Last time...

"Arthur, is there any reason why you're…I dunno…not running right now?"

"I'm supposed to…" He doesn't know how to answer that, because she's not supposed to know about this. "Hera, what I'm doing is dangerous."

"Really? I had no idea."

He's fairly certain this is sarcasm, and he's not a fan when he hasn't had a bit of sleep in ages; not restful sleep anyway. Suddenly the snake lunges, and Hera takes a leap and grabs at it instead of dodging. The two go tumbling to the ground, and the snake begins coiling around her; squeezing with all its might. In retaliation, Hera turns blue, frost covers the snake, and it jerks away. It has just enough time to lung at him, biting once, before Hera can encase it in ice.

"Arthur!" Hera is by his side in seconds. "Were you bit? Stupid question, Hera, there's blood everywhere. Of course, he was bitten! Stay with me, Arthur! Where do we go?"

"Wha?"

"In case of emergency, where do we go?" Hera shouted, shaking him to keep his eyes open. "You had to have had a plan! What was it?!"

The world goes black before he can answer her.

Chapter 78

Hera Potter suddenly standing in front of them – where she most certainly hadn't been before – in full armour, being blue, and very very angry, was not how he'd seen this meeting going. Albus had been trying to get him on the roster for guard duty to the Hall of Prophecy, something he kept denying. It felt good to see the frustration in the man's face, knowing he couldn't pull on the Vow anymore. However, it was getting uncomfortably cold in the old man's office at the moment. Perhaps this was a problem that needed addressing so that the Headmaster didn't get killed prematurely.

"Potter…" He stopped speaking when she turned her glare at him.

"Which one of you thought it was a good idea to pointlessly guard the Hall of Prophecies when I already knew what it said?" Potter demanded, seething. Both he and Albus looked guiltily at each other. "Why would you do that?"

"I didn't tell anyone new that you already knew it." Severus admitted, quietly.

"Not even Dumbledore?" She continued, glaring at him when he winced. "Well guess what? He didn't tell them I knew either, so they've been guarding a stupid prophecy with more holes in it than a poorly written Harlequin novel, and-"

"Hera, it is imperative that Tom never know what the prophecy contains." Albus stated with a grave tone, only to shrink in on himself when her anger turned towards him.

"Riddle's known for weeks. I know this because I'm the one that told him. He's actually fully back this time, regenerated himself in that graveyard and everything about two weeks ago, and don't go acting like you didn't know about it. If Professor Snape told you about my knowing the prophecy, I know damn good and well that he would have told you about that too." Potter scolded, giving the man a withering glare. "Riddle's just looking for confirmation now. If a prophecy you keep pushing is actually going to influence both our lives, I figured he at least deserved to know what it said – even if he is a raging arsehole, and killed both my parents in a time of war – that way he could actually have a choice in the matter."

Albus looked apoplectic, torn between anger and shock.

"Arthur was just attacked by a snake large enough that it could have eaten him and we wouldn't have known about it till the bones were shat out, something that could have been avoided if you actually shared the information your former spy gives to you. Sirius and Remus both know that I already knew the prophecy, but it's not like you're listening to them either." Potter continued scathingly, glaring at Albus with eyes that seemed to unnerve the man with their red glow. "You are going to pull back the guard post, and focus on something bloody useful for once. Is that understood?"

Albus nodded.

"I'm warning you now, old man. If Arthur dies, so will you." She threatened. She then turned and grabbed Severus himself by the collar of his robes. "And you! You're coming with me!"

They disappeared from the office, and reappeared in St. Mungos.

"Well, you wanted a poison expert. Now you've got one." Potter declared, before disappearing again.

"Ron! Get dressed. Your father's been attacked, and is at St. Mungos. I'm going to go get Ginny." Ron hears, but thinks he's dreaming. "I will pour water on you, Ronald Bilius Weasley! Don't think I won't. Get moving!"

…

"Ginny! Your father's been attacked, and is at St Mungos. I'm going to go get Fred and George. When I get back, I'm going to need you to help me wake your brother." She hears, and groggily begins moving. "Ron sleeps like a log, apparently."

"M'kay…"

…

"Fred! George! Get up, right this instant, or so help me!" They were up before she'd finished shouting. Hera glared at the both of them. "Your father's been attacked. He's at St. Mungos. We need to gather the others, and then head there."

Both Fred and George begin scrambling to put on robes over their pajamas. It was nothing to swiftly pack the rest of their things. Hers were already packed, so she didn't need to slip away. Without warning, she apparated them to Ginny's dorm. The girl was already dressed and packed, though a bit confused and bleary eyed. Grabbing her, she apparated the four of them to Ron's room, where they sprayed water from their wands until he was cursing at them. He would have sulked, but Hera cast a quick drying spell, another to pack his clothes, and then apparated them to St. Mungos.

…

"Molly? Molly, where are you?!" She heard, and jerked awake, having been sitting in front of the Family clock with a cuppa that was obviously not fortifying enough if she was falling asleep like this. "Molly! Dammit, Molly, where the bloody hell are – oh! Molly!"

"Hera?" She wasn't awake enough for this, and clearly Hera wasn't either, when Hera ploughed into her arms. "Hera, dear, what happened?"

"I don't know how, but I apparated to where Arthur was. I was the snake for a moment, or looking through the snake, and then I freaked out when I realized the snake was going to attack him! We tussled a bit. I tried to save Arthur, but the snake broke free, and bit him!" Hera said in a rush. "I got him to St. Mungos, yelled at Dumbledore and Snape, gathered your children, and popped on over. Are you decent?"

"Decent enough. Let's go." Molly agreed. She was not prepared for Hera to reach out, take her hand, and apparate them out of the Burrow.

"Hey, Tones?" James calls out, having looked around him. There's no little 'this could be Tony's kid' anywhere. "Did something happen?"

"Probably." Tony sighed, running his hand through his hair in nervous habit.

"Stark!"

Tony whirled around to face the direction the voice had come from, and it was almost like looking at another person. James had never seen his friend look as serious as he did now. Whatever had happened, whoever this was, this was important. He hadn't known what to expect when Tony had mentioned possible family, but it had turned out to be legit. He couldn't have been happier for his friend, but he also knew even with the little Tony had known in that moment that his friend was going to be in for a bumpy road.

"Is he safe?" The stranger asked, looking at him before returning his attention to Tony.

"James Rhodes." James went to introduce himself, not that the sour looking man acknowledged him.

"Is. He. Safe?" The stranger repeated, glaring at Tony now.

"My best friend, and brother in all but blood. He'll be knee deep in shit with me regardless. I don't keep secrets from my best friend, couldn't even if I tried." Tony replied instantly, not offended by the man's sour disposition, confusing James.

"Tony?"

"Severus Snape." The man returned, shaking his awkwardly still held out hand for a brief moment, before handing him a book. "Read this later. You'll need it to protect your mind. For now, I believe an amulet will do."

"You have one?" Tony asked, surprised, before snorting as the man brought out an amulet from some pocket in his robes. "Who am I kidding? Of course, you do. You had that book. Do you just keep copies of that with you now?"

"Like you have to ask." The man snorted.

"Tony?"

"I'm going to need you to suspend disbelief for me." Tony stated, without really answering the question. "Just trust me, okay?"

"Always." James replied automatically. He barely caught the look of bewilderment from Snape, but it was gone before he could ask about it.

…

He'd just gotten through watching a grown man talk to a store mannequin with a straight face. Then again, he'd also been teleported from a train station to a closed department store, and was still trying to breathe to keep his lunch down. Tony was looking like this was just normal for him, so James tried to roll with it. Being friends with a Stark had come with a lot of craziness over the years, and it hadn't gotten any less interesting as time had gone on. With two of them, it was bound to get even more interesting.

They stepped forward when Severus nodded, James looking down so he wouldn't feel any more discombobulated than he already did. It felt like walking through a sheet of cool water, but on the other side there was no sign of the dummy…They'd somehow arrived in what seemed to be a crowded reception area where rows of people sat on rickety wooden chairs. Most looked normal, but he could swear one woman had an elephant trunk on her face, and another man had hands sticking out of his chest. There was one woman that kept fanning her self vigorously with a news paper or a magazine, and kept letting off a high-pitched whistle as steam poured out of her mouth.

"Tony…"

People in lime green robes were walking up and down the rows of chairs, asking questions, taking notes on clipboards. There was an emblem he noticed embroidered on their chests, but he'd never seen the like before. A stick and a bone crossed? What sort of place was this? It looked like…It looked like a hospital, he realized.

ARTEFACT ACCIDENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ground Floor (Cauldron explosion, wand backfiring, broom crashes, etc.)

CREATURE-INDUCED INJURIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Floor (Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, etc.)

MAGICAL BUGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Second Floor (Contagious maladies, e.g., dragon pox, vanishing sickness, scrofungulus)

POTION AND PLANT POISONING. . . . . . . . . . . . .Third Floor (Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable giggling, etc.)

SPELL DAMAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fourth Floor (Unliftable jinxes, hexes, and incorrectly applied charms, etc.)

VISITORS' TEAROOM AND HOSPITAL SHOP. . . . .Fifth Floor

If you are unsure where to go, incapable of normal speech, or unable to remember why you are here, our Welcome Witch will be pleased to help.

James' brain stopped. Welcome Witch?

…

"Hera?…Hera!"

She jerked, looking around for the source, only to find Tony sitting on her left. "Tony? But…How are you here?…Oh, no! The train!"

"Might have missed it. Snape brought me." Tony quipped with a crooked grin. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I…It's Arthur…" She tried to explain. "He…I…"

"Snape told me." He nodded, brightening up a little, and pointed to her arm. "Is that a tattoo, young lady? Are we rebelling now? I'm so proud."

She just grins a little, pulling the sleeve up to give him a better view of it.

"It's a shield-brethren tattoo. Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Luna all have them too." She explained. "I…sort of freaked out when they just accepted all my secrets like it was a completely normal thing to do."

"Is it only magics that can do that?" Tony asked, suddenly very interested.

"I don't believe so. It just fell out of common knowledge among the rest of the world when the Statute of Secrecy was put into place." Hera shrugged. "Hermione suggested you and I might want to do one."

"We could do that?" Tony asked, in surprise.

"We could do that." She replied, with the barest hint of a smile.

…

"Hey, I know you're worried about your 'Not Dad' Arthur, but I brought someone with me I'd like for you to meet." Tony stated, a little while after they'd fallen back into silence, trying to distract her from her worry. Snape had gone back to see how the progress with Arthur was going, and Molly and the kids had gone to the tea room after seeing that he wasn't quite up for more than a short visit yet. "Say, I know Hedwig can find us anywhere, but where are Jimmy and Kaa?"

"I left them at Hogwarts." Hera admitted, sheepishly. "In my defence, I was panicked, and trying to save Arthur. I can go back and get them later. So, where are we meeting your friend?"

"Right here." Rhodey pipes up in amusement, having been leaning against a nearby wall. "Well, you're definitely related to Tony. I'd know that hair anywhere."

"Hullo, I'm Hera Potter." She introduced herself, offering a hand.

"James Rhodes." His friend replied in kind, shaking her hand, only grimacing a touch. "Strong grip, Kid."

"Well, you were a bit testy there yourself, you know." She teased back.

"Rhodey, I'd like you to meet my little sister Hera." Tony stated, introducing them now that they'd had their odd measuring up power play moment. "Hera, this is my best friend and brother in all but blood, Platypus."

She brightened at that, grinning, but he still wasn't expecting what came out of her mouth. "Sugar bear!"

Tony couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Best…response…ever!"

It doesn't help that Rhodey is sputtering indignantly.

"Well, I mean, you're here, so they must have explained magic to you." Hera began, once the laughter had subsided.

"Uh…"

"You didn't explain magic to him?!" Hera demanded, glaring at him now. "Tony, do you know how much trouble you could get into with MACUSA because of this?! With the Ministry?!"

"He's my brother in all but blood, Hera, I wasn't kidding about that." Tony reminded her. "He's been looking after my crazy ass since I was thirteen. Besides, I already got him a pass with MACUSA when we stopped by that first time. He's cleared to know about magic."

"You mean like Houdini?" Rhodey offered up, probably still a little discombobulated from everything he had seen up till now.

"Who's Houdini?"

"Oh, you sweet summer child." Rhodey couldn't help but blurt out in lament, and then. "Wait, if not Houdini, then…?"

"Think Merlin." She replied, deadpan, and then waited.

"You can't…You can't possibly believe magic is real." Rhodey objected.

"You're standing in the middle of a magical hospital filled with people who are doing magic all around you." Hera reminded him, gesturing all around her. "Are you really telling me you weren't paying attention to any of that?"

"Tony?"

"Remember what I said about suspending disbelief?" Tony reminded him. "I've seen dragons, ghosts, pranking poltergeists, tap dancing pineapples, Doctor who pockets, a tree that hits anything that gets close enough, potions that can do all kinds of stuff, and goblins that kick ass as bankers. I've even met their king. A red envelope screamed at me once. There's a list."