8

"It's a mallet."

"Pixie, based on the design and markings, it is likely the weapon of a god." Coulson sighed. "Just a little bit more than a mallet."

"Really? You're calling me that too?" Megan glared at him as she leaned past Harry. She then looked up at her partner. "This is all your fault."

"So, Thor?" Harry turned to Coulson.

Coulson smirked at the desperate attempt to deflect. "According to legends and historical data."

They were standing in a massive crater as agents quickly moved to erect a temporary base around the hammer. The sun was high in the sky.

"Why would a warrior be parted from his weapon?" Harry wondered. "Did Thor arrive at all?"

"We are investigating the local town. Right now we need to secure the data collected by an Astrophysicist who may have witnessed the arrival."

"Phil, security is set." A man in a thick body suit with a bow and quiver full of arrows announced as he walked up.

"Sir Harry, Dame Megan, meet Agent Barton, aka Hawkeye."

The man shook hands with both of them. "Did Romanoff have a code name?" Megan asked.

"Black Widow." Hawkeye smirked.

"Does that have some relevance to her skills?" Harry asked. "Like yours and the bow."

"She's an expert at seduction and assassination."

"Wow… she is so lucky she didn't try it on Tony. Pepper would have killed her." Megan mused.

%

They arrived at a small building on the outskirts of the local town, Puente Antiguo. Agents were filing in empty handed and exiting with arms filled with equipment and documentation.

They followed Coulson inside.

"Doctor Foster, I'm Agent Coulson with SHIELD." He addressed a woman in her late twenties. There was a younger woman as well, both had dark hair.

A much older man looked worried as Coulson introduced himself.

"I don't care who you work for! You can't do this." Foster said angrily.

"Jane, this is more serious than you realise." The older man warned. "Let it go."

Foster rounded on him. "Let it go? This is my life!"

"We're here investigating a security threat. We need to appropriate your equipment and data." Coulson explained.

"Appropriate? You mean steal." She sneered.

Coulson simply handed her a cheque which she tossed to the ground without reading.

"I made that equipment. I can't just buy it."

"Agent." Harry said softly. "How about something of a compromise?"

Coulson introduced them. "I'm sure you've heard of Sir Harry Potter and his partner, Dame Megan Gwynn?"

"What compromise?" Foster demanded. "I've dedicated my life to this. Since I was a child."

Harry sighed and took a seat nearby. "I don't know all the details, but I know enough to tell you that Agent Coulson is here with good and honest intentions.

"His intent isn't to harm you in anyway. Physically, mentally, emotionally… academically.

"I don't know what you discovered, but it is likely not to be released for years. Decades even.

"So, let me ask you this, what is more important, public recognition of your work, or the search for answers?"

Foster huffed. "Whilst I would appreciate the academic vindication, I live for the research."

"Would you be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement, provided you work on your research under the authority of SHIELD?"

"Harry, are you sure about this?" Coulson frowned.

"She just said that she made that equipment. Why bother having your people struggle to understand it when Doctor Foster can explain it for us and continue her work?"

Coulson nodded thoughtfully. "We could also patent the equipment designs for her."

"Why would I want to work for you?" Foster demanded.

Harry turned back to the Doctor. "Your choices are limited. Work for us, or start from scratch.

"Think about who we are, who you are. What could possibly be so important that an International Peace Keeping force would confiscate the work of an astrophysicist?"

"Oh. My. God." The brunette in the back gasped.

Harry quickly pointed a finger at her. "Ah! You don't even get to think about it until you sign the NDAs."

"Doctor Selvig seems to have grasped the situation as well." Coulson said. "We will wait outside and give you a few minutes to discuss your options.

"Do remember that discussing this with anyone else is a crime. You will be locked away for decades if you do."

%

Coulson led Harry and Megan outside into the bright sun.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Coulson asked.

"Like I said, she knows her equipment. Also, this is her entire life and we were about to rip it away from her. No amount of money would help."

"Yeah, she'd be a laughing stock amongst her peers." Megan agreed.

"We're signing!"

The three jumped as the younger woman stuck her head out and shouted.

"They only took a minute." Coulson muttered.

Megan looked at him and raised her hands slightly around her head. "Aliens!" She said with a wild eyed look.

%

Harry and Megan left Coulson to deal with Doctor Foster and her companions. In the meantime, the two Brits decided to experience small town America.

"It's… empty." Megan commented as the pair stood at the end of the town's only street. "Is there anything this small in Britain?"

"Probably." Harry nodded. "Hogsmede wasn't all that big. If you consider Diagon Alley, it is a self-contained village hidden in a city."

"I bet there aren't any as dusty." Megan grimaced.

"I'd bet some of the coal mining towns are close." Harry smiled.

"We're getting attention."

"You have pink hair."

"You're carrying a shield."

"You've got wings… and are hovering."

Megan looked down and blushed. Sure enough she was hovering next to Harry at his head height. She quickly dropped to the ground. "Should we leave?"

"Do you want to?" Harry asked quietly. "I can stay if you want to head back."

"I'm not running from anyone." She said defiantly.

Harry put an arm around her shoulder and started walking them to the nearby diner. "Pix, I've made it this far in life by running."

"Ho! Warrior! Faerie!"

The duo turned to the loud mouth with the long blonde hair that was hurrying up to them.

"Pray, lend me your ears and if you can find it in your hearts, your aid."

Harry and Megan shared a look.

"Your name, Sir?" Harry asked.

"Thor Odinson." The man said proudly. "Prince of-" He stopped faltered mid-sentence as though he realised he was about to say something untrue.

"I am a warrior, lost in this world. Midgard, I believe." He peered up. "Blue skies, one sun. This would be Midgard in mine eyes."

"It is." Harry nodded. "Pixie, could you go and get us all some cold drinks from the diner?"

"Don't get hurt." She glared at him before turning and moving off. She didn't realise she was flying.

"You have a fine squire, there." Thor nodded approvingly. He then looked thoughtful. "Or perhaps she is a shield-maiden in her own right?"

"She's my minder." Harry smiled softly. "I have a tendency to ignore my health in favour of my mission."

Thor nodded in understanding.

"So, Thor, what aid did you require?" Harry asked as he moved to sit on the curb, shifting his shield to his arm.

Thor sat next to him. "I arrived here yon day's past in the dead of night. I had nothing but the clothes I wore. But I have heard tales in the tavern that-" Thor frowned. "The lady is in trouble." He said as he stood.

Harry stayed sitting and simply looked at the diner. Some of the men were glaring at her, harsh words directed at her.

"You will not aid her?" Thor asked with a hint of disgust.

"She is about to find out if she is a squire or a shield-maiden." Harry said as he watched.

Thor approved of this answer and simply folded his arms and observed.

One of the men reached for Megan but she twisted his arm behind his back. Harry chuckled as he saw dust emerging from her wings.

Megan threw some money on the counter and grabbed the drinks, leaving the owner and patrons to look around in wonder.

"Fucking assholes." She snarled as she shoved a can at both men and then sat down angrily.

"You did great, Pix." Harry smiled as he wrapped an arm around her. "If you want me to go and teach them a lesson later I can."

Pixie popped the top on her fizzy drink and muttered deprecations under her breath.

"Thor, you were saying?" Harry turned back to the man. "Tales in the tavern?"

"Yes!" Thor said as he remembered. "My hammer. Mjølnir . It was sighted twelve miles east. I would seek your aid in reaching my hammer. I do not know what a 'mile' is, but if the man in the tavern has seen it since last night and reached here today-"

"I think we can get you to your hammer, Thor." Harry assured him. "But you will need to be patient. Your arrival caused a lot of chaos. We found your hammer and had to clear the locals out as they wrestled with it." Harry said in amusement.

"Also, the people in this land guard their borders jealously. They prefer visitors to pass through the guard posts."

"There were no guards when I arrived." Thor frowned. "Though there was a chariot like these… and one who wielded lightning."

"We can call a chariot to take us to your hammer."

"Car. It's called a bloody car." Megan grumbled.

%

Harry spent a good twenty minutes getting yelled at by Fury over the phone. The man was mired in secrecy and did not like civilians being briefed on classified actions or handing weapons over to invaders.

Harry had calmly pointed out that they now had an expert on wormholes working for them.

He also explained that unless he wanted to start an inter-dimensional war, it wouldn't be helped by stealing from a foreign prince.

Harry introduced Thor to Coulson. The large man was clearly not interested though. Not even when he mentioned the hammer. His eyes were fixed on Doctor Foster.

Harry found it amusing that her intern, the brunette Darcy, was staring at Thor like schoolgirls at Lockhart.

Harry pried Thor away from the Doctor by promising he could see her later.

Coulson, Megan and Harry led him out to where the hammer still lay, embedded in the bottom of the crater.

"Mjølnir." Thor said reverently.

He bent down and gripped the shaft.

Unfortunately, that was how Megan thought of it in her mind and had to quickly leave. Laughter floated back.

Thor didn't notice.

He was tugging on the hammer. It did not budge.

Thor fell to his knees.

"I am truly forsaken." It was the voice of a broken man. "Was I truly so wrong as to be felled so low by mine own father?" He asked himself.

Harry knelt down on one knee and for the first time he examined the hammer. He carefully touched the handle, it sparked and script appeared on the side of the head, glowing.

"I am not worthy." Thor said in a hoarse whisper as he read the words of his father.

"Harry, it's never done that before." Coulson warned.

Harry couldn't feel anything wrong with the hammer. In fact, it felt like the first time he held his wand.

He slowly rose from his knee, bringing the hammer with him.

Thor looked on in horror. "No… I am undone."

"Harry, at this point, I need to remind you of what happened when you first put on your armour." Coulson warned.

"This is more like my wand." Harry shook his head. "Mjølnir recognises me. Accepts me."

"Only the worthy may wield Mjølnir." Thor merely bowed his head.

"What do you mean?" Coulson asked.

Thor sat back on his heels. "The runes on the hammer that appeared at Harry's touch. 'Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.' That is what it said.

"I am unworthy."

"What would make me worthy?" Harry wondered.

"Only my father could say. It is he who's power has enchanted my- Mjølnir."

"Let's go inside." Harry said.

They were soon in an empty room. Harry conjured three chairs.

"You are a mage?" Thor was surprised. "Is that- no, even a mage could not break the power of my father's enchantment."

Harry placed the hammer on the floor in the middle of the three chairs, his was more of a stool as he didn't want to remove his shield.

"I did not take the hammer to claim your power." Harry said calmly. "But I think I will keep it as… custodian until the worthy comes."

"But you are worthy." Thor persisted. "Perhaps this is how it should be." He muttered. "Maybe your place is now in Asgard and mine is here on Midgard."

Harry shook his head. "My place is here. Which is why I will only act as a custodian."

"How did you come to Midgard?" Coulson asked.

Thor hung his head in shame. "I disobeyed my father, the King. I attacked Jotunheim in retaliation and against my father's orders.

"It was his intervention that saved the lives of myself and my comrades. My brother."

"And he exiled you?" Harry asked.

Thor nodded. "I was belligerent. I called him weak. He deemed me unfit for the throne. For my power."

"The worthy." Coulson mused. "Your father banished you to Earth. But he sent your hammer as well."

"No… not my hammer."

"If only the worthy can lift the hammer, perhaps you need to think about what makes you unworthy… and whether you can change that."

%

Thor was given a room to stay in. Really it was the one they had talked in, they just moved a cot in.

The following day Thor spent most of the morning talking with Doctor Foster. There were a lot of smiles, even as they discussed the bridge that brought Thor to Earth.

"I have never seen a more mismatched pair." Megan scoffed as she stood with Harry in the corner of the room.

"You've never seen Dobby's sock collection." Harry laughed.

"I'm serious! She's an academic and he's… a brute."

"A brute who is actually progressing her understanding of the Bifrost."

"I just hope it doesn't all end in tears." Megan sighed.

"Harry, the bridge just re-opened." Coulson said as he rushed in. Everyone was now paying attention.

"Who would defy my father and brother?" Thor frowned. "Last night, my brother appeared to me. My father is dead. He now sits on the throne and only my exile would ensure peace between Asgard and Jotunheim."

"We had a security breach?" Coulson demanded.

"My brother meant no harm." Thor assured them.

"Do we know what came through?" Harry asked as he activated his armour.

"No. I've got agents en route."

"I'm going up for aerial surveillance." Harry said. "Have Thor identify what you find. I don't want to attack his friends."

"Harry. Take Mjølnir ." Thor said with gravity. "It will aide you if it is not a friend… but foe."

Harry reluctantly picked up the hammer from by his feet and snapped it to the clips he had added to his sword belt.

%

Harry was soon given directions to the outskirts of the town and the names of the new arrivals. He landed thirty meters from them.

"Hail, friends of Thor!" He called to them.

They turned, saw the armoured man and drew their swords.

"I come in peace. We noticed your arrival and Thor told us you are his friends, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three.

"If you would come with me I can reunite you."

"You have Thor." Sif said calmly. "You speak as though you are his friend… but you carry his weapon." She pointed to Mjølnir at his side.

"At his request." Harry said. He decided to make an overture of trust and unclipped the hammer and deactivated his armour. Harry slowly walked towards them as he stowed his shield on his back. "Before his death, King Odin laid an enchantment upon Mjølnir. Only the worthy may raise this hammer and they shall have the power of Thor.

"At present, Thor does not appear worthy. Though I have been judged worthy, I only hold it as a custodian until Thor has learnt to be worthy."

"Ha!" Volstagg, a large, rotund man with red hair and a beard scoffed. "You think you can deceive us! You insult our friend and tell us lies that the Great Odin is dead?

"We will take back the hammer and free our friend from your clutches."

There was a pop and Thor was suddenly standing a few feet behind Harry.

"Friends… please. Harry is a noble man. He tells you no lies."

"You may not be bound in chains, Thor, but you are clearly still a prisoner of his lies." Fandral, a tall, thin, dashing man warned. "Your father lives. He has merely fallen into the Odinsleep.

"Take up your hammer. Prove the boy a liar."

Harry placed the hammer on the ground and stepped back.

Thor had an expression of hurt. "This is my shame. You force me to endure." He said as he reluctantly stepped forward and gripped the hammer.

Harry smiled as electricity arced up Thor's arm. The hammer wiggled, but did not move otherwise.

Thor looked at Harry in amazement. "I- I could feel it. It is waiting for me."

"Like I said. Just a custodian."

"Thor… how?" Sif asked, clearly as shocked and distraught as the Warriors Three.

"For my arrogance. Father banished me. Stripped me of my power. My hammer. I am a mortal man." Thor said as he stood. "Harry, please, do not let Mjølnir rest in the dirt so."

Harry nodded and picked the hammer up easily.

The others were shocked.

"From the moment I met him, Harry Potter has been nothing but honest. He and his friends have given me shelter and succour. I shall follow him until I have learnt all I need to become worthy."

"Thor, your friends. They would never lie to you?" Harry asked gravely.

The newcomers were offended.

"Nay. With my life… with Jane's life, I would trust them."

Harry sighed. He turned to the others. "You are certain that Odin is not dead?"

"With our own eyes did we witness him. His wife and son, Loki confirmed it."

Harry turned back to Thor. "Why would Loki come all the way to Midgard to lie to you?"

Behind them, in the distance, the bi-frost re-opened.

"Are you expecting more?" Harry asked Sif and the Warriors.

"None. We are not supposed to be here." Sif frowned.

Harry tapped his earpiece. "Coulson, the Bifrost just-"

"WE KNOW!"

Harry grimaced at the shout.

"Some damned giant robot just appeared and blew our cars up! Our bullets don't affect it."

Harry turned to Thor. "A giant metallic being just appeared and attacked Coulson. Any ideas?"

"Could it be Heimdall?" Volstagg mused. "Ow!" He glared at Sif.

"Heimdall would not attack without reason and he would not leave his post." She glared back.

"I have to go and try… oh… I assume that is not Heimdall." Harry said as a giant black humanoid figure with a glowing face loomed over the horizon.

"The Destroyer." Thor whispered. "Why would my brother send it here?"

"Look, just clear the town of civilians. I'll try and stop it. I don't suppose it has a weakness? Can I reason with it?"

"It is a relentless killing machine." Sif growled. "It answers only to the King of Asgard."

"Lovely." Harry drawled.

%

Harry had a horrible feeling that this was going to be one of those things that won't actually stay dead. Like Riddle.

The monster was taller than a three-storey house. Harry's first action was to try and drive it back. He went with his tried and true method, only instead of flying up and ramming into it from above, he simply flew as fast as he could into the thing's torso.

Good news: He moved it back several hundred meters.

Bad news: It wasn't dead.

Good news: It no longer seemed interested in the town.

Bad news: It was interested in Harry.

He rolled to the side as a blast of energy came his way.

"I felt that." Harry muttered.

"Then you better not get hit by it." Arnie retorted. "An archer needs time to notch an arrow. Does this fiend need time between his blasts?"

"Well he hasn't fired yet."

"Then test him. You can use the interval to your advantage. Your sword, did it do any damage?"

"Not that I can see."

"Then stick to spells."

Harry started firing blasting hexes at the monster. He pulled up short when he heard a yell and Volstagg came soaring through the air.

He impacted the giant causing it to wobble. But it merely reached down and grabbed the rotund warrior by the back of the neck.

That was when Sif leapt on the giant's back, driving her spear into its back.

Harry watched in horror as the giant twisted its entire torso without moving its waist and looked at Sif.

Sif leapt off the giant as it unleashed another blast at her, it was close and she landed in a heap with the Warriors Three.

When they regained their bearings they saw the monster charging its blasts… they had no time to move.

The world went white as the beams headed their way. They shielded their eyes only to see the silhouette of a man between them and death.

When the beam finished, Harry fell to the ground unconscious.

"We must move him!" Hogun shouted as he reached for Harry's arms. As he did so the armour flowed back into the shield.

Volstagg grabbed it and held it up. "Go! I will guard our backs!"

"Thor! What are you doing?" Sif demanded as the prince stalked past them.

"Do not worry." He said, not looking back. "I have a plan."

"His plans usually spell doom for us all." Hogun said gravely.

"Just once, I would like to hear you say something optimistic." Fandral grumbled to his friend.

The team of four easily moved Harry into the town where they met Coulson and Megan. "We're Harry's friends." Coulson told them.

"Then you are ours as well." Hogun nodded to them as he reached into a pouch at his side. He pulled out a blue crystal.

"What are you doing?" Megan asked as she checked Harry's pulse.

"Lending aid and repaying what I can of our debt." He said as he used the crystal on Harry. He opened the man's mouth, holding the crystal in his fist above it before crushing the crystal and allowing the dust to fall into Harry's mouth.

After a few seconds Harry opened his eyes. "Did we win?"

There was a loud thud and they looked to see Thor land several meters away, motionless.

Harry growled. "My shield."

Volstagg quickly handed it over.

Harry didn't wait, he ran at the giant as his armour flowed over him. As soon as it was complete he took to the air and pounded into it, he didn't stop his momentum, driving the giant back as far as he could.

But he felt a massive hand grab him and throw him away.

It took Harry several moments to stop his flight. He was fairly high in the sky so he flew higher. That was when the clouds began to form and thunder sounded around him. He looked down and saw the hammer glowing and rattling at his side.

Harry unclipped the hammer and held it across his palms. "I would call him worthy." Harry said fervently.

The hammer shot out of his hand. He smiled as lightning lit up the sky.

"Arnie, we're about to get stupid." Harry grinned.

"Little late for that, Lad." The armour grumbled. "Just how stupid are you aiming for?"

"We're going to ride the lightning."

"What does that mean? Harry? Harry!"

%

Thor had never felt better in his entire life. It wasn't his friends at his back. It wasn't his armour, his hammer, his power.

It was that he had proven himself worthy in his father's eyes.

The other stuff didn't hurt though.

He knelt down and summoned his domain to come forth. Thunder and lightning.

The light flickered throughout the clouds in an unending stream of electricity.

And then he called it down upon The Destroyer.

And prayed his father would forgive him for destroying his stuff.

Thor had full control of his element. The bolt that fell from the sky was far bigger than The Destroyer.

But he was shocked when the impact sent him flying backwards.

The sound and explosion knocked him silly until he felt his friends upon him.

"I am fine." He assured them. "Truly my father smiled upon us." Thor said as he allowed them to help him up. "That was my strongest lightning. Never have I achieved so much."

"That wasn't just you." Coulson said tersely as Megan looked fearfully at the dust cloud that was once a weapon of pure destruction. "You called down the lightning. Harry took it for a ride."

"What do you mean?" Thor frowned.

"The knight." Sif explained. "He placed himself at the centre of your lightning and threw himself at the Destroyer like Odin's spear.

"He used your lightning to… to…"

"Weaponize himself." Coulson offered.

"A truly apt description." Fandral nodded.

"There he is!" Megan said in relief. "Urk!"

Her attempt to rush to Harry was halted by Coulson grabbing the back of her custom tactical vest.

"You are not touching him until he's been cleared by the techs."

"Do you fear a sickness?" Hogun asked.

"I fear that he has untold amounts of electricity running through his armour and might kill us mortals."

"I shall tend to our comrade." Thor assured them. "My lightning shall not harm me."

Thor approached Harry who was covered in dust and clearly sparking. "Hold thy place, friend. You carry much of my lightning and your mortal friends fear it may harm them."

"Anything you can do about that?" Harry asked through his visor.

Thor reached out and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. The electricity arced up into Thor who seemed unaffected. "You should be safe now, Harry."

"Thank god." Harry said as he deactivated his armour.

"You are welcome." Thor inclined his head.

Harry was too tired to argue. "That thing is in several pieces. I made sure to pick a few bits that looked important so it can't rebuild itself." He explained as the others approached.

"Here, drink it." Megan shoved a potion in his face. She looked at the others. "Will magic potions hurt you, help you or do nothing?" She asked them.

They shared a look of uncertainty.

Volstagg blustered forward. "If it be liquid you offer, young maiden, then I will gladly take it to quench my thirst." He snatched a vial from her and swallowed.

Normally when you take a Pepper-Up potion, steam will come from your ears.

Let's just say there was steam.

By the time it was over everyone was several metres away from the massive man.

Not that he noticed.

He was beaming widely. "This is better than the ambrosia of the Olympians!" He declared. "I could take on The Destroyer alone!

"Come! Let us return to Asgard and teach Loki his lesson." Volstagg said as he turned. "What for are you there?"

He finally noticed them standing several meters away with strange bubbles over their faces.

"I will take mine alone… behind that building." Sif said as she took a vial from Megan.

"It is just a little wind." Thor sighed as he took his own.

"Whoa!" Megan grabbed his arm. "That 'wind' comes out the ears of a normal person. We ain't taking no risks. You fly a mile that way and take it in case you call down lightning death on us all." She pointed into the desert.

Thor sheepishly took the vial and left.

%

By the time Thor and Sif returned, Jane, Darcy and Erik Selvig had turned up.

Jane was all over Thor, checking him for injury.

Fandral had turned his sights on Darcy who appeared to be drawn to anything attractive.

Harry decided not to interfere as Fandral was a trusted friend of Thor.

"Harry, we must return now." Thor said from next to Jane. She was standing very close to him but not quite touching him. "Will you come and fight beside us?"

"Thor?" Sif asked with a frown.

"He has defeated the most powerful of Asgard. He stood between it and the loyal servants of Asgard as a shield.

"But most importantly… he has been accepted by my father's enchantments." He said as he held up Mjølnir.

"It would almost be an insult for you not to come." Fandral smiled at the wizard.

Harry sighed. He turned to Megan. "Tell Marie I might be gone for a few days?"

"What?!"

"You don't abandon allies." Harry shrugged. "I'll be back soon enough."

Megan turned to Coulson and poked him in the chest. "Tell Rogue we'll be back soon. Tell Fury to tell the King we're on an ambassadorial mission."

She flew over to Harry who was standing with the others. "Take us to your leader." She ordered.

"I need to check with Fury." Coulson warned as he pulled out his phone.

Thor looked to the skies. "Heimdall! Open the way!"

"Let us know what he says." Megan smirked.

"Heimdall! I know you can hear me!"

A hole in space and time opened behind them, sucking them away.

The humans were left to stand there and watch.

"So… what did Fury say?" Darcy smirked.

%

They landed in a large domed room that was made of a metal that looked somewhere between gold and bronze.

There were mechanisms everywhere.

It was the giant, frozen in ice that got their attention. Heimdall, Guardian of the Bifrost.

"Get him to the healing room!" Thor ordered Sif and the Warriors Three. "I will see to my brother."

Thor took to the air, Harry and Megan following.

He led them to the palace, crashing through a large window.

Harry stopped Megan from entering and they waited outside, invisible.

They heard Thor challenge his brother and accuse him of trying to murder him.

They soon heard the discharge of a weapon and Thor went flying through the walls, deeper into the palace.

"Go high and observe." Harry ordered Megan as he flew in through the window, following the path of chaos Thor had left.

"Arnie, close quarters here."

"I've got your back, Lad. But I still want to know what it means to 'ride the lightning'." The entity grumbled.

Harry found Thor struggling to his feet several floors below in a courtyard.

"We must stop my brother. He will throw Asgard into war!" Thor told Harry as he materialised.

"Pixie? Can you see Loki?"

"He's heading for the building we came in through. On the Bifrost." The mutant reported over the radio.

"He's heading for the Bifrost." Harry relayed.

"We must hurry." Thor took to the skies, Harry next to him.

"What's his strength compared to ours?" Harry called over the winds.

"He is a trickster, not a fighter. But do not underestimate him!" Thor called back.

The duo landed to find the controls for the Bifrost frozen solid.

"All these years and no one's thought to use it as a weapon." Loki mused as he regarded them. "But you… you seemed to have found a new fool to follow you." He said as he visually examined Harry in his armour.

"Stand down, Loki. Can you really stop the one who destroyed The Destroyer?" Thor threatened.

"Ah… a brute, like yourself." Loki said in understanding. "And I thought the armour indicated some intelligence." It was clear that Loki did not find the thought of facing someone that powerful, appealing.

Thor moved to smash the controls. Loki fired his spear and Thor crashed into the wall.

Harry sent a flame spell at the ice.

"A mage?" Loki snarled. "An armoured mage?"

Loki sent more ice at the controls whilst firing the spear at Harry. Loki was treated to a very important lesson: Don't fire anything at Harry Potter's shield unless it's more powerful than what The Destroyer used.

Loki went flying out of the room and onto the Bifrost itself.

Harry sent more fire at the console. "Handle that. I'll get your brother."

Thor was still pulling himself out of the wall as Harry stepped through the Loki shaped hole.

"Surrender." Harry ordered as Loki picked himself up off the ground, using the spear as a crutch.

"Who are you to demand anything of me?" Loki snarled. "You are no god! You are no prince! I can sense your mortality. Your common blood!"

All of a sudden Harry was surrounded by multiple Lokis. Each one attacking. Most were illusions.

"Pixie! A revealing spell." Harry grunted before he disappeared himself.

Loki was confused. Especially as the real him was glowing.

That was when Mjølnir impacted his chest.

"Harry, I cannot stop the Bifrost." Thor said as he marched up. "It will destroy Jotunheim and kill them all."

"Can we destroy the Bifrost? Kill the power? Can we redirect it?" Harry asked as he dropped his invisibility.

"We could destroy the Bifrost." Thor said gravely. "But we would be stranded here, in Asgard."

"Only until we rebuild it." Harry pointed out. "You handle him. I'll destroy the controls."

Harry flew back into the building and began examining the controls. There were a lot of lights. "Pixie, get down here and see if you can find the power source."

There was a crack as Megan apparated next to him. "Watch my back."

It was an unnecessary order as Harry had his back to her already and was invisibly standing guard.

"Here. This appears to be a power line." Megan said as she pointed to a thick tube that was glowing.

"Back up." Harry ordered as he prepared his sword.

Unfortunately piercing the tube caused a massive explosion that sent the pair flying back towards the palace. They didn't travel far before they were plucked from the air and deposited on the back of a multi-legged horse… a horse with more than four legs.

Their saviour said nothing as his horse galloped through the air soaring down to catch the leg of a falling Thor who was gripping Loki's spear to save his brother from the void.

Something passed over Loki's face, resignation, he released the spear.

"LOKI! NO!" Thor screamed.

Harry shot off the horse and flew after Loki.

"Harry- no." Thor said weakly.

"He'll be back." Megan assured Thor.

"Nay, young one." The horse rider said sadly. "None return from the void."

"He just vanished!"

Thor and the rider jumped. Standing behind them was Harry, in armour. "I nearly caught him and he disappeared. I think he was trying to escape me."

"H- Harry? You survived the void?" Thor asked.

"Sure. It's a void. Nothing there. Nothing to help or harm." He shrugged. "I suppose if you can't fly you would fall forever." He mused as he looked over the edge.

%

Harry and Megan were quickly introduced to the rider, Odin, who spared them an approving glance before instructing them to meet him at his throne.

Harry and Megan were soon standing in front of Odin's throne with Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three.

"You have saved my people from a pointless war, young mortals." Odin mused as he sat in his throne, Frigga at his side. "In doing so you have trapped yourself here until the Bifrost can be rebuilt."

"With respect, sir, we may have our own way back." Harry spoke up.

"Indeed?" Odin raised an eyebrow.

"Father, if they can return, I would go with them." Thor said eagerly. "Much destruction was caused on Midgard by Loki's actions. I would seek to ensure an alliance with the humans."

There was a snort from Harry's side.

Odin looked amused at Megan's reaction.

"Great King, t'would seem a fetching damsel has caught your son's eye." Volstagg explained with a smirk.

Thor regarded him with a glare that could call down lightning.

"I see. And what sets this 'damsel' above all others in Asgard?" Frigga asked with amusement.

"Mother… Father, Jane Foster is a scholar in her world. She was there when I fell to Midgard because she had been studying the Bifrost.

"She was so close to understanding… I wish to be with her, to see her work towards that goal."

"Harry, Pixie, what are your impressions of this Jane Foster?" Odin asked the pair.

Megan levelled a glare at Harry for introducing her as Pixie.

Harry ignored it. Safe in his armour. "She's driven, intelligent, more than capable of standing up for herself and up to Thor.

"And she is beautiful.

"I would say that her greatest wish would be to have travelled the Bifrost."

"Or to build one herself." Megan added.

"And you think she is capable of such a feat?" Odin asked curiously.

"I'm afraid I don't know enough about the Bifrost or Jane Foster's studies to answer that." Harry answered.

"But you claim to have a way home."

"With magic." Megan replied. "Harry and I don't use much technology."

Odin nodded. "Magic and technology are one and the same in Asgard. Though there are few with the knowledge and power to use it."

Odin looked at Thor searchingly. Thor stood there attempting to show no emotion. It was still clear he was desperate to return.

"I will grant your request, my son. You will return to Midgard as an ambassador of Asgard."

Odin gave Thor a rather pitying look. "Do try to remember the 'ambassador' part."

Thor flushed in embarrassment. There was a reason he had been banished to Midgard.

%

It was two days later that Harry, Megan and Thor landed in New Mexico. One day was taken up by a feast thrown in their honour and the other was for Thor to recover from the feast.

They landed at the same place they left.

Guns were immediately pointed at them.

Large guns. Like 'mounted cannon' guns.

"Potter! You made it back." An agent in a suit walked up. He was bald with tanned skin and glasses.

"Agent Sitwell." Harry nodded as he deactivated his armour. "The Bifrost was severely damaged so we had to make our own way back."

"Director Fury wants an immediate update."

"Fury will have to wait a few hours." Harry scoffed and pulled out his phone. "I have to update someone far more important."

Sitwell was about to object.

"Hey, Marie, I'm back."

Sitwell heard the angry screaming coming from the phone and decided Potter was probably right.

%

Thor went with Sitwell to meet Fury and establish some records.

Harry and Megan landed in the Xavier Institute. It was the middle of the day.

Everyone was supposed to be in class.

They weren't.

Harry immediately moved hug Rogue but she backed up and glared at him. "Don't you dare touch me, Mister. You've been gone for days."

Harry looked hurt, but then she tossed something at him. Her bracelet. "You went through all of them?" He asked as he charged it.

"All but one. Ah kept it for emergencies."

Harry finished the charge and took Rogue by her covered arm. He slipped the bracelet on. "With this bracelet, I thee hug." He smiled.

She smirked up at him. "You'd better do more than hug, Sugah." Several 'ews' were heard from the younger students as she kissed him passionately.

"Remember this day, kids." Megan told them loudly. "'Cos one day you'll be kissing the one you love."

"As if!" One of them responded.

"Yeah… you're right. No one would want to kiss you." She smirked at them.

And that was when she took off with a squeal as about seven pre-teens chased her.