Chapter 4

"Hogwarts?" Natasha suppressed a snort, "Sure."

"I know," a smile tucked at Harry's lips. "It's a wondrous place." And wasn't that an understatement.

Natasha looked over the ledge of the roof. "Are they gone? The demons?"

"Dementors," Harry corrected absently, "And yes. I believe so. Though…" He looked up and down at Natasha, then smirked. "Would be a tight fit, but might just work."

"Uhh, wait just a—"

But Harry wasn't listening, instead, his eyes were focused intently at the ruins below them. "Accio brooms," he called out.

A number of brooms darted towards them, rushing away from broken windows and doors, most made of plastics, and…

"Found it," Harry murmured, focusing his spell on a single broom, letting the others fall off. It was the only wooden broom.

It took a second for the shoe to drop in Natasha's mind. "No," she said flatly.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun."

"You mean to tell me that, out of so many false stereotypes it was the one with the flying brooms that had to be true?" she asked in exasperation. "No. It looks less comfortable than military underwear. I refuse."

"Pretty please? You know that the only other alternative is that we chase away those soul-sucking demons on foot, right?"

She gave him a withering look.

"I'll add some cushioning charms."

"Fine. Be quick."

"Yes Ma'am."

"So… you were saying… Hogwarts?"

"Yeah…" Natasha saw his eyes lose focus, re-living his past. "My best and worst moments, lifelong friends and enemies alike, Hogwarts was the place I found them all. My first home. My last stand." Harry trailed off, too far gone to focus on their conversation.

Natasha snapped her fingers. "Oy Wizard, finish your chanting."

Harry's eyes snapped back into focus. He shook his head. "You're right, let's get this over with." He raised the Holly wand and started casting.

Natasha watched him closely. She couldn't make sense of whatever he was doing, of course, but one could learn a lot by observing someone hard at work. She saw him hesitate for the barest of moments at one point, but he continued regardless. After about a minute or so he was done.

"It seemed complex."

"It is," Harry wiped his brow with his sleeves. "Incredibly complex."

"You must be a skilled wizard within your people, then."

"Experienced, not skilled."

She tilted her head. He waved it off.

"Regardless, we must ensure the Dementors are far away from civilization."

She nodded.

He cracked his knuckles. "It's the simplest flying broom that can be made, so the ride might be a tad bumpy. Also quite a bit slow than I'm used to, but that shouldn't bother you."

She rolled her eyes. A graceful swing later she was sitting behind him. "Go on," she said, refusing to mention that her seat seemed to be very comfortable.

"Sure." And they were off.

Natasha felt a bit weird. She couldn't really feel her inertia as the broom lifted off the roof. It almost felt as if she was still, while the earth around her was moving.

"Spotted them," Harry exclaimed at the same time as she felt a chilly breeze. "Expecto Patronum!" She heard over the sudden sound of loud wind.

Instantly the shiver was gone.

"Yup," came his voice again. "They're far enough away. We can return now."

"Please." The broom felt a bit too weird to her.

Several seconds passed in silence.

Natasha sighed. "Fine, I'll talk."

Harry grinned, his smile not visible to Natasha.

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"My childhood was… traumatic," Natasha began, "Bread was more valuable than our life. We had to fight, dance… 'entertain' people, to earn a living."

She felt Harry stiffen. "Did they…" he started, but couldn't finish.

"Yes," she sighed.

The broom stopped mid-air. She blinked.

"Are any of them still alive, by any chance?" his voice was cold.

"No. I personally ensured this state of affairs."

"Good." The broom started moving again.

"Well, those experiences did teach me one thing."

"Yes?"

"Nothing is absolute. Every organization, every power, and every goddamn son of a bitch who thinks that he is too powerful to be killed. Everyone and everything has some weakness, cracks in the proverbial armour."

He turned his head to look at her. "Magic has no weaknesses."

"None that you know of."

He shook his head, and turned back.

"The life I have lived… If magic had such weaknesses, they would've bit me in my arse long ago."

"Whatever makes you feel better, Harry," a smirk split her face. "Though let's go back to discussing your arse and how you would like me to bite it."

The broom stumbled.

"Har har very funny."

She laughed. "It really is. So, how far away are we from the city we have been circuiting for about ten minutes now?"

"…you don't miss anything do you?"

"I'm a spy. Take a wild guess why."

"Ooh that rhymed."

"Just turn the broom, Harry."

"Yes dear."

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"Wasn't that fun?" Harry asked earnestly.

"I suppose," Natasha allowed.

"Let's work together sometime?"

"I'm sure Fury will be thrilled to know that his spy is already being scouted by other organizations."

"Oh yes, that Fury guy." Harry cracked his knuckles. "I think he needs a one-on-one conversation with me."

Natasha looked at Harry as if he were a particularly daring kitten. "I'll pretend that you didn't just threaten my boss right in my face. What would you even do?"

"Everyone needs a good arse-whooping once in a while, don't you think?" She made to say something but he interjected, "Regardless, I won't bother him if he leaves us witches and wizards alone."

"And therein lies the problem." Natasha looked around at the busy street around them. "In the short amount of time I've known him, I know that only one thing tops his paranoia, and that is his curiosity."

"Even if I don't do anything, you know that the Wizarding World won't take this lightly. We have memory charms for a reason."

Her eyes narrowed at his, and he backtracked quickly. "Of course I wont use them on you! But we do need our secrecy in this world, you know?"

She sighed. "I'll see what I can do without raising too many flags."

"You do that." He nodded. "If that's all?"

"I'm sure I'll see you again," she tilted her head. "Just make sure you're breathing when I do. Oh, and, do you have a phone number?"

"No," he said mournfully. "Those are dead useful things. But my magic shorts out anything I try to use."

She thought for a moment, and the metaphorical light bulb lit in her head. Her hands disappeared inside her handbag, pulling out a bulky cellphone. She offered it to him.

"You sure?"

"I have a hunch."

Harry held the phone tentatively. "Thanks I guess."

"Fair warning, it might be tracked. Knowing Fury, it probably is."

Harry looked at it in disdain. "I'll see what I can do."

"…"

"…"

"Just go, you don't have to make this awkward."

He smirked, "As you say."

And the next moment he was gone.

"Lucky bastard." Damn it, why was she already feeling alone.

"Now, how the fuck should I spin this story…"

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Harry arrived back at Godric's Hollow, and stumbled.

"Fucking hell." He shook his head violently to clear the headache pounding in his brain.

Long-distance apparation sucked on the best of days.

He finally stood up from the spot where he had stumbled down. Time to figure out exactly how he had stumbled into this mess.

He stumbled again on the front steps of his house.

Correction, first, a long fulfilling nap. Investigation later.

"Winky?" He called out as soon as he closed the front door.

"Master Harry!"

"Glad you're safe, Winky." Harry passed out.

The last thing he heard was Winky hurriedly catching him mid-fall with another "Master Harry!", and then he was gone, magical exhaustion finally catching up to him.

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AN: Hey guys! Another chapter! Spicy conversations, sprinklings of fore-shadowing. Do tell what your thoughts!