Ace walked to the courtyard and held Hermione's hand, smiling "Farewell." Minerva sighed and smiled gently "Will you return?" the rest of the teachers and students looked over, Ace looked at Hermione, who nodded sweetly.
He turned to them and smiled "Of course. Anyway, I'm no more than a call away. If you need me I'm sure it won't be too hard to find me, Granny." Minerva waved her hand and said "Go, you. Remember to visit."
Ace nodded and looked at the sky shouting "Heimdall!" everyone looked up as a pillar of rainbow light smashed down from the sky, Hermione waved at Ron and Harry as she disappeared along with Ace into the sky, leaving behind the Bifrost's mark on the ground.
Harry and Ron sighed, asking "You think we'll ever see her again?" Harry nodded "I'm sure of it." before turning to him, adding "How you feeling about it?" Ron pursed his lips and replied "Not too great… I feel like she'll be a different person if we ever see her again."
Harry looked at the sky and smiled "She was the most brilliant Witch I've ever met." Ron snorted with a smile, "You can say that again, mate…"
Harry sighed and rubbed under Fawkes' beak, saying "Come on, Fawkes. Let's go." Fawkes cooed softly and Harry smiled "We'll be okay." as he turned to Sirius, smiling "Right?"
Sirius looked at him and winked, smiling.
Ace and Hermione showed up on Asgard and Heimdall smiled, nodding "Sir." Ace smiled and asked "How have you been?" Heimdall shrugged and said "Same old universe, different day."
Ace nodded and walked along, asking "And Thor?" Heimdall replied with a frown "Searching for the Scepter with the Mortals." Ace nodded and whispered "Do you think you could… You know…" Heimdall winked and smiled "Not a problem…" before whispering "But the tips…"
Ace grinned and whispered in Heimdall's ear, Heimdall's eyes lit up and he nodded "Excellent!" Ace patted his shoulder and pulled Hermione along saying "Welcome to Asgard."
Hermione hugged his arm and looked at the spectacular view all around her, the beautiful buildings, bridges, trees, animals… Everything was so beautiful! She asked "Is this real?" Ace chuckled and replied "Of course it is. Come, I'll show you my teacher here."
Hermione looked at him, asking "Do you just know everyone?" Ace cleared his throat, saying "Not necessarily…" she rolled her eyes and looked around as they continued along.
When they finally reached the castle, Frigga was waiting.
Ace smiled happily and bowed, "Teacher." Hermione bowed and stayed silent, Frigga rolled her eyes saying "You needn't bow anymore, Ace. You hadn't had the need to bow since you were Knighted."
Hermione gasped softly, looking at Ace, who smiled gently, still bowing as he replied "It's respect, Teacher." Frigga smiled gently and turned to Hermione, saying "Ah yes. Ace has spoken about you several times, child."
Hermione swallowed and said softly "Pleasure…" Frigga waved gently and Hermione straightened out, Ace stood up and put his hands in his pockets, smiling happily.
Frigga looked at Hermione and her eyes lit up as she said "I see… And it's not a surprise why. An amazingly talented Witch, eager to learn as well." before turning to Ace as her eyes dimmed, "No wonder you've the intention to train her into Sorcerer Supreme!"
Ace froze and Hermione was shocked, "Sorcerer Supreme?!" Ace looked away, rubbing his neck as he said "Was that tree always there? Jeez…" Frigga chuckled and held Hermione's hand, smiling gently, "Come, dear. Allow me to see what your master sees in you. You should know, he tells nearly everyone he sees."
Hermione looked at Ace, who was looking around, saying "Damn… Those clouds, so big!" she smiled sweetly and followed Frigga as Ace turned around and said "Ah, wait! I need to go to Nidavellir!"
Frigga waved her hand and Ace was sent flying along the Bifrost, seeing Heimdall again. Ace cleared his throat and Heimdall smiled "Nidavellir? Again?" Ace smiled awkwardly "Well, you know how it is…"
Heimdall laughed "They will never reveal their secrets to you. No matter how many times you return. I will await my winnings on our bet." as he slid his sword into the Bifrost matrix.
Ace patted himself down saying "Watch me! Then you have to teach me how to see!" Heimdall rolled his eyes, replying "It's innate." Ace retorted "Then see better!" before getting sucked into the Bifrost, disappearing.
Heimdall snorted, "See better he says…"
Ace landed on Nidavellir and waved at the giant Dwarves, saying "Hello! Eitri where he usually is?" The Dwarves smiled and nodded, continuing to work. Ace waved "Thanks!" before running off.
He came into a workshop and said "Eitri! I'm back." Eitri looked over and said "My friend! Welcome, welcome! I was just craving special materials from you!" Ace walked over and dug in his bag, saying "You came to the right guy!"
Before looking up at him, adding "However, I need you to study something from me. It's very special." Eitri raised a brow and Ace took out the Elder Wand.
Eitri pinched it between his fingers, saying "A wand? For magic?" Ace dumped out a bunch of materials, Basilisk venom, extra teeth, Acromantula hairs, pincers, venom, skulls, corpses, Dragon scales, teeth, spikes, blood from all of them, rare metals, the Resurrection Stone, Dementor Cloth, Unicorn corpses, Phoenix feathers, ashes, etc.
Then he took out Godric Gryffindor's sword and a very thick book.
Eitri looked over and his eyes sparkled as he walked over, squatting as he said "Beautiful!" Ace pointed at everything and explained what they were, where they came from, and how he knew to use them.
Then, he opened his book and said "This is also all my knowledge on Wand making." as he handed Eitri glasses.
Eitri looked through the glasses and flipped the pages gently until he read everything on Artifact making and Wand making.
He sat down and rubbed his chin, looking at the wand in his fingers saying "Interesting! And you say this was created by death?" Ace nodded and said "Legend has it that Death created the Wand, the Stone, and the Cloak. With all three one would be the master of Death."
Eitri said "The Cloak!" Ace nodded and waved, saying "Anyway, who cares about all that? I want to find out how this wand ticks!" Eitri grinned and he said "You've come to the right place!"
Ace took off his cloak and put it on the table saying "Okay. So I was thinking…" Eitri and Ace got to work.
They studied the Stone and the Wand before working on Ace's artifacts together. All the while, Ace was using the Time Turner to return to Asgard and learn with Frigga as well as teach Hermione on the side.
It was extremely draining, but his hard work paid off!
He gained much more knowledge about Artifact making, even a little bit of the Dwarven secrets! That was probably the best part of the trip, that and the upgraded Cloak…
As well as, his newest Artifact!
Ace was holding a long wooden staff with runes and patterns engraved, very Asgard-like. There was a black stone embedded into the staff and metal woven into the wood extremely intricately!
It was absolutely gorgeous!
And absolutely powerful, just the staff itself was nigh unbreakable. There were all sorts of runes and charms on it.
Ace even worked in an unbreakable charm on it. His own wand and the Elder wand were twin cores of the staff and the metal parts were from Godric Gryffindor's sword. It took on the properties of the Sword itself as Acromantula and Basilisk Venom was worked in.
Not to mention the various other materials from the various magical creatures Ace had collected.
Unicorn, Dragon, Phoenix, Thestral, Basilisk, etc
It had everything!
Ace was in love with the staff! Not to mention… He shook the staff in his hands and it wrapped around his arms, creating two intricate vambraces, covering his forearms and back of his hand.
It was a blend of metal and wood, very beautiful.
His cloak was also refurbished, still tattered but not uneven. It was completely black with ripped ends and a scale pattern along the entire thing. White teeth hung from the bottom of the cloak and connected the middle together.
The middle connection had feathers on the sides, it was very elegant!
It was also the first time he made such an artifact!
He also had enough for a second cloak!
It was a white cloak, mostly using Unicorn fur.
Eitri slapped Ace's back and laughed "Excellent! It was a success! I have to be honest, Ace. I wasn't sure the magic staff would work as intended!" Ace looked up and smiled "I told you those Ancient Runes would work!"
Eitri nodded in agreement, "Indeed! The artifact makers on Midgard have quite the talent! Perhaps even 0.0001% of us!" Ace's lips twitched and he said "Right… Anyway, I was wondering how this method for blending worked."
He showed Eitri a diagram, asking in confusion "The way you used it, wouldn't it just conflict mid blend?" Eitri looked at the diagram and started explaining "No, because you see this rune here?"
Ace nodded and Eitri explained as Ace took notes.
A few days later
Heimdall spoke to Ace in his mind, "Ace. Thor needs you on Midgard." Ace was in the middle of studying and frowned, asking "What happened?" Heimdall replied "He didn't say, come to the Bifrost."
Ace finished his notes and said "I have to go, I'll be back though." Eitri nodded and waved goodbye, telling Ace to bring back more strange materials. Ace promised to try and find some before leaving and returning to Asgard.
Ace walked over to Heimdall, saying "Trouble?" Heimdall frowned and said "There seems to be a Witch on Midgard. She bewitched your metal friend." Ace frowned deeply, snapping his fingers as the cloak donned on him, saying "Notify Hermione. I'll take her with me."
Heimdall raised his brows and Ace added, "She needs dangerous situations. If she studies all day, she will really die if I'm not around. No one became great without risk." Heimdall nodded.
Not even a minute later, Hermione arrived on horseback. She got off and patted the horse, running over, "Master?" Ace looked at her and said "I wanted to wait until your birthday, but the matter is urgent. Thor needs our help… Here."
He handed Hermione a folded piece of clothing.
Hermione grabbed it, unfolding it to reveal a cloak! She gasped and looked at Ace, saying "Master, you!" Ace smiled gently and said "Are you ready to risk your life for our world, Hermione? You don't have to. You can still bow out, however if you step into this life, you can never go back!"
Hermione gripped the cloak as Ace continued "You can live leisurely, start a family, become whoever you want to be with whomever you wanted to be with. I can give you everything, Hermione. I will make sure you live in a safe world, but you have to make a decision now."
He smiled gently and reached out his hand, adding "You can keep the cloak, you can keep the knowledge, you can keep my love, however you can never interfere in the protection of this world. Will you accept the burden, or live in peace?"
Hermione twirled the cloak around her and grabbed Ace's hand, smiling gently "I don't like peace, Master. I thought you'd've noticed by now." Ace laughed and said "Excellent! I didn't judge poorly! Heimdall, please."
Heimdall smirked, "Excellent disciple, Knight." before sending the duo back to Earth.