Yo! How's it goin'?
So, I completely spaced when I posted the last chapter. Dakota is doing much better! She is still supposed to take it easy this upcoming week but the doctors say the danger has paced. She was overwhelmed with all the support you guys have shown her and almost cried when I showed her all of your comments and well wishes. We thank you again for all of your support!
If you haven't checked out Ch. 46 The Longbottom Theory, please do so! It's up now!
Almost make sure to check out all the awesome fanart! It is in the second part of the series on Ao3.
Finally, I have no excuse for how late this one is going up. I am sorry. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer in Chapter 1! I don't own Kung Fu Panda or the Joker!
"Oh, Harriet. I can't believe I punched you!" Alice said sheepishly a half hour later as they all sat around the den. Harri had given them a moment to compose themselves and reassure Neville before drawing the four guests over to the sitting area and taking the more central loveseat with Fred and George, the Marauders lounging on the couch behind them. Frank, Alice, and Neville were sitting on a couch across from them and Tonks had taken an arm chair.
"It's perfectly alright." Harriet said with a smile, this one with noticeably less bloody. "Getting compulsions removed can be disorienting and I'm sure me knocking you unconscious beforehand didn't help."
"No kidding." Tonks huffed.
Harri shot her an amused glared before looked back to the Longbottoms, "How are you recovering?"
"From the potions and compulsions or the apparently twelve years we spent in a coma?" Frank asked dryly.
Harri's lips quirked up as James snickered behind her, "Let's start with the second shall we?"
Alice sighed, "It's very strange, everything is very obviously different and yet…not. It is very disorienting."
Harri nodded in understanding even as Frank continued, "We are getting a lot of information and honestly we don't know what is right and what is not. And honestly right now we are more focused on Neville anyway." Neville ducked his head shyly.
"And the potions and compulsions?" Harriet asked.
Both former aurors frowned, "We want to find out who did it obviously." Frank huffed, "Find out their motive as well. The healer couldn't tell us what caused our miraculous recovery, just that it was miraculous. We can only assume that it was who ever needed it under those potions and compulsions."
"We cannot allow it to happen again." Alice said with conviction, "We scared Neville and from what I can remember, we were about to hurt you Harriet." Alice rubbed her forehead, "We must put an end to this." Harri smiled at the quick deductions and logical conclusions as well as Alice's conviction, it was no wonder these two had been described as top notch aurors.
*Are you going to tell them cub?* Remus asked curiously.
*To a point.* Harri answered carefully cataloging Alice and Frank's reactions to her parseltongue, her assessing eye making the two adults squirm. *I don't know where their limits lie at the moment and I don't want to push them into anything, especially since Neville just got them back.* Alice and Frank were trading a surprised look but seemed in silent agreement to say nothing about her parseltongue for now, their eyes darting to the Marauders every few minutes warily.
"It was Dumbledore." Harriet announced bluntly, hoping the shock would elicit true reactions and give her a better insight into her parent's old friends.
"Excuse me?" Frank sputtered.
"I knew it!" Alice said triumphantly, Fred and George raised eyebrows at the woman as she jumped to her feet, their arms went around Harriet's waist discreetly.
"Alice what are you talking about?!" Frank demanded, "Dumbledore would never do such a thing!"
"Oh please Frank. You inherited your mother's blind spot when it comes to the Headmaster, but Lilly knew something was up! I did too!" Alice said, her right hand tapping against her thigh in agitation, "Moving out of Potter Manor, with all these protective wards? It just didn't add up. And his plans! The order plans! Think Frank!"
Harri watched Alice pace, *Mum suspected something?*
*Your mother didn't like the thought of leaving the family wards. She thought that Dumbledore was being too insistent about it.* James said dully, *But he was truthful when he said that the Fidelius wouldn't reach all the way around the manor. It is a charm not a full blown ward, so trying it with the manor would be difficult. That's what convinced me.*
Alice spun to look at Harriet, "What all do you know? Do you have proof?"
"Whoa, whoa." Tonks butted in, "You two aren't aurors anymore! You just got out of a long vegetative state. Leave that investigation to us! You only wanted to come here to claim guardian ship of Harriet anyway!" she frowned, "And Harriet is a kid!" she huffed at Harri's glare and held up her hands, "Okay so she's a smart and mature kid but still a kid. She shouldn't be investigating Dumbledore!"
Harriet's lips pressed into a thin line as she straightened up and channeled Pepper, "I was never allowed to be a kid Tonks as you should know by now with all the investigating you've done into my home life." She said stiffly, Tonks winced, "And why shouldn't I investigate Dumbledore? He has taken an unhealthy interest in my life, an interest that left me with abusive muggles, an interest that led to the DMLE filing a protective restraining order of their own accord." Alice and Frank's eyes widened as their gazes shot to Tonks. "You have not gotten the chance to know this about me Tonks but I don't do well with people trying to control me and Dumbledore is doing just that. If you think for a second that I am unaware of his exact intentions toward me then you are dead wrong. You would also be wrong to think that I don't have plans in place to keep his manipulative little hooves off of me." Tonks swallowed hard at the intense green that was currently nailing her to her seat, "You have a conflict of interest here; being a DMLE officer, being an Order member, having a forming emotional attachment to me, so if you don't believe that you can leave that out of this and sit and listen then there is the door." Harri pointed stoically at the arch that would lead out of the den.
"I'll listen." Tonks said meekly, sinking back in her chair with a cowed look.
"Dear Merlin. James' girl is a Slytherin." Frank muttered to his wife in shock.
"That was all Lilly, Frank, and you know it." Alice said softly with a small smile as she retook her seat. "Harriet, why don't you explain how you know it was Dumbledore who dosed us?"
Harri relaxed a little, "Dumbledore was the one who ordered the Cure All to be made to bring you out of your vegetative states. Being that the potion is illegal due to the illegal ingredients needed to make it Dumbledore must have an important reason to risk his positions and plans to have such a potion made at this stage. What has happened recently and why you two? Dumbledore has lost hope of finding the Dursleys to have them resume their treatment of me so he needs someone who can legally take custody of me and take up where the Dursleys left off. The options are very narrow, he couldn't take me because he still needs me to see him as my savior, none of the other Pureblood families with close enough connections would be easy for him to get under his control, and I don't have any other muggle blood relations. You however, through Alice's claim as my Godmother, could legally take custody of me. Just coming out of a vegetative state you both would be required to take potions upon your release from St. Mungos, potions easily switched for the obedience and behavioral potion cocktail he needed you to have when he laid compulsions on you at some point. Compulsions that would lead you to demanding custody of me. Once that was finalized you would have taken me into your home where the potions would drive you to continue the Dursleys behavior thus remolding me into the quiet, submissive pawn that Dumbledore needs." Harriet explained quickly, almost nonchalantly. Fred and George gripped her a bit tighter even as Alice, Frank, and Tonks stared at her in disbelief.
"The Dur-urslys ar-re the ones from the p-paper right?" Neville asked shyly, "The ones who abused you?"
"Yes." Harri said, giving Neville a small sad smile, "They despised those with magic and attempted to 'beat it out of me'. Dumbledore made it worse by paying them to up the ante."
"No." Alice choked.
"When we came in earlier." Frank said unsteadily, "I was…so angry. I wanted…"
"To hurt me." Harri said, accepting it with a graceful nod, "He was likely trying to recreate the Dursleys as best he could so that I would relapse faster. Neville would have been made into the new Dudley. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon could never stand Dudley having any contact with me unless it was him beating the shit out of me so Alice telling Neville to get away from me makes sense." Fred and George's grips on her were almost bruising now, she never really talked about her time at the Dursley's other than to claim she got her revenge twice. Now, hearing the facts, Fred and George could only wish to have them in front of them in that moment so they could curse the two who had hurt Harriet so much.
"Do you have proof of this?" Tonks asked, her hair a fiery red in her anger.
Harriet looked over to the Hufflepuff, "I have proof of a lot but not the compulsions and potions bit. That was educated guesses made with the information that was provided by my source and the evidence I saw myself." She tilted her head toward Frank and Alice, "When they came in, their foreheads were sweaty and their eyes were too bright. They were aggressive and far too insistent. Then of course there is the fact that the cleanser potion actually had something to take effect on and the compulsions you and I pulled off of them. You may be able to gather more evidence of that if you hurry to St. Mungos and keep it quiet, sneaking in an illegal potion and switching out a standard mix of potions with another that a Healer surely should have picked up on is bound to leave a trail."
"And the rest?" Tonks asked, "The money and…whatever other crazy things that you've found?"
Harri gave a mischievous smile, "I'd rather pull that out at the last minute so he can't counter it. Preferably at his trial."
Frank let out a soft groan, "Merlin, she's just like her father."
"Thank you!" Harri said perkily, James gave a proud hiss and slithered onto her shoulders to press his nose to her check affectionately.
Tonks smiled, "Alright Harriet. I'll trust you on this for now, but don't think I don't want the rest of the story." She pointed at Harri seriously, "We'll get together to finish this talk right? Because I want to go hit Mungos now before the trail is gone."
"How about a week after my birthday? You can floo in and we can talk over lunch." Harri proposed.
Tonks nodded, "Sounds great Harri." She stood up, "Now, before I go, do you plan on taking custody of Harriet?" she asked Frank and Alice.
"They can't." Harriet said in amusement, watching the three Longbottom's startled faces. It would seem they had forgotten that point again.
"Harriet dear, your mother asked that I take care of you in the event she and James couldn't." Alice said, "I know you may be a little skeptical with what Dumbledore has done but I promise…"
"It's not that." Harri interrupted with a soft smile, "I'd love to get to know my Godmother and to see Neville more but it won't happen as your legal ward. I've been emancipated."
"At twelve?!" Frank exclaimed.
"Yes…" Harri hummed, "Let's go with twelve." Fred and George chuckled at her expression. "I told you. I have plans in place to keep Dumbledore's hooves off of me. This was just one."
"Are you ever not going to surprise me Harriet?" Tonks laughed, her hair dying down to a warm orange as her anger took a back seat to her amusement.
Harri looked at her innocently, "I guess we'll have to find out wont we?"
After that, Tonks and the Longbottoms dispersed in short order. Tonks was off to drag Kingsley with her to St. Mungos, ready to follow the leads Harri had given her. The Longbottoms had left reluctantly and only after one of their elves appeared, telling them that Augusta was looking for them. Alice had made Harriet promise to call for them if she needed them as well as to visit Longbottom Manor in the near future. Harri, in turn, had made Neville promise to floo her when the healers deemed his parents recovered enough to take up their wands, from what little Harriet had seen of her, she didn't believe that Alice would take Augusta's attitude in regards to Neville kindly at all.
Once they had locked the floo down once more, Harriet, the twins, and the Marauders went back to LeFay Castle.
The next couple of days were a bit hectic as Harriet, Fred, and George compiled a list of what wards and charms they would need to put up in Slytherin Manor to keep things private and to alert them if things didn't stay that way. Harriet had sent out the letters to all the Slytherin Alumni the day after her conversation with the Longbottoms, just minutes after she received Severus' list. She made sure that the form letter gave no ideas as to the identity of Lady Slytherin, just so that those who ignored the summons would be kept out of the loop. Harri had sent a special invitation to the Malfoys, inviting them a short time before the rest, knowing that it could help to bring down the other Slytherins guards a bit to see the more prominent members of their house there.
The only break that they took was on Harriet's birthday, but it was a quite affair this year on the birthday girl's insistence. Pepper and Tony were occupied with the tower going up and Stark Industries new expansion into the magical world so they couldn't attend anyway. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan and Lee did come to the castle again though to join them in the festivities.
Finally, three days after Harriet's birthday, it was time for the grand production that would be the first Slytherin House Reunion.
The Slytherin Manor was just a little too big to be called such, yet it wasn't big enough to be called a castle. It clung to the steep south face of Ben Nevis mountain in Scotland, hidden from the mountains visitors by parseltongue wards and spells. Its intimidating stone façade presented outside by the manors four towers and stern lines was softened only the slightest inside where the emerald and silver furniture and tapestries filled the cool halls with a bit of warmth. For only being a Manor, Salazar had managed to pack all of the grandeur of LeFay Castle into the place, including yet another throne room that Harriet didn't need or want. Sure it would come in handy but she would have liked to repurpose the room into something more useful. Unfortunately, Salazar had charmed either the throne or the room, making it impossible to remove the throne or the dais that seemed to pop up wherever Harri moved the chair in the room.
Currently Harriet was lounging in the luxurious bath in the Master suite, beginning the long and frankly annoying task of making herself into the perfect picture of a pureblood lady so she could make an impression on the Slytherins. She didn't really care what they thought but, to quote an adorable red panda, 'before the battle of the fist, comes the battle of the mind'. She needed to create an intimidating picture and to these purebloods, that meant she needed to present cool, calm, collected, untouchable perfection. She could afford to be a little lax with the young Slytherins, the ones still in school, but with the elder groups this was needed.
Harriet sighed as she stirred some of the rose petals that infused her steaming hot bath water, she really wished she could get the reaction she needed out of her battle gear. The only upside to this was the reactions she would get out of Fred and George. Harri ducked under the water to massage her hair, working some of the petals into her long locks to make sure it was infused all the way through. The heat of the water was a bit irritating to Harriet and Glacia but it was necessary and not even half as bad as the scalding curse that Lucien had thrown at them.
Just as Harriet surfaced from the bath, Clint's bracelet started glowing. Harri frowned at it but quickly stepped from the bath, dried her hair with a quick spell, and pulled on her underwear and a robe. She didn't feel any injuries but it wouldn't do for her to wait if something bad had happened, she could always call Dobby for her things if they were needed.
With that in mind, Harriet flamed to Clint quickly, raising an eyebrow when she found herself in an interrogation room with Clint, Natasha, Phil, and Fury.
Fury had his gun aimed at her the second her flames died down but Harri ignored him in favor of her siblings and Phil, "What's up Clint?"
"Fury wanted to talk to you." Clint said, looking a bit guilty.
Harri narrowed her eyes slightly at her brother's discomfort, "You couldn't text me and set up a time?" she asked lightly. "I'm in the middle of preparing for something."
"Fury threatened to throw him in the brig for insubordination." Natasha supplied with her own disapproving look leveled on Fury.
Harriet's jaw clenched as she turned fully to Fury and his gun, "Is that so." She said lowly. She met his single eyed glare with an unimpressed look, not backing down, "I see the lack of common sense wasn't something you developed after your retirement."
"I'd say I'm the only one with any sense." Fury countered, gun still steadily pointing at Harriet's chest, "I want answers and I'm going to get them, compromised agents or not." His finger caressed the trigger, "If I see one hint of flames I will shoot."
Harriet snapped forward and Fury shot, Harri twisted out of the way of the bullet gracefully and slid behind Fury's dominate arm. She gripped his wrist and squeezed with her phoenix strength, making Fury curse as his wrist bones were ground together; Harriet moved her body back to back with Fury, reaching with her other hand to make a precise strike to a pressure point on the man's neck. The Director dropped like a rock, crumpling at her feet. Harri quickly moved back, taking the gun with her; knowing that Fury would likely wake up violently.
Harri turned back to Clint, Natasha, and Phil to see Clint grinning and Natasha looking pleased, "Did I teach you that?" Natasha asked.
"Yes you did." Harri said with a grin as she expertly emptied the clip and disassembled the gun. Once she had set it on the table in the center of the interrogation room Harri looked back to the three agents, "Want to go on a trip? I think it would be best that the good Director here sees just who he's dealing with and I'm sure he could use an escort."
Clint turned to Phil excitedly, "Can we Phil?! Please?!" Natasha also looked to their handler with her interest clear to those who knew her facial cues.
"It would be against protocol for the director to meet a relatively unknown party alone." Phil said with a small smile, "And I have a feeling he will be going one way or another."
Harri nodded, "Oh yes, I think it's about time I set some things straight for him." She held out her arm as she settled a bare foot on Fury's back, "Grab hold." They did so, Clint much more quickly than Natasha and Phil, and Harriet flamed them back to Slytherin Manor, right into her dressing room.
"Where are we?" Phil asked immediately as Clint and Natasha moved to catalogue the area.
Harriet went over to her vanity and sat down in the plush chair to start in on her hair. "Scotland, Slytherin Manor." Harri said with a smile as she started to brush out her hair, picking petals from the thick locks carefully.
"What exactly are you preparing for?" Natasha asked as she made her way over to where Harriet was sitting, her eyes roaming over the array of makeup and hair peices before Harriet.
"I'm getting ready to put some pompous purebloods in their place so they won't interfere with my plans too much." Harri said, setting down her brush momentarily to pick at a stubborn tangle. Natasha glanced up at Harriet's hair as she fingered the tiara Harri would be putting on soon, Harriet peaked up at her sister through her lashes before offering her the hair brush.
Natasha stared at the brush Harri offered with carefully blank eyes. Harriet didn't retract it or push it on her. This was something very personal that Natasha had shared with Harriet in the last timeline and something Harri was using to send a message with this time. It was left over conditioning from the Red Room, the simplest trust or not to trust exercise they used on the girls when they first arrived. Natasha had told Harriet that it was an exercise meant to get the girls to mistrust everyone. Any of the handlers who brushed the girl's hair would bring them great pain with the task, leaving the girls with patches of hair missing and bloody scalps.
Eventually, the very first lesson of the terrible Red Room was hammered home; trust no one with your hair or your body. It had taken three years and one case of the two being captured together for Natasha to trust Harriet with her hair and once Natasha got through the explanation Harriet didn't hesitate to let Natasha brush hers. So for Harriet to offer Natasha the hair brush was a message of complete trust as well as more proof for the spy of Harriet's story of them being family.
Phil and Clint watched the standoff from behind the two women, not knowing the full story but knowing Natasha well enough to know that it was significant.
Natasha's eyes softened slightly and she took the brush from Harriet, starting in on the wild black hair carefully.
Clint cleared his throat softly before trying to break the tension, "So, if Nat taught you pressure points, did I get to teach you anything?" he grinned, coming closer and meeting Harri's eyes in the mirror, "Can you shoot?"
"Guns." Harri said, "But I'm shit at archery and trust me when I said you tried everything." Clint pouted and Harri smiled before bringing her hands up and signing to her brother, ~You taught me to sign when it became obvious that I was going to hurt someone if I picked up a bow again.~
Clint perked up, ~Awesome!~ he signed in return.
Natasha hummed, "It's better than some of the more questionable things you could have taught her."
"Says the one who apparently taught her to incapacitate a man with a single strike." Clint laughed.
Harri smiled, "Sure is easier to take down enemies with pressure points rather than with waving hands." Clint pouted and Natasha's lips twitched in amusement as she moved through Harriet's hair.
"Do you live here Harriet?" Phil asked.
"No." Harri responded, "I'm just using this Manor for this meeting. I'm usually at Potter Manor or LeFay Castle."
Clint's eyebrows shot up, "Castle? Harri are you…loaded?" the archer yelped as Phil slipped him in the back of the head, "What Phil? I just wanted to know if she was playing sugar momma! Cause I need to be prepared."
Harri laughed, "Yes Clint, I'm loaded. Inherited wealth. But I wouldn't say I was a 'sugar momma'."
"She's already dating twins." Natasha said dryly, "She doesn't need to pay you for sex Clint." The archer blushed and looked away with a huff.
"Where are your twins Harriet?" Phil asked.
"Sneaking into my school to get Samarra." Harri said, tilting her head forward when Natasha nudged her.
"Who is Samarra?" Clint asked.
"She's a basilisk who guards our school, but she wanted to get out more often and this is a good start for her." Harri replied.
"A Basilisk?" Phil questioned, "The legendary snake that's supposed to be able to kill with a look?"
Harri looked up at him through the mirror, "You know your stuff Coulson. Yes. A Basilisk can kill you with a single look or petrify you if you look at it through something."
"Are you kidding me?" Clint exclaimed, "Why would you want to bring one of those here?"
"Intimidation tactic." Harri said.
"Snakes aren't that frightening." Natasha said blandly, "And the effect will be lessened if your meeting a big enough group."
Harri giggled, "Samarra is quite large. It will work."
"I get the intimidation part." Clint huffed, "But it could kill you with a look!"
"Her gaze doesn't work on me." Harri said, "Not since I took on the mantle of Lady Slytherin. As for everyone else, I can add people to my protection and she has some blinders that keep it from effecting anyone beyond that." Feeling Natasha start gathering her hair together for the final brushes, Harri reached for her wand and started on the beauty spells, staring with waxing her eyebrows and curling her eyelashes.
"Who are these purebloods your making yourself up for?" Clint asked, frowning when he saw Natasha set the hair brush down and pick up a set of bobby pins that she stuck in her mouth before starting to separate the hair.
"Bangs?" Natasha asked through the pins.
"Hmm, not this time." Harri said, "Going for intimidation not sex appeal." Natasha hummed and started in. Harriet focused on her makeup, putting down her wand to pull out her supplies. "These purebloods are all Slytherin alumni. Slytherins are cunning and manipulative, they will look for any single thing they can to try and pick at my defenses. Putting on all of this is essentially my armor for a different type of battle. Presenting a perfect façade that they can't see past will intimidate them more than any other one thing I could do." She gave an inpatient huff as she put on her black eyeliner, "But I'd pay money for my battle suit to work for this." She muttered, "Stupid dress wont hide my gun holster." Natasha gave a soft laugh.
"They aren't going to try anything are they?" Clint asked worriedly.
Harri smiled as she started on her eye shadow, Slytherin green with a dusting of silver at the edge, "They might." She replied, "But I'm stronger than them and have the distinct advantage of being able to fight without my wand, both physically and with wandless magic. There is also the last resort, which is using the wards to force them from the Manor. That would throw them down a mountain though so, really, last resort."
"Can you fight in that dress?" Phil asked, eyeing the dress on the form over by the old fashioned dressing screen.
"I wouldn't wear something I couldn't fight in or easily get out of." Harri said with a small smile, "And Natasha made me learn to fight in heels."
"Natasha can kill someone with her heels." Clint snorted, "I'm not sure if she's the best role model."
"You once taught Fred and George how to kill someone with a nerf bat." Harriet said dryly, "At least Natasha was being practical." Natasha looked over to Clint with a raised eyebrow and he grinned.
"How did your team survive this?" Phil asked, exasperation edging into his voice.
"The family that goes into battle together stays together." Harri joked as she finished up her eye shadow and picked up her blush.
Clint came over and sat himself on the back of the vanity, "So…tell me about the weirdest battle we've had."
Harri raised an eyebrow at him, "You want me to pick one? The absolute strangest battle that we, a group of actual factual Superheroes, fought against a bad guy, which seemed to be literally everyone who thought they had a half good idea."
"Well that sounds promising." Phil said with slight amusement.
Harri snorted delicately, "There was the corn people, robo-cats terrorizing the city, the idiot who thought he could play Joker from Batman, Lord Barkington who had an army of Chihuahuas, cloned dinosaurs on the loose in Huston and having to deal with Texans who wanted to take a t-rex down themselves, that time you and Steve ended up steaking through Buckingham Palace and interrupting the Queen's tea time…"
"Excuse me?" Phil said, eyes wide.
Harri laughed lightly, "Yeah, that one was hilarious, but it got us invited to dinner with the Royal Family." Natasha moved to pick up Harriet's tiara and Harri put down her blush so she could sit still for the hair piece.
"You're lying." Clint huffed, his cheeks red.
"Nope." Harri said with a smile as Natasha pinned her tiara in place, "It was fun too. We had her Majesty over to LeFay Castle before the war got to bad and of course she got a kick out of the field name Fred and George chose for me."
"And that is?"
"The Queen." Harri replied with a fond smile.
Clint snorted, "Really?"
"How fitting." Natasha said, giving one last adjustment to the tiara.
A sudden pop interrupted them and they looked to see a house elf in an emerald shift standing behind them, he bowed, "Lady Slytherin. Fang es informing yous that Mistress Samarra has arrived with Lady Slytherins mates."
Harri smiled, "Thank you Fang. I'll be out shortly."
"Yes Lady Slytherin." Fang said with a bow before he popped away.
"What was that?" Natasha asked with a tight frown.
"That's a house elf." Harri said, applying her mascara. "They serve wizard kind."
"That's terrible." Clint huffed.
Harri turned to him with a small smile, "They love to serve Clint and as long as they are treated well then they are loyal and loving creatures. Unfortunately, they have to be tied to a wizard or magical house one way or another or they can't use their magic and eventually die from the lack of it." Clint's eyes went wide and Harri turned back to the mirror to put on her lipstick, a red this time. "Sometime you'll meet my personal house elf Dobby, he came from a house that abuses their house elves in an attempt to 'train' them; he rebelled against them and that made them punish him even more, to the point where he would beat his head against something if he thought he did something to displease his master. Now that he's free of them and with me though he's much happier and I've managed to get him to stop hurting himself. So it's all about how the elves are treated, since they can't actually survive without being tied to a wizard."
"Wow." Clint muttered.
Harri nodded as she capped her lipstick, "See anything Natasha?" the Widow bent slightly to study Harriet's face in the mirror before shaking her head, "Great." Harriet quickly pulled up her wand and cast the spells that would keep it all in place and keep it from running. "That's done." She stood and smiled at her sister, "Thanks for the help Natasha."
Natasha gave her a small but genuine smile, "You're welcome Harriet."
Harri made her way over to the dressing screen, stepping over Fury's form without looking, "I think I may have pushed too hard." She commented, "Once I got my phoenix I had trouble controlling the nerve touches."
"He's fine." Natasha said, "He's still breathing."
"Not that you two wou-whoa!" Clint exclaimed as Harriet dropped her robe onto the floor, "What are you doing?" he yelped, putting his hand over his eyes.
Harri gave her brother an amused look, "Oh come on Clint. I know you're not embarrassed or interested." She reached up to the top of the dressing screen where her wand holster lay along with a thigh sheath holding throwing knives. "Or is little Hawkeye a virgin?" Harri teased as she put her wand holster on her thigh.
Clint huffed and dropped his hand from his eyes so he could cross his arms over his chest, "I was trying to be a gentleman." He defended, "Why are you just dropping your robe like that in front of us? Shouldn't you be all about modesty or something?"
"I have a bra and panties on." Harri pointed out before snorting, "And modesty? I lived with nine males who all had boundary issues and one woman who believed in equality so would come out of the gym shower with no shirt."
Natasha's lips twitched, "If you guys can walk out with just a towel around your waist then so can I."
"I don't have boundary issues." Clint mumbled petulantly.
"Do you want me to give you a count of how many times you happened to be in the vents over my room whenever I was getting dressed?" Harri asked, attaching the knife sheaths to her other thigh. "Cause let me tell you, it's more than what would be considered 'accidental'."
"And you didn't retaliate?" Phil asked.
Harri smiled at Phil as she bent over to put on her shoes, "I didn't see a reason to. I'm not his type. He was just doing it to be an ass. He wasn't interested and even if he actually was he'd have to get past Fred and George." She adjusted the pieces of the heel that wrapped up her shin, "No, he's more into…"
"Alright!" Clint interrupted Harri who raised an eyebrow at him, his eyes darted around before it stopped on her dress, "How are you going to get the dress on without messing everything up?"
"Terrible misdirect." Natasha whispered to Clint who blushed slightly.
Harri played along for his sake, "A charm. I use one like it all the time to change clothes quickly, this isn't much different." She flicked her wand out and made a fluid movement between the dress and her body, in the next second the dress was on. Harri dropped her wand, allowing the holster to draw it back in while she straightened the dress up. Finally, she smoothed her hands over her sides and looked over to Clint, Natasha, and Phil. "So…how do I look?"
Harriet was wearing a floor length dress with a slit up to just above her knee and full length sleeves that came from the off the shoulder neck line. The dress had a silver bottom layer overlaid with a layer of intricate emerald lace, creating an alluring color effect. Her heels were only three inches but they made quite an impact with the silver strap and wrap that went up her shin, all with little diamonds along it. Natasha had put Harriet's hair up into a twisted bun, all her hair swept from her face, and had placed the tiara right at the crown of her head. The tiara was made of a multitude of tiny delicate silver snakes, intertwined into the classic tiara shape; in the center, the heads of two of the snakes met and they held an emerald between their fangs.
"Well you certainly live up to your code name." Phil said dryly, Harriet chuckled.
"How are you going to get to your weapons quickly?" Natasha asked, "That cut is a little too low for you to get it discretely."
"Spring action release on the wand." Harri said, "It will jump to my hand with little disruption. If it progresses to the point that I need my knives I will likely already be moving and I can distract while I pull one. I also have weapons in a pocket dimension that, while harder to use in a dress, will be easier to pull out if speed is an issue." Natasha nodded.
"I think your twins will be all over you." Clint said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
"Perks of the situation I guess." Harri hummed with a smug smile.
A groan sounded from behind them and everyone looked to see Fury struggling to roll onto his back, finally managing it only to blink slowly at the ceiling. "Fuckin' hell."
Harriet put on her mask and strode easily to stand slightly in front of her siblings and Phil, "Now, now Director. Such language is not necessary." She said sternly.
Fury's head shot over to her and he scrambled to his feet, "What have you done Potter? Where are we?"
"I only hit your pressure point and where we are is of no concern to you."
"Like hell it's not!" Fury snapped, his gaze went over to Natasha and Clint, "You two are compromised! I…"
"Director." Harriet snapped, her voice cold, he looked back to her with a wary gaze, "Your conversation is with me."
"I will talk to my agents whenever…"
"They are not your agents." Harriet interrupted, a sharp edge to her voice. "They haven't been for almost five months now." Natasha, Clint, and Phil looked at her with frowns.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Fury demanded.
Harriet tucked her hands behind her back and channeled Loki as she began to circle the Director, "Looks like someone hasn't been paying attention to some very important parts of his precious Shield." Harri purred, "Like the parts that own all the toys, all the bases, the parts that provide all the money." Fury whipped his head around as she made it behind him, "Doesn't a super-secret spy agency require money to run?"
"The money coming from Stark doesn't entitle you to anything." Fury almost growled.
Harri chuckled darkly as she continued to circle, letting her a little of her aura out, as a muggle Fury would be able to truly feel it but it would register as 'danger' to him. "Ah, but there is a new contributor isn't there? One that has been buying up all of the other contributors?" Fury tensed, "Why it seems there is very little diversity left among your investors, the people who essentially own you. In fact, I think there is only 10% of Shield that isn't now owned by Stark industries and this new contributor." Fury narrowed his eyes, "10% is a pretty significant number isn't it? Isn't that the amount that the precious World Security Council owns?"
"What have you done Potter." Fury snarled once she was standing in between him and the three agents once again.
"What have I done?" she asked innocently, "Don't you mean what has the Vulpecula Conglomerate done? Why it would seem they have taken control of Shield." Harri's innocent face melted away into something darker, "It would seem that they and their close partners, Stark Industries, now own the majority of Shield." Harriet directed some of her magic into her eyes to make them glow, "Just imagine what would happen if we suddenly cut ties. Do you really believe that the Council could hold you afloat on their measly 10%? Do you believe that they would?"
Fury's hands fist discreetly at his sides, "What do you want?"
Harriet's face smoothed over, "What do I want? I want you to realize exactly where you stand. I want you to understand where the line is. I want you to do your job, correctly from now on. I want you to get that you will not be interrogating me about the future. I want you to accept that you are not the end all, be all." Her eyes flashed again, "I want you to comprehend that if I ever find out that you were the cause of one of my agents' injuries then I will be far less calm than I am now." Her jaw clenched, "I want you to wrap your head around the fact that all it would take was two words from me and a green light and you would be dead on the floor in front of me. Do you understand?"
Fury held her gaze, his stance hard, trying to force her to submit. After a tense minute Fury was the one to drop his eyes slightly, "I understand."
"I don't like you Fury." Harriet said bluntly, "I never have. You remind me too much of the man who wanted only to use me as a weapon before discarding me and taking my possessions. I do believe, however, that unlike him you have a conscience. If you would listen to it once in a while I do believe that we could find some measure of civility." Fury's jaw locked and he gave a jerky nod, "Good." Harriet said primly.
The Malfoy family portkeyed into Slytherin Manor and held themselves in rigid control to keep from fawning over the glorious Slytherin property they were currently standing in. Draco was drinking in the entire area with bright eyes, betraying his excitement to any who looked. Lucius only managed to contain himself with a refined scanning motion that allowed him to take in the beautiful foyer. Narcissa was by far the most successful of the three, only her eyes moving from spot to spot.
"Lucius." Came a familiar drawl. The three Malfoys looked up to see Severus descending the stairs and coming toward them, "Narcissa, Draco." He greeted, "Welcome to Slytherin Manor." He said with the corner of his mouth turned up in amusement.
Lucius quickly composed himself, "Yes, Lady Slytherin called for us?"
"Yes." Severus chuckled, "Come with me."
The potions master led the small family up the stairs and through hall after hall of Slytherin Manor, past years of history that Draco could only guess at. He would give his left arm to be able to explore this place but he knew he had to be proper, his father would be furious if he was in anyway uncouth in front of Lady Slytherin, despite how they acted at school.
Severus showed them into a well-appointed conservatory, lush plant life filled the glass chamber all the way up to the top. Draco heard rustling in the bushes next to him but was quickly distracted by voices. He strained to hear the conversation.
"…had to leave…" that was Lady Slytherin, Draco recognized.
"Too bad…"
"…played a prank with…" 'Her demons are with her then.' Draco observed, listening as the conversation became clearer the closer they went.
"Can't believe you chewed Fury out." Came a light laugh, Draco knew that was Ligia. A second later there was a series of hissing before Harriet and Ligia laughed together.
Severus led them around one last corner and Draco caught sight of the group. Lady Slytherin, looking particularly refined today, was sitting on a bench with her demons flanking her as usual. What wasn't usual was the twins having their arms tucked around her waist, possessively by the looks of them. Draco raised a single eyebrow at this new information. He made note that it may be entertaining for him to push some people to try and court Lady Slytherin at school next year. Ligia was sitting on a smaller bench across from them, a small smile on her face. Draco noted that they didn't have any of the snakes with them though and decided Ligia and Harriet had been talking to teach other in parseltongue to keep the twins out of the loop on something.
Harriet looked up as they approached and gave them a polite smile, "Ah, the Malfoys. Wonderful, that means we only have twenty minutes before the rest begin to arrive. Have a seat." She gestured gracefully over to a clear bench as Severus took a seat next to Ligia. Draco sat next to him mother as his father took the end closest to Harriet. "Thank you for coming."
"It was our pleasure Lady Slytherin and may I say it is quite an honor to be invited to the legendary Slytherin Manor." Lucius said graciously.
Harriet looked amused at this but continued, "Yes, well, after our wonderful dinner I just knew I had to invite you to one of my properties." Draco watched, entertained, as his father stilled and his mother blanched a little, "I know I quite enjoyed it. Lords Prewett?"
"Oh very enjoyable." The twin on the left said.
"Absolutely." The twin on the right agreed, both grinning at Draco's parents, making them grow paler and paler.
"Hmm, you do seem a bit under the weather." Harriet said with polite concern, "Will you be able to stay for the meeting?"
"Yes." Lucius got out a little weakly.
"Excellent." Harri said with a smile, "Severus, I know you just sat but if you would escort Lord and Lady Malfoy to the antechamber I would be grateful. They can have a short rest while they wait for other Slytherins to arrive." Severus nodded with an exasperated look at the twins and Harriet before leading Lucius and Narcissa from the conservatory.
Once the adults were gone the group relaxed a bit and Ligia looked over at Draco, "So how has your summer been?"
"Certainly not as eventual as your surely was." Draco said dryly.
"Come one Draco"
"don't spare the good"
"stuff. You got to play"
"some Quidditch right?"
"We've been too busy"
"to play." The twins pouted.
Draco snorted, "I have too unfortunately. Father has had me in extra lessons ever since you three appeared for our dinner."
Harriet laughed, "Sorry Draco, that was not our intention."
"Was your intention to traumatize my parents?" Draco drawled, mimicking his godfather, "Mother still won't go back into that dining room. We've move all of our meals to the second floor."
"Aw, poor Draco has to move to his second dining room." Ligia teased, "What other first world problems has the poor boy had to suffer through."
Draco blushed slightly, "Of all the things to use for our meme homework." He managed to get out with a snooty tone.
Harriet laughed, "What else should all the rich Slytherins use for the meme practice?"
Draco sniffed and turned his nose up slightly, "None of them."
Harriet laughed, "Ah, come on. Nothing? Have you listened to your mp3 player at least?" Draco gave a slightly embarrassed nod and Harri smiled, "Good."
The bushes behind them rustled again and Draco looked behind him warily.
"Don't worry. It's just Jor and Samarra." Ligia said.
"Is Samarra new?" Draco asked curiously.
"No, Samarra is very old." Harri said, there was a violent hiss behind Draco, making him jump, and Harriet hissed right back. When the hissing stopped Harriet looked to Draco again, "Samarra actually lives at Hogwarts. She's the Slytherin appointed guardian of the school, but she wanted to get out for a while."
"Slytherin appointed?" Draco asked pointedly, "Did the other founders appoint guardians?"
"I'm not sure about Helga or Rowena but Godric appointed Fawkes to watch over the school." Harriet said.
"Fawkes isn't Dumbledore's?" Draco asked in surprise, this was news to him, but very useful news.
"No, he just made everyone believe that." Harri said.
"I see." Draco hummed, wheels turning in his head.
"Scheme later." Ligia chuckled, breaking Draco from his thoughts, "We actually called you here for a reason, none of the other students were called today."
Draco looked to Harriet attentively, excited to be included in something Lady Slytherin was planning.
"We want to start a mentor system with the first and second years." Harriet began, "It will help integrate the newer students into the remodeled house as well as give the younger students someone to learn from as they develop their cunning and their own resources. I would like you to head this up."
Draco blinked, "Me?"
"Yes Draco, you." Harriet said in amusement, "We have some things outlined about what we want to happen between these mentors and mentees but I would like you to use your knowledge to pair people; exclude those who would be inappropriate, recruit those who would be good in the roll, all of that. We will help if you need it but I would like you to take the lead in this one."
Draco swallowed hard, "Yes Lady Slytherin. You can depend on me."
Harriet smiled, "I'm glad." She cast a quick tempus, "I need to go to the meeting.
"Good luck dearest." One of the twins said, kissing Harriet on the cheek.
"Go rule with an iron fist." The other teased, kissing her forehead. "We'll come watch after we get Draco set up.
Harriet smiled as she stood, "See you in a little bit."
Draco watched Harriet and Ligia leave before turning back to the twins and almost jumping out of his skin when he found them close and glaring at him, "Don't get any ideas Draco." The twin on the left growled.
"She's ours." The one on the right continued.
"We may be lions"
"but we will strike"
"like snakes if you"
"try anything."
Draco swallowed hard once again, "Got it."
"Good." They answered in a low tone.
Harriet stood in one rooms off of the throne room which kept her hidden until all of the alumni had gathered before the throne. Samarra was behind her chatting happily with Jörmungandr, who had matched his forms size to his girlfriends. Ligia was out in the throne room with Severus, getting ready to announce her and Harriet took a moment to breathe deeply.
She rolled her neck and shook out her limbs as she put up her Occlumency barriers carefully. The time she had gotten to spend with Natasha and Clint had been nice and had brought her stress levels down a little but she was still agitated. She understood why this needed to be done but she really wished that she could just curl up and leave it to someone else for once. Hearing the throne room go silent she let out her breath, putting on a calm façade as she heard Ligia call out her title.
Harriet walked out between the curtains gracefully, back straight and head held high as she took measured steps to Salazar's pompous throne. There were audible gasps as people began to recognize her, light murmuring filling the hall quickly. Harriet sat primly on the throne as Ligia and Severus moved to the edges of the room to watch and guard her from the alumni.
"Let us desist with the mutterings." Harriet said calmly and clearly, "We are not Hufflepuffs." That silenced everyone and Harriet nodded, "Hello, I would like to thank you all for coming. I am Lady Slytherin, better known as Harriet Potter. As I'm sure you guessed by now, this claim is valid." She willed her ring onto her finger and presented it to the room, "This ring and this Manor are all the proof you should need but if you are a skeptic there is a Gringotts certificate in the back validating my claim." She laid her hands back in her lap gracefully, "Now, this meeting is largely informative and if you all stay quiet and don't try anything regretful then we can get you out of here rather quickly."
"Since the beginning of last year I have taken all of Slytherin House at Hogwarts under my control. I have set in place new rules to create for us a better image while at the same time bettering ourselves. We have worked on keeping the younger kids away from bullying and while honing the current snake's cunningness in the face of such things." Harri let her eyes roam over the assembled people, "Let me be clear. I am doing this to fix the reputation of the mighty Slytherin house, a reputation that you all have torn to pieces. You are the ones who have labeled us, you and your parents before you. There needs to be changes and I am starting at the very bottom of the ladder with those who will eventually move up."
"For your parts in this, I ask that you stay clear." Harri said sternly, "I am fixing our reputation while trying to fight off Dumbledore's advances. If I have to contend with you as well I will not be happy." She let her eyes glow for a second, several people back up because of it. "Be warned, if you cross me I will not hesitate to take you of the equation on way or another. Most of you know I was sorted into Gryffindor. Rest assured that that was a strategic move on my part. I am just as much or more Slytherin than any of you and I will use all of my considerable pull if I need to. Understand?" everyone nodded, "Good, any Questions?"
Hands flew up, many were old but clearly none of them forgot how to be an eager student.
Harriet gestured to the closest and he cleared his throat, "So you consider Dumbledore the enemy?"
"I do." Harriet said, "And I will continue to do so. Many of you know about him leaving me with abusive muggle from the paper but what you don't know is that he currently scheming what will eventually lead to line theft." Many of the alumni looked horrified. As purebloods, family and its history was everything. Line theft was seen as a great tragedy and committing it to be a heinous crime.
Harri gestured to another hand, the woman clasped her hands together in front of her, "My son came home and told me that you are requiring them to take remedial muggle studies. What is that all about?" this made many of the alumni grumbled and mutter to each other angrily.
Harriet raised a hand for quiet and things calmed down, "I understand that you dislike muggles however the truth of the matter is that it is almost inevitable that any of us will come into contact with a muggle. The current muggle studies course is a complete disaster! They know nothing of the current age and if you send your children out into the muggle world without in information then it is a sure fire way to catch attention. I teach them remedial muggle studies, not to turn them into muggle lovers, but to teach them the muggle capabilities and how to avoid drawing attention to themselves around muggles." That seemed to pacify people though some still appeared skeptic.
"I've got a question for you." Came a gruff voice from the back.
Harriet lifted an eyebrow as many turned to look at the big burly man, "And just is that?"
"Why should we even listen to a little girl like you?" the man sneered.
Harriet raised an eyebrow, "Good question." She hummed with amusement, everyone tensed up and their eyes widened as Samarra slithered from the back room and curled bodily around the throne, her head resting on top of it as Harriet stroked the nearest bit of scales, "Well this could be one answer. This is Samarra, and in case you were a complete idiot, you should have recognized her as a basilisk." Everyone backed up a couple steps, the Slytherin self-preservation kicking in. "She has her blinder on currently but think of the carnage if I should take it off." Some of the alumni's eyes bulged.
"There is also the fact that should you try to challenge me you are all hilariously outclassed monetarily, politically, physically, and magically. But yes, please make things hard on yourself when all I'm asking is for you to stay out of my way, not to hinder my plans. I'm sure that's the way to go." She tilted her head with a tight smile on her face, "I need a little fun every once in a while I suppose."
"No takers?" Harri hummed, "What a shock." She stood and walked to the edge of the dais where a large bit of Samarra blocked her from the others. "I'm not asking for much from you elder Slytherins because I don't believe any of you are capable of positive change. None of you are worth my time or effort. This little meeting was more of a PSA and unless you can come to me and show me genuine change then that is how it will stay. So for now, all that I ask is that you stay out of my way and not undermine what good I have been doing for the Slytherin name. Is that understood?"
Everyone was staring at her in shock, not used to being completely dismissed. Many of them were very influential people and those who weren't were still feared because of their sorting. Harriet had just written them off and they didn't know how to take it.
Harriet's eyes narrowed and she released her aura fully, allowing her gray magic to swamp the room. Many of the weaker alumni dropped to their knees under the pressure while other, stronger, alumni shook under her power. Out of the corner of her eye Harriet could see Severus and Ligia holding strong and smiling faintly, and in the back were Fred and George whose eyes had darkened a bit under the feel of her magic. Harriet quickly brought her focus back onto the Slytherin Alum before her, "I said, is that understood?"
"Yes Lady Slytherin." The group chorused.
Next week: Harriet's talk with the Maximoff's, Alice's talk with Augusta, and more!