"Doctor Strange told me that he wants me to come by tomorrow to work on the spells. Apparently the spells are a little more dangerous than the protection spell."
"How dangerous are we talking Ron?" his dad asked with slight worry in his voice, "I'd rather not find you missing your eyebrows or something."
"I didn't lose my eyebrows dad. And I think it's more to avoid hitting my head with paper and pillows. Or breaking glass..."
"Just what are you doing Ron?"
"Grabbing and pushing things. Just think, once I get really good, I can use it to grab your arrows."
"Hehe. No. Not using that to grab my arrows."
"Dad," Ron whined with a slight grin coming to his face, just knowing what his dad was going to say.
"You'll poke your eye out!"
"Dad!"
"Do you know how many kiddos I see going to the hospital because they used magic to bring arrows to them?" Ron snorted at his dad's melodramatic moment. "None! Because they have parents who love them!"
"Okay, okay dad. I won't use the spell on the arrows. Promise."
"That's my boy."
Ron let out a snort.
"Oh, think that's funny?" Clint said with a manic grin.
"Wait dad no!" Ron shrieked as strong fingers began to mercilessly tickle his sides. Laughter peeled out of him as he fell to the carpeted floor.
"Well isn't this adorable."
"Aunt Tasha," Ron laughed, his arms wrapped around his stomach trying to protect himself from the onslaught, "Help!"
Natasha raised a brow. "Anyone care to tell me what brought this on?"
"He thought it was funny when I gave him a new rule."
"What rule?"
"No attracting sharp pointy objects."
"With magic!" Ron specified.
"Enjoy your punishment Ron," Natasha said with a slightly smug grin. Another shriek came out of Ron. Yet, he wouldn't have had it any other way. Clint only stopped the onslaught when the elevator doors opened with an irritated Tony, a tired Bruce and a determined Hermione stepping out, a book held tightly in her arms.
"So how'd it go?" Clint asked as Ron stabilized his breathing. He graciously accepted his dad's hand to help him upright.
"Fantastic," Tony snarked dryly, "But you have a beginner's book and with Bruce and I with you, shouldn't be a problem."
Ron looked confused. What were they doing? Clint seemed to figure out their plan sooner and looked slightly grim.
"Dad?"
Clint refocused back onto Ron with a slight grin. He poked Ron's ribs making him jump back with a shriek. He tore off into a sprint as Clint cackled behind him. Silently watching at a distance, Natasha asked Jarvis to record the small bout of innocent fun. She'd send it to Fury and Coulson later.
"We'll show him. How hard can it be?" Tony commented as Hermione looked over her book for the first technique.
"It's a potion. I received decent marks in potions at Hogwarts," she commented with enthusiasm. While Snape was a difficult teacher to please, she fought to achieve the highest marks possible in the class. A beginner's potion shouldn't be too difficult. Tony gave a roguish grin while Bruce began reading more in depth into the books purchased.
He watched as Tony and Hermione showed similarities. Both were curious and held a prideful streak.
When denied information, they would delve headfirst themselves into it. It was nice, in a strange sort of way. Bruce wasn't by any means terribly close to Hermione with just learning about her before she left for boarding school and the worries of the Hulk forever looming in his mind.
"Well then, let's get started."
Bruce went back to the book, trying to understand Hermione's gift.
"Rice Ron!"
"On it dad! Hey Jarvis, where is the rice?"
"Third door on the left. Second shelf up."
"Thank you Jarvis."
"Hope everyone's hungry. Otherwise I'll have made too much meat and peppers."
"Dad, one can never have too much meat or peppers for tacos."
"Oh yeah? Remember when you were five and I brought home all that ground beef-"
"And I through it all in the pan for tacos!"
"Five pounds of meat for tacos. I had to hand out taco meat to agents for weeks."
"Only because they didn't trust you. Aunt Tasha, Uncle Fury, and Uncle Phil tell me lots of stories of you prancing people."
"Just wait until you hear all of what I've done to Tony and the other guys. Nobody saw anything coming."
"Dad they hardly knew you."
"All's fair Ronnie."
As Ron grabbed the rice, he felt a twinge in his chest. His dad called him Ronnie quite a bit. Just as much as Ron. So why was he thinking of the twins across the pond who picked up a similar nickname?
"You alright Ron?"
"Mm fine dad."
He walked over to Clint and handed over the rice. Unsure of his emotions, he leaned into his dad. Clint immediately wrapped his free arm around Ron and gave a light squeeze.
"You know I'm here for you. Always."
"I know. I think the meat is starting to burn."
Quick as a whip, Clint rushed over and lowered the heat a touch, then began moving the meat about making sure it wouldn't burn or stick to the pan.
Ron whipped out his phone and took a picture of his dad with his seldom used phone from Tony, running frantically about the kitchen trying to keep things from burning or just trying to prep. He sent the picture to Neville, who may or may not know how to work the cell phone Tony pretty much got for everyone he knew last Christmas. He also sent one to Harry who he knew that for all intents and purposes should know how a cell phone works given he lived in a muggle household like he did. Strange he never answered back...
"Could you get the plates out Ron? I'm sure everyone is going to want to come and eat."
"And if they don't?"
"Just use your baby blues on them and-"
Clint never did finish his sentence as a pop echoed through the room as what looked to be agents appeared out of thin air. Clint grabbed a knife and stood between Ron and the magical individuals.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
"Apologies sir. We received a medical alert due to extraneous underage magic."
"Excuse me-?"
Before Clint could get an answer from the magical individuals, Tony and Bruce came rushing out the door he had seen them leave through to go to one of the labs. On a mechanical stretcher behind them was-
"Hermione!" Ron screamed.
And this is why, no matter how smart you think you are, you shouldn't try something potentially dangerous without proper supervision. Granted, it's not like it's the first time she has ever done potions or anything but...
Yeah.