Chapter 24: Delay
When I get to the great hall for breakfast I am greeted by the sight of Viktor with a protective arm around Hermione's shoulder, glaring down at Ronald, who is on the ground, looking like he was just punched in the face. I take a breath before asking, "What is going on here?"
"Ronald has decided that I was nothing more than a piece of property and tried to order me to stop being friends with you. Viktor got upset about that." Hermione explains so I nod.
"I'll add another week to his working for Mr. Filtch." I say as we take our seats and Viktor gives me a concerned look, "I'm fine, Viktor." I say as I dish myself a plate, "How have you been?"
"Fine." he says, "How was your break?"
"Rather peaceful, I loved every moment of it." I say with a small smile as I begin eating.
"Good. You clearly needed a break." he says, "Are you ready for your match next Tuesday?"
"Yeah. I'm more than ready for the chance to beat Harry in a match." I say
"Who say's you'll win?" Harry asks jokingly.
"The fact that I won all of all our matches before the accident that caused my break from the game." I say and he laughs.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't win this time. There's a first for everything." he says and the conversation turns away from the competition. The rest of the week flies by and now it's time for the final match of the Quidditch tournament. After my classes end for the day I head down to the pitch with my team. We stand opposite of Harry's team as Madam Hooch, the chosen referee for this round, stands between us.
After everyone in the stands have found their seats Lee announces the final round and we take to the skies. Madam Hooch begins the game so me and Harry begin watching the game play out below us; my team quickly takes the lead and I cheer them on before me and Harry both spot the snitch. We dive after it and Harry ends up taking the lead due to me having to dodge a random bludger. I refocus and race after my twin, he blocks me every time I try to move around him and I begin to grow frustrated.
After a few minutes of this an idea comes to me and I stand on my broom. A few seconds pass before I jump forward, flipping over Harry and catching the snitch as I land back on my broom, now ahead of Harry as I fly up and show the snitch to Lee. He announces my victory and I land my broom near Harry. I walk over to him and hold out my hand. He smiles at me and says, "Good game, Iris."
"Good game, Harry." I say before hearing a furious roar come from our left. I turn and see Ronald charging at me. I scowl before round kicking him in the head, sending him to the ground before calmly saying, "You had better have a good reason for trying to attack me, Ronald."
He gets up and snaps, "You cheated!"
"How? Is there anything against the rules of Quidditch about jumping over your opponent?" I ask angrily before turning to walk away from him. "I need to leave now. Your presence is lowering my IQ."
I grab my broom and walk back to the castle, my team and I have a nice dinner and the night passes too quickly and now I'm sitting at breakfast and feel a lot of new people enter the wards as Hella speaks in my mind, 'Loki decided something, he wants your opinion.'
'Alright?' I ask as I dish myself some food. 'Does this have anything to do with the sudden increase to the population to the Hogwarts wards?'
'No, they are refugees. This is about the war itself.' she tells me as the refugees enter. 'Loki wishes to wait for three years to take Hogwarts. Give them a false sense of hope, make it seem like the wizarding world is pushing us back. He will still remove the binding magical contract from you and the other three, which will result in the destruction of the Goblet of Fire, preventing any future Triwizard Tournaments from happening. He can do so from the wards so long as you and the other three are in his sights. He can be there tomorrow.'
'Three years?' I ask before spotting someone that shouldn't be here and tensing. 'Vernon is here.'
'If he comes near you I will destroy him.' she tells me. 'But yes, three years.'
I then tilt my head and ask those loyal to Loki mentally, 'Why is Vernon here?'
'The prison he was sent to must have been taken over, he likely managed to escape and followed others here. The minister agreed to let him stay.' Neville tells me, 'Don't worry, we'll keep him away.'
I sigh before looking down at the table. I begin to eat, determined to ignore Vernon. After I finish eating I am about to head out when a parliament of owls lands in front of me and places several letters in front of me and my brothers. I take the ones in front of me and read them all, finding that I got top marks on all my tests so now I'm a Potions, Charms, and Transfigurations master.
I nod before getting up and walking out, Natasha and Clint at my sides. We walk in silence for a few minutes before I say, "The man who looks like a walrus with a mustache is my aunts ex husband. I need you two to make sure they stay away from me."
"You got it, kid." Clint says.
"Good. Now, I need to check the paths ahead to answer a question. Guard me while I'm in my trance please." I say; they nod and I loosen my shields and look through the future, finding that I actually like the plan to delay Loki's victory for the next three years. I snap out of it and smirk a bit before looking at Natasha and Clint, "Slight change of plans. I need one of you to gather the other Avengers, we need to have a meeting."
They nod before Clint walks away and I call the other followers of Loki to my location. When they arrive I'm sitting in a chair at the teachers desk and looking at the roof. I don't say anything so Harry breaks the silence of the room and asks, "What is this about?"
"We need to go somewhere others can't follow." I say before standing and leading them down to the chamber of secrets. When we reach Salazar's study I sit at the desk and prop my feet up again. "I need to inform you all that Loki wishes to give the wizarding world a false sense of hope by allowing them to push them back, slowly over the next three years. He wants my opinion and I want yours."
"There would have to be a reason why they were suddenly winning." Hermione says.
"Like what?" Harry asks curiously.
'Maybe he should ask like who instead.' Hella says in my mind.
'You can hear us?' I ask idly.
'Yes, I can listen to what's going on around you.' she tells me. 'Loki suggests one of you joining the battles. He actually suggests you specifically.'
'Me?' I ask.
'Yes, you.' she says, sounding amused. 'He thinks it will be amusing to see them singing your praises, only to be revealed as the cause of their downfall. I personally agree, also, it will allow us to see how skilled in combat you are.'
"Loki suggests me being the reason behind the sudden switch towards their victory." I say, "He and Hella both think it would be funny to see them singing my praises before the reveal of the fact that I'm the cause of their downfall."
"Would you be satisfied by that?" Hermione asks and I think back to the various paths I saw and nod a bit.
"Yeah. I'll love the looks on their faces." I say with a smile and everyone nods.
"Then you might want to tell Lady Hella to inform Lord Loki that you agree to the plan." Harry says calmly, "Though you might want to wear a mask when you're going against them, make it seem like they don't know it's you."
"She can hear us." I tell him as Hella says, 'That's a good idea.' "She agrees with you, I'll forge myself a mask tonight and go to war tomorrow, I trust that you and Neville can run things while I'm away from the castle?"
"Yeah, we got it. We've got McGonagall and Hermione to advise us." Harry says.
"Luna too." I say.
"Of course, that's obvious." Neville says with a smile.
"I'll go make that mask now, someone do me a favor and get me something to ride into battle." I say while getting up and walking to my dorm room, climbing into my trunk and going to my forge, where I forge another set of armor for myself, as well as a mask to use in battle, before going to sleep in my bed for what could be the last time in a while.
The next morning I suit up, place the mask on my face, and grab a sword that fits me from my collection. I then head out and find a beautiful black pegasus waiting for me in the courtyard with reins on, but no saddle. I walk up to the beautiful mare and she bows to me before I hear Hella say in my mind, 'I decided to send you something for your little mission, dear. Her name is Night.'
I smirk and bow back to the pegasus before petting her a bit and swinging onto her back as I think to Hella, 'Thank you, love. I'll see you on the battlefield.'
'I look forward to seeing your skills. Give it your all, dear.' she thinks back, 'It has to look realistic.'
I take off towards the nearest battlefront and find the Avengers already there, struggling against Loki's forces. I dive from the sky and jump off my pegasus, which flies up and begins knocking things out of the sky as I charge into the battlefield. I fight as well as I can and see the tides of the battle shift in favor of the side I'm currently fighting on.
We push Loki's forces until they are forced to retreat, then the wizards and witches that were fighting turn to me, hoping to know who I am. I remove my mask and take a breath before walking over to an area full of tents, a war camp. I turn to one of the soldiers and say, "I'm going to need a tent."
"Of course." he says before going into the largest tent and bringing me a rolled up tent. "Thank you for your help, ma'am."
I nod before going to an empty plot of land and setting up my tent. I then enter it and lay on the cot, deciding to rest for a while. The next several weeks are the same, wake up, battle, eat, battle, eat, rest, repeat. Loki removed the magical contract for the Triwizard Tournament, which caused the other three to be freed because of the mental link, so the Goblet of Fire has been destroyed. Loki's forces have given us a bit more land.
Now I've just finished breakfast and hear Hella tell me, 'We're marching towards you. I'm in the battle this time. I hope you're ready for a challenge, my dear.'
'See you soon, love.' I think back before getting up and getting in my armor, slipping my mask on as I hear Loki's forces marching towards us. I walk out and pull my sword from its sheath as I hear a soldier cry, "Hella is with them!"
I take a breath before walking up to the front lines as the general of this front, Amelia Bones, calls out, "We have our masked fighter! Don't be afraid." she then looks at me and says, "Focus on Hella." I nod and Amelia calls to the crowd, "Charge!"
I charge forward, fighting my way through the crowd to Hella and arriving just in time to block her sword from hitting Amelia. She smirks at me and says, "You think you can take on a goddess?"
I shove her back and gesture for Amelia to fight the rest of the army. She disappears in the crowd so Hella and I begin fighting. As we fight I think, 'So, how are you doing today, love?'
'Well enough.' she says as she slashes at me, 'Where are you?'
'In front of you.' I think back before spinning behind her, 'Now behind you.'
She turns and our fight continues until Amelia calls for a retreat. I disarm Hella before running back to the camp, where I find Amelia severely injured.
