And were back with another handful of chapters insert disclaimer from previous chapters here.
Peter and Kitty appeared to ignore the whispered conversations that were going on around them, as their confrontations with Umbridge were being spoken of. Peter was busy working on a potion equation that would combine both his web formula and a few strengthening potions. If it worked it would make an interesting addition to their arsenal that should allow them to hide their abilities and escape detection. The main problem he was, (after mixing the two formulas together that is) was making sure that he didn't the webbing to strong, since it wasn't going to be used in combat situations, and would probably be one of the weakest versions he had ever made, since it wouldn't be safe if it was used against someone like Filch who might actually hurt himself on the webbing. Though the idea of the man stuck in the webbing for an hour or so was amusing. Kitty on the other hand was working on the arithmancy questions from earlier, and working the questions out with decimals, and finding a number of interesting things. The two listened occasionally as people said something or other to interest them, but for the most part ignored what all the people were saying about them and Harry.
Peter rubbed his eyes tiredly though, as he watched Harry and his friends' stalk out of the Great Hall in annoyance. Peter shook his head at this; the guy was practically feeding the fires with his anger and naïveté when it comes down to these types of politics. He would have to call Brian, and see what kind of progress he was making in the regular world. You would think that someone like the Prime Minister would be interested in people that most likely pay taxes and that sort of thing, and with a hero ready to step in and help clean up the mess as well. With that in mind it meant that either the Royals were stopping the P.M from doing his job, or someone else was getting in the way circumventing the head of the nation. Maybe he and Kitty should form some information to give to Brian, information that would most likely be found in some of the old History of Magic books. It would have to do as a plan, since was the best he could think of at the moment.
Kitty smirked at Peter, he was so deep in his own though, that he probably hadn't even realized that McGonagall was approaching them, the woman probably had some new warning that she wanted to add. It would probably be funny to see him react to getting surprised, still though it might also be dangerous if he overreacted with his spider powers. "Heads up Peter, we got us and incoming teacher." Peter looked up as McGonagall finally reached them.
"Mr. Parker, Miss. Pryde, the Headmaster would like to the two of you after supper is over."
"I presume that this is over what we told you about earlier?"
"Yes Mr. Parker it is."
"Fine he can ask his questions, he may not get any answers that he likes though." Peter warned McGonagall who nodded her head in agreement and narrowed her eyes at his ending statement before she returned to the head table.
"The Headmasters Office after only the first day of classes?"
"My, you certainly do your work quickly."
"Why we never made it that far."
"Until after our first semester,"
"At least!"
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up you two." Kitty growled at them, "perhaps you'd like to do a reenactment of what I did to the two of you after you charmed my outfit." The twins swallowed nervously as that before they began to slowly back away.
"Brother dear, I do believe we've worn out our welcome."
"Really? I was about to say the same thing."
"Perhaps another time." The twins called out before they disappeared into the crowd.
"Smarter than most people give you credit for." Peter called out to them with a laugh before he turned back to his partner.
"So, what kind of information should we tell him?" Kitty asked worriedly, usually she left the information gathering and dispensing up to one of the others, unless it was on the computer, otherwise she just stood in there and looked intimidating in the shadows providing scientific information along with Brian, something she didn't think she could pull off very well in a schoolgirl's outfit and witch's robe.
"I don't know, but I would like to patch a communication link with the Doc somehow, sometime soon. Only thing is I don't know how to do that, the only way I've ever talked with him is when he astral projects himself, we meet up somewhere in the city usually with him saving my butt, he uses his mumbo jumbo to summon me for something or other, or when I come barging into hid house needing some advice from him to save anywhere from a single person's life to the entire city's ad occasionally the world and even rarer this reality."
"You could always owl him to get in contact with my friends and he could then call us."
"Yeah, but we would have to say something to get his interest or he would totally ignore us, you know how the guy is about these sorts of things."
"So? Mention that we are on a job for the you-know-what's and only want his advice not him."
"That might work," Peter agreed nodding, "all right, make the call to one of your friends, cause I doubt that Wolvie is going to be completely unwatched now that we've attracted attention from at least two sides as some types of players."
"Hey, your temper is what got you noticed you're supposed to be the brainy one."
"So are you." Peter pointed out to her with a knowing look.
"Hey, she's a freaking racist without any qualms whatsoever about using the class as her own personal reprogramming center for her own beliefs in her species superiority instead of teaching people how to do actual magic. Arrogance like that almost makes me believe that she was a member of Magneto's Acolytes, or maybe nursed them."
"Now there s a charming mental image that I so could have done without." Peter said after they were both done making sickened faces.
"Yeah me to, sometimes I never notice what it is I'm saying till after I've said it." Kitty said as she pushed her plate away having lost her appetite. "I still say that she's the Toad's mother though."
"Can we please talk about something else?" Peter begged her desperately.
"Like what?" Kitty asked as they loaded their bags up and headed for the head table where McGonagall was waiting for them.
"Anything but that." Peter said with a grin as he shuddered in disgust.
Kitty smirked at him in triumph. "Fine, then how about you talk about you aunt and girl to me."
Peter's face closed down at this, and immediately became an unreadable mask that gave away nothing to Kitty. "Who told you?" He asked stopping, but not turning to face her.
"Logan, Dare Devil and the Human Torch wrote to me about what happened." Kitty admitted, she was not going to force this conversation, but she would let him know that she was here. "No names were mentioned, though Logan did mention meeting your aunt once when you were born."
"No," he vehemently shook his head. "I won't talk about that not ever, not if I can help it."
"C'mon Peter, you need to talk to someone, and I'm the only one around to listen to you, and have a chance of understanding what it is that you're going through. Did you know that I lost a lot of my friends? Cypher took a bullet for Wolfsbane a while ago and the Legacy Virus took down Illyana after she was turned back into a little kid, and Ray, um Phoenix was tossed into the time stream."
"That may be, but they were all players in the game, they knew there were risks in what they were doing." Peter said bitterly, he finally turned around to face her. "M.J and my Aunt May were normal people that didn't even really know about my spider thing, had I been with them instead I could have saved them."
"Excuse me? Illyana was a child barely ten years old when she died. I nearly lost one of my best friends to his grief over her, and I sure don't plan on losing you so snap out of it!" Kitty said, all thoughts of easing him into thinking that she could help forgotten for the moment. "Yeah your family is gone, and had you been there, instead of them being gunned down they would have been blown to bits when the Kingpin did his weapons testing on the neighborhood. Face it web head, you were stuck in a lose, lose situation, and there was absolutely nothing that you could have done about it!" Kitty was now nose to nose with him and was even angrily jabbing her finger into Peter's chest.
The two hadn't noticed that they were now yelling, only hissing a few things at each other to hide their identities till Snape swooped down on them. "Well, well, it would appear that you two aren't nearly as close as you like to give people the impression of you being now are you?" The man said silkily.
"Oh go brew some hair tonic, god knows with the amount of grease you have that you need it." Kitty snapped while she and Peter continued to exchange glares at each other. The Great Hall, which had been lulled into a momentary silence now had a few sniggers and gasps coming from the tables.
"Watch yourself Pryde," Snape snapped at her, "or you may loose more than just your pathetic friends."
Kitty chuckled humorlessly at the Potions Master. "If that's supposed to be a threat the you really need to work on your threat, I've had more impressive threats from people wearing Alice in Wonder Land costumes."
"You will address me as sir or professor." Snape returned coolly, as he locked eyes with Kitty, but found himself unable to break into the girl's mind.
"When we're in class we'll consider it, now get out of our face." Peter snarled before he brushed past Snape.
"Sixty points from Gryffindor for you behavior Parker! Maybe next time you'll learn to control that temper of yours." Snape said with a triumphant smile aimed at the two.
If he was expecting a reaction though he was disappointed as the two heroes were ignoring him and continued their journey to the head table. The two looked up to see an annoyed Umbridge was stalking out of the room, she was obviously angry that that she had not been invited to the Headmasters office like she thought she should be, since they had most likely come up with some idiotic story to tell the woman as to why the Headmaster wanted to see them.
"Come along you two." A frowning McGonagall ordered them as she swept out of the room with the two of them trailing dutifully behind her until they approached a gargoyle set in the wall. "Whoppers" The woman said, and the gargoyle moved to the side, the three walked into the hidden staircase and silently rode the moving stairs up to the single door that stood there. McGonagall was about to touch the knocker when Dumbledore's voice called out to them.
"Enter." The door then creaked open for the group. The two teens normally would have chuckled at the theatrics, having seen much more impressive displays of power in their lives, but both were to lost in their own thoughts and losses to care to much about such thing at the moment. They looked around, and saw that they had entered a round room with a desk in the middle dividing the room, a large window off to the side showed the lake, while pictures of past Headmasters and Headmistresses looked at them from the wall behind the desk and on the other wall was a large bookcase crammed with an assortment of books. A number of various magical items were scattered around the room, and in a corner near a chair was a Phoenix sitting on it's perch. "Welcome to my office Mr. Parker, Miss. Pryde." Dumbledore said with a teasing smile and a twinkle in his eyes at the two Americans from behind his desk, where he sat in a large heavily cushioned armchair. "I presume that you know why you are here?"
"You want the Eye of Agamotto." Peter said shrugging without concern, "sorry its not mine to give, and I think the current user would be kind of pissed if you tried to take it from him. He's very possessive of the thing and isn't exactly known for his temperamental control when people try and take his stuff without his permission. Has a tendency to curse you really badly for stuff like that, at least so I'm told, I'm not stupid enough to try and do something like that."
"Yeah, in a way breaking into Four Freedoms plaza is easier than trying that."
"Such an item could be extremely useful though in these troubling times, and could be of great help to us." Dumbledore tried to reason with the teens in front of him. "I fear that the days will grow much darker before the light shines through once again without any of the true evils that now plague us."
"So. The Orb of Agamotto could help in that to, but you're not getting your hands on either of them." Kitty said as she leaned against the wall ignoring McGonagall's disapproving glare.
"So you truly know where those items are?" A painting asked them eagerly.
"Yes." They answered.
"Astounding. The most powerful relics of Agamotto haven't been seen in the Wizarding World for over 500 years. They were last reportedly located to be somewhere in the Himalayas though if I recall my information correctly." Apicture told them knowingly. "An extremely powerful Sorcerer who didn't even need a wand was using them to protect the world at the time."
"Thank you for that bit of history Donavan." Dumbledore said, hushing the painting before turning back to the two. "With those items though we could prove that Voldemort actually lives again though." Dumbledore informed the two of them. "Think of how many lives could be saved with us using those things." Dumbledore informed them with an almost desperate look in his eyes. The two heroes squirmed in their seats before they sadly shook their heads against him. Lives might be saved if they did let the Order of the Phoenix get access to the Agmaotto items, but this entire dimension would more than likely fail if they got those items. "Can you live with yourselves if Voldemort then manages to gets his hands on them?"
"Since he doesn't know we know, unless you let it slip to someone we won't have to worry about that though." Peter explained to the Headmaster.
"And how can I be sure that you won't let it slip?" Dumbledore pressed them. "You didn't seem to mind telling Minerva or myself that you know where these things are."
Kitty chuckled humorlessly at this. "You really don't know, do you?"
"No Miss. Pryde perhaps you should explain it to me."
"Three words really." Kitty said with a feral glint in her eyes. "Payback's a bitch. How does it feel to be out of the loop?"
"I feel that I have a right to know these things though." Dumbledore said after a moment of shocked silence and outraged cries from the various portraits.
"So, Harry should know what you're guarding, but you have no problem with placing him out of the loop." Peter countered the wizard in a calm voice that belied the anger that he had been showing moments ago in the Great Hall.
"Things are different with Harry though." Dumbledore pointed out to him.
"Not really," Kitty said, "and even if he has a mental link with this Voldemort character like I'm beginning to suspect he does, what with the dreams, visions and emotional backlash that he feels from time to time that we've been told about." Dumbledore's eyes twitched but he didn't say anything.
"And then there's the fact you know what Voldemort wants and Voldemort knows what he wants so how is it dangerous if Harry knows what Voldemort wants?" Peter said, as he looked the older man in the eye. "But then you must have a reason for this stupidity."
Dumbledore sagged as he realized that a couple of children had caught him fairly easily. "Because his curiosity would get the better of him." The wizard explained to the two of them. "He and his friends would want to know every detail of what it is that is being guarded."
"Could it be because that they have no confidence in your ability to protect them?" Peter asked ignoring the angry shouts from the various paintings that renewed themselves with righteous anger though a familiar face was watching the entire discussion with interest. Dumbledore sagged at this, as he realized there might be some truth to this statement.
"Just having a rough idea of basic operations wouldn't put you or your people in danger and knowing what he needs to stay away from might save lives later on." Kitty pointed out to the Headmaster. "Besides he's the one who's been on the front lines the past few years if what we've heard is true, then you've been hiding either information or weapons that could be crucial to him, besides Voldemort will have to come after Harry no matter what." Kitty said to the man ignoring the surprised look the man had.
"After all he has to prove that he is strong, and that means that both you and Harry have to be destroyed because of the number of times you've gotten in his way." Peter explained to the wizard.
"Yes, you two are as much political targets as you are problems that have to be put away before the war." Kitty added in as she began to analyze the problem. "By taking out your power base now, he strengthens his position later on. Of course you already know all of this don't you?"
Dumbledore looked uncomfortable at this when in reality he was shocked at how these two children were seeing the plans within plans. "You seem to know quiet a bit about these types of tactics both militaristic and political, might I ask where you learned these things?"
"Experience, and from the best soldier in the world." Peter said, as he thought of Captain America and some of the things that he had learned from the man about strategy and also what his country really meant.
"Yeah and I learned from the best there is at what he does, so between us we have a pretty good fountain of combat knowledge for us to draw on."
"Really? So Mr. Parker, you also know where the portrait of Napoleon is located?"
"Peter and Kitty snorted at this. "Cap would make mincemeat out of that little guy."
"Really, and who is this Cap, I am unfamiliar with that name. Perhaps he would be interested in teaching some of the DADA classes next year."
"Sorry, but he's a bit to busy to teach at a magical school."
"Yeah, saving the world a couple times a week really cuts into his schedule."
Dumbledore's eye twitched again at the casual way they reffered to saving the world. "A shame, it sounds like he might have been of use, but now back to the subject at hand."
"What do you want to know professor? We already told you that we're not telling you where the Agamotto relics are."
"Perhaps your guardian would be more useful in convincing you then? Alastor can you see if you can convince them?" Dumbledore said almost hopefully. The two Americans didn't even twitch when Moody stepped out from behind them.
"I gotta admit Parker, I had hoped that I wouldn't be needed, now you need to tell Dumbledore what you know about the orb and the eye."
Peter rolled his eyes at the two men. "Um no. I've known you only a couple of months uncle, and have only actually spoken to you two or three times what makes either of you think that I'm just going to do what you say?" Peter turned back to Dumbledore but waved his hand at Mad-Eye. "This guy doesn't impress or scare us like he seems to do most of the wizarding world, after all I've seen paper view TV, and they have a lot scarier things than him on, and lot more entertaining I might add."
Moody glared but didn't say anything as he focused on Kitty. "I did a bit of research on that muggle you compared me to."
"Really and what did you find?"
"A freedom fighter, that muggle is nothing compared to me though."
"Trust me, Cable could take you in and then spit you out in one day. Your combat methods aren't that great you rely way too much on your eye and wand to be a danger to him. Cable doesn't believe in fighting fair so he wouldn't mind catching you in some type of crossfire."
"Perhaps, Moody agreed grudgingly, "but till then I think you should watch your mouth."
Dumbledore chose that moment to interrupt. "Well then, if you will not discuss that then I suppose that we will have t leave it be for the moment. We will most likely discuss this later. Now then, on to less serious, but still important matter. Would either of you like a lemon drop?" The two shook their head in the negative; Dumbledore shrugged and popped a candy into his mouth. "Now then Miss. Pryde, we do need to talk about your familiar while you are up here. If you like Mr. Parker can return to his common room."
"He's fine," Kitty said. "Now why are we discussing this, has Lockheed done anything wrong?"
"On the contrary, the dear creature is a joy to have around. Lockheed did you say?"
"Yes."
"Well, the beast is loving the amount of food being given to him."
"Great, now I'll have to put him on a diet again. Kitty muttered sighing, "or he'll get so fat he won't be able to fly."
Dumbledore eyes twinkled merrily at this. "Well now, one must be allowed to splurge from time to time."
"Uh huh, and when was the last time you let that Phoenix that sits on your shoulder to splurge?" Dumbledore's chuckled at this while the Phoenix gave a slightly indignant squawk. "Touché Miss. Pryde."
"Seriously though what's the problem?"
" Dragons are not pets, and the Ministry will eventually take him and destroy him as a dangerous creature."
"Not unless they want to cause major problems." Kitty told the man. "It helps having friends in high places and I happen to have one in fairly high spots. The best Dr.'s in Britain have treated Lockheed when none of your magical people even bothered to take notice, but we managed to cure him after he took a shot from Doom."
"That may be, but I fail to see what that is going to do for your case."
"Did you not hear me inform Snape of Lockheed's legal status? If the Wizarding law attempts to go against that, then they will have to deal with the fact that they are breaking several laws of England by attempting to destroy Lockheed, and if they do that I have friends that will help me find Lockheed no matter where they try and hide him."
"That's Professor Snape." Dumbledore reprimanded the two.
"Whatever."
"We'll treat him as a professional when he acts like a professional Headmaster."
McGonagall looked skeptically at them while ignoring the discussion about Serverus. "Really? Are you so sure that you can win this type of fight the Ministry may or may not care for such things."
"Trust me, they'll be sorry if they try and take her friends on." Peter told the three people in the room. "Sides you mess with one of them you mess with all of them."
"I see, and whom is this Doom person that you speak of?"
"Emperor Von Doom. Ruler of Lataveria."
"Oh yes, he's quiet the mystic dabbler of some renown." Dumbledore said with a smile at actually knowing what they were talking about for a change.
"Actually he's a soulless monster," Kitty said angrily, "and if you don't know that then you are oblivious."
"Do you have anything else you want to add to this conversation Headmaster? We do have to get to our homework sometime you know." Kitty added cheekily.
Dumbledore sighed tiredly but waved them on out. "I do think that you should reconsider helping us, and those items would be of great use in the coming war." He pleaded at the two of them in one more attempt to get their information.
"Sorry headmaster, but why should we trust you when you won't trust us, or the ones you need?" Kitty asked before the two of them left leaving the three adults alone in the room.
Dumbledore drooped in his chair while Mad-Eye and let out a string of curses while McGonagall merely excused herself. The minute the transfiguration teacher was gone Moody rounded on Dumbledore. "Those two are dangerous Albus. In ways I don't understand, they also have a lot of dangerous muggle ideas that make them as much a danger to themselves as they do to others."
"Yes, I take it you found out about the methods that they are using to allow their muggle technology work?"
"I wish I did Albus, but I don't understand any of the stuff that they used." The former auror grudgingly admitted to his long time friend. "Its not any kind of spell work according to the people I have questioned, I also want to ask the Granger girl a few questions, she seems to be getting awfully cozy with those two. So I have no idea at all as to how they're doing it, other than as they say its completely muggle way, though I have my doubts that a muggle could find a way for technology to actually work in Hogwarts. You're going to have to watch them though, or they'll be using those shield devices to talk with the muggle devices to talk to the muggle world. What are those odd things called again telly-pones?"
"Normally I wouldn't see anything wrong with that, but I'm afraid the idea that those two who seem so unconcerned with the way things are going they are not ones I'd like having to talk to people I am unaware of."
"Seem unconcerned?" Moody asked.
"Yes, the conversation I had with the two of them was most educational, as I learned a little bit about what it is that makes those two tick and what kind of friends that they have. Combined with certian questions asked by their various teachers of course Unfortunately I didn't learn as much as I had hoped for, but by letting them control the conversation direction I learned that they are both quiet well traveled for ones so young, and if young Miss. Pryde is to be believed she at the very least could almost be dropped into any corner of the world and act like a near native."
"Yes, a good skill for an undercover agent having knowledge of all of those languages." Moody said stroking his chin. "If we could get her to work for us she could be extremely useful, of course she might be working for Voldemort and this is just her way of getting her foot in the door."
"Yes, we shall have to watch them both most carefully." Dumbledore agreed with his friend. "We don't want them to set anyone off or get them in more trouble than they can manage."
"True, course they did make quiet a number of good points when they were bringing you to task on playing secrets with Potter." Moody added suddenly. "The two of them were right when they said Potter and his friends ought to have more information about what's going on."
"Alastor please, we have had this conversation a few hundred million times, and I still stick to what I say, Harry is not yet old enough or even ready to understand what is going on, nor is he in anyway prepared for what it is that is going on."
"Sooner or later you are going to have to stop coddling the boy Albus, he's made of a lot sterner stuff than I think you realize, your feelings for the boy has blinded you to what you should be doing for him." Mad-Eye growled in annoyance at the stubborn stance his old friend was taking on this matter.
"Perhaps old friend." Dumbledore reluctantly agreed, "but I still think Harry deserves to enjoy what little bit he has left of his not so pleasant childhood."
"No perhaps about it Albus!" Mad-Eye said slamming his fist against the desk. "You should have told him at the end of last year, or maybe even in his third year after the whole mess with Black and Pettigrew, but instead you kept holding it off. Lack of information is just as likely to get Potter or one of his friends killed as is knowing that blasted prophecy that you keep so close to your blooming chest."
Albus looked out at the window with a distant look the usual twinkle no longer present in his eyes. "I do what I feel that I must Alastor, and that is all I fear that any of us can do in these times anymore."
"Yeah? Well Parker and Pryde aren't going to just sit here like Potter and his friends do waiting to gather evidence before making their move they're already causing changes."
"Yes I've heard the rumors that the Prime Minister has been making several appointments with Fudge, and that the matter of Black is being brought up constantly when they do meet. How many times has he been obliviated now on that subject?"
"Four times last I heard, and every time he schedules a new meeting he gets madder and madder over the whole thing. Last I heard something called S.T.R.I.K.E broke in as soon as the spell was cast and the Obliviators and Fudge both barely made it out with their skins intact."
"I see, something that Cornelius will most likely blame me for as well." Dumbledore said a bit of a smile on his face. "He will most likely call and rant at me about it at some time. What about this Mr. Braddock?"
"The Ministry tried to obliviate him as well, but memory charms don't seem to affect him anymore than the imperious curse affects Potter, and so far no one has been able to follow after him in that blasted flying contraption of his that he uses either."
"Very well then, for now I suppose we should leave Cornelius and his followers at the Ministry to deal with the Prime Minister, who knows, some good may come out of it all."
"It better, cause I overheard Malfoy the other day, and the Hellfire Club and Black Air are becoming interested in the way we're treating the Minister and the possible rise of Voldemort."
"How did those two become aware of what is going on?" A concerned Dumbledore asked.
"I don't know how they found out unless a Death Eater blabbed to one or both of them about it."
Dumbledore sagged into his seat at this. "It is never good news for anyone when those two groups get involved in anything anymore."
"Aye, I thought Black Air was gone though, haven't really heard anything about them since Grindwald was around."
"Yes I agree, I believe they simply went underground as for the Hellfire Club one never knows quiet what to expect from them, they are either your best friends or your worst enemies."
"So what is our next move?"
"For now we wait and see what the next move Mr. Parker and his friends pull then we shall see if we need to do anything about it," The headmaster said tiredly. "We also need to keep an eye on Harry in case he does something rash."
Mad-Eye nodded, Dumbledore was being too cautious at the beginning of this war, as if he was waiting for Potter to take up the banner and lead them all to victory somehow. The way he had been raised though he wasn't anywhere near ready for that kind of responsibility as far as the former Auror was concerned though. "So, did you learn anything else Albus?"
"Yes, they have several friends who are either dangerous or in high places, yet the also have enemies who are just as dangerous and in just as high of places as well, which makes one wonder how they came to get such allies and enemies?"
"It'll be something for ya to think about Albus." Moody growled out. "Anything else that you can tell me?"
"Yes, they also have quiet an understanding of politics, in fact they are as good as some that needed 10 years to get to where they are. They also have quiet the grasp for tactics from this Cap person. Have you ever heard of someone like this?"
"No, I know none by that name." The retired Auror admitted to his friend.
"Hmm, it was worth a chance." Dumbledore said as he watched Moody leave. The Auror had long ago learned to recognize when the Headmaster got into one of his thoughtful moods. The silence would only be interrupted occasionally by a comment from one of the portraits as Albus bounced ideas off of them from time to time.
Peter and Kitty didn't say anything to each other about either their meeting with the headmaster or the talk that they had earlier as their minds were a mixture of emotions and they were also considering everything that had be said in the past few hours. The two teens filled out their potion reports on Moonstones, and then did about half of their work on the Giant Wars leaving their papers about half finished, the fact that their notes were better than anything anyone else had was something that Peter felt a bit smug about. Kitty had loaned her own recorder to Hermione who was upstairs in her dorm working on her own report at the moment.
Peter sighed as he finally headed upstairs, inside he knew that he would have to talk to someone sooner or later but was unsure if just who it was that he needed to talk to. He changed into his new Spiderman costume after he sure the others were asleep and then took a running leap the window. He hadn't been outside long when the rain began again only much harder and faster than before. Spiderman found a nice secluded corner for a moment's respite from the angry weather. "Hey there big guy." He happily greeted a stone gargoyle. "You gonna report me if I talk to you?" He asked in a joking manner, he was therefore surprised when the gargoyle responded to him.
"How did you get up here?" The stone creature asked in surprise, as it looked at an unknown figure dressed in bright red and blue clothing that was hanging against the wall.
"You going to report me?" Spiderman asked the gargoyle now serious, ignoring the question that had been sent at him.
"How can I report you kid? You're the first live person that I've seen in around 417 years."
"Uh huh, and what about ghosts, do you talk to them?
"Sure."
"And since they report to the headmaster I guess I can't talk to you after all." Spiderman said dejectedly as he got ready to push off from the wall. "Besides, I prefer my gargoyles without the ability to talk back at me. You have any idea where I can find one of those?"
"Yeah, other side of the castle kid," the gargoyle said jerking a clawed hand over his shoulder, "that one is for sentry duty only, he only makes noise when he goes and sounds one of the various alarms on this place, or when the castle is being attacked of course."
"Thanks for the info." Spiderman said waving cheerfully at the gargoyle before he pushed off shooting a web line out after a moments of falling.
"Strange guy." The Gargoyle muttered, as he settled back into his position.
Spiderman flipped over a piece of stonework and finally landed next to a gargoyle that actually looked like a smaller version of the gargoyle that he usually went to rant to himself with back at home. "Hey there big guy, you look like you're a good listener." Spiderman said as he flipped over the gargoyle and landed on the wall right above its head and with his feet stuck to the wall he began to talk to it as the two of them were pelted by rain. "Well Dick, you don't care if I call you Dick do you? Normally I talk to Bruce way back at home, but since he's not here I guess you'll have to do consider yourself as his understudy all right? Great."
Spiderman then looked out over the forbidden forest and just sat there in silent thought for a moment before he finally began speaking. "Life's so much more different here than what I'm used to. I'm stuck playing the student while a freaking war is going on, then there's the fact that I'm playing with magic and I'm a man of science, or so I always used to believe. Sure I used to believe in magic to a certain extent with my life being as crazy as it is I kind of have to when you consider some of the things that I've seen, but deep down I've always thought that there was something to explain it all away with. Yet now what with the guardians of magic and all managing to recruit me into this crazy little war."
"Then there comes the fact that I'll be facing a lot of magical monsters and users before everything is said and done. I mean seriously, I can barely manage to deal with B list villains and muggers with fancy weapons sometimes back in good old New York, how am I supposed to play Dr. Strange junior? Then there's the fact that I got saddled with a partner, nothing against the Guardians of Magic and all but why? I work alone for the most part and quiet frankly I prefer it that way. No one else can get hurt if I do something wrong, the only person that gets hurt is me, but now I have to deal with the fact that if I screw up more than just me gets hurt. Shadowcat will wind up in trouble as well if I screw this one up, and if she gets hurt then Excalibur and the X-Men get hurt and war between mutants and wizards erupts because I failed. The Guardians of Magic made a nice little safeguard if we do fail didn't they?" Spiderman asked sneering slightly beneath his mask. "Its actually easier for me to stand-alone than it is to stand with a group did you know that Dick? Cause I learned a long time ago that that I only have myself to count on, now I have to deal with the fact that I'm going to need to be more than one if I'm going to survive. And you know what scares me the most about that Dick? I'm not sure if I can handle something like that without screwing up in someway. I mean seriously look at me look how badly I screwed up my last life and that was when all I had was the spider thing not counting the magic. I'd really rather not drag anyone down into the bottomless pit that is my life you know?"
Peter sat there, the rain pouring down his body while he was silently brooding for nearly 10 minutes as he sat there nearly as motionless as the gargoyle he had come to seek answers from before he began to speak again. There's also the fact that I have to deal with the fact that I've lost everyone that ever meant anything to me. Without Aunt May and M.J I'm not sure that I really have what it takes to be a hero anymore anyways Dick. I'm only doing it because in reality being Spiderman is all I have and know anymore. As Spiderman I can fight the kind of things that destroyed Aunt May, Uncle Ben M.J the Stacey's and all of the other people that I've ever cared about. Maybe that is just who I am maybe its my gift maybe its my curse but I am Spiderman and I have to stand strong before this mess. Thanks for listening to me Dick." Spiderman said as he patted the gargoyle on the head. "Your just as good as Bruce when it comes to listening." Spiderman stood a little bit taller than when he had first arrived, as he raised his arm and shot out a strand of webbing and swung away into the night heading for his dormitory room. He had to get to bed soon, cause he had a feeling that Kitty was going to be a very unforgiving taskmistress tomorrow morning.
The Lone Gargoyle turned its head and watched Spiderman disappear, before it turned back to its sentry position.