Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. This is just for fun and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Child of Silence

By Angelwings Sorrow

Chapter 10 "Dark Times Ahead"

Bruce and Hulk

"Dr. Banner you are needed on the Communal Floor."

"Thank you Jarvis." Bruce was still half asleep as he pulled himself from his bed. He had been up late experimenting with a small amount of gamma rays. He knew that he would never fully get rid of the Hulk but maybe he could find a medium where they could coexist. He made it to the communal floor to see everyone suited up and ready to leave. Even the two gods were going though Loki did not look happy about it.

"Finally Big Green, what took you so long?" Tony asked exasperated.

"I was asleep, Tony; you know people do that at four in the morning. What's going on?"

"We got a call some Creatures appeared in London. Fury's brother called it in they need back up. Thor and Loki have identified them as Dark Elves from another realm since they know more about them they are needed for this mission but that will leave Harry vulnerable. We need you to stay here with him." Steve explained.

"What me? No; that's not a good idea not with the other guy being unpredictable."

"Doctor I trust you with Haraldr. He is still fragile and won't except a stranger to watch him. You have been a constant presence since he has come to live here in the tower. He trusts you. If at any time need help with his magic you may call Strange or Haraldr can portal you both to the Sanctum." Loki answered as he came to stand before the worried doctor.

"Before you ask, Reindeer Games doesn't completely trust the Magic Man since he tends to send him falling through space for hours on end." Tony snickered earning a glare from his Dark Prince. Their relationship had been changing in the last two weeks but too slow for the billionaire. They were closer with events pushing the two closer together but Loki was still being stubborn. Since Harry's birthday the God of Mischief had taken to showing up at his lab at odd hours. Sometimes he would bring Harry sometimes not, just to check on him. It was really sweet but annoying at the same time because Loki refused to say that he did care for him. He had to keep reminding himself baby steps because the god's main focus right now was on their Mini Merlin. There had been no sign of the mysterious caller since the party but he had Jarvis on alert and his spy-ware working on tracing the intruder's origins.

"Harry will be fine with you Banner. He will be a bit upset when he sees we're gone but he'll feel safe knowing you are here. We all kind of left Harry some video messages since we aren't able to say goodbye." Bucky said scratching the back of his head.

"No worries Banner you got this. Harry is a good kid and be thankful he ain't a baby in diapers." Clint smirked slapping a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

"That's not very reassuring Clint." Bruce glared at the archer. "Loki, are you sure you want me to watch Harry?"

"Yes, I am sure Doctor Banner. I know that you would protect him with everything you have as well as the Green Guy. I know from personal and painful experience Hulk protects his friends." Loki gave him a small reassuring smile.

"Alright I'll watch him. How long do you figure you'll be gone?"

"We do not know hopefully we will be gone no more than a week. Dark Elves are very dangerous and vicious. The All-Father had thought them to be extinct so we have no idea what we are really walking into." Thor said gripping Mjolnir tightly.

"You all better take care I don't want to be the one to tell Harry why you didn't come back." Bruce warned.

"We will. I promise to make sure the whole team makes it home." Steve promise with Bucky nodding in agreement.

"Let's get going the sooner we leave the sooner we can come back to Harry." Natasha stated as she holstered her gun.

"Agreed everyone to the jet; Oh and one more thing, here you go Brucey." Tony dropped a pink elastic band into his hand.

"What's this?" the doctor looked at the band skeptically.

"That is an all access pass to the tower. Normally all the floors lock down after sunset unless you are invited to a certain floor. Say like Nat invited you to dinner J. would let you in but if you tried to sneak in you wouldn't be allowed in. Now Harry has free run of the tower because it's better for his healing to not feel trapped or that he's a prisoner. He also tends to sneak down to my lab to play with DUM-E and U a lot. So wearing that will get you anywhere Harry might go or hide. Oh and you don't need to worry about it braking if the Big Guy makes an appearance Loki already charmed it to never brake. Also nobody will be able to take it off except you just as an extra security measure."

"Okay, but why is it pink?"

"Uh, no reason." Tony gave a brief grin before practically running from the room to catch up with the others that were already on the jet.

"I swear that man is more trouble than the actual God of Mischief." Bruce huffed slipping the band on before turning back to the elevator. As he rode the elevator down to Thor's floor he watch the Quinjet fly off from the tower. It was a bit nerve wracking to be the sole care giver to the small child. He knew the boy was ten years old and highly intelligent so it wasn't like he was taking care of an unknowing toddler. If he didn't do the DNA test himself he would have sworn that Harry was the son of Tony and Loki. Harry was as brilliant as he was magical and he was great kid but the doctor was still scared to watch the boy.

Bruce almost jumped when he came face to face with a large Black Jinx. He was staring at eye level with the Magical familiar. He never had seen the cat change forms but he was amazed at the sight. He had been warned of the protective nature of the cat, so he had to remain calm to not only to calmly talk the cat down but keep the Hulk from getting mad at the cat just doing his job. He found it somewhat funny how he and the jinx both changed size and personality when in protective mode.

"Hey Shadow it's just me you can relax. I mean no harm to Harry." Bruce kept his voice low and calm.

"Roar!"

"No, shhh! We don't want to wake Harry!" the Doctor hissed in a whisper but it was in vain.

"Shadow, be nice. Uncle Bruce is nice not a bad guy." A digital voice called from behind the large cat. The Jinx let out another roar before shrinking down to his smaller kitten size.

"Harry, I'm sorry that you got woken up. I was just coming to check on you."

"Where is my Dad?"

"Director Fury had a mission for the Avengers. Your Father and Uncle were especially needed for this mission. They have the knowledge to complete the mission quickly. So you get me as your sitter until they get back." Bruce said giving Harry an awkward smile. Harry's shoulders slump in to a defeated pose. "Hey, they had to leave in a hurry but they left you a message."

"A message?"

"Yup, everyone left you a message not wanting to wake you to tell you that they had to leave. Come on let's get you to your room and we'll have Jarvis pull the messages up on the TV." Bruce guided Harry back to his and Loki's room and tucked the boy back into bed with his cat and the snowy owl Plush. "Is there anything you need before we play the videos?"

"Can I have some water, Uncle Bruce?" Harry switched to signing as he put away his voice disc in the nightstand.

"Sure, Harry. It's been hot these last couple of weeks. Be right back." The Doctor made his way to the kitchen for the water and back as quick as he could. It helped that all the apartment Floors had the same layout giving them all privacy and independence should they choose not to interact all the time. "Here you go, Harry."

"Thank you." Harry signed before taking a big gulp of water.

"You're welcome. Jarvis play the team's messages."

"Yes, Dr, Banner." The large flat screen slowly descended from the ceiling before turning on and playing the Team's recordings. The first two faces that appeared were Bucky and Steve.

"Hey kiddo, sorry were had to rush off like this we wanted to say good-bye in person but Fury needs our help ASAP. We'll miss you and be home as fast as possible." Bucky explained.

"Harry, I promise to watch over our friends so that we all make it back to you. I know you'll be worried but I hope I put your mind at ease if only just a little bit. Listen to Bruce and we'll all go out to the movies when we get home." Steve promised. Suddenly the video changed and Clint and Natasha were on screen.

"Hey Buddy."Clint signed as he talked. "Sorry to leave while you're asleep but duty calls. I'll miss you and we'll have another Nerf challenge when I get back ok?"

"Hey Little Man, I'll miss you more than Clint will." Natasha signed ignoring Clint's squawking protest. "We still have to make Vatrushka together; so no baking without me. We'll be home soon. Love you." And Natasha blew him a kiss. The video changed once again, this time to his uncle Thor.

"Hello, Nephew Haraldr!" his uncle's loud voice came booming out through the speakers making Harry jump a little. In the background you could hear Tony hiss "You don't need to yell Sparkles the Mic picks up your voice just fine unless you want Harry to be Deaf."

"My apologies Haraldr I am still getting used to Midgardian technology." Thor said in a much softer voice. "I am sorry that Battle has called us away from our Midgard home."

"Thor don't tell him about the mission, you Oaf!" Loki snarled at his brother, from behind the camera.

"Sorry I mean the Dark Elves are attacking and we are needed."

"Don't tell him that!" Tony and Loki both shouted at the Thunder god.

"We shall return home as soon as possible. I will miss you while we are away. You mind your keeper and we shall feast upon our return." Thor's video was then replaced by his Father and Uncle Tony.

"Haraldr my son pay no attention to your uncle's ramblings he is still half asleep." Harry smiled as he watched his father glare off screen probably at his uncle Thor. "I am sorry we were called away but as Princes of Asgard we have knowledge that others do not and we are tasked with sharing it to protect all realms. I love you, I will return to you as soon as it is possible, my son."

"Hey there Mini Merlin! I know you heard 'sorry' from everyone, because we are. None of us want to leave you but being heroes is a full time job. But don't worry because we're the good guys, we always win and we'll be home before you know it. Now, Jarvis is linked to me in case of an emergency and you guys need us. We'll come running home. Also I left you an email with list of lessons for you to do while were gone and don't forget to visit DUM-E and U so they don't get lonely. In your night stand is a buddy band I made for you its green, your dad picked the color said red was too gaudy. OW!" Uncle Tony received an elbow to the ribs for that. "Anyways the Buddy band will help Jarvis keep track of you and your absent minded Uncle. Please take care of your Uncle Bruce he is a workaholic and needs to play more. Be good and we'll be home soon love you Hare-Bear."

Harry was smiling and tears quietly rolled down his cheeks as the screen went blank. He knew they just left but he missed them terribly they were his family. Living with his step-mother's family he had never felt loved or wanted. When he was at HYDRA he wasn't even considered Human so there was no love lost there. Here with his father and the Avengers he finally found somewhere he was loved and belonged. He didn't realize he started sobbing until strong warm arms had wrapped around him and brought him into a hug.

"Don't worry Harry, They'll be home soon. Until then I'll be right here." Bruce mumbled into the soft raven hair. He held Harry until the boy fell asleep in his arms. He just sat there thinking of how much the poor boy had been through so much in the short life he has lived so far. It reminded him a bit of his childhood lonely and afraid of his drunken father and watching his mother dying at his father's hands. In the two and a half months that Harry had been with them he had grown attached to him as if he was a real nephew to him.

"Harry ours?" a voice asked in the back of his mind.

"Kind of Hulk. Harry is Family and we protect Family."

"Protect Our Harry. Family."

"Yeah, Family."

XxXxXxXxXx

It had been Four days since the Team had left and both Bruce and Harry were starting to worry as there had been no word from them. Pepper had left yesterday to California to over see the recent Arc Reactor Project in Stark's Clean Energy Campaign, so it was now just the two of them in the tower. Bruce tried to keep Harry busy with his lessons and trips to the park and labs to play with Tony's older AIs. Bruce was surprised on how talented Harry was in the kitchen. In all honesty he was a bit relived because his cooking skills might have sent them both to the hospital. Also he didn't think it would be healthy to order take out every day three times a day.

Today they were at the park for lessons in life science and potion ingredient identification. Loki left a book titled Herbology in the Muggle world. It was a book to help identify Plants that had magical properties that could be used in healing and potions. So far Harry was getting a perfect score in both subjects in Bruce's opinion.

"I think that's enough for today Harry you did very well Tony is going to be so impressed you finished over half your lessons in four days." Both of them were kneeling by the lake looking at some reddish looking moss that was good to use in burn paste.

"Well Stark has a spawn after all. Boss suspected that might be the case but I didn't think it was real, with Stark being a bastard and playboy. Now he's turned in to a respected father? Mandarin is just going to love this." A voice came from behind the two and Bruce was on his feet purposely blocking the man's view of Harry.

"Who are you and what do you want."

"Name's Eric Savin but I doubt you'll remember it after your dead. What I want is the boy. He's a Stark and the boss needs him." The man was too young to have been the voice on the phone so this guy was nothing but a hired thug.

"He's not going anywhere with you and I suggest you leave before I get angry. You wouldn't like it if I got angry." Bruce growled his eyes glowing green.

"I take that as a challenge old man." Eric's eyes began to glow red as well as his skin.

"Harry, I think it's time that you go see Doctor Strange." Bruce said through gritted teeth.

"Oh the boy's not going anywhere but with us." Eric sneered as another thug jumped out and grabbed Harry who had been sifting through his bag for his Sling Ring.

"Put the boy down and you might just get out of here alive." Bruce snarled as his skin began to turn green.

"Take the boy to the car I've got the old man." Eric smirked heating his fist up for the fight.

"I warned you not to make me angry." The doctor hissed before letting the big guy take over. "HULK SMASH!"

Eric wasted no time and struck out at Hulk fist glowing and burning Hulk when he punched the green face. The hit didn't phase the green beast and Hulk back handed Eric sending him flying through the trees. As soon as the Hulk appeared the few people that were in the park were sent screaming and the man who had Harry took off running for the park exit.

"OUR HARRY!" Hulk Roared. He was about to give chase but a hot mass hit his mid section had stopped him by pushing him back a few feet.

The thug had a tight hold on Harry but the little wizard had one arm free and that was all he needed. Harry created an ice dagger and stabbed the running man in his leg. As soon as the man screamed out the hold on Harry was loosen allowing the demi-god to swing out of the man's arms swinging up and over onto the man's back. Then using the guy as a spring board he jumped off the man's back into the trees above him.

"Come back you Brat!" another thug yelled ignoring his fallen comrade. Harry swung to another branch trying to escape but Hulk was thrown into the tree making the boy lose his grip and landed on Ulk'Hulk's stomach.

"Our Harry Run." Hulk grunted picking up the mini wizard up and placing him gently on the ground before getting up and rushing Eric once again. Harry was shaking but started running when he noticed that thug one and two were on their feet and giving chase. As he ran he summoned the Sling Ring to his hand and began performing the movements to open a portal. Harry didn't know if it would work while running; he had no choice but to try.

"Sanctum, Sanctum, Sanctum!" Harry soundlessly chanted. Suddenly a portal open to the New York Sanctum and he ran straight through not stopping to make sure the portal was stable. The thugs continued the chase him not caring that he just performed magic and ran right through the portal. Harry tripped on the hallway rug and tumble in to the Stairs.

"We got you now you brat." Panted thug one and went to grab the tired boy from the floor. Suddenly red filled his vision and once it was gone so was the Boy.

"My name is Doctor Strange and you are intruding on the Sanctum of the Mystic Arts." A voice called out from the top of the stairs. The thugs looked up to see two men at the top of the stairs. The shorter of the two was holding their target that seemed to be passed out. The taller of the two was floating down to them with a red cape flying around him. "Now tell me why you are here before I kick you out."

"That's my nephew he ran away while I was watching him." Thug two lied.

"Strike one. That boy is my student and you are not related to him. Try again."

"I'll show you a strike." Thug one had pulled out a metal baton and had extended it before striking the Doctor. Both thugs were surprised when the baton was stopped and pulled away by the Red cloth.

"Strike two, Shall we try for three?"

"Let's get'em!" The thugs rushed forward hoping to over power Strange only to suddenly be pushed back by glowing circles then a glowing rope seemingly wrapping around them. They were tied up and the spell was locked in place until SHIELD could pick them up.

"That should hold you. Wong is Harry all right?"

"He's still out but fine." Wong answered carrying the boy down the stairs. Harry began to stir when they had reached the doctor.

With trembling hand Harry began to Sign. "Bruce and Hulk need help at Park."

"It's going to be alright I'm going to help him. Wong you stay here with Harry and call Fury to pick up this trash." Stephen nodded to the other sorcerer before opening a portal and running through it.

XxXxXxXxXx

"Shit you are a stubborn Fucker." Eric said as he spit out some blood that had pooled in his mouth.

"You no get Our Harry!" Hulk growled.

"We will eventually." Eric ran at Hulk and gave a burning kick to his midsection. Once Hulk was down he began to repeatedly punch his face burning the green Flesh. He only got in about five hits before he was swatted off the Green Man.

Hulk didn't know how long he had been fighting the red man but Bruce at the back of his mind was worried about Harry. He had to finish this fight and find their Harry. Hulk began to run at the Red man once again yelling "Hulk SMASH!"

"I ain't afraid of you." Eric dodged the giant fist and grabbing hulks arm with both hands trying to melt the skin off.

"AGGHHH!" Hulk gave a painful yell before ripping the man off his arm and throwing him into a tree. Suddenly a spell circle appeared wrapping around Savin tying him to the tree with no chance of escape.

"Hulk you can stop now!" Strange shouted from above Hulk, and out of smashing range.

"Our Harry! Must Protect!"

"Harry is safe he's resting at the Sanctum. He's worried about you and Bruce."

"Our Harry safe?" Hulk grunted as his temper was starting to fade.

"Yes Harry is safe." Strange reassured. Slowly the green skin began to fade becoming more pale as his size became smaller. "Welcome back Doctor Banner."

"Stephen, I'm glad to see you. If you're here that means Harry made it to the Sanctum." Bruce panted trying to hold his pants together.

"Here let me help you with that." With a wave of his hand Bruce's cloth reassembled on him as if they were never destroyed. "Yes, Harry managed to open a portal to the sanctum while running and ran right in just in time for Cloak to swoop in and save him. I took care of the men following him. He's resting at the Sanctum with Wong watching after him."

"Then I better call SHIELD and have him picked up. He said that he was from Mandarin and they were after Harry because they think his Tony's son." Bruce explained pulling out his phone to call Coulson.

"Hmm. I don't know of any organization operating under the name Mandarin. This will take some research." The sorcerer said rubbing his chin in thought.

"Well after SHIELD takes care of the 'would be kidnapper' I can lend you a hand. The team won't be back until the middle of next week hopefully. We haven't heard from them since they left and Harry is getting worried."

"Yes Harry's painfully observant about things like that. I'll try and help you get information on that while we work." Strange offered. Just then black SUV's started to pull up to them and Coulson was seen getting out of one of them.

"Afternoon gentlemen, I see you caught the catch of the day."

"Oh Phil please leave the jokes to Tony." Groan Bruce. "Be careful taking him in his body heats up to insane levels and he is enhanced physically as well as rapid healing. Have a medic look at him and send a blood sample to the tower I want to study what has been done to him. There is no way that it is natural or Mutant it was definitely created in a lab."

"Good to know, thank you Bruce. I'll have a sample sent to you as soon as possible. I'll come by tomorrow and take you and Harry's statements. I'll stop by the Sanctum tomorrow as well for you statement Doctor Strange. Units have already picked up his accomplices." Phil nodded to the men before slipping back into the SUV and the other Agents secured their prisoner. As quick as they came the SHIELD cars were gone.

"I will never get use to that." Bruce muttered. It was so weird and a bit Spooky seeing how they appear and then disappear as if they were never there.

"Come along Banner Harry is waiting." Strange called out as he just opened a portal to the Sanctum.

"I'm right behind you." Bruce ran after the Sorcerer and through the portal. Once he set foot in the Sanctum he was tackled by a crying demi-god. "Harry, I'm alright. There's no need for tears everything is alright."

"But the Bad guy hurt Hulk. That means he hurt you too." Harry Signed.

"Hey, Hulk is tougher than you think. He heals fast which means I heal fast. We were more worried that you might have gotten hurt." Bruce reassured the little wizard.

"No, I'm fine Uncle Bruce."

"That's not all Harry. Tell him how you defended yourself. One of the Kidnapped had a bloody thigh and was suffering from minor frostbite." Wong informed the doctors.

"I can make ice daggers and I use it to get away."

"Interesting it must be due to his alien Heritage. Well in any case let's have some lunch and then we can begin our research." Strange smiled and moved them all to the dinning room. Harry had to steady Bruce as he was unused to the rapid travel.

"Yeah, that sounds good maybe Harry can get a nap in while we are researching."

"But Uncle I am not tired."

"You might not feel it now but your adrenalin will soon stop pumping through your system and you'll be asleep before you realize it." Bruce smiled as they sat down to a nice lunch of Soup and Sandwiches.

XxXxXxXxXx

It wasn't long before the good doctor's predictions came to pass and Harry could be found on a couch fast asleep with The Cloak of Levitation wrapped tightly around the small body keeping him warm. Bruce smiled as he lookup up from his laptop to see the adorable sight. So far his searches on the internet had not yield any new information on the group known as Mandarin. If this group had just risen to the public eye what was the connection to Tony? Harry was now a target because they think that he's a Stark and not a Lokison. He didn't know which was worst people trying to get revenge because of what Tony had done in his wild misspent youth or people trying to get Revenge on Loki for the destruction he cause in New York months ago.

No one had ever told Harry what happened in New York when Loki first arrived because no one knew how to tell a little boy that his dad had went crazy and destroyed the city. Harry on the other hand did know of the events surround New York. During his meditations with Doctor Strange he looked into his Father's extensive past and briefly touched upon their future. He knew that his father had been control by a being stronger in magic than himself; that his mind had been vulnerable because of his Grandfather Odin's lies and mistreatment of his father. He chose not to tell his family he knew because his father was very sensitive when it came to his past mistakes. He knew that his father would think that Harry would hate him for being weak. His Father was one of the strongest people he knew to put up with centuries of hate and manipulations and still have the ability to love him.

"Well I just checked the archives of some of the oldest cults and evil terrorist groups but there is no Mandarin anywhere listed." Stephen said quietly when he entered the room.

"I'm not finding anything either. This group is recent; I mean really recent like with in the last year or two but it must have been twenty years in the planning. The voice was that of a man who knew Tony personally. He said that it taken him twenty years to get to this point."

"Without a visual of the person I can't lock on to their astral path to see what possible futures or what past has occurred. This man is smart he has information on the Avengers so there must be a little information on what my possible talents are or he is just guessing that I would be able to find him with outside means. Either way he wants to make Stark paranoid and angry with this recent attack on Harry." Strange began to pace around the room. His brain was going into overdrive on possible theories.

"He has to be as smart as Tony to be able to take down Jarvis. Tony had developed him when he was in his twenty with constant upgrades until his mid thirties when he developed the learning and evolving program that Jarvis has now. Only Tony, Harry and I know about that program it hasn't ever been published in any science journal or a report within Stark Industries of the Jarvis AI program. Tony was really shaken when the guy managed to take Jarvis off line." Bruce explained remembering how Tony was like a zombie after the attack on his virtual son.

"Maybe then we should start with Stark and go through his past to find the culprit."

"Are you sure you want to go down that dark alley without a flash light and a gun? Tony's past is at best a blur after the death of his parents. He has even bragged about his drunken escapades and recklessness that had nearly got him killed many times whether it was alcohol poison or wrapping his car around a tree from drunk driving. Let not forget how he got the arc reactor in his chest."

"Yes it seems likely to be a dangerous journey that I would rather not take but it seems to be our only option for Harry's safety. Until the Team's return we are charge with looking after him."

"Did you have any luck on seeing where they are now?" Bruce asked curiously.

"Yes, in a way. While looking through the planes I connected with Heimdall. He told me that the team is on Asgard much to Loki's displeasure. It seems that the Dark Elves retrieved an ancient artifact and has attack Asgard which almost lost the Queen her life but Loki arrived in time to heal her. So now they are tracking the Elves in order to rescue Dr. Foster and retrieve the artifact."

"Okay I have two questions. One, since when does Loki know Healing Magic and second, how the hell did Foster wind up in Asgard?" Bruce took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well to answer the first question Loki has always known Healing Magic but in his worried and fragile state of mind at the time of Harry's rescue he's help probably would have made the boy's condition worst. To answer the second question, Jane Foster was the elves way to earth with her technology she developed. She opened a gateway to the Dark Realm. What she thought was going to be her greatest discovery ended up being her biggest mistake as she had used the artifact to power her machine trying to recreate the Bifrost for earth. Now the power of the artifact has been absorbed into the young doctor and she was kidnapped for that power. So the Team will be gone a bit longer then expected."

"Oh god I hope Thor doesn't get back together with her after this. She really did a number on him last time. With this whole damsel in distress rescue she's probably going to want him back. It's like a train wreck waiting to happen." Bruce groaned in despair for his friend.

"Well the future is not set in stone so there is a chance that it won't happen but let's focus on the Mandarin and hopefully stopping them before they try again to get their hands on Harry." Strange said as he began to do a few hand signs and Opening the Eye of Agamotto and diving his Astral mind in to the past of Anthony Edward Stark.

A/N: Happy New Year! Sorry I didn't update sooner someone let my Plot Bunnies loose at Christmas and they made a mess of every thing. It took awhile to round them up again and clean up the mess but I got another chapter out. Hope everyone had a happy holiday as we all trudge back to the same old routine. Next Chapter is Buck and Steve. Don't worry if it looks like the bunnies are changing the story because Harry is still going to Hogwarts the bunnies just wanted a bit of Drama and suspense to spice up the bonding Chapters. Thanks for reading Keep Reviewing. Plot bunnies love the food.