Well, things got a bit away from me and mixed things up. Still, this weeks chapter delivers!
Finally seeing Todd's death, plans for the next year, and redeeming Arthur!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Will add as necessary.
Fred and George woke at the same time, their bond bringing their minds together first to check on one another before pushing their awareness out to check their surroundings. The first thing they noticed was the lack of a certain female between them on the couch where they had fallen asleep; they weren't sure how she kept doing that, they were positive they had fallen asleep with her held between them. Fred opened his eyes first and let his gaze sweep over the room, finding everyone still asleep in various spots around the living room of Tony's Malibu mansion, the only one missing was Harriet.
George opened his eyes next, looking at Fred before looking at the room, "Where is she?" he asked softly.
"I don't know." Fred replied just as softly.
"Mr and Mr Prewett." Jarvis called, his voice low as to not wake anyone else, "If you are looking for Miss Potter she is in the kitchen. If you wish, I can lead you there with the lights along the base of the wall."
Fred frowned but George nodded, "Thank you Jarvis." They got up carefully and extracted themselves from the sleeping group of people, they followed the softly strobing lights along the base of the walls through the mansion. As they went humming started to filter through to them.
Finally, they came to the kitchen and stopped in their tracks as they saw Harriet in soft loose pants and an Ironman t-shirt, dancing around the kitchen with headphones on as she cooked. It looked like she had already been quiet busy, the breakfast bar filled with food under stasis charms; pastries, muffins, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, and fruit salad. Harriet herself was in the midst of making pancakes.
Harri spun to whatever she was listening to and caught sight of them, making her halt the spin and grin at them. She pulled her headphones down to rest around her neck, "Good morning! Sleep well?"
They smirked, "Would have been"
"better if our"
"lovely Soulmate was"
"there when we woke up." The twins said.
Harriet looked a little sheepish, "Sorry, I don't sleep more than six hours unless I'm hurt. I figured I would make breakfast."
Fred and George came around the breakfast bar and leaned against it so they could be closer to Harriet as she cooked. "It's alright." George said.
"Jarvis led us to you." Fred continued.
Harriet nodded as she turned back to flip a pancake, "Thanks J."
"Of course Miss Potter." Jarvis replied. Fred and George stood and watched Harriet sway and cook more pancakes, feeling at peace in the domestic moment.
Finally, their curiosity won out over the peace, "Harriet?" George started gently.
"Yes?"
"What happened to Todd?" Fred asked softly. Harriet's grip on her spatula tightened and her whole body went tense.
"You can take your time." George said, coming up beside her and sliding an arm around her waist.
"But we want to know." Fred said, coming to her other side and brushing his arm reassuringly against hers.
"We need to know." George corrected.
Harriet's head dropped a bit, "You deserve to know." She rasped, "l…We…" she sighed, "I can…show you the memory." She muttered, "But, I won't be able to make it through a full explanation."
Fred and George shared a grim look over her head and nodded shortly, Fred turned off the stove top and George flipped the current pancake out of the pan. Harriet waved a shaky hand over the pancake plate to place the stasis charm before Fred and George pulled her over to the breakfast nook that was around a small corner from the kitchen, Fred and Harri locked eyes while George closed his and leaned into Fred.
Harri tugged them into her mind, she didn't greet them this time, her face was tight as she led them to the elevator. It shot downward, slightly throwing off the twin's balance with the sudden drop, thankfully it slowed to a stop rather than jerked. The doors opened to reveal a dungeon like room filled with many iron barred cells.
"What is this floor Harriet?" George asked softly.
Harri looked to him with sad eyes, "These are where I keep my worst memories. The ones I wouldn't be able to function with if I had constant close access to." She led them through the dank dungeon, it was cold and damp, unpleasantly so. Fred and George glanced warily at each seemingly empty cell until they saw one that looked to be filled with black oily mist, it seemed to call to them and they made their way toward it. Just before they could reach through the bars Harriet stepped in front of them, "Not that one." She said, her eyes hard in a way they never were with them. Fred and George frowned but before they could comment Harriet took their hands, "You don't want to see your own deaths." She said, her voice faltering. Fred and George's eyes shot to the black mist before focusing back on Harriet and nodding.
Harri pulled them a couple cells further where there was another black mist, this one was shot through with blood red mist that inspired pure, overwhelming, all consuming rage in Fred and George as they looked at it. They both looked to Harriet for an explanation as she pulled the cell door open, she turned to them, "This…" she steadied herself, "This is the death of our son."
Fred and George's eyes widened even further but they nodded shortly, not knowing what to say. Harriet tugged them into the memory with shaking hands.
The memory opened with the cry of a baby before the room even came into focus, they were in a space that looked similar to Hogwarts' hospital wing. A significantly older Harriet was readjusting herself in a bed, her face red and sweaty with her hair sticking up all over the place, next to her was Loki who was waving green magic over her and a slim redheaded woman who was holding a bundle of blue. "Harriet he's beautiful." The woman said with a smile, gazing down at bundle.
Harri gave the woman a tired laugh, "Eleven hours of labor, he better be."
Loki chuckled, "I'll go get your mates and the Healer, shall I?"
Harri smiled up at him, "Yes, thank you Loki." He nodded and disappeared.
"I can't believe they passed out when you said your water broke." The redheaded woman said with a smile.
Harriet giggled, "Won me the betting pool didn't it?"
"You and Tony." The woman said in amusement.
Harriet huffed but held her arms up, "Alright Nat, I'm good. Can I have him back?" The newly named Nat, nodded with a smile and knelt on the edge of Harriet's bed to hand over the little bundle. As she settled the bundle against her stomach those watching the memory got their first look at the baby, Harriet gave a blinding smile down at little boy, whose eyes were still closed, his face still scrunched up and red. "Hello there baby boy." Harriet cooed.
Just as Nat stepped back from the bed an older Fred and George appeared on either side of it, their eyes immediately going to Harriet and the bundle in her arms. Harriet laid her head back on the pillows, "Fred, George, I'd like you to meet your son." She said, smiling up at them.
The twins sank down onto the bed on either side of Harri, their gazes not leaving the little bundle. "He's so small." Fred said, reaching out carefully and using a long finger to caress his cheek.
George placed a hand under the bundle with Harriet's and kissed her cheek, "He's perfect."
Loki reappeared at the foot of the bed, "Healer Thompson is on her way with her assistant, along with most of the rest of the team." Harri glanced up and nodded. "Are we finally going to hear his name?"
Fred chuckled, "When everyone is here Loki."
"We're his godparents." Nat said with a slight pout, "We should hear first."
Harri giggled, "Never thought I'd see the day that the Black Widow would try to pull familial rank."
Nat shrugged, "I use what I need to."
Suddenly the door burst open and Tony ran in followed closely by Thor, Bucky, and Steve. They all stopped in their tracks when Harriet, Fred and George looked up at them, their eyes were fixed on the bundle in Harri's arms, "He's finally here!" Tony said breathily.
Harri smiled, "Yes, Tony, he's here."
"You have created a fine son Lady Harriet!" Thor boomed.
"We helped!" Fred and George interjected.
Harriet rolled her eyes, "I'd appreciate it if you helped by not waking him." The three looked back to her sheepishly but it was too late, the baby's face screwed up and he let out a small disgruntled noise before his eyes blinked open. Everyone awed at the sight.
"Clint's getting the camera and he'll be here." Steve said.
"Bruce is coming from the airport; he'll be here in an hour or so." Tony threw in.
"So let's hear the name then." Bucky said, edging closer with Steve.
Harriet looked up at Fred and George expectantly, "Todd." Fred said with a smile, "Todd Forge Prewett."
Everyone smiled and Nat nodded her head, "A little fox."
"A fit name for the child of such fine warriors." Thor said, his voice slightly softer.
Bucky came over to the bed and waved at Todd who was looking around curiously, "Hello little guy." He said, his voice a little rough.
There was a slight knock at the door and everyone turned to see a mousy looking female in Healer robes with a rather plain looking Mediwizard right behind her, standing at the door, "May we come in?" the Healer asked curiously.
Harri smiled, "Hello Healer Thompson. Yes, come in."
The Healer and her assistant came in and stood at the end of the bed as everyone else shifted to stand on either side of the bed. "I see that everything went well with Loki and Miss Romanoff assisting you. No complications?"
Harri nodded, "Yes, everything went fine."
The Healer nodded, "And you took your post labor potions?"
"My healing magic is more powerful so I have woven that over her." Loki answered.
"I see." The Healer said, "Well, I still suggest you taking it easy for a couple of days as the magic takes you back to your previous sate. Straining will cause setbacks in your recovery and could damage your core. Now, can I have a look at the little one? I need to check him over and give him his dragon pox vaccine." Harriet nodded and leaned forward to place Todd in the Mediwizard's arms carefully, he walked back over to the Healer who took her wand out and began to run diagnostics on Todd.
Just as Healer Thompson was pulling out a small needle to give Todd his vaccine another blond man came sprinting into the room shouting Harriet's name, a bow in his hand, an arrow already notched and at the ready. Harriet looked stunned, "Clint? What is it?" Clint aimed directly for Healer Thompson and her assistant, "Clint! Don't aim at Todd!" Harriet exclaimed, sitting forward in alarm.
"I just found the bodies of Healer Thompson and Ed in the common floor's bathroom!" Clint growled, his eyes focused on the frozen Healer and Mediwizard. "I don't know who these two are but they aren't Healer Thompson and Ed!"
Instantly the feel of the room shifted and more weapons were being pointed at the two currently holding Todd; Harriet spoke, her voice low and dangerous, promising pain, "I don't know who the hell you are but you will return my son right this instant." Fred and George both had their wands aimed at the pair, their eyes glowing gold with their power and Harriet's. For a second nothing happened and then the two in front of them started to change, their bodies bubbling like boiling stew. Finally, when it stopped, Harriet growled, edging forward despite her shaking legs, "Hermione, Ron. Give me back my son, now."
Hermione gave a cruel smirk, as she straightened, "I think not Harriet." She took Todd more fully into her arms as Ron pulled his wand and held it at the ready, "Did you really think we would give up all that hard work we put into you? Give up what we could gain from you? All because you ran away?"
Ron gave an ugly smile, "If you'd just marry me this could have been so much easier."
"And of course…your child, would have been able to live." Hermione chuckled darkly.
Harriet's eyes flared Avada Kedavra momentarily and her jaw locked, "I will fucking destroy you two." Harriet snarled, "Give him back." she demanded, her magic flaring.
"I think not!" Hermione hissed, she raised her wand toward Todd and Ron cast a shield as weapons and magic flew toward them. "Avada Kedavra!" Hermione intoned, Harriet's magic burst from her with a scream as the spell broke from Hermione's wand, but it was too late, the spell hit Todd full in the face.
The next few seconds were chaos.
Harriet's wave of magic hit Hermione a second after the spell hit Todd, making her fly backward and release Todd's body at the same time. Harriet, Fred, and George all moved forward as one, Harriet dove to catch Todd's body before it hit the ground and Fred and George had Hermione and Ron pinned to the wall a second after that. The twins' arms pressed across the traitors' necks and their wands pressed between the traitors' eyes as Fred and George glared at the two traitors the strange mixture of rage and sorrow clear on their faces.
Harriet gathered Todd close as tears began streaming from her eyes and she muttered under her breath, she checked frantically for a pulse she knew wouldn't be there. A gut wrenching scream came from Harriet when she couldn't find a pulse and she curled over Todd's limp form; Fred and George's wand tips began to glow green against the traitors' foreheads as Harriet began to sob, confirming their worst fears. Hermione and Ron's eyes went wide at the distinctive light.
Suddenly the whole room shuddered, "Sir, the tower's structure has been compromised." Jarvis announced overhead, "Evacuation begun." Another shudder rocked the room and Hermione and Ron used the unexpected motion to shove Fred and George backward, they activated a portkey in the next second.
Harriet pulled Fred and George out of the memory carefully, not bothering to hide her crying. She pulled them from the cell and shut the door as quickly as she could before she spun and rested her back against the door.
Fred and George were stunned by what they had just seen. They had assumed something had happened to their son since Harriet had reacted so strongly to him being brought up but it had never crossed their minds that he would have been killed minutes after being born or that their little brother would help the person who did so without hesitation. They would never be able to unsee that and they would never forget it. They felt a little bad for asking about it but at the same time they were grateful, they had held the tiniest sliver of hope that they could bring the rest of their family back around. Now they knew they would have been hurting Harriet to even suggest bringing them back, especially Ron.
"That's what happened." Harriet said shakily. Fred and George focused back on her to see tears streaming down her face, her eyes far away, "They took Todd from us. He had only been born twenty minutes before. The rest of our family didn't even get to meet him." She wiped at her eyes ineffectively and rage settled on her face, "That's why I didn't pretend with them when I came back. Why, even if they come to their senses and repent, I could NEVER accept them into my flock. I will never not see them as the two who took Todd from us."
Fred and George swept forward and wrapped her in their arms, "We understand." George whispered.
"We won't even ask." Fred said gently.
"Not if that's how far he's willing to go for money." George added.
"They're lucky you're this civil to them." Fred murmured in her ear.
"I'm not sure we'll be able to be now." George growled.
"I've had to stop myself from killing them a few times." Harri admitted shakily, she pulled back slightly and gave them a pained smile, "I have to remind myself that I have so much planned for them and Dumbledore, the one behind everything."
Fred's responding grin was almost feral, "Like intense humiliation." George brightened a little at the idea.
Harri's eyes flashed, "Among other things. All their plans are already shot to shit, their precious money will be disappearing at the most inopportune moments, loss of their reputations, humiliation, and more."
"We'll help." George said with a determined nod.
"We'll stay beside you all the way." Fred stated.
George softened a bit brought Harriet's hand up to kiss the back of it, "And though we don't have our own memories of him,"
"We will never forget our first son." They vowed.
Harriet pulled back again to look at Fred and George with a smile, all she could think was she was lucky to have such amazing Soulmates.
Back out in the kitchen of the Malibu Mansion, Jarvis was turning on Master Stark's coffee pot as he had begun do for Daisy every morning at this time. As he expected, Daisy appeared 2.45 minutes later when the first of the coffee was ready. She took a cup to Master Stark who stumbled into the kitchen with the Marauders trailing behind a few minutes later.
Tony blinked at the piles of food but soon shrugged and began to load up a plate.
James frowned at all the food, "Does Daisy usually cook this much for you?"
"Miss Potter was the one to cook all of this." Jarvis offered.
"Harriet?" Sirius asked, picking up one of the pastries.
"Yes, Miss Potter and her mates are currently over in the breakfast nook." Jarvis informed them.
Tony stuck his head around the corner and blinked blearily at the sight before him, "What are they doing?"
Remus looked around the corner to check and chuckled, "Most likely the twins are in Harriet's mind."
When Tony and Remus ducked back into the kitchen they found Loki and Sleipnir with Jörmungandr on his shoulders coming into the kitchen. "Food." Sleipnir moaned, zombie like as he made his way over to the muffins. Tony chuckled lightly into his coffee.
Loki sat down next to Tony at the bar and drug his own plate into the mix, "There's enough here to feed an Asgardian Platoon." He noted with a slight frown.
"According to Miss Potter it is just enough to feed nine wizards, two witches, a super soldier, a god, a genius, a horse, a snake, and Miss Potts. She also stopped before she completed the pancakes." Jarvis threw in. Loki gave a soft snort but began to eat.
"I can finish them." Bucky announced as he walked in, a sleepy Luna clinging to his back like a koala. He walked over to the stove top and continued from where Harri had left off.
A moan came from Sirius where he had a pastry halfway in his mouth, "These are amazing."
James scrunched up his nose, "Manners Padfoot, seriously! It's disgusting!" Sirius chewed his pastry even as he took another and stuffed it in James' mouth, seconds later a moan came from him as well. James managed to at least clear his mouth before he spoke, "Harriet made these? They're awesome!"
Hearing this Tony abandoned his coffee for a second to grab one of the round pastries, he bit in and his eyes lit up before sliding closed, "Dear God." He muttered around his mouthful.
"Yes?" Loki teased, James and Remus chuckled.
Tony turned to Loki when he heard it and clung to his arm dramatically, "Dear God, please, please, please make Harriet my personal chef. I will be happy forever if I can have constant access to these delicious strawberry cream cheese pastries."
Loki chuckled, "I'll see what I can do."
"Strawberry cream cheese?" Sirius asked in interest, "I got cinnamon apple."
"I got pumpkin." James said, the three considered each other before passing the remaining halves of their pastries to the next person to try.
"Tony that's disgusting." Pepper admonished, having come into the kitchen just in time to see the exchange.
"Worth it for these things!" Tony moaned, waving the last bit of the pumpkin pastry in his hand. "You've got to try!"
"Be wary of the round ones Miss Potts." Jarvis warned, "It has strawberries in it."
"Thank you Jarvis." Pepper said before grabbing one of the rectangle ones, she took a dainty bite, her eyebrows shot up and she swallowed before praising, "These are good."
"Maybe someone should wake everyone else before all the food is eaten." Loki chuckled.
Remus nodded, "I'll go get Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Lee." He walked out quickly.
Sirius bounced up from his seat, "I'll get Harriet and her twins!" before anyone could stop him he turned to Padfoot and bounded off around the corner.
"That's not going to end well." James muttered, Loki nodded in agreement.
A few seconds later there was a sharp yipe and the frantic skittering of paws; Padfoot came running back into the room, his fur all staticy and standing on end. Harriet, Fred, and George followed after him a few seconds later, Harri rolled her eyes at Padfoot as he whined under James' chair, "You shouldn't have tried to jump on us while we weren't aware." She huffed unapologetically, "Fred was well within his rights to zap you."
Fred raised an eyebrow at the dog, "I thought you'd be happy that I was so ready to protect Harriet." He said solemnly, sliding an arm around Harri's waist and batting his eyes at the dog. Padfoot tilted his head and eventually huffed before hanging his head slightly.
Harri giggled, "Slytherin."
"You like it." Fred teased.
"Of course." Harri responded.
Soon after that Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Lee come into the kitchen with Remus and they all settled in various places to enjoy breakfast together. The Marauders were still being considerably subdued when Harriet's attention was drawn to them but Harri was just rolling her eyes at them and dragging them into conversations.
As the food was diminishing Pepper was the one to bring up the upcoming year, "So are you doing anything here soon that I will need to prepare SI for?" she asked Harriet.
All the conversations dissolved as the focus went to Harriet who sipped at her tea with a raised eyebrow at them all, "No. Really there shouldn't be anything until the invasion but without Loki being captured by Thanos I don't know when that will come. I'm expecting it to be pushed back a bit so maybe in a year and a half…maybe two? By that time, I hope to have everyone comfortable enough with me for everyone to draw together for the first time."
"Year and a half?" Pepper questioned, "Does the invasion go by the newly planned Stark Tower by chance?"
Harri smiled, "According to the stories I was told that's where Loki opened the portal to allow the Chitauri through last time. It's also where we lived until it was brought down at the start of the last war." The Marauders winced and Fred took Harriet's free hand while George rubbed her back soothingly.
Tony perked up, "We lived in the Tower?"
Harri nodded, "Though after the invasion it was renamed to Avengers Tower."
"Avengers?" Tony asked, "Like the Avengers Initiative? The thing that Space Pirate broke in here to talk to me about?"
Harriet nodded, "Yes. That's us. The Avengers." She drew herself up and gave a press smile, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes!"
Tony chuckled, "Nice, very catchy."
Harri giggled, "Not much to live up to huh?"
"No, not at all." Tony huffed, rolling his eyes. He perked up, "Hey, you're going back to school in like a month right?" he turned to Pepper, "Pepper can I go to magic school?!"
Harriet choked on her drink while Pepper exclaimed, "You most certainly cannot!"
"Why not?" he whined.
Harriet cleared her throat, "First and foremost you don't have magic."
"And you can't just up and leave Tony!" Pepper exclaimed, "You have a company to run!"
"You run that better than me."
"And responsibilities! Not to mention the field day the press would have if you just up and disappeared for months!" Pepper huffed.
"I'm sure Daisy can bring me back and forth enough for me to make appearances." Tony pouted.
Harri shook her head, "Sorry Tony, but you coming to Hogwarts isn't plausible. The best way for you to do so would be coming as someone's fake familiar and I highly doubt you would be happy spending ten months as a cat or something."
Tony actually looked interested so Pepper broke in, "And you have responsibilities here. You can't go play cat!"
"I'll make you CEO." Tony said with a nonchalant wave, making Pepper sputter. "Then the only real responsibilities I would have would be inventing and Ironman. Jarvis could keep me updates on things that might need Ironman and I can invent a whole bunch in advance so you can spread it out while I'm gone!"
Pepper looked over to Harri helplessly and she sighed, "Tony, I'm sorry but no. I can try to sneak you in on the weekends when I spend time in the Chamber but the whole year is just not viable."
Tony deflated and pouted into his pastry, "Fine." He gave Harri a halfhearted glare, "But I'm holding you to that weekend thing." She nodded with a smile.
Bill cleared his throat and everyone looked to him, "So is that what you're planning to do with Bucky? Turn him into Luna's fake familiar so they don't get separated?"
"That was one of the options." Harri said with a smile.
"No fair." Tony huffed.
Bucky frowned, "You want to turn me into an animal?"
Harriet focused on him, "You and Luna wouldn't do well separated now that your soulmate bond exists. That in mind it will be best for you to be in Hogwarts in some manner. We can sneak you in and let you hang out in the Chamber the whole time but then you'd only be able to see Luna in the mornings or very quickly in the evenings. We could also let you stay in the Room of Requirement but again you won't get to see Luna a lot. If you pose as her familiar it will be more acceptable for you to stay with her during the day. Those with fully bonded familiars rarely go anywhere without them so it wouldn't be seen as strange." 'Of course there is the added benefit of him helping with Luna's bullies.' Harriet thought with glee.
Bucky looked to consider that and bit his lip, "Would I have to be an animal all the time."
Harri shook her head, "No, we would change you back several times a week."
James jumped in, "Muggles who are transfigured to animals for long periods of time run the risk of retaining traits or instincts of the animals that they were changed into. We would have to change you back often to keep it from effecting you too much."
Remus nodded, "I have to be transfigured by James when we are posing as Harriet's snakes but when we are at Hogwarts I was changed back every morning for Harriet's training and some of the time we were in the Chamber."
"I can be anything?" Bucky asked.
"Within reason Bucky. I'm sure even Hogwarts has its limits." Harri chuckled with a smile at Bucky who looked a little overwhelmed, "Think about it and let us know alright?" Bucky nodded.
"What about me?" Loki asked, Harri cocked an eyebrow at him, "Can I come to Hogwarts? I can help there." Wide, excited grins came across Fred and George's faces.
"If you want." Harri said vaguely.
Loki cocked his head at her, "You don't want me there?"
Harri rolled her eyes at him, "Loki, I would love if you came to Hogwarts, but I didn't bring you from Asgard simply because I wanted back up, I brought you so you would be safe. Honestly, you could transform into a cat and plan to stay that way forever and as long as you were happy I would be happy. If you'd like to come to Hogwarts, I certainly won't stop you."
Loki studied Harriet for a second before smiling and taking another bite of his eggs, "Well, what better way to learn about Midgardian magic than learning it along side the children of the realm."
"I want to go too!" Sleipnir said, bouncing in his seat.
Harri gave them a soft smile, "When we head back to the castle I'll call Griphook to get an identity set up for you guys." Next to Bucky, Luna was pulling a random piece of parchment from her pocket with a pen and started to write on it. "Of course we'll also have to have an account set up so we can get you supplies and everything you need." Harri's eyes went a little far away as she planned, "Yes…we can do that." Luna passed over the parchment and Harri looked at it with raised eyebrows before nodding with a slight hum, "Definitely little sister." Luna looked pleased with herself.
"What?" Charlie asked.
Harri smiled, "Just a bit of a takeover. For everyone's safety of course."
"I don't want to know." Percy muttered.
Harri grinned, "No, you probably don't."
"Great, everyone gets to go to magic school but me." Tony whined.
"I don't." Pepper said.
"I'll be going back to work." Charlie threw in.
"And I've already graduated." Bill chuckled, "I'll come around and visit it you want."
Tony looked interested, "And you'll tell me more about wards?" Bill nodded with a laugh.
Glacia glided through the air, her wings holding steady as she let the wind carry her toward her destination. The sun warmed her feathers as she moved, her movements graceful. Glacia let out a low calm trill, happy with the freedom flying gave her, just the feel of the powerful air currents under her letting her worries melt away.
Within, Harriet was thinking over everything that had happened since the Expo attack three days ago and what was coming in the next year or so.
After they had returned to the Castle, this time with the Marauders in tow but without Tony who had been wrangled by Pepper wielding a full file cabinet worth of paper work, Harriet had sent off for Griphook. While they were waiting Harriet, Fred, and George gave Loki and Sleipnir a rundown of what happened last year and the schemes that were going to be starting with this year and the introduction of Ginny into the school. They had taken it all in with grim looks and Harri could already see the gears working in Loki's head. Once Griphook had arrived Harri had instructed him to help Loki create an account for him and his children with money and the ownership a bit of one of the companies Harriet owned to keep money comping in, then Loki had thanked Harriet and shooed her and the twins out so they could be surprised at Loki and Sleipnir's new identities.
Harriet had finally finished her catalog of Fred and George's prank products and they had all but pounced on the list. Harri had set them up with a pensive and her memories in vials so they could see how to make each. Fred and George were ecstatic and had went off to their lab to start trying to create them, already talking about trying to improve their older selves' recipes, a rather strange conversation that had Harriet giggling. Lee had been dragged along with them, looking rather frantic as Fred announced he would be their test subject. Lee and Harriet had to physically drag them out of the lab when it came time for meals.
Bill, Charlie, and Percy had begun working on the Prewett holdings. Percy researching while Bill and Charlie had settled their story for Dumbledore as much as possible. It kept them pretty busy.
Luna and Bucky had disappeared almost immediately and they only came out for meals, but Harri had caught glimpses of blond hair and metal every so often from Clint's faux vents so she knew they we're too far away. If she had to guess she assumed Bucky was mapping everything out and Luna was just ambling along behind for support.
Harriet had been called back to Malibu the day after they had left to help with the American Ministry. As a phoenix, her claim over Tony and Pepper as flock as well as the Ministry's total lack of ability to affect Jarvis let them keep their memory past the preliminary questions. Once the high profile of the case was determined the American Minister for Magic was called. After secrecy wards were placed Harriet had confided in the American Minister about the future threats, making it seem like she was citing a Seer. Promising to keep her origin as a witch of Earth secret and to pose as a being from another realm or as a mutant she quickly secured permission to operate in public within America. After that the conversation had turned to integrating Stark Industries into the magical world and the Minister was much happier to allow Tony and Pepper keep their knowledge.
After almost two full days of the Marauders being wary around her, Harriet had pulled them aside and told them rather bluntly that their choice was clear and the rest could be put in the past. She had promised never to ask them to kill for her but had asked that they not judge her for what she had to do to keep the family safe. To say that they had been relieved was an understatement. James had hugged her for three minutes' straight and Sirius had jumped on her as Padfoot and licked her face until she had turned to Godiva and tackled him. Ever the most reserved of the three, Remus had simply hugged her and apologized for being too afraid of Moony to do anything.
The Marauders stuck close with her after that and Harriet welcomed the familiar presences as she settled plans into place for the upcoming year. She had received another patronus from Severus telling her about the early reinstating of the Order and how they had orders to bring her directly to Dumbledore when she was found as well as their temporary meeting place at Hogwarts. Harri decided she would let herself be 'caught' when she was shopping for school supplies and asked Severus to try and subtly direct Tonks and Kingsley to Diagon Alley on the twenty-first of August. Despite her having Moody as her mentor, Harri knew Tonks was a good person and had joined the Order purely to help people, not to gain something from it. Harri would let herself be caught by Tonks on the twenty-first and she knew she would be taken directly to St. Mungos for the court mandated checkup rather than to Dumbledore.
There wasn't much Harri could do to prepare for Frigga's visit in a couple days other than to ward the area she would be appearing in. Heimdall would be able to see but not hear anything within. Frigga was honestly probably Harriet's favorite Asgardian right behind Thor, Loki being her favorite of course. Harri knew that Frigga didn't agree with Odin's handling of Loki but she didn't know if Frigga knew how far it went. For instance, Jörmungandr had been the only one of Loki's children fully recovered last time since they had no real protection from Odin and he could obviously shift but Harri didn't know if Frigga knew Sleipnir and Fenrir could as well. Harri was sure her opinion of the Queen would plummet it she was aware and hadn't even made an attempt to have it corrected.
The rest of the time Harriet was juggling planning for school, planning for next summer, searching for dirt on Dumbledore for Rita, and texting/writing back and forth with Clint, Natasha, and Bruce. Clint and Natasha had seen footage of the Expo attack and were trying to get more information. Well, Natasha was trying to get information. Clint was wondering if he could turn into a bird, how she got ice to go that, what was with the cosplayers, if she really knew Tony Stark, and on and on. Once it was clear she was being rather tight lipped about the attack their questions had turned toward her proving she knew them, Natasha having already concluded that of course Harriet knew her since she wouldn't abandon Clint so easily. Harriet had answered several questions but apparently sharing that she knew about Clint's secret love for country music that he had gotten from a certain handler and Natasha's almost desperate wish for children that the Red Room had made impossible was what had settled that she had really known them last time.
Bruce was still vehemently denying the existence of magic despite the presented facts so Harriet had switched to other topics. They discussed Hulk and argued over his intelligence level, something Harriet was sadly all too familiar with. Harri had suggested that Bruce use his mediation time looking for his center so that he could speak to Hulk himself.
Currently, Harriet had finally gotten time where EVERYONE was immersed in a task, having set the Marauders to sneaking in and planting listening devices in Hogwarts, which left her time to go and check on Arthur to see if her theory was correct. If she could give her mates back their father she would be ecstatic. She herself had no real problem with the man if his issue really had been being controlled by Molly. His enthusiasm for Muggle artifacts was infectious and hilarious at times.
So here she was, as Glacia, flying toward the Burrow. She would have to make sure Molly was clear of the space to keep from being interrupted as she tested the Weasley Patriarch for potions and compulsion before questioning him under the Veritaserum Severus had been kind enough to supply her. She also had standard cleansing potions with her to take care of any potions Arthur might be under.
Approaching the Burrow, Glacia let her flames cover her in a thin layer to let her slide through the wards undetected. She angled into a spiral around the tall lopsided building, finding the top floors completely empty. Further down Glacia spotted Ron in his room reading his scuffed up copy of Quidditch Through the Ages and Ginny in her room napping. On the bottom floor Molly was puttering around the kitchen, preparing for dinner, and Arthur was in the living room, staring into the fire with a shell shocked look.
Glacia touched down at the back door of the kitchen and transformed back with her school glamours tight around her. Harriet peeked her head around the corner of the open door and began to weave a set of compulsions that would get Molly out of the house for an hour at the very least. Feeling a bit vindictive Harriet wove the compulsions to have Molly paranoid, wanting to go check on her money at the bank, making sure nothing had happened, after all Dumbledore had said that the Goblin was changed, what if it was all taken back? With a vicious grin Harri threw the compulsions at the Weasley, watching as her hands clenched on her wooden spoon and her eyes shifted from left to right as panic seemed to build.
Harriet slid into the kitchen seconds after Molly ran from the room and to the floo, trying to get to the bank as quickly as possible. Harri placed down a trip wire charm half way up the stairs to alert her if Ron or Ginny came down before going into the living room. She stepped in front of Arthur and cleared her throat pointedly, Arthur's eyes came up and widened as he took in who stood before him. "Arthur Weasley." She greeted flatly.
Arthur gaped for several seconds before rasping out roughly, "Harriet Potter, as I live and breathe. I thought you were missing! Have you come to see Ron?"
Harri shook her head, "I came to see you." She answered truthfully, she knew if this didn't go well she would obliviate him, so she saw no reason to lie.
"Me?"
Harri nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid I have some questions that need answers and you have those answers." Without preamble she cast a wandless incarcerous, ignoring the startled grunt Arthur gave as the ropes wrapped tightly around him. She pulled out a vial filled with the potion she needed and a parchment, gently she cut Arthur's cheek and collected some blood in the vial.
"What is that?" Arthur asked warily, eyeing the vial Harriet was shaking.
"It's a test that will show any potions, binds, or spells that have ever been used on you that were not for strictly mundane purposes." Harri replied, pouring out the potion on the parchment. She watched as the potion soaked into the parchment and words began to form. Her eyebrows rose as she went down the list, "Well, I certainly didn't expect that." She muttered.
"What?" Arthur asked, "What is it."
Harri frowned at him but quickly brought a chair from the kitchen to sit in front of him before placing up secrecy and privacy wards, "Arthur the results are…disturbing, frankly. I can't have this conversation with you while you're still under their influence." She pulled out another two vials from her pocket and popped the first one open, "This is a cleanser. It will go to work on the potions while I break the compulsions."
"Compulsions?" Arthur exclaimed.
Harri nodded, "Yes, quite a few. Now, please cooperate and open up, I'd hate to have to force you." Arthur looked skeptical at the threat but opened his mouth anyway, Harriet poured the potion down his throat before banishing the vial. "Swallow and relax, this will take a moment." She placed her hands on his shoulders and focused her magic on him. She found the obedience compulsion and the ones that had him focus the more 'useful' of his children and quickly over powered them, suppressing a growl when she saw how deep they went, how close they were pressing to his magic.
It took well over ten minutes before Harriet got all of them and Arthur slumped back, still within the confines of Harriet's spell. Harri waited patiently until his eyes cracked open and settled on her, "Blimey." He rasped, "What was that?"
Harri gave him a small smile, "That is the weight that lifts after long term compulsions are released and restrictive potions are cleared, it will continue until the potions are completely out of your system."
Arthur blinked, "Why are you doing this?"
"Your sons." She said flatly, "Now forgive me, I need your absolute truth." She held up the Veritaserum, "It won't last as long as usual with the cleanser in you but it will last long enough to get the answers I need." Arthur frowned but opened his mouth without any trouble for Harri to pour the truth serum in. Harri watched as his eyes glazed over slightly, "What's your name?"
"Arthur Weasley." He said in monotone.
"What are the names of your children?"
"Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginevra."
Harri nodded, "Are you aware of the money your wife is currently receiving from my account?"
"No."
"Are you aware of the plot to have me marry Ronald Weasley?"
"No."
"Are you aware of the plot to have Ginevra Weasley befriend me?"
There was a slight hesitation, "Yes."
Harri furrowed her brow, "Elaborate."
"Ginny and Molly always talk about her becoming best friends with you when she got to Hogwarts but I wasn't aware it was a plot."
Harri nodded, "Do you love all of your children?
"Yes, equally."
"Does your loyalty to Dumbledore outweigh your duty to your children?"
"Of course not!" Arthur answered, Harri sighed, the emotion showed that the serum was already wearing off. His eyes were still clouded though so she figured that she had time for one more question.
"Does your duty to Molly outweigh your duty to your children?"
"No." Arthur answered as his eyes cleared, he looked up at Harriet with a frown, "She's my wife but they are my children. They come first."
Harriet met his gaze without hesitation, "She's been laying compulsions to have you favor certain children over others." She said bluntly, she glanced down at the paper, "She's also be laying obedience compulsions with her in mind as well as obedience potions keyed to her and Dumbledore. There are also general deference potion which would have you taking her side, orders or not. I also, for some reason, see male fertility potions from way back." Arthur turned red. "There is also a magical syphon that I won't be able to remove."
Arthur's head jerked at that, "A what?"
Harri studied the page, "According to this it allows her to syphon off some of your magic if she is ever in need. It's dragging on your magic to keep the connection open but luckily it doesn't look like she pulls from you all the time."
"She's syphoning off my magic?" Arthur exclaimed.
"Looks like." Harri said, rolling up the scroll, "You'll have to go to Gringotts to get that removed."
"Right away!" Arthur said, nodding in agreement.
Harri looked serious as she crossed one leg over another, "Now that that is out of the way let's talk about the schemes of your wife and youngest two children."
"Schemes?" Arthur asked hesitatingly.
"Theft and conspiring to extort a minor being the current ones but of course they're working up toward line theft." Harri said, Arthur's eyes were so wide at this point they looked like they might pop from his head.
"Not a bloody chance!"
Harriet gave him an unimpressed look, "Denial doesn't change the facts Mr. Weasley. No matter how much we wish it might." She raised an eyebrow at him, "Why exactly do you think your wife spent so much time making sure you deferred to her? That you obeyed her?" Arthur was frowning intensely now, "Would you have agreed with her plans if she had not? Stealing from me? Potioning me up to the gills? Working to force me to marry Ron?"
"Of course not!" Arthur exclaimed, "That's terrible!"
Harri raised an eyebrow at the man, "Yes, it is." Harri sighed and stood up, she placed the scroll down next to Arthur. "You need to find the extent of things and decide what side you're going to be on or if you want out completely. I suggest going to Gringotts when you wake up, I will have someone there that will help direct you toward answers as well as help you get the syphon taken off."
"When I wake up?" Arthur said in alarm, backing up as much as he could with the rope still around him.
Harri rested a hand on his shoulder, "Arthur, listen to me. Listen very carefully. If Molly suspects the potions and compulsions are gone then she will dose you before you have time to get protection from them." She said seriously, her gaze steady. "I'm going to put you to sleep and then move this memory to the same part of your mind that holds your dreams since I'm sure you aren't an Occulmens. Since you'll perceive this as a dream you may have a little bit of trouble remembering, alright?" he nodded shakily with his eyes wide, "Good, go to Gringotts, ask for Griphook. Remember that. Gringotts. Ask for Griphook."
"Gringotts. Ask for Griphook." He repeated shakily. Harri nodded and moved her hand up to cast a somulous, "Wait!" Arthur called and Harri stopped, looking at him expectantly, "You said you're doing this for my sons. Have you seen them? Are they alright?"
Harriet softened, "They're fine Arthur. Perfectly safe. I promise."
"You're sure?"
Harri smiled, "I just left them exploring a library not too long ago, I'm positive."
Arthur nodded, "Alright, thank you."
"Of course." Harri said, "You're my father in law after all."
"What?!" Arthur exclaimed but Harriet cast the sleep spell before he could question further.
Harri giggled slightly, it would help being sold as a dream if it was ever found by someone else. She quickly opened Arthur's eyes and moved the memory back into his dreams. She pulled out of his mind and cast a set of spells on the scroll she was leaving him to keep it from being read by anyone but him. Just as she was finishing, the trip wire announced Ron coming down the stairs and Harriet cursed. She vanished the ropes around Arthur and quickly flamed away.
Chapter Notes:
Seriously, they should stop falling asleep in the living room!
Jarvis doesn't have cameras in the bathroom, that's why he wasn't alerted to Healer Thompson and Mediwizard Ed being dead before Clint found them.
Everthing would have been able to get past Ron's shield but they were all still slightly hesitating since Ron and Hermione had Todd with them.
Many of you may have been expecting more and honestly I was torn with wanting to write more to the death scene or keeping it like it is. In the end, when I tried to expand on it, it came out fake and didn't flow so I stopped there before I could write myself into something terrible.
Honestly, Fred and George are such good mates!
Oh, a takeover? ;)
I know, I know, technically America's magical world is ruled by the Magical Congress but I already mentioned the American Ministry Earlier in the story BEFORE I watched Fantastic Beasts to I was a bit behind on that. No changing it now!
So...
What animal should Bucky be?