Chapter 8
AFTER DROPPING THE CHILDREN OFF at Rory's flat and forcibly locking them in with a charm, Harry and Ginny disapparate to the Woolworth Building.
As soon as they are spotted, they’re recognised and instantly ushered upstairs to the office of MACUSA's President Samuel Quahog.
He is angrily screaming at a group of witches and wizards, and Harry is fairly certain he hears something about a certain Ms Astoria Weasley.
"Ah, Mr Potter. It's an honour to meet you."
Samuel greets tightly after sending his aurors scampering off. He needs to tread lightly so as not to anger the legendary Harry Potter.
"Yes, I..."
"Oi! I'm here too, now where the bloody hell is Stark Tower and why in Merlin's name is Rory there?"
Ginny yells.
"You know where Ms Weasley is?"
Samuel asks in surprise.
"She sent a message via patronus."
Harry reveals and earns a snort of laughter from the American President.
"Definitely your niece."
Samuel chuckles to himself, remembering the stories of the great Harry Potter summoning a patronus at the tender age of thirteen.
Of course, Rory is a trained Auror but she’s in an unknown situation and she's still managed to send her patronus.
"Where is my niece?!"
Ginny growls, slamming her hands on Samuel's desk.
Samual stares at her, silent for a moment. He has to marvel at the similarities between aunt and niece. Both are quite small in stature but hold a large presence, both are able to terrify men of much larger stature.
"I'll tell you everything we know, and you can do the same."
•
•
•
AFTER CHECKING ON THE CHILDREN, Harry and Ginny continue on their way to Stark Tower. It’s a large and clearly top market building with a large 'A' at the top.
"We get Rory and get out, Okay?"
Ginny clarifies with her husband, earning a nod.
"Send your patronus if you find her and I'll do the same. No injuries, just confundus them.”
"Understood. Let's go."
•
•
•
“WHO THE HELL IS IN my Tower!"
Tony yells as alarms blare. Pulling up the security footage, there is one red headed woman and one man with a lightning scar making their way through the building with staggering speed.
"Uncle Harry!"
Rory grins, hearing Stark panic and the determined casting of her uncle.
There’s a spell cast behind her and Tony drops uselessly.
"Don't forget me Rory."
Comes the familiar voice of Rory's favourite aunt in the world.
"Aunt Ginny!"
The normal thing to do would be to hug or at least say hello, the first thing Ginny does is stare at her niece's now short hair. Just a week and a half ago it had reached her waist and now it sits just below her shoulders.
"Your hair has been cut."
Ginny says blandly.
"Yeah, Teddy suggested before I left and so I did it."
"Fair enough. Let's get you out of here."
Ginny moves right on, they’re on a schedule here.
"What about Uncle Harry?"
"Oh right. Expecto Patronum!"
Ginny calls and her patronus materialises.
"Got Rory, lets go."
She says and sends the animal off. Then she grabs her niece's hand and prepares to disapparate.
"Rory!"
Pietro calls as he runs into the room and grabs Rory a second before she and her aunt vanish from the cell.
•
•
•
UPON TOUCHING DOWN IN A park near Stark Tower, Pietro drops his grip on Rory's arm and hunches over to throw up. Ginny eyes the heaving man with a look of disgust and mistrust.
"It's alright, Aunt Ginny. Speedy’s cool."
Rory assures the older woman and leans beside Pietro, rubbing his back soothingly.
"You sure? He was with those muggles that took you."
Ginny reminds.
"He actually rescued me."
"You were being held captive!"
The older red head yells.
"Yeah, then Speedy over there saved me and his sort-of-boss wouldn't let me leave because he wanted to know about the wizarding world. Hey, do you think Uncle Harry oblviated all the muggles? They had a experimental witch with them and she was cool."
Rory rambles.
"An experimental witch?"
"Yeah. Some muggles messed around and created two superhumans. Speedy here is one, can you guess what he does?"
Rory rambles. She does that when she’s nervous. Actually, she hasn’t since she was a kid so she must be truly rattled.
"He's fast?"
Ginny guesses. It isn’t a hard guess.
"Super fast. He'd give you a run for your money as Seeker."
Rory grins, thinking about the race between the fastest man alive and the best Seeker in the UK circuit.
"I doubt it."
Ginny snorts.
"Anyway, his sister is a telekinetic/telepathic witch."
Rory moves back to the witch they'd left behind.
"Well, I don't know if he stuck to the plan but your Uncle just wanted to confundus the muggles and get you out of there. He should be here soon actually."
Ginny says and not a moment later, Harry is standing before them. He brushes his messy hair out of his face and delicately slips his wand back up his sleeve.
"Rory!"
Harry grins and pulls his niece into a tight hug. She lets out a breath as he squeezes.
"I, uh, missed you too."
Rory manages to get out through her constriction.
"Harry, let go of her before you hurt her further."
Ginny orders.
"Oh, I'm mostly recovered now. I've even got my magic back."
Rory shrugs.
"Say what now?"
"Uh... shit."
"Rory..."
Pietro groans from his spot on the ground. Rory kneels beside him again.
"Oh yes! Speedy, how're you feeling? Motion sickness died down yet?"
"A little."
He admits.
"That's good."
"Right, step away Rory. We can't have a muggle wondering around after witnessing magic."
Harry grabs his niece's arm but she pulls away.
"Uncle Harry, you just left a tower full of powerful muggles who have all witnessed magic."
She reminds.
"Uh..."
"So, no you will not be oblivirating Speedy."
Rory finishes, stepping in front of Pietro protectively.
"But he..."
"Oh shut up. Let's just sort out this mess with MACUSA so I can have a nice cup of bloody tea."
Rory rolls her eyes and grabs her Uncle, Aunt and Pietro before disapparating to MACUSA headquarters.
•
•
•
AS THEY HAD DONE UPON Harry's initial arrival, the workers in the foyer of MACUSA usher the Potter/Weasley trio and guest upstairs to the President's office.
Not unexpectedly, Samual Quahog is yelling loudly. Stepping into his office, Rory sees it’s her old pal Jacob.
"Jacob!"
Rory grins, dropping Pietro's arm and jumping onto her partner's back. He stumbles a lot at the sudden weight on his back but stays mostly up.
"W-what? Rory?"
Jacob stammers, taking in his previously missing partner. She grins back at him.
"Surprise!"
"Ms Weasley, I see you are unharmed."
Samual greets tightly.
"Yeah, a couple days rest and a few episkey's and I'm good as new."
Rory ends with a flourish, proving she’s all healed up.
"And where have you been the past week? Stark Tower, perhaps?"
"Uncle Harry asked for help before he came and got me himself?"
Rory guesses, dismissing her president's confident manner. His face deflates and he clears his throat awkwardly.
"Right. Who's this then? Your attacker?"
Jacob asks, noticing Pietro hiding behind the Potter duo.
"Speedy? Nah, he's my rescuer. He's a muggle but he can't be olivirated because he can help with tracking and taking down the terrorist group that took me. It's only right he and his people help, both muggles and magic folk are part of the group."
Rory argues for Pietro’s safety.
"And who are his people?"
Samual asks. He knows he’s going to regret knowing the answer, but it is part of his duties as president.
"They're called the Avengers."