Son of the Storm

Perception

"Dad," Harry said hesitantly.

"Yes, Harry?"

"I really want to go flying – and, I mean, really – want to go flying," Harry said. "But… with all these bad guys on the loose, aren't you busy?"

"A little," Thor said, looking down at his son, and pulling him into a one armed hug. "But not so busy that I can't spend a little quality time with my son." He smiled down at Harry. "And believe me, I would have to be very busy not to be able to do that."

"What if you had an important meeting?" Harry asked, flushing slightly and leaning against his father. His head now came up to his father's armpit, something which Thor noticed with a chuckle.

"You, my son, are growing," he said. "And that is what I have your uncle for," he added, tone playful. "He has answers to everything." He paused. "Well, most things. There are certain matters to which he has no answer to."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that Sif is in love with him and he with her," Thor said, and sighed. "But, though you uncle possesses one of the finest minds in the universe, he does not seem to realise that the regard is mutual."

Harry frowned. "But… she kissed him!" he said incredulously. "On New Years Eve!"

"And very tenderly she did too," Thor observed. "I suspect that he is either afraid of rejection or falling prey to one of his many… I believe the phrase is 'hang ups'."

"Probably," Harry agreed.

Thor sighed. "It is really blatantly obvious that he is in love with her," he said. "There was his reaction to her temporarily being killed during the battle –"

"WHAT?"

"Oh, she was fighting under Paris and the necromancer killed her," Thor explained. "The Wizard she was aiding in battle at the time, Harry Dresden of the White Council, responded by retrieving her body and blasting Gravemoss several hundred miles northwards, into the North Sea."

Harry let out a long, low whistle.

Thor gave him an odd look. "I already told you this."

"That doesn't mean it's any less impressive than the first time," Harry said.

"True," Thor acknowledged. "Though I told Loki on the moon. Which now has a few new craters." He rubbed the back of his head selfconsciously. "There are now a lot of very confused and annoyed astronomers and star gazers wondering what has happened." He looked thoughtful. "Though the conspiracy theorists, according to Tony, are very happy indeed. He told Loki and I not to say that it was him. Apparently it would ruin all his fun." He paused, frowning. "Which, now that I think about it, is very worrying."

"You know, I thought it was looking a bit weird," Harry said slowly. "Hmm? What was that about Tony?"

"He is probably doing something nefarious."

"I think he usually is, to be honest. Good word, by the way."

"Thank you," Thor said. He paused. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you, how is Divination?"

"Easy," Harry said. "I put in earplugs before each lesson and I nod and smile when she pauses for breath. If we get homework, Ron tells me about it afterwards."

Thor nodded. "A sound strategy," he said. "Though be careful not to show too much interest, or she might suggest that you possess the inner eye and have the aptitude to unfog the mysteries of the future." This last was said in a mocking tone with much wiggling of fingers.

Harry stifled a laugh. "Does she have any actual powers? To see the future?" he asked.

"No," Thor said. But he hesitated a moment too long.