It was a little over a week later at the Dursleys and Dahlia hated it. She had trouble sleeping as usual, dreaming of Cedric's death and Voldemort trying to kill her. Sometimes she would try to go to the dream world but the fear of Voldemort coming after her, now that she was back on Midgard, scared her. She didn't have soldiers of the dead, or her sister to ease her mind. She knew she could contact her sister at any time with the locket but it wasn't the same. Speaking almost on a daily basis, then seeing each other in the dream world with their father, it was like her sister was still with her but still not safe.

Exhausted from the heatwave still going on, Dahlia spent most of her time outside as Vernon and Petunia were pestering her about the news, believing it had something to do with her freaky world. There was a park not too far away from the house where Dahlia spent her days while at the Dursleys. She would sit on the swing and watch the children play, their innocence made her smile as they didn't know what was to come.

Wearing a simple dark blue knee length skirt and tank top, cheap because the Dursleys wouldn't spend much on her, was one of the only outfits she wore that could tackle the heat. Her wand was hidden under her top in the elastic of the skirt. Swinging slowly, Dahlia thought the day would just pass by but unfortunately, it wouldn't be peaceful because of Dudley and his gang.

The last of the children had long since gone home when she saw the group of five boys approaching consisting of Piers, Dennis, Malcom, Gordon and their leader, her oh so lovable cousin, the biggest, strongest and dumbest of the lot of them, her cousin Dudley. They were laughing again about something Dudley had done and if Dahlia was to guess right, it would be Dudley's actions of beating up people younger than him. It didn't take long for them to actually notice her, she tried to keep her head down but then heard the voice of Pierce as he said, "look, Big D, your freak of a cousin".

She looked up with a sigh and she saw them walking towards her. She stopped swinging slightly and glared at Dudley as he approached with his gang laughing behind him. She rolled her eyes at what was supposed to be his threatening approach and said, "hey, Big D, just beat up another 10-year-old? I heard what you did to Mark Evans two nights ago".

"He was asking for it," Dudley sneered while his gang behind him was laughing and agreeing.

She gave off a small mocking laugh as she glanced to each of them and said, "five against one, how very brave you must all feel for beating a child. Clearly, none of you have any morals against it but yet again, it's probably the only area any of you succeed in. I've heard about your school reports".

Dahlia was then on the end of five individual glares and Dudley said, "you're one to talk, freak. Moaning in your sleep every night. Talking. Crying into your pillow".

"What do you mean?" she asked, feeling cold all over and not wanting anyone but her sister to know about the dreams, least of all Dudley and his friends.

Dudley gave a harsh laugh and turned back to his friends who high-fived him and began to laugh themselves until Dudley answered, "'don't kill Cedric, don't kill Cedric' who's Cedric, your boyfriend?"

"Shut up," she stuttered, feeling weak that Dudley knew about her dreams but he didn't know what she had to face, that the dreams of Cedric dying and Voldemort returning were real. "You're lying," she said but she knew she was the one lying.

"'Dad! Help me, dad! He's going to kill me, dad, where are you? Mum, help me! Mum, he's killed Cedric, help! Sister, where are you!' even making up family members you don't have. Sister," he scoffed, "where is your mum? Where is your dad? Are they dead?" they all began to laugh as Dahlia clenched her fists. Dudley was even brave enough to take a few steps closer to her and said, "are they dead?"

Dahlia couldn't help herself and jumped from the swing, grabbed her wand from her waist and held it up to Dudley's neck. While he looked worried, Dudley's friends began to laugh thinking it was just a stick. Dahlia knew the consequences of using her Midgardian magic on him. Not only would she be breaking the Statute of Secrecy law using magic in front of Muggles, she'd also be charged with using underage wizardry and using magic against a Muggle. Dahlia knew she could resort to using her Aesir magic on him, something the ministry wouldn't be able to track so it would be Dudley's word against hers if they reported her and the ministry wouldn't believe them as they would say they could trace Dahlia's magic. She could do that and she would admit the thought had crossed her mind but then she wouldn't see the fear in Dudley's eyes. The fear she could see as she looked into his eyes now, knowing what the little stick in her hand was capable of, that she could strike him and he would have to crawl his way home like an insect.

"Get that thing out of my face!"

"Don't you ever talk about my parents or my family again," she sneered, "do you understand?"

"Cut it out"

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" she shouted.

The friends behind Dudley now stopped laughing and looked between the two cousins confused, not knowing why Dudley wouldn't just hit her or take the 'stick' from her and snap it. Then Dudley gave a cold shuddering gasp, as though he had been drenched in cold water. The crystal-clear day sky was gone, clouds were appearing out of nowhere. The rubbish on the ground was being blown away as if a tornado was about to form. Surrounded by darkness, as though someone had switched the sun off.

"What are you doing?" Dudley stuttered, terrified.

Lowering her wand, Dahlia shook her head and answered, "I'm not doing anything".

His friends, on the other hand, were not so happy over the sudden change and Gordon said, "we're getting out of here," and the four of them ran, leaving Dudley with the half mortal.

Dahlia looked around, holding her wand tighter as she mumbled, "impossible, they can't be here, not in Little Whinging, they can't be".

"Who?" Dudley snapped, "I'll tell dad what you've done".

"SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR STUPID FATHER," Dahlia shouted looking around.

"C-cut it out!"

"Dudley, run," Dahlia said and began to run from the park, looking back to her cousin she shouted "DUDLEY, RUN". For once in Dudley's life, he actually listened to his magical cousin and ran.

Just as they were about to enter a walkway tunnel, it began to rain. Running into the tunnel, hair dripping, Dahlia and Dudley stood and began to watch both entrances, Dudley confused but Dahlia could sense a darkness, cold as if she would never be happy. She knew what it was. Lights in the tunnel flickering, Dahlia turned to look behind them but was quickly pinned up against the wall by a dementor, a sharp pain to her head where it smacked against the concrete wall. With its skeletal hand around her neck, she choked, "Dudley, run". She knew they were here for her, and although she may dislike her whale of a cousin, he didn't deserve to lose his soul because someone sent dementors after her.

Dudley turned and ran to the bottom but slipped on the floor and as he slid, another dementor flew in from the end and hovered above Dudley. Dahlia could see that his dementor was trying to take his soul, while hers was doing the same. Feeling too weak, she tried to reach for her wand at her waist but couldn't, she thought that her soul would be taken but then the dementor dropped her as it screamed. A noise she didn't know could come from such as creature.

Lying on the ground, she looked up to see one of her sister's soldiers with her symbol on his chest. From what she could tell, he was from Svarthalfheim, the realm of the dark elves. He swung his sword and although it pained the dementor, it seemed not to stop it before it began to suck the soldier's soul out. Looking towards Dudley, another soldier was in a similar predicament. Grabbing her wand for her waist, she stood and thought of her sister and her time in Niflheim and said clearly, "Expectro Patronum".

A large silver stag appeared and flew straight for the first dementor before she turned it on the second, getting it away from Dudley and the other soldier who was fighting it. They swooped away bat-like and vanished in defeat. She ran to Dudley, fell to his side and began to check that he was okay but anyone could see he wasn't. His hollow eyes and constant shaking was evidence. The sky returned back to normal, not as bright as the time went by and it was entering the evening but it wasn't raining anymore, the icy cold atmosphere and the feeling of doom and unhappiness was gone.

"Princess, are you harmed?" One of the soldiers asked.

Shaking her head, she replied, "I'm fine. Has my sister been having you spy on me?"

"Princess Dahlia, you must understand, Queen Hela only wishes for your safety. We've been watching but from afar".

Dahlia nodded in understanding and asked, "are both of you okay? I know you're dead but dementors affect souls".

Both gave a nod, "we are well," but one of them, the dark elf who saved her, began to look at his blade suspiciously, as if inspecting its work. Dahlia knew what he was thinking and answered his unasked question-

"They're called Dementors. The blades didn't work because they are neither living or dead, amortal beings. That's why the blades didn't work and kill them". Both soldiers nodded in understanding and placed their swords back to their waists. Sounds of footsteps were then heard and Dahlia quickly said, "go, quickly, you can't be seen".

Turning to leave they quickly vanished. Dahlia questioned whether they really left or whether they somehow managed to turn themselves invisible.

Seeing Mrs Figg walking around the corner and towards them, not even looking at Dahlia with a questionable gaze over Dudley's condition on the floor, her only advice was, "don't put away your wand, Dahlia, they might come back".

Walking back to the Dursleys, Mrs Figg explained everything. How she was working for Professor Dumbledore, how she kept an eye on her all those years and began to rant about someone called Mundungus Fletcher, a man who was supposed to be watching Dahlia but had disapperated moments before the attack had occurred. She had revealed that she was a squib and all the years of boring visits to her house were supposed to be boring so that the Dursleys wouldn't stop her visits

Entering the house was no picnic, Petunia and Vernon instantly started to fuss over Dudley saying it was her nonsense that caused his state and how Vernon had enough of her nonsense. It was a surprise to all of them when a letter from the Ministry arrived, declaring that because she used the Patronus charm, she was officially expelled from Hogwarts. Vernon seemed particularly happy about the situation. Dahlia quickly thought of running away, running away before the ministry could send officials to destroy her wand but before she even thinks of that, another letter arrives, this time from Arthur Weasley. With comforting news that Professor Dumbledore was trying to resolve the situation and to stay at Private Drive and not to hand over her wand or perform any more magic. Dahlia tries to explain that the dementors are responsible and while Vernon is having none of it, Petunia surprises her by having some knowledge about them. Once she said "God awful boy telling her about them years ago" Dahlia knew it could have only been a few men in her mother's life and for some reason, she leaned towards the idea that it was Snape, her could-have-been godfather.

The third owl of the night arrived, this one from Mafalda Hopkirk from the ministry explaining about a hearing that will be decided whether or not Dahlia's wand will be broken and Dahlia being placed on suspension instead of expulsion. Dahlia tries to explain more about the dementors to Vernon who is adamant on kicking her out but all arguments are brought to a halt when a howler appears from Professor Dumbledore, saying only "remember my last, Petunia". Immediately convincing Vernon that Dahlia has to stay, Petunia sent her up to her room where she is told to remain. Confused, Dahlia leaves but is glad at the fact that she wouldn't be on the receiving end of Vernon's glares anymore.

Entering her room, Dahlia shut the door before collapsing on her bed and hears a voice, "sister".

"Hela," Dahlia said with some joy at speaking to her sister. She turned onto her back as she looked at the locket and opened it to stare at the pictures.

"The guards have just informed me about the dementors. Why didn't you reach out to me?"

"I didn't want to worry you. The guards helped me, while I grabbed my wand and I took care of the dementors with a Patronus spell. Speaking of guards, how long have they been watching?"

"Did you honestly think I would let you go back there without protection?" Her sister said sarcastically. "Another thing, they said you didn't have your blade, the one Akio gave you".

Rolling her eyes, Dahlia replied, "I didn't think I would need it just to go to the park. You're overprotective".

Hela laughed, "wait until you meet papa in person. You haven't met overprotective until then. Dahlia, please carry your blade from now on".

"Dad seems to always want to know every little thing about what's happening when it concerns me. I promise I'll carry it".

"Thank you. Little does papa know how much we're keeping from him. One day, he's going to discover the truth".

"I know," Dahlia sighed as she traced the picture with her parents in with her forefinger, "but there's no point in getting him worried when he's in a cell. I'd rather not drive him insane, he already worries over us".

"True. Tell me, what happened when you got back to the Dursleys?"

Sighing in clear frustration, which made Hela giggle, she said, "where to start. First, I got a letter from the Ministry saying I was expelled, then another from Mr. Weasley saying Professor Dumbledore was trying to solve the situation, then one from the ministry saying I have to go to a hearing".

"You know what to do if they try and take your wand".

"Hela, I won't use Aesir powers on them. They don't know, they wouldn't understand. Besides, it'll draw attention if some child on Midgard has unknown magic".

"Then you reach out to me. I will not have them take a part of Lily away from you. Your wand is just that, a symbol of the magic she gave you".

"I know," Dahlia said trying to contain her nervousness over the trial ahead.

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

"Jane," Thor said as he reached over the bed, trying to find his beautiful wife but couldn't. He sat up and looked around the room and finally saw her sat by the window holding Brynjar in the moonlight.

He stood from the bed and walked towards her, kissing her forehead as their son was peacefully asleep. She said, "sorry if I woke you".

"What troubles you, Jane?" He asked as he kneeled down to her height.

She shrugged as she thought for a moment before answering, "I know you told me not to see him but I went and saw Halvar, the soldier you told me about. How could she do that? You told me she was just a child".

Thor nodded, "on Midgard she would be in her teenage years. My lady, I did not wish for you to see such a sight, I did not wish to taint the image you have of the innocence of children".

"Thor, I understand but...she stripped the man of everything he was, trapped him in his body, never being able to move. You told me in the past the soldiers were usually killed if they were caught, why would she send him back like that?"

"That is the one thing father and I have yet to discover. Hela has reasons for everything she does, she has reasons for not killing Halvar. We will discover the truth".

"It's not just that," Jane said nervously, "you told me that she was sent away because she was a danger but she couldn't always have been, there must have been a time when she was just a young girl".

Thor slowly nodded and Jane could swear she saw guilt in his eyes, "there was once a time, but she was born with a power that only brought death. She was destined to become what she is now".

"But that's what I'm talking about," she expressed loudly, almost waking up the sleeping Brynjar. "I'm worried, what happens if Brynjar, or any other children we have, turn out like that?"

"He won't," Thor said adamantly.

"But what if-"

"I would not let that happen. Jane, I will protect you and Brynjar and any other children we have. They shall be a force for good". He then kissed her forehead and said, "ease these worries, come back to bed". She nodded and stood to take Brynjar back to his nursery next door.

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

The next day, Thor spent it training but was also with his father, discussing the incident with Halvar. Due to his weakened state, the man had been deteriorating and they knew he didn't have long left. The only brighter side was, Hela had sent him home to die which meant his soul could be sent to Valhalla for his bravery, knowing the risks that could come if Hela even found a way of holding the Asgardians soul on Niflheim. Healers had watched over him for two days, trying to find some way in which he could be in peace. For the remaining six days, he spent them in a room at the palace but he rarely slept, refused all help, even being moved to a bed, he only continued to stare at a painting of the nine realms that hung on the wall. Whenever he was moved, he would groan and moan, the only way he could communicate with others. It was on the eighth day that Thor and Odin were visiting him, assessing him to see if they could discover anything new, did they finally uncover the truth.

Halvar wouldn't stop glancing from the blade that Odin had at his waist, a blade that had to power to cut the thread to his sewn-up lips and the painting. Odin knew what he wanted and said, "if we remove the thread, you will die. Blink twice, if you understand?" Halvar did just that.

Thor said, "father, we cannot".

"My son, sometimes the fate of a man cannot be decided by us. His condition is a fate worse than death. It is his choice. Do you want to die, Halvar? Blink twice for yes"

Halvar blinked twice. Odin gestured to two of the guards at the door to come stand besides Halvar as Thor stood beside his father. Odin said, "Halvar Aeason, you have served Asgard with honour and accepted a mission that many would not. You shall forever be remembered as your soul goes to Valhalla".

All of them in the room could see the little movement in Halvar's lips as he tried to smile but couldn't, knowing he was going to Valhalla by the King himself was an honour. Odin took the blade at his waist and raised it before slicing the thread at Halvar's mouth.

The two guards had to grab Halvar as he began to shake, coughing up blood in the process. He began to mumble something which caused Thor and Odin to step closer to listen, and as their faces almost connected, he mumbled, "a sister on Midgard," with his final breath.