BioHazard82 -Thank you. So glad you like it.
AN- FINALLY! About time Fury you sure took your sweet time :D. And Phil too because I really like Phil. I can't decide if Jarvis, and Dobby teaming up is cute or terrifying.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
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Tony entered his office Rhodey and Pepper behind him and put the letters down on the desk and sat in his desk chair staring at them as if they were a bomb.
"Tony..."
"What if she just wrote them to tell me I'm her absolutely last resort even though she knows I will be a horrible father or that I should just sign over custody to Sirius or maybe Andromeda? Maybe I shouldn't read them? I mean she meant for me to read these when I first got Juniper which means I should have read them what 16 years ago." Tony said unwilling to listen to whatever Pepper was about to say.
"Tony, you know better than that Lily was never cruel. She wouldn't write you letters just to rake you over the coals." Rhodey said firmly.
Tony knew he was right, but he was still afraid of what was in those letters. he reached out anyway and picked up the stack and with one small tug the twine came loose. There were three letters unlike Juniper's they were marked on the top corners with dates. The first was dated about a few months before Juniper was born, the second a few days after and the last only a few days before she and James where killed. He picked up the first envelope and held it out to Rhodey. "Could you?" He asked softly.
Rhodey took the envelope and opened it pulling out the letters and releasing a scent. The scent of Lilies. Had to have been magic to last 17-years.
"Dear Tony, it seems so odd to be writing this letter to you. I should be telling you this to your face. This is so unfair to you. Even more unfair is that I'm not sure I will actually be able to summon the courage to send it. I hope I am wrong. I know you will be angry and the longer I wait the worse it will be. As of now you've missed nothing but swollen ankles, and cravings for sweets at the oddest of hours but soon enough there will be so much more. If you haven't guessed, it by now, I suppose I should just say it. I am pregnant. The baby is yours."
"In a few months we will have a daughter. If you don't want a part in the baby's life I will understand. James and I have married, and he is more than willing to be a father to the baby and is equally willing to share that position if you chose to be part of our daughter's life. We have no need for financial support as James is quite wealthy in his own right, so you don't need to worry about that and if you want a DNA test, we are more than willing. There are things you need to know if you decide to be a part of our little ones life, however. I know this is a lot to drop on you and you have your own issues to deal with which is one of the reasons why I hesitate to send this letter in the first place. Even in England we have heard of your parents' death and as James and I have also lost our parents recently we can completely sympathize with your loss. It seems our little one will not have any of her grandparents. She does however have a surplus of 'uncles' as I and James have a close circle of friends waiting to spoil her including Remus Lupin who you've met, Sirius Black who will be named one of her godfathers and Peter Pettigrew a dear friend who's like a little brother to us both."
"The tradition in our families is for a child too have four godparents. Two chosen by the mother, two by the father. James and I together chose Sirius Black, and Alice Longbottom. If things go as we hope we want, you to pick the other two that way she will have two in Britain and two in America. Yes, I know one of your choices will be James Rhodes and I enthusiastically agree." Rhodey had to pause for a moment obviously touched by the words. "I would have no hesitation in trusting James to care for our little one if the three of us were unable or to aid you if James and I were incapable for whatever reason."
"Another reason I hesitate is that I know you doubt your ability to be a good father because of your experiences with your own father. Tony, I do not doubt that you are capable of being a fantastic father. I have no doubt that if you decide to have a part in our daughter's life, she will be one of the luckiest little girls in the world. Sirius grew up much like you did maybe worse, but he says that the advantage to what he endured is that he knows exactly what he would never ever do or say to his child or godchild."
"I probably shouldn't add this part especially as I'm unsure if I will ever send it but maybe that's why I can be honest. I'm afraid. We are all young and our contact with those older than we are who have experience with raising children is limited with all of our parents being gone there is no one for us to turn to with questions. The only one of us who even have younger siblings is Sirius and he no longer even speaks to his younger brother and only one of his younger cousins. There are other things going on right now bigger things even than raising a child things that could make our little one's life so much more difficult and I want her safe so badly I've even considered finding a way to send her to America, to you the moment she's born. It's possible that would be the safest, and best thing for her, but God forgive me I'm not strong enough. I already love her so much. I would give my life for her. To keep her safe, to keep her happy but sending her away is beyond me."
"If something happens to us, please Tony, keep her safe. It may all fall to you and that is also unfair, but I am getting the worst feeling that not much in our daughter's life is going to be fair. I'm going to try to mail this now. I hope I find the courage. I do love you, Tony. I always have and probably always will so I will sign this Love, Lily."
Rhodey looked up from the letter to see that Tony was sitting with his eyes closed tightly a slight red tinge to his face the one he got when he was desperately trying to hold back tears and Pepper was holding his hand tears shimmering in her own eyes. He glanced back down at the papers in his hands. "There's more another letter. It's from James Potter."
Tony's eyes flew open in shock. He hadn't expected that. He'd been trying not to think about James Potter. The other man who Lily had loved and had loved her. The one who had according to Remus encouraged Lily to tell him about Juniper. The one she'd married. The man who'd not only accepted another man's child but had died to protect her. The man Juniper idolized and adored even though she seemed to have so few memories of him.
Once he had hated James Potter seeing him as the man who'd swooped in and stolen Lily back from him. The one who'd taken the brilliant young future scientist and somehow brainwashed her into becoming a housewife something she'd never seemed to have any wish to be. Instead, he'd been the one to support Lily when she was pregnant, must have encouraged her to become a magical healer, and literally given his life to protect her and Juniper. He was trying not to hate him, but he couldn't stop the jealousy. It was pathetic. The man was dead. "Read it."
"Mate, my name is James Potter we never met but we have a few things in common. You know loving the same woman, fathering the same child, both being rich pompous assholes. The last part comes from Lils. Just want to let you know whatever you choose to do its okay. If you don't want to be a dad, I'm more than willing to step in fully. If you do well, I guess we'll both have to learn how to share. I have a feeling your no better at it than I am. Either way I am fully committed to giving this little girl the best life she could possibly have. She will be my heir and only child. Thanks to a accident at work I will never have another child and that was part of the reason Lily, and I broke up the first time. I was raised knowing how important having a child was. Carrying on the family legacy and all that noise. When I found out it would never happen, I refused to believe Lily would be happy never having a child. So, I guess, Thanks? That was insensitive right? Yeah, Remus would probably be smacking me right now. You'll get used to it, I hope. According to Remus you're a alright sort even if you drink too much but I refuse to accept his opinion on the matter as I'm convinced, he doesn't drink nearly enough all things considered. So anyway, I'm going to do my best to talk Lils into sending these letters and hopefully I'll get chance to meet you soon. James Potter."
Pepper couldn't hold back a laugh. "Lily Potter very much had a type didn't she."
"Christ, I would have liked him I think." Tony said softly. It had been a shadow of a thought from what he'd already heard of the man. But hearing the letter with his casual acceptance of his faults and Tony's existence and right to have a part in the life of the child he obviously wanted it smacked him in the face. James Potter it also seemed had been, how had Remus put it, a alright sort.
"I can imagine me and Remus running behind the two of you putting out the fires if you two had ever become friends. Probably would have been even worse than I'm imagining as I suppose Sirius Black would have been in on it with you two as well." Rhodey said dryly bringing another laugh from Pepper.
"Let's leave the other two for later Tony. Thats enough for now." Pepper said reaching over and taking the other two letters from him. "Lily knew you would be a good father but was afraid. James Potter was a good man who you probably would have gotten arrested with. Let that sit then you can read the others later."
Tony nodded. "Right. Right Honeybear want to go for a flight maybe check the harbor for those weapon traffickers you were telling me about last week?"
"Absolutely." Rhodey answered as Tony stood and paused to whisper in Pepper's ear. "I'll take care of him." Before following him out the door.
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"Peter what are you doing?" Peter who was still sitting on the floor with his schoolbooks but was turned half towards the couch where Juniper was sleeping with his phone held out towards her recording looked over with a grin as Natasha, Steve, and Bucky entered.
"Did you know Juniper talks in her sleep?" He asked in lieu of a answer. "It's so cute."
"She's always done it." Hermione who was sitting in one of the armchairs crossways with her legs over one of the arms as she read more of Peter's American History book said absently. "She once had a entire conversation with Parvati about the saree she was wearing to her cousin's wedding. Parvati didn't realize until she looked over at her that she'd been sound asleep the entire time. Juniper still swears it never happened."
"What has she said?" Natasha asked curiously.
"So far she's told me 'Don't be mean to the thestrals.'."
"Good advice." Hermione volunteered.
"'If Edgecomb steals Luna's shoes one more time I'm going to throw her off the astronomy tower.'"
"That was a actual conversation she had with Terry. After that Marietta Edgecombe seemed a little afraid of Juniper." Hermione smirked a bit. "Never occurred to the bully that Luna may seem like the smallest weakest fish in her pond but was friends with the sharpest toothed shark in the ocean."
"And 'Tell Ron not to eat the candy.'" Peter continued.
"Yeah, more good advice when we go to Hogwarts don't eat anything Cormac McLaggen gives you." Hermione advised then glanced over as Juniper muttered something this time under her breathe and turned to face the back of the couch.
Steve put a finger to his lips and motioned for them to follow him into the kitchen. The others obeyed as quietly as possible so as not to wake Juniper up. Living in a dorm she'd learned to sleep with people talking and moving around but there were limits.
Ron was sitting at the kitchen table with Clint both eating huge sandwiches.
"Hey Ron Juniper says not to eat the candy." Peter said brightly.
Ron's face immediately clouded over with a scowl. "You warn Natasha about McLaggen?" He asked Hermione.
"Vaguely just not to eat anything he gave her." Hermione answered.
"Or drink. In fact, if he tries to talk to you just punch him in the face." Ron muttered.
"What did this McLaggen guy do?" Clint asked.
Hermione gave a sigh. "Long story short he tried to dose Juniper with Amortentia. The love potion in the story Juniper told you about Tom Riddle's parents. The potion his mom gave his dad. It was in some chocolates McLaggen gave her, but Ron got it instead."
"Was he ever punished for this?" Steve asked with a frown.
"Technically no because nothing happened Juniper realized what was going on and got me to Slughorn for the antidote before I could do more than say some embarrassing crap then take a swing at her when she insulted McLaggen. But unofficially..."
"Percy Weasley heard somehow came to the school under the guise of Ministry business and he beat McLaggen near to death he was in the hospital wing for a week. The girls at Hogwarts won't give him the time of day they act like he has the plague. And the guys...Well let's just say McLaggen has to be really careful not to stand at the top of any staircases. Even people who don't like Juniper are offended by what he tried to pull." Hermione answered.
"Thats because what he did was offensive." Ron growled. "You don't have to like someone to believe having their choices stolen, their will broken, and their emotions manipulated is evil." Ron growled. It was obvious that despite 'nothing happening' he was still affected by the episode.
"Of course, it was." Hermione replied as if surprised Ron believed she might think differently. "I was just surprised that even Draco Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson looked at him like they might do some damage to him if they ever got a chance."
"I am sorry to interrupt the conversation, but we are about to have visitors. Agents Fury and Coulson are as we speak in the elevator on the way up." Jarvis said calmly.
"Oh boy." Clint muttered. "Jarvis, where is Tony?"
"Sir and Colonel Rhodes have been notified and are on their way back. Sir has requested and I quote. 'Keep that one-eyed asshole away from my kid until I get back.' unquote. As a result, I have temporarily cut power to the elevator." Jarvis answered.
Ron seemed to brighten and snickered slightly. "Why Jarvis Juniper is going to be so impressed."
"Thank you Mr. Weasley but I must admit Mr. Dobby aided me by popping into the elevator and stealing Agent Coulson's laptop interface." Jarvis answered.
"House elf and AI unbeatable alliance right there." Clint snickered fist bumping with Ron.
"He is hacking my system remotely however." Jarvis continued. They all heard the thumps of Iron Man, and War Machine landing on the patio and exchanged grins.
"This is going to be good." Clint said glancing over and seeing Bucky's face. It had been growing darker and colder as Ron and Hermione had spoken of McLaggen and now he had a target. Clint almost felt sorry for Nick Fury he was used to Snarky Tony and quite Bucky he was not going to be ready for protective dad Tony, backed up by the Winter Soldier as adoring boyfriend. Not to mention the new magical members of the family.
The patio door opened and Tony and Rhodey entered just as they heard Nick Fury's voice roar in the family room. "WHY the HELL is the most powerful witch in the world in the AVENGER'S tower? And how is it that none of MY agents saw fit to inform me?" They all stood to follow Tony, Bucky and Rhodey who all looked half ready to take Fury apart into the family room.
Juniper who'd obviously been woken by Fury's dramatic entrance and yelling was sitting up on the couch holding the blanket to her chest blinking at him and Coulson She'd didn't look as alarmed as they'd expected more perplexed as if trying to figure who these men where and why one was yelling at her. Maybe because Dobby was standing between them arm extended towards the two men in a obviously threatening manner. He was backed up by Hedwig who wheeled around behind them and was obviously prepared to drive her razor-sharp talons right into Fury's scalp.
Sam, Bill, Bruce, and Remus were standing on the stairs. Bill and Remus both had wands leveled at the agents and none of them seemed overly pleased to see the men who looked to be yelling at their patient.
"I wasn't aware I needed your permission to have MY daughter in MY tower Fury." Tony growled at Fury crossing to the couch and standing beside Juniper slightly between her and the two agents putting a hand on her shoulder while Bucky crossed to stand behind the couch hand touching the gun at his side in a light but very deliberately threatening manner.
"YOUR daughter." Fury asked in disbelief eyebrows raising even as Coulson looked uncomfortable at having practically broken through the door and finding a teenage girl asleep on the couch. Obviously not the big bad witch he'd been expecting. "That is NOT your daughter Stark that is Juniper Potter. She is the daughter of James Potter and Lily Potter. How could she possibly be your daughter?"
"Do I need to explain the facts of life to you Fury? I knew Lily Evans before she was a Potter. She was a beautiful woman, I am a equally beautiful man together we made a even more beautiful child. Do you not see the resemblance?" Tony asked he glanced over at Juniper who obviously still didn't get what was going on but was willing to go along with her father and gave Fury the patented Stark smirk following his lead.
Fury's eyes widened obviously seeing what Tony meant. It was obvious once it was pointed out. Her eyes and complexion where Lily's but her hair, her facial structure, her lips, her cheekbones, and most especially her expressions where Tony's. There was even something about the shape of her eyes that was reminiscent of Maria Stark.
"Oh fuck no." Fury almost groaned.
"Steve, he's using language. Doesn't he know there are young ladies present? Hes going to scar our delicate innocent minds." Juniper called out. "Don't you feel scarred Hermione?"
Hermione shrugged looking amused. "Not particularly."
"Traitor." Juniper accused.
"My God the savior of the Wizarding world is a Stark." Coulson said looking at Fury in alarm.
"The world is doomed." Fury said deadpan.
"Such faith is heartwarming." Juniper said. "I would like to point out I have faced Tom...how many times Hermione?"
"Face to face? Including when you were a baby? Six." Hermione answered.
"Is that right?" Juniper asked screwing her face up slightly and looking over at her.
"One-when you were a baby, Two-in the forbidden forest, three-when you fought over the philosopher's stone, four-in the chamber of secrets, five-after the third task, six-at the ministry. Six times." Hermione gave a confident nod.
Juniper turned back to Fury. "Six times and out of those I've only truly lost once."
"Hes not dead." Fury answered.
"Well technically he is." Hermione said.
"We know how to put him down permanently now and we've done the hardest part." Juniper said softly. It was a lie though she knew that. The horcrux in her scar was gone but there was still going to be a battle when they went back to Hogwarts, and it was not going to be easy getting to the snake or killing Tom's new body for good.
"Now that he's freed Grindelwald and teamed up with HYDRA good timing." Fury said his expression hard.
"HEY. Give the kid a break she's only seventeen." Steve almost yelled surprising all of them.
Fury seemed a bit thrown by that. Probably as much that it was Steve yelling as by the realization that Juniper was still basically a teenager. It was probably something he'd skimmed over in the file not really allowing it to register. "Your only seventeen?" Coulson asked softly.
Juniper nodded looking a bit deflated at Fury's reminder of the increased odds against them. Tony started advancing on Fury. "What where you doing at seventeen Fury? Worrying about college and how to ask out some girl? What about at 12? Cause my kid was slaying a basilisk to save her friend. At fourteen she was forced to fight a dragon. She has already risked her life over and over to save that world when the majority of them did nothing but lie to her, ignore her pain, and turn on her when it was convenient. She owes them nothing but shes still doing everything including literally dying to protect them."
He glanced back over at Juniper as he spoke and saw the way she was looking at him saw how much his words meant to her even though some of the pain Furys had caused still lingered but when he looked behind her, he saw something else. "Hey kiddo, Soldier boy there has gone to that scary staring place he goes to right before he starts carving someone up. Can you turn him off?"
Juniper turned in surprise to look up at Bucky who was standing behind the couch where she was sitting. His eyes were locked on Fury cold and predatory as if he was daring the man to cross some imaginary line between him and Juniper and if he did, he was going to end him.
Juniper shifted to particularly stand on the couch then sat on the back. Bucky immediately shifted his metal arm going around her waist to pull her slightly back against him but careful to leave his right arm free so that he could pull his gun and fire if he decided Fury was too much of a threat.
"Stand down Sergeant Barnes we're all just having a nice conversation here." Juniper told his softly raising one hand to his cheek and kissing the other lightly. His expression softened just a shade.
"THE WINTER SOLDIER!" The look on this Fury guy's face actually made Juniper wonder if he was going to have a stroke right there. "You're letting your kid hook up with the winter soldier?"
"Letting may be overstating it a bit." Tony said dryly. "But at least she picked a guy who can protect her."
"Who's going to protect her from him?" Fury asked still remembering when Barnes had shot him.
"I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself. Would you like a demonstration?" Juniper asked her tone almost threatening as she glared at both men. Hedwig let out a warning bark as if agreeing with her witch.
"I would never hurt...her." None of them could miss the slight emphasis Bucky put on her. Truthfully that little voice in the back of his mind that was more the soldier than Bucky was insisting he kill Fury. He was a threat to Juniper. In more ways than one. The muggle with the scars had arrived. Once they realized that it would bring them back to England and back to the two dark lords. One who wanted to kill her the other who wanted to control her. He honestly didn't want her anywhere near England. He didn't want her outside New York, hell he'd probably be happiest if she never left the safety of the Tower.
"How do you know so much about the wizarding world?" Bill asked.
"Fury here is The Spy. He knows everyone's secrets." Tony said glaring at the man in question.
"So he's like Hermione but evil." Ron said.
"I wouldn't say evil, but he and your Dumbledore do have a few similarities when it comes to concealing information." Tony answered.
"Ronald Weasley." Fury said glancing at the young man. "Hermione Granger." He said his eyes traveling to the bushy haired brunette scowling at Ron. Then he glanced over at the stairs. "From the red hair and age, I'd guess Bill Weasley." He glanced at Remus. "And you'd be the werewolf."
"Don't talk to him like that." Juniper and Steve's voices chorused out so perfectly together anyone would have thought they'd been practicing for week. They looked at each other in surprise missing the tenderly affectionate look Remus sent both of them.
"He has a name." Juniper said standing on the couch again and stepping off putting a hand on Rhody's shoulder to balance herself and moving to stand beside Tony, Hedwig landing on her forearm in a move that was without a doubt practiced and perfected.
"Your smaller than I thought you'd be." Coulson said his tone almost thoughtful.
"Yeah, disappoints me sometimes too." Juniper said with a huge mock sigh.
"Is there a point to any of this or did you just think it was a good idea to come around and annoy as you say the most powerful witch in the world?" Tony asked.
"We came to find out what we meaning SHIELD could do behind the scenes of course to help shall we say depose Tom Riddle. Which may be more than we thought." Coulson answered thoughtful look still on his face.
Juniper seemed a bit surprised. "What? Macusa said they couldn't help."
"Macusa has always been a bit short-sighted. Tom Riddle's brand of crazy isn't going to stay confined to your corner of the world especially now with HYDRA and Hitler's old buddy Grindelwald in his corner. Taking out Tom may come down to you, but SHIELD is used to going head-to-head with HYDRA. We can only help so much as massive amounts of troops and armament movement to England may be taken as a threat by the no-maj government, but we will give you what support we can." Fury said then glanced at the smaller man. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that protecting American citizens is part of SHIELD's mission. I'm also thinking that since Ms. Potter is being recognized by Tony as his biological child and I'm assuming he has a DNA test proving same she is technically a dual citizen of America and England. So, we have a American citizen, the daughter of a man who is responsible for and knowledgeable about some of the most advanced weapon systems that protect not only America but the world being threatened by a terrorist organization. I'd say that is a significant risk to the security of the country as a whole and said American citizen daughter as well." Coulson explained calmly.
"And people wonder why I like you better than Fury." Tony said with a grin.
"Nobody has ever wondered that. Like literally nobody." Coulson informed him.
"It's a bit thin politically but it does give us a bit more leeway." Fury admitted. "Make some calls see what you can get mobilized." He glanced over at Juniper. "What kind of time frame are we looking at? I assume you are planning on heading back to Britain at some point. When is that happening?"
"Now as soon as possible. We were waiting on you. The muggle with scars on his face." Juniper said softly.
The others in the room with the exception of Bucky, Bill, and Natasha who'd already put it together looked at Fury as if he'd suddenly turned into the boogeyman. Or maybe a harbringer of doom.
"Well shit."
"STEVE!" Juniper explained in mock outrage her eyes wide in real surprise that it had come from him. "Language."
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"We don't have to go." Juniper was standing in the closet trying to decide which of the ton of clothes her dad had bought her she should bring with her to London, or it she should just bring her wizarding clothes as they would be spending the majority of time in the wizarding part of Britain. At the words she turned to see Bucky standing in the door of her room.
"Bucky." She said softly crossing the room he met her halfway closing the door behind him and pulling her into his arms.
"We don't have to go." Bucky repeated his voice a bit hoarse. "You don't have the horcrux in your head anymore. The others can tell the wizards and Fury how to kill him. We can...can run off to Australia to live with the kangaroos and dingos like you said before."
Juniper shook her head. "They can't beat the wizards without other wizards fighting and even if the other horcruxes are destroyed I'm still probably the only witch stronger than Tom and Bella. I know I'm the only one even close to Grindelwald. You said it yourself I'm a leader. There are those in the wizarding world that would follow me when they would hide in their basements if it was anyone else asking. They believe in me. I do have to go. You know I do." She said softly pulling away enough to look up into his face. "I love you Bucky. I want a future with you a life with you, but I can't build that on the bones of my family and friends."
"I suppose this is what I get for falling for a hero." Bucky said pressing his forehead to hers. "It may make me a villain but right now I'd let the world burn to save you."
Juniper ordered her stupid heart to stop pounding at those words, but she couldn't even stop her face from lightning a bit. Her entire life a part of her had wanted this. Someone who loved her so much they would want to protect her, save her, above all else but also loved her so much they would be by her side as she did what she had to do regardless.
"I'm not going to die on you Bucky. Not after all this. People have been trying to kill me for 17-years but I'm still here." Juniper said softly raising a hand to gently caress his cheek. "You with me Buck?"
"Till the end of the line Doll. Till the end of the line."
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"Be careful. Listen to Hermione and take your potions both of you." Bill told Juniper and Ron sternly one hand on the back of each of their necks lightly. According to the plan he was going to travel the muggle way with Fury, Coulson, and Sam once they had gathered together a team of SHIELD agents, and squib soldiers willing to fight HYDRA and possibly wizards. He looked like he was on the verge of changing his mind though. obviously not at all convinced of his younger siblings ability to keep themselves alive without him. Even with the Avengers help.
"Bill, we'll be fine." Juniper promised as she took the vial of Wiggenweld potion Hermione was holding out to her and downed it in one gulp as if to prove to Bill that she would take her potions.
"Yeah, really you're turning into Mum already." Ron groused obviously having adjusted rather quickly to the news Bill had finally imparted to them a few minutes ago. Turned out the reason for the speed of his and Fleur's wedding had been due to more than the war. Hope Molly Weasley had been born only a few weeks before he'd come to aid two of his younger siblings and was another very very good reason in all of their eyes to end this as quickly as possible. Juniper was still clutching the picture of her goddaughter (she was a godmother!) in her hand as they said their goodbyes. Hopefully temporarily as she Ron, Hermione and the Avengers including Pepper who'd refused to be left behind would be travelling to London via elf apparition.
Dobby had drafted Winky to aid them and even now the two of them and Kreacher who had sworn on the honor of the Black family that 12 Grimmauld Place was free of deatheaters and safe for even the Muggles were waiting patiently.
"You would think we were toddlers." Juniper commented to Ron. "It's not like we weren't on our own for months already."
"Yeah, and you raided the ministry and accidently apperated to another continent." Bill pointed out dryly.
"I regret nothing." Juniper said with a smirk. "Look we'll be spending the night at
Grimmauld to make sure the dungeon is secure enough for Remus when he changes then tomorrow, we're going to Diagon then back to Grimmauld for the night so Remus can transform as easily and securely as possible. We have no plans to go further than those two places until you and the cavalry arrives. Don't forget the twins are in Diagon so we will still be under older brother supervision."
"Fred and George are not supervision they're accomplices." Bill grumbled. "Every time the four of you put your heads together things explode."
"That was one time!" Juniper protested. "And we put out the fire didn't we. Anyway, that was years ago. We're all adults now."
Bill let out a groan. "Hermione..."
"I'll keep a eye on them I promise." Hermione interrupted calmly.
"You are a fraud." Juniper told her. Bill gave her a questioning look. "Whose idea was it to sneak into the restricted section first year? Who was brewing polyjuice potion in the girl's bathroom second year? Whose plan was it to use a time turner to rescue two condemned ministry prisoners third year..."
"You two where a horrible influence on me. I was a perfect angel before I became friends with you." Hermione broke in with a laugh.
"Your right mate." Ron said in surprise to Juniper not buying her claim for a moment. "Shes no better than we are. Shes just better at not getting caught. Maybe she's the one who should have been in Slytherin.
"Don't be ridiculous Ronald. Muggleborns don't go to Slytherin." Hermione said with what sounded like a exasperated sigh but Juniper knew was a sign that it was time to get off that particular subject. "Everything will be fine Bill. Fury and Sam need a wizard with them, or they'll never be able to find Hogsmeade let along Hogwarts. Go. Be careful. We'll see you soon enough."
"Right." Bill said softly then gave both Juniper and Ron brief hugs before to her surprise hugging Hermione too before turning and joining Sam, Fury, and Coulson who were waiting in the elevator.
The trio turned back to Remus and the Avengers. "Explosion?" Tony asked raising a eyebrow a amused smirk on his face.
"It's a long story and Fred tells it way better." Juniper muttered softly. Then turned to the oldest of the elves. "Kreacher, can you take the bags straight to Grimmauld Place then come straight back here."
Kreacher gave a crooked grin. "Kreacher is a Black Elf. He does not need to take them." He glanced over at the bags mostly weapons stacked in the floor and snapped his fingers. They disappeared as if they'd never been there and Juniper had no doubt, they'd find them stacked just as neatly somewhere in Grimmauld Place.
"Right of course. What was I thinking?" Juniper said actually grinning back to the elf's delight. Something about the conversation she'd had with Regulus in the between place had softened her anger towards the elf who'd been so devoted to him.
"Alright the alley across from Grimmauld. It's under charms and is unplottable so we can't trust that anyone that wasn't with me or Kreacher would be able to get in via apparition and there is no way of knowing if they'd just bounce back here or be evaporated. We know I'm the only one who can open it from outside at this point. The Blacks have always been a paranoid lot." Juniper told them.
"Present company included?" Natasha asked with a bit of a smirk.
"It's not paranoia if they are really trying to kill you." Juniper answered taking one of Kretcher's hands.
It took the elfs more than one trip but about 20 minutes later the whole group was standing in the alley across from...well across from number 11 and 13 Grimmauld Place.
"Umm Kiddo didn't you say it was number 12?" Tony asked. "Cause if so, it seems your house has disappeared."
Juniper gave him a smirk and waved her wand to cause a unnoticeable charm on the group before motioning them to follow her across the street where she stood in front of the two houses. She then spoke in a clear but low voice. "The ancestral home of the ancient and noble House of Black is number 12 Grimmauld Place." And as they watched in shock number 11 and number 13 actually seemed to be pushed apart another house a older and statelier if slightly run down looking home seemed to appear. The house had a worn set of front steps leading to a battered front door. On the door was a silver knocker in the shape of a twisted serpent but it had no keyhole, handle, or anything else that would indicate it to be a door.
Juniper grinned at Tony who's mouth had actually fallen open. Yes, he'd seen Juniper and her cohorts do amazing things before but this... "You just don't obey the laws of physics at all do you?"
"Only as they relate to magic." Juniper answered cheerfully and turned to practically bounce up the steps. "The original safety protocol required the use of a wand but we tweaked it a bit when we stayed here when we were on the run." She put her hand on the knocker and gave a soft hiss as the snake knocker twisted and nipped her finger just enough to test her blood and then the door gave a soft click. Juniper pushed the door open. "Welcome to Grimmauld Place."
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AN- I believe I'll be able to get them to Diagon Alley next chapter to meet more allies, more Weasleys and see the first step in Grindelwald plan in seducing Juniper to his side. There is a reason they are staying at Grimmauld Place and a reason it's about to be the full moon. Going to have some fun with that. Leta will probably make her grand debut in the chapter after, and the twins will most likely be in one or the other. I've also decided I lied when I said Thor and Loki wouldn't show up. Hugs and kisses to you all.