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Dr. Jane Potter aligned her telescope thoroughly, centring the primary mirror’s sweet spot in the eyepiece’s field of view.
For this special occasion, she was using Lord Aries Black’s enchanted Telescope, the one Kreacher had retrieved from the Black Vault when she decided to leave and pursue Astrophysics.
Contrary to the Muggle Telescope she used in her mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig’s presence, this one was way more advanced.
“I will catch you tonight,” she smirked when she caught a glimpse of the golden light she noticed whenever she gazed at the Northern Lights through her Telescope.
She shivered burrowing deeper into her thick parka. The weather was a stark contrast to London where it had been unseasonably mild when she left with Dr Selvig two days ago.
The air was dry and freezing but she felt instinctively good about Tromsø straight away.
She knew she would locate the Bifröst during this trip.
All around her, the sky was a canvas of light, creating a new picture within seconds and whispering long-lost secrets through the delicate dancing lights.
The colours splayed before her eyes, stunning and mystical.
Green hues morphed into vibrant blues as they blended with the beautiful silver—the reflection of the Valkyries’ armour as they led the warriors to Odin.
It was another Aurora Borealis.
The thought of being there with someone special lingered uncomfortably for a moment in her thoughts before she lost herself in the feeling of complete contentment that enveloped her.
She might find what she had been after for months.
High Master Astronomer Aries Black claimed the blazing colours were the souls of brave soldiers who died in combat.
He believed the light to be the Bifröst Bridge, a glowing, pulsing arch which led fallen warriors to their final resting place in Valhalla.
Of course, Jane did not share all her knowledge or true identity with Dr. Selvig though she was certain he suspected something.
The anonymity her new life offered was what she had been after when she left her previous life.
She didn’t need the money. If she wanted to spend the next one hundred decades living like a reclusive vampire who drinks Butterbeer instead of blood, she had the funds to do it comfortably.
However, after the war, she took a vow to honour her godfather’s legacy and uncover the stars’ secrets.
Astrophysics surprisingly suited her.
Jane didn’t consider herself to be the sort of person who would get stressed out or overwhelmed. She had seen and done so much to be startled or grow impatient anymore.
Her life, in general, had been stress-packed but speaking to Hermione one night, made her realize how uptight she was feeling. It was because of the war.
There were lots of things happening all at the same time. She never got time to think for herself, to do what she wanted. For her.
And so, she embarked on this huge adventure knowing it was about time she started embracing every opportunity that came her way.
After she finished a one-year Astronomy Apprenticeship in Reykjavik, she paid the Goblins a hefty sum of money to forge a new identity and take accelerated courses at Culver University; where the best Astrophysicist taught.
She joined Dr Erik Selvig’s research and so, her new journey started.
“I didn’t know he spent his evenings relaxing in pools, socializing and drinking Juleøl,” she sniffed. “What a slave driver.”
Despite the Warming Charms she kept muttering under her breath, she knew she couldn’t bear to stay out in the open for too long.
“Come now, Heimdall,” she called to the Aesir God dwelling at the entry to Asgard, knowing he was undoubtedly hearing her pleas. “Let the Rainbow Bridge down. Just a glimpse, please.”
A celestial ballet of eerie golden light started dancing in what she recognized as the Yggdrasill’s branch connecting Midgard to Asgard.
“Yes! Do not stop, I beg you,” Jane breathed exhilarated, her heart thumping wildly in her chest, hardly able to conceal the shaking of her hands.
Impulsively, she leaned forward making sure no detail escaped her notice.
She was about to take a glimpse of the Bifröst.
It was—
Her gloved fingers tightened around the Telescope.
A burning bridge of molten gold started far away. The blazing colours swept through the starlit sky as if they were nothing. It surged boldly, getting closer by the minute.
Its flow was smooth and strong, reflecting stars and constellations’ light.
“Merlin’s Mercy,” Jane whispered, mesmerized by the ethereal sight.
She wondered who would—
She gasped and took a step back, then another when a mighty hammer plummeted down, heading her way.
She flicked the Elder Wand, instinctively thinking of a shield.
A wall of pure magic shimmered before her, her magic answering her call at once.
The hammer crashed against the wall before it hit the frozen ground.
“Certainly, you could’ve sent some Asgardian flowers, you know? Thank you for nothing,” she shot indignantly, glaring at the sky.
Jane swore she heard an amused chuckle in her head.
She shook the odd feeling off, her eyes going to the hammer.
She studied it thoroughly, not daring to touch it yet.
Its shape reminded her of an inverted Tyr Rune.
Intricate designs were forged on the handle, while sparks of lightning danced over its head.
She clutched her wand tighter and took a step forward, her curiosity too great to appease by a mere look.
“Maybe I should run a thorough scan. Could it—“ Jane averred, agog with excitement.
How would Dr. Selvig react to her bringing in an Asgardian artefact?
She doubted his old heart could handle the revolutionary discovery.
Slowly, as if not to startle the hammer, she ran a finger over the Runes.
A loud thud startled her and her fingers closed impulsively around the handle.
The hammer was surprisingly light, she decided.
Stiff and ready to fight off whoever seemed to be stalking her, she turned to face the stranger.
She blinked twice, for good measure.
A half-naked mountain of a man was standing in the deserted forest, seemingly unbothered by the biting cold.
A dozen platitudes occurred to her. Like how come she didn’t sense his Aura, why he was shirtless and why instead of looking threatening with that body, he was staring at her with a quizzical grin?
“You are so pretty but tiny,” he said after a thoughtful silence in a heavily accented voice.
“Excuse me?” Jane squared her shoulders, jutting her chin up. “Maybe you are so big. And just so you know, clothes were invented for a reason. You should learn something new every day, sir.”
His twinkling blue eyes volleyed between the hammer in her hand and her face. The taut muscles of his chest and abdomen rippled with power as he sauntered toward her.
“Excuse my immodesty, my lady. Father did not give me an appropriate warning before he threw Mjölnir away. I would have looked my best for you,” he responded with a slow smile, unbothered by her barb.
Jane arched her brow, wondering if the man was a simpleton or a danger she should be wary of.
Instead of replying, she slipped her hand into her pocket and clutched the Elder Wand.
"You are a Seiðr. I sense Death's magic in you. A fair maiden of Misgard with tremendous power. The Norns could not be so cruel as to bestow someone less upon me." The giant's voice dripped with satisfaction.
Jane was not sure how to answer that.
Instead, she lifted the hammer in a threatening manner and said. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
She noticed with alarm that the moment she did that, bright, flashing lightning zipped across the night sky like fireworks while banging, crashing thunder roared furiously.
She winced when her old scar throbbed. It had been five years since it had acted out.
“The Eihwaz Rune marks your forehead, my lady. The Norns are most graceful. I curse every day I spent not looking for you but you cannot blame me. Never thought that my Soulmate was a Misgardian.”
The certainty in the man’s voice was a stab to the heart. The gound seemed to slant beneath her feet before she finally regained her balance.
He stood quietly, staring at her in a way that drew a quiver from deep in her abdomen.
“Surely you are mistaken, I—“ She whispered, her words echoing in the deserted forest.
She wanted to back up but couldn’t.
The stranger ran a large hand through his silky, golden hair and bowed. “Forgive my lack of manners, my lady. I am Prince Thor Odinson of Asgard.”
In the stark craziness of the moment, Jane couldn’t say something so banal. Words seemed to desert her throat for good. “Thor as in….Thor the Norse God of Thunder?” She was careful to keep her tone light and neutral while she was anything but.
“At your service, my lady.” He held her gaze deliberately, his voice deep and smooth as midnight.
She did not notice when he got so close. His rough fingers touched the edge of her jaw, stroking delicately. The gentle caress made her heart throb violently. His fingertips played on her skin until he found the tender hollow behind her earlobe. There was something tantalizing about his nearness, a promise of something she found impossible to resist.
He leaned forward with purposeful intent, his mouth a breath away from her quivering lips. “Tell me your name, my lady.”
“Lady Jane Potter-Black. But I’m using Dr. Jane Potter for now,” she answered unable to deny him a simple introduction.
“Lady Jane,” he savoured the four letters languidly. “It suits you.”
He tried to coax her lips but she turned, giving him her cheek instead. “And for the record, I’m not tiny,” she stressed out.
He threw his head back and chuckled. His hand moved over her back in a lazy circle, influencing her to lean harder against him, until it encountered the edge of the hammer at her side.
The metal object seemed to give him a jolt of reality.
Thor pulled back, smirking. “My lady, whatever I have said wrong, I am truly sorry. I tend to speak without much thought.”
Jane responded with a slow smile. “I've noticed that.”
“I am most pleased that you can wield Mjölnir. Your heart is the purest for my hammer is quite picky.”
“In my world, I’m notorious for doing the impossible. Trouble tends to follow me wherever I go” she said with a startling lack of pretense.
“We are a match made in Valhalla, then.’’ His body exuded extraordinary power as he drew her closer still.
“I don’t jump into relationships, and no, I don’t go in public with shirtless men even if they’re the Mighty Thor. Also…”
She took his face between her small hands distracted by the myriad emotions playing in his expressive eyes and crushed a kiss on his mouth.
The smacking imprint of her lips was fleeting—it was too soft, too fast, though gratifyingly promising.
“Thank you for confirming my theory. Thanks to you and your hammer, Dr. Selvig and I will get our research published.”
Clumsily nodding, Thor looked at her questioningly.
Her lips twitched with amusement. “Of course, my Soulmate is the God of Thunder. You and I are going to have a very lengthy talk, Mr. Thor. But first, let’s get you clothed and fed.”
“I like the sound of this, Lady Jane." His fingers grasped her hand gently.
With a simple thought, she conjured a gold and red checkered shirt that suited him.
Hand in hand, she led him to her hotel room.
The Norns—or the Fates seemed to work in the strangest ways. But she didn’t mind.
The stars had always fascinated her. Maybe it was time she answered their call.