sensation went up Loki's spine, finding yet another vague similarity between the TVA and this school. The Trickster remembered when he first met Mobius, how much he hated him and his holoprojector, forcing him to relive his painful past. Worse, he had to relive a past that wasn't exactly his, and yet, he probably would have made all the wrong choices again given the chance. Perhaps he had lost too much time at the Time Variant's Authority, he was starting to see similarities everywhere.
"Forgive me, headmaster, but if this school is so prestigious, how is it that only your students have encountered this Loki?" The God of Mischief asked slowly, smugly, curiously, "I mean … how do you even know if the Variant is still here?" he added, looking up from the victim judgmentally. The popped collar of his Variant jacket added to his sly grin. Dumbledore kept his tall figure aligned, unwavering to Loki's line of questioning as if he already expected this bout of skepticism. A shine to his half moon glasses gleamed as he peered over them once more with silent wisdom. His mystic blue eyes hinted at secrets beyond the surface.
"Hogwarts has strict rules in place preventing students from venturing after hours, with some exceptions," Dumbledore began calmly, "As for your Variant, it is true, a mythical being, presently dwelling in the walls of our school, is quite formidable if not unbelievable," he said. Loki's grin dropped at his small slight. Dumbledore took a step closer to him before continuing. "However, it has been brought to my attention that your TemPad, is quite the powerful tool … and if I am not mistaken … Loki's seem to crave power … do you think they would leave something so precious behind?" Loki narrowed his green eyes, attempting to pierce the old man's gentle blue gaze. It irritated him how calm and enigmatic he remained in his presence. "Besides, now that you are here, it will be easier to track your variant."
"What does that mean?" asked Loki suspiciously. Dumbledore walked closer towards the door they had originally entered.
"The moment you stepped onto the school's grounds, a special trace was placed upon you. Any time you perform your magic, which you are allowed to do within reason, I will be alerted," the headmaster explained. Loki glared at the headmaster wondering if Mobius knew what they were getting into when they were given this assignment.
"Which means so will the Variant's," said Loki, not even trying to hide his quick thinking.
"Precisely," said Dumbledore, and with a squish of his wand, he unlocked the door, but before they left the room, the old wizard turned once more to the Trickster, "Mr. Laufeyson, it is imperative that we catch your variant as swiftly as possible, not only for the students' sake, but for the school's as well, for I fear with your variant freely roaming the grounds, Hogwarts is no longer safe. Do you understand?"
Loki's hostile demeanor fell a bit flat. As skeptical as he was of the headmaster, he didn't believe the old man was lying about that last statement. They actually needed his help.