Storytelling
Alexis looked at the God who was sitting bound to the chair. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought that Dobby of all things would be her undoing. He normally kept out of sight and only came out when she was alone. No one was supposed to know about him, about her. Well, Tony knew, because that man was ridiculously smart, and because Tony knew, Pepper knew. She had made her peace with that. She suspected that Nat knew something, but she hadn’t brought it up. Wanda also maybe knew, since she could sense power and read minds, but the redhead never mentioned anything and didn’t pry. But this man, this enigma had to come into her private room and snoop around. She knew Dobby, he only tried to help…no one could see the books on the bottom shelf. She kept her schoolbooks there. She had put up a spell that only one with magic would be able to see them. Great idea!
She also knew Loki was angry about being tied to a chair and that she now needed to tell him everything. She would be lucky if he didn’t kill her. She could maybe hold her own, but she didn’t have her wand on her and her wandless magic was no were strong enough to hold him off. She could hold her glamour, so her scar was invisible and her eyes had a different color, but that was already stretching it.
Just her luck…but she asked him to give her a chance to explain and he had agreed. So she would tell him. Fuck the secrecy. So with that in mind, she pulled up another chair and sat opposite Loki, who still looked at her with murderous intent.
Alexis took a deep breath, looked him straight in his eyes, and started talking.
‘My name is Alexis Jane Potter and I am…a witch. I was born in England, in a little wizarding village called Godric’s Hollow. My father was James Fleamont Potter and my mother was Lily Evans. Both of them were killed by a Dark Wizard called Voldemort. He also tried to kill me when I was 15 months old. His curse, the Killing Curse, backfired. I have a scar because of that.’
She lifted her hand and the scar became visible. It had the shape of a lightning bolt. Oh man, the irony was not lost on her. ‘Is that why that oaf calls you his lightning sister?’ Loki sneered at her. Alexis shook her head. ‘No, he doesn’t know. That was because I used my taser to bring him down.’ Her taser, that was in her desk, 14 floors down. Wonderful.
She took a couple of moments and explained to Loki how she came to live with her aunt and uncle. How her childhood had been. She skipped the brutal parts, but Loki was no fool and realized there was more to the story. She moved on and told him about Hogwarts, her letter, Hagrid, Diagon Alley, and her friends. She talked about the first year and told him about Quirrell and Voldemort. Loki listened intently. This was unbelievable.
After about an hour she stood up and walked to the kitchen. She rummaged around in there and came back with a glass of water for both of them. She looked at him. She seemed to hesitate.
‘If I untie you, do I have your word you will not harm Dobby?’ She sounded tired. The question took Loki by surprise. She would bargain for that little strange creature but not herself? He stared back intensely. She did not look away, so he knew she knew what she was asking.
‘Surely you do not wish for me to hurt you?’ His smile was downright sinister but he was genuinely curious. She shrugged. ‘At this point, I am sure you want to know more. But if I am wrong, well…’ She shrugged again. He remained silent. ‘Why not call for those avenging misfits?’
Alexis gave him an annoyed look. ‘Sure, and have more people know, great idea!’ The minute those words left her mouth she realized what she said and how she said it. She gulped and even though he was still chained to the chair, she stepped back. ‘Sorry.’
Loki grinned. ‘Well, it’s your lucky day, Miss Lewis…Potter. As it so happens, I do want to know more. So you have my word, if you untie me, I will continue to listen and not hurt your…Dobby.’
Alexis stared at him, before she nodded and with another wave of her hand, Loki was free from the chair. He stood up quickly, took a step forward and towered over the girl. She immediately stepped back and looked up at him with fear in her eyes.
He wanted to frighten her. After all, a little payback was in order. His treacherous mind whispered to him. It would be so easy. He could tear into her, it would be over in less than a minute. He took another menacing step towards her and she again stepped back. She was almost flush against the kitchen counter. He lifted his hand and saw how she flinched. He squinted his eyes when he thought he saw her eyes becoming black for a moment, but it happened so fast, he ignored it. Probably the light or something. He held out his hand and gestured to the glass of water. ‘May I?’
She let out a shivering breath and gave him the glass. He took it, looked at her intently, and suddenly turned around, walked towards the couch and sat down gracefully. He made a continue gesture with his hand, so Alexis steeled herself, walked to one of the comfy chairs, sat down and continued her story.
She told him about the second year, about Dobby, Ginny, Malfoy, the Basilisk and the diary. About running away after blowing up her aunt, about Sirius and the dementors in her third year and more about her school, and her classes. Loki began to ask her questions, she answered him. He wanted to know about her lessons, about Hogwarts, her friends. After another hour and a half her stomach began to rumble. She blushed. ‘I’m sorry.’
It was 7.15 PM and she was hungry. ‘Perhaps some food is in order?’ Loki asked silkily. She nodded. ‘Are…are you hungry?’ Suddenly, now that he knew so much more about her, she didn’t know how to act around him anymore. That and she was still positive he would retaliate.
Loki simply nodded and with his own magic, he conjured a pizza. Alexis had seen him do that before, so she simply thanked him, took a slice, chewed for a few moments and looked at him.
‘There is more. Do you want me to continue now, or another time?’
Loki smirked. ‘Well, I think now would be in your best interest, wouldn’t you say so?’
Alexis gulped. Not out of the woods yet. So she nodded, took another bite from her pizza and talked about the summer before her fourth year. She skipped over the part why she again had left the Dursleys early and told him about Quidditch and the World Cup. She talked about the Triwizard Tournament and her involvement. Her friends that abandoned her. Her loneliness and the bullying she had to endure. After that, her tone became more monotone and Loki realized she hated telling this. Dragons, Merfolk, the Maze. When she got to the part about Voldemort and his resurrection, tears shimmered in her eyes when she told him about her parents. Loki sympathized but didn’t interrupt her.
She blinked. A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away with her sleeve. She continued talking in a soft voice. She told him about how the Minister for Magic did not want to believe Voldemort was back. How after everything she had endured she again needed to go back to her aunt and uncle. How she had finally told Dumbledore what they did to her. How he had responded that going back was for the greater good and that surely it could not be so bad?
Anger now simmered through her voice. She didn’t tell him everything but explained how she had ran away, with the help of Dobby and how she ended up being Jane’s intern. How her life had changed when Tony figured everything out and never spilled her secret. How the man practically adopted her.
‘So now you know.’ She stood up and looked down at him. She was tired. It had been a very long evening and she hated talking about her past. ‘Go ahead, do what you want.’ She suddenly laughed a little hysterically. ‘It’s not like I can stop you, is it?’
Loki got up from the sofa quicker than she could fathom and stood in front of her, grabbing her upper arms in a steel grip. She let out a little yelp, flinched violently, and looked up. In her eyes were so many emotions. Fear, resignation, anger even. The tension left her body as quickly as it came and she looked back down. ‘Please…just get it over with.’ He could clearly hear the lump in her throat she was trying to swallow. He also felt her trembling.
‘I have the feeling there is much more to your story,’ he said while releasing her arms. He put his index finger under her chin, tilting her head, so she looked him in his eyes once more. ‘I admit, I was planning your demise.’ She only blinked. ‘However, you intrigue me, little mortal. So you have nothing to fear. Not right now anyway.’ With those far from reassuring words Loki turned around and left her room, leaving a very confused Alexis behind. Loki didn’t see black smoke surrounding her. It hovered for a moment before it seemed to disappear.