Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or Harry Potter.
"Rhodes! Get your limpy ass down here. Meet the new recruits!" Fury yelled; a bit wobbly on his feet. He was still new to flooing, so I didn't blame him. I was more curious on how Kingsley and Nick managed to set up a floo under the American Ministry's radar.
The building we were in was more modern than anything I've experienced; all white walls and glass surfaces. A projection of some sort showed an empty conference table.
"What are you going on about? It damn near four in the morning."
A groggy, middle-aged man groans, shuffling towards us.
"At attention Colonel. You have guests." Fury grins, causing the other man to straighten with wide eyes aimed at Gin and I.
"Colonel James Rupert Rhodes: U.S. Airforce." He greets, shaking both of our hands. "You can call me Rhodey."
"War Machine, right?" Ginny's bright smile takes away some of the tension in my shoulders. I wasn't in this alone. I had my best friend with me.
"That's right. Fury said something about bringing on new recruits. I'm assuming those are you two."
"I'm right here you know?" I feel a grin creep across my face at Fury's annoyance.
"That's us. I'm Ginny Weasley and she's Hermione Granger."
"Don't take this the wrong way but, you weren't what I was expecting."
"We get that a lot." I chuckle. It was true, even after the war, no one expected it to be Gin and I that continued fighting. It was a staple part of our careers.
"I had your files but, I have an odd habit of asking people for their permission before digging into their lives." The consideration in Rhodey's voice reminded me of Hagrid for some reason; big brotherly and kind.
"By all means. You can ask us anything you would like."
"I can see where I'm not needed so, I'm going home." Fury bows out, leaving the three of us alone.
"Okay, where to begin then…" Rhodey leads us to a den-like room with couches. "General inquiry; what do you do?"
"What?" Ginny laughs, taking a seat on the plush sofa.
"What's your thing? Tony has his suits, Cap has his super soldier thing, Vision is a literal robot powered by a magical stone." He lists off, putting a finger up as he goes.
"Oh." I stop him. "We're witches."
His mouth hangs open for a moment before he gathers his bearings and I hide a laugh behind my hand.
"Like Wanda? You have telekinesis, telepathy, and energy manipulation?"
"And more." Ginny adds, not able to keep herself from bragging a bit. I don't blame her; she had worked hard to get where she is.
"More?"
"Yeah we can do much more. We've been studying magic since we were eleven. Went the best school in Europe for it." I pause, thinking of where to start our story.
"There's more of you?"
"Tons. Witches and Wizards are everywhere. We're just a secretive bunch; especially after the witch trials."
"The Salem Witch Trials?" I nod.
"They started in Salem but, they spread everywhere. Eventually the Wizarding World as a whole decided to go underground. Hide in plain sight and continue on our merry ways. There are three types of people born with magical blood. Purebloods are witches and wizards born to two magical parents from a long line of magic."
"I'm a Pureblood." Ginny quips. "Next are Halfbloods-"
"Let me guess; one magic parent one normal." Rhodes sinks deeper into his chair, absorbing the information being given to him.
"Correct. Then there are the Muggleborn. Muggles are what we call humans without magic so, a Muggleborn is a witch or wizards born to Muggle parents. Would you like some tea?" I add the last part absentmindedly as I open my black back and accio a tea set, teapot filled with hot water included.
"Hermione's a Muggleborn. She- oh thanks love." I can't hold back the laugh that climbs up my throat when I hand Rhodes a cup. His face was priceless. He reminded me of my father when we had found out about magic.
"So, wait, do you have wands and stuff? Like in the movies?"
"Most do, Ginny and I have just gotten extremely good at wandless magic. I still have mine on me at all times though." I reach my arm fully into the bag for emphasis and my own enjoyment, pulling out my wand. "10 ¾ inches, Vine wood with a Dragon Heartstring core."
"Hold up did you say dragon?"
Ginny and I look at each other before laughing.
"Mia is very familiar with dragons but, I feel as if that's a story for another night. Could you show us to our rooms?" The man shrugs with wide eyes.
"Y'all are really just going to leave me on a cliffhanger like that?"
"I'm sure you can read all about it in our files." I stand, offering my hand to Rhodes, helping him out of the chair without mentioning the braces on his legs.
"Do you think the cat thing is going to be in there?" Ginny teases me and I groan.
"Merlin I hope not."
We drop Ginny off at her room first before walking down the hall in silence.
"You said there's a bunch of magical people out there right?" The seriousness in his voice sets me on edge. "Where were you all during the Invasion and Sokovia? Magic would have been real helpful."
I hesitate for a moment before answering.
"There was a world war going on in the magical world. It started when I was fourteen and, though most people thought it ended in three years, battles were fought until two years ago." I didn't like talking about the war; not when I still see Lavender Brown's mangled body every time I close my eyes or, whenever I see a child, I can't help but think of how small Colin Creevey looked next to Fred. Especially not when I can't look at the scar on my arm without searing pain ripping through my body, a permanent reminder of what I went through.
Thankfully, Rhodes doesn't push the subject.
"This one's yours." He has me place my hand on the scanner next to my door, just as he had done with Ginny.
"Thank you Rhodey. I'll see you in the morning." We say goodnight and I close the door softly, taking in the room. It was modern, just like the rest of the building, but not uncomfortable. I spot a large desk in the corner with a stack of manila folders on it.
Guess that's everyone's files. I'll read them tomorrow.
I flop ungraciously onto the soft bed and open my bag, pulling out the piece of paper and photo I had tucked away last minute. I run my hand over the words before sticking the paper to the wall, followed by the photograph before falling asleep.
"I want to know how you managed to get us to the wrong year and the wrong place?" Ginny couldn't hold back her laugh at my expense. I couldn't see a bloody thing in here. Why was it so dark?
"Well the damn dials on this thing are so worn I thought it said thirty-three not forty-three and, Shacklebolt never said we needed to specify which country. How would I know it would take us to Brooklyn, New York?" I let out a loud groan of frustration. This would just make our mission that much harder. Not that it wasn't a pipe dream before. The sound of static gunfire and an old timey radio speaker pierce the silence we had found ourselves in. It was a recruitment ad which meant we were probably in a theatre.
"Now what?"
I think over our next move, there was still a chance we could make it back to England before our time is up.
"We apparate to the Ministry. They didn't set up anti-apparition wards until 1945. We can find Riddle's address from there. From there we can figure out whether or not to go through with it." That was our mission, go back in time, find Tom Riddle, and see whether or not we can take him out without destroying our timeline. I thought it was an awful idea from the beginning but, Kingsley though we should at least try.
"We're apparating now? Can we stay here for the night and go in the morning? It wasn't easy getting through to the departure point and I don't think my body can handle apparating after that trip." She whines. Though I hate to admit it, I was feeling the same. My body ached everywhere, and I had a nasty cut from a slicing hex on the back of my shoulder.
I mutter an Episky charm under my breath and I begin to feel the cut knitting itself back together. Maybe a break wouldn't be so bad. We had been moving nonstop for the past two weeks.
"Fine, we'll stay but, only for the night. We leave first thing in the morning. No exceptions." I could feel Ginny's scowl even if I couldn't see it. I nearly topple over a stack of buckets while trying to pull my wand.
"Okay mum hold still, let me transfigure our outfits." Her words cause the hairs on the back of my neck to raise but, before I can tell her no, I feel my clothes shift around me. My jeans turned into a skirt and there was an odd breeze on my shoulders and underneath my sternum. Even my shoes went from being comfy trainers to heels that slightly pinched my feet.
"Gin, I am feeling wind where I shouldn't be. What did you just put me in?" Her lack of an answer did nothing to soothe my nerves as I felt my hair get twisted and pulled.
"Good, we're all done! Let's go." Ginny chirps cheerfully, pushing open the door of the cupboard we had arrived in, earning more than a few odd looks. Never deterred, she grabs my arm and yanks me out of the building. The sick feeling in my stomach was slowly replaced by giddiness as I took in the sight of the city.
"Okay, ow. These shoes were not made for running, stop." My words fall on deaf ears but, thankfully, Ginny stops in awe at the busy city around her.
"Mia. It's beautiful!" Her face pulled into wonder was almost worth letting her use me as a dress-up doll. I open my mouth to say something snarky but, the sound of grunting and dull thumps from the alley behind us, draws my attention and I creep my way towards it.
Two against one? That didn't seem very fair.
Ginny is beside me in an instant and I can tell she's thinking the same thing.
In front of us were two burly guys beating on a small blond boy. The blond looked absolutely sickly but, he kept getting back up after being knocked down. He reminded me of Harry.
I hated bullies.
"Gin, do you think-"
"Kicking those guys' asses will mess up the timeline? No. No I do not." Her and I share a grin before we walk into the alley, taking off my shoes for good measure. There it was, the anticipation before the fight.
"Hey assholes." I yell boldly, garnering the attention of the three men and not breaking my stride towards them. "Why don't you leave the guy alone?"
"Watch your pretty mouth bitch or, you'll be next." The fatter of the two growls, stopping his assault on the skinny boy. Looking at the faces of the burly guys next to each other, I get the strangest sense of déjà vu.
Ah, they look like Crabbe and Goyle.
"And you call yourself men? Pathetic." Ginny laughs harshly once we're in front of them. "Mia, what do you think? Overcompensating?"
"Oh, most definitely. You know boys, acting like a dick won't make yours any bigger right?" My words hit the right nerve and the Goyle look-alike lunges at me. Side-stepping his feeble attempt, I chuckle as he crashes to the ground. "Is that all you got?"
I cast a quick glance towards the skinny blond who is just staring with wide eyes. Familiar eyes.
"So, you're going to pull hair like the bitch you are huh?" Ginny's taunting breaks me out of my thoughts just in time for me to block a right hook to my face. I shove the guy away from me before winding up and landing a hard kick to the side of his head, knocking him to the ground once more.
"Stay down, if you know what's good for you." I hiss. A loud thump tells me that Ginny took down the other guy and I take a deep breath. What we did had been reckless but, neither of us would be able to sleep that night if we didn't step in.
"Hey, you okay?" I shake my head as Ginny goes into full nurse mode on the scrawny guy. "You two. Leave and if I hear about you picking on anyone else. I'll find you."
It was a hollow threat but, the looks on the men's faces as they scurry away were priceless, not even nearly crashing into a new person in the alley stopped their sprint.
"Well, I was going to step in, but it looked like you two had it under control." The man's voice was deep and sounded like velvet and was tinted with amusement.
As he stepped closer, I could see the mischievous glint in his eyes and handsome face, by his suit, he was a soldier or was about to be one. We lock eyes and he pauses mid-step.
He was going to war.
I feel my stomach plummet at the thought.
The man's mouth quirks up in a smile and heat rises to my face when I realize I had been caught staring.
"You're right." I cough. "We did have it under control."
"Yeah, that kick was something else and what was it you said?" He stepped closer to me, enough so that I could smell his cologne. Instead of stepping back, I meet his eyes with a raised brow. I was Hermione Granger and I had spent years dealing with killers, I could handle one guy standing too close to me.
No matter how attractive I find him.
"Ah yes, my famous 'Acting like a dick won't make yours any bigger'. It never fails." I can't stop the cheeky smile that grows on my face.
"I'm assuming these are yours then?" He holds up my shoes that I had discarded before the fight. I take them from his hand with a roll of my eyes.
"You're telling me you were standing there that whole time Bucky?" I turn my head towards the sickly guy behind us, his face was a colorful painting of reds and blues from the cuts and bruises. "Thanks for the help."
"C'mon, you know I'd jump in but, by the time I got here, these dolls had already taken care of it." Bucky sent me another cheesy smirk and I scoff, not missing the sly look Ginny gives me.
Oh dear, she'll never let this go.
I feel the man's eyes on me and it sends a tingle down my spine.
"Well, since you're here." I pat the man in front of me on the shoulder. "My friend and I will be going."
"It was nice meeting you, Steve." Ginny's smile nearly makes the guy faint and she nods at the man next to me. "Let's go, I wanna go to Coney Island." She links her arm in mine.
"Wait." Bucky's hand on my elbow stops me in my tracks and I lock eyes with him once more. "I- We never got your names."
"I'm Ginny Weasley and she's Mia Gr-"
"Hermione Granger." I correct her. I've never been particularly fond of nicknames.
"I'm James Buchannan Barnes and that is Steven Grant Rogers." Steve waves awkwardly with a warm smile. "If you ladies are free later tonight. We'll be at the dance hall the next block over."
"Oh n-"
"We'll be there!" Ginny cuts me off and I glare at her. "See you later!" She takes off running, dragging me behind her and around a corner.
I open my eyes slowly, wary of the bright sunlight coming through the window.
I haven't had that dream in a while.
I climb out of the bed and stretch my arms above my head, listening to the pops and cracks my body releases.
By the time I find the kitchen the next day, Ginny and Rhodes are sat there, sipping coffee and bickering quietly. I paste myself again a wall and listen in.
"She doesn't like talking about it. That war took a toll on her especially. Aside from her best friend, she was Voldemort's number one target." Ginny sighs. "She was everything he resented."
"I can see that. She started fighting when she was fifteen? Is that even legal where you are from?"
"Legal?" Ginny scoffs "We didn't even have a formal military. The former minister covered up his return. Hermione started the DA in her fifth year and helped Harry teach twenty-eight of us how to fight against an elite group of Muggleborn haters that no one else knew existed."
"Death Eaters, right? What she did was impressive." A page turns.
"That's not even a quarter of it. She's the smartest witch in Europe and one of the best fighters as well. She's the sole reason Harry survived most of his years at Hogwarts."
"This says something about a Basilisk and her being petrified." Ginny stays quiet at his words. She was still ashamed of what happened her first year.
"Yes. I was possessed by a fragment of Voldemort my first year of school and I released a giant Muggleborn killing snake into the pipes of the school. Normally if you stare into the eyes of a Basilisk you die but, we were lucky, everyone the Basilisk encountered ended up only seeing its reflection. Instead of killing them, it put them into a petrified state. It was Mia that figured out that it was a Basilisk behind it."
"What? How old was she?"
"Twelve. Not to mention when she was attacked by a troll the year before that and a werewolf the year after. The magical world has never been kind to her so, I'd appreciate it if you could hold back your questions about the war. I'll answer them just, not when she's around. Try asking her about the dragon. She likes that story." The sadness in Ginny's voice at my expense almost brings tears to my eyes. I didn't deserve a friend like her.
"Have either of you gone to any kind of therapy? It helps."
I hear Ginny chuckle hollowly.
"Therapy isn't a thing in the Wizarding World. At least, not for us."
"You guys are war heroes."
"No, Hermione, Harry, and Ronald are war heroes. I earned my medals after the war."
I've heard enough.
I purposely drag my feet, letting the two know I was approaching.
"Good morning." I yawn, pulling out a chair and sitting.
"Morning sleepy head. I was wondering if you wanted to explore today? Get to really know the city." My feet already ached at Gin's peppiness but, I find myself nodding regardless. "Wanna be our tour guide Colonel?"
"I can't the rest of the team has check ins today. I can see if Peter's free. Wait… no it's Wednesday, he's in school." Rhodey trails off, engrossed in the file he's holding. I see my name emblazoned across the front with the Ministry's symbol below it.
"The rest of the team? Do you still keep in contact with the ones in hiding?" Ginny asks, suddenly interested as she puts a plate together for me.
"Officially? No. If I know where they are and I don't turn them in, I'm breaking the law."
"What happened? I couldn't find any information about the fight anywhere." She places the plate in front of me and I thank her.
"I can't say." He admits after a few moments of silence. "Nick and I figured it was for the best. This is technically a government building and the government isn't a fan of the team. The only reason they allowed us to begin recruiting new members was because we told them we'd keep what happened quiet. That way no recruits would have any kind of sympathies for the traitors."
"So, there was something to be sympathetic of?" I ask with a raised brow.
"I shouldn't have said that." The familiar line causes a grin to grow on my face and I remind myself to owl Hagrid soon.
"Gin, we need an owl. Do you know where-"
"Yes, Shacklebolt gave me a map." She pulls said map out of her pocket and brandishes it with a smile.
"Please tell me you don't mean an actual owl."
"You want us to lie to you?
The sound of a phone ringing cuts Rhodes off and he answers it with a sigh.
"Whiskey Mike here asking Echo Charlie Alpha.-" His voice fades as he disappears into the hall.
"You heard what I said before, didn't you?" Gin asks and she run her fingers through her fiery hair. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like being coddled."
"Don't be. I appreciate you looking out for me." I rest a hand on her arm and smile reassuringly.
"Let's go get us some owls."