Warnings : Unedited.

Note : For those that read the first Hadrian Romanoff I plan on bringing Steve in earlier. The arc I had planned for him last time didn't wanna cooperate with me so I'm scrapping it and doing something else. At the moment he's still frozen but it won't be long now.

Second Note : As well as (re)writing Hadrian Romanoff, I've also started working on a few other stories from my long list of ideas. I had planned to focus on them after finishing the original Hadrian Romanoff but we know how that worked out. So if I end up posting another story or more, don't worry, I'm not giving up on this one.

Last Note : Some chapters will be rewritten faster than others based on original length, whether I changed something in a previous chapter that warrants a change, and whether I've decided to add more scenes to expand the world a bit more. (Like I got requests for more about the New York Visit so I'll be adding more to that.)


Chapter Three : Setting You Up (For A Happy Ending)


Sirius glanced curiously around the cluttered lab, trying to make sense of what he could see as Tony and Bruce lead him to the back of the room.

There was a tall metal archway attached to a round platform. It wasn't the strangest looking thing in the room nor the most advanced but Sirius had long learned not to underestimate something Tony built. The Great Toaster Incident made sure of that.

"What exactly do you need me for?"

"We want to study the effects and changes to a person's physiology when they go through transformations," Bruce explained. "We've been consulting with Dr. McCoy and Professor Xavier from the Xavier Institute as well as Dr. Richards..." Tony muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath. "But their research is based on the X gene and external forces that bring about the change."

"Not wizards like me," Sirius said with understanding.

Bruce nodded. "We're sure that there are differences between, say, a mutant with the ability to turn into an animal and a wizard who has to learn the process of turning into one, like you did."

Tony stepped away, calling out orders to JARVIS as he circled the machine. He removed a small panel to check on the wiring inside and stuck his arm under the arch to see if the sensors were working properly.

"Since we've already studied the magical 'core' as it is with you, Remus, and Hadrian we should be able to detect any changes or anomalies when you shift into Padfoot. I spoke to Remus and he agreed to have his next transformation monitored as well." Bruce said.

"You think you can help him?" Sirius asked intently, staring straight into Bruce's eyes.

Bruce looked away from the intense gaze and cleared his throat. "I'd like to try. The recent discovery of the Wolfsbane potion has helped but there's no telling what long term side effects there could be. If we have a better understanding of the process itself and what it does we should be able to come up with an alternative aid which effects we'll know about."

Sirius clapped his hands together. "Let's get this thing started then."

Tony and Bruce had Sirius under the arch for over an hour, asking him to shift as quickly or as slowly he could manage, requesting for him to perform different spells before shifting, seeing if he could perform magic in his shifted form. Tony was nearly mauled by the large black dog when he brought out a dog whistle to 'test how far the physiological changes went' - Bruce had to threaten putting a collar and leash on Tony for things to calm down again.

At one point Sirius sneezed just as began to shift and ended up sporting dog ears and a tale. It took Bruce fifteen minutes to prevent Tony's death of an overdose of laughter and another ten minutes to pull Tony and Sirius apart when the billionaire told JARVIS to send the video to everyone in the tower.

"I'm working with children." Bruce removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Doctor Banner, it seems we have an intruder," JARVIS said just as Bruce heard the sound of soft and quick footsteps.

He turned to see Hadrian running toward them, his arms stretched out in front of him. He ran to Bruce first and wrapped himself around the man's leg tightly.

"Unca 'Ruce!"

"Hadrian, what have I told you about running with your arms out like that?" Bruce reprimanded.

Hadrian blinked before responding in a soft voice. "Not to."

"And why is that?" Bruce continued.

"'Cause it makes me loppy." Hadrian answered, hiding his face in the fabric of Bruce's pants.

"The word is unbalanced." Bruce corrected. "How you got loppy from that I'll never understand." He pointedly ignored Sirius' sudden jaunty whistling.

"Whatcha doing, Unce 'Ruce?" Hadrian asked, happily changing the subject.

"Studying the differences between Sirius and Padfoot and the changes he goes through when he shifts." Bruce explained evenly as if he wasn't talking to a three year old. "We might even be able to extropolate some data on the process of becoming an Animagus which we can use to help you if you decide you want to become one, too."

"Uh course I'm gonna be a Animag, Unca 'Ruce. Unca Padfoot says Daddy was one, too, and I wanna be like him. And he'll look down from Heaven and say 'wow, my son is sure a cute Animag' and Mommy will tell him to stop 'ragging about it to my grandmas and grandpas." Hadrian said fiercely. The dark haired boy didn't notice the effect his words were having on Sirius, who was staring at his godson with watery eyes and a proud smile.

"It's 'an Animagus', Hadrian." Bruce corrected. "But other than that, I'm sure you're right."

"Pup, when we're done I'll take you to get ice cream, promise." Sirius added after blinking away his unshed tears.

"Oh, cool!" Before Bruce could stop him Hadrian ran to his godfather.

He went straight through the sensors, setting off alarms as well as sending new readings to Tony's computer. The different signals automatically separated into two categories - Black, Sirius and Unknown. Tony immediately set to working through it, typing in commands for the program before their data could be ruined.

Hadrian didn't notice any of it and jumped into Sirius' arms. Sirius caught out of reflex and held the boy to him.

"Hadrian! Come here!" Bruce stepped forward to pull Hadrian away before something could happen but Tony quickled moved in front of him, blocking him.

"Hold up there, Brucie. Something's up." Tony said seriously, turning to look strangely at Hadrian who was focused on naming all of the ice creams flavors he knew.

"What? What is it?" Bruce asked even as he moved to see what had caught his colleagues attention.

On the holographic screen were two readings, one for an adult male and the other for a small child. The outline of the adult was filled with purple, showing how Sirius' magic moved throughout his body - the scans read as normal.

The child's readings - colored green with much less data - were another thing entirely.

"Uh, guys?" Sirius called out anxiously when he saw the confusion and worry on the scientists' faces.

"Sirius, we need you to step out from the arch and leave Hadrian in there. We need a better reading of... whatever this is."

Sirius, though he desparately wanted to bury them in questions, did as he was told. He set Hadrian down, telling him that Bruce and Tony wanted to look at his magic too and to be still unless they said to move. Hadrian agreed easily and sat cross legged on the platform.

When Sirius walked over to them Tony silently pointing at Hadrian's scans. The small outline filled with moving green indicative of Hadrian's magic looked normal - except for the mass of pulsing dark purple and black centered in his head, splintering out all the way through his neck.

"Merlin," Sirius breathed. He knew it couldn't be a birth defect from either a bad combination of genes or from being exposed to dark magic while Lily was pregnant - Hadrian had been put under diagnostic spells both at St. Mungos and Gringotts - so it must have happened after he was born. He suddenly paled when he realized what he was looking at.

Bruce was almost too afraid to ask, "Sirius, do you know what that thing is?"

"If I had to guess, it would have to be connected to whatever Hadrian was attacked with that night. Look, the middle of it is right where Hadrian's scar would be." Tony's eyes never left the readings.

"Tony's right. Hadrian, well Harry, was scanned for any problems when he was born and he was perfectly healthy. If this is what I think it is, which would explain a lot actually, then we need to remove it from him as quickly as possible. It's not supposed to be done to a living thing, Merlin, it's not supposed to be done at all. Even dark wizards look down on it."

Bruce peered closely at Sirius' pale and stricken face. "What do you think it is?" Tony tears his eyes away from the readings to look at Sirius as well.

Sirius stared blankly at the readings. "Ever heard how murder kills the soul?" He started after a long moment of silence. Bruce and Tony nod, looking confused. "It's true. Murder committed in cold blood literally tears the soul. Thousands of years ago the Egyptians found a way to take advantage of it. The idea was to find a way to cheat death, to folly Anubis, Osiris, Nephthys, but they discovered that the price of challenging the balance of the world to be too high."

"What did they do?" Bruce asked in a whisper.

"They split their souls." Sirius said simply, his words heavy. "They willingly and knowingly tore their souls and ripped a part of it out of them, trapping it in an object of great meaning to them. The soul jar, the Horcrux, would tether their spirit to the land of the living and allowed them to return to a half life after they died. It kept them from truly dying but it also kept them from truly living. Whatever part of the soul was left in their body when they died moved on to the afterlife, leaving only the tainted one behind. Living with nothing but half of a tainted soul weakened them, magically, physically, spiritually, mentally. It broke their bodies and their minds."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Eventually the soul jars were all destroyed, the souls returned to their natural bodies, but they were cursed. They had tried to defy their gods and had to pay the price. No one is sure of what the price is, what punishment was handed down on them, only that the Egyptians forbade the practice. Not that it stopped the information from getting out."

A heavy silence filled the room at Sirius' words.

"Are you telling me that the dark wizard who tried to kill Hadrian left behind a piece of his soul?" Tony finally asked.

Sirius nodded. "It would explain much. Dumbledore was alway sure that Voldemort was delving further into the Dark than anyone else and we all knew that he was obsessed with living forever. And as time went by in the war he went from being a supposedly charismatic and charming handsome man who worked from the shadows to a insane tyrant who only cared about raids and having everyone fear his name."

"Creating these soul jars would have made him insane, changing his tactics." Bruce realized.

"At the time we just thought he was mad at his slow progress but this makes more sense. I'm not sure why he would make Hadrian one or if he even meant to do so. Using a living person as a Horcrux comes with a risk of the person either being possessed or the person's own soul overtaking the splintered one and tearing it out."

"So Hadrian is either going to be alright or he's going to be possessed by a dead wizard?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"How do we get it out?" Bruce asked.

Sirius let out a strangled breath. "The only known way to release the trapped soul is to..." He trailed off, hanging his head, unable to finish.

"Is to what, Sirus?" Bruce pushed.

"The only way to release the soul is to destroy the vessel." Sirius finished hoarsely.

"What?" Tony's voice is sharp and dangerous and scared.

"Unca Siri, is it ice cream time yet?" Sirius' head snapped up at his godson's voice. Hadrian was still sitting innocently under the arch, completely unaware of the tension or the reason behind it.

Sirius shared a desperate with Bruce and Tony before walking over to Hadrian, a forced skip in his step. "Sure thing, Pup. Let's go get our coats and we can go."

"Yay!" Hadrian pushed himself up off the ground quickly and rushed out to grab his godfather's hand, smiling up at him. He didn't realize how close he was to breaking the man's heart. "Did Unca 'Ruce and Tony finish up?"

Tony plastered a large grin on his face. Bruce would later note that it looked remarkably similiar to the one he wore during press conferences. "Yeah, kid. We got enough to play with for a while, but we want to do it again in a few days. That cool with you?"

Hadrian started to nod but then stopped himself. "Haveta ask Mommy. She said she'll be home tomorrow from the pizza place."

"You mean Italy?" Tony's smile turned a bit more real.

"Yeah, so gotta ask her. But not now, now's ice cream time." Hadrian said seriously, tugging at Sirius' arm to lead him out of the lab. Sirius sent a worried look back at the scientists before turning back to Hadrian, listening to him babble about something involving pepperoni.

Once he was sure the two were gone Bruce turned to Tony, panic in his light brown eyes. "What do we do?"

Tony's blue eyes glittered with determination. "We're going to do what I do best. If they say the only way to get rid of this thing is to destroy the vessel then we're just going to have to find another way. J, baby, you listening?"

"Always, Sir," Bruce was certain he heard the same determination in JARVIS' voice that he saw in Tony's eyes.

"Good. We'll start with the readings we have now - we can do a more in depth work up when Natashalie gets home. Hell, we might not even have to do anything. She'll probably just be able to glare the thing out of his head." Tony joked. "We can ask the good professor to do poke around a little, see what he can make of it."

Bruce rolled up his sleeve as he stepped up to the keyboard. "Sirius knew a lot about them so he probably learned it from his family since we know Hogwarts doesn't teach that sort of thing. His family library should help us."

"J, get in contact with Stephen and Wanda. We're going to need all magical hands on deck here."

"Certainly, Sir. And may I suggest bringing in him."

"If you have to send a memo to Richards. As idiotic as the guy is he might open up a portal on the little guy's forehead and banish the thing to another dimension." Tony continued as if he hadn't heard JARVIS speak.

"Tony," Bruce said warningly.

Tony sighed. "I know. We're going to have to bring him in. The brat's just a bit more important than a grudge."

"Just a bit," Bruce's lips twitched despite the situation.

"Alright. Next time we see Tropic Thunder we'll have him go fetch the Princess of Darkness." Tony waved his hand in annoyance.

"There will be no need to have my brother play messenger."

Tony stiffened.

Loki appeared out of nowhere mid step, a dangerous smirk on his face.


Bruce sighed for what felt like the hundredth time. He was sitting next to Tony who was uncharacteristically silent, glaring at the man who was walking around the lab casually, examining the things that caught his eye.

After Loki's sudden appearance - something Bruce was sure wasn't a coincidence and made him even more paranoid about the god having eyes and ears everywhere - he hadn't said much more than that he was there to help, but only once they called for it.

While normally this would have meant Natasha had to ask for his assistance it was Loki they were dealing with Tony had to suck it up and ask.

Bruce was just about ready to kick Tony in the shin when the genius opened his mouth to speak - finally.

"Do you even know what you're looking at, Reindeer Games?" Bruce sighed, remembering that it was Tony Stark he was dealing with.

Loki glanced back at them, his eyebrow arched elegantly. "It's a particle beam weapon, specifically designed to target disrupt inorganic cells." He laughed at the expressions on Bruce and Tony's face. "You would do well to remember that in Asgard I am the equivalent to your station, Weaponsmith. I have studied your realm's socerery, your science, since its inception and discovery. Do not think so little of me."

"Are you going to help Little Merlin or what?" Tony demanded instead of pouting or pumping the god for information like Bruce knew he wanted to.

Loki tilted his head up, as if in thought. "Yes, I do believe I will." He didn't say anything more. Tony rolled his eyes.

"It's like dealing with a you who's lived for thousands of years," Bruce noted wryly.

Tony looked offended then considering, a sly grin sliding over his face at the thought.

Bruce's eyes widened in fear. "No! You and Loki are not allowed to work together! Not in a lab, not in the kitchen, not at all!"

"Hate to break it to you, Brucie, but he and I are going to be working together to keep Baba Yaga away from the kid." Tony said.

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Do I ever?"

"Surprisingly, yes. It's just that we don't know you're making sense until later." Bruce said.

Tony waved his hand dismissively. "What we need to focus on at the moment is finding another way - a safer way - to get that thing out of the kid's head. As fast as possible, too. Who knows what having someone else's soul trapped in your head will do?"

"I believe you're forgetting one thing, Stark." Loki said, his eyes on a prototype for a new arrow and his focus on the conversation.

Tony and Bruce winced, already knowing what the god was referring to - possibly the most dangerous part of the whole situation.

Loki turned to face them, a grin playing at his lips. "Who will have the honor of informing your woman warrior? The Murderess Natasha."


Natasha stared down the proclaimed god before her as if he didn't tower over her by at least a foot. Her cold and angered glare had long since cowed Bruce and Tony - who had shuffled off to the side under the pretense of going over the readings - but Loki was frustratingly unaffected.

"Explain."

Loki arched an elegant eyebrow, seemingly completely at ease with the whole situation. "And what do you wish for me to explain?

"You can start with what you know," Natasha demanded, unimpressed with his stalling.

"I have long since known of the tainted presence embedded in young Hadrian's body." Loki said simply.

The table cracked under Natasha's fingers.

Loki simply glanced at the damage before dismissing it entirely. "Upon its discovery I delved into my studies, searching for answers. While your realm only found their uses in recent history," Tony's cheek itched at hearing something discovered thousands of years ago referred to as 'recent history'. "Others have not been so lax."

Natasha didn't say anything, only continued to glower at the man - though it softened minutely and her body lost just a bit of its tenseness. Loki didn't fall for the subtle lowering of her guard - something that both amused and irked her. Loki noticed this and sent her a small smirk.

"What do you know?" Natasha finally relented. She could have held out indefinitely except that it was her son at stake.

A contrite look flashed over Loki's face before disappearing. He sighed softly. "Through my texts I have learned the most common method of removing the soul shard from its vessel is - as your dog man said - to destroy the vessel." The reminder had Natasha repressing the urge to growl in frustration and anger. "Not accepting this I delved deeper into the works of the Forbidden and came out with the answer I was searching for. There will be no need to slay young Hadrian to rid him of the taint."

Natasha truly relaxed at that.

"The ritual itself may do it for us."

There was a loud crack. A piece of the table - already weakened from before - broke off in Natasha's deceptively small hands.

"Explain."

Loki sat silent for a moment, though whether to gather his thoughts or to irritate her she didn't know. "The ritual was founded by a race of Fae considered lost to war and time. As practitioners of White Magick, dissimilar to Light Magick despite what one may think, they sought to cleanse any Darkness they came across. When a traveling Necromancer used a young Fae from the village to house part of his severed soul, believing their calm temperment and peaceful living would mean no one would suspect what he had done, they learned of its ways." Loki explained. "The ritual they devised is quite simple, though simple does not always equate easy. It is a cleansing of the vessel's mind, body, and soul as dictated by the three elements of the Fae. 'By the sea, by the sky, by the earth, purify what is tainted, lighten what is darkened.'

"There is a risk, as I said. To have one's mind, body, and soul cleansed so wholely, to have all that is unpure purged from the body, is a dangerous endeavor for those of an unclear mind. Our saving grace, as you might refer to it as, is that Hadrian is young and untouched by the darkness through his own actions."

Tony stepped forward, unable to hold back. "So because whatever 'taint' the kid has going on isn't from anything he did himself he'll be safe?" Loki nodded, the simple action far too regal for Tony's taste.

"What does the cleansing ritual require?" JARVIS asked. A glance at one of the screens showed a blank memo list.

"Three elements split into seven. Odd over odd. A drop of sea, a part of sky, a piece of earth purified by that which is clean." Loki started. "Relatively easy to obtain. A flower grown by a child, water from a pond where lovers met for the first time."

"That shouldn't be too difficult," Bruce agreed.

"Yeah, but let's not take any chances." Tony added. "J, baby, why don't you run a nationwide search for those heartwarming stories people love so much. Try to focus on children and animals if possible, less of a chance of someone lying or having an ulterior motive."

Natasha looked at the men who didn't hesitate to help her son with gratitude, something they hadn't seen on her before. The moment ended quickly and she turned back to Loki. "What are the other four?"

"A drop of blood, a part of lightning, a piece of burial burned by that which is tainted."

Tony paused in his movements. "What does that even mean?"

"Worry not, Stark, I know where to find what is needed." Loki assured condescendingly.

"Of course you would, you -" Whatever Tony was going to say was cut off when Bruce put his hand over the billionaire's mouth. He didn't move it when Tony licked it, only stared at the man over his glasses in a manner reminiscent of a scolding teacher. Tony huffed, crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes.

Bruce grinned tiredly. "And the final requirement?"

Loki shifted in his seat - the first sign of discomfort he had shown. "A kiss of true love."

"He's three," Bruce deadpanned.

"You assume all love is romantic," Loki chastised. "Would a mother not lay down her life for her child? Would a brother not fight armies? Would a child not rebel to keep their sire safe? True love is as much part of the nature of man as hatred." He looked directly into Natasha's eyes when he spoke - startling green for startling green.

"Love is for children," she spat reflexively.

Loki let out a laugh - fake and mocking and harsh. "Do not think you can convince me your heart is so cold. You love your son, would turn against your team, your precious organization, and tear down armies if it meant keeping him from harm. You love your archer, would leave behind your petty attempts at atonement and snap the neck of those who would try to take away his freedom again, who would dare try to make less of what he has built. You love the man behind the armor, would remove even his red haired regent if she thought to hurt him. You love the beast and would take your child, your archer, your team, and disappear with him should he ask and should he not."

Bruce and Tony stared at the scene with wide eyes, unsure of what to do.

Loki leaned forward dangerously, his eyes glinting and his teeth sharp. He spoke quietly but no less intensely. "You proclaim love to be for children but you forget that to me you are nothing more than a child." He looked intently into her eyes for a moment more before leaning back, his point made.

Natasha didn't shift, didn't avert her gaze, didn't blink out of her turn. Loki merely raised an eyebrow.

"I want this done now. That thing is not going to be in my son for much longer." Natasha declared.

Loki's grin was victorious.

The ritual is ready. The stage is set. Begin.