Meanwhile, in the distant realm of Asgard...
Heimdall, standing guard at the Bifrost, frowned slightly as he monitored the teleportation channel. He turned to Odin, the All-Father, and spoke in a deep voice:
"My King, the Bifrost's energy consumption has spiked. An unexpected human appeared in Thor's teleportation stream. How shall we proceed?"
Odin gazed into the radiant, multicolored stream of the Bifrost as if he could see the newly arrived, wand-wielding, and visibly cautious Lockhart. His brow furrowed slightly.
Perhaps finding the appearance of this "insect" an eyesore, Odin's spear—Gungnir, the Eternal Spear—began to emit a faint golden glow. Heimdall immediately felt the overwhelming aura radiating from it.
Suddenly—
A vibrant emerald light materialized in front of Odin, pulsing gently, as though relaying a silent message.
Heimdall's eyes narrowed as he stared at the light, a flicker of vigilance surfacing. His grip on Hofund, the Bifrost Sword, subtly tightened, ready to strike if needed.
Then—
Gungnir's glow faded. Odin's expression relaxed into a faint smile as he said:
"Leave the human be. Someone else will deal with him."
With that, he turned away. Loki, standing nearby, looked confused by the brief exchange but said nothing. He silently followed Odin away from the Bifrost.
---
Back on Earth
Under the hidden gazes of both the Ancient One and Odin…
A flicker of concern crossed Lockhart's eyes as his mind raced, already crafting a plan.
His identity as an outsider was likely exposed.
Even if Odin hadn't noticed, the Ancient One certainly had.
Yet neither had made a move—suggesting, at least for now, tolerance.
That meant he still had room to act.
Lockhart's expression sharpened, the wheels turning rapidly as he refined his next steps.
Meanwhile, Professor Erik Selvig cautiously approached the blond man in emerald robes standing nearby. Though he envied the man's striking looks, his wardrobe screamed not from around here—which only deepened Erik's confusion.
But there was no time to dwell on that. Swallowing his hesitation, he asked:
"Who are you? What just happened was... completely an accident."
Lockhart observed the nervous Erik with a warm smile. With a discreet flick of his wand, he murmured:
"Lockhart's Dazzling Charm."
Instantly, Erik's vision brightened, and Lockhart's face took on a familiar warmth—like an old friend he hadn't seen in years.
Lockhart then lightly touched his left shoulder with his right hand, bowing in refined wizarding fashion.
"Greetings. I am Gilderoy Lockhart," he said smoothly.
"Order of Merlin, Third Class. Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League. Former Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts."
"Due to an unfortunate spatial magic accident, I've found myself stranded here. May I ask—where exactly am I?"
With a subtle flick, he added, "Lumos."
A soft white orb illuminated the area, casting a calming light.
Jane, Darcy, and Erik gasped.
"You—you—!"
Before they could react further, Thor stormed over, shouting:
"Midgardian mage! I am Thor Odinson, son of Odin! I command you to return me to Asgard!"
Lockhart's smile faded. His brow furrowed slightly at Thor's arrogant tone.
He bit down on the urge to retaliate immediately. This was Odin's son, after all—still a prince, not yet the God of Thunder.
Even so, being ordered around like a servant made his blood boil.
Violence wasn't an option—but a lesson?
Yes.
Lockhart coolly raised his wand and pointed it at Thor.
"Incarcerous."
White, rope-like bands shot from his wand, wrapping around Thor's body and binding him tightly.
Startled, Thor roared:
"Human! Name yourself! This is an insult to the future king of the Nine Realms!"
"Your treachery surpasses even that of the Og—"
"Silencio."
Before Thor could finish, Lockhart silenced him.
Thor's mouth moved furiously, but no sound came out. His face turned red with rage.
Lockhart allowed himself a small, smug smile.
He loved seeing enemies fume helplessly.
The angrier Thor got, the more satisfied Lockhart became.
If he didn't teach this spoiled prince a lesson, he wouldn't be Gilderoy Lockhart.
Turning back to the stunned trio—Jane, Darcy, and Erik—he gently waved his wand in a circle.
A soft, white aura spread through the air, soothing their nerves.
With a disarming smile, he said:
"Now, let's return to our earlier conversation."
To their surprise, the strange glow calmed them. Panic faded, replaced by a sense of ease.
Darcy blurted out, "Is… is this magic?"
Lockhart nodded with amusement. "Indeed. May I ask—where are we?"
Before Erik could answer, Darcy bombarded him with questions:
"We're in New Mexico! Mr. Wizard, what's your name again? Where are you from? Can I learn magic?!"
Lockhart raised his wand in a "shhh" gesture.
Darcy pouted but went quiet.
Erik stepped in quickly. "Mr. Wizard, please forgive her excitement."
He introduced them: "I'm Dr. Erik Selvig. These are my students, Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis."
"We're in New Mexico—United States. The nearest town is about 13 kilometers away. You're welcome to ride with us."
Lockhart nodded graciously. "Thank you, Dr. Selvig. You may call me Professor Lockhart."
With a flick of his wand, a small gold bar floated into Erik's hands.
"This is for your trouble. Consider it compensation for the journey."
Erik caught it and weighed it thoughtfully. Judging by the feel, it was probably real.
"This… this is too much, Professor Lockhart. We can't accept—"
Lockhart waved it off. "It's nothing. Gold isn't particularly rare to wizards. Exchange it if you need to."
"I may require some local currency soon."
He added a charming wink, then turned to Jane and Darcy.
"Now, let's head to town. I do enjoy a bit of civilization."
With a casual wave, he gestured for Erik to lead the way.
Erik sighed inwardly as he pocketed the bar. Unlike Darcy, he wasn't easily charmed.
This man was powerful—and clearly more than just a magician.
But he'd shown politeness, composure, and fairness.
That was enough… for now.
He nodded and led the way toward the van.