The beginning of the school year was always a fraught time. Not only were there lesson plans to dust off, the entire castle to clean and forms requesting new supplies to fill in (in triplicate) there was also the small matter of the returning students.
Not the First years. They were often homesick of course, and the Heads of House would have to lay in a stock of hot chocolate and comforting words, but that was just part of being a boarding school. Nor were the Fifth, Sixth or Seventh years that much trouble, excluding of course the obvious (AKA the Weasley twins) as the students were much too busy studying for exams. Or, well, strictly speaking pretending to study for their exams while engaging in an awkward dance around their classmates and their new developing feelings.
The real danger years then were the Second to Fourth, where the students were comfortable enough at Hogwarts that they weren't homesick, but didn't have enough academic pressure (or hormones) to keep them fully occupied.
Several clubs had sprung up, and Quidditch was always a good distraction, but there were always a few who turned to less traditional means to keep themselves occupied. Seeing as those few were terrors in their First year (traditionally quite a calm one), this meant that, horrifying as it seemed, this would only get worse.
And now… Well. An extra level of complication had been added. In the form of a six-foot Norse God.
"Albus, I promised that if those…Avengers… interfered in my business that I would destroy them where they stood."
McGonagall rolled her eyes.
"Severus, it's those sorts of sentences that convince our students that you are the next Dark Lord," she scolded. Although there was a lack of heat in her words. (And of course she hadn't done anything to encourage certain rumours, she had just… not discouraged.)
"Really Minerva? I rather thought that common opinion had me as a Vampire. Despite the fact that those dunderheads see me consume food every single day."
"Now, now children,' said Dumbledore, breaking up their bickering with a paternal twinkle in his eyes, "I believe that we have strayed from the point somewhat. I asked to meet with you as you are his Head of House," McGonagall nodded in acknowledgement, "and our point of contact as it were with the Avengers."
"I really don't see why they need to be here Albus," McGonagall sniffed. "It's not as if we make a practice of employing diplomacy. I'm not entirely sure we need it."
United, the two teachers stared at the Headmaster, although the bright purple robes with a lime green trim were giving them a bit of trouble. It wasn't that the colours were clashing exactly, it was more to do with the way Dumbledore was able to lighten and dim them at will. They complemented his eyes almost frighteningly well.
"It's not all the Avengers of course," he replied, "Just Thor and Mr Stark. I believe the rest had prior engagements."
"Yes Albus, defending the world!" Snape snarled. "Don't you think we should let the other two get back to that as well?"
"Nonsense! It will be a delight to host them, and to learn from them as well! After all, it isn't every day one gets to meet one of the old Gods! Not without at least two banned Summoning Rituals in any case. And Mr Stark… so strange that a Muggle is able to build a magical artefact and use it to power his own heart. So many advances these Muggles are making. It wouldn't do to be being the times would it?"
"And the emotional trauma that it might cause Mr Potter?" asked McGonagall. "Are we taking that into account?"
"Of course we are!" For a moment Dumbledore looked genuinely hurt. "But think my dear Minerva, this is a chance for young Harry to talk with his erstwhile brother…"
"Bother, more like" muttered Snape.
"…Brother," repeated Dumbledore, "Under somewhat more… controlled circumstances. And after all, forgiveness is the greatest gift one can give!"
He looked pointedly at Snape.
"I'm afraid," continued Dumbledore, "That is all I have to say on the matter."
He sat down at his desk and began perusing what at first glance was paperwork, but as the two Heads of House swept out of his office revealed itself to be a Muggle newspaper.
'NEW CLEAN ENERY CENTRE OPENED IN SCOTLAND!' Screamed the title, above a picture of the Arc Reactor.
"After all," he muttered to himself, "Times do change so quickly these days."
Outside on the Astronomy tower, where the guests had been stowed, things were not going well.
"Steam trains!" scoffed Tony Stark. "I didn't know these things even existed anymore! Right, JARVIS, make a note. I am going to buy one of these babies, gut it, improve its efficiency by 300% and then give it back to them for Christmas. Steam!"
"Is Sir sure that is a wise idea?" The calm voice of Tony's AI came through his specially modified headset (No technology? Hah! Tony Stark took that as a challenge!). "After all, there must be something said for, ahem, tradition."
Tony snorted and gestured at the train below him. He had not been impressed with the way he had been forced to travel.
"It's offending my sensibilities. I can do much better,"
"Yes Sir," sighed JARVIS. He had long since learnt when to abandon the head on attack, and to go for something a little…subtler. A call to Ms Potts was definitely in the future.
"What is it with Brits and all this old stuff anyway?" he asked Thor. "I mean, something like that is all very impressive," he said pointing behind him at Hogwarts, "but I mean it's so 10th century. Don't they know we've reached a new millennia?"
Thor didn't reply, watching the children arrive in the traditional carriages. A specific carriage and a specific child to be honest. Loki was sitting with three other children, two with the same coloured tie as he, and the fourth wearing one in green.
It gave Thor a glimmer of hope to see that Loki had adopted his colours, the red that proclaimed loyalty and love to the firstborn son of Odin. Perhaps his task was not as hopeless as it had appeared that summer.
"Thor, dude, we talked about this right? You can't just start creeping on kids. I mean, there are laws and stuff against that."
"Indeed," said a cool voice from behind them, "And as such I would inform you that our deal still stands: you will keep away from him until, and if, he is ready to talk with you."
Doctor Strange (or was it Snape now?) stepped out from the shadows. He was dressed all in black, and with his teaching robes swirling round his feet, he was quite unlike the man that Tony had, somewhat, come to know.
"Don't blame us! It was your Headmaster, Bumby, no that isn't it, Dumbydore who invited us! Not that it took a lot of convincing! Strange, you have been holding out on us!"
Snape did not look impressed.
"While we are at Hogwarts, you will address me as Professor Snape. Unlike some, I do know how to maintain a secret identity. 'I am Iron Man' indeed!"
"What can I say? It's just too hard to keep the awesomeness of me and the awesomeness of Iron Man apart. You should try it sometime. The not lying thing I mean. You might find it refreshing. Anyway! Are you here to show us to dinner? Because man, am I looking forward to that food. You don't mind if I take some readings do you? The amount of ambient energy here is crazy. I have got to show Bruce this, or he won't believe me!"
Tony was already bounding down the steps with the energy of someone twenty years younger.
With one last glance at the students, Thor moved to follow his. Only to stop when he felt Snape's wand against his back.
"I do hope you will be comfortable here," he said silkily, "After all, it would be unfortunate if there were to be any… accidents. So messy. I would hate to bother the House Elves, and I doubt we could ever truly get the stains out of the flagstones."
"Do you dare to threaten-!" began Thor, but when he turned to confront the other man (possibly with the help of his trusty hammer) he was already gone.
"Do hurry up," his voice drifted up from the bottom of the tower. "I would so hate for you to get lost."
And Thor followed.