Clint waited for Ron to come through. It would be entirely too long to see him again and he didn't want to waste any of that time. Seconds passed feeling entirely too long.

"Somethings wrong."

Arthur stood near him as Molly had been helping Percy and Ginny as well as Hermione get their luggage aboard the train.

"Just give them a moment. Fred and George are probably just talking to them." Arthur tried to sound confident, but he was hardly a good actor with the mostly deaf archer being able to easily pick up his worry.

"We should go get them," Clint sighed. He wanted his son with him. Him being trapped in magical britain while his son was standing in the nonmagical was not what he wanted. And he doubted if Ron missed the train that he would have Ron back for school. Ron knew that.

"Alright then," Arthur spoke loudly, clasping arm in arm to allow Clint through the brick didn't hesitate as both men walked with purpose to the muggle portion of King's Crossing. 5...4...3...2-1-

Both men were sprawled on the ground, their faces hurting from going in as fast as they did, into a brick wall. Clint recovered faster than Arthur, getting up quickly and pulling him up as well.

"I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say tnat wasn't supposed to happen."

"No. No it wasn't."

"Ah Arthur Weasley," a poisonous voice cut through the crowd of parents and children. From Clint's side glance, he saw long very wizardy robes and long silvery hair. Clint casually moved his head to confirm, yep, it was one of the men Tony had a battle of egos with in the bookstore not long ago.

"Lucius."

Clint could hear the dislike and displeasure dripping from Arthur's words.

"Having trouble with your magic?"

There was a barb there. One Clint could hear, but didn't understand. It was only when steely eyes gave him a disinterested glance did he pick up on the man's slight.

"Well, you think your magic could get me through?" he spoke loudly, attracting attention, "That is what you are so generously offering isn't it?"

Arthur stared at him in bewilderment, not knowing what Clint was thinking. Lucius bristled at the notion. Clint unlinked arms with Arthur and held his arm out to Lucius, a grin on his face waiting for Lucius to take it, "Unless, you are getting on in years and you yourself are having trouble performing. My condolences."

A hauty rage built on his face, only to be smothered by society's conventions and his only standing among the masses it seemed.

"Hardly. My magic has only grown more powerful with age, as is the case with any well put together family."

"Great. So get me through to the other side."

Despite clear disgust, the eyes of those around questioning his magic in this little challenge were all on him. He roughly placed a hand on Clint's shoulder and marched him to the brick exit to King's Crossing. Steady, irritated footfalls were watched by many as Lucius Malfoy was coerced into helping a muggle man. Steady... 5- 4- 3- 2- and- a smash against the brick as the two men walked right into it. Lucius fell to the floor from the surprise from not going through. Clint remained upright, all too prepared for the possibility now.

Lucius got up quickly. A livid expression on his face as he walked to the entrance once more, this time without Clint.

"The entrance has been closed."

"Half of my children are stuck on the other side," Arthur spoke lowly, "Follow me," he gestured to Clint.

"Where are we going?" He followed with no hesitation. Arthur, despite being bad at hiding his emotions, or perhaps because of it, Clint had no issue trusting him in regards to Ron.

"We're going to the ministry."

Once Ron and Harry began to groan, Fred and George moved to help the two. Fred made it to Ron first so George helped Harry up.

"Nasty spill you two."

"Yeah, are you two alright?"

"Never better," Ron groaned as he was pulled to his feet. He glared at the brick wall that he ran into, "It do that often?"

"Never. It's always worked." George commented. He placed his hand to the brick, ready to feel give, instead to feel cold brick and concrete. His brows furrowed in honest confusion when a new and far older voice grunted behind them, "And what sort of mischief are you lot up to?"

His tone was matter of fact and his expression hard. The rotund baby faced man clearly held a "I'm not getting paid enough for this" expression. It kind of reminded Ron of the seldom seen and often complaining and snarky forehead of security at Stark towers, Happy Hogan.

"Nothing sir. Just had an accident," Ron groaned feeling the jolting ache from crashing into the column. Of course, magic was proving to be unreliable now that they were being watched.

"Sure, you did. You four come with me."

"What for?" One of the twins, Ron wasn't sure which one, had asked sounding confused and a bit defensive.

"To keep you trouble making lot from running into more bricks."

It was then a distinctive chime made itself known. Harry glanced at the clock to see it had struck noon.

"We missed the train!" he loudly whispered to George. George looked at the clock and seemed to realize what Harry said. He groaned and wondered just how they were going to make it to Hogwarts now.

"Even better," the man grumbled. "Now come on."

The four boys allowed themselves to be dragged off, their luggage and Hedwig in tow. Ron didn't fight it. Technically he knew he was listed as an American citizen because of his Uncle Nick and his connections with SHIELD. So how the British would deal with him was a mystery. Or did he have British citizenship? Molly and Arthur were British after all. And he was born in the UK. But his Uncle Nick did make a United States birth certificate. Any which way, he was now in trouble for someone else's actions.

The four soon came to a smallish room, seperated into sections by the bars that made holding cells until police or the like could pick up trouble. Ron wasn't too wild about that.

"In," the man grumbled.

"But we haven't done anything wrong!" Harry spoke out.

"He's right."

"Lots of rules here-" Ron didn't like where this was going.

"You got one that really says we can't run into walls?"

"Doubt it," the twins traded off and on. Ron saw the man grow more irritated. Against the rules or not, the twins had pretty much guaranteed their stay in the little holding room until who knows who showed up. Given that his dad, Arthur and Molly were through the entry that had been sealed shut along with Hermione and Bruce, the closest people... that was Harry's family wasn't it?

Other than passing glances, he didn't think he actually ever interacted with them. Harry didn't talk about them. But that could easily mean they were boring. Then again it was Tony that brought Harry to get his supplies... Was that because Tony was well, Tony?

"That's it you lot! Sit in there while I call your parents."

Oh, yeah, the guard was not happy with them. Ron groaned as he was led into a cell area with the twins and Harry. Their supplies and Harry's Hedwig outside the cells just sitting there. Hedwig looked indignant and a little irritated in Ron's opinion. But what did he know about birds and their supposed expressions?

"How you gonna do that?" Fred asked, "Our parents don't use fellytones."

Ron looked at him like he was seeing him for the first time, baffled by his lack of knowledge. Tony had even gifted them with cellphones as a method of flaunting his wealth.

"It's telephone. Or Cell phone," Ron corrected.

"Is it?"

"It's not what dad calls them," George laughed.

"Well he is wrong," Ron muttered.

"Oi! One of you kids better have a contact or I'll call the police."

Harry paled and muttered out a number the man barely made out.

"What's your name kid?" He grumbled as he dialed the number.

"Harry sir. Harry Potter."

"Harry eh?" His eyes darted away from the cell, "Yes. Hello, this is Andrew Moores. I am calling from King's Crossing- Sir are you listening to me?" a pause as a loud voice was heard in undescriptive grumbles. "Sir I don't particularly care at the moment. You are the guardian of one Harry Potter are you not?" Another pause, this time no voice was heard from the phone. "We have him here at the station. I assume where you either left him or were supposed to pick him up. I found him with another young man running into a brick wall."

Harry turned away looking embarrassed. The man- Mr. Moores- looked as though his irritation was growing.

"Why would I know why he ran into the wall?! I witnessed him do it. I don't know your kid!"

Harry's head lowered and Ron moved between Harry and Mr. Moores. Fred and George reacted similarly with one pulling Harry to the side furthest from the man and the door to the cell and the other moving to stand between Ron and the angry security man kept having a back and forth with Harry's guardian while Fred and George surrounded Ron and Harry.

"He sounds pleasant," Fred commented with a bit of humor referring to the security man who was growing angrier than the twins thought he had any real right to be.

"He does have a bit of a temper." Harry spoke as a matter of fact. Ron wasn't quite sure if he was talking about the security guard though. There was something in his tone that didn't quite match with talking about someone you had just met.

It was as Ron was pondering this, he heard the phone slam down back into its' stationary charger.

"Your guardian will be here soon Mister Potter. You three. Your guardian's contacts. Now."

"I'm telling you our parents don't have a fellytone- "

"Telephone," Ron corrected, "It's telephone.

"You sure? That still doesn't sound right."

"I think I know what I'm talking about!" Ron hissed. This wasn't the magical half of Britain where he was following them around so he didn't get lost or hurt. He might not be in America, but he had been raised with all the comforts and knowledge of basic and modern technology.

"Fine. Then what are your parent's names so I can find them," the man stated.

"Ah, well. Mum said we should never talk to strangers," George commented.

"Too right you are Gred. And what kind of sons would we be if we didn't listen to our mum." Fred nodded in agreement, hiding a smile from the man. While funny, Ron had a feeling this would not end well. The man just sat in his chair and watched the boys with a dark scowl. Nowhere near as bad as Snape's but still an impressively dark look that made Ron very uncomfortable.

It was something about his sharp features and bright green eyes that looked particularly nasty as they glared daggers at them.

He didn't hide exactly, but he did stand closer to one of the twins and made his body partially obscured. Green eyes weren't common, but they weren't exactly rare either. Harry had rather striking green eyes after all. But the dirty-blond man's eyes almost seemed toxic.

"I'll have the police come to pick you three up once Mister Potter here is with his family."

Ron could only think how proud his family would be to find out that he would continue his Aunt Natasha's tradition of having a criminal history in their home country. Would they laugh at the stupidity, casually comment how they could erase it, maybe even "speak" to the man who got him trouble for essentially doing what he was told? There was no real bad aspect from his family back in the states. But would it be brought up to his family here in Britain? Would he be in trouble?

"Don't worry Ronnie. Everything will be fine."

"Too right. Mum and dad must have realized we never made it to the train."

"And they'll be looking for us with your- erm…"

"My dad. What have you been calling him?" Ron asked now realizing he had no idea how they referred to his dad.

"Well, we kind of have been going back and forth calling him things. Right now he's the man with the face."

"The man... with the face?" Harry repeated, not entirely sure he could believe the twins.

"You know," Fred began, "The face," he continued adding a circular motion in front of his face with his hand.

"The man looks almost constantly mad."

"Oh he does not. You just don't know him-"

"Would you all just shut up!"

"What's? We can't talk now?"

"That seems-"

"What did I just tell you?" It was a dark statment.

"Alright alright. Touchy."

The four sat in silence, making occasional funny gestures at one another. It was perhaps ten minutes or so when the door opened and a large, red faced whale of a man entered the room with fury on his face. His moustache bristled and he glared at Harry before facing the guard, his face taking a less red tone.

"Ah. Mister Moore, I am terribly sorry about my nephew. He is terribly confused, I assure you this kind of behavior will be dealt with."

"That's your uncle Harry?"

"He looks like a full grown hog!"

"How dare you miscreants-! Get out of there boy. Time to go home." Harry stiffened at the large man's demand. Mr. Moore walked to the door and unlocked the door when a knock came from the open door. A stiff and prim woman stood in a nice albiet old fashioned dress that touched the floor.

"Pardon me, I'm here to pick up some lost boys." Her eyes went over To the trunks and owl that was along the wall, seperated from the young wizards. Her hand went into her purse and she elegantly pulled out a thin and long, clean crafted wand. Ignoring the bizzare looks and the questioning, "Ma'am who are you and what are you doing here," from the guard, she spoke in a clear voice, "Diminuendo."

The once large objects shrunk to practically pocket sized sans the cage for the owl. Heels clicking across the ground, the two men stared at her in slight awe but mostly horror at her casual display of something so... magical.

"I'm not very good with shirnking animals, do you boys mind if I let the owl out?"

"Be our guest," Harry answered the witch, also shocked to see the casual magic from someone he didn't know as well as in a more muggle location. She opened the cage and cast a quick spell on the window to open it, allowing Hedwig to fly free before shrinking the cage and pocketing it as well.

"Who the devil are you?" the guard asked. The woman's lips quirked upward slightly. She turned to face the guard with no hesitation.

"Just a figment of your imagination," she declared, "Obliviate."

Her wand movement was impeccable and a faintly noticable but bright green light hit the guard. He fell over in a confused stupor, "Obliviate." she spoke again hitting Vernon Dursley. She walked across the floor quickly, her heels clicking on the ground as she walked to the boys.

"Huddle up. Let's get you boys to school," she said, entirely too cheery for just having done... something to the two adult hands clasped onto Fred's shoulder and George's back. The twins then grabbed the soon to be second year boys and held tight. Ron felt his stomach twist in a familiar but not immidiatly recognizable until the world around him wasn't a cell, but rather a small village that he didn't recognize. Harry fell over looking a bit queasy.

"Sorry about that boys. Best not to waste time with the muggle folk. No sense wasting time talking it out when they'd just be obliviated."

"Who are you?" Ron blurted out.

"Ah, Angela Pickering. I'm from the Ministry of Magic's Statute of Secrecy Task Force."

"They sent the Ministry for four kids who missed the train."

"Mere happenstance boys. It's just that one international boy is supposed to be monitored to get to Hogwarts safe and sound."

"Because of Ron?"

Harry's voice caught the attention of the woman. Her eyes widened as she noticed who the messy black haired boy was.

"Well I'll be a mandrake root... You're Harry Potter!"

"He is?!" George joked.

"No!" Fred continued sarcastically, "Really? This skinny brat?"

"And you never told us!"

Ron rolled his eyes at the twins' antics for the revelation the woman was going through. She coughed into her hand, attmepting to regain her composure.

"Sorry. It didn't really occur to me that you two would be the same age."

"Why not? We were about the same age and were out of the magical world at the same time."

There was an awkward pause from the woman and the twins. Harry and Ron gave their best innocent expressions from Ron's inquiry.

"Well, it simply did not cross my mind. Now come along boys, Hogwarts awaits."

"We're not at Hogwarts, and this doesn't look like Diagon Alley-"

"Ah, that's because we're in Hogsmeade. The school's not too far from here," Fred interrupted Harry.

"You'll be able to go third year. You two will love it."

"Keep up boys. I'm only dropping you off."

"Dropping us off? How will we get to Hogwarts then?" Ron questioned warily.

"Oh, a teacher had a prior engagement here. He will be taking you to the school post haste."

The smile on her face was unnerving as the four followed. Fred and George narrated the shops and eateries that they passed, telling delightfully funny moments that occured in the stores that surely had even better stories when they were brought into a book store. It was cramped. For some reason, the aisles were filled with many witches, each facing the same dircetion with an eager expression on their faces.

"Please my dear ladies, be patient," a smooth voice cut through the air like one of Clint's arrows on the archery range. Ron and Harry exchanged glances. "I still have plenty of time to sign all of your books."

Ms. Pickering parted the crowd almost effortlessly, much to the disgrunted women's displeasure. She lead the boys to the well decorated desk of the well groomed blond who was to be their defense against the dark arts teacher. His blue eyes shined brightly and his award winning smile grew slightly wider.

"Ah, it would seem as though some of my new students just couldn't wait to see me," he chuckled. Standing up, he was in notably a purple color he seemed rather fond of. He gave a grand gesture for the four to come behind the table where four stools, far less impressive than Gilderoy's chair, were waiting for them. Ron could feel a biting retort begging to come about talking about how this must be a hallucination from running into the brick wall to hard, but whether it was Gilderoy's narcissism, or that he noticed that Ron had something less pleasant to say, or even wilder, that he recalled them from the day they got their supplies; Gilderoy continued speaking, drawing the crowd's attention from them. "As many of you know, I will not be traveling for my exploit's this year, instead, I look to cultivate the minds of the next generation. So that they may be as well prepared for rhe world as well, me."

The swooning from the audience had Ron pretending to gag. Harry covered his mouth to hide his laugh while Fred and George just looked amused.

"You four stay with Professor Lockhart. He will take you the rest of the way to Hogwarts." She pulled their school supplies out of her bag and handed them to the twins, "I'm certain you two will restore their size once you make it to the school."

"Why isn't she taking us to the school? It'd be better than this," Ron asked the twins with the woman now joining the crowd in trying to acquire Lockhart's autograph.

"School's magic barrier."

"Only certain people can get in. Like us students or professors."

"Really?"

"Nah. It just keeps out dangerous folk."

"People try and let it be for students and teachers unless their higher up in the ministry. So there's that."

"Huh."

They passed idle chitchat, often told to be quiet from the patrons or the book keep who hung off of Gilderoy Lockhart's every word. Seconds melted by at a snail's pace when finally Gilderoy Lockhart bid his fairwell to the patrons and the book keep, having the boys follow him to his carriage with black skeletal creatures Ron had briefly seen briefly before. A creature only seen when one sees death.

"Come along children, into the carriage." The twins gave a dramatic sigh, then followed into the carriage.

"Are you alright Ron?"

"I'm fine. Say, Harry?"

"Yes?" he responded.

"When you look in front of the carriage, what do you see?"

Harry's brows furrowed as he looked to the front of the carriage.

"I see, nothing. Are you alright Ron?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Must be seeing things from hearing Lockhart speak so much."

"That's a tragedy," Harry good naturedly chuckled. Ron smiled back and followed Harry into the carriage, being the last one in. He grimaced at the twins and his friend upon realizing that he would have to sit next to Lockhart. Jokes on them, they'd have to look at him all the way there. Though that might have been the better option with the floral scent he was wearing was heinous when close up.

"Right, who's ready for a Marvelous year," Gilderoy spoke with the utmost confidence as the carriage began to move, "With the ever Marvelous Me?"

"We always look forward to school professor," George commented, laying the sarcasm on rather thickly.

"Well this year will be a real treat. Your last professor, hardly a man quite of my caliber."

"Nor the one before that, or the one before that, or the one before that-"

"-and so on and so on," the twins joked. A knowing look bloomed across their new teacher's face.

"Ah, but as your renouned teacher, I do plan to put the curse of the Defence Against the Dark Arts position to rest. After all that I have accomplished, it should be effortless to put an end to the silly one year curse."

Ron did not like the way he said that. His voice may be like velvet, percieved as warm and inviting, but there was something bitter, almost toxic about the way he nearly promised. Just enou to make intentions known, but having an easy out. It was something both his dad and Aunt Tasha had done when they needed flexibility to do a job. For a man who swore by his books, he didn't seem to be the type to make promises, just vague statements. Ron could only hope, this man was not selling snake oil like many in his family, but was more like Tony where the vagueness would allow him to exceed expectations.

Hope this was enjoyable for you guys. My brain gave me a drop of inspiration. So yeah. Clint is causing some minor trouble. He and Ron both run into brick walls...