A/N Guys, I don't really know what to say. Mostly, I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update this. I wish I could tell you that the reason I've posted this chapter is because I've made huge progress further down the line, but that's not true. I'm still a few chapters ahead of you but not as far as I'd like. I'm going to try and write some more in the next coming weeks. Even if I don't get that far, I'm going to try and post the rest of Infinity War because you all deserve to see how this one ends. Thank you to all my long-time readers (if there are any of you still out there!).
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. Happy holidays, I guess!
"To stop Thanos from winning, I just need to die," Hermione said resolutely.
"No." It was only one word but it was all she needed to hear to know who it came from - the emotion in that single syllable causing her heart to clench painfully. "Forget it - it's not happening, Hermione."
She had been avoiding Steve's eye for the last few minutes, steeling herself for what she needed to say, but she wouldn't keep him out any longer - it wasn't fair. "One life in exchange for billions," she pointed out. "Don't tell me that you wouldn't be prepared to do the same in my situation, Steve. This was always going to be the plan if Thanos made a play for the Stones."
"No, it wasn't," Rhodey argued sharply. "I was at those early strategy meetings and there was no mention of you offering your life up as a sacrifice."
"That's because I never told any of you what the ultimate solution was beyond creating the Secret Keeper spell," she said. "I knew what I was offering, what I was prepared to do and have made my peace with what now has to happen." It was difficult to keep the emotion out of her voice. She was completely willing to lay down her life if it meant that Thanos couldn't take her loved ones from her once more, but it was still a terrifying and upsetting prospect.
Natasha's gaze was fiery. "I'm sorry, but that's bullshit, Hermione. Your death isn't going to miraculously save us all: do you think those psycho aliens will just leave when we tell them they can't actually get the Stone for their daddy? Even if they believe us, which I highly doubt, they're still going to try and ravage the planet. Thanos will still come and seek revenge. If he has the other five Stones in his possession, they will give him enough power to wipe us all out. And he'd do it, right? He'd kill every man, woman and child on this planet that's defied him more than once." Hermione stared at her friend wordlessly as Natasha's words sliced into her resolve. Nat leaned over and gripped Hermione's hands tightly. "We still need you in this fight, Hermione. This isn't over yet. You're our best hope for stopping him. If you give up and take that secret with you, Thanos still comes out as a winner in the end and he's going to make sure we know it. Keep fighting for our win, please."
Hermione looked away, pained, but only found similarly emotive and desperate expressions surrounding her. She wasn't one to run away from a fight, they all knew that, but this was a nightmare she'd already endured once before and she'd sworn to herself that she would do whatever it took to stop Thanos. But Natasha's words had cracked her conviction. She hadn't looked at what her death would achieve beyond stopping Thanos getting the Mind Stone. Natasha was right - he would make the people of Earth suffer and he had everything he needed with just the Space and Power Stones, let alone the others.
Hermione wasn't convinced that this was the right decision but she took a deep breath and nodded wordlessly. There were a number of relieved mutters and Natasha gripped her shoulder. "We can do this. I know it."
Hermione just nodded again in response. She wanted to look at Steve but didn't trust herself to not have some sort of emotional outburst should their eyes meet.
The group moved on to talking about how to tackle the immediate threat of Midnight, Glaive and whatever forces they had at their disposal. "They're aware that I know where the Stone is," Hermione said. "I'm their key to finding it."
"So, we use you to lure them out of hiding," Manon Mailloux said. She was currently the head of the UN Security Council and, though Hermione hadn't always seen eye to eye with her, she had a great respect for the ambassador.
"Yes, madame, so it gives us the advantage of picking the location," Hermione stated.
"Somewhere away from civilians," Sam inputted. "A pitched battle where we can contain them?"
Hermione nodded and showed details of a number of remote locations that she and Tony had researched for such an eventuality in their preparations. She then told them of the relevant defences that Stranger Enterprises had developed that could be deployed in the coming battle. Hermione was aware that the decision-making was taking too long and she worried that the Black Order would just attack on their own. Her main reassurance was that the world was on high alert for an assault, and the people in this room and the hundreds more waiting on standby could be in the right place at the right time within seconds should the need arise. Rushing the decisions surrounding Earth's defences could be the difference between defeating or losing to the Black Order.
Eventually, a remote spot on the northern plains of Montana was selected and a flurry of activity began. Some of the Masters and magic users were dispatched States-side to make sure that the area would be ready for battle and the military men started organising air and land support. The remaining Master discussed with Rhodey, Okoye and Kingsley where portals would need to be created to bring in fighters from around the world including magic users, Wakandans and regular muggle soldiers.
There was a tug at Hermione's elbow and she turned to find herself face to face with Steve. Her emotions immediately flared up and she swallowed a big lump in her throat.
He sighed deeply. "Bao bei," he murmured heavily and pulled her into his arms.
She was relieved that he didn't want to talk. What was there that could be said in their situation? Although he hadn't liked it, she knew he understood her reasoning behind finalising the secret keeping spell. He'd have been prepared to do exactly the same thing and they both knew it.
Hermione leant against him, feeding off of his strength, love and support, taking a brief moment in the chaos of the last few hours for herself. She lifted her head and brought a hand up to his face, gently brushing her fingers soothingly along his tense jaw. He sighed again as her touch worked its magic. He caught her hand and pressed his lips against her wrist, right over her pulse point.
A series of beeps and alarms had Hermione turning around in concern. "F.R.I.D.A.Y?" she asked. Since Tony's departure, command of the computer system had been passed over to her.
"Something's entered the atmosphere," came the response.
It seemed that the Black Order were no longer hiding. Hermione and the others had missed their opportunity to dictate this battle.
Okoye projected a holographic model of the globe above her wrist. "Object is heading towards Tokyo."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y - activate Tokyo shield," Hermione ordered quickly. "On screen." An image came on, showing a series of drones hovering high above Tokyo. Ever since the New York attack, Hermione and the UN had grounded all flights across the globe and hundreds of major cities around the world now had drones at the ready. The devices on the screen were suddenly encompassed by a red glow that travelled as far as the eye could see. A few seconds later, there was a blinding flash as whatever had descended into the atmosphere crashed into the shield they had created. The room held its breath, waiting for the image to clear.
The shield was intact - Tony's tech had worked.
"More objects incoming," F.R.I.D.A.Y reported. "They're targeted to impact beyond the limits of the shield."
Hermione's heart plummeted. She didn't know why the Black Order had decided to focus their attack on Tokyo but there was no time to think it over. The city and its people had to be protected. People all around her started giving out commands, organising the transfer of assistance to Japan and recalling their allies from Montana.
"Damage report," Hermione requested.
"They weren't missiles," F.R.I.D.A.Y informed her. "Three large structures landed within the Toshima ward of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. The impact has caused several buildings to collapse."
"Landing craft," Steve said darkly. "Their forces will be inside."
Hermione nodded, her heart sore for the people she hadn't managed to save. A portal opened from Kamar Taj and Steve turned to direct the Masters to different locations to help move the global defenders to Toshima.
"Shift half the drones to combat mode," Hermione instructed F.R.I.D.A.Y. It would leave the main city less well protected but she was banking on the Black Order not bombing a city that their fighters were so close to. "They're to start by targeting anything with those alien readings you picked up in Greenwich."
"On it," F.R.I.D.A.Y answered.
A portal opened up to Wakanda and Bucky strode through in full combat gear, new Vibranium arm securely in place as it clutched an M-249 machine gun. It was a sight that once would've terrified her, now she met his grim nod with one of her own. Steve stepped forwards to greet his oldest friend.
"It's good to see you, Buck. How've you been?" he asked.
"Not bad for the end of the world," Bucky replied dryly. "You ready?"
Steve nodded. "Let's go." He looked to Hermione and she created a portal for them to Japan.
"I'll follow shortly," she said.
"We have more incoming," F.R.I.D.A.Y announced urgently, making everyone pause. Hermione cancelled the portal before Steve could step through it and turned to the screens. "Multiple locations targeted: Mumbai, Shanghai, Cairo, Mexico City and Paris."
"Oh my God," Hermione breathed as a number of people swore behind her.
"They've targeted just beyond our shields again," F.R.I.D.A.Y said.
"They're landing more fighters," Rhodey muttered. "Multiple battle locations."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y get on every frequency, a call to arms around the world," Hermione instructed and then turned to the Supreme Mugwump. "All nations that can send magical fighters, we need them near those cities - whatever it takes." Babajide Akingbade disappeared with a pop. "I'm going to Toshima - I need to see what we're up against."
Most of the team who were still in Geneva came through with her to get their first look at the Black Order's fighters. It was the middle of the afternoon in Japan but large plumes of smoke smeared across the blue sky. Toshima was a very built up area but three new structures had forced their way in amongst the buildings, flattening what had been there before. Sirens wailed all around them and terrified people were rushing away, screaming.
The nearest shard-like craft was a few hundred feet away, tall and imposing, but the fighters that were presumably waiting inside had yet to be released.
Proxima Midnight appeared before them in an instant. Hermione wasted no time, sending out a spell that would snap her neck, but Midnight's form merely flickered as the spell passed through it - her form was only being projected to them. Midnight's eyes narrowed and her lip curled in disgust. "You will hand over the Stone or we will release terror on your people," she vowed coolly.
Hermione's heart thumped painfully in her chest. People had died, more were likely to before this day was done, but she would never hand over that Stone. "No."
Midnight smirked. "You will regret that decision." She disappeared.
A deep groaning echoed from the spacecrafts as mechanisms were triggered. Hermione glanced around. She and Steve were joined by Bucky, Wanda, Vision, Rhodey, Sam, Nat, Harry, Ginny, Draco, Okoye, T'Challa, a large number of the King's Guard, a dozen practitioners of the Mystic Arts, a handful of other witches and wizards and a fleet of drones overhead - and Japanese special forces would be on the scene imminently. She turned to Steve. "Give the orders." He nodded and started trying to organise their defence. "F.R.I.D.A.Y, I want analysis of their attack as soon as you've got it - let me know their weaknesses."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And bring the rest of the Tokyo drones over here - I think we're going to need them. Put all others around the world in combat mode and direct them to the nearest attack site," she ordered, her eyes focusing in on the large doors she could see opening on the nearest craft.
A plague came pouring out.
Hermione recognised them at once: Thanos's Outriders - a species of mindless aliens that were subservient to him and the Black Order. Hermione had encountered them on Sanctuary, often having to fight a couple of the ruthless beasts during her training. The creatures that had attacked her in New York were likely some subspecies of Outrider that Thanos had developed for her. But these were hardly going to be any less deadly and the number of them that came tumbling through the doors was easily into the hundreds.
Hermione communicated her knowledge of the beasts to all who could pick up on it, detailing that they were driven purely by bloodlust, possessed super-human strength, double rows of razor teeth and six limbs, whilst she created a huge portal. It led to a particularly dark and desolate dimension and the first beasts ran straight through it. She closed it before they could escape and created another one to an equally barren dimension to trap more of the Outriders. She could see other portals appearing like hers, but plenty of the beasts were getting through the gaps. The team shot weapons and spells at the beasts that evaded the portals and the drones fired down on the mass of Outriders. The bodies began piling up but still the creatures poured from the ships and, what was worse, Hermione knew that they didn't have the perimeter surrounded - some of the beasts would be sprinting into the city, attacking defenceless civilians.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y use the minimum number of drones it takes to form a ring around the battle site," she ordered. "It won't stop a mass charge from the Outriders but it might slow them down long enough for them to be picked off."
Looking at the latest portal she'd created, Hermione sent it shooting forwards so that it swallowed a whole column of beasts before she closed it and apparated over to Wanda. "I need you to take out the nearest landing craft," she said. "I'm going to take care of the other two. Here, this'll give you some cover." She cast a disillusionment charm on Wanda. "But be careful - they'll still be able to smell you."
"I'll do it," Wanda said with conviction as her features disappeared. "I won't let you down."
Hermione nodded and then streamed away in a swirl of smoke, quickly becoming invisible to protect herself. There was no time for fancy spells - she just had to destroy. She reached her first ship and landed on top of it, returning to a solid but still invisible form. She called on the power that she knew was inside of her - the power that she had always been reluctant to explore fully in the wake of Thanos's experiments. It rushed to her fingertips, eager to be released, and she sent it downwards, directing it to tear the ship apart. The magic surged out of her. She took flight again but maintained the spell, circling around the craft until it blew apart. The air was an inferno around her but she commanded the flames and red-hot wreckage towards the writhing black mass of Outriders. She didn't wait to see the outcome but turned towards her second ship. Within two minutes, it, too, was nothing more than a twisted, smouldering wreck. The red glow that surrounded the final ship told it's own story as Wanda's magic tore it to pieces.
However, there was no time to relax: there were still plenty of Outriders swarming over the battle site to keep the defenders busy and there were at least five other cities that faced a similar fight. "Shuri, how are we looking?" Hermione asked, fearing the worst as she flew around taking down Outriders wherever she could. The princess had agreed to run point on the rest of the defence back in Geneva - a truly thankless task when she had so little to work with in terms of fighters.
"The doors have only just opened in other cities but we are desperately short of manpower," Shuri said. "The drones are doing their best but the rest of our defence is mobilising too slowly - only pockets of magical defenders have answered the calls."
"More will come," Hermione said, hoping that it was true. She'd never thought her form of magic was particularly restricting but the inability to convey instant messages en masse and the limits of how far one could apparate meant that witches and wizards were not where they needed to be to take on this fight.
Hermione came to a stop at her initial position and was relieved to see that her team was still intact. "We need to move some of you to the other cities," she communicated through the listening devices. She left T'Challa in charge of clearing up the battle in Tokyo. She felt bad leaving him with a skeleton crew but he had all of his King's Guard, a couple of Masters and the assistance of the Tokyo forces who were engaging the beasts further along the perimeter.
The others fell back towards her. She issued out orders that would send Wanda and Vision to Mumbai, Rhodey to link up with Bruce in the Hulkbuster suit in Shanghai, Sam, Nat and Draco to Paris, Bucky and Harry to Mexico City, Ginny and Steve to Cairo, each supported by two or three Masters. "I will move through all five cities to help where I can. Remember, if you see Midnight or Glaive you get in touch immediately - it might be possible for me or another magic user to force them to call off the attack," she said and then signalled to the Masters to create the portals.
"Her-Hermione!" a distorted but desperate voice pleaded in her ear and she froze at once - there was only one voice she knew that sounded like that and to hear it now in the middle of this battle couldn't be a good sign.
"Tori?" she gasped - the single word causing a number of their team to stop in their tracks and look at her in alarm.
"They're here - at Salter!" Tori cried, clearly terrified despite the weakness of the signal. "And there are beasts everywhere. We managed to get to the quinjet just in time but it's not going to keep them out for long."
"Can't you disapparate?" Hermione asked, her heart in her mouth.
"I'm too weak," Astoria replied, sounding wretched, "I would only splinch myself or one of the children. And Molly's hurt - she's bleeding badly - the creature swooped down out of nowhere before we could lock the quinjet doors!"
"I'm coming, Tori," Hermione vowed. "Hold on." She turned to her team. By the looks of horror and despair on their faces, most of them knew what had happened without her having to open her mouth. "They've targeted Salter." Ginny let out a cry of anguish for the sake of her family.
"Get us there now," Draco urged.
Hermione nodded but a couple of things Tori had said couldn't be brushed aside. "I think Midnight and Glaive are there with the beasts Thanos bred just for me," she warned. It was the only way she could comprehend them finding Salter House despite its protections. Glaive, Midnight and those horrendous beasts had shown ways of neutralising magic. If those Outriders really could scent her DNA, Salter would have been like a beacon but not just because of her.
"They're after Lucy," Steve said, his voice so low it was almost a growl.
There was no time to berate herself for not defending her loved ones better - it might already be too late. She looked to Rhodey. "I'll take over point," he said, anticipating her request. "Midnight and Glaive are the priority for you all. Go."
As soon as the portal opened to Salter, Hermione's head was once again filled with the piercing shriek that made her mind feel like someone was using a jagged saw to cut her head open, and she gritted her teeth to keep the connection open long enough. Steve led the charge, sprinting through the portal towards the beasts that dared to try and harm his daughter. Harry, Ginny and Draco came next, firing spells one after the other in a dazzling display of lights. Sam zoomed through, Bucky, Wanda and Vision close behind.
Hermione quickly closed the portal and looked to Natasha, who nodded.
"It'll be very badly damaged," Hermione warned. "And you'll be pursued even if you get off the ground. We'll give you as much cover as you can to get free of the beasts." She opened up a portal to the quinjet only long enough for Natasha to step through even though she wanted nothing more than to go to her daughter herself. But that wasn't the best way to win this day - she was needed elsewhere.
Hermione stepped through a different portal, battling the torture in her head, trying to make a quick assessment of the balance of the battle. Her friends were doing their best to distract the demons from the quinjet and there was enough of her scent on them to turn lots of them away from their unsuccessful efforts at the jet, but the team were severely outnumbered. Vision was locked in single combat with Glaive but Hermione could not see Midnight. To her relief, the quinjet powered up but there were demons swarming all over it.
"Focus on getting the beasts off of the jet," Hermione ordered, taking flight herself. "If it's free of them I can get it to the Mirror Dimension - they'll be safe there no matter what happens here." The replies were hopeful but strained. About twenty of the beasts launched themselves after Hermione and she paused on the roof of Salter long enough to create a portal that swallowed them all. She then summoned shards of glass from all of Salter's broken windows and directed them at the rising quinjet as fast as bullets. A dozen creatures fell but more simply leapt up and replaced them. Wanda's red energy was pulling the beasts off and Vision flew to the jet, wrestling the creatures away from it. It made no difference. The damaged jet was starting to fail and the rest of the team were being overwhelmed by the beasts.
Proxima Midnight leapt up at her out of nowhere, the blast from her spear slicing through Hermione's instinctive shield-spell to impact painfully into her shoulder. "Give up the Stone," she demanded coldly. "It is over for your people."
Hermione wanted to dismiss her claim but the desperate cries she could hear from her friends below were harder to ignore. In the next few seconds, her loved ones would start to die and she couldn't see how she could save them all.
A blinding column of light illuminated the world around them, the force of it knocking those nearest to it off their feet. Something started slicing through the air, eradicating beasts in a wide circle. Three figures were revealed when the shaft of light disappeared and Hermione's anguish disappeared in a moment as hope surged through her. Thor, Rocket and Groot let out battle cries and charged into the fight. Thor threw the axe again and it cleared all the beasts off of the quinjet. With the fight now more evenly balanced, Hermione apparated to the roof of the jet and maneuvered it safely into the Mirror Dimension.
Proxima Midnight had been left stunned by what had happened and was still on the rooftop. Hermione apparated back there and produced multiple vines of Mystic magic to bind her in place. Satisfied that the other woman wasn't going anywhere, Hermione reached out to Midnight's mind, casting the Imperius Curse. Midnight might have been able to ward off many of her other magic spells but Hermione was confident that her mind would still be susceptible.
Call of the attacks, she instructed. Send out the retreat signal to recall all the beasts around the world.
Midnight was fighting it but Hermione was determined - nothing was going to stand in her way now. She increased her resolve tenfold and easily overpowered Midnight's resistance. As Hermione watched, Midnight pressed a button on her wrist-device. The beasts around them started whining, objecting to the signal that called them off their prey. Scores of the creatures limped away to the landing craft that Hermione could just see on the far edge of Salter's grounds, but around thirty were too far gone in their bloodlust and so the fight still continued. Hermione obviously would've preferred them all to leave but she knew that her team would be able to finish the rest off while she focused on ending the battle worldwide. Midnight was still passive under the curse and strands of Mystic magic, but Hermione kept her gaze on her.
"Shuri, what's happening out there? Give me an update," Hermione ordered quickly.
"I don't understand it," Shuri replied but she sounded jubilant. "The beasts are giving up - they are retreating to their ships!"
"In every city?" she asked, trying to keep her burgeoning hope in check.
There was a slight pause and then, "Yes - all six cities! The beasts are turning away in droves and our fighters are clearing up what's left. You've done it, Hermione!"
"Keep me updated," she replied steadily, still battling to rein in her emotions. With grim satisfaction, she turned to Midnight. The Black Order threat wasn't over yet and Hermione was in no mood for mercy. You will return to your ship and issue a self-destruct command on all your vessels. However strong Midnight might be, Hermione knew that she was so much stronger and there was no chance that the spell would be fought off. She felt no remorse for her instructions - Midnight's actions had been intended to kill hundreds, maybe thousands of people and that was before you factored in Thanos's ultimate goal. But she had also targeted Lucy - and Hermione would do whatever it took to protect her daughter. If anyone tries to stop you carrying out the self-destruct command, you will kill them. Go. Midnight pressed another button at her wrist and then disappeared into that familiar blue beam.
Hermione told Shuri what was going to happen so that she could warn all fighters about the ships. A typical self-destruct sequence left a countdown of about five minutes, which Hermione hoped left enough time for the Outriders to reboard the landing crafts and launch into the atmosphere before they were blown apart. However, if they were destroyed whilst still land-based, people could get caught up in the explosion.
She was desperate to return to the Mirror Dimension to check on Lucy and the others, but she knew they were safer in there until all the beasts were dispatched - she wouldn't risk one of the creatures entering into the mystical world with her. Instead, she flew towards the fight, swooping low over the remaining creatures to let them get a good scent of her. They might have been content to savage the people that were right there in front of them but when the beasts noticed her, they refocused on their primary target. Just as she'd hoped, the last remaining creatures took flight after her.
"Sam, Vision," she called as she shot into the sky, "I'm going to lead them away. Take them out - somebody tell Thor."
"I'm grounded," Sam panted. "Sorry, Mi."
"I'm on my way," Vision said.
Hermione increased her speed, not wanting to give the creatures a chance of catching her. As long as they could track her it was enough. The English countryside was nothing but a blur underneath her until there was an unmistakable boom somewhere in the distance.
"Shuri?" she asked hopefully, arcing upwards to avoid some low clouds.
"Hang on, I'm just waiting for confirmation," the young woman muttered and then let out a whoop of joy. "All alien vessels have been destroyed!"
"That's great news, Shuri," Hermione replied.
"Only 'great'?" Shuri teased. "You need to work on your enthusiasm, Hermione!"
"The war's not over yet," Hermione reminded her. "We need to remain alert - the greatest danger might still be on its way."
Shuri made an indignant sound. "You must be great fun at parties," she murmured. "Relax, I'm on it. I'll be in touch again soon."
"Thanks," Hermione said and then focused closer to home. "Vision - how many are left?"
"Just three," Vision replied. "Go back home, Hermione. We have them covered."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he insisted. "See to things at Salter."
Hermione apparated instantly to the roof of Salter to give herself a greater view of how the situation stood after she had left. Black bodies littered the grounds and none were still moving elsewhere. Her friends were gathered in small groups. She counted their number quickly, heart in her mouth, and then she breathed a sigh of relief - they were all there. Of course, they looked exhausted and a number of them were clearly wounded, but by some miracle they had all survived the battle. She allowed herself a small smile as she took in the sight of Rocket trying to convince Bucky to name his price for the metallic arm, and Sam attempting to have a conversation with Groot. But her heart was calling her towards the Mirror Dimension and she knew that the same was true of the other parents.
An overwhelming sense of dread suddenly swept through her and she turned around.
Thanos strode out of a dark cloud just a couple of feet away from her and then her world went black.
A/N Cruel cliffhanger, I know.
One of my favourite things about writing my version of Infinity War was finally being able to make some big changes to how events unfolded based on Hermione's presence in this MCU. It was a bit of a challenge but I hope you all liked it.
We've had SO much MCU content since I last posted: WandaVision, Falcon & Winter Soldier, Loki, Black Widow, What if, Shang-Chi, Eternals, Hawkeye and No Way Home. That's insane. I hope you've all enjoyed Marvel's latest offerings as much as I have. Do you have a favourite?
Fingers crossed I will get inspired - I am desperate to see this series through to the end.
Happy holidays, everyone. Please stay safe.
Love,
Lil Drop of Magic