Tumgik
#this is a joke. we all know that goblin didn't know anything. *but the chair.....*
essektheylyss · 1 year
Text
Alright, deeply circumstantial conspiracy theory time.
Remember how we never fucking figured out Vence Nuthaleus's deal? Ludinus's annex, who supposedly was working outside of Ludinus's knowledge or orders?
The Nein found two Abyssal Anchors in Xhorhas while chasing the Angel of Irons cultists, ostensibly to cause chaos and distraction during the war. These anchors were created by Vence based on tech used by demon generals during the Calamity to invade the Material Realm with more ease, and Vence created crude approximations of them, that Obann then deployed in Asarius and Braan.
(If only Caleb hadn't incinerated that goblin in Braan. We could've cracked this case wide open years ago.)
under a cut, as this is long—and does contain spoilers for c2:
The last anchor the Nein come across directly is in the Chantry of the Dawn; Jester scries on Vence delivering it to Cardinal Respa, along with two scrolls that are supposedly from the vaults of Vasselheim that provide guidance for establishing a ritual in the Chantry, upon a fane that was one of six holding Tharizdun at bay. Respa notices the scrying, and ends it, and the Nein immediately head to the Cathedral, though Vence has already left, and the anchor is set up as a distraction, while the main ritual happens elsewhere.
This is primarily notable because the timeline is fairly compressed. Jester scries on Vence while they're already in Rexxentrum; they go to the Chantry and fight assorted cultists under Respa's watch, the demons coming out of the portal, Obann's crew of cultists, and then Obann the Punished. They exit the basement fairly quickly and talk to several officials who have arrived at the Chantry, and then are immediately marched to Dwendal's throne room for an audience.
This is the conversation in which Ludinus admits that Vence had "recently" asked for an Amulet of Nondetection, and he granted the request. Given that Vence hadn't been attuned to it prior to going to the Chantry, he evidently takes the time to attune to it within the two hours (accounting for travel times around Rexxentrum) between those periods.
Here's where we start to get circumstantial: if Vence had obtained the amulet before, why hadn't he attuned to it immediately? It's possible he hadn't even gotten the amulet until then, at which point there was already a Kryn attack underway, as well as a significant disturbance at the Chantry of the Dawn. This seems an odd time to request such an item, as well as a rather foolish move on Ludinus's part to grant the request with little information.
With that in mind, let's go back for a moment to the Abyssal Anchors.
They're said to be crudely-reconstructed versions of Calamity-era technology. They create a planar rift between realms. They were not designed to assist in the ritual to summon Tharizdun, and instead seem only to have been a distraction—though a rather odd one, as they created minor nuisances that were, in both cases, dealt with by the Nein, and never on the direct orders of the Dynasty's leadership. The war itself seems as though it would've been distraction enough.
We also hear that there have been similar anchors discovered across the Empire, collected, and destroyed—words that come only from Ludinus's mouth.
The Nein had considered that perhaps Ludinus knew what Vence had been up to, but they had no tangible evidence of that, and he of course denied it. I recall considering the possibility at the time that he had even been involved, and mostly discarding it because he seemed to have no motivation to do so.
But now we know that something notable happened about six years ago, in the timeframe of the Material Plane: according to the Calloways, Ruidus became visible in the sky in the Feywild, and presumably with it, the Shadowfell.
We know that at the time, Ludinus was using the findings from his stolen beacons to create the dunamantic liquid that was used to make an assassination attempt on Keyleth. We also know that at some point, an annex of Ludinus obtained scrolls from the vaults of Vasselheim that gave instruction on creating a ritual to "release the fane" beneath the Chantry. (Fanes are, generally, places of power—which is similar to the list of locations across the Feywild that Ludinus looked into in order to absorb power from, per the notes that Team Wildemount discovered in Gildhollow Tower.) Incidentally, we also know that Ludinus oversaw, in 835 PD, the excavation of crash site A2 in Eiselcross, which held both the corrupted forest akin to the Savalirwood, and a threshold crest just beyond that. All of this happened roughly around or just before Ruidus was tethered to the Feywild.
Though we may never know for sure that these things are related, my theory is that these crude iterations of the Abyssal Anchors were the test run for whatever arcane device that Ludinus used to tether the moon in the echo planes, finally allowing him the ability to put his long-considered plan into motion.
476 notes · View notes
imaginesbymonika · 1 year
Text
Buzz cut season.
Part 1, previous chapter here
Summary: Sam looses his hair and his siblings can't help but make jokes about it.
Warnings: humor, siblings being siblings, mentions of violence later on), mentions of a dead mother and cat, mentioning of self destructive behavior
Pairings: Sam and Dean Winchester x younger sister! reader, Castiel x Winchester!reader (platonic)
A/N: This fanfiction is based on THIS post made by @myfandomhell <3
Tumblr media
"Well, Sammy. There's no need to lie about it.", Dean speaks, while leaning back in his chair. He is sitting in front of his brother in the library of the bunker. On the table are multiple piles of ancient books about witchcraft and mysticism, however, Dean chooses to ignore them:" After all those years of begging you, I am actually very happy that you listened to my advice. You do look much better like this. Even though, I probably wouldn't have cut it this short, just-."
Sam closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose in pure frustration. After all, this has been going on for three days now. He takes another book into his hands and sighs:" I really don’t know how many times I have to tell you that I didn’t do it."
“Didn’t do what?”, Y/N who wanders into the room tilts her head, she places her pink “best sister in the whole world” mug on the table before sitting down next to Dean. He scoffs and playfully nudges her arm:” Our drill Sergeant over there claims that he didn’t cut his hair.”
It takes her a few seconds, but eventually, her carefree smile begins to turn into an irritated one: "W-What?" Dean, who didn't catch his sister's change of expression chuckles as if it's the funniest thing in the whole world:" I know, right?" Y/N clenches her jaw before she stands up again. She steps over to one of the large bookshelves and scans the old (and occasionally dusty) books. A few seconds later she pulls one out and opens it up. Her y/e/ced eyes skip over the chapters rather nervously.
"What's wrong?", Dean asks, still grinning from ear to ear as he takes a sip of his beer. However, when the huntress doesn't respond he turns around. "Y/N?", Sam shuts his laptop and blinks in bewilderment:" What are you looking for?"
His sister looks up, a worried look on her face:" You promise that you didn't simply cut your hair?" The younger Winchester wrinkles his forehead while letting out a breathless chuckle:" Hold on a second, Y/N, what-." "I need you to promise me?" "I promise." There is something flashing up in her eyes, that tells him this situation just took a dark turn.
Y/N takes a deep breath before nearly slamming the book on the table. The two brothers move closer towards it and for a few seconds they simply stare at the brownish paper, before looking back up. "What…what are we looking at?", Dean asks, while scratching his temple, his green eyes move back towards the pages. Y/N's right index finger finds its way to the little caricature:" This!" "And that's…?"
"Two days ago, while I was reading the newspaper I happened to stumble across an article about some guy who needed to be institutionalized after he started ripping off his own skin. He claimed, that a little goblin-like creature took his late mother's gold necklace.", Y/N explains:" I thought it was funny, you know. Small Goblins, taking people's prized possessions." She clears her throat:" Anyway. Yesterday, I read another article. A woman started to cut her arm off, declaring that she couldn't care less about her limbs after a small green creature grabbed her cat's ashes. She had to be institutionalized as well."
"So what? How does that have anything to do with me?", Sam asks and Y/N runs a hand through her hair. "Well.", she starts and sits down:" I looked into it, and turns out this little goblin actually exists. It's Irish folklore, and the opposite of that whole "golden pot at the end of the rainbow" myth. They're called "Cavecrackler". They primarily come during the night and steal something that's very meaningful to the individual in order to kind of bond with the victim. And then…"
Y/N stops talking and bites her lips. "Then what?", Dean asks, while Sam's eyes move down to the page. They widen as soon as he reads the last paragraph:" They slowly steal their souls."
98 notes · View notes
nochi-quinn · 2 years
Text
campaign 3 episode 50: there's only seven of you (for now)
Let's see if I can do a liveblog after six weeks of not watching!
(it started to feel like a job)
I miss jester
IT IS BEGIN
I know we're probably getting Keyleth but god would I love a Dorian cameo
aw, I miss marisha's "girls" tank
liam with the thumbhole hoodie is very good tho
liam
"orgy 2.0"
if a skyship leaves the dock at 8pm going 120 feet per round
"ira get the FUCK up here"
enjoying the corruption arc of the changebringer entirely through fcg
anyone: ludinus liam: >:[
"bacchanalian" greek mythology exists in exandria, canon
"you would turn into a bird - " "and fly far, far far away" what a reference
man I got noise canceling headphones for christmas for the first time ever and I've barely taken them off since, imogen is a mood
this whole "crash the ship" plan is big "ram the blade ship" energy
stop saying final destination
oh THAT was a throwback
oh we've reached Marisha Chair Perch and we're not even in combat yet
relax she's just putting it out there
"no plan survives contact with bells hells" is not as catchy as "no plan survives contact with the mighty nein" but is equally as true
matt changing the light to move them along like turning the light off in a daycare to signal naptime
uh oh spaghettios
laura literally stopping mid-sentence to let them meme sdkfjsl
matt stop death flagging xandis
meanwhile ira is living his best life
"I'll look for a tree" oh the flashbacks
laudna puts on skin tone foundation but doesn't blend the neck
fearne: you shut the FUCK up
"don't do anything stupid" "oh this is ALL stupid"
I am not prepared
neither are they
if xandis dies I riot
sam
I'm not okay
ASHTON
where the fearne/ashton shippers at, come get your juice
you know liam's distracted, he didn't reach up instead of out
no plan survives etc etc
DISLIKE
"that's above your pay grade, son" holy shit imogen
oh shit
DON'T SPLIT THE PARTY kdjflks
tag urself I'm ashley
"welp, we gotta kill them" sam reads my persona 5 liveblogs
guards: purple sus
TRAVIS
sam
HIM BIG
all this cool stuff I can't afford makes me wish I had an in-person game
or any game, lbr
TREE OF DREAD
"titties?"
"good thing I got this ring of fire protection" slkdfjf
"now we're playing with portals"
IN-TENTS
"testicles" I heard that liam
"can I try to - fuck it" right in front of my salad?
their bane noises are starting to sound like furbies
ykw travis had a point can we have fjord's ring of fire protection
"I'm gonna use a toy" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
YEAH
hey
hey matt
hey matt what the fuck
SHE??
"she looks like an asshole" marisha: fuck yeah she does
"is the dirt wizard here?"
"he's quite a loyal dog" something something dog of the military FMA joke
HE
liam exploded
the accent
travis also exploded
extremely funny to hear beau try to talk shit about anybody else's stealth plans
"cool if we kill your mom?" beauregard
"shut the fuck up, wolfy"
l i a m
"they're level nine you guys"
(level nein)
quick somebody ask caleb what time it is
all of the german is slowly leeching out of matt's accent
travis had the same thought as me sldjfsk
marisha's goblin crouch perch
chetney
liam finally got to be on the other side of that
nobody told you to wolf out, chet
laudna's crush on ira is funny when it's fucking around but when she starts genuinely arguing he wouldn't do some fuck shit in a heartbeat it's annoying
I THOUGHT SO
oh that timing gives me anxiety
6 notes · View notes
randomshyperson · 3 years
Text
The Scarlet Witch Prophecy - The Third Year
Tumblr media
Series Masterlist ||  Read on AO3
Summary: As the youngest daughter of Howard Stark, you have ordinary expectations for your years at Hogwarts. Little do you know what adventures await you when your destiny is intertwined with the legendary Scarlet Witch.
Warnings: +16. Adaptation of the Harry Potter Saga, Magical Thematic, Prophecies, Mentions of Violence, Torture and dark magic, Language (swearing and minor/major offenses), manipulation of will, Underage kissing, insinuation of smut with minors, Smut (overage), descriptions of death, aggression, obscurity, angst, fluffy, soulmates analogies.
Chapter Words:  7.290K 
Chapter Notes: Wanda x Reader friendship is here. And more about the world history. I’m pretty sure this is the last chapter where things are easy going. Just like Harry Potter, things start to get dark during four year. Good reading to everyone, i hope you like the story so far.
Tag list ( let me know if you want to be tagged or removed idk haha) @mionemymind​ / @abimess​ / @stephanieromanoff​ / @yourtaletotell​ / @tomy5girls​ / @justagaypanicking​ / @thegayw1tch​ / @idek-5​ // @myperfectlovepoem​ // @helloalycia​ // @ENSORCELLME // @AIMEZVOUSBRAHMS // @imapotatao​ / @aimezvousbrahms​/ @ensorcellme​/ @helloalycia // @ichala
//-// x //-// //-// x //-//
Your list of materials is much longer in the third year.
Tony complains that you shouldn't have taken so many classes, but you are so curious to explore the areas of magic that you can't help it.
This time, Mantis meets you in the diagonal alley. You were hoping to spend some time with Gamora and Nebula as well, but once you get a glimpse of their father, you know that's not going to happen.
Thanos is a tall, muscular man, and has a permanent aggressive look on his face. He also kept his hands on the shoulders of his two daughters while they were waiting to be attended to at Flourish and Blotts. You also noticed that your friends were wearing very beautiful and remarkably expensive dark green capes, and just like their father's outfit, they had a bundle of a silver snake. That was the first time you understood what Slytherin pride meant.
"He's scary." Mantis commented softly beside you. You nodded in agreement. Groot, who was a little bigger since you saw him last year, jumped on your shoulder, sitting next to your ear. You smiled at the creature before looking forward again.
You and Mantis were standing at the entrance of store, and saw your friends through the window. You gave up the idea of complementing them when you saw their father.
"Let's restock the potions list first, Mantis." You tell her. "Then we'll buy our books."
You meet Tony again at the Leaky Cauldron after you finish. He hides something from you quickly, but you are distracted by an apple muffin flying towards you, and you don't ask.
Bucky was staying at the Leaky Cauldron because his house had a magical accident. His father said something about a persistent spell flood. Since the rest of Bucky's family were muggle, only he and his father were staying there, solving the problem while Bucky's sisters were at his aunt's house.
Since everyone needed to buy the materials for the new school year, Tony asked you to join his friends when you were done buying your stuff.
After lunch with everyone, Mantis said goodbye to you, and you returned Groot to her hands.
You led her to the exit of the bar, but as you walked back to the table, a conversation caught your attention.
"I'm telling you, they saw him in Sokovia." A bearded man whispered. He looked so nervous, you couldn't help but pay attention. The woman standing next to him, a cup of a strange liquor in her hands, rolled her eyes.
"That's miles away, Thomas." She said. "If Korvac gets anywhere near London, the ministry will send him back to Azkaban in two seconds."
"He's already escaped once, Sara." You rebut the man. 
You frown at the conversation. Walking back, you have a thoughtful frown on your face, and Tony teases you.
You get distracted by Steve's jokes about the coming year, and forget all about it.
It's only after you've packed your bag, during dinner, that you remember.
"I heard something strange today." You say casually as Tony and your father dine beside you. "Some folks in the Leaky Cauldron were talking about someone escaping from Azkaban."
Your father chokes. Tony stares at you, and ducks his head when your father looks at him angrily. Howard gaze softens when he looks at you however.
"Honey, who told you that?"
You shrug.
"No one told me dad." You reply. "I ended up overhearing two strangers talking about it. I never knew about anyone escaping from Azkaban before, it seemed important."
Tony kicks you under the table, and you frown in confusion. Your father takes a deep breath.
"Honey, listen to me carefully, will you?" He begins, and you worry at his serious tone. "There are important things going on at Daddy's work. Things that could be dangerous." He says and you look at him in surprise. "You and your brother are too young to be getting into such matters, and I hope you will trust me to keep you both safe."
"Yes, dad." Tony assures, but you remain silent. A moment later, you add: 
"Daddy, is there anything I can do to help you?"
"No honey." He says taking back his fork. 
"It's okay to tell me what's going on, I won't be scared. I can help..."
"Enough!" He exclaims angrily punching the table. You jump lightly in your chair, startled. Your father doesn't look at you. "I don't want you to hear anything about this anymore. You two are children, and it's dangerous. Have I made myself clear?"
You look at Tony, but he is glaring at the plate in front of you. 
Swallowing the urge to cry, you get up, hurrying to run to your room.
Your father calls you several times, but you don't answer. 
A few minutes after you are in your bed, he appears in your room. His posture is much gentler than before, and he kneels down beside your bed.
"Honey, hey." He calls to you. You keep your face in the pillow, and he sighs. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." He says, and with your silence, he continues. "Can you forgive me?"
It takes a few seconds, but you look at him, and nod. Howard smiles faintly.
"You and your brother are the most important things in my life." He says fondly. "And I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me."
"Dad, you can't control what is in the rest of the world."
Your father chuckles lightly. 
"Yeah I know." He says. "Damn, I wanted you to stay a little girl forever, so you wouldn't be so smart."
You laugh, pushing his shoulder lightly.
"You're not going to tell me what's going on, are you?" You ask and your father sighs, looking away.
"It's nothing that will affect you honey." He says. "It's just problems of the magical world. I don't want you meddling in something like that. Not at this age."
You sit down on the bed next, raising your pinky to your father.
"I swear I won't pry into such business if you promise to tell me if things get serious enough for me to know."
Her father laughs, raising his own pinky then.
"I promise, kiddo."
You both laugh as you take the oath, and your father hugs you next. When he lets go and stands up, you pull his hand away.
"Apologize to Tony, Daddy." You ask surprising him slightly. "He doesn't like it when you yell either."
Your father sighs, bending down to kiss your forehead. He asked you to go to sleep before he closed the door.
//-//
It is very cold when you arrive at Hogwarts.
But you don't care because all your friends link arms and walk together, making you laugh at the confused looks you get when the other students notice the small row.
Over dinner, your mood changes quickly however.
"I imagine it has come to the attention of many students here, especially the older ones, the recent untoward events in the magical world." Principal Harkness began during the announcement of the new school year. She had a serious and authoritative tone, and deep dark circles under her eyes. You have never seen her like this before. "But for those of you who are not aware, the dark wizard known as Korvac escaped from Azkaban a few months ago." The hall exploded into murmurs at the mention. You saw Professor Strange lock his jaw, probably disagreeing that such a topic should be broached with eleven-year-olds. "After much consideration, the Ministry of Magic thought it best to apply additional security to the castles."
"So, starting next week, we will have special guests at the Hogwarts castles; The ministry has determined that aurors and Azkaban guards will be guarding the outside of the grounds."
The crowd erupted in boos as soon as the words echoed in the hall. Your Hufflepuff colleagues remarked in horror that the dementors, the guards of Azkaban, were terrifying, and you sought your brother's gaze at the Slytherin table, but he was looking earnestly at the principal.
Agatha sighed impatiently, and the hall fell silent. She asked everyone to be careful with the guards in Azkaban, not to give them reason to fight back. And then she returned to the daily announcements as if nothing had happened.
You didn't eat very well after that.
History of Magic with Professor Okoye was one of the hardest classes in school.
You were hoping to get decent grades this year, but you were assigned to be with Peter as your pair, so you knew you would have to work for two, as your friend had no interest at all in that subject.
"Why don't you try to pay attention?" You asked slightly annoyed as you made your notes. Quill was drawing small dragons in his notebook.
"I want to be a famous Quidditch player, I don't need to know the history of the Goblin revolution for that."
You sighed, turning your attention back to the blackboard. Several minutes after class had begun, a Gryffindor student raised his hand.
"Professor Okoye, may I ask you a question?" it was Thor Odinson, and he seemed to have grown at least twenty inches over the summer. You noted that his hair was also longer when you looked back, wondering who was speaking.
"Of course, Odinson." The teacher said with a gentle smile. Thor cleared his throat as he lowered his hand, seeming to hesitate.
"Could you tell us about the Mephisto followers?"
The room fell absolutely silent at the mention of the name, and many students looked at Thor with wide eyes. The smile on Professor Okoye's face completely disappeared.
"Where did you hear that name, boy?" she asked sternly, Thor swallowed dryly.
"M-my father, ma'am." He replied. "I heard him send a bawler to the ministry quoting that name. When I asked, he told me to study the history of the wizarding world. I thought I would ask you because I couldn't find anything in the books."
The room looked at the teacher expectantly. Okoye sighed, seeming to decide whether to talk about it or not.
"Listen to me carefully please." She asked as she walked around the tables. "Some years ago long before any of you were born, there was a sorcerer who made all the wrong choices. He sought immeasurable power, and was never satisfied with his own abilities. And many other wizards believed that the quest for ultimate power was something worth dying for. When this wizard became a symbol of power and cruelty, he named himself Mephisto."
Her classmates exchanged startled looks, but the teacher continued to tell.
"The dark wizards and witches who supported this quest became known as the Followers of Mephisto, or Walkers of Death. The magical ministries around the world banded together to put an end to the group, and there was a great battle, where most of these wizards were imprisoned or killed in a duel."
"What happened to Mephisto?" Thor asks suddenly, interrupting the narration. The teacher hesitates, but then gives a reassuring smile.
"He's dead, of course." She assures.
"My mother says he was never found." Added another classmate, you think her name is Valkyrie, but you've never talked to her. Much buzz runs through the room at her utterance, and Professor Okoye twists her fingers nervously.
"When the Walkers of Death were eliminated, Mephisto lost his power." She tells seriously. "The last person who faced him is related to someone in this room actually."
Professor Okoye turns to you, and you want to sink into your chair, feeling your heart soar.
"Auror Howard Stark was the last sorcerer to fight Mephisto before his demise. Thirteen years ago." She says and you feel all the stares on you. "But that's enough from this matter for today, students. Mephisto's story is taboo in our witch community because of the thousands of lives that were lost during that period." She adds, "I hope you will be respectful about the memory of those victims, and not comment on such a thing, or mention the name of this despicable wizard again."
The teacher closes the subject after that, looking upset. You can't pay attention to the class again when she goes back to talking about the magical revolution.
//-//
"Did you knew about that?" You ask angrily when Tony looks unimpressed when you approach him in the third floor hallway, after searching all over the school for him.
He looks tired.
"Stop talking so loud, will you?" He asks looking around. "Of course I knew, I've been researching this story for months."
You frown in confusion, and Tony rolls his eyes leaning against the bookshelf next to him.
"I didn't tell you anything because you're only thirteen!" He adds nervously. "That's not children's business."
"It is my business if it involves our family!". You retort angrily. A group of students walk past you, looking at you curiously, but Tony just pretends to be admiring the trophies until they leave.
"Look, I don't really know what happened, but dad used to be an auror when mom was alive." He recounts. "And then he took on this powerful sorcerer, and mom died when you were born. He became an inventor, switched departments in the mystery, and nobody talks about this Mephisto guy nowadays."
"Do you know what this has to do with the wizard who escaped from Azkaban?" you ask with your arms crossed, Tony gives a chuckle.
"Isn't it obvious, sis?" he retorts wryly. "Korvac was Mephisto's greatest ally at that time. And he escaped from the most secure prison in the world. A lot of people think that means the walkers are getting back in business again."
"My god Tony, why didn't dad tell us any of this?" You ask worriedly and Tony laughs humorlessly, looking upset.
He straightens his posture and points to the glass on the trophy shelf that was propped up. 
"And there's more." He says. "Take a look at that."
You turn your face to stare at the objects that were stored there. Most were trophies, but there were also pictures of the Quidditch teams from previous years. Tony is pointing to one of those.
"No way." You whispered as you see it. In the caption on the board, it read "Howard Stark and Erik Lehnsherr receiving awards for their honorable service to the school." It was your father and your teacher, probably in their senior year, and they seemed both content. The magical photograph showed them hugging each other by the shoulders, huge smiles on their faces, and two golden cups in their hands. 
"Yes, little sister." Tony said also looking at the picture. "Dad and Magneto were friends in school days. I wonder what happened to Professor Lehnsherr to make him so bitter. He looks happy in that picture."
The sound of the bell announcing the next period makes you jump in fright, as you were completely distracted by the photograph in front of you.
"Let's talk about this later, Tony, I have charms now and..."
"No way, Y/N!" Tony interrupted frowning. "That's none of your business. Dad told me that you promised to stay out of it, and I agree with him. You're too young!"
"Oh and you think he'll like knowing you're investigating this whole story?" You retort and Tony sighs, looking away, "That's what I thought.
"I'm not going to get you mixed up in this story."
"Fine, I'll find out on my own, then."
"Y/n..."
"See you, Tony."
//-//
Having dementors in the castle is really scary.
It's been two weeks since classes started, and with the first Quidditch game of the year approaching, you're pretty anxious.
You didn't make much progress in your research during those days. None of the professors wanted to say anything about Mephisto's time, and you lost fifteen points when you tried to ask Professor Lehnsherr about his school days, for being a snoozer.
The only things you found out other than what Tony told you were what Gamora and Nebula shared with you. They mentioned that Thanos was particularly busy during the summer, and that they had never seen him go to the Ministry so often before. 
You also started reading the Daily Prophet, and every day they would publish something about Korvac's escape, even if it was only to say that there was no news in the case. 
When the day of the first match arrived, you ignored the strange feeling that settled on the edge of your stomach as if something bad was going to happen.
You are overjoyed when you are in the air, waiting for the match to start, and notice that all of Tony's friends, including yourself, have yellow flags in their hands to cheer you on.
Everything goes well until the end of the first half.
You noticed a bludger almost reaching your chaser team mate, Clint Barton and moved forward to defend him many meters above the stadium. Because it was raining, your visibility was very poor. You knocked the ball away, but lost sight of Clint, although you heard him shout a thank you. As you dived down again, lightning exploded beside you, and you jumped in fright, feeling your ear whistle as you became completely disoriented.
As you began to get used to your surroundings again, you felt your body become completely tense. The cloud in front of you was almost a face shape, it looked like someone with horns or maybe wearing a tiara. The image dissolved in the next second, and you felt a strange chill run through your body. Releasing the broom handle only to hug your arms, you looked down, the whole team many meters away. 
When you tried to join them, something came in your way.
Dementors must have been the scariest thing you had ever seen in your life. And there was one of them right in front of you. You widened your eyes in shock, and the creature looked straight at you.
Losing your strength quickly, you felt yourself slipping off the broom. A feeling as if you had been wrapped in a very painful spell overtook your body as you fell. 
//-//
You woke up in a jolt, and warm hands pushed you back into bed.
"Relax, kid." Your brother spoke with a smile. "I swear I'll actually forbid you to play at some point."
"What happened?" you asked confused. All of your friends and Tony's friends around your bed.
"You fell off the broom, damn it." He retorted and you rolled your eyes.
"Yeah but there was a dementor up there..."
"Yeah, everyone saw it." Tony interrupted looking annoyed. "Professor Harkness kicked everyone out of the stadium after Professor Strange conjured up the patronus."
"I have never seen Professor Strange so angry." Gamora remarked next. 
"Oh, there's something else." Natasha warned moving around the crowd to stand beside you on the bed. "Your broom fell into the Whomping Willow, and well. It' s right here."
In Nat's arms were the remains of what had once been your Nimbus 2000. You sighed in displeasure, but at least you could ask Jarvis to buy you another one.
After you were released from the nurse's office, Principal Harkness was waiting for you in the hallway. She waved for all your other colleagues to go their ways, as she escorted you to the Hufflepuff common room.
"Tell me, dear, are you feeling all right?" She asked tenderly. You nodded in agreement as you walked.
When you reached an empty hallway, she stopped walking, and touched your shoulder so that you would do the same. She knelt at your height and looked deep into your eyes.
"Tell me what you saw up there."
" Professor, I don't remember..." You started to say, but then fell silent, immediately recalling what you saw as you gaze the purple glow in front of you. It was as if your thoughts came out of your lips before you even thought to say them. "I saw an image in the clouds, it was like a horned creature or someone wearing a crown. Then the dementor reached me and I felt an immediate chill and unhappiness. I had the feeling that I was wrapped in a sensation of pain as I fell down."
The professor seemed to absorb every one of your words. She smiled then, her eyes returning to their normal color quickly, making you believe you had imagined the whole thing.
"Thank you dear." She said. "Let's keep this between us, okay?"
When you two walked back, you didn't remember any conversation at all.
//-//
Your first trip to Hogsmeade is amazing.
You buy two bags full of candy at the Honeydukes, and then you and your friends go to the Three Broomsticks, to have some buttery beer.
Quill seems to have become friends with Pietro Maximoff during Quidditch practice, because as soon as they see each other, they greet with a hug.
You ignore the feeling of nervousness that settles on the pit of your stomach when your gaze meets Wanda's.
Your friends don't mind sharing a table with the Maximoff twins, and that's how you end up sitting a few feet from Wanda, Gamora's watchful eye on you trying to understand why you're so quiet and flushed.
"Everyone is so nervous about the dementors at the castle, that I think we should try to do something fun. Like throw a party." Quill suggested to the group. Mantis looked excited.
"I think we could do something before Christmas." Gamora suggested and the group agreed.
"Does anyone have any idea where we can have this party? Quill asked." Since we are from different houses, maybe the common rooms are not a good option. I heard that the Slytherin kids don't really like the Hufflepuffs.”
Quill's teasing makes Wanda roll her eyes, but the rest of the table giggles. You look away to your cup.
"We could use some empty room on the seventh floor." Pietro suggested, and Quill gave an excited exclamation.
"This is a great idea." He said. "If the older students are going to participate, we can get some prefect to cover for us."
Quil looks at you and Mantis has to poke your shoulder for you to notice and pay attention.
"Sorry, what is it?" You ask when you notice all the looks on you.
"Can't you convince Steve Rogers to join us? He's your brother's boyfriend."
You laugh, nodding in agreement
"Okay folks, I'll try to call them all."
On the way back to the castle, after you spent the afternoon talking about the most diverse random subjects and telling jokes, you leave your hands in your pocket, because it is very cold.
Quill and Pietro start playing tag, and Wanda walks alone. You hurry up to join her.
"Hey." You greet with a smile, Wanda also has her hands in her pockets.
"Hey". She responds kindly.
"Is everything all right?"
"Yes?"
"Are you asking me?" You say back with humor and Wanda laughs, looking at the floor as she walks. "I… I thought it was cool this afternoon." You confess the next moment, feeling your face get hot. "With everyone together, I say. And you and your brother, it's ... you two are nice."
"Thank you, Stark." She replies with a smile. You move your fingers inside your pocket before you speak again.
"If we're going to be friends, you can use my first name". You say and Wanda looks at you, but you keep looking forward.
"Are you sure?" She asks after a moment. You frown without understanding. "Are you sure you want to be my friend?"
You look at Wanda in surprise. But then your expression softens.
"I thought we were going to be friends last year, but you looked angry every time you saw me."
Wanda laughed lightly, looking ahead.
"Yeah, I… I'm sorry about that." She says. "It wasn't something you did. It was just a few things I heard. And I ended up thinking that you were judging me like everyone else at that school." She tells you. "It would make sense since you saw me face the troll." Wanda whispered the last part. You bit your bottom lip before speaking again.
"You could have talked to me, you know?" You say. "I kept thinking that I had done something wrong."
Wanda said nothing, and you sighed, running your hands through your hair.
"We can forget about it and be friends now, what do you think?" You then suggested a smile on your face.
Wanda looked at you, and her green eyes cause something in your stomach to sink.
"I would like that."
"Cool." You comment breathlessly.
//-//
Being friends with Wanda is so natural that it almost surprises you.
Now whenever you sit down at the Slytherin table, there are two new members in your group of friends.
Eventually you discover that it was Quidditch that build Quill and Pietro friendship, as they stopped fighting because they were spending a lot of time training together.
At the Slytherin table, you know that Pietro and Quill receive angry looks because they are from Gryffindor, but no one has the courage to say anything to you, perhaps it is the deadly stare that Wanda gives anyone who dares to look foully at her brother.
You also succeed in inviting Steve and Tony, in addition to your brother's other friends, to the party before Christmas. Steve says that you all can use the old Astronomy room on seventh-on Saturday, and that the curfew would be at ten o'clock. The news of the party ends up spreading quickly around the school, but your friends don't seem to mind that it stopped being something small just between you guys.
When the day finally comes, you wear a comfortable jeans and sweatshirt set, realizing that it is a choice of clothes much more similar to Muggle-borns than pureblood but no one seems to care.
"Hey, you took so long" remarked Gamora as soon as you went up to the seventh floor and met her at the door of the room. "Come on, everyone is already in there"
As you took some of the non-alcoholic fruit drink that Mantis helped Quill make, you looked around the room. You waved sheepishly when your eyes met Wanda's, who was coming in. She looks very beautiful in her wine red sweater, and she smiled at you, and you didn't understand why you felt your stomach flip.
Soon everyone were all together, talking animatedly on various subjects. When Quill and Pietro started doing a dance competition, you laughed so hard that your belly was aching when they were done.
//-//
You have your first Divination class that week.
Professor Heimdall was already waiting for the students while he was sitting on a kind of ivory throne in the corner of the room, which smelled of incense that made your head spin slightly. It really was a remarkably mystical and mysterious environment, even for a magic school. The illumination was limited due to long white curtains on the walls, and there were many candles scattered around the room. Mantis whispered that this kind of thing was done to increase concentration when working with this kind of magic. 
"Welcome to our first meeting on Divination, students, the most complex and unstable of magical arts." began the professor as soon as everyone was seated at the tables spread around the tower. "I must warn you that if you seek answers to your most personal questions here, you will most likely not find them. There is no stability in this subject."
Some students commented softly among themselves, but no one seemed willing to contradict the professor, his yellow eyes roaming over everyone in the room.
"Let's begin today's class with an introduction to the basics of study in divination." He warns, and with a flick of his wand, the cupboards at the back of the room open, and from there several sets of cups fly out to all the tables. Then the professor touches his wand to the teapot on the table, and it multiplies into four pairs, flying around to serve everyone.
When everyone has their cups full, Professor Heimdall goes to the small blackboard, and begins to explain how divination works. You hurry to start writing it down.
Many minutes later, when you have finished your tea, Mantis pokes your shoulder.
"Let me look at yours and you do mine?" she asks and you nod, handing her your cup. You clear your throat, looking intently at the dregs of tea in Mantis' cup.
"I don't see anything." You grumble, trying to concentrate. The powder doesn't seem to form anything. 
"Remember to check the symbols in your books." Warned Professor Heimdall aloud the next moment. You took a deep breath, running your fingers across the paper as you tried to identify the images.
"Mantis, let's switch, I don't think I'm getting anything..." You start to say softly looking at your book, when you glance at your friend however, you frown in confusion. She has her gaze glazed on your cup, one hand covering her mouth, "Mantis, what happened?"
She gasps softly, and you straighten your position as you notice a thick tear running down her cheek, feeling your heart soar with worry.
"I'm... I'm so sorry." She sighs breathlessly, dropping her cup on the table. The noise attracts everyone's attention, but Mantis is getting up the next moment, and running out of the room. You stand up, but Professor Heimdall puts his hand on your shoulder.
"Don't worry, miss Stark." He says. "It's common for those more sensitive to divination to have that kind of reaction in their first contact with the spirit world." He explains with a tender look. You don't understand why, but his voice calms you. "Go back to your activity, I will talk to your friend."
He waves to the rest of the room next, and then leaves. You sit back down, exchanging worried glances with Gamora and Nebula who are at the table in front of you. 
Your first action is to look at the cup that Mantis has thrown on the table, but the impact has broken it at the bottom, and the liquid has run down the cloth. You sigh in dissatisfaction, using your wand to clean up the mess.
When class is over, Gamora and Nebula quickly join you.
"Any idea what that was about?" Gamora asks as you walk together through the castle. 
"No, she just got a glazed look in her eyes, and then she ran off." You count. "I'll try to ask her in potions class."
"Maybe she saw some evil omen." Nebula comments, and Gamora elbows her in the stomach. "Ouch."
You frown worriedly.
"Does that mean something bad is going to happen to me?"
Gamora denies with her head, forcing a smile as if trying to reassure you.
"Bad omens can be many things, even something silly, like losing a sock in your room." She says and you leave your hands in your pockets, not feeling reassured by this information.
"Yeah, but Mantis wouldn't cry over a sock." You retort and Nebula nods in agreement, but Gamora has a serious expression.
"I'd rather think it's nothing bad." She says. "Professor Heimdall said it's normal for sensitive students to have that reaction, isn't it?" She adds and you shrug. "Maybe she's just been watching you lose a game or something, but she was so overwhelmed with having seen something, that she got emotional."
"I hope you're right." You grumble as you reach the stairs. You sigh. "See you at lunch, girls. Have a good History of Magic class."
Gamora and Nebula wave goodbye and head in the opposite direction from you after they watch the staircase move.
You hurry to avoid being late for potions.
//-//
Mantis doesn't come to the dungeon either. You poke Quill in the back as he sits down in front of you, and ask if he's seen her anywhere, but he shrugs, worried that you don't know either. You just sigh, telling him what happened in class.
"I'm glad I didn't take that subject." He says as he hears the story. "I've heard that some people learn to see the day that the other person is going to die. That's scary."
You laugh incredulously.
"That sounds like a lie."
Quil shrugs his shoulders. "That's what I heard."
You wish you could talk more, however Professor Erik entered the room the next moment, and everyone fell silent. You tried to forget about the divination class by concentrating on making your poison antidote correctly next.
//-//
You only found Mantis at lunchtime.
Or rather, she found you.
You had just come out of charm class, and she was waiting for you outside. You looked at her with surprise and concern, but she just smiled, looking much more relaxed than earlier.
"I'm sorry I disappeared." She says. "Professor Heimdall thought it best that I get some rest, and then he taught me some things about aural sensitivity."
"I don't know what that means." You comment making her smile. 
"It doesn't matter." She says. "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier."
You shake your head.
"Mantis, come on, no need to stress about it." You retort. "I was worried about you, and I'm sure it wasn't your fault." 
Mantis smiles, looking forward. You bite the inside of your cheek, finding her strangely calm and distant.
"Do you remember what you saw in my cup?" You ask hesitantly, and a small glint passes through Mantis' eyes, but then she smiles quietly, denying it.
"It was no great thing, I believe." She says. "Professor Heimdall has assured me that it must have been just a bad memory, and that there is nothing to worry about."
You frown, but something in Mantis' expression tells you that she just won't talk about it anymore. Not wanting to make your friend uncomfortable, you don't press the issue again.
//-//
It's Christmas again, and you don't go home.
This year Hogwarts is much emptier than it usually is, and you know that it's because of the dementors. 
The vast majority of the families, even those who usually leave their children at Hogwarts, have asked the students to return home. Your father briefly mentioned in his last letter how there were many requests for shift changes during the holiday period.
Tony also stayed in the castle, you knew he was planning to enter the forbidden section of the library, and he had told you to mind your own business when you asked if you could help.
Surprisingly, Gamora and Nebula returned home. It was very unusual because Thanos didn't like parties, but they promised to write to you. Mantis always returned home, so you just handed over your present before hugging her goodbye. Quill and the Maximoffs stayed with you.
"You know you're losing right?" you remarked with amusement as you were spending time with your friends in the Gryffindor communal room, a wizard chessboard in front of you. Quill let out an annoyed groan. 
"That game is harder than it looks." He grumbled looking at the pieces. " Knight move to E3 please."
The piece moved, cursing softly that Quill was making a stupid move, and you laughed.
"Can't you see her bisbe right there you idiot? "Squinted the black item, and Quill sighed in irritation.
"You want to play by yourself, do you?" He retorted, and Pietro and Wanda who were watching you two, giggled.
"Are you talking to the game, Quill?" Pietro teased as if the boy in front of him was crazy. 
After you beat Peter, it was your turn to face Pietro. He was a much better player, but he still made a lot of thoughtless moves.
Someone walked past the door, and you heard noises of footsteps, and then there was a girl joining you all.
"Hey, Monica!" Pietro greeted the girl cheerfully as soon as he saw her. The girl smiled at him. "Guys, this is Monica Rambeau, she is..."
"Professor Rambeau's daughter." Quill completes as if it is obvious. And you and Wanda smile at the girl. "Everybody knows Monica, man."
"What are you guys doing?" The girl asks curiously.
"Playing chess."
"Losing at chess, you mean right?" you tease with a smile. Pietro and Quill laugh in agreement, Wanda is distracted by the book in her hands.
"Do you want to hang out with us?" Pietro asks.
"Actually, I'm going to go outside." Monica says excitedly. "I just went in to get a coat. Darcy and I are going to make a snowman. Why don't you guys join us?"
You exchange glances with your friends. They all seem to think the same thing. And that's how you end up in the outside yards, in a snowball war.
" Back off, Pietro, I'm on your team!" You yell at the older Maximoff who has just hit you with an icy snowball to the chest. Pietro laughs.
"In war it's every man for himself!" He shouts running toward you. You laugh as you run away from him, preparing to hit Quill who is in the opposite direction.
"Hey, get down!" You heard someone shout and you turned around, obeying the order as soon as you noticed Darcy's raised arm toward you. She threw a snowball at someone behind you, and you laughed when Pietro let out an exclamation. Running toward the girl, you thanked her with a wave of your hand before running back. 
After hitting Monica and Quill twice, you ran out of Pietro's reach when he appeared at your side, laughing. Stumbling, you ended up miscalculating your speed, and knocked Wanda down next.
"That's a foul." Joked Pietro as he watched you two fall, laughing along with both of you. Before he could throw a snowball at you, Quill was back and he ran. You helped Wanda up as you apologized for knocking her down.
"One point each." She says holding the snowball at chest height. You smile, and wait for her to throw the snow at you. She laughs when she has done so gently, pushing the ball against your shoulder, the icy liquid running down your blouse making you shiver slightly. 
You pick up a snowball from the ground next, but when you look at Wanda, her face flushed with cold, and emerald eyes sparkling with amusement, you don't have the heart, and just smile wryly, making her look at you curiously.
"What is it?" she asks confused by the way you are just looking, making no mention of throwing the snow at her.
But the moment was broken next, when you all heard an animalistic noise nearby, and turned your heads with curiosity.
A few meters away was the guardian of the lands, Drax, leading a line of winged horses through the snow. You and your friends let out a chorus of excitement.
"Wow, look at the size of those horses." Pietro commented looking in the same direction. 
"They're not horses, people!" Monica exclaimed excitedly. "They're unicorns! Mom said we were going to study them next class don't you remember?"
Only when Monica said this did you squeeze your eyes shut to get a better look, and you could see the white horns in the distance. Drax waved at you from a distance when he noticed that you all were looking. He led the horses to the area where the class on Magical Creatures was usually held, and you saw that Professor Rambeau was waiting for him.
After that, it seemed to get colder. And you all decided to go inside and have some hot chocolate, as you took your friends into the kitchens. The elves were happy to serve you sweet breads and cakes, even outside of dinner time.
//-//
On Christmas morning, all of your friends, including Tony and Natasha who was Tony's only friend to stay at Hogwarts, gathered at the same table in the main hall for the gift exchange.
"Stop fussing, boy, you'll mess up the presents!" You heard Darcy complain to Quill. She and Monica were also with you because Pietro invited them. Neither of you guys minded, because they were very nice.
"I'm just trying to get a peek." Retorted Peter raising the gift package in the air out of Darcy's reach.
"It's not your gift, so you can't look!" 
You laughed at the interaction, finishing opening the package in front of you. Natasha had given you a new collection of wand care products and you loved it.
"You do need to take better care of your wand indeed." Teased Tony when he saw the gift. You laughed while waving a middle finger at him, and stood up to hug Nat in appreciation.
Most of the gifts were clothes, and candy. You bought a collection of exploding snap cards for Quill, and he was very pleased, already throwing the cards on the table to play with everyone. Pietro and Monica eventually agreed to participate, while Darcy watched them.
"That's mine right there." You said shyly to Wanda as she picked up one of the packages from the stack. "I hope you like it."
Wanda bit her lower lip in anticipation as she opened the package. And when the red scarf became visible, she fell silent, and it was your turn to be nervous.
"I know you're from Slytherin and all, but I've noticed that you really like red." You hasten to justify. "And then I saw this scarf in Hogsmeade and I remembered that day after charms class that you forgot your scarf and Pietro lent you his and so I thought it would be a good idea and..."
"I loved it." She interrupts looking at you. Her cheeks redden and a tender smile on her lips. You relax with relief immediately.
"Oh, right." You say. "Good, then."
You think you've been looking into Wanda's eyes too long, because your face is starting to heat up. But Peter gives a celebratory shout for getting the card move right, and you and Wanda look away quickly. She puts on her scarf next, and you look down at your lap to hide the silly smile that insists on escaping your lips.
//-//
When classes at Hogwarts return, the Dementors leave.
Apparently there was a big commotion in the Ministry of Magic. You hear many students commenting on this during the class break. And then there is a story in the Daily Prophet saying that Korvac was killed in combat with aurors in London, but there are also many people saying that this is a lie, and that he has run away again and the Ministry of Magic doesn't want to assume to the public.
Anyway, Headmistress Harkness removes the dementors from the castle and the atmosphere in the school improves considerably.
Nebula has a large purple mark on her left eye when she returns. Gamora tells everyone that she fell off her broomstick. You choke when she tells only you that it was Thanos who did this after he caught her snooping in his office.
"You can't tell anyone about this, okay?" She asks tearfully and you nod frantically, hugging her to calm her down. "I've never seen our father like that."
"It's okay now, Gamora." You say tightening in your embrace. "I will help you."
When you write to your father, asking what to do in a situation where the dangers are indoors, he says that Stark Mansion is big enough to accommodate your friends.
When you come home for the vacations after doing very well on your final exams, Gamora and Nebula are with you.
347 notes · View notes