Chapter 28 -
"Sir, we're landing." Jarvis's voice echoed in the Quinjet as it landed.
"Thank you Jarvis." Harry said.
"You are most welcome sir." Jarvis replied.
"I really don't need this." Barton complained to Steve. "Natasha and Harry healed me up nicely."
"You're still going to get checked out." Steve said to him in a voice that said he would not budge on this.
"Harry," Barton turned to Harry. "come on, you're team leader, tell them it's fine, you and Nat healed me."
"It is fine," Harry nodded. "though for the sake of your team mates you can go and get checked out by the doctors to be sure."
"Aw come on." Barton moaned.
"Consider it payback for making me your personal transport." Harry grinned at him just as the doors opened.
"Come on tough guy." Natasha grinned as she walked Barton out of the jet and towards a group of doctors that Tony had called. If Barton proved to be completely fine then it would prove to the team that Natasha and Harry were both capable of healing.
"Lab's all set up boss." Maria Hill said as she walked in while Bucky, and Thor walked out with the sceptre.
"Actually he's the boss." Tony said as he pointed at Harry. "I just pay for everything and design everything and make everybody look cooler."
"Well if you were more responsible and stopped throwing your money around then you'd probably be boss." Harry said as he stood up and walked out. "Steve come with me and Hill." Harry said, he walked away with Hill walking alongside him. "So tell me about Strucker."
"NATO's got him in one of their prisons." She answered.
"What about the two enhanced?" Harry asked. "I had seen the male in person and Steve saw the female."
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, they are both twins." Maria Hill replied as she handed Harry a tablet, showing him two black haired teenagers at a protest. He recognised the male as the enhanced that he saw earlier, the female was probably the enhanced that Cap had encountered. This was clearly a younger photo of them, he swiped along the tablet and saw a picture of a collapsed building. "They were both orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their building." Harry nodded and handed the tablet back to Hill. "Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special."
"I know that the male possesses super speed." Harry said, clearly signalling for her to continue.
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Meanwhile her thing is neuroelectric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation." Hill stopped when they got to an elevator because Steve looked confused. "He's fast and she's weird." Hill summed up.
"That's probably how they escaped from the base." Harry said. "Either he ran them out or she's capable of teleportation."
"You think they can teleport?" Steve asked.
"They've been experimented on, it's possible for them to have other powers than what we know about." Harry replied. "As for the girl her powers are more varied than the boy's, she can blast you and read your mind."
"Well they're probably going to turn up again." Steve said as the elevator door opened.
"True," Hill agreed just as Harry and Steve got in the elevator. "the file says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts."
"Right, what kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" Steve said just as Harry pressed the elevator button.
"We're not at war Cap." Hill replied.
"They are." Steve said just as the doors closed.
"I love sassy Steve." Harry grinned as the elevator began going down.
"Thanks." Steve laughed as he looked around the elevator. "I remember when these used to play music."
"I remember when I lived somewhere that had people who spoke English properly and called this a lift." Harry replied.
A few days later Harry found himself at the Avenger's penthouse along with all the other Avengers, Stark decided it was a good idea to hold a party to celebrate their victory over Hydra. To be fair, Harry thought that the idea had some merit. After all the team had worked hard to stop them so it made sense that they spend some time celebrating. And for once Harry was actually looking forward to partying.
In the past he had been part of parties after winning quidditch and that was something he was fine with as he felt like he had earned the victory, just like now, he felt like he had the right to party. It also helped that he wasn't the sole focus of the party and that the other Avenger's were also here. The party was attended by several military veterans and many celebrity's. There was some nice music and a few people had taken to dancing. It was much nicer than the loud parties of the Gryffindor common room.
Harry wore a nice and simple suit with a black suit with a grey tie, he also had a gold ring on his right middle finger with the symbol of the hallows on it. He had created the ring as a storage for Leviathan, it made things easier instead of carrying it everywhere or summoning it from long distances. He walked around and greeted various people, saying hello whenever he could and trying to just socialise. During his walk he ended up walking behind Tony and Thor, both of whom were talking to Maria Hill and Rhodey. Tony and Thor had gotten into a short argument over who was better between Jane and Pepper. As Maria Hill left with Rhodey he heard Thor say something to Stark.
"But Jane's better." Thor said before taking another sip of his drink, Tony looked at him with an amused expression he was about to debate that when Harry walked by.
"Not as good as Natasha." Harry said as he walked past them and walked off before either could respond. Satisfied that he had done his duties as Natasha's fiancée he began walking around and greeting people when Steve and Bucky walked up to him along with a third man, he had black skin and was just barely taller than Steve, the way he walked told Harry that he had some training.
"Harry, this is Sam Wilson." Steve said, introducing the two. "Sam this is Harry, leader of the Avengers and..."
"Raven." Sam said, finishing Steve's sentence. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He said, extending his hand.
"Likewise," Harry said as he shook Sam's hand. "I'm guessing that you're the same Sam with the wings?"
"Yes sir." Sam nodded.
"Call me Harry." Harry said once they let go. "We probably would've met before but I've been rather busy, Steve has recommended that you join the Avengers."
"He has?" Sam asked as he glanced between the other three men. "I...don't know about..."
"It's alright," Harry said, cutting him off. "it's not an easy decision. Take your time and think about it, you know how to get in contact with us right?"
"Yes." Sam nodded.
"Good." Harry nodded. "If you're interested contact us and we'll check if you're Avenger's material. Also Steve..."
"Yeah?" Steve asked.
"Make sure Bucky doesn't drink too much." Harry patted him on the back and walked away, Steve turned to where Bucky was standing only to realise that he was no longer there. He looked around and rolled his eyes when he saw Bucky flirting with a group of girls and showing off his metal arm.
Harry kept walking and greeting various people when someone called him.
"Hey," He heard a voice say as a hand was placed on his left shoulder. He looed back and saw a pretty blonde woman about thirty years old with blue eyes and blue hair grinning at him, Harry remembered Tony mentioning he was going to invite models so he had to guess that she was one unless she was just another singer that he didn't know. "Raven right?"
"Yes, it's nice to meet you." Harry said politely before taking a sip of his drink. "Do I know you?" He asked.
"Not yet, my name is Samantha." She said, her left hand still on his shoulder while her right brushed her hair slightly before trailing down from her shoulders to her hip as she pulled her shoulders back and emphasised her chest. "I'm a model, been modelling for ten years, in case you didn't know."
"I didn't...and now I do." Harry shrugged. "Well it's been nice to meet you but I have other guests to talk to."
"Are you sure you don't want to spend some more time with me?" She asked as she leaned forward and gave him a smile.
"I'm spoken for." Harry tried to walk away but Samantha stopped him by grabbing his tie.
"And if I speak louder?" She purred as she puckered her lips, closed her eyes and leaned forward to give him a kiss. When her lips connected, she quickly realised that they did not connect with his lips, she opened her eyes and saw that he had placed his hand up to block her.
"You'd still be a bitch." Harry said in a cold voice.
"Now let go of my tie and go and enjoy the rest of your evening while you still can." She let go and glared at him.
"You're a jerk!" She said.
"A jerk with standards, you don't quite meet mine." Harry replied, deciding that if he was going to abandon the nice guy act then he was at least going to get his money's worth.
"You're never going to get a girl like me." She growled.
"Honey I date the 'Black Widow'." Harry snorted. "I can only go down from there."
"She's not as good looking as me!"
"Debatable." Harry replied.
"No it's not!"
"It is because I'm debating it." Harry responded. "As for how you look, I'd say you look like a million dollars." She allowed herself a small smile at that but it was quickly wiped away by the next words that came out of Harry's mouth. "Less impressive than you would've ten years ago."
"Hey! That's rude!"
"Is it?" Harry said sarcastically.
"You now what, I don't like how you're talking to me."
"You don't like my sarcasm, that's fine seeing as I don't like your stupid. Now as much as I'd love to spend some more time insulting you, I have better things to do. Now I wish you along with any and all of the men in your future good luck, since I don't plan to be part of the future so I'm going to go and if you really want to give me pleasure then leave the room." He turned and walked away from her, he headed to the bar to get another drink when he saw Natasha standing behind the bar. She was wearing a black knee length skirt, white shirt and had put some effort into her hair and wore earrings and she added lipstick. He was pretty sure that she had other make up on but he wasn't sure. He walked up to the bar just as she began pouring drinks for both of them. "Hi."
"Hi." She replied, focusing on making the drink.
"So how much did you see and/or hear?"
"Enough." She said as she looked up at him. "That girl was pretty."
"Yes she was." Harry nodded, he could've said no but then they'd both think he was a liar.
"She tried to kiss you."
"Yes she did."
"You didn't let her."
"No I did not."
"Why didn't you?" She asked in a soft voice.
"She's not you." Harry shrugged.
"That's your final answer?" She asked.
"It's an honest one." Harry replied.
"It was a good one," She pushed the drink into his hand as she leaned over and pecked him on the lips. "that's just a small reward, you'll get the real one later tonight."
"I can't wait." Harry smiled.
Later that night all of the other guests had left besides the Avengers, Rhodey included, along with Maria Hill and Doctor Helen Cho, the doctor they brought in to check up on Hawkeye. Though Hawkeye didn't really need her help as he was indeed fine, so Tony decided to make up for it by inviting her to the party. Though Harry suspected that Tony had invited her instead of a regular doctor just to talk tech with her and discuss the advanced tech she possessed that was capable of making new tissue. The body sort of tissue...not the one used to wipe your nose.
Tony had ordered them all Chinese food and they all sat around talking, somehow the conversation had got to Thor's hammer which Thor had currently placed on top of the table that they all sat around.
"It's a trick." Barton said as he twirled his chopsticks in his hand.
"No, no, it's so much more than that." Thor said.
"Oh 'whosever shall be worthy shall wield the power'" Barton said in a dramatic voice. "Whatever man, it's a trick."
"Then please be my guest." Thor said in a challenging tone as he gestured to Mjolnir
"You serious?" Barton asks.
"Yes go on." Thor said.
"Go on Barton, you'd be brilliant with the power of Thor." Harry grinned just as Barton stood up.
"This is going to be beautiful." Rhodey whispered to the others as Barton walked up to it.
"Clint, you've had a rough week, we don't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Tony said, causing the others to laugh though Harry thought about how less likely it was for Stark to make that joke when Pepper's around. Though he'd probably still make the joke and get hit for it.
"You know I've seen this before." Barton said as he grabbed the hammer, he pulled but like Stark predicted he couldn't get it up. "I still don't know you do it." Barton laughed.
"Can you hear the silent judgment?" Stark asked.
"Then by all means Stark." Barton stepped away and gestured to Mjolnir. Tony stood up and began unbuttoning his suit as the other made dramatic noises.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," Tony said as he walked up to the hammer. "It's physics."
"Physics?" Rhodey repeated.
"As the 'magic man' of the group, it's not physics." Harry said.
"If I lift this then I rule Asgard?" Tony asked Thor.
"Of course." Thor said, though he had no doubt that Stark would not be able to lift it.
"I will be a fair king, and I will be reinstituting prima nocta." Tony said as he grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled with all of his strength, he then realised that he wouldn't be reinstituting prima nocta and walked off to get the tools necessary to help change that fact. He came back a short while later with a gauntlet from his armour on. He tried lifting with the gauntlet but still wasn't able to pick it up, eventually Rhodey tried helping him using a gauntlet of his own but it still wasn't working.
"Are you even trying?" Rhodey asked as he kept trying to lift the hammer.
"Are you on my team?" Tony asked.
"Just represent, pull!"
"Okay!" Tony said and they both pulled yet neither could lift the hammer.
"Hey if you both lifted it then would you both be half worthy?" Harry asked out of the blue, Tony and Rhodey paused as they considered that question.
"Move." Tony said as he pushed Rhodey away and tried to pull on his own. "Nope, still nope."
Tony and Rhodey went to put their gauntlets away after realising that it wouldn't work, when they returned it was Banner's turn to try it. He pulled and pulled before letting go and doing a mock impression of the Hulk by roaring and throwing his arms in the air, everyone stared at him, not scared and very unimpressed.
"Not that good huh?" He eventually said.
"You do realise that me and Hulk are going to make fun of you for this later?" Harry asked Banner as he went to sit down.
"Probably." Banner shrugged, he realised that Hulk was now just as much Harry's friend as he was. In fact he suspected that Hulk liked Harry more than him.
"Let me try." Bucky said as he tried lifting, he tried it once with his real arm. But when that didn't work he tried his metal arm only to get the same result.
"Go on Steve." Harry clapped when Steve got up to take a turn, Steve pulled on the handle, the hammer shifted a little, both Harry and Thor leaned forwards to see if Steve really could lift it. After a few more seconds of trying it turned out that Steve couldn't and called it quits.
"Widow?" Bruce asked Natasha.
"No, that's not a question I really need answering." She said, she already had the Aether in her, she hardly needed the power of Thor with that.
"What about you?" Barton asked Harry.
"I have an axe." Harry shrugged.
"Yeah but if you do this then you can have an axe and a hammer." Tony commented. "Come on fearless leader, try it out."
"If anyone can lift it then it's you." Natasha said as she gave him an encouraging smile.
"Fine." Harry smiled, he stood up and removed his tie and suit jacket, eliciting wolf whistles and cheers from the females in the room. "Thank you ladies." He grinned as he walked towards the hammer.
He stared at the handle, briefly wondering what it judged. Was it his soul? He didn't have one. Was it his mind? He wasn't the smartest person alive but still intelligent in his own way. If it was a matter of intelligence then Stark would've been the one to lift it. He doubted it was the soul because souls could be easily affected by something such as killing and Thor had most likely killed more than he had. His own axe was different as it was keyed to a combination of his blood and magic.
"Go on Harry." Natasha said softly.
"Yeah come on Harry." Steve said encouragingly.
"Alright." Harry sighed.
He took in a deep breath, he allowed his magic to flow through his body, he figured it would help at best and do nothing at worse. He counted down. Three, two, one. He pulled, the hammer moved slightly, just like it had with Steve. Harry closed his eyes, focused on his magic, he opened them and pulled again.
Thor's eyes went wide along with every other pair of eyes in the room as they all stared at Harry. Harry looked at his hand and nearly dropped it in shock when he realised that he had actually lifted Mjolnir.
Before anyone could say anything Harry's body had suddenly become covered in lightning, the sound of thunder echoed from outside just as a violent and strong wind blew around the room. Harry couldn't move as he felt his magic change, it was still the same but it felt stronger. Stronger than he could have ever anticipated, his eyes began glowing brightly like green flashlights in the night. The whole thing lasted somewhere between five and ten seconds before it stopped.
Harry blinked as his eyes turned back to normal, he shook his head before looking around.
"Umm, sorry guys, my magic went a bit weird there." Harry apologised, but he didn't get any replies.
"What...just...happened?" Tony was the first to break the silence. Harry looked at Thor who looked absolutely shocked before he shook himself out of it and stood up.
"You're worthy." He said, his mouth shifting into a smile. "I suspected out of all of the people here it would be you that would be worthy." He said, recalling not only what Harry had done for Asgard and Jane by fighting the dark elves but also how he saved Frigga.
"My magic...what happened to it?" Harry asked.
"You...now poses the power of Thor." Thor smiled at him.
"I've taken your powers?" Harry asked.
"No, I'm still powerful enough to beat everyone else here." Thor grinned. "But now you also possess my power. The Aether in your future wife and my power in you. The two of you make a formidable duo."
"Yeah you two are quite the power couple." Bruce joked.
"You deserve it my friend," Thor said to Harry. "you have a kind heart and you're truly worthy. I would gladly follow you anywhere into battle."
"Thanks man." Harry said in a sincere tone, happy to have such a genuine friendship with another person. As he looked around he reminded himself that he made more than just one real friend in this room.
"You're welcome," Thor said as he took his hammer back. "the rest of you however...still unworthy."
"Boo!" They said, either groaning at Thor or sending happy looks to Harry.
Any further conversation was cut off by a high pitch noise, hurting their ears, they all turned in the direction of the noise when they something they did not expect to see. A damaged iron legion robot was walking towards them, it had a limp and looked nowhere near as strong as the regular iron legion robots but somehow managed to look scarier.
"Stark," Harry said, preparing for a fight. "you didn't say we were expecting company."
"Worthy..." The damaged robot spoke in a different voice than the one used by the regular iron legion robots. "No, no how could any of you be worthy? You're all killers."
"Jarvis." Tony said as he pulled out his phone. "Reboot the legionnaire, I've got a buggy legion suit."
"I'm sorry. I was asleep...or...or I was...a dream. There was this terrible noise," It said as it gestured to its head. "and I was tangled...in strings. I had to kill the other guy, he was a nice guy."
"You killed someone?" Steve asked, looking a lot calmer than he felt.
"Wouldn't have been my first call. However down in the real world we are faced with ugly choices."
"And ugly robots apparently." Harry replied.
"Ugly?" It asked, sounding less offensive and more curious, like it was wondering if it was truly ugly.
"Who are you and who sent you?!" Thor demanded as he span his hammer around in his hand.
"I'd answer the man before he gets mad." Harry warned as he tapped his ring with his thumb and Leviathan popped out of the ring and into his hand.
The robot made a sound, a few seconds later it responded.
"I see a suit of armour around the world." It said, though not it's own voice, it was Stark's voice.
"Ultron." Banner said, realising what exactly was in front of them.
"In the flesh. Actually no, not exactly," Ultron said as it shook its head. "not this chrysalis. Not yet. But I am ready. I am on a mission."
"What mission?" Natasha asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.
"Peace in our time". Ultron answered.
Harry was about to say something when the wall behind Ultron was smashed open as a bunch of Iron Legion robots flew in, cap kicked up the table and used it a shield just as one of them crashed into him and sent him flying back a few seconds before Rhodey was hit with a repulsor blast and sent flying back and landing harshly on the floor. Thor smashed one of them just as Harry removed the head of another before throwing his axe at a second. Rhodey and Hill began firing using guns, Natasha had her own gun but opted instead to use this as practise for her powers.
One robot flew towards her, she raised her hand and formed a red shield, the robot crashed into the shield before Natasha got rid of it and blasted the robot away, the robot flew to Bucky who grabbed it from behind and shoved his metal arm into the exposed area of it's neck before ripping out as much as he could. Natasha grabbed Banner and gestured to Helen Cho to follow, she was going to keep them safe while the rest dealt with the robots, or to be accurate she was going to keep Cho safe and make sure Banner didn't go Hulk on them all.
One robot tried to tackle Harry but it failed in moving him, Harry grabbed the robot and attacked it with lightning until he was sure it wouldn't move. Once he was done he tossed it to Thor who batted it at another robot using Mjolnir. Harry's magic flared and he side stepped to avoid the robot that tried to blast him from behind, Harry turned to it just as it tried to tackle him. He side stepped again but this time he grabbed it by the head, he pulled the head off easily with his new strength.
Harry felt like he had an instinctive knowledge of his new strength and power and how to use it, it felt like he had always been this strong, Harry was glad as it meant he didn't need to waste time learning to control his newfound powers and strength just so he doesn't accidently break someone's bones when shaking their hands.
He shot an explosive hex at another robot just as Natasha pulled apart one using tentacles she had made when it tried to attack her and the others. Another tried to blast them but she quickly blocked with a shield, before she sent a red blade at the bot by waving her arm, the bot's head fell off and it's body stopped working just as Thor smashed another one.
"Cap!" Barton shouts, he throws Cap's shield up in the air. Cap runs and jumps in the air, he grabs the shield and spins before throwing it at the last robot and smashing it to pieces.
"That was dramatic," Ultron said in an amused voice, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "I am sorry, I know you mean well, all of you, you just didn't think it through. You all want to protect the world but none of you want it to change. I really don't understand that. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve?"
"Not everything needs to evolve." Harry argued.
"Name one living creature that hasn't evolved?" Ultron challenged.
"Crocodiles, yeah they have at certain points but apart from size they have been pretty much the same for the last two hundred and forty million years, give or take a couple of years." Harry answered, he was no animal expert but he was pretty sure he was right, though he realised that he'd likely spend some time tonight double checking if he was right using the internet. Ultron seemed to pause and think over Harry's answer.
"That was actually a good answer," Ultron admitted, also planning to double check that fact later. "but humans do need to evolve."
"And how do you think we should do that?" Bucky asked.
"Not with these," Ultron said as he picked up a broken Iron Legion robot. "not with these puppets." He growled slightly as he crushed the head and threw it away. "There is only one true path to peace, the Avenger's extinction." Thor had head enough and roared as he tossed Mjolnir at Ultron, smashing the robotic body to pieces. The head remained intact, something that allowed Ultron to say one last thing. "I had strings..." He said in a voice that appeared to slowly be getting lower and more quiet. "but now I'm free". Ultron said as he turned off, his voice fading away yet echoing in all of the Avenger's heads.
"Stark." Harry said. "Would you mind explaining what the hell was up with Pinocchio?" Harry said as everyone turned to Stark.
"That..." Tony paused as he thought about what to say. "...is a bit of a long story."
A.N: Hi guys hope you liked the chapter, and yes Harry is worthy. That's why I didn't want to give him the Aether as well, at this point he essentially has his axe, Thor's powers plus his own magic powers and abilities. As for Natasha, she's still new to the Aether and is still getting used to it so her abilities are limited.
Also some good news, the next chapter will be the first meeting of Harry and Wanda, hope you're looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to writing it. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter and feel free to leave a review.
