I know. I know. Many of you have waited a long time for this chapter, which was getting too big for my liking. So, I cut it off with Darcy's point of view and will continue the next with Loki's. Unfortunately, that second part is going to take a bit longer to complete. *Hufflepuff Hugs* for everyone who hasn't completely bailed on this story after soooo long.

Chapter Twenty-Five - The Hospital (Part One)

Once the team confirmed that Hulk wasn't on the rampage, Tony called them into the main area of the apartment. Darcy sucked on her hair, feeling hopeless. With everything going wrong, the blame would surely fall on Loki, no matter how hard he tried to make it right.

"Gryffindor," Stark said, pointing first to Thor then Steve and Sharon. "Go after Peeves. Keep him distracted and protect the public." His gaze focused on Sharon. "Call local law enforcement and get us some backup."

"You got it," the agent promised and rushed to follow the other two out.

"Hufflepuff," Tony called out next, looking to Maria, Pepper and Clint, "you've got Bruce. Get him up and ready to go."

Clint scowled, showing offense as Pepper and Maria headed for the bedroom. "I am not a Hufflepuff."

Taking into account the archer's bad attitude and teasing lately, Darcy wholeheartedly agreed. "Yeah, you're a totally sucky friend."

The archer appeared baffled by this statement, but shrugged it off when Tony gestured him toward the apartment door, saying, "Fine. Catch up to the others."

Tony turned his attention to the remaining group. "It's our job to come up with a plan. So where do we start?"

"The campus is clear," Loki reminded them. "He won't stay on the property."

Little Jane brightened. "That's right, because poltergeists like crowded places."

Loki nodded. "Especially with children."

"It's the weekend," Erik added, "and we're surrounded by mostly empty businesses."

Jane's eyes widened with alarm. "Oh no! Peeves went west. Clint told me there's a children's hospital about a mile that way."

Tony frowned. "You're sure he'll head for the hospital?"

"I don't think he'll be able to resist," Loki told him.

Little Jane stepped forward, her features tight with determination. "Let us help. We know spells to use against him."

"They do," Lockhart said, looking confident. "The children are brilliant. I am their teacher after all."

"Uh, right," Tony replied with a strained tone then turned to the others. "Ravenclaws, we're going to the hospital." He activated his communicator while Lockhart, Selvig, Luna, Little Jane and Big Jane headed for the door. "JARVIS, I need a suit. We're on the move, so track my GPS."

"Right away, sir."

"Tony!" Darcy called before the billionaire could clear the doorway. "What should we do?"

"Figure out how to catch a poltergeist!" he yelled back before joining the charge for the stairs.

Natasha had stayed. Darcy raised a questioning brow at her.

"What?" The redhead gave a small shrug. "I'm Slytherin. I took the tests."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, releasing a mild sigh. Darcy guessed that he considered them all dunderheads with their Hogwarts-centric obsessions.

Pepper popped her head out of the bedroom. "Bruce needs a change of clothes."

Darcy retrieved her key ring from the kitchen counter. She also grabbed the bedspread and brought both to Pepper. "Take Bruce over to Jane's. Thor should have something he can borrow."

Bruce soon emerged, wrapped up and clinging to the blanket. He rubbed at his temple like his head pained him and chose not to meet anyone's gaze as he shuffled out with his helpers.

The Slytherins moved to the bedroom to take in the devastation. "So, what do we do?" Black Widow asked, her eyes scanning over the remnants of the mirror. "Can one of you magic this thing back together?"

"We can repair the mirror," Loki admitted, "but the spells linking it to the pocket dimension would also need mending. That will take time." He asked the professor, "Any ideas on how to deal with Peeves?"

"I haven't the faintest clue how to subdue a poltergeist," Snape stated. "I doubt we could seriously injure him, let alone knock him out."

Darcy added, "Peeves is only solid when he wishes to be. He'll pass through a net or any solid container."

"Then we need a special trap," Natasha said. "Can magic contain him?"

The men exchanged collaborative looks as if passing messages back and forth telepathically. "I could fashion a crude pocket dimension," Loki finally voiced aloud. "Connect it to an object."

Snape nodded. "Something portable."

Darcy thought she understood the gist of the plan. She scanned the floor for anything suitable to build their trap. Her gaze fell on the scattered paperbacks, and she contemplated if capturing Peeves within a book of which he was already written would blow a giant hole in the universe.

Natasha stepped carefully through the debris. She crouched near the closet to pick something long and thin off the carpet. "How 'bout this?" She held up Darcy's red and white-stoned necklace.

"That's perfect." Loki reached for it. "I can enchant the setting."

"No, no, no," Darcy said, ducking under the leg of the tipped table to get between Loki and Natasha. She attempted to snatch the jewelry from the woman's hand, but Natasha was quicker, lifting the chain out of reach and handing it off to Loki. "Waaaaait!" Darcy whined, jumping and clawing at Loki's front. "That's my good necklace for important stuff."

"You said the stones were fake," Loki reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's miiiine."

The necklace and matching earrings had been a gift from an old boyfriend—not that the cheating scumbag deserved a second thought. She fiddled with a lock of her hair as guilt gnawed at her insides. How could she justify her attachment to some piece of junk?

"Miss Lewis, we really don't have the time—" Professor Snape began in a critical tone, then silenced as Loki eased onto his knees in front of Darcy.

"I promise to replace it—" Loki said with softening eyes, "a gold necklace with real gemstones."

It was a bribe, but also a romantic gesture by her reasoning. She swallowed, trying to clear the clump in her throat, before asking, "Really truly?"

He answered with tender sincerity, "Really. Truly."

Darcy gave in with a sad nod. Though she cheered some when Loki pecked a kiss onto her forehead before standing.

They dug through the mess for another few minutes to find a specific spellbook Loki needed then met up in the parking lot with Bruce, Pepper and Maria. Bruce looked a bit dejected, dressed in one of Thor's t-shirts, a pair of sweatpants and tennis shoes. Not a single article of the clothing fit him well.

Maria completed a call on her cell phone before addressing their group. "You were right. Peeves is tearing through the children's hospital." She pointed to the west, indicating the distant sound of police sirens and the wail of a fire engine. "They need our help with the evacuation."

Pepper offered the keys to Maria. "Maybe you should drive."

The group hurried towards Pepper's silver SUV. Maria and Pepper slipped into the front with Professor Snape and Loki taking the middle seats. That left the third row bench seat for the rest of them to squeeze into, and, apparently, Darcy wasn't the only one feeling less-than-eager to attempt it. Once Bruce climbed in, Natasha tapped the driver's window to speak to Maria. "Give me Darcy's keys. We'll take her car."

Maria fished the clump out of her pocket, handing them over. As the SUV pulled away, Natasha and Darcy crossed the empty lot to the red coupe. "It's cute," Natasha voiced with admiration, using the remote to unlock the doors.

Darcy nodded, but said nothing as she settled into the shotgun seat and pulled on her belt. To her surprise, Natasha just sat there, staring out the windshield like they had nowhere to be right then.

"Um, Nat? Shouldn't we go?"

"You're not doing him any favors." Natasha glanced Darcy's direction, her green eyes cool, serious, yet not threatening. "You're crushing on him bad. I get that. Plus, it sucks that you're stuck in a kid's body. But fawning over Loki isn't making him, or the rest of us, feel better about the situation."

Upset burned in Darcy's chest. She didn't want to admit that Natasha could be right.

She hated being treated like a lesser life form. So what if she was stuck in a child's body? She had a decent brain in her head—not that many people noticed. Even as an adult, people had a tendency to be blinded by her figure and looks. In a way, she felt like a present that no one bothered to open because they preferred the decorative wrapping to whatever might be inside. Loki had taken the time to get to know her. She had nothing to offer him but her affection and support. She accused, "He's trying to help, but no one cares."

"You know that isn't true."

Darcy looked away, tugging at her hair. She really didn't know how the Avengers felt about Loki or his behavior over the last year. She wasn't one of them, after all—just a quirky tag-along that they all tolerated for Thor and Jane's sake. Even Jane was more in the loop.

"Stay out of his way so he can fix this mess," Natasha emphasized and started the coupe.

Though Darcy didn't pay much attention to the frenzied drive, she snapped out of her moping as soon as they pulled onto the hospital street and right into a wall of people and vehicles. Early responders to the scene attempted to direct the inching traffic to make room for emergency vehicles, which further hindered Nat and Darcy's progress. At this rate, it could take an hour to make the crawl down the last few blocks.

"Screw it," Natasha declared and pulled to the side.

Darcy scrambled out onto the curb. Black Widow hopped across the seat to exit directly behind her. They made their way through the crowds and cars, eventually reaching the edge of the hospital's vast parking lot. A fire alarm screamed in the distance. With guests, doctors and patients streaming out of the hospital and traffic blocked in, the lot had filled up fast. Natasha hauled ass toward the building, causing the shorter-legged girl to lose her in the confusion.

Loki stood at the open passenger door when Darcy came upon Pepper's SUV. He was alone, the others having continued on without him. His book rested in the seat, and Loki concentrated over the necklace he held. Even with Natasha's warning fresh in her mind, Darcy chose to stop. She approached Loki and the vehicle, staying quiet as to not disturb him. While she waited, Darcy scanned the surrounding chaos.

In time, Loki stepped back, grasping the necklace in one hand and closing the car door with the other. The action caught the attention of a nearby policeman whose eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the God of Mischief.

"Uh oh." Darcy grabbed Loki's free hand, pulling him around to the rear of the SUV. "I think you've drawn unwanted attention."

"That won't do," he decided and promptly shrank and distorted his form. His features de-aged until eleven-year-old Loki stood before her. He wore black jeans and shoes with a mini-version of his green hoodie.

They dashed out from behind the SUV, keeping close to each other as they made their way forward. They entered an area packed with hospital staff and beds already evacuated to a safe distance. A tall doctor grabbed Darcy's arm as she tried to run past him.

"Wait right here, kids," he said to both of them. "It's not safe."

Darcy whipped out her wand, pointing it at him. "Let me go. I'm with the Avengers."

A young teen seated on an adjacent bed made a loud gasp. "Dr. Hamley, look! She's got a wand like those other girls!"

Darcy pulled out of the man's grip. She and Loki took off running again, ignoring all other people along the path that attempted to slow or stop them. At the front entrance to the building, Darcy saw Pepper and Erik holding the doors and ushering out frantic people. Some of them were in unflattering gowns, wheelchairs and even rolling beds.

Next she noticed something odd with the windows and walls. She stopped at Erik's side to inspect the door, which was covered with salt crystals. Containment, she realized. They were using his aversion to salt to keep Peeves inside the building. Brilliant!

She put out her hand, touching Erik's arm just as a sound of shattering glass drew her gaze upward. Iron Man had crashed through an upper level window, hurtling backward as if he'd been pushed or thrown.

Erik ducked and grabbed for Pepper and Darcy, attempting to shelter them from harm.

Darcy thrust her wand toward the falling shards, casting, "Avifors!" The shower of glass transformed into a dense swarm of chittering birds that dipped and swayed around them in a flapping frenzy before scattering into the parking lot.

"Remarkable," Selvig uttered with wide eyes. His gaze moved next to Loki and the tension returned to his features as he took in the young, freckled boy.

Tony landed a few feet away. "Loki? Darcy? We've got Peeves pinned within the top three levels. Come with me."

"Where?" Darcy asked.

He pointed upward. "Back through that window."

Loki pushed the necklace into his pocket before shifting form into the large black owl. Then with a few hops, he was airborne and climbing.

Darcy moved forward at Tony's beckoning, following his directions to step onto his boots and hold him tight around the middle. They shot up, clearing the distance in seconds to enter the building through the now gaping window pane. They found Professor Snape on guard and every section of the space coated in salt. From the piles of broken chairs and small tables tossed about, Darcy guessed this was normally used as a waiting room.

When Loki swooped in and retook his adult appearance, Snape turned to the hole. The professor paused for what seemed a prolonged moment then he blinked, took in a breath and made a sweeping gesture with his wand from floor to ceiling, calling out, "Salsepire!" Salt poured out of the tip of his wand, forming a thick block to cover the opening.

Darcy marveled, trying to recall if and where she'd read or heard of that spell before. Snape certainly didn't recall it off hand as was clear from his hesitation.

Tony asked into his communicator, "Cap, where is he?"

Steve's response was accompanied with the alarm, sounds of crying kids and Peeve's cackles. "Fifth floor, but he keeps shooting up to the sixth to stop us from evacuating."

"Hulk smash!" came a roaring voice through the line.

"No smashing!" Cap argued with him. "Protect."

The line quieted as if cut off or muted.

JARVIS lectured, "There are chemicals, heavy equipment and other hazards inside facilities such as this. The building must be fully cleared."

"I know. I know." Tony waved them to follow him into the hall. "Keep on him," he told Steve. "Severus has this floor secured. Loki's here with the—thing. We're coming up."

There was a slight smokey smell to the air, but Darcy had yet to detect any fires, leaving her to guess that the team had already extinguished them. The blaring fire system just didn't know that.

At the end of the hall, they pushed through a door into a stairwell and ascended to the fifth floor where they found Sharon, Luna and more destruction. Furniture, equipment, and even artwork had been torn apart and scattered. What appeared to be a vending machine had been hurled into the nurse's station, breaking the glass and spilling bagged snacks. Also a thin column of water shot up from the remains of a drinking fountain a bit farther down.

"He's on the south side somewhere," Agent Carter informed them over the wail of the alarm. "We're holding this position to keep the stairs clear for evacuees. I think almost everyone from this floor's out."

Maria, both Janes, a few parents and about a half-dozen kids came into view. While the others sprinted toward Darcy's group, Little Jane whipped around, casting a "Salmenti!" back in the direction from which they'd come, resulting in a pain-filled roar from Peeves. "He went up!" she screamed and hurried to catch the others.

"This floor's clear," Maria reported.

"Good," Tony said, stepping aside for Jane and the civilians to get past him and onto the stairwell to head down.

A winded Lockhart appeared, having descended the stairs in a rush. "I got it," he said between gasps. "Coated every inch of the roof. The entire outside of the hospital is covered."

Tony nodded, then his helmet dipped as he spoke to the young girls. "Salt this floor down, ladies. Perhaps start with the ceiling." Then to the adults, he said, "We've still got people trapped on the sixth floor. Let's go."

"Oh, uh," Lockhart stammered, taking a sidestep through the doorway as the others moved the opposite direction for the stairs. "I think I should assist the students with the salting."

Sharon and Maria started up the stairs. Tony glared at Gilderoy, but chose not to press and followed after the women. Jane and Luna went to work, leaving only Darcy and Loki to witness the confrontation between the professors.

Snape chided, "The famous Gilderoy Lockhart, Hunter of Monsters, is backing down from a fight."

"Well, I—I'm an instructor now, Severus. The welfare of my students is most important."

Snape wasn't convinced. In fact, a hint of disgust laced his stern features. His hand rested upon Darcy's shoulder. "Fine. If you're staying, we'll take Miss Lewis with us." He didn't wait for a sign of agreement from his colleague before turning away.

Upon arriving on the sixth, they found Tony and a similar scene to the previous floors. In addition to wrecked furniture and equipment, gaping holes in some of the interior walls shown into storage and patient areas normally secured from the public. Despite the continuous mind-aching screech and the beeps of distressed machinery around them, the area seemed suspiciously quiet.

Steve stepped out of a doorway as they approached. In his hand he held a bedpan filled with salt. "We're having to barricade and guard the windows. He tried to break a few."

Professor Snape slipped by the men to conjure another wall of salt to block the window.

Tony asked, "Any idea where he is?"

"No, but he can't be far." Steve gestured down the left side corridor. "It's been difficult, but we managed to get everyone into the nursery. There are reasons these kids are all hospitalized. None of them are in good shape."

"Jarvis," Tony ordered, "check if those buses have arrived yet."

"Yes sir, but it's doubtful. The whole neighborhood is in gridlock."

Steve was on alert while Tony's suit took readings.

"Loki, Darcy," Snape addressed them, "head down this right side. Block the windows. The incantation is salsepire. I will assist on this side."

Again her mind whirred as Loki attempted to herd Darcy toward their task. "Do you recognize that spell?" she asked him. "I don't think salsepire is used in any of the books or movies."

"It's Latin-based," Loki informed her. "It means wall of salt."

"So you do or don't remember it from the canon materials?"

Loki shrugged. "Be glad the spell works. Let's go. We'll talk about this later."

When he walked away, Darcy pursued, unwilling to be dismissed like a child—even if she portrayed one rather convincingly at times. "Am I right?"

He eyed her quizzically over his shoulder, not appearing to comprehend Darcy's issue with the situation. "You can't run an entire wizarding world off a few dozen spells. I had to allow for some intuitive growth. What did you think was happening when we read our texts for lessons or researched in the library? The pocket dimension fills in the gaps to make the experience fully interactive."

It's thinking for itself, she thought. That's kinda creepy.

Her mind drifted back to Professor Snape's hesitation before casting the incantation for the salt wall. Had he truly known the spell but needed to recall it, or had he drawn on some lingering connection between him and the dimension locked within the broken mirror? These were questions she definitely planned to bring up with Loki and the team when they all weren't busy ghostbusting.

Thor stepped out of the first doorway they approached. The caped prince also carried a salt-filled bedpan and eyed the mismatched couple with concern as Darcy squeezed past him to get to the salted window he guarded. She cast, "Salsepire," mimicking the sweeping motion Snape had performed. The spell worked, constructing the desired wall, but the instant success didn't lighten her mood. She had an odd, foreboding feeling that she tempted the fates with each use of magic in the real world. What if they were teetering on the edge of some great disaster while ignoring the warning signs?