After the accident, Bruce had assumed that he would never have the pleasure of human company again.

All that is thrown out the day he visits Britain in yet another attempt to avoid civilization and runs into a fifteen year old boy with broken frames, too skinny body, and a resigned air.

Harry is a highly intelligent child forced to live with his brutish aunt and uncle who hated anything abnormal...and his ability to understand even half of what Bruce knows about physics and quantum mechanics qualifies.

When asked why Harry never tried to run away, the boy responds that someone keeps dragging him back. He had no love for his family, and would run far, far away if he could. But the few times he tried after he first managed to escape them to a place where he would be left alone from his thuggish cousin, surprise surprise! Someone appeared and dragged him kicking and screaming back.

Hearing about Harry's early childhood and the cupboard under the stairs was almost enough for Bruce to let the other guy out to play. So when Harry drops the bomb about the fact he was an honest to god wizard, Bruce didn't even blink twice. Harry didn't seem unconcerned about the other guy.

And for some odd reason, even the Hulk liked young Harry. Probably because unlike most of the world, Harry looked at the Hulk with at best vague indifference. He didn't treat the other guy as an animal that needed to be caged. He knew better than anyone that sometimes people needed to vent out their frustration before they cracked.

So after Bruce leaves, he feels like it won't be the last time he sees Harry.

When Bruce realized he was being followed, he originally assumed it was S.H.I.E.L.D again. Right up until the point when a very colorful bird he can't even name (it has a multitude of colors like it came from Brazil) drops from the sky and flies up to him. When he offered his hand, it sat there calmly.

And when it didn't leave even after the other guy came out to get rid of some random warlord that tried to use the Hulk, he knew something was up about it. Still, it beat being alone. The Hulk didn't try to smash it or kill it. Instead it went out of the way to avoid harming it.

Occasionally the bird would sing and the other guy would calm down before Bruce snapped. The number of days between incidents started to jumping in the double digits with the bird around. When it hit triple, for the first time in years, Bruce had found a damn good reason not to shoo the bird away.

All of that was meaningless when the day S.H.I.E.L.D nabbed both him and his precious bird companion (apparently a note had been made that the two were now a matching set if you didn't want the Hulk getting pissed off) he ended up coming face to face with Tony Stark trying to find a cube that had been stolen.

Right as Steve Rogers started in on Tony for poking Bruce, his bird friend squawked. It seemed to take exception to Steve's uptight attitude.

Oddly enough, it didn't even twitch when Tony petted it.

The look his bird companion (it had given a good whack with it's wing to the first person who called it Bruce's pet. The fact it had been Fury saying it out loud was enough to startle a laugh out of Bruce at the time when he was about to snap) gave Steve said it was seriously contemplating attacking him.

Though he did enjoy the looks Tony was giving the bird when it went up to a computer and with a balled up foot started punching in numbers. Bruce had seen it actually reading one of his physics books in the early morning while he was making breakfast. When he quizzed it, the bird had pointed out the passages to answer him.

He just took it for granted that the bird was smarter than most people. In fact it even helped him catch fish every once in a while.

"So tell me Doc... What's up with the bird?" said Tony.

"Don't ask me. He just showed up one day while I was in the middle of the rain forest and for some reason he calms the other guy down. I figure anything that can do that is worth keeping around. The other guy seems to like him too," said Bruce.

"I gotta tell ya Doc, I've never seen a bird put in calculations like that," said Tony.

The bird seemed to pause, before checking that they were completely alone and locking the door.

Then it did something that nearly gave Bruce and Tony a heart attack. It turned into a human. A very familiar human to Bruce.

"Harry?" he said in shock.

"Sorry I never told you sooner, but we were being followed by S.H.I.E.L.D constantly and it was hard enough to ditch Fury's lackeys just to find you."

"Why would Fury be after you?" asked Tony.

"Because of who I am and what I did. Believe me, it was easier for me to act like a bird than be human. This is the most fun I've had in years."

"How did you do that anyway?" said Tony. Bruce was still in too much shock.

"I'm a wizard. One of my abilities is shapeshifting. And since I knew I could at least trust Bruce not to bring me in, I figured it would be safer to hang around him for a while."

He suddenly turned back and flew to Bruce's shoulder. It became clear when Fury suddenly came in.

"Alright Doctor, where is he?" said Fury, looking distinctly annoyed.

"Who?"

"Potter. I just saw him in the window."

"Who?" said Bruce, utterly confused at this point. On the plus side, there was almost no chance of the Other Guy coming out.

"Harry bloody Potter."

The bird turned back into a human and glared at him.

"I told you before Nicky, that I had no interest in your little group. Hell, I've been hexing your lackeys for months before I finally managed to give them the slip! Why the hell won't you take the hint and leave me the hell alone?!" said Harry.

"Hold on... You actually call him Nicky...and he doesn't shoot you?" said Tony, grinning wildly.

"You know of a better way to piss him off to the point he would leave you alone?" said Harry rhetorically.

Tony laughed.

"Potter, the very fact you are here means that you are willing to work with us."

"Not you or your little group. I'm only here as support for Bruce, since he was the only one who's ever given a damn about me, even if I was a bird at the time."

"I'm amazed you stayed that long in bird form. Wizards generally can't stand being in animal form without losing human thought. And we could definitely use your help against Loki," said Fury.

"I'll help right up until Bruce decides to leave. He's about the only real friend I have at this point, and I am not leaving him alone with you of all people. Your bad habits would be more than enough to let Mr. Anger-Management-Issues come out to play," said Harry flatly.

Tony was definitely trying not to laugh. He loved this kid!

Fury's phone suddenly went off. He looked at the text and then at Tony.

"Mr. Stark, you and Rogers are going to Stuttgart, Germany. Loki's been spotted."

"Great... Stars and Stripes before coffee," said Tony. Harry liked him well enough that he conjured one, piping hot for him. Tony only blinked twice before he accepted it.

Fury went back to the command center while Bruce spoke to Harry.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I had just gotten out of a war, my 'best friends' turned out to be assholes who were only in it for the fame and glory, and everyone I knew looked to me for all their troubles to end. I was sick of it, and I remembered you actually talking to me like a normal person about things most people wouldn't find interesting in the least. And since I knew my animal form could possibly help with your other side, I figured hiding with you would be safer. Besides, Fury was starting to really piss me off with his stupid recruitment speeches."

"...You were in a war?" said Bruce faintly. That would explain why Harry's eyes seemed so tired.

"I was 'prophesied' to end some blood war with a madman on one side and a hypocritical old man who refused to kill on the other. And when I actually beat the bastard who murdered my parents and ended the war, surprise surprise, people still look to me to solve their problems instead of dealing with it themselves," said Harry.

"So you came to find me, since you knew that the other guy actually liked you to a point and they would have great difficulty beating him," said Bruce.

"Well, mostly because you were the most intelligent conversation I had ever had, even if I was still behind on the subjects you know so much about and I had a feeling you needed someone to talk to without being afraid of your odd other half. I guess that's why my animal form is a phoenix... they are known for calming people down with their songs," said Harry with a shrug.

Bruce stared at him.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, you're not going to chase me away now that you know the truth?"

"Not a chance. You're not the only one who needs someone to talk to, though I have to admit, Tony is strange enough."

"True. Anyway, do you think that this Loki character is the Loki from the stories?" said Harry grinning.

"Why?" asked Bruce, almost afraid of the answer.

"My dad, godfather and favorite Uncle were pranksters, and I inherited a bit of their mischief. If he is the same Loki like in the tales, then I want to exchange prank ideas with him!" said Harry.

"Considering they're bringing him back, I'm sure Fury would let you have a crack at him..." said Bruce amused.

As it turned out, Fury was more than happy to let Harry have a crack at him. He knew full well that wizards could look into people's minds with their magic. Too bad Harry had other ideas. The first thing he did was locate Thor, because something about Loki's eyes didn't sit right with him. It was like he was seeing through a tinted window instead of a clear one. No way was he chancing his mental state to look into Loki's mind if he wasn't the one in control.

"So Thor... What color are Loki's eyes?" asked Harry.

Thor looked at the little wizard amused.

"They are the same shade as your own, why?"

"Thought so. Whatever is in that cell isn't Loki. His eyes are electric blue and I have never seen a shade like that naturally. There is every chance that your brother is being controlled and can still be saved," said Harry.

The relief on Thor's face was clear.

"Can you help him?"

"Is Hel really his daughter?"

"Hel? She rules the lands of the dead, and Loki is her sire, but what does that matter?" said Thor confused.

"Then chances are I can reach him. Hel and I are...acquainted, in a manner of speaking. If she actually cares for her father, she should be willing to help."

Leaving a very confused Thor behind, Harry went to see Loki.

"So they think a mere wizard can pry the information from me? How naïve," Loki sneered.

"I do have some questions, though whether or not you answer them is up to you," shrugged Harry.

"Ask away little Wizard. Though make no mistake, I will snap your little twig in half once I am freed."

"Not my problem. My first question is actually about the stories humans have told about your race... Is it true you once tricked Thor into a dress and made him pretend to be Freya in order to get that silly hammer back?"

That actually threw Loki for a loop.

"What?"

"Well there's this legend that a frost giant stole his precious hammer and you convinced him to pretend he was Freya and put him in a wedding dress so he could marry the giant and he killed the giant once he had his hammer back. I'm just curious if that tale is true or not, and if you had any photos."

Loki blinked. Twice.

"Where in Hel's name did you hear that one? I thought Thor had forbidden anyone of speaking of it."

Harry's grin was massive.

"So it did actually happen?"

"It happened," said Loki, surprised.

"Please tell me you have pictures, hell even a memory would work! Seeing that musclebound idiot in a dress would be worth it's weight in gold!"

Loki actually grinned.

"I'm actually curious... How did you know about that old tale?"

"You were my favorite out of the entire Norse pantheon. I come from a long line of pranksters, so naturally the tales of the prankster god Loki caught my attention. I know a pair of twins who would kill to meet you...and they own a joke shop."

Suddenly Loki went on the defensive.

"You aren't here to get at the information in a roundabout way are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Are you kidding? Little Miss Spider can do that boring stuff! I'd would rather talk to the only prankster god I've ever met and exchange ideas! Hell, Rogers and Fury are just begging to get hit with some good pranks!"

For the first time since Harry had first met Loki, he could see emerald green under the electric blue eyes. So he was being controlled...the only question was by who and why.

"Loki is being controlled, same as the people he captured," said Harry flatly.

Everyone had gotten used to his presence once he revealed himself. And since Fury wasn't in a snit, they didn't question him being there.

"Are you sure?" said Thor. It was clear that he hoped to save his brother from the cruel dream he had.

"It helps to have a similar background. While my childhood wasn't very nice, I do know what it's like to be so overshadowed that all your accomplishments go to the wayside. Well, that and the fact I wasn't the least bit interested in where the cube was helped too."

"Hold on a minute, you were talking to him for four hours. What on earth could you two talk about for hours if it wasn't his plans?" said Fury.

"To catch a thief, hire a thief. Loki is a natural prankster, so it was obvious that he wouldn't mind speaking of pranks instead of world domination plans. By the way Thor, if he does fail he's promise me a copy of the memory when you lost your hammer to that Frost Giant and you had to go in as Freya..."

Thor's happy expression soured in an instant.

"Damn him...he swore never to mention that again..." he growled.

"To be fair I just wanted to confirm whether it happened or not, because I had heard about it," said Harry smirking. He could see Tony's laughing eyes from where he stood.

"So how do you know Loki is being controlled?" said Fury.

"Simple. While we discussed pranks, his eyes were the same color as my own. But if we even diverted at all, they went to electric blue. That means something is controlling him. I could attempt to break it by force, but I don't think it would do much good at this point. He has already mentioned that he has no clue where the cube is at the moment, nor does he particularly care."

"What makes you think that?" asked Bruce. Harry had a very good judge of personality, from what he could tell.

"As far as I could see, Loki could care less about the humans. He's only doing this to royally piss off Thor. His plan could fail and all he would feel would be extreme annoyance. The only reason he's even bothering with the cube is because someone is making him."

"Be that as it may, we need the cube back," said Fury.

"No, humanity as a whole isn't ready for it. Personally I agree with Thor in that it shouldn't be here in the first place. That thing is more trouble than it's worth, and Asgard seems to be the only race that looks like it could actually handle the damn thing. Absolute power like the cube will only bring death and destruction unless the one holding it views it as just another tool," said Harry flatly.

Thor looked surprised.

"You don't have the authority to make that call Potter," said Fury.

"Don't I? You seem to misunderstand me Fury. I don't particularly care about you, your group or even about the cube. I don't even need it's power to cause destruction on a similar scale. Hel's Avatar among the living needs no trinket like the tesseract to cause death," said Harry coldly.

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