Edited by the mighty pazed!
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Chapter 28
Harry waved as the Quinjet circled over the small group to settle just outside the shadow of the Whitman estate's most impressive structure, the manor house. At one time it had been the site of a castle but, according to Dane, that had been destroyed during WWII and when his family had rebuilt they had gone with a more modern structure.
A structure that was even now being modernized again, with a little help from Tony.
"It will be good to see them again," a now much smaller and less green Hermione said, as she waved as well.
"Yeah," Harry agreed, a large smile on his face as the jet began to settle on the landing pad. "I want to hear first hand what in the bloody hell happened with SHIELD, and how Fury was killed."
"LANGUAGE!" she said smacking him on the shoulder.
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Sorry 'Hermi."
Her face scrunched up, her displeasure with the name evident. "You're just trying to make me mad, aren't you… my boy," she snarked back
A flash of anger crossed his face briefly. "Okay! Okay! I'll stop!" he said nodding, his smile returning as he spoke again. "You are doing better though… not even a hint of green in your eyes any more."
She sighed. "Good… I do want to start Uni with you on schedule-"
Harry laughed deeply and her face scrunched cutely up again as she punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Only you would be worried about our Uni schedule, we haven't even taken our entry exams." he said, mirth in his voice.
She blushed a little. "It's not just that… it's the potions too…" she said softly.
He nodded and pulled her into a hug. "I know," he said in a whisper. "I know you have been working hard to not change unless you want to, and you hate the way the dreamless sleep potion makes you feel after you take it… but it does get you below that threshold to turn back."
She nodded, face buried in his chest. "… It makes me feel so… Foggy… so hard to think for the duration… and I'm helpless. I can't turn back into the She-Hulk… and I can barely cast… it's horrible."
Harry nodded. "I know… Tony and Bruce are working on duplicating the effects… and your control is improving. We'll get through this, just like we do everything else."
"God!" said a voice from nearby. "It's just fucking sickening! Just how damn cute are the pair of them… makes me want to throw up."
"MMM…" came from another woman's voice. "I've got cavities, I'm sure. Are you sure you two don't need to be someplace more private?"
Harry glared at the blond headed woman as he released Hermione from his arms. "Shut it! The both of you!" Harry said as Hermione wiped her eyes, and they both turned back towards the now silent Quinjet.
Harley looked at the blond next to her. "Must be talkin' bout you and Dane, sure as shit ain't talking about me…"
Jackie shook her head. "I do believe they are… I don't believe the think Harry is having made for you is quite ready."
"Ha!" laughed the dark haired girl. "That's not bad J! I think you're getting the hang of this!"
"Yes, well." She glanced at the girl. "You are such a simple target… you're hard to miss."
Motormouth's head snapped around to look at her, mouth hanging open. "Close your mouth dear," Spitfire chided. "You'll catch flies… Though you may be used to that as much as you keep the thing flapping."
Dane chuckled from near by. "Our Motormouth at a loss for words… how will we live?"
"Quietly for a change?" answered the blond.
"So what are you going to do now?" Harry asked the Star Spangled Avenger, as they lingered over dessert. "I mean… Is SHIELD done? And what about Hydra?"
Steve shrugged and looked toward Natasha, who was the one that answered. "What SHIELD was, Hydra destroyed. Along with most of their own main agenda. There will be remnants I have no doubt, but they will be scattered and disorganized, at least for the moment."
Steve nodded. "For now?" He shrugged. "I look for Bucky."
Harry nodded. "We can-"
Steve cut him off. "No Harry. You and your group need to stay here. Keep training. Keep an eye on the magical world. Be seen in it occasionally, and work with Dane. The changes they are undergoing aren't easy. Go to University, have some fun… Let us worry about Hydra and the rest. We want to keep you off of their radar as long as possible. Our agreement still stands, graduate first then the Avengers."
Harry sighed but nodded, he didn't look happy but it was the agreement they had reached. He and Hermione had their health monitored, and attended Uni, while undergoing rotating training with different Avengers. Once they graduated they were then free to join them full time.
"Now," Steve said sitting up a little straighter. "What was this about you needing to take a trip to Hogwarts?"
The seven travelers made their way through the ancient castle along with the Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, on the way towards her office. "Harry? Have you been in contact with Mr. Lu- Remus or Tonks?" she asked.
Harry sighed. "I've had more important things to deal with..."
McGonagall looked at him sternly. "And you could not see yourself clear of these things for a few hours to speak with them?"
Harry frowned. "Yeah… I probably could have… but…" He shook his head. "Look I'll get around to it… soon okay?"
She nodded once. "I will pass along that you will be contacting them about a time to meet with them."
Hermione put a hand on his arm, keeping him from saying something he would regret later. "Thank you Headmistress."
The corners of the elder woman's mouth curled up slightly. "It is good to see you back in your normal body, I'm glad Poppy could help."
Hermione looked down at herself. "I- I kind of miss it… and it's not permanent… if I get too angry I become the She-Hulk again… and I hate using the potions to change back… I'm only doing this so we can go to Uni without distractions…"
McGonagall nodded. "Most likely a good choice. Given how the other you stands out."
They walked the rest of the way in silence, finally arriving at her office.
"He wished to see you, alone Mr. Potter," the headmistress said, gesturing towards the door. "We shall await you in the Great Hall."
"Harry?" asked one of the portraits, as he entered.
"Dumbledore!" Harry growled turning toward the man's painting.
"I must say I am quite pleased to see you!" he said.
"No," Harry said. "Not you're pleased, you're surprised."
The portrait's subject frowned. "I assure you I am quite pleased."
He ignored the answer. "You wanted to see me? Us?" he asked, gesturing towards the door.
"Indeed my boy!" Harry bristled. "I wish to hear from you about your adventures and how you succeeded in destroying the last of the objects."
Harry shrugged. "We only found one while we were traveling. Tony destroyed it with a high intensity laser about six months ago."
Dumbledore looked stricken. "Only one? Destroyed it with?... And you are sure it was destroyed?"
Harry nodded. "Watched it myself as it was turned to slag. It screamed, just like the Diary."
"But you found no others?" he asked.
"No," Harry said bluntly, with a shrug.
"But that means… He's still out there Harry!" Dumbledore said in horror.
"If he is, he is." Harry shrugged again. "He has few if any supporters available, and if we can not find his trinkets then it is doubtful anyone else will just stumble across them. Besides the Avengers will come when we call."
Dumbledore shook his head. "You cannot trust to that!" he cried, "You need to find-"
"We are still looking!" he said angrily, "AND we will be there if he does show up again! But I will not sacrifice every waking moment to searching for objects that we have yet to figure out, not only, what they are, but where! You wasted years playing footsy with 'imperioused' Death Eaters when you could have been looking! At the very least you could have written your suspicions clearly and not as part of some overly cryptic puzzle!"
"Harry it was for the Greater Good!" the painting decried, "You were the one told of in the prophecy!"
"Bollix your Greater good!" Harry said back. "Your little games had the both of us lost for months! We had no idea what we were doing and we had no HELP! Why in Merlin's name did you send three school kids on such a thing! We weren't ready! We needed someone with experience!"
"That would have drawn too much attention, Harry," the painting replied. "You were the ch-"
"Will you please shut up about me being the chosen one!" Harry cried. "I don't believe in the prophesy! It was given to you by a drunk woman who couldn't see her own reflection in a mirror! We make our own destiny!"
"But-" Dumbledore began again.
"NO!" Harry said. "No more games, no more 'Greater Good', no more lies!"
"I've never lied to you Harry," Dumbledore said, affronted.
"No?" He said incredulously. "Well you sure as hell didn't ever give me any answers! Like why the hell I was left with the Dursleys? Or why you couldn't help me prepare to face Voldemort?"
"I wanted you to be a ch-" the painting began.
"I WAS NEVER A CHILD!" he screamed, causing the paintings on the wall to shake. "You saw to that! You knew what my life was like with them! Figg lived just down the street my entire life! She even looked after me when the Whale and his family went on trips!"
"Harry I ass-" the painting began.
"No," Harry said, regaining control. "No, whatever your reasons were I don't care. You're dead. I'm not. I'm gong to live my life," he said shaking his head. "You enjoy your next great adventure." He turned and walked out the door.
"Harry? Harry? Come back! You need-" The calling voice of Albus Dumbledore fell silent behind him as he shut the door to the Headmaster's office with a quiet click.
By the time Harry made it to the Great Hall a large smile was on his face. Hermione was on her feet and hugging him before he made it half way to the gathered group.
"I take it things went well?" she asked.
He nodded. "From my point of view, yes." He smirked. "Though Dumbledore's portrait may explode because of his frustration."
McGonagall shook her head. "I tried to warn him that you were different and that you were quite upset with him."
He withdrew from Hermione's arms. "Well he's the one not happy now."
Steve stood next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "And you're okay leaving it like this?"
Harry smiled and nodded. "I am. I realized something while I was up there," he said, looking at the gathered group. "Yelling at his portrait, and arguing with him wasn't going to do me any good. What is done, is done. I'm alive and he has passed away. I'm free to live my life, despite what he and his painting may want. My life is my own now."
He took a deep breath and let it out again, relief filling his features. "As for Voldemort, his power is broken again, and while we will still look into his trinkets, we won't let it consume our lives."
"And if Riddle rises again?" Natasha asked.
He shrugged. "We keep training, and working on changing the wizarding world, getting them to join the 21st century. Between that and having the Avengers in our corner… well, we'll deal with it, and put him down again."
Steve smiled and nodded. "All you need to do is call, Harry. We'll help any way we can."