The next morning, Dahlia woke up alone. She looked around the room to see that her sister was gone and that she was still in her dress from the ball. At the end of her bed, however, covering the floor and couch and chairs were her presents that people brought to the ball. Seeing the sun through the windows and the time, 10am, she wondered why Akio hadn't woken her for her training but then she remembered that today was the day she was going back to the Dursleys. Closing her eyes, she sighed as she wanted to speak to her sister but didn't know where to find her.

Unconsciously, she began to play with the locket she was given and immediately smiled at the thought. She held it tightly and opened her mind using her magic and thought, "Hela? Hela, can you hear me? Please, tell me I'm doing this right and I don't look like an idiot".

She then heard laughter in her mind that said, "I'm here, sister. I'm glad the spell worked".

"This is weird," Dahlia said pulling a face.

"Of course, it is, I'm in your mind," Dahlia's bedroom door then opened and her sister came in smiling, dressed in a different dress.

Dahlia dropped the locket and said out load, "that was weird. It was like, I could hear you but I couldn't hear you".

Hela sat on the bed and said, amused, "you'll get used to it. I see you haven't opened your presents".

Dahlia shrugged and answered "I only just woke up. Besides, I can't take them with me".

"...you can take some without people noticing on Midgard. Why don't we get you dressed then you can open some of the presents and then have breakfast?"

"When do I have to leave?" Dahlia asked bluntly.

Hela hesitated in answering, "the clone has begun to forget things. It has begun to do mistakes so it would be best if we did the switch in the next couple of hours".

Dahlia nodded in understanding. She then did as her sister suggested; got out of bed but this time put her clothes on, the ones she came in, while Hela insisted on doing her hair into a fishtail braid. Opening presents, she wasn't surprised when she saw many of them were jewellery, dresses and magic books as many people there didn't know her personally and these were the kind of presents you would get a Princess. From her grandparents, however, they had given her a charm bracelet with a heart charm, a Thestral, a cauldron, a broom, a crown, a snake, a wolf, a crescent moon and an angel. She instantly put it on before she noticed their second present, a music box, one that she had never seen before. It had a half sphere bottom that then held up an egg shape, very similar to the dragon egg she had to get in the Tournament. It was purple with silver lining around it and silver stars and when she opened it, a soft harmony began to play as a young girl began to turn and words appeared above her, "no matter the realm, we'll always love you, love grandma and grandpa".

She closed the music box and placed it to one side, knowing she wanted to take that with her. Hela then handed her a wooden box which had Norse writing scripted on the front for family. Dahlia opened it and found pictures of when she was a child, and especially some of her mother and father together. Hela said, "the picture that is in your locket is also in there. I found the box full of pictures and thought you might like copies of all of them. The box will only open to your touch as it will sense your magic so no one goes snooping. Besides, I saw you already have a picture of Lily when she was a child". Dahlia looked around panicked, trying to see where she had put the picture and Hela said, "relax, you dropped it last night and I put it on your bedside cabinet". Dahlia nodded in thanks.

Dahlia began to look through the pictures. There were some of her mother before she was born with Loki and Hela or with her grandparents, then some where she was pregnant and when she was first born. Dahlia noticed that nearly all of them were taken in Niflheim, but there were less than two handfuls that were taken somewhere she didn't recognise and assumed it was the Potter home in Godric's Hollow.

When Dahlia got to the bottom, she noticed something, two heart shapes carved into the wood like something belonged there. She looked up to her sister who said, "you might want to grab the music box," she did as Hela said, "now take off your locket and open it. It'll fit in the gap". Dahlia took off her locket and like her sister said, it fit perfectly in the gap. What she didn't expect, was a purple light to form and suck her and her sister into the box.

Dahlia started breathing heavy when the smoke disappeared and she appeared in a circular room with books all around. There was a large oak table with 8 chairs, an antique sofa with two matching chairs in front of the fireplace, but what stood out to her was the portrait above the fireplace. It had not only her parents and her sister in but also her brothers. Lily, Dahlia, and Hela were all wearing dresses, their favourite colours of red, purple and a silver blue, while Loki was wearing his usual green outfit. The boys, however, were in their animal forms but were enlarged to what they may look like now.

"I had an artist do it," Hela said, "doing us was easy because of pictures, it was the boys that were the issue, but he managed to do it. I thought it would look good in here".

Dahlia placed the music box down on the table and asked, "and what is this place?"

"I created it for you. You can take this box back to Midgard with you and whenever you want to be alone, whenever you want to learn anything about your magic," she gestured to the books, "you can come here. You can also keep things in here, like the music box, so that no one can find them".

An idea then clicked in her mind and she asked, "Hela, you said for me to find somewhere safe at Hogwarts so you can come through to visit. Can't you just use this?"

Shaking her head, Hela answered, "no, I'm sorry. When you put your locket in, you have to be touching the box to enter this place. For me to come here, I would have to come through the portal at the exact second you place the locket into the lock and touch the box. It's next to impossible. I, also, can't create a portal in this box because technically we are still in your room, and creating a portal and you opening the box at the same time is next to impossible so we'll be detected without the symbol".

Dahlia nodded, knowing it wasn't the best idea but she couldn't figure out a place that would be safe for her sister to come through.

After leaving the box, Dahlia began to take things that she wanted from Niflheim and began to place them into the box so that she could take them back to Midgard with her, unrecognised. At lunch, it wasn't just the two of them; Falcon took the day off saying that the souls can wait to be collected for a day, and her grandparents were also there. The cooks went all out and as much as everyone was enjoying it, Dahlia couldn't help but think that they were all avoiding the inevitable by not talking about her leaving, but the inevitable soon came.

Standing in the throne room, she had said goodbye to Eva when they left the dining room and had even taken a trip to the stables to say goodbye to Eclipse who was happy that her rider was there but showed dislike when Dahlia said she was leaving. It was time to say goodbye to everyone else. Her grandmother almost hugged the life out of her while her grandpa laughed and said, "Violet, I think it's time to let her go or at least release your grip".

Violet glared at him as she pulled away which made Dahlia laugh. Violet asked "are you sure you've got everything you need?"

Dahlia patted the box she was holding and said, "everything's in here. I promise, grandma, I'll be fine"

Violet brushed Dahlia's hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead, "I love you".

"Love you too".

Dahlia then pulled away as her grandpa hugged her and said, "now, listen here, kiddo, I don't wanna be hearing off your sister that you've done anything stupid. You understand, your grandmother and I will be watching".

Dahlia nodded, "I'll try, that's all I can promise". Her grandpa nodded in acceptance.

She then moved onto Falcon who inclined his head and said, "like the others, try not to get into harm's way. I would very much dislike it if I had to see you in a different way".

Rolling her eyes, Dahlia said, "I won't," then pulled him into a hug which was rare as he acted as a gentleman and would usually bow or kiss her hand. She whispered, "when are you gonna propose to my sister?" She heard his sharp intake and said, "I may have heard off a little birdy at the shop that you bought and designed one years ago".

"Not yet. I'm very traditional, I want to ask your father first".

"Well, you have my approval if that's anything and if you need help in asking him, just tell me". She then pulled away and he smiled nodding.

She then moved to Akio who bowed and said, "Princess, it's time," he then revealed a dagger from behind his back. It had a black leather handle with a purple diamond on the blunt of it. The blade itself was silver and sharp and was inscribed with the symbol of the dead, so that everyone knew that the dagger was forged on the world of the dead. This dagger could hurt even the dead and stop anyone who has advanced healing so that they would heal like a mortal, slowly.

Dahlia slowly took the dagger, knowing that it was a great honour amongst the warriors of Niflheim to receive such a dagger from their trainers. It meant that they showed potential to be the best, to defend Niflheim and to know that their trainers truly believed in them. "I-I-I don't know what to say, thank you".

Akio nodded, "the blade is forged on this realm, it will never dull and it can harm anyone, even the dead. It has also been spelled by the Queen herself, so that if you touch the diamond, it will turn into the sword and vice versa. Now, while you're on Midgard, do not forget your training, do not forget your lessons-"

"Vigilance and patience," she answered smiling.

"Above all else, be safe and continue your training".

Dahlia nodded and then bowed and said, "yes, sir," for the final time, not knowing when she would see him again.

Dahlia walked to her sister who was stood in the centre of the throne room where Hela's symbol was. She took her sister's hand tightly while holding the dagger and the box in the other hand. Opening the portal, Dahlia took a glance back at the people who meant most to her before stepping through with her sister.

Leaving the portal, Dahlia found herself in her room in the Dursleys house. The clone was stood still, as if frozen near the bed, and with a swipe of Dahlia's hand the clone disappeared and turned back into the small pouch it once was. Hela picked it up and said, "after I burn the bag, you'll get all the memories of the clone, all of its time here. Are you ready?"

Dahlia quickly placed the box and dagger onto the bed before she nodded, and Hela summoned a small fire in her hand before a wave of light passed out of the bag and flowed into Dahlia's mind. She saw the usual; her cleaning, being called girl and freak, cooking, but she saw that she was outside a lot because of the heat that had suddenly struck the neighbourhood. She wasn't as surprised as she should have been when she saw memories of the Daily Prophet, searching news on Lord Voldemort but finding none. Nothing unusual is reported and she knows that the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is still oblivious and in denial about Voldemort's return as he was at the Tournament. The one thing that disappointed her though was that no one had contacted her. Not a single letter from Dumbledore, Sirius, Hermione, Ron or any member of the Weasleys family for that matter, and she didn't understand why. No one would have even known that Voldemort was back if it wasn't for her and yet, she suffered at the Dursleys, or that's what they thought.

She pushed the memories away as she heard someone in the hallway and instantly turned to her sister. Hela, having the same thought, held her sister close and said, "anytime you need to or want to talk, just use the necklace, I'll be there and I'll see you in the dream world with papa". Dahlia nodded. "I love you".

"I love you too," Dahlia said then the sisters pulled away as Hela stepped into the portal. As the portal disappeared, Dahlia saw that Hela's symbol was drawn onto the floor in what she thought was ink by the clone and brushed her hand over it, making it disappear so that her aunt and uncle had no reason to yell at her more than they already did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My King, Halvar has returned from Niflheim," a guard bowed before Odin in the throne room.

"Bring him forth," Odin commanded, trying to hide his surprise that he had returned.

"My lord, he is unwell, he has come back changed".

Odin leaned forward in his throne and asked "her powers?"

"Yes, my lord".

Odin immediately stood, walking down the steps from his throne as he said, "take me to him".

The guard led Odin to a medical room where Halvar was lied on a slab while a soul forge was above him. Eir was examining him but anyone who saw him could see that he wasn't the same man that left Asgard. He had grown considerably older, as if he was at the end of his life. His fingers crippled, unable to move other than a twitch, he would never be able to write again, much less hold a sword. What they all noticed though, was that his mouth was sown shut with what they could all guess was golden thread from the dwarves. Knowing that, they knew that if they tried to remove it, it would cause his death due to the pain of trying to remove it. Especially in his current state thanks to Hela.

Frigga and Thor then walked into the room and Frigga gasped at the sight while Thor said, "father, we heard the news that Halvar returned".

"Yes, but as you can see, he was discovered," Odin said gesturing to the now weak man.

"Why wasn't I informed that a spy was on Niflheim?" Frigga questioned sternly, looking between her husband and son.

Thor answered, "there wasn't much time, mother. We heard word that there were celebrations on Niflheim. It was the perfect time to send someone".

"Why though?"

Odin answered, "all others we have sent have died, from what we can gather, their souls destroyed. Rumour of an opportunity such as a celebration is rare coming from that realm".

She folded her arms and said, "that's what you don't understand. Since Hela took the throne, Niflheim is not the desolate realm you believe it to be. I know that Heimdall cannot see it clearly because of her powers but her realm is beautiful. Her own creation. If any of your spies survived, maybe they could tell you of its beauty".

"How do you know this?" Odin demanded.

"Because I still worry about her, I check in on her from time to time, I have my own methods...I still consider her my granddaughter," she then turned and walked away, letting both men think on her last statement. Knowing that neither one considered the girl their niece or granddaughter anymore.

Going into her private study, Frigga took a seat in front of her fireplace. Her heart racing at what not only her granddaughter had done but her husband and son. They knew telling her what they were up to would upset her. Especially Odin as he always said she was too soft on them. She remembered the days that the children would run free in the fields, when Fenrir and Jörmungandr would fight each other to see if wolf or snake was stronger, when Hela would sit on her lap and practise magic. She remembered the days when the castle was full of laughter and now everyone said that she must be happy to finally have a grandchild, Brynjar, but what many dismissed was she already had grandchildren in her heart.

Focusing on the fire, she used that to send a holographic projection of herself to her son. It took only moments before she appeared in his cell. He hadn't noticed her as she appeared in the far corner and he was on his bed, reading the newest book she had sent down. It was levitated in the air and with every swipe of his fingertip, the page turned.

"I remember the first time you ever did that," Frigga said smiling, remembering him doing that the first time in her private study. Loki dropped the book to the bed as he looked at her as she said, "one of the first things I taught you. You had just turned 502".

"I remember," he said bluntly.

"You were always in my study, levitating several books at once, wanting to read as much as possible. But, of course, you would-"

"Frigga, stop," he interrupted.

"Always, come to me," she continued not bothering to listen to him. She even began to walk closer, "when you found a word that you didn't understand and being at a young age that was often".

"Frigga-"

"But, you did the same thing with Hela when she showed potential. Of course, she was born with her own kind of magic, you could say, but"

"Frigga-"

She got close enough to sit in the edge of the bed, well her holographic projection did. She continued, "you still taught Hela everything you knew and she had such eagerness that you did. She especially liked to tease her brothers with it. Do you remember when she would levitate their toys so high that-"

"Mother..." she finally listened and stopped and gazed into his eyes as it was the first time in years that he had referred to her as such. "Stop it with the stories, they are the past".

"The past makes us who we are".

"And that's why Odin and Thor believe I'm a murdering psychopath wanting to take over the throne out there".

She sighed regretfully and said, "my darling boy, they don't think that. They're just...their decisions are clouded by your actions, not fully understanding why you did what you did. Not even I fully understand-"

"I was lied to, led to believe I could be King, but really I was nothing but what the people here call a monster. I could have lived with that but you took my children," he sneered.

"You're not a monster," Frigga moved her hand close to his, knowing that she couldn't touch him but wanting to show what her intentions would be if she could. "I can still remember the babe that was placed in my arms and I swore that I would treat him as a son, love him as a son-"

"STOP," Loki commanded as he stood from his bed and she followed standing. "Why are you here? Why are you bringing up all the stories of the past?"

"I wanted to see you-"

"Is this about what Hela's done to your little spy?" She looked surprised. "Of course, I know about that. The guards aren't exactly quiet, when walking around...what is this? Feeling guilty about the girl Hela has become, someone who could think of such torture and death, knowing that because of the actions of her banishment it had led her to that? You telling stories to remember the sweet young girl that she was".

"She has turned into an amazing ruler, I've seen it," Loki looked shocked but instantly hid it. "You're not the only one to know pathways. I check on her, from a distance, from time to time. Niflheim is a better place because of her".

He smirked, "and yet you're still surprised she conducts the horrors that she does. That she willingly kills any spies you send her way-"

"Not me, never me. I never know when it happens, only when the spy's body comes back dead or...like Halvar, changed, but that's a first".