A/N:

I know that I usually don't write my responses to comments here, but I have to thank some fantastic people that have been commenting on this fic. So I want to give a shout to En3rgyGirl, Tatemona, Lynariz, and Adeleine for your comments and your kind words. I needed to hear what you all had to say, and I will take my time and don't stress things. Thank you. And on another note, I never thought that this old story would be this popular or that I would fall in love with it again. Thank you all!

Italic style is bond talking

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Life begins where fear ends.

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Everything happened so fast.

Harald remembered how he had called on Heimdal to take him back to Asgard after a day with his family. He loved them, but sometimes they always had a way to crawl under his skin with their quetions. Now, he longed to spend some well needed time with his husband and refill his lost energy. As soon as he was home, he would jump him and demand some alone time.

Home. It was still bizarre to call Asgard his... home. But honestly, Harald had been thinking it over at least a dosing times and came up with the same conclusion every time. It was not Asgard he was feeling was home for him. But instead, wherever Loki was, and now he was on Asgard. Sappy, he knew, but that was the truth. No matter how far away he strayed, Loki would always be waiting for him, holding him close, making him feel safe, and loved.

The moment Harald stepped into the rainbow tunnel, a visceral sense of wrongness engulfed him like a stormy tide. The lurking presence at his back crystallized that dread into a palpable fear. Whirling around with a surge of adrenaline, he narrowly dodged the deadly arc of a silver blade aimed with ruthless precision at his spine. The blade's edge barely skimmed his shoulder, leaving behind a searing trail of agony that lashed through him like a branding iron.

Everything after the happened rapidly; Harald saw a flash of jet-black hair and icy blue eyes blazing at him with hatred. And then he had been thrown out of Bifrost's protective atmosphere and into the void, breaking the colorful wall into billions of small crystal pieces.

Moments after he was hurled from the vibrant, multicolored bridge, Harald's magic automatically enveloped him for protection as the air pulled him downward. He landed with a painful thud, the impact tossing his body harshly. Stones and debris slammed into him as he rolled, and a fiery sensation spread across his body when he finally came to a halt. Dust swirled around him in thick clouds, and he gasped in pain as the impact left him breathless.

Oh, by the Norns, it burned like hellfire in his lungs. Harald forced himself to breathed in hard and looked up; his eyes stung as some of the dirt entered them. Harald raised his head and looked around. His attacker was still out there, and he had the feeling she was close.

One part of him wanted to call on Loki, wanted him to be there for him, help him, but he crushed that thought as soon as it popped up. No, Loki was in an important meeting, and he could deal with her by himself. A wave of low simmering anger bubbled in his chest, and he rolls over on his stomach and spat mixed-blood saliva on the ground to clear his mouth.

The sky was dark; not even a single star lit up the vast space. Three moons hung above him, making the ground around Harald bath in the silver moonlight, acting as a single light to another dark world.

Harald grimaced and moved his arms, and lifted himself into a sitting position. Why was it always his bad luck that followed him? He should have known that everything had been too calm lately, too good to be true. Harald sighed resignedly. Did fate hate him so much, or was it the Norns that liked to play with him, sending his goddamn aunt his way like this.

As Harald's eyes adjusted to the low light, he surveyed his surroundings and realized that this was not a living planet. It seemed to be some kind of sub-dimensional realm, as he couldn't find any other explanation. Yet, he couldn't sense the presence of Yggdrasil. This place must be the void.

"Damn the nine and the Norns," Harald swore low as he hissed in pain when he pressed his hand to the stab wound on his shoulder; his fingers were getting wet with the warm liquid fast. Blood was seeping out of the tear, and through his fingers, it was probably more profound than he first had thought.

Harald could even taste blood in his mouth and dribbling down his cheek, and he pulled it away with the back of his hand to get rid of what he could. He could feat a sore area inside his lip, probably from where he had bit himself.

Harald could feel a curious caress over his magic as Loki wondered what had happened, and why he was not there yet, and sent a feeling that he was waiting. Harald groaned and moved his body; he put his legs underneath him and slowly got up. He would not be an easy target; he refused. The only question now was where he ended up and how he could get back home.

Suddenly, Harald saw a shape move in the darkness towards him. It was hard to be sure what it was because of the shadows that flocked around the shape like a cape. The air he breathed felt strange, and it tasted weird. The figure grew more and more as they moved to where he was, and Harald conjured his magic staff in front of him.

He grabbed the familiar cold metal on his signature weapon and felt how it gave him a sense of protection. The green emerald in the rod's shaft caught the moonlight, making the stone sparkle under the light. A mist moved in the stone, golden and shimmering.

The rod was created with the dwarves' metal and forged by their hands. It was made of the same metal as Loki's special daggers were made from. It had been purely by chance, though he was not surprised, magical artifacts chose their bearers, and both his and Loki's magic was the same.

"The master of death" the tone that suddenly broke the otherwise silent atmosphere was cold and calculated, but at the same time so soft when he pronounced each word with care. Like he tested each sibyl and decided that he did not like the taste of them. "Welcome, you have been expected."

Harald blinked slowly, his grip on the staff hardened, and pointed at the still-growing shapes. Whoever this was, the voice had no idea what he was talking about. He was not the Master of Death, and he probably would never be that, something Harald accepted eons ago. But whoever this was, was waiting for the Master of Death, a simple Midgardian, to come here? Something was not right. Had all this perhaps been an accident?

No, it was him they had been lying in ambush for, or rather his aunt had. Yet, as the enormous figure came into view, Harald suppressed a hiss upon realizing exactly who it was. It was someone far from good, not even in the slightest. Harald quickly blocked his contact with Loki wholly and changed position slightly to a more defensive stand while the titan, Thanos, came to a stop in front of him.

He knew that this had to be the mad titan; there was no one else it could be. His looming height, built and purplish skin, adorned with dozens of scars that testified to many battles, of what he had emerged victorious. This being was one of the most horrible threats to the universe and a legend.

"You got the wrong person, sorry," Harald replied with a raspy voice; he tried to look behind him if he could get away but still didn't let the titan out of his view.

Thanos now stared down at him with a calm expression, not a bit threatened by the spear pointed directly at his neck. Especially not when Harald only went to his chest and was, in fact, probably not going to get very far if he tried anything. Even the titan's hands were bigger than his head. Harald clenched his teeth, and if there was any time he hated his shortness, it was in situations like these.

The energy around the titan was blazing; it was lashing out and was scary, focused, and directed straight on him. Darkness surrounded the titan like a black hole, and the red tint in the energy told him more about the titan than any world could ever hope to do.

The titan was a murderer on a mission; Harald could literary feel it. The titan was someone that saw killing as a necessary evil to get what he wanted. Whatever that was. But it was probably not something that Harald would like. He needed to focus on trying to escape or avoid getting caught.

"No, I don't believe I have," Thanos said slow, calculated. And with a quick movement that Harald thought should have been impossible for someone of the titans' size, he took a quick step toward him. Thanos latched out his hand and grabbed his spear before Harald could even act on the threat.

Harald sidestepped the titans and struck out with one leg when the staff was stuck in a tight grip. He felt how his legs hit the massive giant arm, the force sent waves of pain up through his leg, but Thanos barely reacted. Harald hissed out a word as his hand lit up in a silver tint, and lightning covered his hands as he gripped on the much larger hand. But the magic was interrupted as Thanos harshly pulled him close, not even bothered by the small shock as his skin was thick.

In the next second, Thanos's other hand shot out like a snake. Harald pulled back as he tried to avoid him, but the purple hand was faster; he got a grip on his hair and held it tightly. Making escaping impossible.

Harald held back a hiss of pain as he charged his free hand again, this time with a hot glowing coating his fist. Hitting the titans side, making him grunt, but his grip did not lose on his hair. What a crappy disadvantage it was with long hair. It was times like this that Harald hated the arrogance and tradition that came with being a royal. If he got out of this alive, he would cut his hair; tradition be damned.

"You have someone that I want, little prince," Thanos grunted out

He said someone, not something. Harald bit down; this was not good, not good at all; who the hell was he talking about? He let the staff disappear from his hand and drew it back only to make the staff reaper again, now free from the titan's hand. Harald threw his hand down in a narrow-angle at the big hand that held him. But even if the titan was massive and huge compared to him, he was almost faster. The purple hand hurled down at him and, this time, pulled the spear right out of Harald's.

"Give her to me."

"I have...n-no idea who you are talking about," Harald gasped, his voice barely audible over the crackling tension in the air. A pained yelp tore from his throat as the titan's immense hand bore down with relentless force, driving Harald mercilessly into the unyielding ground. His skull was wrenched back, muscles straining under the brutal pressure, exposing his neck.

"Yes, you do, "Thano leaned into his face and stared down at the fae. "She is someone you keep as your slave," he explained coldly.

" What?" Harald hissed at the harsh treatment and grabbed the powerful wrist, and he tried to get away again.

Only to fail.

Harald felt how his head was bent further back at that motion, and he was suddenly afraid that his neck would snap, and he bit down a painful hiss that wanted to leave his thought. The feeling of being vulnerable swept over him like a tsunami. He could feel how the ligaments in his neck protested from the harsh treatment his head received and the unnatural position.

" I'm only going to ask you one last time, child," Thanos said as he slowly started to raise his hand, still holding Harald's hair in a stable grip. "Release the goddess of Death from your cruel slavery, and I may perhaps spare one of your loved ones."

Harald bit down on the inside of his cheek as the cold feeling wandered along his spine, and he tried to take a breath, but the unnatural positions made it almost impossible to get some air down to them. Release the Goddess of Death? Harald had no idea who she even was! How could he? he never even heard of that title before. Harald opened his mouth to say something, but then he hesitated. Suddenly there was an idiotic idea that had started to form in his mind, a terrible one. It was such a Thor plan to do, but perhaps he could make it work, probably.

"You…." Harald swallowed around the lump that had stuck in his throat and tried to push moisture into his now dry mouth" You don't know, do ... you?"

The purple titan's face changed slowly, and his eyes narrowed, his grip hardened on Harald's hair as a warning. He could feel parts of his hair being torn from the roots, and the anxious feeling inside him attracted more and more attention from his partner, but he continued to ignore it. The fear spread within him as fast as his determination grew.

"What do I not know, little prince?" Thanos said in a cold warning tone as if he had begun to lose his patience. Good, he needed the titan not thinking clearly, and anger was the best emotion for that.

Harald calmed himself as well as he could because here goes nothing.

"Shouldn't you ask your informant about it?"

"Why should I? She would never dare to betray me," the purple titan asked, and Harald could see a second shadow behind him, and his lips drew back in a silent snarl as he recognized her. Of course, she was working for the fucking mad titan. One thing to suspect, but now he had confirmation about her treason.

"Perhaps you are confident in your own beliefs? She doesn't have the best track record of being faithful," Harald asked as he tried to figure out the next part of his plan of action; this was the god damn titan! he was a horrible legend, immortal and powerful, already once tried to take over the universe. Even worse, that made his odds worse, and when he added in his aunt, the scale was tipping further down in the wrong direction.

"She is good at stabbing people in the back, thou."

That statement earned him a hard punch in the chest. The force from the blow threw him away a few meters and knocked his head against a boulder; his scalp burned where hairs were violently torn off. The sudden burning pain that bloomed in his chest made him almost blind for a second, and his blockage of the bond slipped. And Loki was there right beside him, not in person but in magic and feelings the second the block was gone.

'Do not dare to ignore me, Harald!' Loki's snarling voice tore through his already bruised body. Harald tried to force air into his lungs, and once he succeeded, every breath burned, and he could not help the pain even breaking through their connection.

'Harald?' Loki's voice had suddenly entirely changed from anger to one that dripped with worry.

Harald swore low and forced himself on the side while trying to close the connection again. He could not deal with Loki now; he could not let him distract him from what he needed to do. For no matter how much it tormented him. Thanos was too powerful, and he would be damned if he let the mad titan even lay his hand on his mate. He forced himself to the side and coughed until when the air finally flowed more easily into his lungs.

'Where are you? Are you hurt? Talk to me, Starlight...Don't block me out'

Harald tried to hold back the tears over the raw emotions that tore within him, and he focused on the warm feeling of love that was the basis of Loki's anxiety and rage before he tried to shut him out again. He could not handle Loki's emotions when he had trouble even controlling himself.

'Not right now, dear,' he insisted, his magic intensifying as he conversed with Loki. It felt warm, as if they shared an unbreakable bond strengthened by magic, which made him feel more powerful yet more exposed.

'Yes, now! Why aren't you back on Asgard?!' Loki demanded with urgency, and Harald could sense him stirring on the other side of their connection.

Thanos looked at him over with a calculated gaze, "You don't have any idea of what I'm talking about, do you?" Harald asked slowly, not exactly expecting Harald to answer him.

Thanos looked over to the black-haired women behind him, Sigrud, the second born princess and the runts' aunt. He let his eyes travel over the stone-faced women that met his gaze and visibly swallowed. Thanos had early understood that to create a change, unnecessary variables needed to be cut away. Thanos knew the little prince was lying; this tiny excuse to fae had a cloak of death around him, like a warm embrace.

"So lost, struggling with life as you believe it is. I know how it is like to lose," Thanos walked over to him slowly, etch stem making the ground vibrate underneath him. "To feel so desperately that you are right, yet to fail, none the less."

"Who said anything about losing?" Harald breathed out and pulled his hand along his chin, and stared up at the giant. "What I do not understand is what you want."

"What I want?" He chuckled darkly, " I want to tip the cosmic scales back to balance. I want to see peace."

Harald's pupils turned into slits, that did not sound good, not good at all. He could feel how Loki had penetrated the thin barrier he had put him in between them. Harald could both feel and heard the gasp from Loki as the words ran around their minds.

'He is after the infinity stone,' Said Loki with a low growl. Harald could feel how he moved, but he did not know where. But he could only hope that he was not going to come to him; if his plan succeeded, he would not have to worry. But that was a big if.

'What is that?' Harald asked; he knew that now was not the time for a lecture. But it sounded as it was necessary knowledge.

He could feel Loki agree with that statement; 'it was what Thanos was after last time'

'So rich on information,' Harald drawled out, 'perhaps you need to tell the All-Father'

'No! what I need is to get you the hell out of there,' Loki snarled, and Harald held back a winch at the rage he felt from his mate.

'Working on it' Harald stared up at the giant; he had to buy some time. Then perhaps Heimdal could find him in time, "You are not only after the goddess of Death, but you are also after the infinity stones."

"Clever, little prince," Thanos hummed, "I need them to complete her gift."

"So what? Do you commit genocide for a mere shadow?" Harald understood as soon as the words left his mouth that it was the wrong word to say out loud, and a big hand hit him, and he was thrown aside.

"YOU have no idea what you're talking about," Thanos bellowed, suddenly aware that he had momentarily let his emotions get the best of him. It was not the time to lose his composure, but the little fae had outlived his usefulness.

Harald felt a cold dread wash over him as he understood he was in a precarious situation. Sweat trickled down his forehead, stinging his eyes and slightly blurring his vision. He had no choice but to act.

'I'm sorry,' Harald now said softly to Loki; he could not help but stare at the feet that slowly walked against him. 'You are not going to like the next part.'

Harald waved his fingers to the side, casting a cutting spell at the titan's leg. The spell barely scratched the surface, failing to draw blood. Yet, it was enough to make the giant pause, glance down at its leg, and chuckle at the feeble effort.

'What's happening?' Loki's fear and anxiety grew with each passing second. He could feel the danger radiating off of Harald, and it was making his heart race.

'What are you planning, Harald? Hold on...Heimdall is close to finding you...keep stalling him.' Loki tried to sound calm, but he knew that their time was running out. He couldn't lose Harald again.

'You know that I will do my best,' Harald replied as he shot another burst of magic at the titan. He could feel his energy draining, but he refused to give up. This was for the safety of Asgard and all the realms.

'How do we know that he will not follow me to Asgard?' Harald asked his mate, concern lacing his words.

Loki didn't have an answer; they were running out of options. They needed more time until Heimdall could find them. But how much longer could they hold out against such a powerful enemy?

A punch right in his stomach made Harald fly back and crash into a boulder. Pain shot through his body, and he struggled to get up. Thanos' laughter echoed in his ears as he slowly approached him.

"Do you really believe your feeble magic can defeat me?" Thanos sneered, holding him up by the throat with ease. "Maybe I'll hold onto your body, just to taunt your husband a bit. I do enjoy some theatrics before the main event."

Harald panted heavily, fighting against the giant's hold. "You will not touch my husband!" he snarled, his nails clawing into the leathery skin.

Thanos pulled him nearer, a twisted smile on his face. "I can and I will," he declared. Harald concentrated solely on his breathing, attempting to clear his mind. The spell was already gathering strength within him.

Suddenly, a powerful surge of magic hurled Thanos away from Harald, causing the fae to fall to the ground with a painful gasp. But Thanos only grunted as he straightened up and stretched his neck.

"That's it, playtime is over. I will track down your people, find your lover, and make them suffer," Thanos threatened.

Harald looked at the massive giant in front of him and realized that every word Thanos spoke was true. He couldn't allow that to happen.

'I'm sorry, Loki,' Harald murmured gently, finding comfort in the familiarity of the words as he began plotting the rune patterns in his mind. His fingers instinctively traced symbols on the ground with blood. The anchor. 'If the Bifrost were to opened, he would gain entry to Asgard'

'No, no, no, do not- do that! You can't do that... We are there soon. Please don't do it,' Loki suddenly begged as he notising the drain of magic.

'Love, but you can't reach me in time.' Harald admitted that he didn't want to do this, but he had to, If Thanos planned to make his way through worlds. Not only were the nine realms in danger, but also those who resided inside the realms. And if the Bifrost were open, he would have direct access to his loved ones.

'W..what?' Loki's voice split as the weight of the words hit him hard. 'Y-yes we can, I can!'

Harald's heart clenched at Loki's desperate plea, but he knew what he had to do. He couldn't wait for Loki, not when the fate of the universe was at stake. Harald spat out several mouthfuls of blood while he clenched his chest. He could feel that one of his ribs were broken and probably had punctured one of his lungs if he's breathing was anything to tell from.

Harald could hear Loki's words echoing in his mind, a mix of prayer, command, and desperation. He swallowed hard, tasting metal, and slowly lifted his gaze to meet the giant now looming over him. Viridian eyes locked with cold amethyst.

"I will not let you plan a universal genocide, Thanos," Harald hissed in a low voice to the purple titan. Yet, doubt flickered within him. So close to Thanos, he could feel his magic stirring in his hand, knowing he had only one shot. He had begun to draw on Loki's magic as his own faltered, wavering between the righteousness of his mission and the overwhelming fear of the consequences.

"Oh? and you think you can stop me?" Thanos asked, amused. "A mere insect cannot kill me."

"I am no mere insect," Harald growled, his voice straining with effort as he raised his hand and unleashed a powerful blast of magic towards Thanos. The force of the spell was enough to knock the giant off his feet and send him flying backwards. He needed more time for the sceling spell.

But Thanos was resilient, and he quickly stood up with a menacing glare directed towards Harald. "You will pay for that," he snarled, charging towards Harald with dangerous intent.

'Please, Harald,' Loki's voice was now pleading, so desperate, and it was so wrong to hear. 'Please, Starlight, do not do this, you must wait for me!.'

'I cannot love. He's too strong, and I won't let him take control of you or anyone else if I have any say in it.' Harald felt a warning shiver run through him as he kept their connection completely open. With his defenses lowered, he couldn't stop his pain from leaking into their link.

He sensed Loki's heartbeat pounding rapidly, mirroring his own; though it was just an echo of sensation, it comforted him to know he was not alone. Harald felt their magic intertwining, and he stifled a small sound when he sensed Loki's anguish and fear; both of them knew what was approaching, and Loki was so desperate, so terrified.

'Harald .. love… Please'

He hated it when Loki begged; he should beg to no one, no the least him. Not for the pain he would cause him. Harald tried to smother the feelings out but find that it was almost impossible.

Thano's colossal purple hand clamped around Harald's throat, hoisting him into the air. Harald clawed at the unyielding skin, his nails splitting as they scraped against the titan's hand. Desperation coursed through him; he could not afford to die now. With a frantic urgency, he channeled his spell, letting its chaotic power ripple into the earth below and seep outwards in a frenzied dance of energy. Oblivious to the danger, the titan remained unaware of Harald's true intent.

Harald locked eyes with Thano's stern, unyielding gaze, feeling the raw magic thrumming through his veins, resonating with the spell.

Feeding of the very source of Yggdrasil. The energy swelled within him, a storm begging for release, igniting his eyes with an almost incandescent glow.

'No, no, no, no!'

'I love you, in this life and the next,' Harald declared fiercely against the haunting mantra that reverberated through the air. Loki's voice, raw with desperation, promised, 'I will find you again.'

Harald fought to steady his breath, even as his heart thundered in his chest like a war drum. The memory of past failures burned brightly in his mind, a relentless reminder. He would not falter again; he would not repeat his mistakes. This time, the enemy would remain firmly in his sights, no matter the cost.

"Master! Watch out," Sigrud suddenly yelled as she had felt the spell activate, but she was too late.

Harald's magic erupted from his slender, bruised body with the force of a tempest, enveloping Thanos like an unyielding barrier, trapping them both within its confines. Thanos surveyed the shimmering enclosure of gold that had materialized around them, its luminescent surfaces reflecting a warm, ethereal glow.

The air inside was tense with the crackling energy of magic, and the black-haired prince's gasps for oxygen were ragged and desperate, echoing in the confined space. Thanos, disregarding Harald's struggle for breath, reached out with his free hand to touch the gleaming wall. As his fingers made contact, a jolt of energy surged through him, causing him to recoil abruptly, his eyes widening with a mix of shock and fascination at the electrifying touch of the mystical barrier.

"What is this kind of magic?"

Harald felt how his strength started to leave him, and his movement started to get sluggish. The only thing he now could hear was his fast heartbeat and Loki's screams. He tries to block as much of his pain as possible, but his husband tears every barrier apart before he even could form it.

'Please, I beg you, do not.… Starlight… don't die. Not agagin, never again!'

'I'm sorry,' Harald ruefully said, and he could feel it. It was like a knife in his spine that twisted. He could feel Loki so close, so, so very close. Harald tries to send a feeling of love and security when his words betray him, and his power slowly begins to seep out. Simultaneously, the barrier solidifies around them—not even noticing the other woman's weak attempts to destroy it from the outside.

Time was running out, and he knew that this was it for him; he knew and welcomed it because it meant that his loved one would not be in direct danger. He knew that one day he would probably repent for his choice. The cold was razor deep, and the darkness was starting to invading him, stripping him of everything living.

Harald could no longer see without the darkness invading his sight, no more extended breath as he was slowly suffocating. And he hated that feeling, The feeling of burning in his lungs, The lack of strength in his body as he slowly faded away, but he had to finish the magic, he had to… But there was one thing he had not taken into consideration when he created the spell.

To keep a soul trapped with this spell, there had to be an equal exchange for keeping it there. He could feel it before he understood his mistake, and by then, it was too late. Magic pulsed out of him simultaneously as a - snap- was heard within the empty sphere.

Harald didn't even notice when it happened. He was unaware when his soul left his already dying body and fused with the golden barrier that now trapped Thanos. The golden box emitted a blinding light before gradually dimming as the body in the Titan's grasp went limp.

Inside the box, the titan struck forcefully, his mouth moving without producing any sound. He was confined in a golden prison, but eventually, even the strongest magic would begin to weaken.

Thanos's eyes burned with rage, and he threw his head back in a silent scream, knowing that not even the witch outside could break a soul cage.

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Harry had never felt that kind of pain ever, not even under the cruciate curse; it was impossible to explain the pain that tore his soul in any other way than shattered. He felt his spine bend backward in a strong arc so that it almost broke off in two. He tried to scream out the pain that tore at him, but nothing left his lips. Suddenly it was as if everything just sank in.

And it burned. He felt the memories and knowledge that was not his fall through the damme that now burst inside his mind. Harry could feel Harald's grief over his decision and, at the same time, the desire to protect the one he loved the most. He had welcomed death with open arms. He remembered how he sent all the magic and knowledge into the soul barrier that had held Thanos captive for centuries.

After the time on the outside had not stopped, the wall had weakened as Thanos had been strong enough to break free and destroy the golden cage. Maybe it had been Sigurd's doing, he had no idea, but one thing he knew was that Thanos was now free, and he was angry.

Thanos wanted to create cosmic balance, but he was destroying the foundation of it.

Harry lay still on the ground and just breathed, glad he could do it again without the burning pain. Cold tears ran down his cheeks as he felt how this memory had been different from all the others; this had been Death opening the gate to everything.

It had not only been Harald inside that body. Harry had the first seat to the memory and felt everything that he had. He had felt Loki's magic plush throw him in that connection that had bonded them together. The one that still was there. The link was from that time when Loki had broken through Sigrud's blockage on Haralds Magic, intertwin both of their magic. That was the sole reason they had this connection; their very soul was one.

Harry let go of a dry laugh. Why was everything so awful complicated when it came to him? he dug his palms against his eyes as the dry laughter died out, leaving him sobbing on the cold floor. He could feel Death still beside him, like a silent sentinel that had watched over him as the memory had played out.

"Come, little one, your destiny awaits you."

Harry suffocated a broken laugh that tore from his throat. Fuck destiny. He wanted to throttle that damn thing for meddling in his life. He exhaled haphazardly and sat up slowly. His head thumped as if someone had hit his temple with a hammer, but his thoughts had never been clearer than they were now. He feels like a pawn in someone's sad excuse of survivor's games.

And that game, Harry had enough of from his school years. He had been fighting since he was a child. But he was not only a survivor; He was a warrior, and he would fight for what was his. Slowly he got up from the ground, every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and he could feel how his magical core was overflowing with raw energy.

"You owe me for this," Harry said low to Death, "And you will answer my next question."

"If you have to ask, you will never know. If you know, you only need to ask," Death stood in front of him, waiting, smiling as he waited. Death could feel it in his very own bones. He finally had a worthy candidate; he finally found his true Master.

Harry could feel the energetic atmosphere around the deity without even looking at him. He slowly raised his gaze, and determination shines through his viridian eyes.

"Tell me where Loki is going to be."

Death grinned. That was the right question.

"As you wish, Master."

Death had provided Harry with more information than he had requested. Whether this was a gesture of goodwill or simply because he could, Harry was unsure. However, Death had revealed both the location of Loki, and details about an Infinity Stone on Earth. Harry suspected there might be more than one stone present. When he located Loki, he intended to inquire about why such a potent stone was allowed to remain on Earth.

But that took him back to the discussion that he and his three friends currently had. And Harry blinked stupidly at his best friend as Ron grinned back at him.

"You kidding, right?" Harry asked

"Why not? Think about it, mate. You don't want anyone to know that you are going over to New Pork, right? Plus, might be able to track down where Loki is before we get there to help you"

"New York," Hermione sighted

"Yeah, that," Ron pointed at Hermione when she corrected him yet again. "So we skip the portkey and take the aro- thingy that my Dad is bonkers over, and whips we are in a new country, right?"

"An airplane," Hermione corrected with an amused smile as Ron glared at her this time.

"What about my magical and non-magical ways of getting around?" Harry asked nervously, glancing between them. "I'm not very steady at the moment; I might have Harald's memory, but his control is something I lack."

Ron snorted, "Mate, you probably have the best control over your magic since Dumbledor. Probably more so now with your bloody your heritage, and if you don't do anything, then it will probably not interfere."

Harry's expression was a mixture of doubt and uncertainty. "Isn't magic tied to emotions?" he questioned, hesitating. "I hate to say it, but I'm not as stable or in controll of my self as I was an hour ago." The experience of facing death and sensing his loved one being torn from him left him with every justification for his emotional turmoil, even if if only was an memory.

"True, no one saying anything else. But how else would we reach there without using that method? Every international port-key is under strict surveillance, especially in America, where they dislike unexpected arrivals from outside. Plus, it takes several days to obtain a permit for one."

He was right. Harry knew that if they wanted to avoid all the commotion that could arise from them taking an international portkey. Besides, he was not stupid enough to think that it would be easy not to get noticed. But that didn't mean that they would make it easy for them.

"Are you sure that was what Death meant with New York?" Hermione asked hesitantly

"Yes, Loki may not be there right now, but he will end up there shortly. Death was happy to disclose that information before he said he had to go back."

Ron looked pretty hesitant; Death was happy? Why did that feel ominous?. "Perhaps we should come with you?"

"No!" Harry quickly protested and got up from his chair

"Why not? you need all the help you can get"

Hermione nodded and looked at him firmly. "And we do not know if this is the last of your memories; what if you suddenly get more and are in an unsafe place? they have not exactly had a pattern so far."

"I'm quite certain more memories will resurface, but I doubt any of them will incapacitate me like they have recently," Harry argued in his defense.

"That is not enough!" the bushy-haired witch objected. "If a memory overwhelms you and you pass out, there will be no one to help, and someone would need to call the hospital or something, which would alert the government to your presence. Or worse, alert someone with bad intentions."

Harry clenched his fists so tightly that it hurt, trying to force himself to relax. They were right, and it frustrated him to no end. All he wanted was to get to America as fast as possible, find Loki, and haul him to safety. But then what? Harry didn't have a clue about what would happen next. The urge to find Loki and stay close, to assure him he wasn't going anywhere, was overwhelming. Yet, he wasn't naive enough to think things would return to how they once were. Still, he couldn't help but hope. Harry gripped his wrist where the soul mark tingled, shutting his eyes with a deep breath as he struggled to calm the chaotic energy swirling around him.

"Alright"

Ron gave a whooping sound, and Hermione nodded, pleased she had already mentally started checking off everything they could need. The two men gave her an amused glance before they looked at each other and shrugged.

"I hate to drag you into this…"

"Let me stop you right there, mate," Ron said as he held up a hand. "You are not dragging us into anything, you are our family, and family helps each other; end of the discussion."

"Besides, after everything you have said about Loki, I want to see if he is really that hot that you have made him out to be" Hermione smiled teasingly. "Or perhaps we will see Thor?"

Harry stared at her in horror, and she blinked back innocently.

"What? the way you talk about him makes him sound like a…"

"God?"

"Yes, why thank you, Ronald," she replied with a playful smile, her eyes twinkling as she teased Ron, who gazed back with a mix of amusement and faux annoyance. "But I don't think that they are gods."

"You haven't seen Thor's arms yet," Harry muttered under his breath, a hint of envy in his tone. He couldn't help but lament his own wiry frame, wondering why fate had cursed him with such a slender body once again.

"What did you say?" Hermione inquired, her curiosity piqued as she turned her keen gaze toward Harry, who met her eyes with an expression of innocent surprise, his eyes widening in an attempt to feign ignorance.

"Nothing, I said nothing," Harry quickly replied, trying to mask his previous comment with a nonchalant shrug.

"Not what I heard," Ron said, flashing a mischievous grin that made the air around them feel lighter, like a shared joke only they understood.

"We are not talking about this," Harry insisted, his cheeks flushing as he spun on his heel to leave. He wasn't fleeing the conversation, absolutely not—he just had to get started on packing immediately.

"I would love to see those muscles you've talked about," Ron continued, his voice teasing.

"I can't believe anyone has that kind of physique and stil walk straight" Harry groaned

"Yeeahh…Clearly fake" Ron nodded,

"Yeah, do you belive Loki have a six pack?" Hermione teased

"I'm Out" Harry raised his voice and covered his ears before momentarily appearing out of there and in his room where he breathed out. His cheeks were hot, and he could not believe that was happening! But even though he felt very embarrassed, Harry could not help grinning happily as he walked back to his room. He had never had a real family, not in this life at least; he had always been an unwanted stain in his so-called family register; he was nothing but a burden, a freak.

That had changed when he came to Hogwarts and met Hermione and Ron, and not just them. He could now barely keep track of how many he counted as friends and extended family. Some closer than others. But this feeling he felt for Ron and Hermione was what he imageneded it felt to have siblings. Harry smiled as he went to the patio door, which was still ajar, and the darkness outside had brought with it a damp cold.

He could hear a hippogriff screaming in the distance, and something black pulled over the dark sky in a night flight. Harrys went out on the balcony and hung over the railing. His gaze was fixed on the stars flashing down towards him, wondering if Asgard was any of these stars? The stars reminded him of his wedding with Loki and their vowes.

"I do believe in both fate and destiny, but I also believe that we are fated to do the things that we choose to do. And I'd choose you; In a hundred lifetimes, In a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I find you, and I'd choose you. "

Those words had never resonated more deeply, and Harry glanced at his soul mark, gently tracing his fingers over the skin.

In a twist of fate, his words were honest; he had chosen Loki once more, without a moment's doubt, and he was determined to find him. Anyone who had harmed Loki would face Harry's wrath. Harry breathed out, sensing the familiar and bothersome chill creeping along his spine, a sensation that had become both a routine and irritating.

He felt so powerless; was this how Loki had felt when he gave his life to imprison Thanos? Harry sighed and dropped his head on the cool stone. He felt the sucking sensation in his stomach again and bit together when it almost hurt.

A sudden ringing in his ears made him flinch, causing his vision to blur. Harry felt himself tilt slightly as his head began to throb painfully. He stifled a scream when it felt as if someone was pounding on his temple. Abruptly, all surrounding sounds vanished, and he heard it—a dark voice speaking to him.

-The tesseract has awakened-

Harry stared ahead, his eyes wide but unseeing, as if his own vision had betrayed him. The woods had vanished, replaced by a sinister landscape that clawed at the edges of his memory with terrible familiarity. Desperation clawed at his throat as he tried to speak, but silence choked him. Suddenly, a blue cube pierced his vision, commanding his attention with an inexplicable intensity. It was deceptively small and innocent, yet it held him captive in its grasp.

It felt as though an entirely new source of energy was swirling within the small cube, eager to be released. Harry was tempted to reach out and touch it, yet his body wouldn't allow him to move. Was this a new kind of memory? It was unlike anything he had experienced before, or perhaps it was somehow connected to Death?

-He is ready to lead. -

Harry tried to see who the hateful voice talked to, but he could only see the ruins of a dark world before him. This was not like the connection he had with his dreams. Harry tried to look the otehr way, but he could not move his head. Suddenly he felt that something was pushed in his hand and looked down at the silver spear. Harry could feel his long slender fingers close around the spear's cold metal, but at the same time, it was not his. The staff's energy amplified his emotions. They had no right to cast him out; it was all their fault. And they would soon regret their decision.

Harry tried to drop the vile staff, but his body would not listen to him, he was not the one in control. Instead, he brought the spear up closer to his face, and he could see his reflection in the blue-tinted light. It was not his face that stared into his eyes.

Loki.

He stared at his image and tried to find the warm, emerald green eyes he had fallen in love with within his memory. But the only color that was staring right back at him was an electric blue hue. Loki looked tired, worn, and almost empathetic as if he were just a shell for them to use as they wished. He could feel something tickling in the back of his head, something dark, was it a voice?

Harry felt nausea sway in his stomach, and he forced down the awful feeling that swept over him and heard his voice speak again.

-Our forces are prepared to follow him-

He felt exhaustion and agony coursing through his body, as if every muscle had been shredded and clumsily reassembled. His head throbbed with equal torment. Suddenly, he could both see and sense the monstrous alien creatures lurking in the shadows, their growls echoing menacingly. They were poised, waiting with feral anticipation, ready to strike and devour. Yet, they were his to command at last, an army of nightmares at his beck and call, primed for destruction!

-It is Time-

No, no, this can't happen, Harry attempted to protest, yearning to escape with Loki's body. However, he found himself immobilized, compelled to follow the voice's command. He sensed Loki's emotions intertwining with his own. The chill within him subsided, and he resigned himself to his destiny, even welcoming it.

-The world will be His, and the universe yours, and the humans? They will be forced to burn.-

Harry held his breath as the voice repeated his final words, a chill of horror washing over him. His? Could this really be happening by chance, especially after everything Death had revealed to him? The urgency to discuss Thanos gnawed at him, yet uncertainty paralyzed his thoughts. Harry knew he needed to act, to intervene somehow, but doubt clouded his resolve. He felt torn, desperate to pull Loki away from the man standing before them, yet unsure if he could muster the courage to do so, fearing it might already be too late.

A wicked grin stretched across Loki's lips, the icy blue hue of his eyes deepening ominously as the check concluded. The world around Harry swirled into chaos, and with another gasp, he was hurled back into his consciousness, clutching desperately to the stone railing for support. They had to reach New York, and they had to do it with within the houer.

Loki was descending upon Earth, and he was bringing an army with him.

A/N

Yeah... well, I hope that it was okay. I tried to fix all my errors and thinking about how to do his death right. And I know that Thanos is really powerful and probably would not have been trapped by that, but for the sake of this fic, he is. ;) And I know that the last part probably was a bit... confusing? Well, it was confusing to write. But right now, Harald and Harry's souls are one no more long memory from the past.

Now Harry only has to deal with Loki, and Loki is a mess right now, fun to be in his brain, and with this connection, Harry will have a field day. *Laugh*, Let the fun begin!