nexus_sages | (no subject)

There are many cases of moments when a person has not realized that they have just entered the Nexus. This seems to be the situation, when one of the doors into the Forum swings open, letting one Hermione Granger enter. The young witch is balancing a large piles of books as she walks, thus remains blissfully unaware that she has entered the Forum.

Hermione walks carefully, counting her steps just under her breath. In the library where she had originally been, there was a table exactly 15 steps away from the research section, which she is now looking for to set down her books.

Unfortunately, in the Forum, there is no table exactly 15 steps away. So when Hermione gets to her destination, and goes to set down the books, she trips over the fact that there is nothing there. The books go flying out of her arms...but in a split second, Hermione pulls out her wand and calls out "Leviosa!" The books start to float in the air, none of them hitting the ground.

With one eye on the floating books, Hermione glances around her new surroundings. She needs to find a safe place to lower her spell and figure out what do to next. Won't someone help her?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes, someone will help her! The flower child will come down out of the tree she'd been climbing to examine the floaty-things spell. Loud and obvious magic is usually entertaining, in her experience, and this so far is no exception.

Yes, she's going to poke one of the books, just to see what happens. She's ready to catch it if it falls. If the rest fall... Hermione can cast the spell again, right?

"Neat. How'd you do that?"

As long as Hermione has her wand raised, none of the books will fall. She is making little motions with the wand to get the books to float in mid-air.

The one that gets poked, opens up and sort of 'flutters' higher.

"With magic." She gives a very straight-forward answer.

There is a couch nearby, that Hermione can start directing the books towards. Letting each one gently fall onto the soft cushions at a time.

There's a boy in green, grey, and black, wearing a golden crown, who can't be more than twelve watching. His expression lighting up when the books float. "That seems a useful spell! How did you learn it?"

"It was one of the first spells that students are taught in Hogwarts." Hermione flashes a quick smile. She is making small motions with her hand, until she can maneuver the books over to a safe spot to lower them.

Frea's enjoying the show so much, she's not even bothered by the useless answer. It's much more interesting to poke another book and watch it flutter. "They look like butterflies."

But are, perhaps, more easily herded. When she sees the books headed for a couch she'll try poking them in that direction.

"You go to Hogwarts?" The boy's expression lights up, and he jumps down from the balustrade on which he had been perched. A magpie that may be no more than imaginary flutters down to perch on his upraised arm. "That's so cool! I'm on sort of a work-study, myself--long story."

"Fortunately, none of these have any bad manners," Hermione smiles slightly. The books are easily herded towards the couch.

"I have since finished my schooling there. But yes, I spent many good years at Hogwarts." Hermione has to smile at his enthusiasm.

"Are you studying with a school similar to Hogwarts?"

The boy grins, gaze sliding to one side in mock-innocence. "Mmmmmore the 'school of life' variety. Or possibly of hard knocks, but I hear they have those at Hogwarts, too." He sighs, digressing from his digression back to the topic at hand. "No, I'm learning what I can, where I can. It's a disorganized curriculum, but lively."

"I have always believed it was important to learn what you can, where you can." Hermione finished with her task of putting the books safely down.

Then she put her wand away, to extend her hand in greeting. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"It's a good attitude to have," the boy agrees. The offered hand is shaken, the introduction answered, "Loki Laufeyson. Delighted to meet you, Ms. Granger. So, what's your post-grad work look like?"

"Do butterflies have bad manners where you're from?" That draws Frea up short. "I'm so sorry to hear that."

When the books are on their way she has to ask: "What do they do?"

"Oh no... not butterflies. Books with bad manners." Hermione clarified.

"I have a few magical books in my pile, and sometimes they can get into mischief."

Hermione takes careful note of his name. Then smiles, a little sadly, at his question. "I have found a very nice college to continue my education, but those are mostly typical classes. At the moment, there is few places that offer increased magical studies."

It's a distinctive name, splashed and scrawled across the pages of myth--paired with that surname, there's scant mistaking him for any other.

"Well, they do say it's important to have a well-rounded education. At least, I hear it often enough," he quips.

Her mind is already referencing all the books that held that distinctive name. And all the myths that are connected to the name itself.

This meeting is even more special because of the connection that the name has.

"I do enjoy the classes I am taking. Biology. Sociology. Psychology. But I do miss learning new spells."

Loki, adopted son (or blood-brother, depending on the myth) of Odin, adopted brother of Thor, trickster, liar, scar-lip, kin-slayer, he who is murder, hate, and spite. Wasn't he cute at this age?

"Well, you've come to the right place for that!" he laughs. "You can learn all sorts of things, here."

"I am glad to hear that." Hermione smiles again. She is mentally going through those books and myths, to determine if any one of them spoke of Loki at a young age.

"And it must be a good place to learn, if you are here."

Does Hermione's world have Marvel Comics? Journey Into Mystery? If not, the best she's likely to come up with are the adventures he had in drag, or the time a horse got him pregnant, or the ever-popular tale of when he tricked one of his brothers into killing another.

"Needs must, when the devil drives," he observes cheerfully. "You would not believe the project I've found myself. Although that seems to be the default reaction to me doing things, these days."

If there are Marvel Comics in her world, Hermione has not come across it. So most of her references don't give her any answers for this situation.

But the chance for more questions is quite appealing.

"You have a project?"

"Arts and crafts," he demurs, "but I'm short a few supplies. I need the hottest fire imaginable, the coldest quench, and the hardest thing. I am gonna make the most amazing scrapbook." Can you trust a smile like that?

No, you absolutely cannot trust a smile like that.

"That does sound like an incredible task before you." Of course, Hermione knows of a couple of spells that might help his task. But one is extremely dangerous.

Everything is dangerous, if you try hard enough. "Oh, truly," he agrees, with a solemn nod that should not at all be taken seriously. "Lo, the sagas are rife with bold heroes who perished, for their sticker-game was weak, and their margins lacked sufficient dazzle."

"Didn't they know that the margins are where you put the most important facts?"

"In a scrapbook?" Loki is incredulous, but considers the idea and shrugs. "I suppose not. Probably why they died. So! Lesson learned for us, then."

Page 1 of 4