Chapter Text
Teleporting to Asgard was easier than he expected, honestly who doesn't have wards up against intergalactic visitors? Odin, that's who.
"Who do you think you are!?!!" An arrogant voice called out.
Smirking, it was a good thing he hadn't promised to behave, he could almost feel the growing stack of paperwork. He answered, "The Master of Death, Agent Budapest, Harry Potter, Freak, take your pick you old coot."
Turning to face the man who had spoken, he was not surprised to see that it was the king himself or was it the all father? Ehhh, at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. Bohemian rhapsody began to play as an earworm in his head.
"You dare to claim death as yours?" The old bearded one asked in outrage.
"Well, I think Death has called dibs on me more than once.. It goes both ways at this point. Honestly it's the relative who watches from the corner that no one escapes from, great for gossip and possibly hiding a body, not so good at the small talk," he replied with a shrug. "Death?"
"Yes?" Death frowned, "Asgard, really... I thought I requested you to avoid it."
"Well, you knew what I was leaving to do, did you think I was kidnapping the king and taking him to earth for the conversation?" Actually, that did sound like something he would do.
Death didn't reply.. Silence remained.
"I'm not always that impulsive, plus the voyer would have a heart attack and you don't want his soul yet," Harry muttered.
Loki looked over and asked with amusement, "Chaos follows you does it not?"
"Well," he began, "Yes, but honestly fighting it just makes it worse."
"Chaos doesn't follow him, he is the chaos," Death replied fondly, patting him on the head. Momentarily he debated biting them before deciding that would just irritate both of them equally. Death tasted like, well, decay and all things dead.
Odin sat gaping in surprise upon his golden throne, the queen beside him was smiling kindly.
"I did not foresee this?" She spoke
"I'm beyond the norns, they hold no power over me, the prophecy I was born too has long since been completed and in doing so the many facets of fate hold no sway over me, only the grand fate can alter my course but it gives them a headache, something about unpredictability.." He replied, "Greetings fair queen, Loki is fond of you."
“I must thank you for helping my sons,” the Queen said as Thor appeared from somewhere, “He has told us of your claims.”
“Claims of a mad man,” Odin interrupted.
“I resemble that,” Harry stated with a smirk before waving a hand and the weakened spirit of Thanos appeared. “Before you start a spill about life or some crap, keep your mother shut unless it is to answer my questions or your personal hell can become worse. Death would love the chance to show you exactly how your courting methods made them feel, I personally thought that might be a bit cruel but I'm willing to look passed that if you fuck up.”
The ghost turned a light blue and nodded meekly, terror radiating out of the poor guy.
“Did you torture the prince of Asgard known to this land as Loki Odinson?”
“Yes.”
“Did you take over the mind of the prince at any point?”
“Yes, to lead my army against earth and retrieve that which you have taken into yourself.”
“Why have you committed these crimes against Loki of Asgard?” He continued ignoring the reactions of those around. He squeezed Loki's hand as the prince was not taking the presence of his torturer well. Then again no one would. Not even he.
“Because I could, no one was stopping me. The prince fell into my grasp, so weak and looking for somewhere to call home, unfortunately he didn't enjoy his stay before I made my way to him and refused to join me so I broke his mind and claimed him as my lieutenant.” Thanos answered in a monotone voice, no emotion behind it until he finished speaking and fury crossed his face, “Why can I not lie?"
“Did I say you could ask questions, mad one?" He taunted, “I think not, however to ease the mind of witnesses the dead can not lie. They are cursed to speak the truth or remain silent, something death did as they despise lies.”
Glancing around Harry asked, “Any further questions?”
“How did he die?” One asked.
“I can answer that, magical backlash of the mind arts, the energy that was used to contain and control the prince was immense, it had to go somewhere and since it couldn't lash at me or Loki it went after the caster, kinda like cursed fire.” Harry replied blandly as he was growing bored. “Now that has been cleared up I'm notifying you that I'm taking Loki to Midgard and having him join a Magic school for a year, I'll bring him back at the end of it. A nice break to heal the rest of the way, that'll keep him out of intergalactic trouble.”
“You came here to tell me what to do?" Odin boomed turning red.
“I told you what I'm going to do, initially I was going to ask first but you haven't played nice,” he answered with a shrug, this wasn't the first king he had met and it wouldn't be the last if Death had their way. Eternity was a long time after all.
“How dare you!”
Having had enough he waved his hand, “Says the one who avoids the sleep they need to cheat Death? Bold of you. You'll be taking a nap now. When you wake it would be wise to remember no one holds all the power and respect is earned not demanded.”
Odin dropped back into his throne.
Loki's mother gestured for guards to take him to the healers. Dismissing the growing crowd with yet another gesture. A true and graceful queen who needn't be feared to rule.
“He will live, his time has yet come. Even those who cheat will inevitably meet the cold embrace of death. They only delay the inevitable,” Harry answered.
“My son, you will look after him?" Loki's mother asked, looking between them with a look of wonder. Harry was curious what she thought she saw but inclined his head.
“Yes, you have my word as master of death that he will survive the chaos of the coming year,” Harry spoke, bowing to the fair Queen who was a concerned mother first and foremost.
“I accept your vow and hold you to it,” she answered, “Be a dear both of you and write to me. I'm afraid my time here will be quite dull without my mischief maker here.”
“We shall mother,” Loki answered with a soft look, “I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused.”
“Nonsense, you were not in your right mind.” The Queen and Harry said at the same time before glancing at each other appraisingly before nodding once in a mutual understanding.
“Still, I shouldn't have jumped from the bridge.”
“We shouldn't have hidden it from you for so long, the actions taken that day were not yours alone. I hope you can forgive us one day my son, but I know it will not be today. Take your leave and enjoy the magical year that I'm sure is to come,” Loki's mother stated softly and with a warmth that made Harry ache.
He wondered for a moment if his own mother would ever tell him something like that, but knew that he would never know, not for sure. To call on the dead be couldn't be personally involved with them, he couldn't call his family to him. A limitation set to ensure he didn't keep their spirits where they didn't belong. All things had a limit and his was that he would only get their lifetime with those he loved, their afterlife was beyond even him. He just hoped that he wouldn't come to regret befriending a long lived immortal, only time would tell.
With the Queens blessing they were off to start their adventure, a year at a magical school what could possibly go wrong?