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"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asked over the comms after taking down yet another alien, while protecting an American citizen.

"The powers surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor answered. "I am unable to breach the area."

"What about Glinda?" Tony asked.

"Loki has her trapped in a separate area with the same powers," Thor answered. "She is currently unconscious."

The communication devices were filled with swears from each Avenger upon hearing Thor's answer.

"We're going to need her," Natasha said after a moment. "The only way out of this is to work together, and she's the only one who's intimately familiar with the Tesseract. Thor, Stark, I need you both to work together to break the prison Loki has her in. ."

"The Enchantress swore she was not intimate with my brother," Thor protested over the comms.

"Stark," Natasha said, ignoring Thor.

"I'm on it. Shakespeare, where is she?"

"On your helipad," Thor answered still sounding petulant.

"Meet me there."

"Alright, for the rest of us, we need to keep Loi focused on us. Without him, these Chitauri will run wild. Once Stark and Thor free Hermione, they'll need us."

"So…." Bruce said riding up on a motorcycle and climbing off. "This seems horrible."

"I've seen worse," Natasha answered dryly before Brunce winced.

"Sorry," he said.

"No," she said. "We could use a little worse. Loki has Hermione trapped. Thor and Stark are attempting to free her."

Everyone stared at Bruce when he promptly swore.

"She's one of the few that can go up against the green guy," he answered with a shrug.

"Alright, I've got a plan," Stark told Thor after studying the blue dome surrounding Hermione.

"Will it work?" Thor asked.

"Hopefully," Stark answered.

"Will it hurt her?"

"No," Stark promptly lied, knowing that if he admitted he wasn't sure if it would harm Glinda then Thor would refuse to attempt it. Immediately after Tony explained his idea of combining Thor's hammer and his energy blast, he realized Glinda was beginning to wake up. She looked at the two of them, and Tony had never been so grateful that she had magic. The witch had her wand in her hand as Thor and Tony's attacks connected with the blue dome.

"Banner's here," Natasha announced, earning Stark's attention.

"Just like you said," Steve added.

"Alright," Tony said. "Tell him I'm bringing the party to you. Thor and Glinda are going after Loki."

After a few minutes, and only a single Chitauri making an appearance, Natasha couldn't help, but comment, "I don't see how that's a party," only to shut up once she saw the giant Leviathan that was following Stark.

"Dr. Banner, now might be a good time for you to get angry," Steve advised only to see Banner roll his eyes as he began transforming into the Hulk. The Avengers were working as a perfect team, never blinking at the sheer amount of enemies that they had to defeat. Steve took the leadership role and gave each of them directives, aside from Thor and Hermione who continued to battle Loki.

After Loki threw his brother over the edge of Stark tower; he was left alone with Hermione. She didn't allow him to speak, and instead threw a multitude of hexes against him. Knowing he'd block almost all of them, she layered each other with a stunning spell followed by an incarcerous. She smiled triumphantly when he collapsed backwards, tied up and unconscious.

"I'm surprised you agreed to send the Tesseract back to Asgard," Tony muttered to Hermione as the Avengers gathered around Thor and Loki. The two Asgardians were preparing to transport back to their own realm, and despite being handcuffed, Loki didn't appear defeated at all.

"Thought I'd demand to keep it?" Hermione asked bemused. "Spoils of war and all that?"

"Something like that," Tony said laughing as Hermione shook her head.

"It's too powerful. It needs to be outside of SHIELD's reach." Thor eventually drew their attention again, which is when Hermione noticed the smug look on his brother's face. While she was studying Loki, his eyes flashed towards her making contact.

"Witchling," his voice purred, despite his lips not moving. Her eyes widened as she realized he was performing legilimency; a form that seamlessly bypassed her occlumency walls without any pain. No one noticed the conversation between the two of them until Hermione had pulled her wand while she snarled at the Asgardian.

"Glinda?" Tony asked jumping to intercept her wand arm.

"I will slaughter you," Hermione hissed at Loki. "Every punishment I have ever doled out will pale in comparison to the retribution I will bestow upon you." Her promise only served to widen Loki's grin.

"What's happening?" Natasha asked as Tony struggled to restrain Hermione.

"Loki has the gift of mindwalking," Thor answered before glaring at the prisoner. "Brother what have you done?!"

"He invited me to Asgard," Hermione snarled as every Avenger looked at her surprised.

"You have such an aversion to visiting our realm?" Thor asked offended. "Our hospitality has never been rivaled!"

"I'm more concerned about why he invited her," Tony interjected.

"He didn't say," Hermione answered. "Only what would happen should I refuse an invitation."

"Ah," Thor said understanding the witch's threats. "Regardless, Loki cannot demand your presence in Asgard. Only the Allfather, and he is distrustful of mortals." It did little to reassure Hermione, but the two disappeared shortly thereafter. Dispersing, the Avengers split up, and Hermione disapperated to the steps of Gringotts Bank, a triumphant smile on her face.

Unlike Harry and Ron, who were still reviled by the Goblin Horde, Hermione always received personalized and excellent service due to the fact that she had made an effort at providing retribution for their break in. Which was why she was unsurprised when a small Goblin appeared at her elbow while she waited for a bank teller.

"Rogrod will be displeased when he learns you continue to wait in line."

"Rogrod is always displeased," Hermione answered baring her teeth in greeting at the Goblin. "Besides Barrak, how else would I gain your attention?"

"Kaida, you insist on flattering me," the Goblin muttered. "Careful or I will insist you hold my goblets in your vaults." Hermione turned bright pink before managing to respond.

"Eillig would never permit such activities." Barrak laughed, which to a witch sounded more like a harsh groan. "How is your wife?"

"Busy," Barrak answered. "Our oldest Goblet has gained his own, and she keeps stealing them whenever she has the chance."

"Wonderful!" Hermione said. The two friends continued talking as Barrak led her to his office, and began setting up her deposit, which she had pre-arranged due to the specialty container she required. Despite the price of such security measures, the Goblins always charged her only what they would charge a member of their horde. The whole affair took very little time, and once completed, Hermione headed home.

Two weeks after Thor and Loki went back to Asgard, Hermione received a summons from Director Fury. It contained no details, other than her presence was needed as soon as possible. She sent a patronus off to Kingsley, letting him know she was taking a portkey to SHIELD's current headquarters before leaving. She arrived in the main conference room, surprised to see the rest of the Avengers waiting for her expectantly.

"Glinda," Tony greeted her.

"Stark," she returned. "Am I late?"

"Not at all," Natasha answered. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the ginger's clipped manner before taking a seat across from all of them. Thor was standing behind the rest of the team, pacing back and forth as Fury stared at Hermione.

"Care to explain?" The Director asked her. Hermione tilted her head at him.

"You asked me to appear," she answered. "So here I am. It's typically how a summons works." Neither Tony nor Bruce attempted to hide their grins at her answer. Thor had ceased pacing momentarily, while Steve, Natasha and Fury all stared at her. Hermione refused to budge, and simply stared back at them.

Tony was struggling to keep his mouth shut, while the four stared at one another. Surprisingly, it was Thor who erupted first.

"You stole the Tesseract!"

"That's quite a theory," Hermione answered, "considering I've never been to Asgard, and you took it there a fortnight ago."

"I know you took it!" The Asgardian bellowed. "Loki is still imprisoned. The Allfather examined the Tesseract and found that it was fake."

"Admittedly, you're best theory is that I managed to follow you to another realm and steal it?"

"I do have a slightly better theory," Tony interjected, disrupting the glare Thor was bestowing upon Hermione.

"Which is?" Hermione prompted the billionaire.

"Thor took a false Tesseract back to Asgard," he answered. "Really, the only thing that makes sense is that you never returned the scepter, and managed to swap the Tesseract before he left."

"You stole Asgardian property!" Thor yelled as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Your brother lost both in a battle," she pointed out, "which makes both of them fall under spoils of war."

"I knew it!" Tony blurted out triumphantly, earning looks from Fury, Steve, and Natasha.

"You lost the scepter to Loki," Thor argued.

"Briefly, and then I regained it prior to his defeat," Hermione answered. "I also acquired the Tesseract moments after Tony reentered the portal, which makes it also fall under the same law."

"You deceived your allies," Thor accused her.

"How?" Hermione asked tilting her head again.

"You're kidding, right?" Natasha asked.

"No," Hermione answered. "No one ever asked me if I still possessed the scepter or if I had acquired the Tesseract. Tony merely expressed his surprise that I didn't protest Thor taking the two items off earth, seconds before he and Loki left."

The only two individuals who appeared amused were Bruce and Tony. The rest of the group had darkened looks on their faces.

"This is unacceptable," Fury said. "You cannot simply squander these items."

"Items that you have already proven irresponsible with?" Hermione shot back. "SHIELD has already proven that they are not trustworthy to guard the Tesseract, considering they were trying to weaponize it."

"Yet you refuse to send it to Asgard," Thor bit out.

"A realm, where an Asgardian already absconded with said artefact and used it to wage war?" Hermione asked. "Why on earth would I have problem with sending it back there, where the original thief is also being imprisoned?"

Tony and Bruce started laughing, earning looks of displeasure from the rest of the Avengers and Fury.

"This wasn't your call," Steve pointed out. "How can you guarantee it's safety? What happens when someone steals it from you."

"It's locked in a vault," Hermione answered before holding her hand up to silence the group. "Both items are in separate containers designed to contain magical artefacts with numerous charms and hexes on each. The bank that they are being held in has been broken into once in its history, and I orchestrated said break in. Since then, I have worked with the owners to prevent a repeat offense."

"What happens when enemies discover it's on Earth and not Asgard?" Fury asked. "We agreed to send it back to prevent Earth from gaining unnecessary attention."

"Who says it's not on Asgard?" Hermione asked innocently.

"You just admitted!" Several voices bellowed.

"To a group of allies," She replied. "The rest of the universe doesn't need to know."

"How secure is this vault?" Steve finally asked.

"I had to escape on dragon back when I broke in," she answered. Several mouths dropped open. "Yes they're real, and yet none of you knew. Apply that to the rest of the bank."

"My father is still demanding I bring you to Asgard to account for your thievery," Thor said. Hermione smiled at him.

"If I refuse?" she asked.

"I am to bring you regardless of your agreement," Thor answered apologetically.

"Well then," she muttered as she stood to her feet, and pulled out her wand. Thor tensed slightly, until he saw that she raised it over herself. Everyone stared as Hermione's clothes changed before their eyes into appropriate Asgardian clothing.

"Neat," Tony commented.

"You are familiar with Asgardian customs?" Thor asked confused.

"Is it accurate?" Hermione asked him, clearly avoiding his question.

"Yes," Thor answered, before adding, "You look lovely, Lady Hermione. Perfectly dressed to appear before the Allfather."

"Excellent," Hermione said before summoning her patronus. "Kingsley, I'm traveling to Asgard for a bit. Please let the boys know everything is alright, and prevent them from doing something stupid." The shimmering light disappeared immediately.

"Ready?" Hermione asked Thor.

"Of course," Thor answered. "I was not expecting you to readily agree."

"No time like the present," Hermione answered. "Fury, please let me know the success of discovering and breaking into my vault. Also be advised that those who own it do not believe in the right to due process."

Thor and Hermione were gone before any of the Avengers could ask any clarifying questions. Seconds after they had left the realm, a sharp crack sounded, revealing a pale boy wearing glasses and horrifically messy hair.

"Where the bloody hell is Hermione?"