Notes: The story has been updated so I apologize for some inconsistencies.

A Brief Lesson in Mischief

A pair of freshly cleaned brown shoes, shined, buffed, and tied by magic, belonging to one tall Asgardian clicked along the cobblestone walkway with every step. Compared to yesterday, Loki physically had fully recovered thanks to Madam Pomfrey, though he was certain he did not need her help. Additionally, he mended his brown slacks so there were no rips or wrinkles, removed any possible stains from his white button up shirt, popped the collar to his variant jacket, straightened his tie around his neck, and kept his jet black hair blown back from his face. He may not like the TVA attire, but the least he could do was make himself sharply presentable. Loki stopped walking when he came to a stone ledge overseeing the school grounds.

The day was bright and blue. He could see a glistening lake making friends with a thick forest, grassy hills flowing in harmony with large granite boulders, parts of the school embedded in the terrain. Loki leaned in closer, placing both hands on the wall to get a better look. 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. The air was crisp and cool, traveling freely through the crevasses in its foundations, exploring its secrets and flooding it with life.

He closed his emerald eyes, taking it in, letting the breeze brush past his pale face and gently comb through his raven hair. It carried the smell of autumn leaves, sweet cooking, warm fires, cold stone and freshly trimmed grass, and the tune of his mother's lyre. It strummed a childhood melody, one she would always play for him and his brother when they were young, and on some days, when Heimdall would hear it coming from the throne of Asgard, he wouldn't say a word. He wasn't sure if he was mistaking the tune for music escaping somewhere from the castle or if it was just in his head, but he didn't care. He could remember the glorious city, a series of interconnected golden spires, suspended towers and metal walls reflecting an otherworldly, divine glow surrounded by a body of water spilling off into the cosmos. Hogwarts truly was a remarkable spectacle, but it paled in comparison to Asgard.

His recollection ended with the chatter of actual children. Loki opened his emerald green eyes like a judgemental black cat disturbed from a deep slumber. He looked towards the closest rolling hill leading to a circle of large stones and spotted the three mischievous scamps from the hospital. Loki went to investigate.

"I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak. It's just too horrible," he heard the young girl say.

"It just got worse," said the nervous redhead. Loki looked farther just past the trio and spotted the weaseling blonde haired boy with two other thuggish looking students.

"What did I say? Father said … I can keep the hippogriff's head, maybe I'll donate it to the Gryffindors' room," Malfoy bragged as they peaked from behind one of the large stones to watch people approach Hagrid's Hut. Ron, Harry and Hermione walked towards them, making a russell sound from behind. Malfoy and the other two boys turned around. Harry was surprised to see Malfoy in his usual overly confident, foul self given his previous dream. He wondered if it had any purpose at all. Loki followed closely behind out of sight.

"Look who's here. Come to see the show?" said Malfoy with a slick smile, that made even the Trickster sick. Loki waited, watching them carefully, placing silent bets on whether his variant would reveal themselves and who they might be.

"YOU!" declared Hermione who approached him with vigor. Loki raised his eyebrows, surprised. Malfoy's smile disintegrated.

"You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" she yelled pointing her wand directly in the boy's face with her other free hand locked and loaded near her cheek. Malfoy whimpered pathetically. Loki put his face in one hand, ashamed for his lack of conviction.

"Hermione, no!" yelled Ron stopping her to Loki's dismay, "He's not worth it." She lowered her wand and turned away, only to 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 enjoyment and revealed himself from behind the stone pillar.

"Ooooo … that looks like it hurt," he said sarcastically, leaning against it with a playful grin. Malfoy squealed at his sudden appearance. Most of them stepped back in fear.

"Bloody hell! When did he get here?!" said Ron unconsciously gripping Harry's sleeve. Harry didn't know who was more frazzled, Malfoy, Hermione, Ron, or Malfoy's goons.

"I like her," said Loki pointing at the young witch. Hermione looked frantically away, with a frown, pushing some of her hair back behind one ear. She had never punched a fellow student before let alone gotten caught doing so in front of a teacher, and had that same teacher's stamp of approval for it. She questioned his motives and ethics very much.

"What?! You are a teacher! Aren't you supposed to do something?!" said Malfoy, holding his bratty face. Loki put his hands casually in his pockets. He wasn't sure if he was playing dumb or if he was indeed not that intelligent, so he decided to test those waters.

"Before or after she struck you?" the Trickster asked. Malfoy scrunched his face, stumped.

"What?" he asked, shocked. So not that intelligent, Loki thought.

"Oh come on, you could have at least defended yourself or escaped. You had plenty of time to do something besides pathetically whimper in place," he mocked. Malfoy froze up, his eyes flickering wide. Harry had seen him cower, scowl, or boast, but never verbally stabbed. He looked nervous, like this new teacher had poked at something he didn't even want Crabbe and Goyle to see. Harry was beginning to like this new teacher. "And what could possibly warrant such a violent act, I wonder?" Loki jested further, taking two slow steps towards him. Hermione looked away embarrassed again, tugging at her own sleeve. Harry watched him advance smoothly with ease like a predator on the prowl while Ron remained attached to his arm. Malfoy took two steps back with Crabbe and Goyle who looked just as terrified and confused.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" said the slick backed Slytherin. Loki gave him his signature grin, lifting the corners of his eyes. Hermione watched him too. Instinctively, she gripped her wand unsure of his true intentions. She noticed no trace of tears or wounds from yesterday, but she did see a strange, large word printed in bright orange on the back of his jacket. It read, 'VARIANT.'

"You're a nutter you are! Wait till my father hears about this!" Malfoy spat defensively, but to his dismay, the comment only made Loki laugh. His striking resemblance to their unfavorable potions master mixed with the willingness to show emotions was probably one of the most confusing phenomenons Ron had ever witnessed.

"He's mental," Ron whispered to Harry.

"Is that really how you plan on threatening me? By hiding underneath Daddy's skirt?" he said unfazed and unimpressed while approaching the blond boy with open arms, waiting for him to try something. Malfoy and his two friends took some more steps back. Hermione crept closer to Harry and Ron.

"Now if you really want to threaten someone ... " he began working himself up, "You should inspire … " he said with more gravel in his voice. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle backed up into one of the large stones. Suddenly, a shadow figure with large horns popped out from the rock with glowing eyes. The three Gryffindors gasped at the terrifying figure.

"A touch of fear," the God of Mischief growled. Loki's eyes flickered an illuminating, bright green. The figure grabbed the shoulders of Crabbe and Goyle. All three Slytherins looked up and yelled for dear life. Malfoy pushed his friends out of the way and ran. Crabbe and Goyle clumsily followed. Loki sadistically grinned with a slight chuckle, all too satisfied with himself. With a twist of his hand, the illusion vanished in a flash of gold and green sparks. He could feel his magic course through his veins. It felt good to practice it again. Loki then turned to the original trio, only to find them huddled together.

"Bloody hell," squeaked Ron. Harry never realized when he opened his mouth or for how long it remained that way.

"What … was that?" he said finally using it, terrified and inspired. Despite his first impression, with him at Lupin's side, their Defense against the Dark Arts class was about to become the most unusual and exciting one thus far. Perhaps he could give Voldemort a run for his money. Loki threw him a side eyed glance and smiled smugly at his green eyed counterpart. Trembling, Hermione pulled herself from the huddle and doused his odd satisfaction.

"Do you realize what you have done?" she said in a more serious tone. Loki dropped his grin and glanced around his surroundings nonchalantly as if he did nothing wrong.

"I believe I just taught a student a valuable lesson," said Loki gesturing with an open palm in the direction Malfoy fled.

"You threatened a student!" she scolded. He put his hands on his hips and looked her up and down with scrutiny.

"You punched him," he deflected. Her brows furrowed and her lips slightly parted in shock and disgust at his childish demeanor, but she had no comeback for a logical observation.

"He's got a point ... you know," whispered Ron. She whipped her head around to glare at him, her hair bouncing as she did so.

"Are you going to report this, Professor?" asked Harry. Loki made direct eye contact with him, only darting his gaze to his scarred forehead when the breeze parted the boy's hair. He could hear the song from his mother's Lyre play again, except an anger stirred. He put on some charm so as not to show it.

"Well technically I am not a Professor, so no," said Loki slyly. All three of them exchanged concerned looks, not exactly what to make of his untraditional nature.

"Just like that? You'll torment Malfoy, but let us go?" Ron asked dumbfounded. The answer seemed too good to be true.

"Ronald!" hissed Hermione. Harry glanced down the hill towards Hagrid's Hut. He saw the Minister of Magic, the executioner, and the headmaster closing in on their destination and devised a plot.

"What about a hippogriff?" Harry asked rashly. Hermione shook her head at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Loki asked. Harry swallowed hard and pointed towards Hagrid's cozy home.

"An animal … they're going to kill him," said Harry, sparing him the details. With a raised eyebrow, Loki peered down the hill and saw the stone hut with a roof that looked like a witch's hat. 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 it. He almost mistook it for a winged horse of the Valkyrie. Hermione got within earshot of Harry.

"What are you doing?! That's a ministry matter. Malfoy's father will be furious!" she hiss whispered to him. Ron shot his best friend with a confused look.

"Yeah, what are you playing at?" he whispered quickly, agreeing with Hermione.

Malfoy's father was already furious from the hippogriff's initial attack, a consequence of his son's own stupidity, and soon to be more enraged. How much more trouble could they get into if they were already in the thick of it. Loki curiously watched them bicker. If Malfoy wasn't his variant, these mischievous scamps definitely raised some green flags. He kept his eyes on the spectacled one.

"As much as I would love to stand here and chat, what do you propose I do?" Loki politely intervened.

"Set him free?" Harry asked innocently. Loki glanced at the hut once more. He had already taken into account Dumbledore's presence. Honestly he'd seen too much of him, and the giant fellow with the bushy dark hair who looked too big for the hut itself, didn't settle his nerves, albeit his movements were rather slow. The executioner with the overly exaggerated medieval ax and black hood was beyond cliche, and the other old man, shaven clean with a gray hat, gray trousers, gray coat, and gray vest looked like a positively boring businessman. If he did choose to act, would one of these three innocently looking children stab him in the back with the headmaster there, he wondered. He weighed his options.

Harry could feel him stalling and they were running out of time.

"Please Sir," he pleaded. To his surprise, Lupin's assistant grinned ear to ear.

"What's life without a little bit of fun," he remarked and proceeded down the hill.