AN:
Why is it always that when you have time to write, you have writers block? I hope this quick chapter will help crack through my block (on all my stories *sobs*). Anyway, please enjoy and stay safe!
Phil led them through the busy train station, all of them happily ignoring the odd looks they were getting for having owls on their trolleys. He alone was already dressed in his Hogwarts robes, a blue and bronze prefects badge pinned to the front. Tony grinned as they all ran through the barrier to Platform 9¾, feeling a rush of exhilaration like when they would stand up to bullies back in Brooklyn, or when he and Bruce had fought for the right to improve elementary school science fairs (long story, but a very good one). Steve and Bucky laughed giddily, while Tony just stared at the scarlet steam engine that would be taking them across the country to Hogwarts. They claimed the first compartment they came to, Phil magically expanding it before having to leave to meet up with his friends Melinda and Jasper. "We're finally on our way" Steve smiled, sky blue eyes bright with happiness and anticipation. "I hope we're not the only Americans going."
"You just mean that you hope we make friends" Clint accused, swinging upsidedown from the luggage rack.
"That too" Steve agreed easily, Tony relaxing back into his window seat, happy to watch the students as they passed by the corridor. A young girl their age with truly spectacular fiery red hair walked by with a dirty blonde girl wearing a dreamy expression. A brunette boy followed them with a blonde haired girl and a well-built boy (also their age). Not long afterwards, a brunette boy with wide blue eyes followed with a grumpy looking boy with dark hair and green-gray eyes. Tony then caught sight of two very familiar people coming down the corridor with an unfamiliar African-American boy their age. The first was another dark-skinned boy and the second was a pretty girl with strawberry blonde hair. Tony got to his feet, mouth hanging open.
"Rhodey? Pep? I thought you guys moved to California?"
"We're here, move on" Rhodey, Tony's closest friend outside the family, said calmly, the duo exchanging a quick hug before Pepper strangled Tony in a tighter embrace. "Hey Cap, Nat, Clint, Bruce, Bucky, Strange, Shakespeare twins. How's things?"
"Been worse" Bucky shrugged, supremely unconcerned at their appearance. "You three coming in?"
"Can't see why not" Rhodey replied, waving the other two inside. "This is Sam Wilson. We met getting the portkey from DC. Sam, meet the Avengers; the Rogers siblings."
"We're adopted" Steve offered, letting the newcomers take their seats. "I'm Steve, that's Bucky, the scary redhead is Natasha, the idiot hanging from the luggage rack is Clint, the big blonde is Thor, the skinny raven-haired guy next to him is Loki, the brunette with the glasses and his head buried in a book is Bruce (our resident future nuclear physicist), the brainy one resembling an otter is Stephen, and the golden-eyed brunette in the AC/DC tee by the window is our resident off-the-scales genius engineering caffeine addict, Tony."
"I see you haven't changed at all, Tones" Rhodey grinned, Sam nodding his hellos and starting a conversion with Bucky and Steve. Pepper snorted at something Natasha said, and suddenly all was back being right in the universe.
After lunch (a meal that consisted of more sweets than most of them had at ever consumed at once), Loki brought up the subject they were all thinking and worrying about; Hogwarts houses. "What do you think will happen if we're split up?"
"Nothing" Steve said honestly. "We're family. Nothing can or would ever change that."
"Exactly" Clint nodded swiftly. "Family is the only thing that matters in this world. Nothing, not even different houses, could ever change that."
"In that case" Loki mused quietly, blatantly not looking at Thor. "I think we'll have all the houses represented among us."
"Nothing wrong with that" Bucky decided. "No matter the rivalries, we can't let them affect us. Agreed?"
"Agreed" Steve nodded, the others echoing him.
"Phil says that all the houses have their good points and qualities" Clint spoke up, now happily perched on the rack. "So I'm happy to let the Sorting Hat choose."
"The mighty Druidess Cliodna is picking her nose!" Thor boomed, waving his Chocolate Frog card in front of Loki's face.
"Desist that at once, you buffoon!" Loki glared, not even putting a dent in Thor's enthusiasm.
"You wouldn't think that those two are closest with each other" Pepper muttered to Sam. "But they are."
"The family dynamic is very interesting" Sam replied curiously. "Steve seems to be closest on a friend level with Bucky, the same can be said with Tony and Bruce and Stephen (are they even speaking English?). Clint and Natasha appear to be closest in every respect, likewise with Thor and Loki. But Tony and Steve?"
"Cap balances Stark out" Clint remarked through a Cauldron Cake. "Iron Man is not so crazy when the Cap makes sure he takes care of himself. They're the leaders of the Avengers."
"Good help Hogwarts when they're not sorted into the same house" Natasha muttered, Tony sticking his tongue out at them all.
"Brucie Bear and the Doc will probably be with me" Tony offered, not going to insult anyone's intelligence by pretending not to know what they were talking about. "And Cap'll have Barnes. He'll look after him, right Snowflake?"
"To the end of the line" Bucky promised solemnly - their lifelong family promise.
"Amen to that" Clint agreed, swinging down to sit next to Natasha. "No matter what, we'll sit next to each other at every meal when we can, right?"
"At the Ravenclaw Table" Phil agreed, smiling from the doorway. "The Headmaster has agreed to make exceptions for family."
"Awesome" Clint grinned, looking like a weight had been lifted from him. Tony knew from bitter experience that nothing was as important to Clint as his family was. It was the fundamental part of his being, much like Tony's was being a sarcastic genius inventor. Phil took a seat next to Clint, introducing himself and promptly being bombarded with questions about Hogwarts.
Night fell remarkably quickly, Phil abandoning their game of exploding snap and instructing them to change into their Hogwarts robes. The conversation was light and comfortable, the group happy to chatter away as they changed and watched the train pull into the station. Once there, Phil ushered them off the train, and over to a very tall man with no sense of personal grooming. A brightly grinning blonde boy their age snapped pictures of everything - including Natasha, who murmured to the kid in soft, deadly tones. From there, the giant - Hagrid - led the way down to a lake with a small fleet of boats on it, instructing them in a gruff voice not to have more than four to a boat. Tony, Steve, Bruce and Bucky climbed into one; Clint, Natasha, the blue eyed boy and his grumpy friend in another; and Thor, Loki, a pretty blue eyed brunette and her dark eyed friend in another. Stephen winked at them and said he'd meet them on the other side. With a command, all the boats began to glide across the water, bringing into view the most stunning castle Tony had ever imagined seeing. They sailed under a curtain of ivy, coming up to a stone platform that led up to the front doors. A stern-looking witch with emerald robes opened the front doors, giving them a welcome speech that sounded as if she had said it many times before. Phil had hit on the highlights earlier, so Tony cheerfully zoned it out in favour of looking around the massive Entrance Hall in wonder.
Professor McGonagall (the stern witch) showed them into an antechamber, promising to connect them when 'they' were ready for them. As soon as the Deputy Headmistress was gone, Tony turned to his siblings with his trademarked smirk. "Lovely woman that, reminds me of Sister Mary Constance."
"More like Sister Mary Temperance" Bucky muttered, shuddering. "I hoped we'd left the scary traveling nuns behind us."
"Guess they just can't resist you, Buck" Steve grinned, ducking away from the halfhearted punch Bucky threw at him.
"That was pathetic, Barnes" Clint announced, somehow perched atop a ledge in the wall.
"Get off the wall, Legolas" Tony called, leaning casually on the wall like he owned the place. Not too far away, the group of four students Tony had seen pass by were bickering about setting fire to things, while the grumpy boy levitated a coin in his hand in demonstration to the blue eyed boy he was with.
"Eat me Stark" Clint replied, showing no intentions at all of doing as Tony had asked. A smug-looking boy with sandy hair and a rich boy attitude pushed off the wall, smirking at Tony.
"Anthony?"
"It's my least favourite person in the world" Tony said, pasting on an obviously fake smile. "Hammer."
"I didn't know you were coming here, Tony" Justin Hammer smirked, increasing Tony's desire to commit a felony. "And all your family too. Wow" Hammer smiled falsely. "I guess poor orphans are allowed here."
"At least I didn't have to buy my way in, Hammer" Tony glared, ignoring Steve's warning hand on his arm. "Nor did I have to buy my friends and family. Unlike you and your father."
"Well you wouldn't know about fathers, would you, Tony? After all, nobody wanted you or your siblings. Orphans since birth, weren't you?" Natasha moved like lightning, pinning Hammer to the wall by his throat.
"Never insult my family again" she warned, tone like ice.
"We may be orphans, but we've always had each others backs" Clint added, at Natasha's shoulder in an instant. It took the combined efforts of both Bucky and Tony to keep Steve from decking the pretentious moron, Loki and Natasha sharing looks that spoke of revenge plans. Even Stephen's notorious pacifism looked stretched. The sandy-haired archer cocked his head, listening intently. "Tash." Natasha had no sooner let go of the sniveling weasel than McGonagall had come into the room.
"They are ready for you now."
Next chapter: Sorting!
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