~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *- `Memory´ -* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
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. 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 and silence.
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 grounded.
But now, as soon as he entered the rainbow tunnel, the feeling of wrongness swallowed him whole. The second presence behind him solidified that feeling. Harald turned around quickly and just managed to avoid the silver blade that almost had hit him straight in the back. As he moved away, the edge had only grazed his shoulder, and the burning sensation over the area hit him like a hot rod.
That had been meant to be a deadly blow.
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.
Second, after he had flung out of the rainbow-colored bridge, his magic instinctively encircled him to protect him as he felt how the air around him dragged him down. Harald hit the ground with a painful jolt, and the momentum threw his body around violently. Stone and masses pressed into his side as he tumbled about, and a burning feeling spread over his body as he came to a complete stop. Heavy dust particles flew around him in clouds, and he hissed a painful breath as the hit knocked the air out of his lungs.
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.
Harald looked around as his vision adapted to the dim light; he could see more and more that this was not a living planet. This planet had to be some kind of sub-dimension plane of some sort; he could not explain it otherwise. But he could not feel the call of Yggdrasil.
This had to 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. He hates the taste of blood.
Harald could feel a curious caress over his magic as Loki wondered what had happened, and he sent back a feeling that he had to wait. There was no way he would bother them if he could get out of her by his own. 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.
But when the giant slowly came within his sight, Harald held back a hissing sound as he recognized precisely who it was. And it was no one good, not at all and far from it, not even a tiny bit. 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 electricity 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 grunted out and yelped as the titan pressed his hand down, and thus also Harald, into the ground while he forced his head back—exposing his neck in an unnatural pose.
"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 break, 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 even 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 now, love, he pressed, his magic flaring as he talked to Loki. It felt so warm like they had an unbreakable bond between them, forged by magic and made him stronger. But at the same time, more vulnerable.
Thanos looked at him over with a calculated gaze, "You don't have any idea of what I'm talking about, do you?" he 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.
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 do not know what you are saying" Thanos roared before he realized that he had for a while lost control of his emotions. Losing his cool was not the thing to do right now, yet, the small fae had outlived his use.
With a sickening realization, Harald realized that he was now on thin ice. Sweat dripped down his forehead and stung his eyes, and made his sight dime slightly. He had to do it.
'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 moved his fingers in a sideways motion and sent a cutting spell against the titan's leg. The magic only made a shallow cut, not even enough to draw blood. But it made the giant stop and looked down at his leg and chuckle at the weak attempt.
'What's happening?' Loki's fear and anxiety grew with each passing second. 'What ever you are planning Harald, hold on... Heimdal is close to finding you... keep staling him'
All Harald now could focus on was each breath he took, trying to empty his mind. The spell had already started to build up inside of him.
'I'm sorry, Lúka,' he said softly with the old nickname, it felt nice to say something familiar as he started to plan out the runes in his mind, and his fingers had already begun to draw symbols on the ground in blood. The anchor. 'If you open the Bifrost, he would have access 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
Love, 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
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 in his head, praying, commanding, and desperate. He swallowed the metallic saliva and turned his head slowly upwards when the giant now stood over him.
Viridian eyes meeting cold amethyst.
" I will not let you plan a universal genocide, Thanos," Harald hissed low to the purple titan. He was so close; he could feel his magic begin to gather in his hand; he would only get one chance. He already had started drawing magic from Loki as his own had started to sin.
"Oh? and you think you can stop me?" Thanos asked, amused. "A mere insect cannot kill me."
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 will never let him get his hands on you or anyone else if I can do anything about it. Harald felt a shiver go through him as a warning, and he now let their band remain entirely open. But with the lowered shield, he could not prevent his pain from seeping over their connection. He could feel how Loki's heartbeat was painfully fast next to his; even if it was only a phantom feeling, it was calming to feel that he was not alone. Harald felt their magic merge, and he held back a squeaking sound when he felt Loki's grief and pain; he was so desperate, so scared as they both knew what was coming.
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 massive purple hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him. Harald tried to grab his hand, his nails tearing at the hard skin. He needed to hold on for a little while longer; he could not die yet. He worked quickly and desperately with what he was trying to do, letting his spell work waver into the very earth below them and leak out all around him. The titan had yet not understood what he was doing.
Harald stared down at Thano's stern gaze, feeling how his magic now started to resonance with the spell. Energy collecting inside of him, begging to be released and, in turn, making his eyes almost glow.
No, no, no, no!
I love you, In this life and the next. Harald replied to the painful mantra that echoed between them. Loki's desperate voice. I will find you again
He tried to calm himself even though his heart was still racing quite fast. He had learned his lesson from the previous incident and would not make the same mistake twice. He would not let this enemy out of his sight.
"Master! Watch out," Sigrud suddenly yelled as she had felt the spell activate, but she was too late.
Harald magic exploded from his slender and bruised body, hitting Thanos like a wall boxing them both in. Thanos looked around at the now shimmering box of gold that kept them both trapped inside it. He ignored the desperate gluttons for oxygen from the black-haired prince in his gasp, and with his free hand, he touched the wall only to jerk back when a shock hit him, and he looked at it fascinatingly.
"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.
I'm sorry, he 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.
I'm sorry
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 did not even feel it happen. He did not even feel it when his soul tore itself out of the already dying body and merged with the golden barrier that now-imprisoned Thanos. The golden box shone in a blinding light before slowly fading out as the body in the Titans gasp became still.
The titan hit hard inside the box, and his mouth moved, but no words came out. He was stuck in a golden prison, but it was only a matter of time before even the most potent magic would begin to deteriorate. Thanos's eyes shone with anger, and his head slammed back in a toneless roar, and not even the witch on the other side could break a soul cage.
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. Finally, the last piece of Harald's soul dissipated and was now becoming fully integrated into Harry's soul. 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."
~`*´~
It turned out that Death had given him more information than he had asked for, whether it was as a gift of a quiet peace or just because he could, Harry did not know. But he had given him both Loki's place to be and some information on one of the Infinity stones on earth, but Harry got the feeling that there was more than one here. When he found Loki, he had to ask about why they let such a powerful stone 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?"
"New York," Hermione crossing her arms in front of her
"Yeah, that," Ron pointed at Hermione when she corrected him yet again and grinned at her. "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 Magic and muggle transportation?" Harry asked a little anxiously and looked from one to the other. "And I'm not the most stable right now; I may have Harald's memory but not his control."
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 looked skeptical at him. "And is Magic not related to emotions? I hate to admit it, but I'm not that stable as I was an hour ago" Getting killed and feeling how his loved one was being ripped away from him was a ligament reason for not having his emotions under control, thank you very much.
"Yeah, no one says anything about that. But how would we even get over there if not by that thing? all the international port-keys are heavily monitored, even more in America, they hate surprises from outside their community."
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?"
"Absolutely not!" Harry quickly 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 pretty sure there are no more memories that will suddenly pop up," Harry defended himself
"That is not enough!" the bushy witch protested. "If a memory hit you and you go under, then there will be no one for you, and then someone would have to contact the hospital or anything, and the government will know that you are there. Or worse, someone bad."
Harry clenched his fists hard and forced himself to relax; they were right, oh what he hated that they were right. He just wanted to get to America as quickly as possible and find Loki and drag him to safety and…. yes, what he would do afterward, he had no idea for the moment. But Harry felt the need to find Loki and be close to him to asure him that he was not going. He was not stupid enough to believe that everything would be as before. But he could hope. Harry grabbed his wrist tightly where the soul mark tickled him, and he closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. Calmed down the energy gathered 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 smiled teasingly at Ron that glared at her with humor. "But I don't think that they are gods."
"You haven't seen Thor's arms yet," Harry muttered underneath his breath. Why had he been reborn into a twig body again?
"What did you say?" Hermione asked and looked at Harry that blinked at her with wide eyes
"Nothing, I said nothing."
"Not what I heard," Ron was now also grinning at him, the feeling around them lighter than before.
"We are not talking about this" Harry hurried and turned around to leave; he did not escape, nope, not att al, he just needed to start packing.
"I would love to see those muscles you have described; I can't believe that anyone has that kind of physic."
"Right? clearly fake"
"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. "
Never had those words been more the same, and Harry looked down at his soul mark and let his fingers slowly caress his skin.
Ironically, his words ran true, he had chosen Loki again, without even hesitation, and he would find him, and whoever hurt him would face his anger. Harry exhaled and felt the icy feeling spread along his spine, something that was becoming both a habit but still annoying.
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.
There was suddenly a ringing noise in his ears that made him flinsh, and his vision becomes blurred. Harry felt how he tilts slightly to the side as his head suddenly started to throb in pain. Harry held back a scream when it felt like someone was hitting his temple. Suddenly, all the sound around him disappeared, and he could hear it, a dark voice that spoke to him.
-The tesseract has awakened-
Harry looked blindly in front of him, but it was as if he could not see through his own eyes. The woods were now gone and replaced with a dark landskape that felt horrible familiar, and he opened his mouth to say anything. But no words left his vocals. A blue cube suddenly came up in his vision as he could not get out of the feeling of it. It was so small and innocent.
It was like there was an entirely new source of energy that was swirling inside of the tiny cube that only waited to get out. Harry wanted to reach out and touch it, but his limbs did not let him. What's this a new kind of memory? It was so different from the other times, or had this something to do with 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 Loki. 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, hhhe 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 could feel the tiredness and pain in his body as if every muscle had been torn apart and then put back together. His head was no better there. He could suddenly both see and feel the alien-like monsters growling in the background. They were waiting, waiting, waiting, ready to strike, to devour. And there were his to command, finally!
-It is Time-
No, No, not going to happen, Harry tried to protest, to run away with Loki's body, but he could not move; he could only obey the voice. He could feel Lokis's current feelings mix with his own. The cold feeling inside of him settled, and he accepted his fate, even embraced 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 echoed his last words, and he closed his eyes at something he could only explain as horror. His? There was no way that this was a coincidence, not after what Death had shown him. They had to talk about Thanos. Harry had to do something, anything; he had to get Loki away from the man in front of them before it was too late.
A grin adorned Loki's lips, and the blue color sank further into his eyes when the check was complete. Before Harry could even think of anything to do, cold, dead green eyes suddenly stared straight into Harry's, and he gasped in shock, and everything around Harry mingled. Han was thrown back into his mind with a gasp as he clung to the stone railing. They had to get to New York and fast.
Loki was coming to earth and with him an army.