Chapter Five

Tony's Heart, Thor's Hands

"Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark's emergency transponder has been activated," JARVIS said suddenly as the Avengers warily watched their new companions.

"What?" he asked, standing.

"Mr. Stark has an implanted transponder that he can activate if he is ever in danger and unable to activate the Ironman case he has with him. He has activated the transponder as of five minutes ago," Jarvis responded. "Sir, there is a call about Mr. Stark on the line."

"Put it through," Steve said, standing, by now having everyone's attention as he spoke to the ceiling.

"Hello?" Steve said hesitantly.

"Captain America, I presume," came a digitized voice. "I have Tony Stark. He will be returned to you in exchanged for that which you took from me."

Steve glanced over to see the dark haired boy they'd rescued freeze. "I don't have anything that belongs to someone else."

"How very droll, Captain. You have my little British minx. I want him back."

"Mr. Matheson, you are not going to force us into trading one life for another. We don't negotiate with terrorists or kidnappers."

There was a pause and a male voice that sent Harry to his knees came across the com. "I see you've figured out where your billionaire went to today, not much of a stretch. I figured as much. Now, I'd like you to kindly turn over my pet before I start dissembling your playboy here."

Hermione and Ron both went to sit by their friend as he sat on the floor by the glass now. Harry's eyes were wide and magic was already licking around the edges of his eyes in green swirls.

Steve glanced over at the boy and knew the fear that was around the boy. They were not about to hand the boy over to his tormentor. "You have no claim to the boy. And I think you would find him more of a challenge now than he was before."

Steve felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Loki standing there. He waved his hand and shimmered into a perfect imitation of Harry. Steve blinked.

"You will bring him to my tower within an hour or I will personally deliver your man in pieces before the end of the second," he said.

"Fine," Steve said. "I will bring him. No tricks, and if you do not have Tony outside when I arrive, no deal."

The phone clicked off and Steve turned to the Harry clone. "That's amazing," he said.

"Well, I cannot let the man of iron die so easily, I'm not done with him yet," the Loki-Harry said, walking toward the elevator.

Steve looked at Thor who merely shrugged and smiled sheepishly. He had no clue what his brother had in mind. Honestly, he really wasn't sure what to think of his brother anymore. Ever since the facts had come out that his mind had been manipulated by some being in the void after he had fallen, Thor felt guilty. If he had done something more, perhaps he could have saved all that pain from his brother. Even his father hadn't known how to react once the reality of Loki being used for someone else's end had come to light. That was how it had been decided that Loki would be restrained to Asgard unless accompanied by Thor. Thor had been surprised the first time he'd asked to go see the Avengers. After a terse few minutes of explanation and apology by his brother, the Avengers seemed to trust him somewhat.

His eyes wandered to the boy they were trying to keep from harm. The figure was exactly like that in the stories of the ancient warrior mage. The name had disappeared from all texts, however, and the scholars he'd spoken with couldn't explain it. The pictures, though simple, easily identified him. A man small in stature, slender, with brilliant green eyes that exuded power and dark hair.

Bruce came in and smiled at him. "Harry, can you come to the new medbay I'm using? I'd like to do some scans to see what changes were made to your physical form for my own research purposes."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, guess so, I'd like to know that as well…"

He stood up from where he'd been sitting by the window and followed him. Thor hesitated but followed as well. It was, after all, of importance for his father to know this as well… Bruce had him hop up onto the exam table and began taking basic scans to compare to his earlier scans. He whistled as he read them over.

"This is amazing…" he muttered. "The physical aspects you've noticed are pretty apparent, Harry. You've lost two inches in height, and your muscle mass drastically decreased." He looked up at Thor. "Are all magic users in Asgard like this or more like Loki?"

Thor shrugged. "Ah, Loki is a Jotun, so his appearance is based around his people. Generally, only women use magic in Asgard, although there are a few males, they are relegated to women's tasks because of their size. They do not do well among warriors."

Harry closed his eyes. "If I was going to be treated like a girl, at least he could have turned me all the way into one, then I wouldn't feel so fucking ridiculous since it sounds like this Asgard is stuck in the middle ages."

Bruce snorted. "Thor had difficulty with the way women dressed and acted, certainly, Harry, but you are still you, son," he said, patting his shoulder.

Thor frowned a bit, wondering if Bruce was done with his questions. He was not.

"Thor, I have scans, many scans, of you and your biology in here, and Harry's is quite different than what you show…what is that?" he muttered, pulling the hologram up and spinning it, looking at the internal diagram of the body before him.

"Something that will kill me in ten minutes, if my bloody luck holds true," Harry said with a sigh.

"Ah, no…it…well…" Bruce stammered.

"Male magicians are capable of child bearing," Thor supplied helpfully, thinking that the doctor had found something that definitely shouldn't be inside a male anatomy.

Harry's eyes snapped open and he stared at the blond. "What?"

Thor looked confused. "Aye, that is why they be given womanly duties among Asgard…my brother can explain it better than I can, it has to do with creation of magic…he too can bear children and has in the past."

Bruce simply nodded. "Okay, that explains this…but…there is no birth canal...or other parts…"

Thor shook his head. "I know not of the particulars. A male magician has not been born in Asgard in many hundreds of years. Oh, Son of Potter, we must go immediately to my father. If we do not, the Allfather will not be pleased. No doubt he has felt the presence of anther Asgardian on Earth."

Bruce had helped Harry to stand off the tall table and frowned at Thor who was now beaming happily. "Thor, can't it wait until Harry has at least become used to all this?"

Thor shook his head. "Nay, to upset the Allfather will be a grave mistake," he said, taking Harry's hand and pulling him out. Harry stammered and tried to protest, but the much stronger blond had his hand in a deathgrip and was speedily pulling him toward the door and the platform outside. He vaguely heard Hermione, Ron and the others protesting, but before he could even wave they were consumed by the power of the Bifrost.

"What just happened?" asked Hermione.

Bruce came out of the back and found everyone looking at him. "Thor said he needed to take him to Asgard immediately to see Odin..."

"So, we just had Harry returned, and now he's been run away with by someone else?" Ron said.

"He's safe enough with Thor," Bruce said thoughtfully. "Though I do wish he'd given Harry some time to understand his altered biology..."

-Stark Rescue Mission-

Steve led the Loki-Harry to the front of the tower. Soon enough the door opened to reveal a tall dark haired man standing beside Tony in a very ripped and torn up looking business suit. His hands were cuffed in front of him, and he appeared slightly drugged, since his eyes were unfocused.

"What have you done to Tony?" Steve asked, frowning, noting the fact that the shirt had been ripped away from his arc reactor.

"Little insurance, Mr. Stark is terribly rambunctious, you know. We gave him a little happiness in a syringe," the man said with a wide grin.

Steve groaned inwardly. Just what they needed, Tony hopped up on drugs again, as if the alcohol wasn't enough. Steve had heard stories of the man's trips through rehab. Since the Avengers were put together, Tony had kept his addictions to alcohol and caffeine, but there was always danger of relapse for those fighting this type of demon. "What did you give him?" he ground out finally.

The man smiled. "You don't want him back?"

Steve coughed. "Yes, fine, but I would rather know what he's had so he doesn't die before I get back to the tower with him."

Loki-Harry stood slightly behind him, looking all the world like the frightened boy he had resembled when he heard the man's voice. Steve had to hand it to the god, he was a terribly good actor. He looked at him and nodded toward Randal.

"Send him over. And you'll have what you want," Steve said finally, tensing across the shoulders.

"No, I can't do it!" Loki-Harry said with pleading in his voice. He backpedaled and Steve caught him by the bicep. "Please..." he moaned, and if Steve didn't know that this wasn't really Harry, he would have felt horrible. But in those green eyes there was a twinkle of mischief that was unmistakably the god of lies.

Tony looked really out of it. Of course, who could have guessed they'd drug him? Steve waited but the dark haired man smiled.

"Nah, I think I'll keep both of them," he said, pointing a gun to Tony's head.

Of course. They expected this, he and Loki had decided that there was no way they'd release Tony because he was far too valuable of an asset to be released. The man's head was worth more than half of a small country. Steve frowned.

"This wasn't the deal."

"I lied, send him over, or your genius here will be much less intelligent without his brains in his head," he said, pressing the gun into the brunette's temple. Steve thought he heard Loki growl beside him. Odd, he thought. Loki appeared to be quite protective over Tony. But nothing to it.

"Fine, just don't hurt them," he said, shoving Loki-Harry forward.

As soon as he did, the air around them condensed into a blond man, to which Loki-Harry gave a start and stepped back a pace. He used a syringe on him, and Loki, though Steve saw the subtle eye roll, crumpled as though affected by whatever was in the syringe. Steve watched as the blonde hefted him and stumbled slightly, and he though he heard him mutter that he didn't think he was that heavy last time. Steve smiled. He doubted Loki accounted for exactly how emaciated the boy had been. They disappeared into the building and seconds later it was surrounded by gun-toting private security. He raised his hands in surrender and mounted his cycle and rode a short way's away to await Loki's signal. He hadn't said what it would be, just said he'd know it. He really hoped he didn't blow the whole building.

-Matheson Building-

Loki was sometimes amused by humans. Today was not one of those days. He found Tony Stark fascinating. Something that hadn't happened in several hundred years. The sarcastic wit, the laughter in the face of danger, and the fact that the man was almost (not quite, but almost) as crazy as Loki himself was and just as brilliant, all that made him want to possess him. At first it was merely interest, but the longer he thought about it, the more he wanted the man of iron. Out of all the Avengers, he was by far the weakest without his armor, but he was the bravest. The man had flown a bomb into a portal thinking he was going to go with it. No, there was much to him. And for some reason, when he looked at Loki, it was like there was a tinge of understanding in his eyes.

So, he tried not to make a noise when he was dumped on a soft surface and he heard clinking chains clamping around his wrists. He heard similar noises and incoherent babble from Stark next to him. Well, that was convenient. At least he didn't have to go far to get them both away. He listened for the men to leave but instead they were arguing. He slitted his eyes and watched as the blond man and the dark haired man stood before the door.

"We should have given Stark back," the blond said. "They're going to be after us now to get him."

"You worry too much, Vince. The Master will be pleased that we've acquired him. But no reason to waste the opportunity. Take him to Ricraft, the drug should wear off in the next fifteen minutes enough for him to be questioned. I want SHIELD's codes; I want Stark Tower's codes, anything to give me an advantage. The Master will not be pleased if we don't get something out of the opportunity we've been presented with," the dark haired one said, and Loki cursed because the blond was unchaining Stark again and dragging him from the room.

The dark haired man came toward him, and Loki slid his eyes shut. The man touched his face, lifting his chin upward to look at him closer, he imagined.

"I've missed you, little pet. Don't worry, I'll take you home tonight, and you'll find your new accommodations much more to my liking," he said, and kissed him on the forehead.

Loki heard him leave and shook his head. He closed his eyes and cloned himself, stepping out of the chains and placing the duplicate in them, sending it into a nice peaceful slumber. He rolled his eyes, resuming his own visage and wondered if he should be quiet or not. He opted for stealth because he was unsure where Tony had been taken. He appeared on the other side of the door and moved down it, glancing down the hall. He saw a guard and quickly altered his appearance to look like a nondescript human guard. He walked toward the guards in the hallway.

"Hey, um, you know where they took the Stark guy? Vince said to meet him there, and…um he didn't tell me where to go," Loki stammered in a perfect New York accent.

The two guards rolled their eyes. "New here?" the one on the left asked. Loki nodded sheepishly.

"Elevator up to the third floor, first hall to the left, and you should be able to follow your ears by then," the one on the right said with a smirk.

Loki's stomach clenched. "Thanks, fellas," he said and moved away, headed toward the elevator at an easy pace as to not arouse suspicion.

He headed up and followed the directions and he did indeed not need further ones. He heard Tony's voice easily enough. And he smirked. The man was being tortured for information and he was belitting his torturers.

"Fuck! You know if you kill me, I can't answer your questions, dumb ass, so stop pulling the damn reactor out!" he heard Tony say. There was a loud sound and a yelp. "Fuck! I need those, goddammit, sadistic bastard…"

"Mr. Stark, you should just give me the codes. This doesn't end well for you if you do not. SHIELD codes and your own. Simple really."

"Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, baldie. Wait, you don't have enough personality for a horse, so yeah. Fuck," he muttered the last with a long exhale.

Loki was close enough to see inside the blinds. Tony was strapped onto a table that was tilted upward, arms spread and his legs were strapped down. He was in his black slacks still, his upper half bared and bloody. The man in the room with him was indeed bald, and wearing a business suit that he had managed to avoid blood getting on. Tony was glaring at the guy who was once again pulling his arc reactor out, which from what Loki saw, caused pain, but he simply glared through it.

"You're going to kill me before you get anything out of me if you keep messing with that, buddy. Just you know, a little tip…there…" he said, starting to gasp for breath until the man slipped the glowing thing back into his chest.

"It is your biggest weakness, Stark. You should by all rights be dead, yes?"

"Of course, everyone knows that. Now why don't you go on your merry way and not bother with this because I'm not going to tell you anything," Tony said through gritted teeth.

"Hum, well I did my research," he said, moving around the table. "And it seems that you and water don't mix well these days."

Despite the bravado, Loki saw the wide eyed expression and tension settle over his body. Loki recognized fear when he saw it, and he saw that something had triggered fear in Tony Stark that being tortured had not so far.

"In that cave, they liked to use water, didn't they?" the man asked, watching Tony.

Loki had seen enough, he opened the door casually and walked into the room. The bald man turned and glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

Loki shrugged. "Was passing through."

"Get out, you are paid to watch the passageways and you aren't allowed in here."

"I do whatever I want, mortal," Loki said, his body morphing into his own form, getting a shocked look from the man in front of him.

Before he could move, Loki had his hand curled around the man's neck and had tossed him into the wall beside him, where he fell with a thud. He might be dead. Loki didn't care. Tony was staring at him. Loki smiled, snapping his fingers and the restraints all unlatched. Tony fell to his knees, surprising Loki, but he remembered how much more fragile mortals were. He moved forward and caught him as he passed out.

Loki smiled though, picking him up and disappearing and reappearing behind Steve's bike. Steve started and turned around, face pinching in concern.

"I'll take him to the tower. Between the green beast and I, he will be fine," Loki said and was gone again. Steve started his cycle and raced away.

-Asgard-

Harry fell to his knees the minute his feet hit solid ground, stomach lurching.

"Okay, that was worse than portkeys and apparation combined," he said as Thor lifted him to his feet.

"Son of Potter, are you well?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "Call me Harry, please, this son of thing is weird, okay?"

Thor nodded, steadying the boy. "Well, Father expects us, we must hurry lest we gain his ire and we do not wish that in the slightest."

Harry nodded, hurrying after him. He was kind of glad Loki had given him clothes that somewhat fit in with the atmosphere of Asgard. He had too many questions, but he would save them for another time, because he was way too busy taking in the sights of everything around him. The place was beautiful, and in his mind, it echoed like memories. Maybe it was true. Did he have a soul of an Asgardian? Was that his soul calling out to the place? He was so confused. Before long and several stops where Thor spoke with someone, they ended up entering a long hallway with a throne at the end, upon which, no doubt sat Odin.

As they approached, Thor spoke. "Father, I've brought the Midgardian that carries the Asgardian sorcerer's soul."

Harry felt like he was being appraised like a piece of cattle. "The resemblance is uncanny," Odin said, standing up. "If I myself had not burned his body, I would believe he had never died…"

"He was before my time, but this is Harry James Potter. He already used magic on Midgard, but Loki and a Midgardian sorcerer were able to remove the blocks on his magic and Loki managed to alter his body to handle the magic and the released soul," Thor explained, surprisingly eloquently.

"There is little time to lose, then. A male sorcerer hasn't been born here since Loki came of age. I'll instruct your mother to determine his bondmate immediately, then he must remain here in Asgard from now on," Odin said, turning and resuming the throne.

Harry had been trying very hard to listen and be respectful but this was the last straw.

"I'm not living here, I live on Earth, with my friends, I can't live here!" he announced.

Odin stared with his one eye. "Of course you will live here, boy, you are Asgardian. This is your place."

"No it isn't, I didn't even know about this until today! You can't expect me to give up everything and come live here, it was bloody well bad enough being drug to New York by that perverted git that wanted me as his damned sex toy, then picked up by these Avenger people, and then have my whole body transformed and now you expect me to just stay here, someplace I didn't know existed until today?" Harry was starting to panic. There was no way he was staying here, but he couldn't get back home. He didn't have any idea where here was. He was rambling.

Thor noticed the smaller man was having a hard time breathing, hyperventilating it seemed, he kneeled and put hands on his shoulders. "Please, Son…Harry. Please, I will speak to my father. I'll take you to my quarters for now," he said in a surprisingly gentle and soothing tone, leading him away with a nod to his father as he took him to his rooms.

Thor sat him on the bed and to no surprise he sank down into a deep sleep. Perhaps the boy was not yet recovered from everything. Thor headed back to his father's side.

"Thor, you know what must be done with him. He belongs here. He is one of us, and a rare thing indeed to find a male sorcerer. He must be bonded immediately before an accidental bond takes place with someone undesireable," his father said sternly.

Thor nodded. "I know that, father. But he has been through a lot, and I do not think it is appropriate to force bonding on him at this time. It may render him unable to ever complete a bond."

Odin appraised his son's face. "He spoke of a 'perverted git' that had taken him away from his home?"

Thor nodded. "We rescued him from a man that had acquired him against his will and took him a long way. He was forced by the man, as well as another, and he has not recovered from it."

"Was this before he was altered to house the Asgardian soul?" Odin said, worried that it was already too late.

"It was, father. Loki only completed that today for him. Otherwise, his body would have expired from the stress of having access to the magic and power. He is neither Asgardian, nor Midgardian, though. I am unsure. But he is pursued still by his old foe, so I do not believe that bringing him here would ensure his safety, as it did not when he was here before. I suggest we take him back, and I remain with him, with Loki and the Avengers. We have an ally, a Dr. Strange, that has knowledge of the foe. It would seem wise to use his skills," Thor explained.

Odin thought for a long while then nodded. "Very well, but he must be bonded soon, or he may be used against us, you understand, Thor?"

"I understand, Father," Thor said nodding.

"Son, I am asking you one more thing. If it is necessary, you must do your duty," Odin said after a moment.

Thor looked up and shook his head. "I do not understand, Father. I will protect the boy."

Odin shook his head. "Son, if there is no other choice, you will take the bond."

Thor blinked. "Father! I cannot do such a thing, I do not…"

"You will take the bond before a month has passed by if he is not in Asgard to be given in bondship to another of Asgard. I am not asking, Thor. It will be done, for the safety of Asgard. You will ensure no other comes close enough to take the bond," Odin said, and left the room.

Thor stood for a second, his Father's order processing through him. How could he insist on such a thing? He knew his father knew what Asgard needed, but to take a bondship so lightly, as though…as though it were more important than the boy's freedom. Thor swallowed. No, he would not force someone into a bond. Not like that. The boy had been through too much. He sighed and returned to fetch him. He had been unsafe in Asgard before. Perhaps this Dr. Strange could help with that. He was still sleeping so he gathered him in his arms and smiled at his lax face. He was a singular human, he thought. Or, now he wasn't. He shook his head.

He soon stood outside Stark Tower again and found himself in a nearly empty room in the penthouse. He followed sounds to where he saw that Loki and Bruce had retrieved Tony from his confines. He was soon besieged by Harry's friends. He explained it was a necessary meeting but the Allfather had agreed to let him stay with the Avengers. He put him in a nearby bedroom, and his friends, the red headed boy and curly haired girl, remained with him. He went back to the medbay.

"Dammit, I'm fine now," he heard Tony's voice.

"Tony, you were tortured again. I think you should…" Bruce said as Tony pushed himself off the table and shook his head.

"Fuck that, I need a shower right now, I feel gross," he muttered and walked, not completely on steady legs, away and headed toward the private elevator to his room.

Loki arched a brow at Bruce. "I'll stay with him," he told the doctor, and disappeared in cloud of green.

Thor returned to wait for Harry to awaken so he could explain what had to happen. It didn't take long, as he stood to the side of the room. His friends spoke to him as he came around. He locked eyes with Thor's blue ones to the side of the room.

"What the hells was that about?" Harry said, frowning deeply, getting both Hermione and Ron to stare at him too.

"Harry, I am sorry, but it is the All-father's way. He wishes to protect Asgard from threats, and a male magician is a threat in the hands of others," he said slowly, wondering how to phrase it.

"What?" Harry said, frowning. "A threat? What do you mean?"

Thor sighed. "As Friend Bruce said, you are able to bear children, via magical means, such as my brother can. You will be able to do some similar magic as Loki does, such as shape shifting, and possibly more, we are unsure. But you must have a bonded by the end of a month, or that threat may become real."

"Bonded?" asked Hermione. "Like magical creatures have bonded mates?"

Thor nodded. "Yes, I suppose."

"Wait, bonded mate? You mean like, getting married to someone?" Harry said, eyes widening.

Thor swallowed and nodded. "Somewhat, but the bonding takes the physical act, and you will be bonded to another male because of the ability to bear children places you more in the category of how women are treated on Asgard."

Harry blinked, eyes wide. "What? I don't think so, not even close, I don't even know anyone from there, and I'm not sleeping with some random Asgardian…"

"The All-father wills it, and it shall be, Harry, I am sorry," Thor said. "But fear not, we will remain here, and I am to ensure no one else accidently takes the bond before that time."

Harry swallowed. "So, I don't get a choice? I either willingly take this bond with someone this Odin guy says, or I get forced to do it? Like I haven't had enough of that."

Thor nodded sadly and walked away, leaving him with his friends. He would leave off the fact that he'd been instructed to take the bond by his father. He hoped it did not come to that. He would not force him, but perhaps he could become friends with him before then and maybe…maybe he would understand. He would have Loki talk to him. He sighed and saw his brother was still gone.

Loki stood outside the bathroom as Tony used his shower with a grin on his face. He grinned as he appeared on the other side and watched him through the frosted glass. Now and then he saw the blue from the arc reactor. So fragile and so fascinating. He was the most vulnerable, the most at risk, yet, he still took it all with a sarcastic comment and a smirk. But Loki saw under that smirk. He saw under the sarcasm, and he saw the pain. He knew that pain.

The door opened and Tony found himself looking at a smirking Loki. He froze for a moment in grabbing his towel and wasn't quite sure what to say. Loki grinned.

"Ah, look, I've had more people watch me shower, but this is a little creepy," Tony said, wrapping the towel around his waist.

"Ah, yes, the playboy. How much of that is even real, man of iron?" Loki asked.

"Huh?" Tony said, frowning.

"Really, how many women have you actually bedded that you've taken home?" Loki asked, still blocking his way to the door and his bedroom.

Tony swallowed and shook his head. "I don't know what you're after, Loki…" he said, pushing by the taller god and out the door.

Loki smirked and followed him, quiet as a cat. "I really don't know, Stark," he muttered, watching as Tony dressed.

Tony pretended to ignore him. He was quite sure he was messing with his head. "Why don't you stalk someone else, Bambi?"

Loki smirked. "You always resort to humor when you're stressed."

Tony frowned and shook his head and headed out the door, leaving Loki with a wide grin.