I know this one's not the best chapter, but I'm just trying to get to the part where the story really begins, that should be next chapter, that's where the fun part really starts to kick in.
Hermione and Harry stayed for a couple more of hours talking with the Avengers while drinking a couple of beers. Well, Harry drank a couple of beers, Hermione in the other hand didn't wanted to know about alcohol again in a long time. She found that she liked them very much, and she definitely connected with Nat, as she insisted she called her. It was the weirdest thing, because just like her she was the girl in the men group and had never really gotten along with other girls, but maybe it was because of that. Besides, they were both capable girls, and something they had in common it was their dislike for the women that acted like they needed to be rescued or something, Hermione was the brightest with of her age, the one that had keep Harry and Ron alive for over five years; Natasha was the Black Widow, one of the best spies in the world, a freaking Avenger so she knew a lot about all sort of things. So yeah, besides Ginny, it was kind of refreshing to have some womanly company she actually enjoyed talking with.
Hermione realized that, since they were the youngest people in that whole weird group they were being taken like the young siblings, they sort of grew fascinated by them and told them they had to come back at least every weekend. Neither Hermione nor Harry had siblings, and they had considered the Wesley family like their own family, but this was different, it felt like they were more special to them. All in all it had been an incredibly weird day, but she had loved it.
Even though they could just apparate from there, Tony and Steve had insisted on drive them to Hogsmeade so they knew how to get there and join them on one of the weekends; also, they had told them everything about their adventurous years in Hogwarts, as well as the upcoming war, and secretly wanted to make sure they arrived okay. As sixth graders, they were able to go out every weekend, so they started to make plan to meet the next one, they really wanted to know everything about their world. When they arrived to Hogsmead, Hermione sensed Harry and Steve's unease and told Tony they should walk ahead, so she could show him a couple of stores and maybe get an owl for him.
"What's going on with those two?"
"Well, I don't know your friend Harry, but I can already feel Steve is going to be a pain in the ass until next weekend." Tony said with a mocking tone, but a happy smile. All he wanted to do last was help his friend, make him happy, and for Christ's sake he looked like he had just found the love of his life. Knowing Steve, he probably had. He wouldn't have just spent the night with someone he wasn't sure about, even if they hadn't touch at all, also he was a very dramatic intense man, knowing Harry for less than 24 hours was enough to tell him he was the one.
"Yeah, I mean… Harry looks different, I've never seen him like that with anyone, and they only met yesterday."
They arrived to a little pet store and entered, giving Tony a look like he had just discover Santa Claus' home. Just then Steve and Harry entered the shop too, and quickly chose a beautiful redish owl, according to Tony, so it combined with his suit. Men.
They were just walking back to leave Killing Machine, yes, that's what Tony insisted to call her, in the car when a very worried, and terrifyingly very angry professor McGonagall caught them, along with professor Dumbledore, Tonks and Remus.
"For Merlin kids, where have you been?! We presumed you dead!" McGonagall screamed, Hermione actually felt bad because she had always been one of his gold kids, and she couldn't bear the idea of doing anything that disappointed of make her favorite professor angry.
"We are really sorry professor, we got out yesterday and lost track of tim—"
"So you haven't been with Ron?" Remus asked, looking worried and Hermione sensed something was wrong.
"Blimey! You are Capitan America! And you are the bloody Iron Man!" Tonks hair changed from her bright pink to red, white and blue strands. Being a muggleborn she had grown up with the Capitan America comics, and visiting her dad they both had become Avenger fan, following them on the telly.
"Hermione, is everything okay?" Tony discreetly asked her in the ear, nervous about everyone's demeanor.
"I think we should all go to my office, introduce us your new friends, clear things up. Shall we?" Dumbledore said with that twinkle, that said it was not a suggestion, but also had just a little hint of worry and that scared her. He never really looked worried, not even when Harry told Voldemort had come back.
"I'm sorry great master, I don't think we should steal more time from them." Harry surprised everyone, he had always been, after all, Dumbledore's star pupil. Everything he asked for, Harry would comply, but he didn't wanted to drag Steve to whatever trouble they were in this time.
The older men exchanged a look, communicating the way only two people that had shared so much and fought back to back could. Laying a hand in Harry's shoulder Steve said. "It's okay, we only want to help."
They headed all to the castle, Hermione and Harry with afraid, wondering expressions. Not like they were not accustomed to be in trouble, they sneaked out all the time, but this time Ron wasn't there, it was obviously not about just spending the night out. They got the terrifying thought of someone being murder, some big attack, and as the time past they only imagined worse.
Steve and Tony didn't knew what was going on, but they could tell their friends were afraid, and after everything they've told them about the war, that Voldemort that sounded a lot like the old Loki and frankly every villain they have encountered, and their status as wanted by the bad guys, they were a little afraid too. Also, they were nervous about getting them in trouble, but they were extremely curious about seeing Hogwarts. It was a bloody magic school!
They arrived Dumbledore's office, he conjured more chairs and everyone sat.
"What's going in on Tonks?" Harry asked, since she was the most prone to actually tell them what was wrong.
"Professor." She looked at McGonagall, not wanting to be the one that delivered the bad news.
"We noticed Ron and you two weren't on last night's dinner. And this morning, this arrived" She handed Hermione a letter and she read it out loud.
"One would think that being the golden boy's attachment, you would've protect him better. But you have failed him, and frankly, he have failed too, such a weak will. Hand me the Potter boy and maybe the Weasel will be returned entire, or almost entire." Then they saw the picture that was Ron in a little cell, his hand bloody and resting on a side, apart from his arm. Hermione was trying not to let a cry out and Harry fighting the urge to puke, but they remained silent. Steve put an arm on Harry's back but Tony just looked at Hermione, admiring the stoic pose she displayed.
"Severus came back a little after we got the letter, apparently Death Eaters caught him trying to get back on the Knight Bus, took him to a secret house and Imperius him to cut of his hand." Remus' voice trembled a little with contained rage, this was his student, the son of a friend, and the best friend of his practically son now. Who knew if he was even alive still.
"Wait, Snape know where he is?! Then why didn't he rescued him?! What are we waiting for?!" Harry had tried his best to remain calm, but that was just not him.
"Harry, you can't just go the—"
"Steve, his my best friend. And he's there because of me!"
Or because of me, Hermione thought. If she hadn't make him angry, he wouldn't have left and got caught. Tony must've guess what she was thinking because he gave her a look that said Don't, it wasn't your fault.
He was feeling guilty now, because he had been on to make the kid angry, but Hermione was a beautiful girl and he was a bastard that enjoyed teasing other people. But that had led to a kid's kidnaping, to torture.
"We'll help, Steve this is what we came London, the strange things happening, maybe it's not aliens or the usual for us. But we can help."
"Now, let's nor rush in. Severus will make sure the boy is no longer harmed, but he can't get him out without blowing his cover."
Tony and Steve could only assume this Severus was a spy, but the hostility in Harry's voice suggest there was no lost love in there.
"So, what's this Avengers thing?" Asked Remus, intrigued with the present men, Tonks' reaction didn't help and he just couldn't figure out what the relation with his two kids were. Well, they were not HIS kids, but Harry was like a son to him, it was his bests friends kid and godson and with only him left it was his job to take care of him; Hermione, however, he had always had a special connection with, it reminded of him at that age, and even though she had parents and friends, just like he had, he knew what it was to be different, so she was special to him more in a friend way, almost like a daughter too. He claimed to know this two kids very well, but they had never mention anything of this, and their behavior was weird, Hermione didn't use to be so comfortable around anyone but Harry, Ron or him, and Harry clearly had something going on with the big one, he had never seen him like that, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.
"I think I can answer that, Remus." Dumbledore used that tone again, the one that said he knew just everything. "The Avengers are a group of talented people, with very different abilities that protect this world, fighting with those that threaten it. They are muggles, yes, but very special ones. As you must know, there are thousands of other planets, dimensions, realities in the universe, and these young men fight against other planet creatures."
"How come you know about us and yet, we didn't knew anything until this morning?"
"SHIELD, I think is your organization is called, contacted me a long time ago, they wanted to catalogue us, maybe even cooperate with us. Our minister, of course, was a purist of the blood and refused to work with muggles, so we just protect each other secrets but stay out of the way. That's why "alien" attacks are treated by you, and people like Voldemort are only taken care by wizards—"
Green flames bursted out of the Floo, one tired looking Snape supporting an even weaker Ron, clothes torned and dirty, but alive. As a trained auror Tonks was fast in response, levitating Ron to the infirmary; his two friends looked like they wanted to follow them, but knew that the best was to let him get taken care of and that he rested, also, they wanted to know what was going on.
"Severus, take a sit, I'm glad to see you could get him out but, what happened?"
"Apparently, they took professor Burbage too, but didn't counted on the fact that a safe house in the middle of nowhere doesn't inhabilitate muggles artifacts, frankly I don't know what she did, but she knew that she wasn't going to make it and give me enough distraction to take him, I you excuse me now sir, I have to go back before they notice me missing."
Saying so he got back into the Floo and left with a green fire behind him. Tony had a tons of questions to ask, but he could see the sadness in Hermione and Harry's eyes, as much as the eyes of the grown up. Steve didn't even seemed to notice the amazing teletransportating that had just happened, too focused on talking low and gently to Harry, but no as close as he did in the tower.
"Professor Dumbledore." Hermione's soft voice sounded sad but strong, a look in the eyes of someone that at such a young age had endure more than most adults have. "I hate to be the one that says this, but Muggle Studies is such an important subject and even more these days, what are we going to do?"
"Those are rather unfortunate news." Dumbledore said, the portray of calm that a leader should always be. "Sadly, in these times specially, we cannot afford to leave our kids without such a special matter, and as much as I'd like to respect Charity's death, you are right, Miss Granger, we need to find someone soon."
Steve and Tony looked each other, noticing the intention in the old man's voice. After everything that had just happened in the last day, they grew too much attached to those two young people they had know for a day, and refused to let them go just like these.
"So, Muggle Studies… what is that? I mean, I am a muggle right?" Tony asked no one in particular, not having the patience of waiting until they figure out everything that was going on.
"Yes." Remus said, still unease at the presence of the two men. "It basically teaches students how the muggles live. Their history, their habits, they culture."
Hermione gave Tony a look, sensing perfectly what he was trying to do. It was scary that they had just met last night and she already knew him so well, but she knew what he was doing, and she didn't like it. They shouldn't get involved in all that chaos. Steve knew his friend much too well too, and didn't exactly liked it either, but he did would take whatever opportunity he had to be around Harry, and if Tony spent all his time here, maybe he would be able to do it too.
"It sounds like something a muggle should do, right? I mean, who would know better about our culture than us?" Dumbledore smiled, liking Tony's humor and how he seemed to perceive what he planned and being a bit more direct about it. He didn't seemed to be one he could control or manipulate just as easy, no, but he would come to that when it was needed. For good or bad, Harry and Miss Granger seemed to be attached to those two men, and he liked to have in hand what could be useful.
"Well, yes sure muggles could be the ones to teach the subject, if it weren't for the fact that they are not supposed to know about us, now that I remember." Remus barked, realizing what was about to happen and not liking it a bit.
"It's our fault." Steve said, talking out loud for the first time. "We just realized that neither Harry nor Hermione were like normal people, and just insisted on knowing more and more."
"I'm really sorry professor, I knew that Steve was not a normal muggle so I didn't saw the harm on telling him about everything." Harry defended, not wanting Steve taking the blame. To be fair, he wasn't even sure what had happened the night before, even though they had barely touched their drinks. As soon as he met Steve, he knew there was something different and special about him. They connected, and he felt the most calm and happy talking to him than he had ever feel.
"Now, I can feel these are to fine boys, Harry. This is not what matters right now. On contrary they could be of help now, if they were willing to. We do have one vacant on our staff now, although that's only one place, I'm sure there a lot both the Avengers and us can learn from each other, meaning a few places could be taken in the castle."
"Well, personally I don't know how good teacher can I be," Tony said, feeling the burning stare of Hermione and ignoring it. "But sure as hell I could not lose the opportunity to live in a magical castle. My inner Disney lover would never forgive me."
"Sir, are you sure this is a good idea? We don't know them and—"
"Remus, it's going to be fine. Right now we need all the help we can get. Don't you trust me?"
That words seemed to be what got him. Those were the words that Sirius said to him before getting trapped in Azkaban for twelve years. He was letting the worry he had felt for his kids blind him, but was not going to make the same mistake again. Whoever they were, they were clearly important to Harry and Hermione, looking them he could only sense protectiveness towards the young, so he would give them a shot.
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