Chapter 7
It was chaos. Screams sounded from every direction. Dust and debris flew everywhere. Tremors and blasts of power seemed to blend into the scene with familiarity. It gave Harry a sense of nostalgia, the chaos did. Harry slowly descended into his battle mind set, the setting reminding him all too well of the Hogwarts Battle. Harry flashed curses and hexes in all directions. He sent shields to cover the innocents. The enemy was everywhere. There were too many people to protect and yet he still had to save every single one he could. Harry's hands were casting faster than ever before to protect the people he could. Harry destroyed every enemy he came across. It didn't matter if they were in the sky, in front of him, behind him, to his right, to his left, Harry destroyed them all. Harry understood that he shouldn't be seeing flashes of Hogwarts students and halls. He understood that he shouldn't be seeing Deatheaters. But he didn't care. He fought with more concentration and strength than he ever had before because if he was in that battle then he needed to save his friends.
Harry felt the biggest tremor he had all battle and looked up. Thor and Loki fought on top of Stark Tower. Loki looked down at him and Harry could almost taste the hate in his gaze. A stare so familiar, Harry collapsed to his knees and suddenly it wasn't just little flashes or memories, he was there. His friends and family fighting for their lives. Harry climbed what he thought was the astronomy tower. Voldemort soon stood in front of him, arguing with …nothing. Harry looked closer at the monster. This isn't right. The monster wasn't usually that short was he? Flashes of a pale man with long black hair and green robes danced across his mind. Harry shook his head, but the flashes wouldn't go away. This isn't right. Who is he arguing with? When did Voldemort have a brother? This. Isn't. Right. The flashes got brighter and brighter until … why are Loki's eyes blue?
.
.
.
Suddenly the present smashed into Harry with enough force to bring him to his knees. He's not at Hogwarts! Harry gasped for breath, bringing attention to himself. Loki and Thor turned sharply towards him. Loki's cruel smile etched onto his face.
"Why hello there little wizard."
Harry lunged at the god and tackled him to the ground and bound him with his magic.
"Young wizard, what are you doing?!" Thor's panicked question fell on deaf ears.
Harry absentmindedly put up a muffling shield around him and the struggling god. Harry - still sitting on the god's stomach - put his index and middle fingers on Loki's temples. An infuriated roar sounded as Harry entered Loki's head.
Memories and emotions - not his own - flooded Harry's thoughts and he got to work.
—-------------------------------------------------
Tony's POV
The kid obliterated half of the army. He just did it. He didn't even break a sweat. Shock and awe radiated through Tony and the other Avengers. The kid had gotten to Loki a little while ago.
Tony's heart raced almost as fast as his suit. The missile could not hit New York. He wouldn't allow it, even if it took his own life Tony would never allow that many innocents to die. He could not allow his teammates to die like this. Tony carried the missile into the portal. A strange sort of numbness came over him. He was prepared to die. He launched the missile into the portal, going along with it. Jarvis screamed at him. He was prepared to die for New York.
He started to fall back down to Earth. He hadn't expected this and his thoughts suddenly exploded. Memories of Pepper, Peter, Happy, Jarvis flashed across his mind. Friday movie nights, family meals, late night experiments in the lab, world shattering breakthroughs, Sunday dates, spoiling Pepper and Peter, arguments, groundings, tears, hugs, kisses. Tony wanted all of it. He wanted to make more memories with his little dysfunctional family. He wanted to be a better father figure to Peter. He wanted to live.
With that thought he fell into unconsciousness and back to Earth.
—-------------------------------------------------
Harry POV
Loki's mind had been a right mess. Harry worked as quickly as he could. The shock from the flashbacks still in his system. The mistreatment and sadness that often mirrored his own was a constant in Loki's childhood. Harry repaired memories and emotions as he worked through the muck of the Tesseract's control.
When he finally fixed Loki's mind and resurfaced to the real world he gasped at the bright lights that suddenly came into view. Thor was pounding on the shield Harry vaguely remembered putting up. Loki groaned from beneath him. Harry turned his attention to the god, quickly scrambling up to kneel at Loki's side rather than being on his stomach (no Harry definitely did not blush). Harry cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Loki?" Harry asked gently, knowing that the god had a horrible headache from the process.
"I'm here," a raspy voice whispered up to him. The god's eyes still hadn't opened and Harry was worried he missed something.
Harry put up a Shield to block out most of the sun and summoned a glass of water. The god's eyes slowly opened and Harry let out a sigh of relief when he was met with a dark forest green. Harry undid the bindings on Loki and handed him the glass of water. Loki gulped down the water greedily. Harry hadn't been able to notice how attractive the man was until now. His long, silky black hair complimented his pale skin. Those beautiful green eyes, the same and yet so very different from his own. Harry was now 100 percent sure if there was any more light in their little bubble Loki would be able to see Harry's bright red face.
"Thank you," Loki's tired voice sounded.
"Oh-um you seemed thirsty so it was-" Harry stumbled over his words and blushed even more. Harry mentally cursed himself. Where was the famed Potter confidence when he needed it.
Loki chuckled. Harry shut up and marveled at the sound.
"I was thanking you for breaking me free. But I was quite thirsty," Loki said, amused. Just when Harry thought he couldn't get any redder. Harry looks away in shame.
"R-right I knew that!" Harry exclaims.
Loki chuckles again. A beat of silence before Loki grabs Harry's chin and gently shifts his head to look at Loki - who had shifted to a sitting position rather than laying on the ground - and looks Harry in the eyes.
"I mean it. Thank you, little mage," Loki says sincerely.
"O-of course! I couldn't not help you could I?" Harry says, his chin still in Loki's hand.
Loki stared into Harry's eyes looking for something - Harry didn't know what - he seemed to find. He broke their eye contact, much to Harry's disappointment.
"Yes, you could've left me there to my own demise, instead of helping me. But you didn't," Loki said quietly.
Harry stared at the man. Loki cleared his throat.
"We should probably get out of here before my brother freaks out even more."
"Right, yeah."
Harry disbands the multiple layers of shields and pulls Loki up with him. They both stumble a little into each other when the sun blinds them. Harry blushes again. Thor throws himself at Loki and pulls him into a bone crushing hug. Harry winces in sympathy.
"LOKI! BROTHER YOU'RE BACK!" Thor yells in his excitement. Both Loki and Harry flinch. Thor doesn't notice. Harry notices Loki flinching. He doesn't however notice Loki looking at him in worry.
"Yes, yes, I'm back now can we please go home," Loki asked. He seemed quite eager to leave Earth. Understandable considering what has happened.
"Of course dear brother!" Thor said excitedly. "But first let's have dinner with our teammates!"
"Your teammates not mine," Loki grumbled as Thor picked Loki up.
"Wait a second! Thor no! We are not flying!" Loki said, his voice cracking. Thor laughed.
"We have to go to the avengers brother! This is the fastest way down!"
"Down!?" Loki squealed before Thor launched them into the sky and swooped down into a nosedive. Loki's screams and curses rang in Harry's ears.
Harry sighed and accioed his firebolt and launched himself into an equally gut wrenching nosedive. Harry ,however, didn't pull up and land at a safe distance from the ground, instead when the tip of the broom almost hit the ground he straightened his broom, pulled sharply to the left and jumped off his broom. He landed right in front of the large huddle of people. A couple people looked at him like he had a death wish - which he does - but most of them looked at whatever was on the ground. Harry pushed forward to see Tony in the Ironman suit unconscious. Everyone sat in silence for a moment before the Hulk's loud roar woke Tony up with a strangled gasp.
"Please tell me nobody kissed me!"
Everyone smiled fondly down at the man and shook their heads.
"Alright, good. You guys ever have shawarma? I know a great place about two blocks over."
Everyone laughed except for Loki who was sulking behind Thor. Tony got up and turned to Harry.
"Can I have my kid back?"
"Oh so you're his dad?" Clint asked and wagged his eyebrows.
"No, no, no, no I'm not it was a slip. I'm definitely not the kid's dad," Tony denied, shaking his head so hard Harry thought he was going to break his neck.
But he did remind Harry about the kids he sent to Grimmauld.
"Kreacher!' Harry called out. The rest looked at him as if he was crazy.
Kreacher appeared next to Harry with a loud crack.
"Yes yucky master?" Kreacher grumbled.
"Can you Apparate Peter and Teddy with antisplinch bracelets on?"
Kreacher grumbled an answer and popped away, returning moments later with a crying Teddy, a panicking Peter - who is holding Teddy -, and a furious Hedwig who was pecking angrily at Kreacher. Kreacher screamed something about stupid, mudblood, traitor masters and popped away. Harry rushed forward to grab his godson out of Peter's arms. He pulled Teddy against his chest and sang Teddy's favorite lullaby while swaying around to soothe the baby. Loki stared at Harry with a slight blush coating his cheeks. Tony checked over Peter, making sure he wasn't injured. Hedwig swooped onto Harry's shoulder and sang the lullaby with Harry. Once everything calmed down and Harry apologized for Kreacher, they left for the shawarma place.
Loki and Harry talked to each other the whole time, preferring to sit in the little corner they claimed as their own instead of the loud tables with the avengers. They talked about anything and everything, learning about each other's experiences and knowledge. They were enthralled with each other by the end of the night, deep blushes coated their skin and their eye contact never broke. Harry was happy talking with the man for hours on end but all good things must come to an end. The night ended when Thor and Loki left for their home.
Harry bone tired. All of his being ached. Instead of finding Fury - with a spell of course, the man was way too good for Harry to actually find him - to figure out where he will be staying, he Apparated back to the marble mansion just out of New York. After making sure Teddy was alright and fed, Harry promptly passed out. He didn't even make it to his bed, he collapsed against a wall in Teddy's room. Harry's dreams were filled with green eyes and dark hair.