TW: for mentions of child abuse here. Take it all of it is discussed in terms of child abuse in Harry Potter, but I'd thought I'd put a warning here just in case. If this triggers you than you can skip this chapter without missing anything important. Literally all it is one big group discussion on the Harry Potter books and why Loki keeps finding issues with them.

There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.
-Arthur Conan Doyle, The Boscombe Valley Mystery

When Loki walks into the kitchen smiling, Tony wonders if he should be concerned or not. On the one hand, it's a good look on him. This is the first time that he's seen Loki smile. On the other hand, just what exactly does it take to make him smile? Is this a sign of progress or a sign that something is going to explode? Well just as long as it doesn't explode on him. "Hey Reggie," he calls, "what's good in the world?"

"Dumbledore is dead," he announces as he takes his place between Tony and Clint.

"Ah," Tony nods in understanding then. Yeah he can see why Loki would be happy about that, after the conversation they had. "So does that mean you got through the series or did you just stop at the Half-Blood Prince?"

"I have finished it. I must say, when you said Regulus was a minor character you were rather overselling it, were you not."

"Eh," he shrugs "minor, doesn't actually appear because he's already dead. Same thing right?" He looks around to see everyone staring at him. "What? It's not that big of a stretch, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Think they're wondering about the Dumbledore statement," Barton says.

Loki snorts. "Let me guess, you see him as the symbol of the Light and Good." The emphasis he puts on the two words are plainly visible.

Tony puts his leg under the table before reaching for a carton of orange chicken to scoop out on his plate. "Seriously? Guys? Romanov please don't tell me that you don't see it either. It's one of his core characteristics, surely you couldn't have missed it."

"What is?" Rogers asks, frowning, as he begins to fill his own plate up.

"Manipulation," Tony says simply. Because what else is there to say? Yes Dumbledore did good, that's not the question here. But he also had a manipulative streak a mile long. Surely the Black Widow, master spy and profiler, saw it too. Then again she has a hard time seeing through all of Tony's masks for some reason so who knows. Maybe it's because she doesn't want to.

"Was not Dumbledore the leader of the light against the dark?" Thor asks.

It's a good thing all of them know what is happening, one way or another because this looks as if it is going to dissolve into one big mess of a discussion. This should be... interesting. Yeah, that's one word for it. Potentially disastrous are a couple of other ones. Especially should anyone get too passionate on the subject.

Loki has an expression of pure disgust on his face. "Of course you would miss it," he sneers, "I suppose that Dumbledore is your favorite character as well. Typical."

"Alright," Tony calls before Thor can answer, "We are having this discussion in a civilized manner. The person who ends up making me remodel the kitchen – again – is exiting the Tower. Through the window. Are we clear?"

Six heads nod back at him.

"Great, continue on then," he waves a hand as he takes a bite of rice. Dinner and a show, this is the life, clearly.

"Is this your way of saying that you wished the Lord Voldemort to win?" Thor looks nothing more than a kicked puppy at that statement.

Loki sighs in aggravation. "Of course I don't you idiot. For one thing clearly his plan was flawed from the start. Any idiot knows that you must add new blood into the lineage for it to prosper. Otherwise you will begin to have inbreeding and multiple genetic problems. For another, who is to say that muggleborns are not from a line of squibs? Nothing. There is no test for them and with the way the wizarding world treats them, it would be only natural for them to live in the muggle world. They still have magic in their blood, even if they can't access it, so it becomes a recessive trait. That means there is always a possibility that it will appear again in later generations. Furthermore Voldemort is a moron."

Tony about chokes at that statement. He bends forward as Loki helpfully hits him on the back. He swats him away, trying to stop coughing. "Thanks a lot," he manages once he stops coughing and can properly laugh at that. Because that has to be one of the funniest things that he has ever heard in his life. He can't say why exactly, besides Loki's perfect tone of voice, but that is gold. That might end up being his ring tone for now on. Or at least his text alert. Statements like that should not be wasted.

"Honestly Stark," he sighs deeply, as if Tony is an embarrassment to him.

Liar. "You just had to say that while I was eating didn't you? Couldn't wait until I was done chewing."

"I had not thought the statement was that humourous so no I didn't. Next time I will take into account your inane sense of humour." He pats Tony on the shoulder again as if he is petting a dog on the head.

Tony rolls his eyes at him. "Whatever you say princess."

"So you do not like Voldemort or Dumbledore," Romanov says, "Interesting. I would have thought at least you can admire Dumbledore's work ethics – doing whatever needs done without worrying about the morality of it."

"You reveal more about yourself than I with that question little spider." Loki's smile is enough to cut a person to shreds. "There is something to be said about making yourself the villain of the story because someone has to be yes," he ignores Thor's heartbreaking 'brother' and continues, "Sometimes someone has to do the job that no one else wants. And I can concede that he does good."

Romanov nods along as if this was what she expected.

"However," Loki leans forward, "there is a difference between making the hard decisions that will make you hated and condoning child abuse, bullying and victim blaming." That smile grows even sharper at that. "And those are two things that I do not – and will never – condone. So no, I am happy that Dumbledore is dead. Even if he did escape justice and be known as a hero."

"Dumbledore always kind of reminded me of Fury," Barton says casually.

Tony shudders at that horrifying thought. That is not something he needs to think about even if he can see it too. Because that says a great deal about who Fury is as a person. Making the tough calls, well, Tony can't blame him for that exactly, no matter how much he might hate them. But he can also remember Fury trying to convince him that Howard loved him. Ever saw him as anything but an annoyance and a disappointment. Howard cared? Well he sure had a crappy way of showing it if he did.

"What?" Rogers looks terribly confused, "Dumbledore made some tough calls, but I think you are reading more into it than you should be."

"Tom Riddle, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Harry Potter," Loki lists off without pause, "There is evidence or context that supports each of those characters dealt with abuse as a child. That is five characters, four of which are considered main characters. Try again Captain."

Rogers frown doesn't lessen any more at that. It deepens in fact. "Harry wasn't abused," he says.

"Oh?" Loki raises an eyebrow at that, "So you Midgardians condone verbal abuse, emotional manipulation, withholding of basic life necessities and blatant neglect as proper ways to raise a child. Interesting."

"What? No," Rogers protests.

"Really? Because all of those things are what the Dursleys did to him. Or do you think abuse is only present when a parent or guardian beats their child?" Loki's tone dares him to argue with him. Dares anyone to argue with him. Clearly he is picking for a fight here if someone disagrees.

"Alright, none of that is right," Rogers says, "but that doesn't mean that Dumbledore knows about it."

"Wrong," says triumphantly, "He admits it at the end of the Order of the Phoenix. He says that he knew he was placing Harry in an unwelcome environment, but did it anyways. He knew exactly what he was doing, make no mistake of that."

"But he loved Harry," Rogers points out, "He says that too."

Loki throws his head back and laughs. It is a cold, bitter laugh that could chill a person to their bones. "Oh Captain," he says, "don't you know the damage love can do?" another laugh escapes him, "Especially when it is backed by words only?"

"What about Riddle then?" Romanov asks before Rogers can continue to argue, "He is clearly coded to be a psychopath. He shows all the signs of it at an early age."

"I do concede that Riddle had problems at an early age and while I do not agree with his exact methods I have two arguments on this topic. The first would be that Dumbledore only made the problem worse instead of better. The second would be that everyone deals with their trauma differently.

"It is possible to agree that Riddle was not Voldemort when Dumbledore first met him. I do not dispute that the seeds were still there. And it is possible that they were destined to grow no matter what. But it is also possible that Dumbledore himself is responsible for that as well. He dealt with him in one of the worst ways imaginable during their first meeting. He was already against Riddle even before they met. He heard the stories and instead of hearing of a young boy constantly tormented and lashing out, he heard of a cruel powerful boy.

"Instead of help and a support system, he offered only suspicion and cruelty in return. It is telling that Riddle's first thought was that Dumbledore was from the asylum. And might I add just what asylums were like in that day? Because yes," he nods, "I googled it."

Tony has to stop himself from laughing again. For all that this is turning into a very serious and intense discussion, there are some real winners in here. Another ringtone for sure.

"They were places of torture in the name of science and improvement. The way Riddle lashes out against his attackers was not morally right, but Riddle is shown not to have the best moral system. Still he has a system. And instead of trying to teach him a better one or trying to shape the one he already has, he is pushed to the side. So he was able to hide and grow because he was only offered two options – praise from those who fell for the mask and condemnation from Dumbledore who never did anything but watch and judge. Not help."

"So you place the burden of change on Dumbledore instead of Riddle himself," Romanov interrupts.

"That I do not say," Loki corrects, "It is still up to Riddle whether he decides to change his ways or not. My point is that he is given no incentive nor resources to do so with. What is the phrase that Midgardians have again? Yes – you can lead to horse to water but you cannot force it to drink. Change cannot be forced true, but the resources to do so must be known as well. How can the horse drink if there is no water present?"

"He split his soul six times to make his horcruxes," Rogers sounds positively outraged, "He killed hundreds – maybe thousands since we are never told a number – of people. He supported murder and blood purity which in the end is another form of racism. How can you sit there and argue that he is redeemable?"

"Incorrect," Loki's tone is smooth now, although no less sharp, "I am talking about Tom Riddle – the boy who will become Voldemort. You are talking about Voldemort himself."

"Is there a difference? It would be like separating Schmidt and the Red Skull from each other. They are the same man. He didn't magically become evil once he took the serum. He had always been that way."

"While I do not know who you are referring to, I do know that Riddle, an eleven year old child, was not the Dark Lord yet. By time he made his first horcrux? Yes. That is a deliberate act and a foul one at that. But that was not until he was sixteen years old."

"He still did nothing to change himself before then. Dumbledore was keeping an eye on him for a reason." Rogers has a stubborn look on his face. One that says he is not going to back down from this.

Loki rubs his forehead wearily.

Tony glances around at the others to see their reaction to all of this. Banner and Barton are eating and listening, keeping their thoughts to themselves for now. Thor is watching Loki with a speculative expression. Rogers is frowning and Romanov looks ready to make her next point.

"Are you one of those people who think all Slytherins are evil?" Barton asks around a mouthful of food. Because he is a savage.

"Maybe not all of them," he allows, "but there are many of them that became Death Eaters. Or are you going to say that Death Eaters aren't evil either," he adds as he challenges Loki.

"Not the willing ones, no. But not all of them were."

"Severus Snape, Regulus Black and Draco Malfoy," Tony lists before another argument can start again, "And before you start, yes I am aware of how controversial Snape's character is. But the point is that all three of them regretted being Death Eaters and tried to help weaken Voldemort one way or another. The former two more than Draco, but still."

"Snape is a bully," Rogers says firmly.

"Thus brings me to my second point on Riddle – which can apply to Severus as well. Not everyone handles their traumas the same. And not everyone handles them well. It takes true strength to overcome something like abuse or bullying in any form, rather than continuing the cycle. It can be done and yes, should be done for that person to reach their full potential. But not everyone is able to do that. Some lose their ability to be anything but what they were molded into. In Riddle's case, a Dark Lord. In Severus' case, a bitter man with a deep sense of loyalty to his only friend."

"That's your argument for Regulus too isn't it?" Banner finally decides to join in, "In Sirius' case it is obvious that he did not have a good home life and rebelled against it. But Regulus was the loyal son who followed where he was told until the end where his own rebellion ended up killing him."

Loki nods. "Thus so."

"I know Malfoy didn't want to be a Death Eater," Rogers says with what most definitely could be called a pout. "There are still ways he could have fought against it though."

"With his Mother – and eventually his Father – held hostage? With Voldemort living in his house?" Tony asks, "When that had been what he had been taught his entire life? When no one in the Order would have trusted him besides maybe Snape? Come one Cap, be realistic here."

"I am," he insists, "there is always another way."

Tony sees a look of pure exhaustion on Loki's face before he covers it up with frustration. Suddenly it hits him why he is so invested in this argument. Why he seems to care so much. It's not just about a fictional world they are arguing about here. It is personal history and views. It is ground work to see if they can truly accept Loki and what he is telling them about Thanos. Oh. Time to change the subject for now then. "What did you think of the ending?"

Loki scowls. "What an atrocious epilogue," he complains, "What? Am I supposed to be happy that Harry conformed to the role society put him in?"

"He got his happy ending," Rogers says, "what's so wrong about that?"

"No. He went along with the ending the wizarding world thought he should have. His entire life he had been pushed into the fight. That was the center of his life and they made him believe that that is the only thing he is good for. So what does he become? An auror – a hero against the dark, exactly as he had been bred. Am I supposed to be glad for him?"

"He is a hero. He just wants to help people. Why are you so against that?" Rogers is not going to let this go. He is geared up for a fight now.

"He was taught at an early age that adults cannot be trusted. That if you want something done then you have to do it yourself. From the Dursleys to Hogwarts, the lesson was taught over and over again. His hero complex is not a sign of his goodness, but his abuse. Something he clearly never overcomes if the ending is anything to go by." Loki looks one step away from snarling.

"Just because you can't imagine being a hero doesn't mean anyone else can."

Tony winces at that. This is not going to be good. Of all the times for Rogers to stick his foot into it.

"Dumbledore raised him to be a sacrificial lamb." And here is the snarl now. "Harry had to accept his death and he did so. Why? Because he had been raised to believe he didn't matter as a person. That it was the only way to keep everyone he loved safe. It didn't matter if he died because they would live. He was just a piece on the board to Dumbledore in the end, no matter what he said. Because if he truly loved Harry, then he wouldn't have lied to him for his entire life!" Loki pushes his chair away from the table and storms away.

And if Tony ever needed any more evidence that Loki was talking about Odin as well as Dumbledore, that last sentence did it. He resists the urge to go after him, both because Barton already is and because Loki is probably going to need some space right now.

"It's just a book," Rogers huffs, "there's no need to get so upset about it."

Tony lets his head drop to the table. When did his life get so complicated again? Oh that's right, when other people started to come into it.