Avenging Harry Potter

Chapter 4

Landing in his home of Asgard, Thor took a second to take a breath of the air and the sight of the golden city in the distance before he headed for the horse that was waiting for him, courtesy of Heimdall. Giving a nod to the gatekeeper, Thor hauled himself into the saddle and started towards the city at a gallop.

Before long he was passing through the gates into the city and slowed the horse down to a walk so that he didn't trample anyone in his path. Dismounting, he handed the reins to the nearest hand and then made his way towards the palace, walking up the steps. As soon as he entered, he turned towards the right and headed towards a guarded doorway.

"I wish to speak with my brother," Thor informed the armed guard, guarding the stairs to the cells.

"Of course, Prince Thor. Prince Loki is in the same cell as when you were last here." The guard informed him, stepping aside so that Thor could climb the staircase beyond the doorway. There was a set of stairs leading up into the palace and one lower; each one led to a different level of the prison. The higher section was where Loki was placed. Climbing the stairs, Thor ran a hand through his blond locks, hoping his brother would be easily swayed towards helping him.

At the top of the stairs was another armed guard, blocking a thick metal door.

With a slight bow, the guard stepped aside, opened the door, and said, "Prince Thor."

Stepping through the door, Thor walked down the hall, heading towards the room that held his brother. Stopping outside of the door that had Loki's name engraved on the prisoner ID plate, Thor took a deep breath then reached out, opened the door, and stepped inside.

The cell was set up like a set of rooms, there was a bed off to the right with a door beside that which led into Loki's bathing chambers. To the left of Thor there was a small table with two chairs at it. On top of the tables were some of Loki's books that he had requested upon his imprisonment.

As he stepped inside, Thor caught sight of Loki leaning against the wall looking out the window at Asgard, taking into the scenery.

"Hello, brother. What has you visiting my humble abode?" Loki asked without turning around.

"Brother, I come to ask for your help," Thor said, stepping forward, moving towards the small table in the room.

"What ever would make me wish to help you?" Loki asked, turning towards Thor with a raised eyebrow.

"This has nothing to do with my own well-being, Loki. Neither does it have to do with anyone on Asgard or my S.H.I.E.L.D brothers on Midgard. However, my fellow Avengers and I have come across a problem that only you can help us with."

"Again, I pose the question, why would I help you or your friends?"

"Not for me or them, but for a Wizard who we think is being wrongly imprisoned. Would you let a fellow Magic user suffer because you wish not to help us?" Thor asked, sitting at the table.

"Even if I was eager to help a fellow Magic user, Odin would never allow me out of my cage to help... and I highly doubt S.H.I.E.L.D would eagerly welcome me in to help them."

"You would not be aiding S.H.I.E.L.D... you would be breaking in to their flying ship to retrieve the Wizard."

"You wish for me to break into your allies ship? Do you no longer hold an allegiance to them?" Loki asked, looking intrigued.

"The Avengers and I will still stand with them against any threat to Midgard, but we do not agree that the Wizard is guilty, but we cannot take him out without making ourselves an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So you wish for me to do your dirty work," Loki said, dryly.

"If there was another way we would do it, but we need to know if he is truly innocent and get him out of there safely if he is. You're the only one I would trust with this, brother."

"After what I've done, you would trust me with this? Are you that sure that I will not use the time to escape?"

"Call me ignorant or stupid if you will, but I believe there is still good in you, Loki. I know you will do the right thing in the end."

Standing quietly for a few seconds, Loki stared at Thor before he turned around and returned to his position near the window. Once he was looking outside he said, "Leave me to think. Return later tonight and I will give you my answer."

"Of course, brother. I shall speak with father about having you released and then return."

With that, Thor stood and made his way out of the room and out of the prison area of the palace and towards the rooms where he was likely to find his mother and father at this time of day; their own personal dining rooms where they would eat their mid-morning meals together.

Knocking on the doors, Thor waited for a response and a call for entrance before he opened the doors and stepped inside.

At seeing her eldest son, Frigga stood up and moved to embrace him.

"Greetings, Mother," Thor said, returning the hug before nodding towards his father, "Father."

"Have you returned to speak with Heimdall again?" Odin asked, pushing his empty plate away from him.

"No, I came to speak with Loki this time," Thor said, allowing his mother to lead him to the table and push him down into one of the chairs.

"Has your brother somehow managed to cause his usual mischief from his rooms?" Odin asked, looking up at Thor with his one good eye.

"No, he has not," Thor said, looking to the left at his mother before returning his gaze to his father. "My fellow warriors on Midgard believe that Loki could help us with a current problem. I came to ask him for his help and you to allow him to return to Midgard with me to give that help."

"How can your brother help you from here?"

"He cannot and that is why I am here. I wish to ask you to release him into my custody to allow him to aid my fellow warriors and I."

"Thor, your brother caused hundreds of deaths when he was last on Midgard. I am sure you understand when I say I am hesitant to allow him to return there lest he cause more."

"He will not, but I will take all responsibility for him while he is there. Any wrongs he causes will sit on my shoulders and I shall accept punishment for them." Thor promised, staring straight at his father.

"And if he kills more Midgardians, you would take the punishment he would suffer?"

"Yes, in an instant."

"Then you are very confident that he will not cause more senseless deaths? That or you have lost all your senses."

"I know he will not cause any more deaths while there because I know he will want to help with this problem."

"I wish to speak with your brother before I make any decisions. Tell the guards to have him brought here and then leave us to speak." Odin told his son.

Standing up, Thor went outside and told the guard to have Loki brought to the rooms then leaned against the wall across from the door.

Only minutes later, Loki was led down the hallway, magic restraining shackles around his wrists to keep him from using it against anyone. Once Loki was in the room, the guard stepped back out, retaking his place guarding the door.

Shifting anxiously, and slightly impatiently, Thor avoided the guard's knowing look. As time passed, Thor began to feel more and more anxious as the doors remained closed to his parent's rooms.

After another five minutes went by, the door opened and Loki walked out, rubbing his bare wrists.

"Before our trip, brother, I wish to gather supplies from my chambers," Loki said, turning right and walking towards his rooms in the family wing.