She's Unique
Chapter Two: She’s Unique
Summary: With more and more magical children being born with soul mate marks or witches and wizards getting marks later and not able to find their mates many begin wondering if their mates are in the non-magical world. De-age Rumlow to 36 and up aged Luna to 28.
AN: Challenge: Characters aged up or down as appropriate, Full names on soul mate mark used. No Hydra or Avengers as there would be enough going on in the story without including those elements as well.
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Everyone in the wizarding world was gathered around their radios, those who didn’t have one were with those who did. For the last three days the papers and wizarding wireless network in every country had been announcing there would be an interview today with the Supreme Mugwump and that what he would have to say would forever change the wizarding world and their way of life.
For three days the wizarding world has been busying wondering what could affect them so profoundly and bookies were working over time taking bets on what this world changing speech was about. The most popular bet, started by the Weasley Twins was that the news concerned aliens; they were partly right in that at some point the wizarding world would be finding out there are aliens out there.
After the I.C.W speech many witches and wizards the world over sat in stunned silence and the occasional fearful glance was passed around.
In a revolutionary move the I.C.W had decided to unveil the magical world to the muggles, worldwide. Yes, Sir 2003 was certainly going to be a year to remember.
The speech continued to be replayed and reprinted for days afterwards including pieces written on the implications good and bad. After secretly consulting with all the non-magical governments over the last decade the I.C.W had managed to get agreements signed that the magical world was its own entity with its own government, while no muggle government could command a magical community the I.C.W did sign mutual aid agreements with all of them.
The Confederation seeing how corrupt and ineffective many of the ministries had become used its power to abolish ministerial power, explaining that I.C.W teams would now be stationed in every country and the wizarding world would be operating as one large world, anyone wanting a job with the new global government could apply to be tested but that jobs were given on merit only, it no longer mattered who you were related to or who you knew. The Supreme Mugwump went on to explain that for the last century there had been a larger number of dark lords and dark wizards due to the governments being breeding grounds for them to rise.
The British wizards and witches listening in could only nod in agreement, after all it had only been a few years since Harry Potter and the Light Army had ended the Second Blood War finally ending the Death Eaters and Voldemorts rein of terror.
But the announcement continued on, this not being the only reason for the broadcast. “The widespread corruption is not the only reason I am addressing our world today” the Mugwump continues. “For the last thirty years and more there have been increasing numbers of magicals born with soul mate marks or getting marks after birth but not a single one has found their mate. After carefully studying this problem a panel of mugwumps has concluded that non-magical soul mates are being born to magic users and vise versa.”
“As such” the Supreme Mugwump continues “the number of soul mates is too widespread to maintain our secrecy any longer”.
The wizards and witches listened with rapt attention not having realized there were that many magicals with soul mate marks, after all it was suppose to be rare, wasn’t it?
While most magicals were puzzling over these new development one small blond witch was neither shocked nor silent. 28 year old Luna Lovegood was thrilled, maybe now could find her warrior.
Luna was unique even for the wizarding world. She saw animals no one else could see and she knew things no one else knew until the events happened. Still no one would call Luna a seer, mostly because she has never called her-self that.
However, Luna had been dropping hints for several years now that this was coming, though like Cassandra no one listened.
Luna at random times throughout her childhood had made weird comments about “her warrior”. She would occasionally mention “the warrior in black”, or how “the warrior had been shot” and just what being shot meant only the muggle raised seemed to understand. Sometimes she mentioned the “warrior had been stabbed” which everyone understood since even in the wizarding world people got stabbed.
When scoffed at and asked what this so called “warrior” looked like Luna could only shrug/ She knew he was “pleasingly tall”, “wonderfully built” and “he had dark hair and wore black a lot” but she never saw his face or even a location, and soon like everything else Loony Lovegood talked about most of the others started ignoring her too.
Only Harry Potter really had the patience for the tiny blond whom he viewed as his little sister. He never scoffed or ridiculed, nor did he call her nasty names. Harry always just sat with a gentle smile for the unique little sister he loved.
Harry knew his little moon longed to find her mate but wondered if her mate was reading for her, she didn’t really seem like “dark warrior” mate material after all no matter how much Harry him-self accepted her.
While soul mate marks were supposed to guide you to your other half, there was no instant connection, no love at first sight like in the books. Just like any relationship you had to meet and build the relationship and let feelings grown from there.
Harry was very concerned that a “dark warrior” could not appreciate the gentle, free spirit that was Luna Lovegood, though Luna herself did not seem to share his concern as she happily danced around the room.
TIME SKIP (6 MONTHS)
Six months had passed since the Supreme Mugwump had shocked the wizarding world with his announcements, while there was your typical teeth gashing and predictions of doom and gloom most of the wizarding world felt anticipation as the day drew near and a great curiosity grew for learning about muggle items that they would now have access too.
While the wizarding world was getting ready for the great unveiling as it was being called the rest of the world was preparing too, at least the governments were, the worlds citizens still had no idea what was coming as press conferences were being scheduled and press releases drawn up
The governments of the world had prepared their representatives and top people in advance and though there was some concern, mostly from the General’s of various governments and one agency in particular named S.H.I.E.L.D. After all it was their job to monitor and if necessary deal with those with special abilities, so if several million of them are going to be making an appearance what was that going to do to their work loads many agents wondered.
One agent and his team particularly were not concerned about their work loads having something more important on all their minds. The S.T.R.I.K.E. team and their Commander were in their private gym musing on the reason for the magical world’s unveiling. For most of them this didn’t mean much however for one of the large men, currently pacing it could mean everything and all of them were hopeful on his behalf.
All of the men of S.T.R.I.K.E. were large and dangerous however two of them stood out among the rest these were their commander Brock Rumlow and his second Jack Rollins.
Their commander in particular at this moment was the one that held everyone’s attention right now, usually a calm and highly disciplined individual Rumlow was currently pacing up and down the gym in agitation and even the bravest among them didn’t want to set him off. To not appear challenging to the large male in anyway the rest sprawled around quietly murmuring to each other letting their brother pace uninterrupted.
The man in question had a good reason to pace, he had wanted to find his young soul mate for some time now, she turned 18 a decade ago and in the 36 year old soldier’s mind he had been patient long enough.
Rumlow had started the search right away of course, as soon as her 18th birthday came but amazingly came up short. With his contacts and S.H.I.E.L.D’S database that should not have been possible, yet Luna Lovegood was not to be found, perhaps now he knows why.
The other command’s in the room are nervous to be in the same room with him right now he knows, after all who wants to be in a cage with an agitated tiger you can’t control, and that’s what he is right now, an apex predator in its prime who is ready to mate, his brothers are smart to leave him be.
All of the men, like their commander wondered if his soul mate was a magical and if this will be the day they find out as there is less than six hours to go before the hidden worlds unveiling at eleven.
All of S.T.R.I.K.E were hopeful, they are brothers in everyway including blood, as they have shed their blood together for years and all I n the room were feeling the strain of the slow passage of time.
While S.T.R.I.K.E. were musing on how this day could change everything for one of them the governments around the world were making sure their teams all over the world were in place, these teams included computer specialists from S.H.I.E.L.D. who will begin a registration of those with soul mate marks shortly after the unveiling. Those that register will give their name, their marks name and contact information leaving those with marks who knew about the registration hopeful that as soon as this evening they could have their mates contacts, however with so many mates across the globe some were settling their nerves on a several day wait. Like many mates around the globe who knew what was coming all of S.T.R.I.K.E. were hopeful it would only be a few more hours or a couple of days at the most till the Alpha had his Luna.
One of the key points of the registration was that all those with marks will have instant access to search for the name of their mate and could start looking as soon as the names started going in. As the wizarding world isn’t advanced at all, S.H.I.E.L.D was deploying all scientists, computer specialists and techs around the world to help get the magicals registered.
TIME SKIP (4 DAYS)
Thankfully the registration went mostly, quickly, though having to explain what they were doing to the magicals gave more than one computer tech a heading and would make Director Fury scratch his head in a month wondering why all his dispensaries were short on aspirin. Never mind the headaches though as anxiety levels around the globe rose, with many hopeful of finding their mate.
For the governments of the world in general and for S.H.I.E.L.D. in particular the results of the registration were staggering, they had expected a could hundred thousand mates around the world at most, after all the soul mates marks were suppose to be rare right; however on the first day alone nearly a million people registered world wide, within the next three days that rose to nearly five million between the magicals and non-magicals alike with roughly twenty percent of the magical world to even the magical worlds surprise having marks. Apparently marks are not widely discussed outside of families so even they did not know how high the numbers were. The registry however was not complete and never would be as there were people in both worlds that for whatever reason would never look for their mates.
You would think a man like Brock Rumlow would be one of these and in most cases where some kind of registration was concerned you would be correct, however he had registered before they even set out to start the process around the world, one of the first to get on the list, now it was a waiting game and he was not feeling patient with this particular game.
Four days passed and Luna Lovegood was a no show in the system and hour by hour S.T.R.I.K.E. watched their commander and brother’s shoulders sink a little more.
They were thinking of heading to lunch when a stately white owl of all things flew into the room. They team knew as did all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that this was the wizarding world’s version of the postal service but how did it even get in, no doors were open and the windows were sealed. The snowy owl gracefully landed on the back of a chair and they could see the letter she was carrying, but as Rollins stepped forward to relieve the pretty owl of it she hooted balefully at him and with a glare hopped to the side to avoid him. At that moment two things happened, one the owl stuck its leg out at Rumlow and two the Director and his second Commander Maria Hill walked in causing the men to snap to attention.
“Well go ahead Commander” the Director says, “the letter is for you, so the owl will attack anyone else who tries to take it” so with a nod Rumlow carefully reaches for the letter hoping he isn’t about to loose a finger, however the owl just sits there wondering if this human is slow in the head,
“Umm…thank you” Rumlow says hesitantly as he takes the letter, not sure if you are suppose to take the owl like you would the postman.
“Here” Hill says as she hands him a mouse. “We were told to give any owls that came one of these in payment, this wizards gave us a large supply” Hill informs him with distaste.
Rumlow accepts the mouse and hands it to the owl that proceeds to gut it in front of them happily having her reward. Despite being the strong woman that she is Hill looks like she can’t watch this and promptly leaves with Fury following not long after.
Rumlow watches the beautiful owl for another moment before Rollins clears his throat, nodding at the letter, “you gonna just keep holding that” Rollins asks.
As Rollins mentions the letter Rumlow eagerly opens it as the owl leaves. As Rumlow is reading his team gets more concerned as Rumlow starts looking more and more confused, they hoped the letter wasn’t a rejection letter.
After a few minutes Brock looks at his brothers, “Well she sent and invite, when I use the password the letter will take me to her, she said I could bring my family if I wanted, they just have to be holding onto the letter too”. The team members nod, all planning to go with him and have his back for at least this first meeting. As S.T.R.I.K.E. starts thinking about the coming trip Rumlow suddenly asks “What’s a narggle”?
“A…narggle…?” Rollins asks. “where did that question come from” Rollins continues as he gives his commander a strange look.
“In her letter, Luna says she hopes she can help me with the narggles that plague me” Rumlow replies.
The whole team stops what they are doing and look at him and each other confused about this, before the unveiling they had received a through briefing on the magical world including its animals and no one had mentioned a narggle so they all shrugged at him unable to help.
“Here” Rumlow says as he hands the letter to Rollins, indicating he can share it with the rest. Rollins reads through the letter before it starts getting passed around as Rollins asks “Whats a dirigibleplum? She says there her favorites; maybe you should take her some…?”
“I don’t know what any of these animals are” another member mentions, “none of these were in our packets”.
“Guess we will find out when we go meet Luna” Rumlow replies, “She says not to use the Portkey before 11pm, is that our time or her time?” Rumlow muses with a shrug deciding to go with his time.
Rumlow turns to the door after retrieving his letter “anyone who’s going be back here by 10:45” he says on his way out.
TIME SKIP (10:45)
All of ST.R.I.K.E. were gathered in their meeting room putting two fingers out to hold on to the letter now sure how this is going to work, as Rumlow says the keyword “Portus”, the world starts spinning around them and almost as soon as it started they stopped spinning and landed with all of the normally stoic commando’s were bent over trying not to toss their cookies.
After they gather themselves and look around they are surprised to see what looks like a giant rook piece alone in a field, with a tree with what looks like floating plums near the door. After their eyes adjust to the dark they notice a flickering light coming around the structure and cautiously split up, half the men going to the left with Rollins and the others to the right with Rumlow.
When they get around the building they see a tiny slip of a blonde in a large circle of candles and strange glowing stones they hope aren’t radioactive and just as they are about to step forward and announce their selves she slips off her robe and starts dancing, either unaware or unconcerned with a group of unknown males seeing her naked.
“umm…she’s, she’s certainly healthy” Rollins manages to choke out, not knowing what else to say as the rest of the men nod around him as the clueless blonde continues to dance.
“I hope that’s Luna” Brock breaths out almost unconsciously not noticing the other men at that moment.
“She is Luna” an amused voice says suddenly from the side. All of the commando’s heads snapped around surprised someone got the drop on them, but then Luna is a very nice distraction. When they look to the side they find an amused man with startling green eyes grinning at them, on his shoulder is a snowy owl they had met several hours before.
“And you are?” Rumlow bites out, neither liking that someone was able to sneak up on him or that the unknown male was looking at his naked little mate. Something dark and possessive wells up in Brock as he looks at the younger male.
“Harry Potter” Harry replies “Luna’s brother, don’t let the dancing bother you, everyone always has the devil of a time keeping her clothes on” he informs them.
“Is this a wizard thing?” one of the men asks.
“No, it’s just a Luna thing” Harry responds, “she says it keeps the thistletwips away”.
“What is a thistletwip?” Rumlow asks, eyes going back to his still naked mate
“Who knows, Luna sees animals that are only partly in this dimension, few can see them and fewer still can interact with them” Harry replies.
“If she was planning on being naked why did she tell us to be here at this time” one of the men asks.
“there are two likely answers for that and it could even be both” Harry starts, “one she doesn’t care that she’s naked, and two she doesn’t actually know time zones and probably didn’t think that you have one of those, magic users don’t really pay attention to such things” Harry informs them.
“But, she’s naked, dancing, outside” another got out having been silent for the longest time.
“Luna is…Unique” Harry says.
Looking at the still dancing and still naked blonde they really couldn’t argue with that statement.