Updates: Chapter four will probably be delayed, as I'm going on vacation soon and then starting a new job right after I get back. It may take some time to adjust to my new schedule.
Pairings: The current pairing in the lead for Harry is… no one! I'm surprised but also cool with writing gen; teen fledgling romance is not exactly my area. The pairing in the lead for Loki is Tony.
I'd like to clarify here that regardless of pairings chosen, this is NOT a romance story and so relationships will stay a very minor aspect of the plot. Any romance for Loki will also be very far off in the future so don't expect to see it any time soon. Things will be kept age-appropriate for both the rating and the characters themselves.
Extras: We now have cover art! I hope you guys like it although I must warn you, I'm a thousand times more picky and flaky about my art than my writing, so it will likely change a few times throughout the story.
Thanks again to Terra King, for asking all the right questions to help me pull this thing together.
Harry awoke to the muffled sounds of traffic and blinding morning light streaming through the windows as their coverings receded into the walls. He rolled over, groping for the curtains around his four-poster bed to close, before it registered that this was not the Gryffindor boy's dormitory. He shot up to a sitting position as the memories of the previous night slammed to the forefront of his mind.
He felt shocked and giddy and nervous all at once. His mother was just across the hall, alive and breathing, albeit in a different body. He had spent the night in the newly famous Avengers Tower, and would probably even get to meet some more of them! Harry wasn't one to fawn over celebrities given his own experience with that form of treatment, but even he couldn't describe the Avengers as anything but cool.
As he reached for his glasses on the bedside table, he realized that JARVIS had been speaking to him this whole time.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"It is now 9am, September the 2nd. It is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and cloudy. Breakfast is being served in the communal kitchen one floor below. There is a bathroom behind the door to your right, toiletries and fresh clothes have been left there for you." The AI informed him.
"Okay, thank you." Harry mumbled, rubbing his hands against his face in an attempt to wake up more fully. He went through the motions of brushing his teeth and washing his face before the information caught up to him.
September 2nd. He groaned quietly to himself. It was the first day of term, and he was all the way on the other side of the globe. Harry hoped that his new schedule didn't include Potions on Mondays; the other teachers might be understanding of his situation but Snape surely wouldn't be if he skipped his class.
He banished thoughts of the unpleasant Professor from his mind as he changed into the clothes piled on the counter beside the sink. They fit surprisingly well; a cotton white t-shirt with the Avengers "A" symbol emblazoned on the front in blue and simple black trousers. His reflection looked strange in this pristine white bathroom, wearing clothes that were not oversized hand-me-downs or school robes for once. He futilely attempted to tame his hair before finally leaving the room.
Harry paused in the hallway, wondering if he should go to the kitchen or to Loki's room across from him first. He deliberated for a moment before continuing on toward the elevator. It was far too early in the morning for awkward emotionally-charged conversation with his resurrected mother.
Harry attempted to quell his sudden unease as the elevator doors opened up into another open floor plan common room similar to the one he'd waited in yesterday. This one was clearly more lived in however, sharp angles softened by small personal touches. Colorful pillows and blankets rested on the couches, with various plants and decorative objects strewn about nearly every flat surface.
"Come on over kid, don't be shy." Called a voice from his left, where a small kitchen was tucked neatly into the corner of the room. Harry rounded a few cabinets as he stepped into the kitchen area and caught a glimpse of the speaker.
He immediately recognized the man across from him as Tony Stark, billionaire inventor-turned hero. Iron Man. He and Stark Industries had been the subject of many rants by Uncle Vernon, who seemed to view Stark as his own personal nemesis ever since his company added drills to their long list of non-military products, putting them in competition with Grunnings.
Harry decided to like him on principle. Stark looked like he'd been awake all night working; hair sticking up even worse than Harry's, clothes rumpled, and covered head to toe in oil stains. There was a curious blue circle of light radiating out from the center of his chest. He was drinking a dark green shake of some sort that vaguely resembled Flobberworm mucous. Harry grimaced at the thought as the man spoke up.
"Tony Stark, at your service. Call me Tony. That's Bruce over there," He gestured to a mousy, unassuming looking man Harry hadn't noticed, who was sitting quietly at the large kitchen counter. He waved a hand in greeting.
"You might know him better as the Hulk." said Tony, as though he were imparting some great piece of gossip. Harry blinked at this, but otherwise had no real reaction. He'd seen a man turn into a monstrous wolf, and another into a rat. A giant green man wasn't very exciting to someone who spent a lot of time around wizards.
"Nice to meet you." Harry said as he sat down on the stool to Bruce's right. The man seemed surprised by this, but smiled softly at him.
"Well since normal people who didn't pull all-nighters are showing up now," Bruce started with a pointed look at Tony "I suppose I'll start breakfast." He got up and shuffled over to the stove, pulling things from shelves as he went.
"Are you implying that I'm anything but the picture of normality?" Asked Tony in a mock-affronted tone. The two men bantered back and forth while Harry sat awkwardly at the counter. He waited for a lull in the conversation.
"Can I do anything to help?" he asked Bruce.
"Sure. Can you make the pancakes? And you-" Bruce turned to Tony "set the table. After the last time, you're never allowed to cook for us ever again."
"Oh come on, it was one time! It's not like I meant to start a fire-" Tony protested, but Bruce just shoved a stack of plates in his hands.
"Okay, Nat and Clint are back from their mission so we're feeding eight people this morning, three of which have super-human appetites, so make a whole lot, and then make more. Pancake mix is in that cabinet there." He told Harry, but Harry had already found the ingredients to make the batter from scratch.
The two of them worked quickly and easily, while Tony grumbled behind them about being relegated to table-setter.
"Hey guys." Came a new voice from the doorway. There stood a muscular blond man with bright blue eyes. He had clearly just come inside from a run, he was wearing workout clothes and sweating slightly.
"Oh, hello." He said upon noticing Harry by the stove. "I'm Steve Rogers, nice to meet you."
"Captain America." Tony stage-whispered helpfully.
The Captain shook Harry's hand quickly then stepped back. "I'm gonna go change quick and round up everyone else." Tony rolled his eyes.
"Everybody's up and ready in seconds for missions but plan a team breakfast and suddenly we've got a tower full of Sleeping Beauties."
Harry smiled at Tony's sense of humor as he dished out pancakes. Tony and Bruce's easygoing attitudes had done wonders for settling his nerves, as did keeping his hands busy with cooking. It was the one chore at the Dursley's that he didn't hate, even though he would be punished for the slightest mistake. But maybe he could finally get away from them, now. He did his best to push down the fledgling hope growing in him; he'd felt the same before when he met Sirius and had been shipped back to his relatives anyway. Loki was obviously dangerous, despite Clint's explanation of the Chitauri invasion. He doubted that the Wizarding World would be much more accepting of Loki than they were of Sirius.
Harry nearly dropped the spatula. Sirius. Loki could prove that Peter Pettigrew had been the Secret Keeper, and that Sirius was innocent! He grinned at the thought as he finished and Bruce directed him on where to put everything away. He sat down while the other man began pulling out drinks.
"So er, how did you guys find me?" asked Harry. "Heimdall said he couldn't, and muggles can't see through wards…" Tony puffed up with pride as he launched into his explanation.
"Easy! While Loki was still too out of it to help, JARVIS and I hacked into your records. Ran your yearbook photos through facial recognition software and got a hit on King's Cross Station security cams. Loki confirmed that meant you were probably at magic school and gave us the coordinates. Then you know the rest."
Harry nodded. He had no idea that muggle technology could do that but well, it was Tony Stark. Despite the embarrassment of Thor's arrival in front on the entire Great Hall, he was suddenly very grateful that he had come there, rather than the Dursley's. He shuddered as he imagined that reaction.
Harry felt something behind him, and spun around to meet the eyes of a red headed woman who had just entered. The Black Widow. She was dressed in a striped long sleeved shirt and black leggings. Her movements were completely soundless as she moved across the floor.
"I'm Natasha." She greeted as she sat on the stool to the left of Bruce's.
"Harry." Said Harry, although he was sure that everyone in the tower already knew his name. Natasha nodded in reply.
Just as Bruce finished handing out glasses and placing drinks on the center of the counter, Steve returned. Behind him trailed Clint, Thor, and Loki. Harry couldn't help his heart skipping a beat as his mother entered the room. He still couldn't quite believe it, and seeing him in the daylight helped the entire experience to solidify in his mind.
"Smells amazing." Said Clint dreamily.
Loki gravitated toward Harry, taking the seat to his right, the corner of the counter between them. Thor clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder as he passed, choosing the seat across from Harry and beside Tony. Steve and Clint sat at the opposite end and across from Natasha, respectively.
By some unspoken cue, everyone dug in at once. It didn't take long for the silence to be broken. By Tony, of course.
"What the hell. I didn't know pancakes could taste this good." There was a muffled chorus of agreement. "Mini Loki can cook!"
"I can't believe this came out of your kitchen." Snarked Natasha. The table lapsed into smaller conversations amongst praise of the food.
"Nephew, have you any tales of your life you wish to tell us? What sorts of magical beasts have you faced?" asked Thor excitedly. Harry thought for a moment.
"Well there was a mountain troll in first year. That's actually how Ron, Hermione and I became best friends. Hermione hadn't heard the announcement about it getting into the castle, so Ron and I went to find her. The troll got to her first and we, er, kind of accidentally locked it into the bathroom with her."
"What exactly is a mountain troll?" asked Steve.
"Just what it sounds like," answered Loki tersely. "Great ugly creatures with low intelligence and a penchant for violence. They average at about twelve feet tall."
"Yeah…" continued Harry, trying to ignore the concerned eyes on him "I er, jumped on its back and shoved my wand up its nose, and Ron levitated its club above it. I jumped off, and he let the club fall, which knocked the troll out."
"And where were the staff during this? How did it get inside in the first place?" Loki demanded.
"Oh, that was Voldemort." Harry answered automatically, before realizing his audience. "The staff were right behind us." he added hastily as though it would help stave off Loki's angry reaction to the news of Voldemort's involvement. He and Harry had discussed Voldemort's defeat the night before, though Harry had deftly avoided mentioning his other encounters with the Dark wizard.
He needn't have worried. While the Avengers seemed confused, Loki did not look angry. He looked… deflated.
"The protection I used… the one that gave you that scar, it should have killed him. I should have known he'd have some sort of trick up his sleeve. We died for nothing." Loki spat.
At once Harry realized that for Loki, for Lily, it must have felt like only a few days had past since that night. Both halves of him were grieving, one for lost years and one for a husband brutally taken. And then finding out that her final sacrifice had been in vain, had not vanquished their killer in return.
"N-not, not nothing." Harry consoled weakly. "He was banished into some kind of spirit. He was gone for 10 years. He only came back because he was possessing a professor."
Thor placed a comforting hand on Loki's arm, but the other god shook his head, and stood up.
"I need a moment." He said and walked briskly out of the room. An awkward silence descended over the group. No one knew what to say.
"So… a wand up a troll's nose? How gross was it when you pulled it out?"
"Are you actually five years old, Barton?"
Harry laughed, and if it was the tiniest bit hysterical, nobody said anything. The tension eased.
Harry had just finished giving the Avengers a basic explanation of Voldemort and pureblood supremacy when Loki returned. She was in Lily's form once more, and Harry couldn't deny that he felt comforted by it. He'd take any he could get, judging by where this conversation was going.
"Explain. Every detail." She told him. So reluctantly, Harry told the full story of his first year at Hogwarts, ending with Voldemort's disappearance and the destruction of the Philosopher's stone. There were various pauses for reactions and questions from the others, but Loki simply kept her eyes on Harry's the entire time, saying nothing.
"Such an adventure, for one so young." Thor said softly.
"Let's move this conversation somewhere more comfortable, shall we?" said Tony, and before anyone could answer he was already out of the kitchen and tossing himself on one of the armchairs nearby. The rest of them cleared their plates (the remains of breakfast had long since grown cold) and joined him.
Harry found himself nestled comfortably between Loki and Thor on one of the sofas, when Loki finally spoke again.
"Have you had any more encounters with him?"
Harry winced, and haltingly began the tale of his second year. At the mention of Tom Riddle's diary, Loki's eyes narrowed. When he told of the monster petrifying students, she rested a hand on his arm. When he talked about the chamber, and the shade of Voldemort, her grip on his arm was close to bruising.
When he got to the poisoned fang in his arm and phoenix tears, she drew him into an abrupt hug. Her hands were shaking. The others he could see past her shoulder looked gravely concerned.
"It-it wasn't that bad." He offered, but Loki's arms only tightened around him.
"Yes it was." She countered viciously. "I've seen how fast Basilisk venom kills. No child should have to face that." Harry rested his forehead against her shoulder, relishing in the comfort the contact offered as he remembered.
"...I thought I was going to die." He whispered into the fabric of her sleeve. He pulled back as he continued at a normal volume. "But Fawkes was there, he cried on the wound and it healed right up. He flew us all out and we were all fine. Except for Lockhart." he amended.
"Please tell us your last year wasn't that bad." said Clint incredulously.
Harry sighed. Everyone else sighed in response. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, looked at the floor and tried to stay calm.
What the hell is wrong with that school?! They all thought simultaneously, on Harry's behalf.
Harry really didn't want to talk about his third year; about Sirius, and Wormtail, and Dementors. He'd already shared so much of himself with near strangers in just a few short hours.
Slowly he began his final tale. He skipped past his blowing up Aunt Marge and running away. Loki sucked in a breath when he described the Dementors, but smiled softly at the appearance of Remus Lupin.
I heard you die, he did not say. When he spoke of his Patronus, she stopped him, eyes bright.
"Please, would you demonstrate for us?" Harry reached for his wand in his pocket before remembering.
"I-I can't. I'll be expelled for using magic outside of school-" but she interrupted him, holding out a hand.
"Give me your wand, I can remove the Trace for underage magic." He handed it over. Loki ran both hands carefully over the wood, and the wand flared with white light for a moment before it faded. "Please." She said again as she pressed the wand back into his hand.
Harry thought of green eyes and comforting arms as he pointed his wand toward the ceiling and said the incantation. The silver stag erupted from the tip in a shower of light, more solid and brighter than he'd ever seen it before. There were a few soft noises of surprise throughout the room. Clint let out an impressed whistle.
"Hello Prongs." said Loki, voice choked. The stag circled the room once before returning to Harry, seeming to acknowledge her words with a regal dip of the head.
"Sorry, no Dementors here." Harry dismissed gently. Prongs dissipated into smoke, which quickly faded away.
"Wow…" breathed Steve. Everyone seemed to take a moment to absorb what they'd just seen before Thor finally nudged Harry into continuing.
The presence of the Patronus lifted the spirits of the room's occupants, but it wouldn't last for long. Harry tried to delay the inevitable for as long as possible by avoiding Sirius's name, describing him as a nameless criminal, but finally he had to explain just how devastating the effects of Peter's betrayal had been.
Loki paled and held on tighter. Her arms had reached for Harry again as his story grew darker and darker. He continued until Sirius's escape on Buckbeak the hippogriff before finally stopping, voice hoarse from overuse.
They all sat in a miserable silence for several minutes.
"Harry." Loki's voice cut through, suddenly focused intently on his face. "If you didn't grow up with Sirius or Remus… who raised you? Alice and Frank?"
"Who?" Harry had never heard of anyone by those names. Loki's face twisted with grief again.
"Your godmother and her husband. Tell me, who was it?" Harry fidgeted, gaze cast downward.
"...Aunt Petunia." He said to the floor, aware of the suspicious and worried eyes on him. Loki's nails dug painfully into his shoulders.
"What."
But whatever else Loki was going to say was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a Phoenix in a burst of flame.
Ooh, sorry to end it there on a semi-cliffhanger but otherwise this chapter would have ended up three times as long. Hope it didn't disappoint. Remember to leave a review on your way out, and cast your vote for pairings you'd like to see!
Chapter Fun Fact: The day Harry and Ron rescued Hermione from the troll was the ten year anniversary of his parents' deaths. October 31st is just never a good day for Harry.
Next Time: Harry's new family reacts to the revelations of his childhood, and many plans are made for the future. Harry learns a bit about the American wizarding world.