Harry Potter : In the shadow of divinity14.29%

Chapter - 12 : A New Dawn at Privet Drive part - 2

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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It came as a surprise to absolutely no one, that it took more than one intimidating conversation and a few well timed threats to turn the Dursleys' behavior around completely, their intense dislike for their nephew was far too deeply ingrained. The fear that that first conversation had struck in their hearts lasted only about a week, no more than two before they were attempting to revert back to their old ways. Fortunately, Harry had a plan in case of such an occurrence. Over the course of the next few months, he used the knowledge and skills imparted upon him by Loki to wear away at his relatives until they were left without a doubt in their mind that he really would hold true to everything he'd told him that first conversation.

After the Dursleys accepted the family's new hierarchy, things settled down into a new sort of normal, one in which Petunia took over all of the household chores while Harry spent most of his days in an abandoned grocers teaching himself how to harness and control his magic. Under his father's tutelage, the boy flourished; he had always been intelligent, always had a knack for learning, but under Loki's patient and encouraging guidance, he absorbed every bit of knowledge thrown his way. After only a few months, Loki began teaching Harry of Asgard and the customs and traditions his people upheld along with the usual magic lessons. By the time he was eleven, Harry had an admirable grasp on his magic and Loki was beginning to run out of things he was willing to teach his son. He had decade's worth of magical knowledge he wished to impart upon Harry, but there were some things he didn't want to teach him until his was a little older. Fortunately, a distraction came in the form of a long awaited letter.

It was delivered the morning of Harry's birthday, July thirty-first, by a tawny owl who dropped it into the platter of scrambled eggs. Harry eagerly snatched the envelope up and shoved it into his pocket before he gave in to the urge to break the dark purple seal and read its contents, he polished off the last of his breakfast then ran the entire way to his usual spot where he was forced to wait almost an hour for Loki to join him.

"It came!" he exclaimed the moment his father appeared. "An owl dropped it off this morning, just like you said it would."

"Well?" Loki smiled. "Let's see it then."

Harry produced the letter from his pocket and handed it to Loki, who examined the thick envelope, with its purple seal and green writing across its face. Inside of the envelope were three, yellow sheets of parchment; one contained the standard greeting to all first year students accepted into Hogwarts, written by the deputy headmistress Minerva McGonagall, the second was a list of everything Harry would need for the upcoming school year, and the last held detailed instructions on how to reach Diagon Alley, the shopping district where he would be getting the majority of his things.

"I leave September 1st and I don't have to come back until June," Harry breathed as he bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "That's nine months away from the Dursleys. This is the best birthday present ever."

"Oh?" Loki said, his face twisted into an exaggeratedly hurt expression. "I suppose there's no need to give you my gift then. Not if it'll only be second best."

"You got me a gift?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Of course! Turning eleven is a momentous occasion after all."

Loki plucked a long, thin parcel from mid-air and held it out for Harry to take. The silver toned, pearlescent wrapping paper was carefully peeled away to reveal an unpolished black box as long as Harry's forearm but barely a hand's width wide. Inside of the box was a bed of crushed velvet cushioning a beautifully crafted dagger, the blade was long and wickedly sharp with a hilt that shone gold with intricate patterns.

"It will be a few more years before you're old enough to learn the more advanced magics, but I thought that, in the interim, you might be interested in learning a few others crafts of our people."

"You want to teach me how to fight with a knife?"

"Magic is as one of the greatest weapons one can wield," Loki said, "but it would be unwise if it were your only weapon. In the event that you find yourself unable to access your magic, it's always good to have a few other ways to defeat your enemy."

"Thank you," Harry said softly, a small, but entirely too sincere smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. He hadn't stopped running a reverent finger over the dagger since he'd opened the box. "This is the best gift I've received, ever."

Loki's face softened with a smile of his own. "It's nothing less than you deserve," he said. "Now this is a weapon fit for a true warrior; it was forged on Asgard by some of the greatest smiths of my realm, it won't ever dull or tarnish, the blade will never need to be sharpened or honed so long as it is in your possession. Promise me you'll treat it with the utmost respect, the last thing I want you to do is impale yourself on your own blade."

Harry nodded solemnly and made a slashing gesture over his heart. "Promise."

"What was that?" Loki asked, copying the gesture over his own heart.

"Crossed my heart."

"Pardon?"

"It's a Midgardian tradition," Harry laughed. "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye"

"A rather morbid tradition," Loki mused. "But it'll do. Now pack up your things, it's time for the second half of your gift."

Harry cocked his head curiously. "There's more?"

"Indeed. A bit of manipulation and some subtle sabotage has seen a minor crisis arising on Asgard, my father will be too occupied to notice if I'm absent for a few hours longer than usual. I thought I might take you to this Diagon Alley, we can do your shopping together."