A/N – Things happened, things changed and the new version gets scrapped and instead I return to this monster of a story. The Author's Note in previous chapter will stay as I plan to use it for an interlude and it is in a very comfortable place right now. I'll use it to explain some of the jumbled mess genealogy of few characters became *looking at you Harry and At*.

Over time, if I have much time I will be slowly or more quickly going over past chapters and doing some small tweaks and changes so don't get scared if number of words jumps or drops by a thousand or two in a couple of weeks.

o-0-o

Harry stirred and looked out of the window of his bedroom. The frost was everywhere on the windows, reminding him that the winters were a thing on Asgard and that even the advanced technology they had couldn't keep the cold from making ice form on the windows. And even if it could, it would have been an futile thing, one that would lead to a massive waste of energy.

"At least it's warm inside," Atalanta said and Harry sent her a confused look. "Harry... I'm an Olympian and I'm much more comfortable in a more pleasant climate. When I first arrived on Asgard I didn't expect this... From what my family mentioned it was a realm of wonders and endless possibilities, not a frozen wasteland."

"At least you have me," Harry pointed out with a chuckle and kissed her on the cheek. "And a nice, large bedroom with a nice fireplace to keep you warm."

Flames of mirth appeared in Atalanta's eyes and a wicked smirk on her lips. "Yes, indeed, yes," she whispered and pressed her knee against his crotch, getting a grunt of pleasure and pain out of Harry. "You will be a good lover and keep me warm and happy, will you?"

Harry swallowed and nodded slowly. "Yes," he said and once again swallowed. "Of course, I'm not the only one that might want your attention and company." He gently placed his hand on her exposed shoulder and then kissed her. "There is a certain person that would love to have some quality time with you." He smirked and leaned closer to her ear. "Especially in bed and alone."

Atalanta tsked in annoyance and scowled at Harry. "You're such a tease, love."

Harry only laughed and looked at the massive forms of his sleeping wolves. When curled up against one another they looked so peacefully, yet he knew that in a second they could turn into a deadly furred buzzsaw capable of ripping apart anybody and anything on their path. Each of them was capable of shrugging off almost any attack and magic, protected by the wards and magic woven by the Allfather himself. Making it almost indestructible to all, but the most powerful beings in the universe.

"I am," Harry said and smirked. "But you love it."

Atalanta laughed, throwing her head back and pulled him into a kiss. "Yes," she murmured and then looked into his green eyes. "Since you such a tease," she growled out, her voice making Harry shudder. "Let's see how good you are with weapons."

"I always win our duels," Harry said as he rolled out of the way, hissing a bit as he felt the cold stones under his feet. "But I won't mind one if we use not our usual weapons."

Atalanta let out a pout, but then smiled impishly. "You never really trained with something else than a sword, did you?"

"Maybe I did," Harry allowed himself a smile as he disappeared into the bathroom.

o-0-o

Warren Worthington III had mixed opinions on Tony Stark, on one hand the man was an insufferable asshole. On another, he was the one behind most of the recent downfall of gadgets for the X-Men to use. He was also the owner of one of the two main competitors of the Worthington International, even if recently their relationships were cordial and weren't keen on murdering each other, they still were competitors.

"You don't like him, do you?" Jean asked and Warren looked at her with a half-amused cocky smile. "Tony Stark I mean."

"It's complicated," Warren said and sighed. "I know that if I want to please father and don't annoy Harry I need to be at least positively neutral to Stark. On the other hand, he is an arrogant asshole that irks me in more ways than I can describe or name."

"And you irk him in the same manner," Jean said quietly, making Warren frown. "You both look at each other like two lions fighting for the same meal. Which... isn't that far away from truth. Worthington and Stark were always big names in high-tech, aerospace and defense industries, so you are rivals and friends at the same time."

"And Harry is the third great player. At least the third person that can be the third great player," Warren said and let out a sigh. "Nobody knows if he will and can take the real control over his family corporation."

"I don't think even he knows that," Jean said and tenderly kissed Warren. "We both know that he will live for centuries, maybe millenia. When our children will be in their graves, he still will be seen as a young one on Asgard."

Warren swallowed a bitter ball and nodded. "Aye," he said and swallowed once more. "He is so human that it's hard to notice he's an Asgardian. A being that can live for millenia and for whom our lifespan is nothing."

"And for them what we see as a long time is a very small amount of time. They might not allow Harry to take any responsibility until he is few centuries old or more. Or they might toss them at him much sooner."

Warren nodded and looked at the snow covering everything until the very horizon. "From what he mentioned me he will be given responsibilities sooner. The realm is going to war soon and due to his position..."

"He is too important to be locked in a gilded cage," Jean said and bit on her lower lip. "And one of the very few of them that knows us and Earth and has friends here."

"And for his age, he is a scary being. I mean, we saw him look at a storm and tell it to get lost as if it was an obedient animal."

Jean nodded before letting out a sigh. "Going back to the more happy topics. Do we have an idea when Stark can finish his AI?"

"In few weeks. When I was in his German lab he was preparing the tests of the final version. He mentioned he needs a month for the tests and then his engineers would put together the hardware." Warren smiled in a strange manner and then looked at Jean. "He should do it sooner, but I don't think he will be hasty with it. If he is successful, the AI he uses for us will be deployed elsewhere and..."

"He wants to show it to his potential clients and investors," she finished. "Of course, he is many things, but not using an opportunity is not one of them."

"And if he develops such an AI and shows it to the public he gets whole market niche for himself. With no competition to threaten him." Warren winced at this, even if he wanted the best for Stark, he was still thinking about his own family corporation. "My father spends billions on R&D, spending more than the combined expenses of every other company in this field, but competition with Stark is almost impossible."

Jean let out a soft, melodic chuckle. "Your father has nothing that holds him back when he wants something?" She asked before kissing Warren gently and then pushing him against the bed. "Just like you, love."

o-0-o

Harry walked down the corridor of the armory, his eyes scanning the racks full of ancient and precious weapons. For any of them a war could be waged and many of them had power envied by the nobles and usurpers that wanted the Throne of the Wolf. Here were kept the most dangerous pieces of wargear ever manufactured in the realm of Asgard and claimed from its enemies.

While there were also mundane weapons and pieces of armor, most of them was a feat of exquisitive craftsmanship that took many days or even months of creation before they could be finished and presented. Which also ensured that not only they were beautiful, but also deadly and capable of killing anybody their wielder wanted dead.

"What are you looking for, Your Highness?" Einar asked and Harry arched an eyebrow looking at one of his armsmen. "You are walking across the armory like a caged wolf."

"Some weapon," Harry bit out and returned to his pacing. "Some weapon I can use in a duel that isn't a sword."

"You are in the best place, Your Highness. Your grandfather, His Majesty, has acquire quite an extensive collection of weapons."

Harry snorted at those words and looked at the scabbard of his own sword. "Is that sarcasm, Einar?" He asked, his fingers tapping against the gold and silver hiding the blade.

"No, of course not, My Prince." Einar paused and then smiled brightly. "Anyways, My Prince, what exactly do you want to find?"

Harry paced some more between the racks with weapons and then finally stopped. Turned around and looked at Einar. "Atalanta wants a duel, but we cannot use our usual weapons." Harry paused and picked up an axe. Its blade black and lacking any visible decorations, yet singing with bound power.

"Axe forged on Olympus, quenched seven times in the seven rivers of the Hades and tempered in the blood of tyrants," Einar supplied helpfully, making Harry wonder who was the man that wanted it made. "Forged on the order of King Zeus to appease your grandfather."

Harry nodded and looked at the blade. It was simple, straight and deadly sharp. The added magical power bound within was a bonus, nice one, but a bonus still. And he wouldn't risk trying to unleashing bound power when fighting in a friendly spar, especially when his own emotions were a mess.

Mistakes happened. Mistakes where great magic of the gods and their beings was used were terrible. Especially when the wielder of said power couldn't control his own emotions and let them run loose.

"Would work nicely against her," Einar said and Harry looked at him. "She struggles against strong strikes. We all know that, she hides it well with the way she moves and behaves, but if you have her duel a brute she will lose unless she manages to land a lucky hit."

"That is true," Harry said with a smile as his finger traced the sharp edge of the axe. "This will make a perfect weapon. I never favored axes, but Ullr taught me how to use one if I need to."

"You are aware, Your Highness, that Lord Ullr is and was one of the best warriors of the realm?"

"Aye, I saw him duel against my father and I know that he can stop Mjolnir," Harry said and whistled as he remembered his father forced to defend himself. "It was not what I expected. He is more cunning, more sly and more clever than he let's on."

"Most of the nobles wears masks as they see fit," Einar said and shrugged. "The court of the Allfather is a pit of vipers and unless you have friends and connections and you know how to lie and deceive. Those really old nobles, those that lived since the day when your grandfather took the throne have spades of power they don't want to reveal unless forced to."

"Uncle Loki mentioned that the nobles are dangerous," Harry said, his finger mindlessly tracing the edge. "Yet he didn't mention how dangerous."

"To protect you and keep out of sight of some of the predators that lurk in the darkness." Einar's easy-going expression and demeanor were gone. In their place was steel and stone. "The Royal Guard, Rangers and Valkyries each day annihilate dozens of plots. Some of them harmless. Some of them threatening whole realm. The lesser is knowledge of the fact that you know that the nobles are as dangerous as they are, the lesser amounts of plots that are aimed at you."

"Wouldn't they plot against me no matter what I do or what I know?" Harry asked thoughtfully as he started to look around for a fitting shield. "They know that I am second in line to the throne and that if the Norns allow it one day I will be the king."

Einar tilted his head in something that could only be agreement and then smiled. "Yes, indeed you will be," he said and then looked into Harry's eyes. "But tell me, how are you seen by the nobles that know you from the court ceremonies and from the rumors of you causing brawls?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted sheepishly.

"As a younger and relatively harmless version of Thor. Oh, they know that you have the potential to show them their places. But they don't think that you actually know or believe it. Or even that you can be something more than a spoiled brat." At this Einar chuckled merrily. "This is an effect of your uncle painstakingly carefully concealing your image and letting them see what they want to see. You spending two years with that group of mutants on Midgard? He wanted you gone from their sight. Your education there? He wants you once again out of sight."

Harry nodded and whistled. Loki had goals within goals within goals, yet even for him it was strange to have so many. Now those things made much more sense for Harry and now he could see why even after Weapon X mess he was allowed to stay there. His uncle wanted to keep him hidden and out of the sight of the nobles and out of their reach.

"You are a scion of an ancient house that has many enemies, Your Highness," Einar said quietly and then sent a command in sign language to the pair of guard standing at the doors. They nodded and left them before closing the door. "The longer you stay out of the game we all play or at least stay in the shadows, the more time you have to accrue the power and the influence that can keep you safe and allow you to take your rightful place. Your grandfather made me commander of your guard for a reason."

"Which is?" Harry asked with an arched eyebrow. "You are sworn to tell me the truth and not lie to me."

Einar laughed and shook his head. "If you were as powerful of a sorcerer as your uncle or grandparents or cousins, then I would consider this threat as real. Until then, you lack the knowledge and power to force me to tell you the truth when I don't think it will benefit you. However, as to answer that question, who was the Crown Prince of Asgard and Heir Apparent before your father?"

"Prince Balder."

"Indeed," Einar said with a thin smile. "Upon whose life within first twelve hours of his life there were over a dozen attempts. In the first year of his life, further fifty. Before he reached fifteen years of life close to five hundred. When he 'died' there were over five thousand plots the Royal Guard stopped. I was one of the warriors that saw to his safety and since then I worked on keeping various members of your family safe no matter how stupid thing they did. And no matter where, so please, listen to me Your Highness, when I tell you why your uncle plans your life the way he does it."

"I will try to," Harry said and smiled as he looked at the shield and axe he was holding. "Now, help me put on my armor."

o-0-o

Ron Weasley looked around and shook his head. The Academy seemed too perfect. Too rich. Too disgustingly rich for his taste anyways. Gold, gems, they were everywhere. On the clothes of their teachers, on the armor of the warriors passing through it, on the walls, on the goblets and even inside of their rooms.

"They have gold everywhere when we cannot afford to buy new clothes or school supplies!" Ron yelled in anger as he passed down one of the corridors.

"And what did you do to change that situation?" someone asked, their voice crisp and as cold as the ice of Jotunheim. "Or do you just complain for the sake of complaining?"

Ron spun around and his eyes narrowed when he recognized the speaker. It was that Mudblood that studied on Asgard and had some kind of special treatment. "Mudblood," Ron hissed and saw that Illyana, that was her name from what he remembered, coiled. "Do you know to whom are you talking?"

"An irritating example of a pureblood wizard," she said as she approached Ron. Her body involuntarily moving in an alluring and graceful manner. Making Ron focus on her movements and keeping him otherwise distracted. "Or at least you call yourself that on Midgard. Believe me-," she breathed out, stopping in front of him. "if we all wanted to play the game of I'm of nobler birth than you, you would be at the bottom of the pyramid."

Ron's face flushed, his eyes bulging out. "You are a mudblood, filth that shouldn't be allowed to use magic," he spat, spit flying everywhere and hitting Illyana in the face. "Yet you strut here like a peacock."

Illyana's eyes lit up with magic, previously normal blue eyes were now glowing with embers of fires. Fires of magic that was on Midgard almost unseen and unknown, yet here was one of the forms of the battle magic. Dangerous, yet beautiful. "You just insulted my honor," she said casually, using the sleeve of her robe to wipe spit off.

"As if you had any honor."

Illyana's eyes burned brightly and tongues of flames started to dance in her hair. Yet she didn't care about it and Ron's eyes widened in fear as he saw the being in front of him start to glow from magic and power.

"What's going on?" someone asked and Ron felt a presence of something press against his mind. Presence of something that was so ancient and so powerful that most wizards on Earth, bar the Senior Council and the Sorcerer Supreme would look for am escape route.

Ron looked at Illyana saw that she froze and her magic that seconds ago was running rampant was now gone. As if whatever that was, scared even her.

"Small altercation," she said with a gentle tilt of the head towards that being. "My Lord, he insulted my honor and I let my temper control me."

"Hmph," the being said and Ron's eyes widened when he recognized Lord Commandant of the Academy. "I can tell that you speak truth and your emotions tell me even more." The ancient Æsir smiled at this and looked at them. "Illyana, how are insults settled when the insulted is a member of the royal household or under its protection?"

Illyana's eyes lit up with predatory and dangerous flames. Ones that made Ron back away from her and try to disappear. "A duel," she said and smirked. "To the first blood or death. Preferred form is that to the first blood as dead nobles cause troubles. Both parties can name someone else as their champion and it doesn't need to be them that fight each other. But it is preferred that they fight each other and they also need to have a second."

"Textbook definition," Bragi said and looked at Illyana. "Do you want to challenge him? If yes, when, what weapon and where?" He frowned and then nodded. "You are a ward of His Majesty and you are of course aware that he will need to be notified. But in turn you have access to his armory and champions."

"I'm aware of that, my lord," Illyana said and swallowed, her gaze hardening as she looked at Ron. "Do you want to avoid being humiliated in front of your peers and have a chance to get out of this mess with less damage than otherwise?" she asked, her gaze hard and the voice almost making Ron shudder.

"You are a mudblood of no importance," Ron spat, making Lord Commandant fume, but he didn't notice that in his anger. "I don't see how can you be of a threat to me."

"Very well," Illyana said and smiled. "Tomorrow noon sounds as good as any day for a duel. Since I'm in a merciful mood, any weapons and magic..."

"That's an unorthodox choice of a weapon, but an allowed one," Bragi said and nodded. "I assume you want the main arena as the place for it."

"If it could be cleared," Illyana murmured.

"It will be. Now, both of you have time to prepare for it. Find your seconds and notify me before the dawn of them."

Ron stalked away, thinking how to slither out of the mess and how to show that mudblood that she was trash and not worth his attention.

o-0-o

Illyana let out a sigh of relief as she was left alone with the Lord Commandant and away from that weasel-like human. She took a couple of deep breaths and then looked at her superior. "My Lord," she started slowly, unsure how to phrase what she was trying to say. "Did you feel that strange aura from him?"

"Yes... There are in fact two, he has a pet that isn't a pet, but a shape-shifting wizard that decided that staying as an animal is easier and better for their goals," Bragi said and then his eyes became stormy. "And there is a taint of dark powers surrounding him. Powers so foul I didn't feel in a long time."

"Harry," Illyana said and seeing Bragi look at her, corrected herself. "Prince Harald, mentioned that he felt something about this wizard and his sister when they were at Hogwarts. And there is a matter of the horcruxes his uncle is searching for."

"You won't speak about it, to anybody that doesn't need to know. I fear, I hope I'm wrong here, but I fear that what I sensed was a horcrux." Bragi sighed and looked at Illyana. "Do you want to fight it to death?"

She shook her head. "No, I know that I can kill him, but that would be bad and I don't think he even deserves death. He is misguided and his judgment isn't sound." She bit her lower lip and looked towards where Ron walked. "Besides, killing him will make me many more enemies than I can afford right now."

"Then I ask you, keep the duel going on long enough so that I can ask Valkyries to search his rooms."

"I will try," Illyana said. "Can I leave, My Lord?"

Bragi nodded and Illyana stalked away. Her mind a whirlwind of activity as she ran through the list of people she could ask for help and advice on how to play the duel. She knew that she could stomp Ron into the ground, but simple and short duel wasn't a good option often. It could be better to draw it out and show your skills in a more of a flamboyant fashion.

"Harry should be more than willing to be my second," Illyana mused quietly as she briskly walked towards the exits of the Academy. "He knows the code duello decently and is of sufficiently high position to cut short any rumors and gossips. He also should discourage more foolish ideas."

"Why do you need code duello specialist?" someone asked and Illyana smiled, recognizing Idunn. "You didn't challenge someone to a duel, did you?"

Illyana let out a sigh and looked at her friend. "Let's say that a particularly stupid being decided to play the game I'm of more noble birth than you are and thus I'm superior."

Idunn whistled loudly, surprise and shock visible on her face. "I thought that most of people knew that this game is a bad idea."

Illyana shrugged. "If he wants to see how powerful I am and get his ass whooped raw... I'm all for it, but I won't hold back, much." She let out a deep breath and her fists clenched. "He's an idiot that lacks any common sense and doesn't know how to think, even when some cognitive ability would have helped him."

"Mhm," Idunn hummed and then allowed herself an impish smirk. "Does he at least look handsome?"

Illyana laughed and shook her head. "If he is handsome than I don't know how beautiful is certain young prince. He is interesting looking and has all the things that I don't like in a guy."

"Anyways, do you want me to do anything for you?"

"As a matter of fact, I could have some use out of you. Be kind and get some data on that annoying guy. Lord Commandant will tell you who it is. I didn't bother learning his name." Illyana shrugged and smiled feraly. "He won't be important for long anyways, so I don't see why I should bother with him anyways."

o-0-o

Harry looked at the light spear Atalanta held and frowned. He didn't remember seeing this particular weapon on Asgard, yet he could feel a faint energy aura around it. A thing that didn't bode too well. Those weapons that had enough energy manage to create an aura he could notice meant troubles.

"A nice axe," Atalanta smiled as she slowly moved towards him. A shield with a visage of Medusa carved into the surface on her arm. "I'm quite curious where did you get a weapon forged on Olympus."

Harry smiled, his wings opened and he leapt into the air. "In the armory of grandfather," he said before flying towards her, his wings throwing clouds of fine sand dust into the air. "I'm more curious where did you find that spear."

"I borrowed it from my aunt," Atalanta said and sent it blindly into the clouds of dust. Harry felt something smash against his abdomen and grimaced as he felt the thick mithril plates and mail move under the force of impact. "She didn't need it anyways."

"Fuck," Harry exclaimed as he dodged next swing and dived legs first. Smashing against Atalanta's chest and sending her tumbling backwards. "Did you decide to take THAT spear?"

Atalanta smirked and rolled before jumping up and sending a quick jab at Harry's legs. "It's not Gungnir... If I wanted to kill you, I would have chosen spear of your grandfather."

Harry shoved aside the spear charging towards his legs and leaped towards her. The axe smashed against her shield and the force made her move back. But then the spear jabbed forth and smashed into Harry's joint. His knee shook and he barely managed to remain standing.

"Or is this spear too much for you to handle?" Atalanta asked with a chuckle as she pressed on and ducked under Harry's mad swing of an axe. "I didn't expect it to be so easy."

Harry's eyes lit up with flames as he kicked her away and jumped back. Wings on his back beating frantically, throwing massive clouds of dust and sand into the air. He twisted and leaped back, putting more distance between them. Letting him use the space he created to run at a safer distance and have more room to maneuver.

He knew that spears had longer reach than his usual weapons, but he had the speed and power on his side. All he wanted and needed was a single opening to trap Atalanta's spear between his shield and armor and pull her forward. Then smash shield against her face and be done with the whole duel.

o-0-o

Illyana nodded to two members of the Wolf Guard that stood in the corridor and passed between them. As she entered into the training hall she easily noticed few more of Harry's personal retinue scattered across it, watching other doorways, and Einar watching the duel.

"Illyana," the Æsir said and a frown passed across his face. "Shouldn't you be at the Academy?"

"I should be, if not for a duel I got myself into. Some stupid boy from Hogwarts played bloodline card and insulted me."

"That never changes," Einar grumbled and looked at his charge. "You want him as your second, or do you want my help in robbing the armory for weapons and armor that suit you?"

Illyana smiled innocently. "Why do you assume I come here with some goal in mind?"

"Because the timer is ticking for you," Einar said, allowing himself a smile. "You have a limited amount of time to choose your seconds and the sooner you do it, the more time they have to do their work."

"Do their work?"

"Do they even teach you what code duello is?" Einar asked, frowning dangerously. "Ulf or Harald or even Atalanta can quote large parts of it when they need to."

"They covered the basics."

"So they didn't mention what seconds do. In the most succinct way, their task is to try to reach a compromise and negotiate a settlement that makes both you and one you challenged happy and let's you avoid spilling blood. And they're also witnesses during the duel."

"I don't think they can do much," Illyana said and shrugged. "He's stubborn as fuck and doesn't think he can lose a duel with what he calls a mudblood."

"Maybe he will see his mistakes," Einar said and winced as Harry got kicked in the crotch. "A lot of people tend to when they realize that they're about to lose a duel. I don't know if you see how vicious can we get as a whole towards one that gets embarrassed in a duel. It's not as bad as it used to be... But we aren't nice either."

"The pressure at the Academy makes the atmosphere already toxic," Illyana said and bit her lip. "I don't want to imagine what the duel will cause. Especially since the Hogwarts students aren't that liked in the first place. I had hard time at start, too. But I am a ward of His Majesty and everybody gives me a lot of room..."

"Because they were warned or are aware of how disastrous can be angering His Majesty," Einar said quietly. "Even if most of us when young is brash and idiotic. We have some common sense and a very finely honed survival instinct. If you cross His Majesty or one of his trusted advisor you tend to have a very short and dangerous life. There are things about which you might soon learn, ones that we don't see, yet they are there. Always."

Illyana nodded and watched the duel. Two of her friends dancing across the arena, their weapons flashing in the dim artificial light and sending sparks in every direction as they crashed. She knew that she was getting better and better with each day, week, month and year she spent on Asgard. But compared to two members of the royal families that were partially divine she stood no chance. They could manipulate the weather and even whole reality with just a thought and their magic was wild and potent. So potent and so wild it was almost visible as they fought.

"Yes," Einar grumbled. "They need to work on controlling their magic when in battle. Any sorcerer with a working mind can home in on them. But that comes with age and wisdom."

She smiled at that jab and then after a nod from Einar entered onto the arena. Harry and Atalanta noticed her and turned in her direction. On their faces, or rather on those parts that weren't hidden by their helmets she could see a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"Why are you here?" Atalanta asked as she removed a beautiful example of a Corinthian helmet of her face. "Especially now."

"I want to ask Harry to be my second," Illyana said and then glanced back at Einar. "And I need help when robbing the armory for useful gear."

Harry studied her expression for few moments, as if she was some curiosity he was unsure how to approach. Then he nodded and looked at Atalanta, his eyes glowing just a bit. "We can eat our lunch and then talk about it," he said and sent a pointed look towards Einar. "As for armory, he will help you. Let's time I saw it, he has all the accesses."

o-0-o

Luna wrapped herself in a thick, incredibly warm woolen cloak and stepped out of the warmth provided by the seat of Ullr. Outside it wasn't as cold as she feared and it stopped snowing, at least for a while. She looked towards the sky and she could see the clear blue sky and off in the distance intimidating mountain peaks that climbed high into the heavens.

"The Crown of Asgard," Ulf said as he appeared behind her. "I climbed few of the smaller peaks. The highest ones are at twelve kilometers or more in height." Then a friendly smirk appeared on his face. "On a more positive side, since my father will be traveling to the Capitol, if we want, we can come with him and his court."

"Can we?" Luna asked, a bit of uncertainty in her voice.

Ulf laughed, making her looking at him as if he was insane. "When my father goes to Capitol, which means he has business with the king or is summoned by the king. He travels with several dozen, if not more people. Two of us, well, just you to be wholly honest, won't be noticed. Especially now."

"What's wrong?" Luna quietly asked, placing her hand on Ulf's arm. "Tell me, what's wrong at the Capitol."

"Let's say that the usual politics and plots are much deadlier recently," he quietly said and sighed. "His Majesty hosts a Summit, so a lot of beings that hate each other are there and given the slightest chance and opportunity will leap at each other's throats. We normally plot and scheme, we all of noble blood do it, but usually it is more contained and less bloody."

Luna looked at him and her eyes widened a bit. "Yet you hate being here where it is safe, especially when Harry and all of your other friends are in the city," she said. "You know it's dangerous, but you want it."

"Yes... The chance that something happens to me is much smaller compared to my older siblings and father. I don't have any official position." He let out a troubled sigh. "While yes, I am a son of an important noble and a friend to a person that will once be a king, nobody will risk Harry's wrath for naught."

"He is as young as we are. I know that he is a prince, but would his wrath be anything more than childish tantrum?"

"Yes, very much so," Ulf said with a smirk. "He is on all of the inner councils and as long as his father or grandfather don't say no his word is law. We are a strange realm and many things are odd, but never, never underestimate our love for the royal family and fury when we are betrayed."

Luna smiled and looked at the sky. "If it is any less miserable in the Capitol than it is here, I'm more than willing to come."

"Get ready for a kinda crazed horse ride," Ulf said with a smirk. "My father wants to be there fast and will be driving us hard."

o-0-o

Harry slowly sipped weak wine and over the goblet looked at the so far green parts of the garden. Energy shield of the Citadel flickering dimly above and keeping the snow and cold away. "So that I get it all straight," he said, drawing his gaze away from the garden and towards Illyana. "Ron insulted you, you challenged him to a duel and you want me to be your second?"

"That's more or less the whole thing," Illyana said as she munched without much thought on her food. "Normally I wouldn't ask you, but..."

"Hogwarts students in their vast majority are bumbling idiots," Harry sharply said. "Idiots that understand only power and only fear power they cannot comprehend. For all most of them cares, I'm a demigod and a special person that killed a Dark Lord as a babe." At this Harry snorted, his gaze mindlessly wandering to the decorations covering the goblet he held. "If I'm your second, the chance that they do something stupid is much smaller."

"And most of Æsir respects and knows you," Atalanta added quietly. "I know that most of them know how to behave, but even so. Some might suddenly be more aware of what's proper when they see you as the second."

Harry finished the wine, refilled his goblet, drank some more and then finally looked at his lover. "I don't think that this thing would matter. I might be wrong, but I doubt that our peers, my people, are that dumb. We can be rash and unable to think undress duress, but when we know the odds are not in our favor we can be also smart."

"And you love a good duel," Illyana said and paused, looking at a particularly interesting piece of a cake. "Tho he is not much of a challenge and won't provide much entertainment past the initial buzz."

Harry snorted at this and shook his head in amusement. "Do you really think he can give us some entertainment?"

"I mean, if you want real entertainment," Illyana said and grinned. "You know that I would happily duel you. I heard rumors of what you were doing with your uncle, Prince Loki, and I want to test you."

"He has learned some wicked magic we're not really allowed to use," Atalanta murmured, Harry could sense a clear threat in her voice and he knew why did she do it. Some of the magic of his family was not very friendly.

"I know," Illyana said with something to her voice that unnerved Harry. "Remember, I'm the ward of your grandfather and was taught some of your family tricks."

"Then it might be a very, very interesting duel," Harry said as he got up and approached the railing of the terrace. "However, we can talk about this later. Now we have a weasel to deal with." Harry let out a low snarling noise and his wolves looked up at him. Their amber eyes full of agression and something more, yet it was under control of a very dangerous intellect. "I don't know what it is, but whenever I'm close to him or his twin sister I'm unsettled in a very strange manner. It's enough for me notice when I can focus on it or when I'm here where we block almost any outside magic."

"Do you think it is connected to him?" Atalanta asked, quietly moving and then stopping behind Harry. "Him who left you the scar on your forehead, love?"

"He has a name, a name you also know and can say," Harry said. Bitterness and something more to his voice. "He isn't a god, he isn't anything that can be attracted when we say its name. He's just a mortal that got lucky with few of his spells and managed to splinter his soul."

"Can you even do it?" Illyana asked. "From what we were taught at the Academy it sounds as if the soul was a single entity that better stays together or unpleasant things start to happen to you."

"Because that's better than teaching you how much power can be acquired if you start splitting your soul," Loki said as he joined them. "Granted, most of the power that you get comes with insanity and several other unpleasant things. But yes, you can splinter your soul, I wouldn't do it and most of sane beings don't do it." He shrugged and poured himself a goblet of wine. "However a great deal of very power hungry beings is willing to ignore that some things shouldn't be splintered and decides that their souls don't matter. So we prefer to lie to you during your early education and once we think you are ready we tell you the truth."

"Uncle," Harry said as he looked at the being that was his uncle and an extremely dangerous sorcerer too. "Do you think that there is some connection between the two things?"

"That's a very good question. Logic says there shouldn't be as Voldemort is locked away and his horcruxes lack much power. But then, Dresden might have been right about something and this now makes sense. However, if that's true, we might have a problem."

"They're not powerful wizards and the Academy should contain them."

"Aye, that's the truth," Loki agreed and then added quietly. "Yggdrasil saplings are insane sources of magic. You know what they are and what power lives in them. If you allow an insane kid that's possessed by an evil being close to it..."

"Norns..." Harry whispered. "He couldn't do it, could he?"

"He didn't do it, yet" Loki said and gave Illyana a pointed look. "But you, my dear favorite sorceress might have shoved him to do it. The duel."

"He will seek power," Illyana said and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Prince Loki."

"It's of no importance, sooner or later he would have done it. Bragi knows it and whatever is said about him, he ain't an idiot and knows how to deal with such beings." Loki then smirked. "What all of you say about raiding the armory?"

o-0-o

Luna looked around in wonder as she tried to understand that what she was seeing was true, not a pretty mirage or illusion cast upon her senses. It seemed surreal, yet the presence of Ulf behind her was real. Same as that of the warriors of his father that swarmed around in their armor and heavy cloaks.

"How can you ride so fast?" Luna asked as she glanced back at Ulf. "You are riding faster than when we rode to your father's seat."

"Training," he said with a grin. "We are hunters, most of us, and our horses are trained to survive forced marches and the strain that comes with hunts. We can run them down for hours and they will be fine."

Luna nodded and looked at the city around them. It was a sight she hoped she would never forget, majestic and great. Building growing towards the sky and between them monuments, gardens and plazas that made look most of what she saw on Earth like a shed. A badly kept shed. As she looked around she noticed that people were stopping and showing their respect to Ullr and the riders that came with him.

"Warriors and military is important for us," Ulf said quietly and Luna looked back at him. "Everybody that is capable needs to serve a term or two with any formation and in case of the nobles we are expected to do more. However, my father, Lord Ullr is an important noble that stood at His Majesty side for centuries and did many things for the realm since then."

"Even if you don't want it, you bask in the fame of your father and your family," Luna whispered, feeling Ulf's emotions. She paused and smiled at him. "I can see how it is annoying and irritating at times."

Ulf nodded and stopped his horse on the inner courtyard of his family city palace. A massive complex that was still dwarfed by the Citadel and attached structures. Not that any noble dared to build bigger than the King, it tended to end badly for any that tried to.

"Once we rest we can go to the Citadel and see Harry," Ulf said as he helped Luna jump down onto the ground. "However I would advise against you on your own being outside of the palace. Especially at night."

"Let me guess, it isn't nice?"

"It's nice, when you don't have hordes of bloodthirsty beings trying to behave civil around each other." Ulf smiled sadly and pulled out his saxe knife. The blade glowing from the magic bound within it. "Normally those knives are a symbol of status and a little more than that. Now? Now, they're actually useful."

"Are we safe here?" Luna asked, her gaze slipping across the smooth stone engraved with hundreds, if not thousands of runes. "It doesn't look too defensively."

"Appearance can be misguiding," Ulf said with a smirk. "Focus on the runes. I know that you don't know how runic magic works, but please, focus."

Luna closed her eyes and focused on the magic around her. She could feel magic everywhere she was on Asgard, yet now when Ulf told her about the runes everything suddenly became more obvious. A net of magic covering the whole building and wrapping in a protective embrace. A net that looked impossible to force way through.

She let out a gasp and opened her eyes. "It's a fortress."

"Yes," Ullr said as he approached them. "All it needs to do is to cause enough disturbances that the sorcerers of the guard notice it and send a quick response force here. We are within ten minutes of the Citadel and guard is fast when nobles are attacked."

Luna nodded and looked at Ulf, unsure what to do now. Who just smiled and shrugged. Making Ullr laugh at their behavior.

"Go and do whatever you want," Ullr said and moved past them. "The King needs me, so once I'm done and the rest of your siblings are here there will be a family dinner, Ulf."

"So what do you suggest we do, love?" Luna asked and Ulf looked at her. "Your father said we can do whatever we want to."

"What do you want to do?" Ulf asked her back. "I can show you around the palace and then in the evening we can go and see Harry."

o-0-o

A/N – Ron is stupid and lacks cognitive ability and it would rub him that Illyana can get away with so much and sooner or later he would do this or something more stupid. Some plots were supposed to last longer, but there are reasons and I need to quicken them a bit.

Nobles have palaces both in the country and in the city, the more important noble, the bigger the palace as it is a way for them to show how important and rich they are. And to properly impress their peers and rivals.