"Wait, aurors?" Fury repeated. "As in Ministry of Magic?"
"Magic?" Tony and Bruce repeated confusedly.
"Is that what you were doing, Harry? Magic?" Steve asked.
"A Midgardian seidhr? That explains much," Thor mused.
"How do you know about the MACUSA?" Auror Jenkins demanded.
"My name is Colonel Nicholas J. Fury. I'm the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I have Level Ten clearance from the World Security Council. That means that I know all about your Magical Congress of the United States of America and exactly what an 'auror' is," Fury replied.
"If that's true, then you know why we're here," Jenkins replied.
Nick's eye flashed to Harry.
"I can take a guess," he growled.
The two aurors stepped forward until they were just in front of Harry.
"Harry James Potter," Stevenson said. "You are hereby charged with performing in excess of one thousand spells in the sight of muggles, a direct and blatant violation of the International Statute of Secrecy. You are required to surrender your wand immediately and to come with us where you will be held in custody until your trial."
Fury stepped forward, his hand slashing the air, instantly quieting the protests that had begun from the assembled Avengers.
"This man helped stop an alien invasion, saving countless lives in the process and you want to throw him in jail because of it?" Fury asked incredulously.
"We don't make the laws, we just enforce them," Jenkins stated.
"Mister Potter?" Stevenson insisted.
Harry's eyes darted about the room before he visibly sagged. A flick of his wrist ejected his wand and he held it out where it was promptly taken from him, tagged and placed into a secure box.
"Feel free to stay as long as you like," Harry said. "And if someone could check that the stove's off and turn off the lights and lock up when you leave, I'd appreciate it."
Cuffs were placed on Harry's wrists then, cuffs which crackled slightly with swirling black energy.
"Don't worry, Harry, I'll look after the place until you get back," Steve promised.
Jenkins grasped Harry's upper arm and with twin cracks, the three men vanished from sight.
"Director? Tell me that that wasn't legal," Natasha said.
"Oh, it was legal alright, but I'm sure that there are provisions for extenuating circumstances somewhere in those laws of theirs as well," Fury stated.
"I'd think that an alien invasion would count as 'extenuating circumstances'," Bruce commented.
"The kid did his part, he's not going down for this," Tony stated, fishing a phone out of his pocket.
"And what, exactly, do you think you're going to do with that, Stark?" Fury asked.
"Um, call my lawyers for the kid?" Tony replied.
Fury shook his head. "The magical world is well-hidden. I only know about it because I'm the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I'll be held responsible if any of you go around talking about it. And believe me, we don't want them mad at us. They have ways of erasing memories and all kinds of tricks that we can't combat."
"So, what, we're just going to leave Harry to face this on his own?" Clint asked.
"There is no honour in that," Thor emphasised.
"No. No, I'm not going to leave him to face it on his own," Fury promised. "I know a guy."
ooo00ooo
"Hermione! Hermione, you need to come home right this minute!"
Instantly, Hermione dropped her phone into her bag, took a quick look about her to ensure that she had everything that she might need – keys, handbag, a couple of basic potions, her wand – and apparated straight out of her apartment.
It was so unlike her mother to cut her off in the middle of her greeting. And to then order her home like that. Something had to be wrong. Dreadfully, dreadfully wrong.
How she didn't splinch herself, Hermione would never know. Her mind was too focused on her parents – was something wrong with her mother? Did something happen to her father? Either way, she'd know in a few moments.
Hermione appeared in her old bedroom, the designated place for her to appear, just in case her parents were entertaining. Instantly, she spun about, yanked open the door, shot through it and raced down the stairs.
"Mum! Dad!" she yelled.
"In here, Sweetheart!" her father called.
That was a good sign, she'd now heard both of her parent's voices, so neither were too seriously injured or something worse.
Entering the loungeroom at a run, she slid to a stop at the sight of her parents sitting in front of the TV. Her dad was in his favourite armchair, one arm wrapped around her mother's waist as she perched on the arm of the chair.
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