Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
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Harry was in awe of the Magical New York shopping district.
It was nothing like the Diagon Alley and held no you're in a different century coziness to it, but it was still magnificent and magical.
"This place is wonderful," Loki breathed out, looking around with wonder in his eyes.
"Well, don't stare like that or they'll think you're suspicious or a muggle who wandered in by an accident. Come on. I need to find a bank."
Loki's expression immediately cleared to one of boredom. "Of course. Perhaps you could just ask someone."
Harry glared, but didn't say anything else.
"Excuse me," he stopped an elderly witch that was too preoccupied with her possible grandkids to give Harry her full attention. "Could you please point me to Gringotts, ma'am?"
"Of course, dear. Just continue walking this road and turn right when you reach the bookstore. It's bright red, you can't miss it. Then just continue on and I'm sure you'll notice the bank, it's quite hard to miss," she chuckled.
"Thank you."
"Oh, not a pro- get back here Charlie, before I stick you to the ground and leave you here for your father to find! Do you think he'll be happy to-"
"Do you think your father will be happy to find out you're gone?" Loki whispered controversially in his ear.
Harry turned around and glared, something he's been doing quite a lot these days, but then thought better of it and gave Loki a charming sweet smile.
"I'm sure he wouldn't care, and if he does, I'll tell Tony you blackmailed me. I don't think he likes you all that much, but I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear of your machinations." Harry shrugged. "Just saying."
Loki's eye twitched.
"You are a devious child."
"That better be a compliment."
"And if it isn't?"
Harry grinned. "You'll have the pleasure of explaining to Tony how you lost me after getting me to this world. Hm… I don't think he'd be overly happy with you then."
"You are a menace."
"Thanks, I try."
"You know, you should treat me with more respect. I'm a god- a prince of Asgard-"
"Should've stayed in Asgard then, your majesty. Still not quite sure why you stayed here when you could've went home with Thor."
Loki sighed, exasperated. He was having fun bantering with Harry, but sometimes the brat got onto his nerves because he was just too inquisitive.
"He volunteered me to watch over you."
"You could've said no. I don't need a babysitter. I've been fine on my own until now. "
"Your medical scan says otherwise."
Harry turned sharply and sent Loki a withering glare. "Stop invading my privacy. I could've been beaten to death every night and even then it would've been none of your bloody business."
"Such fierceness in one so young… it's admirable, really. You'd think you never-"
"Oh my god, do you ever shut up?!" Harry shouted, receiving quite a few weirded out looks that he ignored. "No wonder your brother pawned you off so easily. He was probably sick of your never ending chatter! Now be quiet or fuck off!!" Harry shouted and started walking off. "Merlin, I can't believe I wanted to meet you and now I'm stuck with a Norse God who's more annoying than Hermione on her worst day! Unbe-fucking-lievable-"
Loki was too stunned to speak, being told to fuck off by a teenager he was essentially babysitting.
The disrespect alone-
He couldn't believe he was fooled by the boy's manners when they met. The boy even bowed, showed proper etiquette, and then turned around and started cursing everyone around him with absolutely no regard to anything. He should've seen the monster that was hiding behind that innocent visage.
And the boy was walking away from him- and as much as he wanted to, Loki wasn't about to lose the child. Stark would skin him alive and that's not to say what his own brother would do to him once he found out, and he would find out.
Heimdal alone was a bloody snitch.
And Thor wouldn't take kindly to him leaving Harry vulnerable and alone, considering what they knew of him and his history.
By the Allfather, he should've just stayed in Asgard. Not even this hidden magical world was worth living through teenage tantrums.
Harry was absolutely delighted to be speaking with goblins.
Because goblins were wonderful and didn't stick their ugly long noses into wizards' business. Unless it involved money, of course.
But they didn't care if you were an escaped convict, someone who faked their death or a runaway teenager as long as you a) didn't steal from them and b) continued doing business with them.
They would never snitch to the Ministry about anything, and if someone did, Harry was pretty sure they'd be beheaded, or something just as horrible. They didn't like the Ministry personnel since they believed themselves to be above goblins and acted as if they could order them around.
Which was stupid and just asking for trouble.
So when Harry waltzed into their building and proclaimed who he was, they didn't even blink, took him into private rooms and giving Harry more than he came here for.
They gave him a card that worked in the muggle world (Harry didn't ask how) connected to one of his vaults, just like his ring seemed to be. That was for a hefty fee, of course, but it was easier than carrying cash around.
He took out some galleons as well, worried that shop patrons would start to gossip of someone paid in their store with the Potter heir ring, especially as the news of his disappearance already seemed to have reached America.
But…
"My magical guardian," Harry frowned. "Will he be notified if I'm spending money here? Wait, can I get emancipated?"
"A wizard can get emancipated if he meets the criteria by the age of fourteen. Considering you partook in the Tri-Wizarding Tournament where only wizards and witches of age could participate in, you could argue that it makes you eligible for emancipation, since you were treated as an adult. However, you must file necessary papers."
Harry groaned.
More paperwork.
And his 'guardian'-
"Is there a way to change my magical guardian until then?"
Because he didn't want Dumbledore finding him. In fact, what business did Dumbledore have being his magical guardian? They weren't bloody related - ew - and he wasn't appointed by his parents. He just… appointed himself one.
"Especially since my current magical guardian neglected all his duties as a guardian and I didn't even know he was one until last year?"
The goblin growled.
"There is," he spat. Goblins, apparently, weren't too fond of neglect either. They'd double cross you for gold on any day, but someone neglecting their duties? Instant bloodthirsty urges.
Harry could respect that.
"If the new magical guardian has higher claim on you and Magic herself agrees, the usual proceedings aren't necessary," the goblins shot a nasty grin at him, "since I'm sure you'd like to stay undetected." Harry blushed. "Who is that person that would claim your most likely temporary guardianship?"
Harry's eyes twinkled with mischief when he asked the goblins to bring in Loki, who, hopefully, was still staying put and not waging war on goblins.
"Oh, before he gets here, does my family have any estate in the States?" Harry asked, thinking back on how Malfoy boasted about their no longer so secret lake house somewhere in the mountains of Colorado.
The goblins grunted, probably annoyed at all the back and forth they were having to do between the British branch of Gringotts and this one.
"Yes. There are a few." He dropped a piece of parchment in front of Harry.
○The Potter family Townhouse 'Hillcrest', New York
○ The Black family Cottage 'Blackwood', Oregon
○ The Black family Villa 'Driftwood', Colorado
Oh, right. Sirius named Harry his heir, which- no pressure, right?
It did put Harry a little at ease that he has somewhere to run off to in case things with Tony went awry. But the properties haven't been visited by anyone in decades, supposedly. They're probably in need of some major repairs or at least a very thorough deep clean.
"Is there a way for me to send a message to a person in Britain undetected? Perhaps through you? For a fee, of course."
The goblin grinned, bearing his teeth.
"A PO box could be set and all mail sent and checked for anything nefarious in Gringotts."
"Great, I want it. How much?"
"Annual fee of 75 galleons."
Harry scoffed. "Ridiculous. 40 galleons."
"70 galleons."
"45." Harry grinned, knowing that the goblin enjoyed that he was attempting to bargain. They loved that shit, except most wizards were either too afraid to, or didn't think that was even an option. It's not like goblins looked welcoming.
"60 galleons and it's my final offer."
"Make it 55 and you got yourself a deal," Harry said firmly, staring the creature down.
There was a long pause before the goblins laughed - a disturbing and guttural sound - and nodded.
"You drive a hard bargain, heir Potter. 58 galleons and it's done." Harry rolled his eyes, but nodded. It was certainly better than the original price. "I believe you'll go far."
Harry grinned. He hoped so.
All of a sudden, the door opened and a very surprised Loki came in, clearly annoyed at being treated like shit by the goblins.
Harry hoped the god wouldn't try to retaliate. He didn't fancy being in the center when the goblins waged war against wizards again.
"Want to be my magical guardian before I'm emancipated?" Harry asked before the asgardian could even sit down, grinning at the deer-in-the-headlights look Loki acquired. "I don't want Dumbledore to find me."
"That man is your magical guardian?" Loki asked, and Harry nodded in confirmation. "That's downright criminal. He neglected you and his duties. If he were in Asgard, he'd be killed."
Silence reigned.
Harry never knew goblins to be silent and he turned to see the creature staring at Loki with wide eyes.
"Oh, how rude of me," the man said. "I'm Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard."
Goblin blinked.
"I think you broke him," Harry said, nudging Loki. "Shame. I liked him."
That seemed to snap the goblin out of whatever funk he was in, and he bowed his head.
"Greetings Odinson, the goblin nation is honoured to meet you."
Harry no longer liked him.
Fucking bastard, giving Loki all the awe and none of the attitude. Double standards all around.
Loki smiled like a cat that caught a canary, shooting Harry a smug, self-satisfied look.
"Likewise. Now, how do we proceed on making me the magical guardian of Harry here?"
Harry was glad to be virtually free, but it came with a cost of Loki gloating and smirking smugly at him, making it harder and harder to stomp down his violent urges and just smack that infuriating grin off of Loki's face.
"We'll see if you'll still be so smug once Tony learns of this," Harry smiled sweetly. "I mean, it doesn't look like he likes you all that much and now you're basically sharing guardianship. Do you think there'll be a fight till death to see which one of you comes out on top? To be my supreme guardian?"
Loki’s eyes widened momentarily before he got himself together.
“There isn’t even a question: I’d win and you’d weep, then seek revenge on me for killing your only living parent.” Loki paused, grimacing. “Or maybe not. I mean, it’s Stark.”
Harry elbowed Loki, feeling at least a little bit of satisfaction at the painted groan.
“Is this any way to treat your new and shiny magical guardian?”
“Don’t know.” Harry shrugged, smiling impsighly. “Never had one.” And wasn’t that depressing. “Well, come on. I need to buy some clothes and- well, some other stuff. Like books. Let’s go, I can’t go missing all day.”
Harry offered Loki a brilliant smile and skipped down the street, for once feeling like he was truly, terrifically free.
However, Harry didn’t expect to be grabbed and yanked to the nearest building and being shouted at while walking back to the Stark Tower.
“Where did you get these clothes! Answer me!” shouted an angry voice, and Harry froze for a brief, terrifying moment before the voice registered in his head.
Tony. It was Tony.
With a baseball hat and a hood over his head, as well as sunglasses, but it was unmistakably him.
“Um… you left them in my room?”
The grip on him wavered.
“Your- I left them for my son. Who are you?! Where’s Harry?”
“I am Harry!” The boy pushed at Tony, but the man was built like a brick wall and didn’t move an inch. “Oh, for fucks sake, I’m wearing a fucking glamour! Loki, tell him!”
The still blond man next to Harry shrugged, checking out his nails nonchalantly. “You said you can take care of yourself.”
Harry was furious.
“Loki?”Tony instantly looked warily at the stranger, as if sizing him up. “Are you under disguise?”
“Obviously," Loki drawled. "But please, do continue.”
At that moment Harry’s had enough and kicked Tony near the shins, making the man groan and stumble.
He wasn't above playing dirty.
“First of all, it’s weird you think it’s me just because of some clothes; probably hundreds of people have the same outfit as me and I'm not stupid enough to be out looking like myself, walking around New York, and especially the Magical World when everyone is aware of my disappearance. I’m not an idiot, Tony.”
The man looked startled and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“...right. So, uh…”
“How did you know where I was going to be?” Harry asked again in a deceptively sweet voice, hoping that Tony didn’t find out where the entrance to the Magical Alley was.
“I put a tracker on you, although it stopped working when you entered the diner. I've been waiting here for hours."
Harry didn't know whether to feel warm that someone cared enough to do that for him or be mad that someone dared to do that to him.
"You put a tracker on me?" He asked in an accusatory tone, unsure if he should feel betrayed.
"Duh. You're my kid who has magic and has the ability to teleport. I'm not an idiot."
For the sake of Merlin-
"And you did disappear. Without telling me where you're going, and you've been gone for hours." Tony glared furiously at Loki. "You kidnapped my son."
Loki raised his hands in surrender, clearly startled that Stark's attention was now on him. "I did not. He agreed to go on this journey on his own free will."
"You're a filthy traitor, Loki. You woke me up and wanted to go see the Magical World. The plan was all yours, thus, your fault." Harry wanted to look down at Loki as he said that, but Merlin, Loki was fucking tall. So unfair. "And-" Harry turned to Tony. "I'm sorry I took so long, I thought I'll be back in an hour or two."
"That's not the point!" Tony shouted, brushing off the pedestrians who turned to glare at a man shouting at a kid. "You're supposed to ask for permission before going anywhere."
Harry frowned. "Why?"
Tony faltered. "I… don't know. Nevermind, scratch that, you're supposed to tell me where you're going so I know where you are, if you're safe and that you're not going to be fucking kidnapped." Harry’s eyes widened with shock, and Tony's softened. "Come on, kid, let's get you back and we can talk this out. You're probably hungry too."
Tony led Harry to his car, which looked bloody expensive, in Harry’s humble non-existing opinion, and it was a two seater.
"Sorry Reindeer Games, it looks like you're going to have to walk back," Tony shrugged unapologetically when Loki stood in front of the car, frowning at the seats. "That's what you get for essentially kidnapping a minor."
Tony quickly jumped into his own seat, shutting the door in the god's face with a wink, and took off.