11

Betsy had begun training Rogue and Harry. Harry playfully accused Rogue of cheating by using her ability to absorb the knowledge. All that was left was physical practice.

It also left her with brief bouts of telepathy and she often wore a headband of her own to prevent it.

These little bits of 'cheating' led to Rogue wanting to experiment on a larger scale. She had asked Jean, Hank, Harry and Piotr to join her in the infirmary.

"So, when ah touch someone ah temporarily absorb their abilities and memories." She told them. "The longer ah touch the longer they remain.

"Ah want to see what would happen if ah 'permanently' drained someone."

As she had used air quotes, Jean asked for clarification. "And the definition of 'permanently' in this case would be?"

"As much as possible without killing anyone.

"We know that everyone I've drained has recovered fully. Would they recover quicker with a Pepper Up Potion?"

"I am your 'lab rat'?" Piotr smirked.

"Yours is the safest ability to absorb. Ah really don't want to be a telepath. Plus…" She trailed off bashfully.

"Yes?" Piotr prompted.

"Ah want to remember Illiyana." Rogue blushed.

"If you can do this I would recommend asking Logan to let you drain him." Harry said thoughtfully. "Having the ability to heal like he can? It would take a load of my mind."

"Ah'm not sure ah could handle his memories." Rogue grimaced.

"We can remove those." Jean said dismissively. "How shall we begin?" She was clearly eager to learn more.

"Usually ah only hold Piotr's hand for five seconds. He feels a bit light-headed but that is all. He is better within minutes."

"Da. She could hold longer before I feel bad." Piotr confirmed. "Rogue can use my armour for many hours."

Hank picked up a tablet and began tapping away. "We will need to time how long you hold on for and how long you can maintain the armour.

"I do not recommend trying more than once a day."

"Well, lets get started." Jean beamed.

%

Once Rogue was sporting metal skin and Piotr was back up to full speed, Harry went looking for another former student.

"Bobby… are you brooding?" Harry asked as he looked up into one of the large trees on the mansion ground.

Bobby Drake was sitting on one the large boughs and… pouting. "Not today, Harry." He sighed.

Harry looked around, seeing no one was about he flew up to Bobby's eye level.

Bobby was surprised. "You can fly without your armour?"

"It's a thing." Harry grinned. "So, what's got you down?"

"Remember I had that interview? During the whole Silver Surfer event?"

"Yeah, you made it, right?"

"I got there too late." Bobby shook his head. "Punctuality is important for a fire fighter."

"Ah… sorry. I'll look into it."

"It's fine. I can always look into other fields." He said with melancholy.

"Well, I have a request. Marie is currently experimenting with how much she can absorb to make Piotr's abilities permanent. They are having Piotr use Pepper Up Potion to top him up.

"I was wondering if you could do a similar experiment?"

"Meaning… ?"

"Spend as long as you can pushing your ice powers to the max. When you can't do anymore, take a Pepper Up and see if it lets you use them again."

"Simple enough." Bobby nodded. "And the catch?"

"None as far as I know. But you might want to warn Jean you are doing it."

%

"Alright Spider-Man, show me what you do." Harry said as he stood with May in the living room of their home.

"Here? Now?" Peter asked worriedly.

"Take me on a night of your patrolling."

"Erm… normally I grab my bag and go out the window." He said with a guilty look at May.

May just rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Peter. Climbing out the window would be the least of things I would be upset about."

"It's easier to make sure no one can see me." Peter shrugged.

"Grab your gear and let's go." Harry ordered.

Unfortunately, Peter was right. Using the door was not smart.

"Hey Peter. Sir Harry." Mary-Jane greeted them brightly.

"Mary-Jane!" Harry smiled. "How are you? Is your shoulder all healed?" He asked referring to when she was held above the river by the Green Goblin.

"Right as rain!" She smiled. "Are you two going out this late?"

"Yeah, a few errands to run for May." Harry said easily.

"Well… be safe."

"Likewise." Harry nodded. He then led Peter off. "So… you like her? May says you are smitten."

"I don't want to talk about it." Peter sulked. "It would never work out. She's beautiful and I'm Spider-Man."

"Yeah, well I'm wizard who is always in trouble and my girlfriend can suck the life out of me. Never say never."

"Sh- She asked me out at Norman's funeral."

"What? That's a bit…"

"No." Peter shook his head. "Not like that. She wanted to be with me. Support me. She wasn't asking me for a date over his grave."

"Ah. I met Marie when she was on the run from a crazed man."

"Why are you comparing me and Mary-Jane to you and your girlfriend?" Peter asked as they entered an alley behind a library.

"Because there is nothing in your life that will be a bigger obstacle to happiness than you. If you like Mary-Jane and she likes you, then you should go for it. One day you might even be able to tell her about your alter-ego."

"And then she'll be in danger again if someone ever finds out my identity."

"You remember Betsy?"

Peter nodded.

"Her brother is Captain Britain. Her eyes were ripped out because Captain Britain and I foiled some bitch's plans.

"Talk to her about being related to people like us."

Peter nodded and looked around. "I usually get changed here." He pulled his t-shirt down to reveal his costume.

"Alright."

When Harry didn't move he looked uncomfortable. "Do you have to watch?"

Harry rolled his eyes and turned his back. "You are in a public alley and you are already wearing your costume. What is it you are worried I'll see? Especially as I saw most of you when I healed you with Jean and Hank."

"It just feels weird. I hate changing in the locker room at school." Peter responded as he pulled off his civilian clothes.

"I guess I can understand that. I felt the same way. But the people I changed with looked after me. And there were only three of them."

"Done." Peter's slightly muffled voice sounded.

Harry turned to see Spider-Man standing there. "Lead on, Spider-Man."

%

Harry landed next to Spider-Man, sans armour, on the top of a tall gothic style building.

"Evening, Bruce."

"Huh?"

"Oh." Harry could hear Spider-Man's blush. "That's what I call him." He indicated the stone gargoyle. "Bruce."

"Does he ever talk back?"

"It's just a stone gargoyle. I'm not going insane."

Harry stepped around Spider-Man and placed his palm on the gargoyle's head. "Got a real name?"

Spider-Man nearly fell of the roof as the head smoothly turned. "Never needed one." Came a thick Brooklyn accent. "Bruce'll do fine."

"What were you made for?" Harry asked.

"Defence of the magicals in case of a major event." The gargoyle shrugged. "No one's ever been back to check on us."

"Bloody ingrates!" Another voice sounded from the opposite end of the roof.

"Wait… you are all alive?" Spider-Man asked in horror. "You remember everything I talked about?"

The gargoyle scoffed. "Yeah, kid. You should remember you're a man and just buck up and tell the girl you love her."

Harry just laughed. "Let's table that discussion for another day." He then became serious. "I hate to tell you, but I think the magicals have forgotten they ever made you."

"What about you? You're a wizard." Bruce pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm not American."

"We've seen you around the city." Bruce said dismissively. "You're a wizard who defends the city and her people. You saw us and immediately recognised us. That's enough for us to follow you."

"Well, for now, just keep Spider-Man here company."

"Kid's one of us!" Another gargoyle called out. "Magic or not!"

"So, Spider-Man, what's next on your usual night?" Harry asked as he sat on the roof, his legs dangling over the edge.

"Just listen for sirens."

%

It was nearly an hour and five sirens later that they encountered an issue that local authority couldn't handle alone and save everyone.

A major fire had broken out in an apartment complex in Hell's Kitchen. It was clearly arson and it had been set on the ground floor.

Spider-Man immediately swung into action, sweeping a toddler out of the air as it was dropped from the top floors in a desperate attempt to save it.

Harry landed next to the senior fire fighter, a Captain Carter. "Harry Potter, here to help. What can I do?"

"Stay the hell out of our way." The man barked. "I don't need reckless teens killed doing our job."

Harry activated his armour. "My armour can withstand fire that would melt your fire trucks in seconds. Tell me how to put the fire out or tell me where the survivors are so I can get them."

"Harry, it's too hot in the middle section. The heat just pushes me out." Spider-Man reported as he landed with an elderly man.

"Middle section is mine then." Harry nodded.

He turned and marched towards the blazing inferno that was roaring out of the front doors as Spider-Man swung up the side of the building across the road. The fire was too hot for his webs to stick to the building on fire.

The Captain jumped as three individuals appeared in a puff of smoke. Two looked barely out of their teens and one looked like a blue demon.

The demon vanished in another puff of smoke.

"Hey." Iceman nodded to the Captain. "Don't worry, Pyro and I will handle this."

The Captain was gobsmacked as the two men calmly walked into the building. His men couldn't get within ten feet of the door due to the heat.

He was shocked to see one of the men turn to solid ice.

There was another puff of smoke and a man of metal appeared with the demon along with a young woman with long, dark brown hair. All of these people were dressed in thick reinforced bodysuits that sported a red 'X' in a circle on a black background.

"Let me test the fire, Rogue." The massive metal man instructed in a deep Eastern European voice.

The man calmly walked up to the front doors and stood there. He then turned and walked back. "The fire is nice and warm."

The woman reached out and grabbed the man's massive bicep. She snatched it back as it sizzled. "Better not go touching anyone, Hun." She said in a southern US accent.

"I vill vait here until you call me." The demon told them.

"Let's go, Colossus." The woman said as she suddenly started to turn to metal.

Over the course of twenty minutes, Iceman and Rogue escorted various families out of the front doors of the building by generating a cooling mist around them.

Spider-Man rescued many from the upper floors.

Pyro managed to control the fire and reduce it before extinguishing the source.

Harry eventually exited with Colossus, both covered in soot from where they had shielded those trapped.

"Ok Captain. Everyone is out that was alive when we went in." Harry told the man in charge. "Pyro there says the building was set on fire in multiple areas. Definitely arson."

"Who the hell are these people?" The Captain was staring at the young adults behind the world-famous hero.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard of Spider-Man. He was the one listening for trouble and heard about the fire. The rest are X-Gene humans who responded to his call."

"How the hell am I supposed to write this up?" The man muttered.

"Write down the facts."

"Man turns into ice and I'm supposed to write that as a 'fact'?" He demanded incredulously.

"What sounds better… a man turned to ice and helped save most of the people and the destruction of the building… or… hundreds die as fire rages, fire fighters helpless?" Harry asked pointedly.

"Look, do yourself a favour and meet me at the MetroTech Centre tomorrow at ten am." Harry said gently.

%

The next day the Captain warily entered the MetroTech Centre to see Sir Harry Potter standing with a red-headed woman who looked vaguely familiar.

"Captain Carter, this is Doctor Jean Grey, you might recognise her from-"

"The hearings on mutants. Yeah." Carter nodded with a frown. "Alerts were put out that there might be protests and riots so we were all ready."

Jean smiled and nodded to the man.

Carter was in his mid-fifties, greying light-brown hair, a full moustache, six feet tall and clearly very fit. He was in dress uniform.

Harry led them to the Headquarters of the New York Fire Department. Captain Carter was not surprised when he was led into the office of the Fire Chief, Manuel Javez. A shorter, black male in his early sixties.

The first thing Harry did was ask Carter to explain to Javez what happened the night before. Harry had media footage of the event as well.

"I assume you aren't going to do something stupid and ask for automatic entry into the department?" Javez eventually asked.

Harry pointed to the image on the television of Iceman and Pyro entering the building without a care. "Bobby, Iceman, has control over ice. His partner John, Pyro, controls fire.

"Bobby knows more about fire than John. Bobby wants to fight fires. Bobby could get top marks on a written test. John would probably set the test on fire."

Jean snorted next to him.

"I want to start discussions on recruiting and courting people like John and Bobby for a special taskforce. Not just a fire fighting team, but a general one.

"John can walk into any fire and control it. He can't necessarily extinguish it, but he can move it out of the way of your people so they can reach the source or trapped survivors."

"I see." Javez nodded. "Captain, what's your personal take on last night?"

Carter scowled. "If they hadn't turned up then the only people who would have lived would have been those foolish enough to jump and lucky enough to survive.

"We'd also still be there, right now.

"They saved lives and time. And, if what I witnessed is right, they didn't use any resources."

"Aside from their own stamina and method of transportation to the scene." Jean added.

"Yeah, well we have trucks stocked with food and water for a reason, Doctor." Carter said dismissively. "If the Drake boy wants to be a fire fighter, tell him no. Then hire him as a specialist or consultant.

"We can teach him more about fire, but our training and equipment are a hinderance to him. Send him to school and have him observe if you want, but… I saw the footage of Drake in London. That was him, right Potter?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Ice Man was the one who froze parts of the Thames River."

"He froze a massive river." Carter said with apparent annoyance. "Imagine how easy it would be for the kid to freeze an entire building. Couldn't do it with the civies inside, but… afterwards?"

"And that is the caveat." Harry interjected. "People like Iceman and Pyro need to be on call for events like the one in London.

"World ending type events."

"I assume you are not talking about nuclear war or asteroids?" Javez raised an eyebrow.

"I'm talking about things like the incidents in Harlem, London, New Mexico. Plus the numerous things you aren't cleared to know and I could get in trouble for just for inferring they exist."

"Special treatment?" Javez frowned.

Carter scoffed. "How is choosing the option to avoid running into a burning building but get killed fighting that Abomination considered 'special treatment'?"

Javez stood and turned to stare out his window. He stood silently for nearly a minute.

"Captain Carter, would you be willing to work with Bobby Drake and John Allerdyce?" He eventually asked, still looking out the window.

"If it means keeping my men alive… yes."

"Sir Harry, send the men to me. I'll arrange an appointment." Javez decided.

%

Harry and Jean arrived back at the mansion around six-ish to find Bobby and John dressed up and about to head out.

"Hot date, Bobby?" Harry smirked.

"The hottest." John said smugly.

"I will encase your hands in ice." Bobby glared at John.

"Well, keep your calendar free for the foreseeable future. Jean and I just got you an interview with the Chief of the New York Fire department. They are investigating creating a team comprised of specialists to attend various emergencies."

"Huh?" Bobby asked in shock.

"Well, after last night's adventure, how could they not be interested in the guy who can control fire?"

John puffed up proudly.

"And the guy who controls him."

John deflated. "I'm just a big joke to you, Harry, aren't I?"

"Nah… sometimes you're a little joke." Harry grinned as he patted him on the back and walked off. "Have a good night fellas."

%

Despite his busy night and day, Harry spent most of the next few hours working with Betsy and Charles to figure out how to use runes to filter psychic waves.

Unfortunately, he could only find one way.

"This is absolutely gross, Harry." Betsy grimaced as she nearly hid behind Charles and his wheelchair.

"Blood is incredibly powerful." Harry explained. "Your blood contains your x-gene and the energy to power it. So long as I can keep it fresh, I can use runes to recognise you."

"But you're sticking it in your bloody head!"

Harry was currently sitting at a conjured desk with an illuminated and magnified mirror as he inscribed more runes on his metal plate and created a space to store a sample of Betsy's blood.

"Harry, as… worrisome as what you are doing is… I must say, you have an uncanny skill to be able to inscribe so small… and mirrored." Charles was in awe. Morbid awe… but still… awe.

"Thanks. Others say it's an unheard of skill, it just feels natural to me." Harry was unsmiling and unemotive as most of his face was numb due to having sliced open his skin to reveal the plate.

"There we go." Harry declared as he slipped on a cover plate and sealed his skin. "Betsy, can you sense me?"

"Yeah. You're still there."

"Charles?"

"You are a blank to me, Harry." Charles assured him. "You can still turn it off? Ah, there you are." Charles smiled as Harry's psychic presence became visible.

Charles' smile dimmed slightly as Harry reactivated his blocker. It wasn't a matter of Harry not trusting Charles, it was that the young man had been through a traumatic experience with mind reading and mind control. It was extremely sad for Charles as the man clearly had a close connection to at least one telepath.

"Thanks for the help, Charles." Harry said sincerely as he packed up his kit. "I don't mind Betsy being in my mind, but I don't like being exposed."

"I understand, Harry. And you are welcome to my help and facilities at anytime.

"How did young Peter acquit himself?"

"He's got a damned thick skin." Harry said slightly unhappy. "I'm going to make sure Fury has him listed as an asset. I don't like how the Daily Bugle is treating him."

"Yes, they do seem intent on demonising Spider-Man." Charles nodded. "I do wonder how long they believe they can keep this up as they have presented no proof. There are no charges against Spider-Man."

Betsy slapped the man on the shoulder. "Nice one Charles. You just sent an engraved invitation to Murphy."

%

Harry was called into a meeting with the King a few days later. Nick Fury was also there with Megan.

The King chuckled at the worried look on Harry's face. "You are not in trouble, son."

"Yet." Harry muttered.

"A request has been made for you to appear before a hearing regarding the recent surge in 'super-humans." The King explained as they sat.

"A hearing? Before whom?"

"A congressional panel." Fury scowled.

Harry thought for a moment. "Can you define 'hearing'?"

"You remember when you first went to America with Sir James?" The King asked. "Similar to the hearing he spoke at."

"What would my position be?"

"What do you mean?" Fury asked.

"Jean Grey was assertive, but still submissive to the panel. Sir James ran roughshod over them." Harry said with a fond smile.

"Ah." The King chuckled. "You will be there as Sir Harry James Potter, representative of The Crown and Our Government. Be polite, but remember, you are not subject to them."

"Is it public?" Megan asked.

"So we've been told." The King nodded. "We've checked and the BBC is going to be covering it."

Harry looked at Fury with a curious frown. "Am I classed as a 'super-human'?"

Fury rolled his eyes. "You are classed as the first super-'hero'."

"Not true, of course." The King added quickly. "But you are the first to emerge since the war."

"Can we get access to all public records of super-humans, both British and American?" Megan asked.

"I'll have a research team assigned to work for you." Fury promised.

%

Harry had been asked to meet with Ben Grimm. It was extremely formal and that worried Harry. Ben was rarely formal.

He was surprised to find Ben in Reed's empty lab at the Baxter building with a young black woman who, judging by the stick she held, was blind.

"Harry, this is Alicia, my girlfriend. She's blind."

"Well obviously." Harry snarked. "Why else would she date you?"

Harry suddenly had a stick pointing at him. At the other end was a smirking Alicia. "You play nice with my Ben."

"We always play nice." Harry said as he snatched the stick away.

"Hey!" Ben said heatedly as his girlfriend was robbed.

"What?" Harry asked innocently. "I thought the whole point of this meeting was because you wanted your girlfriend to give up the stick?"

Ben was blushing as Alicia glared at him with her unseeing eyes. "Really, Ben?"

Ben tried to bluster through it. "Look, I didn't even tell the kid you were gonna be here. I never told him you were blind."

Ben frowned at Harry. "How did you know?"

Harry laughed and tapped Alicia's hand with the handle of her stick. She quickly grabbed it. "You called a meeting, but you meet me with a woman who is blind and you call your girlfriend.

"You don't have to be Reed to figure it out."

"Is anybody going to talk to me?" Alicia asked irritably.

Harry pulled out the chair at Susan's desk and sat down as he scribbled on his notebook. "Pull up some chairs, Ben." He instructed.

Two minutes later he tore the page out of his notebook. "Alicia, I am holding in my hands the ability for you to see the world with your eyes.

"It is not permanent, but it could be. Would you like a sample?"

"I- I don't understand." She frowned. "Is this one of Reed's inventions?"

"No, this is one of mine. Highly classified, but you will probably cleared to know if you are serious about Ben."

"How it works is classified, Alicia." Ben clarified. "Like Harry's armour. Nobody is allowed to know how it works, but we all know it exists."

"It's not a slimy alien you put in my head?" She grimaced.

"This sample is a piece of paper you hold in your hand." Harry assured her. "A permanent solution would involve… an hour's surgery where you could be conscious." Harry estimated.

Harry held the paper out to Ben. He then gently took Alicia's hand and placed it on the forearm holding the paper. "When you're ready, Ben has the paper in the hand of the arm you are holding.

"I'll give you some privacy whilst I go bother Susan."

Harry calmly stood and walked out.

"Ben… is this a joke?" Alicia swallowed.

Ben was uncommonly serious. "Hun, if Harry Potter says it will work, it will work.

"We're talking about the kid who took on a planet destroying giant. Who makes me human.

"There'll be some caveats, but nothing you'd object to. No demands or payments. Just… check ups and acceptance."

"Acceptance?" She asked.

"Harry can't do this for you without revealing how he does it. Think of it like someone rejecting you for being black or blind."

She tilted her head. "I'm black."

"Err… you did know that, right?" Ben asked uncomfortably. "You realise I'm white… when I'm not orange that is."

"I've never seen my own skin. I can feel your face, but I can't see your skin colour. I don't know what colour is."

Ben chuckled. "Palm of my hand, luv. Palm of my hand."

He watched fondly as Alicia carefully moved her hands down his forearms to the end of her blindness.

%

Meanwhile, Susan had just finished being harangued by a pouting Harry.

"We tried to contact you. It was a big deal as you literally saved our lives and changed Ben's." She explained. "But we were told you were unavailable and out of contact."

Harry sighed and sat on the sofa. "I wonder if it was when I was in Asgard."

"Asgard?"

"Another dimension, where the Norse gods live. Thor wound up on earth, there was a whole thing." Harry said as though it was an utter bore.

Sue looked at him carefully. "Harry, I don't know whether to call Reed and Jean to give you a thorough check-up or possibly berate you for telling me classified information."

"Classified? An entire town saw Thor, myself and several of his friends battle a giant monster that nearly wiped them out. There has to have been news coverage."

"We do get a bit caught up in our work." Sue admitted. "But still… classified?" She reminded him.

"Nobody told me it was classified." Harry smirked. "Besides, I'd just talk to Fury and get you cleared. Thor is currently staying with a young doctor who caught his eye. You might meet him soon."

There was a stumble behind them.

"Easy, hun." Ben's deep voice said warningly. He was holding Alicia who was looking at everything she could.

In her left hand she was tightly gripping the notebook page.

"How's the world?" Harry asked with a smile.

Alicia's eyes locked on him. "Harry? You're Harry?" She asked curiously.

"Alicia? C-Can you see?" Susan asked with wide eyes.

"Sue?" Alicia stumbled towards the blonde forcing her to catch the usually blind woman. "What colour is this?" She asked as she reached out and gently stroked Susan's hair.

"It's hair, so that colour is blonde." Harry answered. "But on another object it would be… straw-coloured or yellow?" He looked at Sue.

"I- Sure? Harry, you made Alicia see?" Susan was in awe.

"Why not? I made Betsy see again."

"What colour is my hair?" Alicia wondered as it was currently tied back. "I was told it was black." She looked down at where Susan's hands were grasping her forearms to keep her steady. "Our skin is different."

Alicia jumped as Harry gently put his hands on her shoulders, turning her around. "Alicia, behind me is a mirror. You know it will let you see what you look like, right?"

Alicia's eyes widened. "Me! I will get to see me!"

Harry grinned. "Ready?"

Alicia nodded vigorously.

"Ben." Harry let her boyfriend trade places with him.

"You really cured her blindness?" Susan asked quietly as the pair watched Ben lead Alicia on a journey of self-discovery.

"I guess it depends on your point of view." Harry mused. "Her eyes still don't work, but I made it so magic could do the work for them."

"Passive or active?"

Harry gave a sad sigh. "Active. She will need to see me or one of my family once a day to be charged."

"Ally will tell her kits to make sure Miss Alicia can see." Ally said as she popped in, startling them both slightly.

"I really need to work on getting magic into the open." Harry said.

"Harry, what happens if I let go of the paper?"

They turned to see Alicia and Ben looking at them.

"You lose your ability to see." Harry explained calmly. "I can make it more permanent so you don't have to hold something or wear something. But at least once a day I or someone like Ally will have to charge you up."

Alicia frowned at the short person beside Harry. "Is that a child? It doesn't look like what I felt."

"She is Ally. A house elf." Harry smiled down at his friend. "She's part of my family. Ally is many more times older than we are.

"She is a magical being. Magic is what is making you see right now. I am a wizard."

"The best wizard." Ally confirmed.

"He's telling you the truth, Alicia." Susan nodded. "Magic is also a secret. Extremely classified. It is why we never mentioned it to you."

"I understand." Alicia knew there were times when Ben had to simply say 'classified'.

"So, would you like a more permanent version of sight?" Harry asked.

"You're gonna do it now?" Ben asked.

"You made an appointment with me, Ben. I cleared several hours. I've been here for half an hour. I can definitely spare another half."

%

Twenty minutes later and Harry had portkeyed them to the Institute where Charles had offered to let them use the infirmary when Harry had asked if Jean could spare an hour.

"I can't watch! Urrrgghmm!"

"Seriously, Ben?" Susan scowled at the man. "You can survive extreme g-forces, getting punted the length of several football fields but a little blood and bone makes you queasy?"

Ben continued retching in the corner.

"Ben, I don't know what it will look like, but I do not like the smell of vomit." Alicia said sternly. "Go find a bathroom."

"You sure-"

"Go!"

"Gotcha."

Harry looked down at Alicia with amusement. "You realise that you just sent the 'sick person' out of the infirmary?"

"Ben is a big boy. He'll survive."

%

Alicia was soon walking around and re-examining everything she knew. Ben was always there to guide her, even if he was a little out of his depth. Fortunately, Alicia and Susan were also good friends and she helped where Ben couldn't.

Harry had returned home to the manor to continue reviewing the profiles on superheroes. He stepped into the entry hall and-

"Avada Kedavra!"

The Killing Curse was a fairly long incantation. Before the first word was finished he had apparated.

He reappeared hovering, invisibly in the air. He quickly surveyed the scene and saw Megan removing his Invisibility Cloak with an expression she had never worn. Absolute hate.

"Damn that boy." She snarled. "I should have stunned him first." She muttered to herself.

Harry thought that was a pretty good idea. So he stunned her, silently.

He dropped to the ground and summoned his armour before binding Megan. "Ally, Dobby." He called out.

"Master Harry! Dobby and our family are trapped." Ally said tearfully.

"Can you free them?"

Ally shook her head.

"Are they in danger or can they wait for a few minutes?"

"Ally doesn't know."

"Go to Brian and Betsy. Bring them back here immediately."

Ally clearly wanted to see to her family, but she would never disobey Harry.

Thirty seconds later and Betsy and Captain Britain were there.

"Megan tried to kill me. I need you to stand guard whilst I free Dobby and the others.

"Ally, where is Dobby?"

"In our old trunk in the dungeon. Ally can't be opening the trunk."

"I'm going to see what I can do. I need you to go straight to the King and tell him that Megan tried to use the Killing Curse on me. Understand?"

"Ally knows. Please save my kits?"

"I got this, Ally." He assured her.

She vanished with a pop.

"Brian, you're in charge." Harry said as he marched off, drawing his sword.

%

Harry arrived back upstairs carrying the trunk to find Colonel O'Malley had joined Captain Britain, Betsy and Ally along with thirty soldiers who were scouring the building.

"Sir Harry, you found the elves?"

"Yes Colonel, but I can't open the trunk. It is sealed tight."

"Jefferies, call for a team of engineers with cutting equipment." O'Malley ordered. "Do you have any idea why Dame Megan would attack you?"

"No. But we can find out. Betsy?"

"Are you sure, Harry?" Betsy asked worriedly. "I don't want to violate-"

"Megan cast the Avada Kedavra." Harry said calmly. "Its only purpose is to kill. Instantly.

"Either Megan tried to murder me or she is being controlled. If she is being controlled, she might be in there, screaming for you to reach her."

Betsy nodded and focused on the bound and unconscious Megan on the floor.

It was less than five seconds later that she jumped back, white as a sheet. "Voldemort!" She hissed.

"Possession?" Harry asked.

Betsy nodded.

"She needs to push him out herself." Harry said as he deactivated his armour. "Riddle possessed me once and I managed to drive him out.

"But you could go in and help her."

"I've never dealt with a possession before." Betsy frowned. "But I'll try."

She knelt down on both knees next to the bound Megan. There was a rush as the world around her vanished and she sent her entire mind into Megan's.

She never noticed Harry collapsing behind her or the chaos left in her wake.

%

"What the hell, Betsy?" Harry demanded.

Betsy jumped as she heard Harry's angry voice behind her. She was still in the manor, but everyone else had vanished.

Just her and Harry.

Then she realised. "You aren't really Harry." She said as she stood. "This is Megan's mind. You are a bit like a guardian."

"No Betsy." Harry glared at her. "I'm the actual Harry. I was just watching you enter Megan. Then I suddenly got dragged out of my body."

"Can you prove it?" She asked sceptically.

"You prove it! You're the one connected to my mind!"

That's when she realised that she could feel Harry in front of her. She grimaced. "Sorry. I guess I didn't let go of you when I entered Meg."

"Let's just get this done." Harry grumbled. "How do we find Megan and Riddle?"

"Follow the sound of chaos."

Harry scowled as he heard loud bangs and explosions.

The pair made their way to the large room that Riddle had used in the real world as his throne room.

Inside they found Megan throwing massive balls of energy at a cowering Riddle. Still looking like a snake pretending to be a man.

Betsy ran at the monster, jumping into a flying kick that sent him crashing into the walls.

When Riddle regained his bearings he found his nemesis staring down at him, one heavy boot on his chest.

"Potter will not save you now, girl." Riddle sneered.

"From what I saw, Pixie didn't need saving. She had you right where she needed you. I just came to help with the clean up."

Betsy reached down and grabbed Riddle by the robes with her left hand. Harry removed his foot and she hauled the monster up, easily holding him in the air.

"Insignificant pissant." She snarled. "You got taken down by a child. Now you will face me. A Master of the Mind."

"Did she just call herself Master Mind?"

Betsy tried not to react to Megan's quiet query.

"I am Lord Voldemort!" Riddle hissed from his dangly position. "No one has mastered the mind arts more than me!"

Betsy gave a cruel smile. "Tom, you are an open book to me. I know how pitiful you were in the orphanage. How you were treated in your first year at Hogwarts.

"I know you think your horcruxes will keep you alive… you are wrong."

"You lie! Nothing but petty muggle tricks!" There was panic in the defiance.

Betsy raised her right hand in front of his face. In it was a vicious looking dagger. "Behold my 'petty muggle trick'."

Riddle didn't have time to scream as she viciously shoved the dagger into his head, from underneath his jaw. He went limp, blood pouring from the wound.

Betsy dropped the mental presence of the corpse

"Next moron I have to deal with, you can do the talking." Harry smirked from behind her.

"Where have you been?" Megan demanded as she stomped up. "I've been stuck in here fighting for over a day!"

"I'm sorry." Harry retorted patronisingly. "I was helping a blind woman see before I returned home to an attempted assassination."

Megan glared at him and jabbed him on the chest. "Grab your tools. You're putting those protections on my skull tonight."

"Meg, you need to throw this out." Betsy broke up their bickering.

"Isn't it dead?" She grimaced at the corpse of Riddle.

"Brain dead? Probably. But I don't know how souls work. You don't want this garbage in here."

"I'll head out and make sure he exits. Harry can stay with you, I'll pull him out when you are done." Betsy said before she faded from view.

"I was so scared."

Harry pulled the young woman into a hug. "You fought the monster for a day. Most people are afraid to even think of his name."

"Still scared." She muttered into his chest.

"That's what makes you brave."

Megan sighed and grabbed one of Riddle's legs, dragging him to the front doors of the manor. "He was a moron. He kept telling me it was only a matter of time before he wrested my throne from me." She jabbed a thumb at Riddle's old throne.

"Why is that here? It's not in the real world."

"A decoy." Megan smiled. "From the occlumency books. As if I would keep that disgusting thing as my real centre."

They reached the doors and Harry opened them to reveal an endless void of darkness.

"Huh… I wonder what I would see if you were awake?" He mused.

"Window to the soul?"

"And out of." Harry nodded.

"I didn't get a chance to look. I was too busy fighting him."

"Well, kick him out then. I still need to free Dobby and the others."

Megan swung with all her might sending the body to vanish in the blackness. "FUCK YOU!" She screamed.

Then she was breathing heavily, sitting in the entry way of the manor, lots of soldiers working around the building.

"Language, Meg." Megan looked up in surprise to see Captain Britain smirking down at her, concern clear in his eyes.

"I'm out? Back in control?" She asked as she took calming breaths. "Where's Riddle?" She looked around.

"He's gone." Betsy said quietly. "He appeared as a black mist out here. Unmoving. Harry woke up, saw it and cursed it just as you screamed. It dissipated."

"Good." Megan scowled. She took the flask of water one of the army medics handed her as he unobtrusively checked her over as she sat there.

"Betsy… what's with the… mini-lightsabre?" Harry asked.

Betsy raised her hand. Firmly in her grip was a dagger made of crackling purple energy. "I think it is a manifestation of my psychic energy.

"I'll have to ask Charles."

"Can you put it down?"

She opened her hand and it vanished. She closed it and it reappeared. "It is me. I can't exactly put me down."

"I dunno… if you do something even you think is stupid you could." Megan smirked. "Harry is real good at putting himself down."

Harry glared at her… and the medic that snorted as he tried to focus.

"Master Harry… please?"

Harry quickly stood and took Ally's hand. He moved over to the trunk. "Pixie, do you know anything about what Riddle did?"

"No, I was too busy trying to stop him. He was very good at multi-tasking."

"We've tried everything short of explosives, sir." An army engineer reported. "I'm guessing this will need your type of solution."

"Pixie, when you see the King, tell him I've gone to ask a god to pry open a tin can… again."

%

Harry arrived with Ally on a small grassy island off the coast. It was cold and dark, the sun had long since set. There was one building on the island. A small home made of stone, a cottage.

Harry hoisted the trunk on his shoulder and marched up to the door and knocked hard.

It didn't take long before the door opened.

"Bruce, I need the Other Guy's help. Dobby and his family have been locked in this trunk by Voldemort. I can't get them out."

Bruce Banner was granted the rights to live on the island by the King in agreement with the National Trust. It was about a mile in size and nobody would disturb the man. Or his alter-ego.

Bruce Banner was a quiet, kind and studious man. But he was troubled by anger issues stemming from a childhood much like Harry's.

He had spent his time on the island learning to come to grips with his condition.

He marched outside, quickly pulling his sweater over his head as his skin turned green and his muscles bulged.

In seconds the Hulk was standing there looking absolutely pissed. He held out his massive hand. "Dobby." The beast growled.

Harry handed the trunk over. The Hulk gripped it by the sides and began to pull.

His massive fingers slipped off. He growled and placed the trunk on the ground.

Harry worried that the Hulk might try smashing the trunk with his foot, but the green giant knelt down and gripped the metal external hinges and the latch with his fingernails and began to pull.

The magic on the trunk was strong, but nothing compared to Harry's armour. There was a creak and then a snap.

The Hulk roared in triumph as the lid exploded in dust.

Little heads poked out curiously.

"Mister Hulk, Sir?" Dobby asked in awe. "Mister Hulk has saved Dobby's family!" The elf leapt at the behemoth, hugging his wrist. Several other elves followed suit and the Hulk found himself with an unusual coat of elves. He was quite confused.

It was enough to cause the Hulk to recede and Bruce to re-emerge.

Bruce was very familiar with Ally and her family. They had kept him company when he had first freed Harry from his armour. They also came to take care of chores at his island cottage.

Bruce pulled the little creatures into hugs, smiling at them. Eventually he pushed them into Ally's waiting arms and moved over to Harry.

"What happened?"

"Voldemort possessed Megan and tried to kill me. He trapped the elves in the trunk but Ally was with me in America.

"Betsy and I freed Megan. Voldemort should be truly finished now. I'll find out more when I get back."

"Go on. They can stay here with me for a bit." Bruce assured him.

%

Harry returned to the manor to find the soldiers still milling about. A captain informed him that he was expected at the palace for a meeting with the King.

He made his way there.

"Harry, are they ok?" Megan asked as he entered the room.

"Perfectly fine. The Hulk was able to rip the lid off.

"How are you?"

"Dirty." She shuddered. "Betsy said she'll help me check for damage later."

Harry nodded in thanks to the blonde woman who had her arm around his friend.

"Harry, Betsy and Captain Britain stated you destroyed the mist that was Riddle." The King said.

Non-magicals couldn't really see magic, but Captain Britain was something else, just like mutants. Betsy had eyes made of magic.

"I used the Killing Curse." Harry said gravely as he stood at attention.

"Sit down Harry. You are not in trouble and you will never be for this." The King said sternly. "That said, the details of the events that occurred today are classified."

"MI6 has already destroyed all but one of Riddle's horcruxes." Fury told them. "The last one, your old scar is being destroyed now.

"Riddle is finally finished. Only his supporters remain. MI5 is working on that with MI6 and SHIELD."

"Megan asked me to put my mental protections on her skull… considering the danger magicals can present, I'd recommend you let me do the same to Your Majesty, Colonel Fury and anyone else placed high enough in the government or SHIELD." Harry said seriously.

"Won't they need recharging?" Nick asked.

Harry shook his head. "It's the same as the headbands and glasses. Only these ones can't be removed."