I do not own Harry Potter, the X-Men or Avengers; they belong to their rightful creators.

WARNING: SLASH, major AU of the Potter-world (No magic instead just mutants), violence and swearing. Spoilers for the films if you haven't watched them yet.

BACKGROUND INFO: Harry's age: 60. Hank's age: 59 (Going by movie-verse appearances).

Harry is Loki's son. His powers include turning into a Frost Giant and forming ice shards/blades in his hands. He also has the Asgardian lifespan. Assume the witches/wizards in HP's world are all mutants.

After 'Days of Future Past' the amount of serum Hank injected in him reacted over time and had left him in his Beast form permanently.

Other X-Men characters mentioned in this fic (exists in comics):

Karma: Librarian and French teacher. Her abilities include Psychic possession and mental shield formation.

Pixie (Megan): Teaches Home Economics. Has insect wings that allow her to fly and has the ability to cause hallucinations.

Bird (Barnell): Teaches Business studies; has enhanced vision and can transform into a human-sized bird.

Bobby and Piotr will be a little older in this fic; the former born in 1983 and the latter 1980.

TIMELINE (Avengers takes place much earlier):

X-Men First Class: 1962

Days of Future Past: 1973

Avengers: 2002

SET: In the X-Men universe. Year: 2003

Pairings: Harry/Hank(Beast), Scott/Jean,Barnell(Bird)/Megan(Pixie) and Remy(Gambit)/Karma

'Telepathy with Charles Xavier/Jean Grey.'

AN: I have only watched the films (and the TV series when I was very little).

There is an idea that everything is set in black-and-white, the good easily distinguished from the evil, right from wrong, light from dark. It is a philosophy many live by, either out of ignorance or belief. But that was not how the world was created or how people act. There is darkness is the hearts of good men; a flicker of light kindling in the souls of villains.

Many view life and those around them in black or white. They do not believe in the shades of grey that colour so many people, including themselves. A prime example is of one man who was hounded because of his heritage. His ties to a being not mortal, a man that had brought down an army of alien-like creatures with him to attack New York, resulted in the man being seen as a potential threat to humankind. Even after saving the future from being wiped out and facing down an apocalypse, Harry Potter was still only seen as the son of Loki.

But perhaps the team sent to assess him saw him in shades of grey too. Maybe an attack launched by rogue mutants in an attempt to create a war between themselves and humans allowed them to see the good in Harry and not his father. Or maybe their prejudice refused to allow them to see the bigger picture.

It had all started when SHIELD's computer showed a familial match between Loki and a much-loved English teacher as 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'.

-February 2003: Tuesday Evening: Xavier's School for Gifted youngsters-

A young man by all appearances, fingers buried in his messy black hair, stared down despondently at the stack of exercise books on his cluttered desk. The word ENGLISH was written in block capitals on the bottom line while the name of the student was written in various scrawls above his own 'Professor Harry Potter'. Said teacher straightened up and stretched until his back clicked.

A framed photograph was barely visible from behind all the books and papers but it showed the professor sitting with two other young men, one in a wheelchair and the other in a doctor's coat. Etched into the frame were the words 'A New Leaf, A New Future'. Taken a few decades ago, it showed that time had aged only two of the men.

That was not seen as unusual for where Harry worked. He taught children that all had some kind of gift, an ability that made them stand apart from the rest of humankind. Some could create illusions, others fire, one could even create portal to move from one place to another. The school that housed them was owned by the man in the wheelchair was known as Charles Xavier; a powerful telepath. The other in the white coat was Hank McCoy who had long-since lost his ability to look human and was nicknamed Beast for the thick blue fur that covered most of his equally blue skin. These two men were the most important people in the teachers' life. It was also a main cause of strain on his emotions for as his friend and lover aged the teacher didn't. But then Harry Potter wasn't human and nor was he entirely a mutant.

"You'll never get any work done if you just sit and stare at it all evening," the deep rumbling voice caused Harry to sigh and rest his head back in his hands, elbows on the desk.

"There are eighteen of them," he whined.

"Then you better get started."

Harry lifted his head up and gave his lover a glare from over his shoulder. Hank McCoy didn't even look up from the article he was reading in one of his medical journals.

"Dammit," Harry cursed when the phone rang. Knocking some papers off the desk Harry picked up the receiver and held it between his ear and shoulder.

"Professor Potter and McCoy," Harry greeted distractedly as he started the hunt for his marking pen. "Oh, Karma what's the matter? Ah, I see and what- No I didn't know." Harry made a victorious sound when he found his quarry. "No that wasn't me making light of the situation my pe- No I'm trying to mar- Will you just let me finish a sentence!"

"Who is it?" Hank asked; his curiosity peaked.

"Look, karma," Harry said deliberately for Hank's benefit, "I know that it's extra work but he's just having a tough time of it." Harry fiddled with the cord. "I'm sure that he didn't mean to knock down all of your bookshelves."

Harry spun in his chair, careful not to pull the cord taut, and looked over at Hank. Yellow eyes stared back with amusement.

"Yes I know what the time is and just how many bookshelves are in the library but he- well yes I- then tell Charles." Harry sighed. "At least he didn't burn the place down." Harry winced. "I'm not jinxing anything I- Hello?" Harry huffed and placed the phone back on the cradle.

"Which kid was it this time?" Hank asked.

Harry sighed. "It was Jonothon. It seems that he's having more difficulty adjusting that we initially believed."

"Poor boy," Hank momentarily abandoned his reading. "I checked him over when he first arrived and my findings showed that his powers have destroyed his internal organs. He's mute, he does not need to eat or sleep, and the child is lonely and confused and scared."

"Charles will get through to him," Harry promised.

"Let us hope so," Hank said as he went back to his journal; glasses perched on the end of his nose.

Harry grabbed a notebook from the top of the pile and opened it.

"I personally think that he's annoying Karma because he's formed an attachment to her," Harry offered out his theory as he started to read an essay.

"Maybe," Hank said non-committal.

"You disagree?"

"No, but I think this is his attempt at reaching out to anyone to see who cares."

"Targeting Karma's library was not a good move."

"So I hear."

They ended the conversation and Harry scratched out a C on an essay and picked up another one.

Macbeth's character development in the third act is shown through his domestic relationship with his wife and the ruthless way he seems to speak to her, and through political relationships…

'Use more relevant examples', Harry jotted down, 'Take care to read over your work and note several repetitive sentences'.

"Bad batch of essays?" Hank asked after half an hour. Harry rubbed at his eyes.

"Not bad, there are just some silly mistakes and misquotations." Harry scrawled a 'well done' and marked it with an A-. "Miss Moonstar[1] is doing remarkably well in just five months. She's jumped up two grades. It seems like she has a handle on her empathic powers finally."

"Are you sure it's not because you have a soft spot for her?" Hank asked, turning a page.

"What are her grades in science?"

Hank paused. "B's I believe."

"She's a smart girl," Harry closed her notebook and placed atop the tiny pile of finished markings. "She takes after Jean."

"Miss Grey is her mentor."

"It might be Mrs Summers if Scott manages to build up the courage and ask her."

"I think he doesn't want to pile any more stress on her while she adapts to the sudden growth in her power," Hank theorised.

"Charles is impressed with how well she's coping after taking the final block down in her mind."

"He's worried too."

"Understandably," Harry twirled the pen through his fingers. "The power she showed when Charles first met her years ago frightened him. I could see it."

"Hmm, whatever he saw in our Logan's memories before we change history seemed to affect him."

"He doesn't want to make the same mistakes that his future self made."

"The harder we try to not become something the more we become it," Hank said.

Harry looked at him from over his shoulder.

"It's like when we try not to think of something in Charles' presence the more we think of it," Hank expanded.

"Thanks for that," Harry said, "but in this case Charles succeeded in at least preventing Jean from going off the deep end where his counter-part had failed."

"I never said that it always happens," Hank said, eyes darting up to briefly connect with Harry's before they fell back to the page he was on, "I'm just saying that sometimes we become the very thing we fought against becoming."

"Well hopefully that won't be me," Harry said.

"Don't worry," Hank grinned, "if you start talking about subjugation I'll set you straight."

"Oh I hope not," Harry winked.

"Must your mind go to the gutter?"

"This conversation was getting too serious," Harry said. "Besides I know that you'll keep me in line in case I do decide to go all homicidal."

"Now that we've decided that maybe you should go back to your marking?" Hank suggested, turning back to his reading.

Harry looked back at the stack of notebooks on his desk. "Why do I have to set so many bloody essays?"

"Language, Dear," Hank scolded absently, not taking his eyes off the journal.

Harry groaned and threw down his pen. A glance at the clock showed that it was half-ten. He looked over at his blue beast. The other man was only wearing trousers, leaving his thick-furred chest on full display.

"You better not be shedding all over our bed," Harry warned him teasingly.

Hank looked up. "Oh? And what if I was?"

"Then you'll be picking up all those strands of fur off the blanket tomorrow," Harry got out of his chair, stretched until his back clicked and walked over to the bed where he then proceeded to collapse onto his stomach.

"You are a cruel man," Hank informed him, quickly taking note of the page number before closing the journal. He doubted he would get anymore reading done now. "You've given up for tonight?"

"They're not due to be handed back until Friday," Harry closed his eyes. "And it's late and we have a meeting first thing in the morning."

"You're getting old," Hank joked, getting up off the bed.

"Pluswe're meeting up with Logan beforehand and I will not be accused of being late by that man!"

"Come on, teeth and pyjamas." Hank coaxed.

Harry groaned and rolled off. Whilst he still looked like he was in his twenties Harry was actually sixty. The one thing he hated most about his ability (and by extension his biological father but then Harry had a lot of issues involving him) was his inability to age. It never seemed to matter twenty years ago, or even ten, but now that Hank's fur had started to lighten in some places Harry could no longer pretend that Hank was going to still be with him in the decades to come. Time and age would eventually take him while for Harry it would most likely be centuries. The possibility made Harry feel sick. When Hank eventually passed away Harry vowed that he would soon follow. Charles knew and Hank suspected, but Harry refused to stay in a world without his furry blue partner.

"Stop brooding," Hank ordered, handing him his toothbrush.

"I'm not brooding, I'm thinking," Harry countered.

"With you it's the same thing," Hank said knowingly, "and it never means anything good, least of all for you."

Instead of replying Harry wound an arm round Hank's waist, pulled him close, and kissed him. Hank tasted of coffee and something sweet.

"Mmm," Hank pulled back reluctantly, "teeth then bed."

"Yes Master," Harry shoved the toothbrush into his mouth and diligently cleaned.

-Wednesday Morning: 6:30am-

When Harry awoke the next morning it was to the familiar feel of Hank's head on his chest and the sound of the alarm blaring out at him. With his usual comfortable body temperature ranging below normal, being snuggled by a man covered in thick blue fur usually meant that Harry woke up all sweaty. It also left Hank with damp and/or sticky fur; depending on how hot Harry got. Though after decades like this neither felt bothered or embarrassed by waking up a mess.

A nice cold shower sounded lovely to Harry as Hank rolled off him and stumbled out of bed. Harry switched off the alarm and sat up. He imaged feeling cold, remembered the feel of snow slipping down under the back of his collar after someone launched a snowball at his back one year, and then Harry's skin darkened to blue. To Harry the snow wasn't cold. He was drawn to the cold; his powers thrived in it. All he needed to do was think of the cold, imagine it or touch it, and then he would change into his natural form: a Frost Giant. That discovery wasn't fully made until he met Charles. That man had so many theories. He believed that Harry was special; and not just mutant special either. After Harry was tested on by Hank they discovered that Harry's blood was slightly different to both human and mutants. They couldn't work out why. But not ten years later Harry's aunt had died in a car accident and Harry found a letter addressed to him by his mother; one that he should have received years before. She had believed that she was impregnated by Loki himself and had even written that Harry was born blue with red eyes like the Frost Giants of lore - and not a demon like the midwife had believed. Harry had thought that his mother, whilst amazing (she did die for him when a mad mutant came to kill them after all), must have been off her rocker. But Harry's abilities, such as his affinity to freeze things, change appearance and his inability to age all pointed to the fact that his mother might not have been half as crazy as they initially thought. Then three years ago it was confirmed after Charles ran into a young scientist who apparently met and shacked up with the God of Thunder of all people. Then last year Loki's attack on New York pretty much cleared everything up for Harry.

The covers were ripped away from the man, startling him out of his thoughts.

"What have I said about brooding?" Hank asked, wet arms crossed.

"That I should leave it to you?" Harry threw back as he got to his feet.

"I got the shower on cool," Hank said after giving Harry a small glare.

Harry smiled. Hank didn't mind the showers' temperature being so low; with his fur the cold didn't bother him as it would a normal person.

"Love you," Harry said, kicking off his pyjama bottoms and slipping under the spray. Hank clambered in after him, careful not to touch Harry whilst he was in his current form. The water was warmer than Harry's skin so it was easy to change back. Now normal, both Harry and Hank thoroughly enjoyed their shower together.

"Morning Fuzzy, Frosty," Logan greeted at the bottom of the stairs as the two men ambled down to the entrance hall.

"Morning Logan," Hank replied cheerfully while Harry gave a small wave.

"Early night?" Logan asked, seeing them both so bright-eyed on their morning off.

"Better an early night then downing God knows how many coffees you drank today," Hank said as they started to walk to Charles' office. "Do you know what drinking too much coffee all the time does to you?"

"Uh, keeps me awake?"

"It can make you more stressed, increase your heart rate and result in jitters and restlessness-"

"We work in a school, if you don't feel something along those lines when dealing with hormonal teenagers twenty-four seven then I ask you to share whatever it is that you're taking."

"-Dehydration, insomnia, headaches-" Hank continued on blithely.

Logan turned to Harry. "Make him shut up."

Harry placed a hand over Hank's mouth. "Love, he doesn't care. And if he wants to make himself sick I say let him do it."

"Hey!"

"Oh please like you could actually get sick," Harry brushed off. "I've never even seen you with a cold."

"It would do him some good if he did once in a while," Hank told him loftily.

"Okay, how about we move on from coffee and my good health?" Logan asked briskly.

"What so that Jean doesn't hear that you're a coffee monster?" Harry jested when he caught sight of the young woman with books in arm. She was heading their way and Harry guessed that it was to set up for her first lesson, "Looks like we're not the only early birds this morning."

"Shut up," Logan ordered before giving Jean an awkward half-smile when she caught sight of them. "Mornin' Jeanie."

"Good morning Logan, Harry, Hank," She hefted the books up higher. "Off to see the professor then?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed at the odd assumption.

"Yes we are," Harry said. "We're going to have a meeting with him actually. It probably has something to do with the recent attacks; though I can't imagine that it would be that important if you weren't there."

"Maybe it's something only for your ears," Jean offered with a shrug. However her voice rose ever so slightly as she spoke.

"Yes but Charles would want everyone else to know if it affects all of us."

"You're the oldest members of the team," Jean said cagily, "Whatever it is that he wishes to speak to you about, he'll tell the rest of the team soon enough."

Harry narrowed his eyes and the redhead avoided his gaze.

"We better head off," Hank said, hand moving to the small of Harry's back to give him a gentle push.

"Yes," Harry agreed, allowing Hank to slowly lead him away, "can't keep the professor waiting."

"Logan," Hank added, and Logan reluctantly moved to follow.

"Bye, Jean," Logan said softly.

"See you later," her smile was strained.

"There's something wrong with Jean," Logan declared when he caught up with them.

"Yeah, you," Harry retorted.

Logan growled. "If she had a problem with me she would say."

"Of course," Hank soothed and shot Harry a reprimanding look.

"I was only joking," Harry huffed. "And you're right. She seemed… shifty."

"Interrogating her wouldn't help any either," Hank gave Harry a knowing look.

"I wasn't interrogating her," Harry looked over to Logan, "Did it sound like I was?"

"No, but it sounded like you were well on your way to," Logan said.

"The best way to find out is to speak to Charles," Hank said. "She assumed that we were all heading to see the professor-"

"And to be fair it could be a fair assumption," Logan spoke in defence, "the three of us walking together so early in the damn morning is a pretty good hint; especially since you two don't have morning classes today. Not to mention the fact that she could have easily of picked it out of our brains."

"Miss Summers knows how to control herself," Harry said stubbornly, "she knows not to read peoples' thoughts without their permission."

"It could have been an accident."

Harry gave him a dubious look.

"And as I said," Hank raised his voice, "we could always speak to Charles and see what he wants."

They stopped the Headmaster's door and Hank knocked.

"Enter," Charles Xavier's voice instructed and the three made their way in. "Good morning," Charles beamed at them.

Logan grunted. "Nine-am is morning."

Charles' smile widened.

"So what's this all about?" Harry asked, moving himself to sit on one of the two chairs in front of Charles' desk. After a moment where Logan waved off Hank's offer to take the second seat, Beast followed his partner's lead. "And yes, we are through with all the pleasantries," Harry added when Charles opened his mouth.

"You know me too well old friend," Charles said instead.

Harry tapped the arms of the chair with his fingers, a familiar habit of his when his patience wore thin.

"Right," Charles cleared his throat. "I have been contacted by a government agency that has expressed their desire to aid us against our current mutant problem."

Harry blinked.

"When you say government agency…" Logan started, expression darkening.

"I mean the kind that actually does endeavour to not discriminate against those with special abilities."

"You're stalling," Harry said.

"The government agency is called SHIELD which is basically dedicated to protecting the country from any and all threats."

"I thought we'd come under the 'threat' clause," Logan said rubbing at his knuckles.

"They have agents that are mutants," Charles insisted. "They are not treated any differently."

"I've heard of them," Hank broke in thoughtfully. "But it was something to do with the Avengers I think."

Harry and Logan perked up.

"From New York last year?" Logan asked.

"The very same," Charles said though something in his tone of voice gave him away.

"But why should we care about the Avengers?" Harry asked shrewdly.

"They have offered to work with us in dealing with the rogue mutants," Charles explained.

"Why?" Hank asked, "They haven't volunteered before."

"This time a SHIELD agent was killed," Charles explained blankly. "And since two of the Avengers are also agents they wish to lend a hand."

"So when mutants are killed they don't lift a finger but when it's one of them it's suddenly their most important case." Harry looked disgusted.

"And they're also going to kill the mutants who did this?" Hank crossed his arms. "They may be a threat but SHIELD will probably do a lot worse to them. Are we really going to let them take the mutants to experiment on them?"

"There will be no experimenting," Charles assured. "They have dealt with us in the past and the mutants that have committed crimes have been locked away securely and safely. Remember they did create Magneto's prison in the sixties."

"But not all mutants are treated with the same… care," Hank argued.

"And Magneto's crime was well-known," Harry added, "He couldn't just disappear without raising suspicion and causing more strife between our species."

Charles sighed. "I know; you are both right. However there is little we can do but hope that partnering with them will result in a positive outcome, and to believe that SHIELD will not harm those that come into their custody."

Hank didn't look happy.

Harry spoke again before silence could descend. "So are we going to meet them anytime soon?"

Charles nodded. "They will be arriving here shortly."

"Wait, wait, shortly?" Harry leaned forward. "As in shortly today?" Charles nodded. "They're coming here today and you only just decided to tell us?"

"I only found out myself yesterday," Charles said.

"And you didn't tell us this yesterday because…" Logan glared.

"I thought it would be best to let you have a good nights sleep and not worry about the impending meeting."

"Do Summers and Jean know?" Logan asked suddenly.

Charles shifted. "They were here when I received the call."

"So the friends of whom you've known for near-on half a century aren't clued in on this visit but those two are?"

"Drop it, Logan," Hank said. He straightened up and rubbed his forehead. It explained the guilty looks Jean gave them this morning. "Miss Summers would have found out anyway."

"That doesn't explain Cyclops."

"Jealous much?" Harry couldn't help but say, slouching back down in his seat.

Logan growled.

"Charles," Hank ignored the bickering, "What about the children? Our classes? "

Charles smiled. "Your morning classes will be cancelled and all students will be informed that the front hall is closed."

"That's not gonna' stop them from trying to take a peak at our new guests," Logan told him.

"This is why they will be turning up while class is in session. I know that it's not the best solution but it is all we can do. They will quickly be taken to the small conference room by the study hall."

"We don't have a conference room," Hank pointed out.

"We will," Charles clasped his hands together. "Director Fury seems very insistent on this meeting. While he and his team desire to help stop the resent attacks I have also been told that they also wish to assess Harry."

Harry sat forward. "Me? Why me?"

"That's what everyone asks," Logan said.

"Shut up, Logan," Harry snapped.

"It seems that SHIELD has discovered the relationship you share with Loki," Charles said. "They evidently informed me of their plans because of my abilities. As soon as they entered the grounds I would have picked up on their true intentions."

"Damage control before any actual damage," Hank nodded. "Wise decision."

"They're going to assess me on what exactly, though?" Harry prodded. "My thirst for death and destruction? My psychotic tendencies? That I enjoy skinning bunny rabbits and use their fur to decorate my room?"

"Something like that yes," Charles sighed. "I will endeavour to make sure that their actions will not put you in any risk. If we do decide to team up with the Avengers then I will need to be sure that they will not compromise the safety of our team."

"I understand that Loki destroyed downtown New York and killed innocent people but surely they can't hold Harry responsible for that?" Hank asked. "It's illogical."

"Unfortunately, fear makes people irrational, leading them to illogical conclusions. Loki did a lot of damage when he came here. The fact that Harry shares a passing resemblance to Loki will also not help the situation."

"We share the same hair colour," Harry snorted. "My eyes are my mothers' and my height doesn't even reach six-feet."

"Loki's eyes are green," Hank related to him, "even if they are not nearly as enchanting as yours are."

"You flatterer you," Harry batted his lashes at Hank.

"I think I'm gonna' puke," Logan wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Quite," Charles agreed. "But the issue still remains that they will probably not be all that friendly toward you, Harry, and in turn their animosity may touch the rest of us."

"Is that why you only want us three to greet them and not the rest of the gang?" Harry asked.

"Keeping any possible damage to a minimum," Hank understood.

"We may only need to put up with them for a little while," Charles assured them. "With the pattern of the attacks both the Director and I have estimated when the next one may be. When the time of the attack draws near I will search for large groups of mutants with Cereboro."

"And the next one will be tomorrow," Hank guessed. "The second attack occurred two nights after the first, the third three nights, and the forth two."

"So since we haven't heard of any attacks from last night we can assume that the next one is tomorrow, the third night after the last," Logan surmised.

"And our team will be there to stop them," Harry grinned.

"Do you think Barnell is ready to come on this mission?" Hank asked worriedly.

"He has made progress in leaps and bounds," Charles told him.

"He still hasn't got his mutation under full control; he keeps changing between human form and his aviary one."

"During the battle he will need to remain as Bird," Charles said, "And I believe he has no trouble keeping that form."

"If these Avengers say or do anything that involves his appearance I fear that Barnell will react negatively."

"If the Avengers do anything to upset our friend," Harry announced, "then I say they deserve whatever it is Barnell will do to him."

"Not to mention what Pixie will do to them," Logan added.

"They have the Hulk on their team," Hank allowed, "So they may not even react at all barring a few raised eyebrows."

"They'll react to Tinkerbell," Logan said.

"She'll kill you if she hears you calling her that," Harry warned. "Huh, maybe I should tell her. Are you ready for another crazy ride down the rabbit hole?"

"What that girl does to you is worse than an acid trip," Logan shuddered.

"I haven't pissed her off enough to experience her hallucinations thankfully."

"I found it to be a rather fruitful experiment," Hank said.

"You weren't the one who had to look after you in that state," Harry glared. "Even strapped down it was hard to contain you. Not to mention how worried you made me."

"I will not apologize for what I did. We needed a better understanding of her powers."

"You're just lucky it was a good trip," Logan muttered, turning Harry's attention on him.

"You did insult her wings to be fair," Harry said.

"I insult everyone."

"We know." Harry turned back to the ever-patient Charles. "Now we have a solution to the Bird-Avengers problem. Sic Pixie on them."

Charles' lips twitched. "That's one way to sort it out."

Hank still looked worried and Harry ran his fingers through the fur on the back of his hand calmingly.

"Bird will be alright. We'll warn these hero-wannabes beforehand."

"Do you even know who they are?" Hank asked.

"One's the Hulk," Harry said, "Another is Thor. The rest either wears tights, fly around in a metal suit and/or shoot people."

"That basically sums it up," Logan shrugged. "I know about Rogers from history."

"We don't watch as much TV as you two obviously do," Harry defended at the raised eyebrows of Hank and the exasperated look on Charles' face.

"I'm not even going to bother," Hank shook his head.

"So when do these 'heroes' plan on showing up?" Logan asked.

"Around half-ten," Charles said. "You three will greet them while I get a reading on them without them knowing."

"That's a blunt admission of exploiting your powers on the unawares." Harry said, more surprised than anything else.

"We need to know the threat that they pose. They will keep their guard up while I am present but if I am not there then maybe we can get lucky."

"You are truly more devious than you seem, Chuck," Logan grinned.

Charles' expression smoothed out but his three closest friends managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of satisfaction on his face.

A little over two hours later saw Professors Potter, McCoy and Logan waiting by the large double doors at the entrance hall.

"This is not gonna' end well," Logan predicted as he fished out a cigar from his brown leather jacket.

"It may go better than we predict," Hank said, sitting down on the stairs.

"Tired old man?" Logan needled, cigar lit and in his mouth. "We don't have a long wait."

"They may very well be late, Logan, and we have arrived ten minutes early." Hank wrinkled his nose at the smoking. "I would rather be comfortable than have my legs ache from standing still for too long."

Harry lent against the stair banister and glared at Logan.

"Oh stop being so sensitive, Potter," Logan dismissed the angry look without a care.

"Only if you stop being such an insensitive arse," Harry snapped.

"Its ass, Frosty, not arse, you're an American now," Logan corrected. "And have been for the past forty or so years."

"Can I hit him?" Harry asked Hank.

"Please try," Logan goaded.

"Both of you behave," Hank reproached. "Let us focus on our impending guests rather on quarrelling with one another."

Both Harry and Logan shot one another one last look before simultaneously shrugging their assent.

"Chuck plans to use us to get a better reading on our new friends," Logan grunted.

"It's a logical move," Hank said. "He will be able to gauge their reactions to meeting us and guess how they will react to the rest of the team."

"He'll also know what they plan to do with me," Harry added.

"They won't do anything to you," Hank replied at once. "You are not a threat. You've helped saved this country and only a fool will try and act out against you. These are powerful, intelligent people; they'll see that you are nothing like Loki."

"Speaking of these 'people'," Logan cut in, "what do you think of them?"

Harry shrugged. "They saved the world; that's a plus in my book."

"Yeah, but they're not just here to help us bub," Logan eyed the end of his cigar thoughtfully. "You're dear old dad is bat-shit crazy and did try and take over the world." Logan took a long inhale and blew out a puff of smoke. "Best take care that they don't try and lock you up."

"They're not stupid," Harry said, successfully keeping the worry out of his voice. While he didn't doubt his friends, the Avengers did take down a God and an Alien army and Harry didn't want to underestimate them. If they wanted to take him by force then Harry believed they could possibly achieve that. "It's just an assessment."

"If Thor is with them," Hank mused, leaning back and resting his elbows on some higher steps, "then things will get complicated."

Logan grunted, "Understatement of the century."

"It's not like he can do much anyway," Harry rapped the wooden railing with his knuckles. "If he does I'll just turn him into a human ice sculpture."

"Not to mention that he would have to get through us first," Logan reminded him, "and all your students. You are their favourite teacher even if English sucks."

"My classes aren't as boring as your history ones," Harry returned with a raised brow.

"The way I teach history is not boring," Logan said gruffly, "They get high grades don't they? It's just that those little snot-nosed brats can't handle some hard truths."

"I seem to recall a couple of students coming to me because of some nightmares that you inspired," Hank said.

"I toned it down," Logan grumbled.

"By taking out the gruesome details of death and torture," Harry teased.

"Not like you helped any love," Hank said. "Remember when you decided to help out in a defence class? You made a pincushion out of Logan. I had kids thinking you were going to do the same thing to them if they didn't behave."

"He's a fast healer," Harry defended himself. "It's not my fault he's a big target."

"Watch it Frosty."

'They're here,' Charles' voice broke into their thoughts and alerted them to their arriving guests.

"They're on time," Harry noted.

"Well then I guess its show time," Logan stated, snuffing his cigar out in his palm before eyeing one of the plant pots.

Hank gave him a stern look and Logan huffed and pocketed the stub.

"We have children in this school remember?" Hank scolded as he headed to the front door.

"I do hope the kids behave themselves," Harry said.

"Seriously?" Logan looked at Harry incredulously.

"Gods no," Harry laughed. "If these Avengers fought against my 'father' then they will bound to have an issue with me. I would love to see the kids beat the crap out of them."

"You're a cruel one Frosty," Logan decided.

"Behave," Hank ordered when someone knocked on the door. With one last warning look the Beast opened the door and stuck his furry head out. Both Logan and Harry edged forward. "Can I help you?"

"I bet you thirty bucks he's giving them that toothy smile of his," Logan predicted.

"That's a suckers bet," Harry dismissed.

Hank opened the door fully to permit their new guests in.

The first through the door was an older black man, bald with an eye patch. The next was a beautiful redheaded woman whose gaze was instantly drawn to Harry. Immediately following her was a man with a bow over one shoulder and a quiver of arrows on another. His gaze too went to Harry. However, unlike his friend whose focus then went on to study her surroundings, the pale eyes of the man remained focused on Harry, angry and suspicious.

"Well aren't you popular," Logan mocked. Harry ignored him.

A tall blond man in tights with a shield strapped to his back stepped through, almost being pushed over by a shorter brunette who wore sunglasses. He seemed fascinated with Hank who remained polite but distant. Anyone who found Hank fascinating made the Beast uncomfortable; apart from Harry of course. The brunette was distracted by a taller, thinner-looking man who nudged him out of the doorway, allowing himself and another, even larger and more muscular blond to enter last.

Harry instinctively knew who that was. Logan did too for he stood straighter and all amusement from their earlier banter disappeared. Only Hank didn't show any change and closed the door softly behind them.

"So what are you then?" The brunette with glasses spoke up rudely. "Are you always like that or can you change?"

Hank smiled. "This is part of my mutant ability. Unfortunately I can no longer revert back to my other, normal, form."

Harry imagined himself punching the arrogant arse in the face but Charles gave him a mental tap.

'How long are you going to allow us to go on?' Harry asked.

'I'm on my way now,' Charles replied, 'don't start a fight please.'

'No promises,' Harry focused back to find the muscular blond staring at him in what appeared to be in awe.

"Uh, welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters?" Harry offered. "Professor Xavier," is using us as guinea pigs to gauge your behaviour and read your mind unawares "was caught up with some other teachers but he's on his way."

"Harry Potter!" Thor boomed, arms opening wide. If he thought that Harry was going to allow him to even touch his person then he would be in for a rude surprise. "When I learned of your existence my family and I were shocked."

"Oh, I bet they were," Harry gave him a fake smile.

"We spoke to my brother, your father," Thor seemed to want to clarify, "and even he seemed surprised by your existence."

"Well if it was a surprise to my mother I had little doubt that it would have been the same for him," Harry replied.

"Indeed," Thor beamed. "I was sent here to meet with you. After my friends informed me of the impeding threat and that you were intending to take part in preventing their attack, I gladly offered my assistance." The man seemed to glow. "Nephew," he said the term endearingly but Harry twitched at the word, "when you come back home with me to meet your grandparents-"

"Wait!" Harry rudely cut him off. "Wait, back up a second, you think that I'm coming back with you? To this other planet to meet with your father?"

Thor frowned and he seemed to deflate a little. Hank backed up from the Avengers to stand beside Harry.

"Asgard is your home, our home."

"My home is here," Harry told him, speaking slowly and deliberately.

Thor's eyebrows furrowed. "I am not weak in the head, nephew, nor am I struggling with your language or accent. Midgard is not your home. I have been told of your exploits, have seen your face with my own eyes. You age a little faster than an Asgardian should do when they are young, however that seems to have stopped."

"I did not know that our… exploits were so well documented." Harry's gaze flickered to Eye-Patch.

"Indeed," Thor nodded, "and it is impressive for one so young. Father will be pleased that you have not taken after your father."

"That is yet to be determined," Bow-and-Arrows put in coldly.

"How much have you read about me?" Harry questioned.

"I know that you do not age, you have strength that is superior to mortals and you can take severe wounds that would cripple a normal man and walk away." Thor looked over at his teammates. "I believed that that was everything."

"Oh boy," Brunette rubbed his hands together.

"Impressive," Harry gave Thor a shark-like smile that made the male agent go for his bow. Harry cocked his head to the side. "But that does not mean that I do not belong here. If you would take a look around later when the kids are out of class you will see just how well I fit in."

Thor set his jaw stubbornly.

"You are my nephew and you are coming back with me. Asgard is where you will go, and Asgard is where you will stay."

"Asgard is NOT where I will go," Harry fired back, control cracking. "You can take your bloody home and shove it up your bloody arse."

"You are Leaving Midgard after the battle," Thor commanded him.

"I'm not leaving for anywhere you deluded old sod," Harry snapped out.

"Why do I have the feeling that this isn't going to end well?" the brunette asked while the man in tights tightened his grip on his shield.

Thor took a step forward. He had meant to use his height and bigger build to intimidate the shorter man. Harry took the move as threatening. Within an instant Harry's skin darkened and began to turn blue. The rest of Fury's team had obviously read the rest of the file pertaining to Harry's abilities because they didn't look all that shocked. Brunette and Mr. Skinny were watching with a scientist's eye while the others looked torn between fascination and uncertainty, but none of them were that thrown by the change. The strange patterns that adorned his skin added a level of exoticness to him. What they thought was creepy however were the eyes, the green bled into red, dark and angry. The blue beast that had allowed them entry had tensed and crouched into a defensive position.

Arrow-man had strung his bow and was aiming it at Harry threateningly while the redhead pulled out a gun.

"No," Thor ordered, "No harm will come of my nephew. I will sort this."

"It's alright, Hank," Harry didn't even look at his partner as he adjusted his stance, feet more apart, hands clenched, "I've got this."

"Both of you stand down," Eye-Patch barked. "We have come here to fight together not each other."

"You are not my superior," Harry threw back; "you are in my home. I perceive this man here as a threat."

"I am no threat, I am your uncle," Thor denied though he was looking at Harry cautiously, obviously Harry's sudden physical change threw him off.

"My family is here," Harry parried back as two long ice shards formed in his hands.

"That is enough," Charles' voice rang out in the hallway as he wheeled himself toward the group. "I thought that you would have taken better control of the situation, Director Fury," Charles added.

"And I thought you could control your people with a simple thought," Eye-Patch shot back.

Charles just smiled. "I believed that Thor needed to see Harry's special abilities. My friend is not one to change on a simple whim."

"Change into what?" Tights asked.

It was Thor that spoke. "He is a Frost Giant," Thor seemed half amazed and half worried. "As I said, he is not mortal."

"But still, when presented with evidence," Brunette was studying him. "A part of me wondered if it were just good genes," he caught the incredulous looks of his teammates, "On his mother's side."

"Mate, I'm sixty-years-old and I look like I'm still in my twenties, what more proof do you need?" Harry cheeked, still clutching onto his weapons. "I am a Frost Giant and proud of it."

"Aren't Frost Giants supposed to be evil?" The blond asked.

"Now that's just generalizing," Harry crossed his arms, careful not to stab himself. "Just because some people are bad doesn't mean the rest of them are. If we all believed that then a war between mutants and the norms would have broken out decades ago."

"Getting lectured by Loki's son on our behaviour," Brunette scoffed. "Oh the irony."

"Harry is not like many of his people, young prince," Charles wheeled closer. "I can see what you have seen, see how you perceive Harry's kind." Thor watched Charles with suspicion.

"The telepath," Tights noted.

"Charles Xavier," the man introduced. "You have obviously worked out who my old friend here is, if Harry would be so kind as to stand down?"

Harry nodded and the blue seemed to fade away from his skin and his eyes returned back to their original bright green. He took a step back to Charles' side while simultaneously dropping the ice shards, causing them to clatter onto the floor. They would melt soon enough. Think heat, think sun, Harry thought, watching as the melting process sped up.

"He also teaches English here at my school."

"The son of Loki is teaching young, impressionable minds?" Brunette commented, "Now there's just something so wrong with that."

"To Harry's other side," Charles continued, ignoring the man and his subsequent 'oof' as Tights elbowed him in the stomach, "is Hank McCoy, our resident Doctor and Science teacher, also known as Beast."

The furry man wiggled his claws at them in greeting.

"Behind me is Logan, Codename Wolverine," the wild-looking man fisted his hands and claws made from bone sprung out from between his knuckles.

To the strangers' credits they didn't even flinch at the painful-looking show-and-tell.

"He teaches history and self-defence." Charles smiled. "And we know who you are."

'I don't,' Harry thought stubbornly.

'If you would pay more attention to your surrounding you might have,' Charles scolded before speaking aloud. "The Avengers, with Captain Steve Rogers," the blond in the tights nodded, face serious, "Tony Stark, maker of Ironman," the arrogant brunette puffed up his chest, "Bruce Banner also known as the Hulk," the quiet young man offered a smile and Harry remembered Hank mentioning him a while ago. A great scientist until he decided to experiment with gamma radiation. "Then we have two SHIELD agents, Hawkeye and Black-Widow," the man with the bow showed no emotion and the redheaded woman raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "And then there's Thor."

The God nodded, hammer in hand. All cheer seemed to have left him and he was watching them with a calculating gaze.

"Now, besides being here to team up to stop the rogue mutants from starting a war between our people, I do believe that you are here to assess Harry."

"More like kidnap me," Harry told him.

"Which is not what they are going to do, is it?" Charles' eyes bored into Fury's.

"Thor is not under my command; he answers to a higher power, so to speak."

"A threat to Harry is taken as a threat to us. Kidnapping him would be the worse thing your God could possibly do."

"No offence sir," Rogers spoke with respect but also with scepticism. "But do you honestly think you could prevent Harry from leaving if the Asgardians really want him?"

"Tell me Captain," Charles gave the man a soft smile. That smile was only ever sent to his students when they were upset or to those who Charles wanted to manipulate. "I'm sure that you've already experienced this, but if you had someone who was one of the most important people in your life, who helped you become who you are today, who you loved unconditionally, would you allow them to be taken away from you?"

Harry stared at Charles, feeling a swell of emotion. He and Charles were close but Harry didn't know how deeply his friend felt about him, and he certainly never expected to hear it.

Beast moved closer to Harry, standing so that his side was pressed up against his partner's.

"I do not believe that you would put any of your children in harms way," Rogers retorted, pointing out that they were standing in a school.

"I do not control my students," Charles replied. "And my students, old and current, all love Harry. They will stand up and fight. They will even go against your Avengers. Maybe not directly of course, but they will use their gifts to their full advantage, such is the way with children."

Rogers' lips thinned. "You would use kids-"

Logan growled.

"It's alright," Charles said, eyes not leaving Rogers'. "It is a valid assumption. Incorrect certainly, but still it is not far leap conclusion someone could make of a stranger. No Captain, I will not sway or manipulate the children into doing things that they are want to do. And a lot of Harry's friends are no children. They will defend him because they love him, because it is the right thing to do. He is one of us. If we abandon one then what hope do we have of uniting mutants and uniting our races?"

"Wow Chuck," Logan broke in after a moment of stunned silence, "who knew you were that deep?"

"Thank you, Logan," Charles said. "Now we have that all cleared up." Thor still looked stubborn but Harry trusted that Charles would give him a heads up if Thor was about to whisk him away. "I do hope Director that this does not in any way reflect negatively against Harry's assessment."

"We are assessing on whether or not he is a threat to this country," Fury told them.

"Potter's a national threat?" Logan laughed. "I assumed it was something like that but to hear you say it… With his temperament you'd find a teddy-bear more harmful than he is."

Harry's eyes tinged red. "Must you always underestimate me?"

"Well, if you ever actually manage to beat me in a fight then maybe not bub," Logan shrugged with a wide smirk.

"Maybe we should go right now?"

"Fine then Marshmallow," Logan taunted, "let's go."

Harry's face flushed at the nickname. It was one that Hank had taken to calling him after Harry briefly went through a faze of scoffing his face with the deliciously soft treats until he got sick of them. The laughter from two of the avengers fuelled Harry's anger.

"Well then, Pooky-bear," Harry hissed, bringing up a name that one of Logan's passing fancies called him once, "maybe this time I won't stop at skewering you only a few times."

"Pooky-bear?!" Stark was in hysterics. "First Marshmallow and now…!"

"What's a Pooky-bear?" Rogers asked.

"I'm going to gut you, you red-eyed hellion," Logan snarled.

"Was that an attempt to scare me?" Harry taunted, "Sounded more like a little… meow."

'Can the both of you behave?' Charles' voice rang in both their heads.

"He started it," Harry argued.

"You could've been a grandfather by now," Logan scoffed, "start acting your age."

"You mean ancient like you, you fossil."

"Still upset to know that you won't look this good at my age?" Logan shot back, however the anger had gone. "This is how a man should look like, not like some collage kid, brat."

The Frost Giant opened his mouth in outrage but his partner cut him off.

"Harry," was all Hank said, tone light with amusement. Immediately Harry bit his tongue and quietened down.

The avengers, who were watching the scene with fascination, turned to the Beast automatically.

Fury pinched the bridge of his nose with annoyance, though he then closed his eyes in frustration when he saw Stark open his mouth.

"Wow," Stark said with surprise, "That's all it takes to silence Loki's son? Saying his name?"

"No," Logan's eyes glittered, "He's just whipped."

"Logan," Charles' smooth voice was full of disapproval.

"Sorry, Chuck," Logan shrugged his shoulder. "But think of it like a band aid. What I just did was a favour."

"I do not understand," Thor frowned and turned to Rogers beside him.

The captain shrugged.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine, their old friends and Harry doesn't like… disappointing Beast." He gave Charles a 'are you happy now' look. The man smiled back.

Neither Hawkeye nor Black-Widow looked convinced and Stark was just grinning.

"Now that the introductions have been done," Fury spoke up, "maybe we can finally talk about strategy."

That sobered everyone up.

"Indeed," Charles nodded. "If you would all follow me I have a room set up so that no one will overhear us."

It was a tense walk, what with both Charles' X-Men and the Avengers distrust for one another. Neither group wanted the other to walk behind them but with Logan trailing along at the back and Harry and Hank on either side of Charles at the front, the situation worked itself out without either of Charles' or Fury's interference.

"I doubt it's as impressive as the conference rooms at SHIELD but it will serve its purpose," Charles said as he wheeled himself in first and moved down to the far end of the rather small table which, Harry noted catching some of the words and drawings etched onto the surface, came from the dining hall. Harry himself sat next to the professor, followed by Hank. Logan again chose to stand and only Fury, Stark and Banner sat down opposite them. Thor's hulking frame stood by the window behind Captain Rogers who himself stood beside Black Widow and Hawkeye.

"It's rather cosy," Stark observed as he read some of the things the students have scrawled onto the table. "I would say that this was a class table with all the defacing and the burn marks," Stark said, "However some of these look like they've been done by claws or a knife."

"And that it's been recently wiped down suggests, what, an office table?" Banner joined in.

"It's a lunch table," Black Widow stated, ruining Stark and Banner's little guessing game.

"Spoil sport," Stark whined but sat back in his seat and turned to the mutants, not seeing the exasperated looks his teammates shared. Stark was much like the children they taught, Harry mused, short attention span with the ability to move from one topic to another, confusing the hell out of those that were listening in. "I'm still stuck on the Science teacher here," Stark flicked his wrist at Hank. "So your ability was to turn into this, yeah?" He indicated to Hank's furry form. "So then how can you not turn back anymore?"

"One experiment too many," Hank said, preventing Harry from saying something that he wouldn't later regret. "Basically I injected myself with a mutant suppresser that I created in order to avoid being detected."

"By a mutant killing machine that the government created back in the seventies," Harry inserted.

"After a few days," Hank continued, "the suppressor wore off but because of the amount I injected into myself the mutant gene had evolved. So the next time I turned into Beast I couldn't turn back."

"The government made what?" Rogers demanded. He glared over at Fury. "Did you know about this?"

"I knew of it," Fury admitted grudgingly. "However it was not SHIELD that developed that particular weapon."

Rogers' glare turned on Stark.

"Hey, nor me!" Then he became outraged. "And I wasn't even in my teens yet! You can't blame me for everything!"

"It was an independent scientist," Charles informed them, putting an end to Stark's building rant before it fully began.

Harry fought not to make a snarky comment. He had met the other Logan, the one from the future, and by his account the world was almost destroyed. These Avengers either didn't care or they stepped in to help a little too late. He glanced over at Wolverine, wondering if and when his other self would emerge.

"And one that has been suitably punished," Charles said. "But that is not why we are here today."

"You have some mutants terrorising and killing people," Fury said. "We are here to help sort out the problem."

"We implore that you do not use lethal force on them. It will just cause more conflict, especially with those who are wavering on the border of belief between believing that peace is the better route for co-existence and just species domination."

Harry tried to read the expressions on the Avengers faces. Fury and his agents weren't giving anything away (other than their dislike for him) but the rest of the team looked insulted at the thought of just killing off the rogue mutants.

"This is not war," Rogers stated with a, to Harry's ears, righteous tone, "we will bring them in alive and any casualty tomorrow will be because there was no other way in dealing with them."

"In a them-or-me scenario," Stark clarified.

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Charles sighed. "However I do understand that if there is no other option then you'll do what you have to do."

"We will be using tranquiliser guns to take them down," Fury told them.

"And what are you going to do with them after?" Hank asked.

Fury levelled him with a hard look as if knowing what Hank was really asking. "We will take them into custody, assess the level of danger they pose to civilians, and if they fail they will be locked up."

"Are we going to go in teams or as one unit?" Harry asked once Hank broke his stare with the director.

"Multiple teams seem to be the best option," Rogers replied.

"Divide and conquer," Stark said.

"Are we mixing our groups up, mutants with your Avengers?"

"It would give each team a wider range of skills at their disposal," Banner said.

"These mutants will not expect that," Thor added. "They may assume that either mutants or your government may step in but not both working together."

"I believe that you are not opposed to the idea?" Fury put to Charles.

"No, in fact I believe that it's a very good idea."

"Shot gun me not on Loki kid's team!" Stark declared loudly. "And not the Big Green either, but that's more for Potter's sake than Brucies."

Rogers' eyes flickered to Hawkeye who caught the movement. Rogers probably meant to just check on him to see how he was handling being in the same room as the son of Loki and not try and kick his ass. Hawkeye took it to mean something different.

"I will not work alongside the son of Loki," Hawkeye told them adamantly.

"Well there's the door," Logan waved a hand cheerfully at the wood before anyone else could speak. "Potter is more valuable to us in this battle than you are. Him we need while you are not much of a loss."

"Logan," Charles warned.

"Well then you will have to fight without me too," the Black-Widow stated.

Logan snorted. "And these are members of the Avengers sworn to protect the lives of innocents?"

"I call bluff," Harry drummed the table with his fingers, agreeing with Logan. "Otherwise you will just be letting thousands of people die, not very good and anti-evil of you."

"Anti-evil?" Hank murmured.

"Trying out some new phrases," Harry shrugged.

"I wouldn't suggest that one."

"You are the son of Loki; a liar, backstabber, and a manipulator," Hawkeye snarled.

"Do not talk about my brother or nephew like that!" Thor ordered.

"It's in his nature."

"Yes because me never having met the man and grew up in a completely different environment than he has – our nurturing have both been very different folks – means that I am his exact carbon copy." Harry drawled. He then turned to Thor, "And stop calling me nephew!"

Thor looked hurt but Harry didn't care. He still remembered his other uncle, his aunt's husband. Though long since dead, the memories of being treated poorly because he was believed to be a freak when he was a child had left a mark.

"Blood always wills out," Hawkeye insisted.

'Do not rise to the bait, my friend,' Charles' voice rang in warning.

'Do we even need the Avengers?'

'Any help is welcome, was all Harry got in response.

"Vague bastard," Harry glared at Charles who ignored him.

The old man turned to Fury. "I will not have any member of my team threatened in any way by your people," Charles told him. "If they cannot act professionally and do their job then I do not feel comfortable enough in trusting them to have my X-Men's backs during the fight."

"We are all well-trained for battle," Captain spoke up; "Any dislike within the group will be put aside when we fight."

"Yeah," Ironman snorted, "as long as no-one has Loki's son on their team."

"Like father like son?" Harry queried. "Tell me Stark, is that true for you as well?"

"Demonic little shit," Stark glared but it held little heat.

"He has a point," Banner said. He shifted uncomfortably under the sudden attention of everyone in the room. "I'm nothing like my father, nor is Stark-"

"His enterprise?" Hawkeye pointed out sharply. "His skill in technology?"

"I was going for personality," Banner explained.

"I like you," Harry decided. He turned to Hank. "I like him."

"Well then that's decided it for me," Stark clapped sarcastically. "Loki hated the Hulk while his mini-me is the opposite so assessment done." Stark ignored the glowers coming from the two SHIELD agents. "It's also telling me that Potter here seems to have a taste for Doctors that turn into beasts."

"I prefer blue to green," Harry allowed a genuine smile to show, albeit hesitantly.

"I'm a redheaded man myself," Stark confessed lightly, "Sorry Banner, you're all out of luck here."

Banner rolled his eyes, cheeks only barely reddening. Hank's hand moved to Harry's leg and gave it a squeeze in reassurance.

"Although I am curious about one thing," Stark added, turning to Hank with glittering eyes and a devilish smile on his lips as he caught the slight movement of the arm even though their hands were hidden under the table. "With those teeth, fur-ball, how do you go down-"

"That's enough, Stark," Fury ordered. Rogers seemed to take a moment to understand what he meant but after Black-Widow whispered something in his ear his face became aflame.

'Do I want to know?' Harry thought to Charles.

'His mind is quite graphic,' Charles replied. 'I am going to avoid his thoughts for the rest of our time together.'

Harry stifled a laugh.

'It did not seem pleasant for you,' Charles added a little vindictively. 'Sharp teeth in that area…'

Harry flinched and instinctively shied away from Hank.

'You..!'

The blue beast gave Harry a questioning look before tilting his head, listening to something only he could hear.

"Ah," Hank looked like he didn't know whether to be amused or horrified.

"Oh my God you're bonding," Hawkeye accused Stark.

"Hey, I'm not my father," Stark protested, "and while I am a hypocrite in many things, holding a father's behaviour against their child is not one of them. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"How very mature," Thor praised.

"Can you tell Pepper about this when you next see her?" Stark asked, "It should please her enough to let me get away from a couple of board meetings."

"And that lasted all of five seconds," Banner sighed.

"Can we please get back on topic?" Fury glared. "Now Barton, Romanov, you will both work with the X-Men, you will not compromise their safety in any way, not even Potters', is that understood?"

Both agents didn't like it but they were professionals. Both nodded to show that they understood. Just then the bell rang, signalling the end of class. The sound of laughing and chattering students filled the hall outside as they all passed, leaving one lesson and heading for another.

"That sounds like a lot of kids," Stark observed curiously. "I did not realise just how many mutants there are until put into a building with them."

"There are many more out there," Charles said, "those here come because they want to understand more of their power, to control it, or because they have no-where to go. Some parents and carers don't know how to care for them while others come from the streets."

"How many kids were given to you?" Rogers asked quietly.

"More than I would like," Charles replied sombrely.

The warning bell rang, encouraging the stragglers to get to their next class on time.

"Is there anything else we should know?" The Black Widow asked neutrally once the chatter outside died down.

Charles smiled at her. "Yes actually. You will all do well not to show any negative or… enthusiastic reactions to when you meet the rest of our team," He advised. "Their appearances may be not what you are used to."

"No offence but we have seen some pretty freaky things in the past," Stark said. "Aliens, Gods… Banner."

Banner shrugged. "Blunt but true."

"Even so, I caution you to be prepared."

"Caution noted," Stark saluted.

"You wish to say something, Rogers?" Harry asked, trying not to show his amusement at Stark's antics.

"It will be best to team up our members when we meet the rest of your X-Men," Rogers noted politely.

"That is a good idea however those that will be joining us have classes and two are currently on a fieldtrip until this evening. Perhaps tomorrow before we set off if that is agreeable?" Charles suggested.

Rogers frowned and looked at the rest of his group though there was little he could do but nod his head and agree.

Charles smiled. "Then that's settled. I don't think that there is much else to discuss? No, well tomorrow we shall meet again and I will find the location of where the next attack will take place."

Fury rose from his seat, prompting Stark and Banner to do the same.

"We shall speak later," Fury promised.

"I shall look forward to the call," Charles said then non-too-subtly added. "Now, Hank will show you out."

Hank got to his feet and led the Avengers to and out the door. Harry gave Charles a sharp look and the man tapped his head.

"They seem to like Hank," Charles said. "I'll know if they think to try anything."

Still displeased, Harry watched with a sharp eye as the last Avenger left. Thor looked over at Harry, hands clenching and unclenching. Harry raised a challenging eyebrow, eyes locked with Thor's until the Black Widow said something and the big man reluctantly left.

"He plans to take you after the battle," Charles revealed.

"I'd like to see him try," Logan scoffed.

"What if Odin sends more of his people down to get me?" Harry asked apprehensively. "I won't put the kids in danger; or any of you."

"You're one of us," Logan snorted, "even if you went with them willingly to 'protect' us, we'd find a way to follow you and drag your ass back."

"While I would not put it as crassly as Logan had just done, I concur with what he has said," Charles put in. "You are a dear friend and a wonderful teacher. You have helped so many people, all of whom I know will not let you go so easily."

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably; hating that his eyes stung. He looked down at his hands at a loss for words.

"Would you not do the same for us?" Charles asked slyly.

Harry's head shot up and he gave Charles an incredulous look.

"Now you know where we are coming from."

"I hate this," Harry said.

"We all do, but we can do little else than accept their help and be prepared to stop Thor from taking you."

"And if this Odin send more to try and take me?"

"He may be a king but he will not risk starting a war, even if he thinks he can win. He does not understand us mutants. He will be wary."

"But he won't risk me running around unchecked either," Harry sighed.

"We'll think of something. Hopefully we can come to a compromise of sorts."

"Better think of something fast," Logan said, "We haven't got long before Blondie pops off back to his planet."

"I may have a few ideas, though whether they would work or that everyone would agree to it is another matter," Charles said slowly. "However we shall move on and focus on what we have learned from Director Fury's team."

"That's it?" Harry asked incredulously. "You tell us you might have some way of keeping me here and not dragged off to wherever-"

"Asgard," Logan supplied helpfully.

"-And then not tell us? Charles." Harry spoke the name out warningly.

"My dear friend the ideas I have were your own. I will not take credit for them."

"I don't have any ideas."

"Not today you didn't but in the past you have. Just think of Idunn."

"The bringer of extended life?"

"Her apples gave the Norse Gods life. When she disappeared they slowly aged."

"Okay, so I'm not immortal and I'll age faster than Asgardians," Harry frowned, "But I'll still age slower than humans."

"Unless you had help to speed the process along."

"What like eat a rotten apple or something?" Logan inserted.

"Very witty Logan," Harry scoffed.

"Gods are extremely powerful and have strange magic that could do almost anything," Charles explained.

"If Gods can give immortality why not take it away?" Harry bit his lip. "Do you think it's possible?"

"Worth a look," Charles smiled then added. "And it is better than the alternative."

Harry looked away, knowing exactly what his old friend was implying. Logan may assume that the alternative was to fight tooth and nail to keep Harry here on earth but both Harry and Charles knew that it had everything to do with Hank and his lifespan.

Harry cleared his throat and turned his attention on Logan, uncomfortable with the sad look in Charles' eyes.

"So what did you think of Red?" Harry forced out, turning to tease Logan to lighten the darkening mood.

"She's a cold-hearted bitch," Logan stated, eyeing him curiously. "Nothing like Jean," he added pointedly.

"No-one's like our Jean," Harry agreed. Their teammate (and Logan's long-time crush) may not have the same striking beauty as the assassin but her gentle nature and warm heart more than made up for it; at least in their eyes anyway.

They fell into a comfortable silence while they waited for Hank to return. Charles had closed his eyes, probably focusing on their departing guests, Logan was standing, arms crossed and staring out of the window, and Harry contented himself by reading some of the words scratched on the surface of the table.

'BD 4 MD'

'Prof G hot-bod'

Harry's lips quirked upwards and noted that next to it had 'DD?' and a 'C?' etched in. It was a good thing that neither Scott nor Logan saw that some of the kids were trying to guess Jean's cup size otherwise they'd probably spend the rest of their time here in detention or doing laps of the sports field.

The sound of the door opening caused Harry to look up. Evidently Charles knew of Hank's approach as well as Logan who would have smelt him coming as neither reacted to his entrance.

"They're gone," Hank told them unnecessarily.

"Good," Logan grunted.

"I'd have thought you'd have wanted the redhead to stay a little longer," Hank teased.

"Potter's already tried to get a rise out of me about Red," Logan replied with an unimpressed look.

Harry shrugged and gave Hank a winning smile. "Couldn't help myself."

"And you couldn't have waited for me?" Hank reclaimed his chair and sank into it gratefully.

"Both of you are comedians," Logan said sarcastically.

"Glad you think so," Harry said.

Charles cleared his throat and regained his staffs' attention.

"Moving back to the issue at hand, we'll need to know what SHIELD has on us," Charles said, bringing the group back on topic. "Fury let some thoughts slip. We have all been under surveillance at some point and they have files on us. It would be… informative to know what they know and how much of a threat they perceive us to be."

"See if we are a threat to civilians," Hank sighed, his earlier cheer gone. "We have fought for so long to be seen as equals. We have proven that we are no threat to them and yet they treat us like one of nature's unstable experiments."

It was hard to listen to Hank sounding so sad and defeated. He was a staunch follower of Charles' beliefs in equality and that one day mutants would be accepted with open arms by the humans.

"Fury's not going to show up again tomorrow is he?" Harry asked, though he thought he knew the answer.

"He only came today to meet with you and to see us with his own eyes-"

"Eye," Logan cut in.

"Thank you Logan," Charles said dryly, "he came to see us for himself. While he may have the files, reading our body language and listening to us himself is far more reliable than some words printed on paper. He will not risk me reading his mind and plucking out any possible 'national secrets' that he wouldn't want anyone knowing."

"He was ready to risk it once to meet us," Harry snorted, "Should we feel flattered?"

"He underestimated our abilities."

"He underestimated you, Chuck," Logan said.

"We need more information on them," Hank said, following Charles' train of thought.

"They know all about us, it is only fair." Charles looked over at Harry pointedly.

"I'll make a call," Harry offered.

"Granger?" Hank guessed.

"She's brilliant at hacking," Harry said with a small smile. The silvery-haired techno-monster would find out everything they wanted in a heartbeat. Not only was she scary smart, her ability to create electricity and understand numbers allowed her to hack anything from anywhere and breeze through firewalls and any other safety measures someone may put in place to protect sensitive data with little effort.

"There was a time when I would have been jealous of someone of whom you sung such high praises for." Hank said with a smile.

"Come now Hank, you're the only one for me," Harry smirked.

"I remember a young redhead that was so fond of you," Hank hinted; all jest and no envy.

Harry scrunched up his nose briefly in disgust. "She has since married and is well on her way to being a grandmother for a third time."

"Miss Granger has an available daughter."

Harry shuddered. The young woman was a result of a brief relationship between Hermione and an old classmate, Dean Thomas, long ago. Young Helena could manipulate energy that once thrown at you; you'd either duck or feel a wave of pain.

"Must you be so cruel?"

Hank laughed.

Logan turned to the softly smiling Charles. "And you wonder why I prefer to keep myself to myself."

-Thursday Evening-

The quiet chatter of the available X-Men filled the small basement room underneath the school as they waited for Charles and the Avengers to show. Harry, decked out in his black leather uniform, watched as Gambit tried a card trick. The man from New Orleans expertly shuffled the cards in his hands, red eyes never moving from Logan's unimpressed ones.

"Dis time Remy will get your card," The Cajun promised.

Of course Gambit may be good at playing cards but he wasn't good at magictricks; unless they were meant to explode.

"He's getting better," Hank said, standing beside Harry in his own altered uniform that accommodated his form. It was an open, short-sleeved jacket that had a yellow X on the back. It also displayed his chest much to Harry's enjoyment.

"He's going to get so frustrated in a minute that he'll make the cards explode again," Harry predicted as he slid an arm round Hank's waist, fingers sinking into the soft fur. Hank lent a little against Harry, his arms crossed loosely over his chest so that a hand could reach down and cover Harry's comfortably.

"I'm guessing that's why Logan is standing a few feet away," Hank chuckled.

"He's a fast learner," Harry recounted with a grin. "The last time he allowed himself in close proximity to Gambit he was sent flying back on his arse."

"You found it hilarious," Hank recalled dryly.

"I couldn't even breathe," Harry chuckled. "And you-"

'They are here', Charles' voice appeared in everyone's head.

"Looks like its show time," Logan commented, moving away from the cursing Gambit whose cards took on a faint pink glow. Logan snagged Bobby Drake's collar and pulled him further away from the potential danger zone. This would be the young man's second mission and while Harry and the rest of the team were a bit leery in allowing the kid to join them for such a dangerous assignment Charles relayed that he had the utmost faith in Bobby and his skills. That settled any building argument against Bobby's involvement.

Harry reluctantly detangled himself from Hank and straightened himself up. Hank copied him while Gambit moved to stand beside Jean and another woman, conversing lowly with the latter as he tried to de-charge his playing cards. Logan leaned against the wall by the door that housed Barnell and Pixie, both unwilling to venture out until Charles formally introduced them and warned the Avengers of Barnell's appearance. Bobby fidgeted beside him, partially blocked from view by the other members of the team.

"You think that they're going to have issues with Piotr and Bobby?" Hank asked as they all waited impatiently for the new arrivals.

"I bet Rogers will," Harry predicted, "and that scientist doctor-"

"Bruce Banner," Hank supplied.

"-as well. I don't know about the rest though." Harry then shrugged. "But then they don't have a say on whose an X-men anyway so they can stuff it."

"Eloquently put," Hank grinned.

"I thought so," Harry said distractedly as the sound of muted conversation reached his ears, steadily getting louder as Charles led their guests toward them.

"No attacking Thor," Hank warned quickly.

"Was that directed at me or are you talking to yourself?" Harry joked just as the second set of doors in the room opened up and Charles wheeled himself in. The Avengers, led by Captain Rogers, followed suit and stood in a row facing the X-Men.

"Hello again." Hank greeted politely.

Rogers nodded at him and echoed the sentiment. The two agents were assessing the eleven people opposite them, their eyes once again lingering on Harry who pretended not to notice.

"I think an introduction is in order again for those who haven't met," Charles spoke in a light tone and Rogers took that as a signal to speak, He waved his hand to each member, only being interrupted once when Stark decided to introduce himself, giving Harry and the X-Men a cocky grin.

Only Gambit seemed to not know who any of them were which made Harry feel a little better at his own ignorance.

"And now my team," Charles said but this time he didn't rattle off names. Instead he waited until a young white-haired woman moved forward, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"This is Storm," Charles said as the black woman greeted the Avengers.

"I'm guessing her powers are in the name?" Stark asked.

"I control the weather," She said. "I can create lightening, hurricanes, rain."

"All destructive," the Black Widow noted.

"And yet I have used my powers to save the people of America," came the sharp reply.

"You can control lightening?" Thor wondered with interest.

"I may not have a giant hammer but I can summon lightening with just a thought."

"Storm," Charles warned but Harry gave the woman a thankful smile. She was protective of him ever since hearing that the God wanted to take Harry away.

"I did not mean to sound disbelieving," Thor frowned, not understanding the true reason behind her hostility.

"And nor did I mean to sound so… impolite," Storm said reluctantly.

Charles gave her a smile and Storm moved closer to his side. "And this is my fellow telepath Miss Jean Grey," he said when another woman joined his side, touching Storm's arm lightly in comfort as she passed.

The young doctor offered a warm smile as all eyes fell on her. The male Avengers seemed to automatically relax as the kind-faced woman brushed a strand of her short red hair behind an ear. "Thank you for offering your assistance."

"It was our pleasure, Ma'am," the captain answered first.

"Still, you did not have to help us. It was kind of you."

Jean was good Harry thought, catching the faint blush on Roger's cheeks as Jean's words stroked the man's innate need to protect and serve. Looking delicate herself certainly helped as Roger's posture straightened up even more than it already was.

"We are all a part of this world," Rogers informed her, "we all strive for peace and acceptance. It would be my honour to help reach that goal."

"Our honour, Cap," Stark said with a smirk. "Or have you forgotten that your part of a team?"

Harry was close to laughing, especially when he caught sight of Logan's face and the tensing of Scott's body. Jean playing the damsel obviously worked on more than one man in the room.

"I'm Scott," Cyclops moved forward. "I also appreciate the help."

Stark choked back a laugh as he realised the connection between the redhead and the man with the visor.

'Control yourself, Harry', Charles warned when Harry looked like he was about to follow.

'It's close to becoming a verbal pissing contest,' Harry argued, 'how is this not making you want to laugh?'

'It is called self-control.'

Harry pinched himself, hoping that the pain would distract him from the scene. The laughter from Gambit behind him and the snickering from Stark didn't help much.

Charles decided to move things along. "And the rest of the team," he said, causing Scott and Jean to move aside to allow the other mutants to introduce themselves.

A giant of a man that stood at an imposing 6ft 7in, taller than Thor who folded his arms over his impressive chest when he got a good look at the speaker, nodded his head at them. "Piotr Rasputin, at your service," he submitted first in a thick Russian accent.

"I'm guessing that he teaches self-defence as well?" Stark presumed, eyeing the thick muscles with unease.

Piotr smiled. "I'm the art teacher at this school." It was obvious to anyone who had eyes that he was a gentle giant.

Maybe seeing that for himself Rogers held out a hand with a smile of his own. "Pleased to meet you," he said as they shook hands.

"Of course you'd like him, Picasso," Stark quipped as Banner followed the Captain's lead.

"You seem more suited in training others to fight, my friend," Thor suggested from the back.

"I prefer the arts to fighting," Piotr confessed. Thor frowned.

"And what is your codename?" The Black-widow demanded, "And your powers?"

"Colossus," Piotr replied, meeting her expressionless eyes with his own warm brown ones. "And I can turn into this," Piotr's whole body suddenly became metal and his eyes changed to purple.

"Don't mind her," Stark moved closer to get a better look, face showing his fascination, "she used to be Russian."

She turned and glared at the genius but the man was studying Piotr, fingers tapping against his legs restlessly as he restrained himself from touching the metallic skin.

Piotr himself looked confused and shot Charles a questioning look. Rogers noted the exchange and stepped in.

"And the rest of your team?" Rogers prodded.

"I be Gambit," the Louisianan man grinned as he introduced himself. He held a long staff in one hand and as he pushed the fedora hat he wore a little higher on his head with the other the Avengers saw that he had red eyes. "I create kinetic energy and make things go boom. And ma Cheri d'amour by Gambit's side is-"

"Karma," the dark-haired Vietnamese woman cut in. Stark's eyes seemed to light up at the French undertones in her voice.

"Qui," Gambit's grin widened when Karma gave him an exasperated look.

"He finally wore her down then?" Hank spoke quietly.

"They're good for one another," Harry said. "And maybe she'll stop bitching to me all the time about the kids messing up her library."

They turned back to see Stark giving Karma a low bow. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Stark proclaimed.

"Behave," Banner told him. "Or I'll tell Pepper."

Stark pouted. "I was only playing."

"Gambit doesn't share," Gambit told him lightly, wagging a finger at the man.

"Karma is also not a possession," the woman stated, giving Gambit a glare.

"Remy knows," was the quick reply.

"She's going to eat him alive," Hank stated.

"I don't think he'd complain," Harry grinned.

Karma seemed to sense their thoughts and turned her glare on them. Harry smiled innocently at her. Mr Twitchy fiddled with his bow when he caught Harry's expression.

Charles eyes flickered with concern as they strayed to Hawkeye and he quickly signalled to young Bobby who blinked at being chosen next before clearing his throat.

"Uh, hi, I'm Bobby, also known as Iceman," the kid greeted them with an awkward smile, keeping his back straight and hands clasped together behind him.

The Avengers all noted his youthful appearance and Rogers was quick to disapprove. "How old are you, Bobby?"

"I'm nineteen, sir," Bobby answered politely.

"You're still a kid," Rogers reproached.

"No offence sir, but if Piotr can fight alongside you why can't I?"

"How old is metal man?" Stark asked curiously. "He looks like he has a good decade on you kid, no offence."

"I am three years the age of my friend," Piotr spoke up.

"This age of nineteen is not too young for one to fight," Thor put in. "I fought when I was his age."

"There's a difference between a God and a mortal fighting against enemies," Rogers argued.

"Yeah like the fact that what Gods fight are a lot meaner and harder to beat," Harry said. "I assume," he added at the dark looks shot at him from some of the Avengers.

"Young Bobby is capable of defending himself," Charles assured after giving Harry a smile, "And this is not his first fight either."

Rogers continued to frown at them reproachfully but the Black Widow, obviously bored with the Captain's continued show of displeasure, stepped in.

"Are your abilities similar to Lokisons'?" She asked objectively. Harry gave her kudos for keeping her distain for him out of her voice.

Bobby took his eyes off Rogers and stared at her seriously. "I have the ability to form ice and create walls with it much like the professor, Miss; however I can literally armour my body with ice or snow unlike Pro- Harry."

"He's more snow and I am more ice when we fight," Harry clarified, lips quirking up into a small smile as Bobby fought not to slip back into classroom habits.

"It's easier to control," Bobby agreed.

"For you maybe," Harry teased.

Bobby flushed but grinned, still unused to being treated as an equal by his ex-teachers.

"I am not comfortable sending children out to fight," Rogers persisted.

"I am not a child, Sir," Bobby frowned. "I am a teacher at this school and a member of this team."

"A teacher?" Stark looked sceptical. "At nineteen?"

"I teach accounting under the supervision of another teacher," Bobby said sharply. "I have an affinity with numbers."

"And here everyone thought that I would be the person that the Avengers would have issues with," Harry said to Hank before turning to Rogers. "He's coming with us with or without your blessing, not that anyone here cares for said blessing, so just drop it and move on."

"Of course you'd approve," Hawkeye spoke in a tightly controlled voice, eyes narrowed.

"And why not?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "He's a talented young man, good fighter, trustworthy, and bright. I would rather have him by my side than fight against him."

"Mr Drake is coming with us," Charles decided, tone final.

Harry had moved his gaze to Rogers and stared at him challengingly. The Avenger backed down but didn't look happy about the situation.

"Moving on," Charles remained serious as he glanced to the door by Logan. "Our next teammate, and I hope you all control your reactions when you see him, is Barnell."

Harry and the rest of the X-Men tensed.

What should have been a young man stepped through the open door, large feathered wings tucked in tightly against his body. Soft feathers covered his avian shaped face and long neck and the uniform he wore was styled so that it did not restrict any movement, showing the Avengers what they thought was the largest bird-like creature they'd ever come across.

"Whoa!" Stark said; eyes going wide.

Barnell balked at the shocked looks on the Avenger's faces but the short, pink-haired woman who had followed him narrowed her eyes at the strangers and linked her arm with Bird's. The touch seemed to have a calming affect and the man stopped shaking.

"He's a bird," Stark said, "An actual bird." He looked over at Hawkeye, "Looks like you've got competition, Birdbrain."

"The young lady has wings," Thor pointed out, staring at the fast colourful fluttering behind her with interest.

"The young lady will also kick your ass if you don't stop gawking at us like we're a freak show," Pixie snapped, wiping a hand on her trousers as dust started to form on them. Thor had the grace to look ashamed.

"It's alright, Meg," Barnell avoided looking at anyone but her.

"We're sorry," Banner apologized with embarrassment. "We were caught by surprise."

"Well don't do it again," Pixie ordered.

"And may we have your name, milady?" Thor asked politely.

Harry's eyebrows shot to his hairline at the courtesy that Thor was showing to the irritated Pixie.

"Call me Pixie," she said stiffly but the anger had left her voice at the earnest look Thor was giving her. "And this is Bird."

Stark seemed to be biting his inner cheek but Harry could guess what he was thinking.

"This is a bad idea," Hank fretted.

"It's going well," Harry refuted. "Barnell is handling himself well and the Avengers seem to have themselves under control."

"And his mental wellbeing?" Hank asked sharply.

"Will be fine if you just let him prove it to you."

Harry caught the two agents of SHIELD watching them suspiciously. Harry gave them a wave.

"Must you antagonise them?" Hank asked uneasily.

"They're the ones staring," Harry defended.

Rogers caught the interaction and said something quietly to his teammates and the agents looked away.

"And these are the available members of the team that will work with you tonight against the attack," Charles said.

"What about the rest of them?" Rogers asked, though the number of X-men joining them was more than they initially thought. The mention of 'available' told the Avengers that there were more that they didn't know about.

"They will remain here with me to keep an eye on the children. We never leave the school unprotected."

"And how many people are you leaving here?"

"What's it to you?" Logan asked. "Planning to send your agents in while we're away?"

Rogers reared back and glared at Logan fiercely.

"We are planning no such thing!"

"Then the number of people who are staying here to protect the children are of no concern of yours."

"It was a question of innocent curiosity," Charles scolded Logan.

"Maybe we should work out where to go from here?" Black Widow inserted wryly.

"Yes, right, well we hope to catch the threat before they attack," Rogers said tersely. "They would need to meet up before hand somewhere. Most likely secluded."

Harry bit his tongue to hold back an acidic remark. Obviously the mutants would meet up somewhere secluded before attacking together as a group. They worked that out for themselves.

"I will use Cereboro and locate them," Charles said.

Rogers agreed. "And then we will need to split ourselves up into teams."

"I wish to fight alongside my nephew," Thor demanded, barely letting Rogers finish his sentence.

Harry spluttered. "No bloody way! I don't trust you."

"I am your uncle!" Thor sounded both hurt and angry.

"Yes because that instantly creates a special bond between us."

"I think it would be best if you work with someone else, Thor," Rogers offered. "It wouldn't be wise to alienate their team."

Indeed the rest of the X-Men were either staring at Thor with varying degrees of distrust while others, namely Logan and Hank, were outright glaring at him.

"I don't mind going with Marshmallow there despite my earlier shotgun," Stark put in and Harry made a small sound of outrage, his ire quickly turning to the smirking Logan who had previously divulged that nickname a day previous. "Or we can keep on arguing, miss the meeting and have to fight the mutants out in the open with civilians present."

Thor reluctantly backed down. "Very well, if that is what you wish," the last bit was for Harry who gave Thor a stiff nod, eyes darting back to Logan as he silently promised to get even. Stark patted Thor on the arm.

"I'll keep an eye on him for you."

"I can defend myself perfectly well, thank you," Harry bit out.

"It was more of me keeping an eye on you in case you decide to impale me with one of your frozen popsicles."

Despite the situation Harry's lips twitched at the inadvertent innuendo. Stark it seemed had realised what he said for he blinked then grinned salaciously at Harry.

"Trust me, Stark," Harry said in a voice filled with mirth, "The last thing I'd ever want to do is impale you with my Popsicle."

"Good because I do not swing that way, much to many a man's disappointment."

Thor, having realised what was insinuated, turned his blue eyes on Stark.

"I ask that you desist in your attempt to beguile my nephew."

"Beguile?" Stark snorted. "Now that's not a word that's thrown at you everyday. Besides, Marshmallow here is already spoken for and I'm not partially inclined to be on the receiving end of those rather sharp-looking teeth."

"Spoken for?" Thor looked confused.

"Seriously between you and Rogers I just wonder," Stark shook his head.

"For a God that loves women you do not seem to pick up any of the signs," Black Widow said. "Your nephew is in a relationship with Doctor McCoy there."

Harry stared at Thor challengingly when the God's eyes darted between the two with disbelief.

"It would be wise if you refrain from saying, well, anything," Harry suggested calmly.

"I…" Thor swallowed.

"Well that's something I haven't seen before," Hawkeye commented. "Thor stunned speechless."

"Well, we've seen Thor stunned," Stark corrected with a grin.

"How long have you two been in a courtship?" Thor asked roughly.

"About forty odd years," Harry frowned, trying to remember.

"We met when Charles was recruiting mutants back in the 60s," Hank said.

"You took one look at me and that was it," Harry reminisced smugly. Harry left out the fact that he himself tripped over nothing when he went to introduce himself to Hank. Mystique teased him relentlessly about it for days after, Harry remembered fondly.

"I didn't realise then what an arrogant narcissist you were," Hank replied.

"Sounds like something you would say," Banner said to Stark.

Stark shrugged, "And it would be nothing but the truth."

"Nephew," Thor spoke and Harry reluctantly met his gaze. "I wish to offer my congratulations."

"Uh, thanks?" Harry glanced over at Charles who was frowning at Thor.

"Your consort is mortal though, is he not?" Thor questioned.

"I am," Hank inserted dryly.

Thor nodded and dropped the matter.

'He believes that you may be more inclined to come with him after Hank passes away from old age,' Charles' voice whispered through Harry mind.

Harry's hands clenched into fists and glared hard at the floor.

"Harry will be paired with Hank if that is agreeable with you," Charles said to Rogers.

Harry controlled his breathing and shoved his anger to the back of his mind. It was the time to focus, not fight with a God.

"Tony will go with them," Rogers said.

"Scott and Jean paired with Thor perhaps?" Charles suggested and Harry silently thanked his friend at the suggestion. Jean could keep a track of Thor's thoughts during and after the fight. She would let them know if Thor was going to do something.

"And what can you do?" Hawkeye asked, "You never said."

Scott tapped the visor that covered his eyes, "Optical blast."

"He basically shoots lasers out from his eyes," Logan inserted with a smirk. Scott's jaw clenched but he kept quiet.

"…Well that's impressive," Stark decided to input, "Adds a whole new meaning to the phrase 'glaring a hole' into someone. With the glasses I imagine that you can't control it?"

"No," Scott shifted. "As long as I keep my eyes closed or wear these then I am harmless."

Jean gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Charles," Hank prompted.

"Yes, you're right," Charles agreed, "let's continue."

"Pixie and Bird should stay together," Harry said.

"Try keeping us apart," Pixie threatened lightly.

"Maybe your Miss Romanoff would be amenable to teaming up with them?" Charles asked.

"I'm sure I can manage," Black Widow acquiesced.

"The Hulk more or less likes to do his own thing," Banner spoke up, tone almost self-caustic.

"He likes to smash," Stark put in happily.

"And we have someone on our team who likes to make things explode," Charles glanced over to Gambit who grinned widely in response.

"Gambit and his Coeur[2] will be happy to work alongside the Hulk," Gambit cheerfully volunteered himself and Karma.

"I vote that we are nowhere near them when the fighting starts," Harry whispered to Hank.

"Agreed," Hank grinned while Rogers and the Black Widow seemed like they wanted to disagree with the pairing. Strangely Hawkeye looked almost happy about it. In this instance Harry agreed with him, it would be amusing to see the amount of destruction those two would inevitably cause.

"I think it would be best if I went with young Mr Drake," Rogers decided, trying to establish some form of control over the proceedings.

"Would you like Colossus as well?" Harry asked sweetly, ignoring the disapproving look on Charles' face at Harry's mocking tone.

Rogers levelled Harry with a stern gaze but didn't rise to the bait.

"I would be more than happy to have him with me as well," Rogers said smoothly.

"And that leaves me and Storm with Hawk-man there," Logan finally decided to add his own voice to the mix.

"If everyone is happy with their new partners?" Rogers asked quickly, noticing the sudden tensing of Hawkeye's jaw when Logan deliberately misspoke the agent's name.

After a good look at the faces in the room Harry could safely say that you wouldn't call them happy. He personally thought that he and Hank got the better deal than the rest of them. At least Stark didn't treat Harry like some rabid dog that needed to be put down. Or plot to kidnap him like Thor was probably still doing. The Black Widow didn't seem bothered to be put with Bird and Pixie so that was another group that would most likely work well together. The two groups that Captain Tights should be most worried about were Scott and Logan's teams. Scott was an old student of Harry's from the eighties and did not take the news about Thor very well while Logan just pissed everyone off. Agent or not, Hawkeye was not trained to deal with Logan and his inability to converse without spewing a derisive torrent of offensive words every other sentence. Harry almost wished that he was paired with them if only to watch Logan mercilessly push Hawkeye's buttons.

"Good," Rogers looked over to Charles. For this mission they would be taking the X-Men's jet. It was smaller than the huge flying ship that the Avenger's had arrived in and left hovering over the school. Harry had later found out from Hank that it was made 'invisible' by reflective panels so that no-one would notice it. Harry had called it ostentatious; Hank had said it was a brilliant piece of science.

"The Blackbird is ready to go," Charles informed them. "I will go to Cereboro and scan the area for large mutant activity and relay the information on to you."

"We have a rough idea of the area where they will meet," Scott added, "We'll head that way and wait for the Professor to give us the final details."

"All of us snuggling down together on a baby jet," Stark laughed, "this will be fun won't it, big guy?"

"I believe that our definitions of fun are vastly different," Banner remarked dryly.

"Wait, you're not gonna' go all 'grrr' on us while we're up in the air are you?" Pixie asked, wings fluttering faster in her agitation.

Banner smiled at her self-deprecatingly. "No I won't. I am in control of my change and will only become the Hulk when we land."

Despite Harry's resolution to keep an emotional distance to the Avengers, he couldn't help but pity the man. He remembered when Hank tried to cure himself but only ended up in stimulating his mutant gene which ultimately led to his current, irreversible form.

"Good because I like this plane and I don't want to see her all banged up like the last time," here Pixie shot Harry a glare.

"For the love of- It wasn't my fault!" Harry defended with a squawk.

"Oh, so it just happened to have chunks of ice in the engine, did it?"

"Scott asked me to cool it down so I cooled it down," Harry shifted the blame easily to the other mutant. "He knew exactly what he was asking of me."

"The jet was in danger of being set on fire," Scott cleared his throat. "Now, if we have finished squabbling, maybe we should get on the jet?"

"Oh yes I can't wait to get strapped down inside a hunk of metal that last time nearly went up in a ball of flame," Stark jested.

"Its fine now," Harry heard himself say as Scott stiffly ushered the younger team members out of the room, obviously smarting over the accusation of him hurting one of his two pride and joys. The other being the motorbike Logan kept 'borrowing'.

"Words of comfort coming from the Son of Loki; how reassuring."

In spite of the general feel of awkwardness and dislike between the Avengers and Harry, the man couldn't help but smile at the light taunting from Stark. At least one Avenger, excluding the unwanted uncle and the leader who was reserving judgement on Harry in a surprisingly unbiased manner, was treating Harry like he wasn't the son of Satan. Even Banner was caught giving Harry weary looks from time to time.

Fortunately Harry was used to such looks, being known as a mutant and all. Even with the general acceptance from normal humans, there were still some who saw mutants as freaks; especially before Mystique decided not to kill the president in front of the whole nation back in '73.

As he walked toward the jet he kept an eye on Thor. The man seemed intent on getting close to him but Harry's teammates boxed him in, preventing the God from coming too close. Oh yes, the flight to wherever Charles was going to send them was going to be so relaxing.

-Two hours Later: Abandoned Warehouse, Edge of New York-

"An old warehouse?" Stark snorted as he, Harry and Hank crept forward. "This is so cliché it's not even funny."

"I'm almost expecting to see men in balaclavas guarding the building," Harry said, kneeling on the damp grass.

"They might be inside," Stark replied.

"Fair point," Harry glanced over to the other visible corner of the building where he knew Logan was watching. His eyes strayed to the trees where Hawkeye was situated and the brief flash of metal from an arrow reflecting the dying light of the sun was the only thing that gave his position away. At the moment the sky was clear but as soon as they got the okay, Storm would unleash her namesake.

'The side door facing you has three mutants positioned behind,' Jean's voice said. 'Wait for the signal.'

"That is so freaky," Stark muttered as he shifted restlessly. Harry's lips quirked and wondered if Stark knew that Jean could also read his thoughts like Charles and not just telepathically speak to them. "We should be going in," he added. His suit made a swirling noise as if in agreement and Harry and Hank shared an exasperated look behind his back. "We'd be done with them in a matter of moments."

"We have to wait until some of them separate," Hank patiently reminded him.

"It will be easier to pick them off," Harry added.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Stark sulked.

"They get to hear their friends being picked off, one by one," Harry grinned wickedly.

Stark mirrored his expression. "Now that sounds like fun."

"Focus," Hank ordered quietly, eyes on the building. "I see movement."

'There are two dozen on the main floor," Jean informed them, 'Bird's team are moving in.'

The wind started to pick up and the sky darkened above them.

"Looks like Storm's making her move," Harry commented. He looked back over the where her team were stationed and saw that Logan was stealthily making his way closer to the building, heading for one of the windows.

'They're separating – some are heading your way now.'

Harry's skin darkened and the smirk that accompanied the change caused Stark to do a double-take.

"Now that's just creepy," he said.

"Sticks and stones," was all Harry said, smirk widening.

"Get ready," Hank said, tensing up.

The guards opened the door and stepped out, quickly followed by several more. Other mutants were exiting from other doors but Harry's only focus was on the ones heading their way.

"Show time," Stark laughed and launched himself up in the air, leaving the dust to circle about Harry and Hank.

Thunder rolled above them and clouds so dark they looked black blocked out the sun. Harry heard curses and he moved himself into view, mirrored by Scott who slipped out from behind a tree.

"The X-Men!" One of them hissed, his features closely resembling that of a lizard.

"Not just the X-Men," Stark hollered from above.

A woman glared up at him and in an instant Stark was hit by what must have felt like an invisible fist that sent him flying out of sight. A roar of anger was the reply to the action as Hulk jumped into view, a grinning Gambit clinging to his shoulders and Karma close on his heels.

The sound of shattered glass told Harry that Logan had broke inside and knew that Pixie's team would soon follow suit.

"Stand down," Rogers ordered, "and come with us quietly."

"I think not, Captain," another sneered, his hair standing on end and fingers shooting off sparks. "It's the kind of people like you that we need to fight against! You may have fooled everyone else but we know that you plan to wipe us out!"

"There are always extremists," Hank sighed, catching their attention.

"So says the traitor!"

"We are at peace," Hank tried to explain, "Fighting will only exasperate those who do not accept us."

There was no reply for at that moment the Hulk jumped at them, fists beating the ground where he landed. The other mutants were quick to attack and soon more of their friends poured out of the building.

One of the mutants became a ball of flame, another stone, while the guy who looked like he had recently received a shock sent out a bolt of electricity at Rogers. It struck the metal shield and Rogers seemed to jerk before falling to his knees. The human stone quickly moved to stand in the way of any object that Jean was throwing at them in an attempt to disrupt the current.

The rest of the Avengers that Harry could see were busy.

The Hulk was dealing with several mutants, one of which seemed to disappear and reappear in different locations while another was laughing as his skin stretched and absorbed every blow the hulk sent at him. Gambit was throwing out his cards, more often then not missing their intended targets.

Thor jumped into the fray, throwing his hammer up and catching a mutant that looked like it was made of liquid in the stomach. Scott soon joined him and they had barely managed to take the mutant down before two more took his place.

Harry knew that the Black-Widow was inside somewhere and Hawkeye was lurking around somewhere to his left if the arrows that have already incapacitated three more of the mutants were anything to go by.

"Matter of moments," Harry mimicked Stark with a sigh and turned to the mutants that were moving toward them, "Why do they always have to underestimate us?"

"They won't for much longer," Hank growled while Bobby moved to Rogers' aid.

One of the mutants gave an animalistic snarl that Hank copied. That seemed to be a signal for the two as they then lunged at one another, leaving Harry to deal with the other two. One resembled a porcupine as very pointy spikes broke through his skin, their colours a mix of green and red. The mutant stretched and Harry barely had the foresight to fall to the ground before those spikes flew at him. Placing his palms on the ground Harry quickly covered the immediate area with ice.

"Nature," Spiky said to the girl beside him with a smirk.

Harry yelped as roots broke through the soil and ice. Quickly creating an ice dagger Harry hacked at the reaching limbs, deftly cutting them to pieces while he got back to his feet. More spikes flew at him and one caught him in the shoulder before the mutant was knocked several feet back by a familiar hammer.

Harry pulled the spike out with a wince just as Thor joined him. Spikes cursed them and stood up, his whole body seeming to ripple before more spikes burst from his skin, this time tearing through his clothes as they appeared on his back, chest and legs.

"You take Porcupine there and I'll take the other one," Harry ordered when it became apparent that Thor was staying to help. Thor nodded and summoned his hammer back to him. The God was wearing armour so he had some form of protection unlike Harry.

The woman, dubbed as Nature, narrowed her eyes. More roots sprang up, determined to wind themselves around Harry who dodged and hacked, moving closer to his opponent. The woman danced around him as his foot got caught and he stumbled.

A familiar roar broke through Harry's concentration, causing him to look over to where Hank was; and it cost him. With a curse Harry grabbed a root and froze it, sending his cold power to sweep over the adjoining ones. The animalistic cry was one of pain and it sent Harry's heart racing.

In a desperate move Harry threw himself at the woman, some of his living restraints giving way. Nature, having moved in too close in her arrogance and desire to mock him, didn't have time to jump back. Harry was on her in a second and gave her a vicious blow to the head that effectively took her out. Finally free Harry darted past fighting mutants and Avengers and over to where his partner was currently half-buried. The Beast was partially trapped beneath part of the roof. Harry took a chance to glace up and saw the familiar rainbow of colours that made up Pixie's wings. She was hovering in the air while her opponent was smashing more of the flat stone roof and ripping out chunks to hurl at her. The mutant never got the chance as an arrow became imbedded in her shoulder; another quickly followed and plunged into her leg. Pixie cupped her hands and blew. Harry knew that she was sending out her hallucinogenic powder.

Harry turned his attention back to his partner, unsure of what to do.

"Leg broken," Hank assessed, giving a hiss when the stone shifted above him. "Pelvis damaged, ribs cracked and broken."

"Okay, alright, so we need to get this off of you," Harry wiggled his fingers under the side of the stone. "I'll lift and you slip out."

"That- Watch out!"

Harry turned and then ducked. The ball of flame flew over his head and struck the side of the building.

The human fireball stepped closer to them, hands raised. Harry created his ice shards, small and sharp this time, and threw them at the attacking mutant. The shards hissed and melted.

"Of course," Harry sighed and threw more, trying to create as many as he could. The fireball kept moving closer and Harry had to catch one of his flame shots, the fire burning his skin as it reacted to the cold. But it was only for an instant before the heat disappeared. The other mutant stopped and pushed his hands together.

"He's planning to make one large enough to hit the majority of your body," Hank informed him, pain colouring his tone.

"That I gathered," Harry replied and looked back down at Hank. "I better lift this off you so you can slip out now then."

"Harry-"

"I'm not listening," Harry sharply cut him off as he got a good hold of the slab. "On the count of three. One, Two, Thr-"

A blast of intense heat struck Harry's back. He hissed and bent his head, skin darkening to an even darker blue in reaction. Hank had raised a hand to protect his face but apart from some stray flames the actual fireball didn't strike them.

"Now that was hot," Stark's familiar voice spoke from the suit. "But not too hot for me to handle."

The inventor had landed directly into the flames' path, blocking most of it from reaching Harry and Hank.

"Now let's see just how well you can handle me," Stark said and flew toward the mutant.

Harry wasted no time on watching Stark and focused on lifting the broken stone roof part off of Hank.

"Fuck," Harry growled over the weight.

Hank managed to drag himself out from underneath and Harry quickly lowered it, arms feeling achy and strained. Harry immediately placed a blue hand over Hank's damaged leg, the cold from his skin immediately numbing the area and freezing the blood that leaked from one of the wounds.

"To the left," Hank reported.

Harry's other hand created a large piece of ice that he threw at another approaching mutant. It caught her on her shoulder and she gave a cry before her eyes turned black and she snarled.

Harry stood back up. He watched as tar seemed to pool around her feet and crawl toward them. Harry wondered at her stupidity for a moment, allowing the tar creep in close to him before kneeling down and lightly touching the tar with the palms of his hands. Immediately the tar froze and ice quickly crept back along to where the shocked mutant stood.

Harry didn't give her a chance to gather herself and sped the ice along, managing to encase her feet and legs before she knew what was happening. Harry didn't have much time to enjoy his small victory as the woman, in a panic, flung her hands out and released a flow of flying tar.

Harry ducked, ice shooting out of his hands to freeze the tar as it flew over him, forming an odd sort-of arch.

"You really don't want to piss me off," Harry warned, "I'm already annoyed that you hurt Hank."

"Too bad it didn't kill him," she taunted back.

"You really shouldn't have said that," Hank shook his head, trying to settle into a comfortable position.

A wickedly sharp shard of ice formed in Harry's hand. The woman shot more tar at Harry but with his other hand Harry froze that too. Striking as quick as a snake Harry darted forward and thrust the shard into the woman's side, taking care not to hit anything too vital. She gave a pained cry and grabbed at him, trying to coat him with tar. Harry froze her hands.

"Be thankful I didn't kill you," Harry said as the other mutant doubled over, "Although if your friends aren't quick you'll lose both your hands and your feet."

"Roxanne!" Harry didn't even have a chance to move before he was found himself airborne. He landed several feet away with a grunt. Rolling over Harry barely managed to escape the blast that sent up chunks of mud into the air. Giving a quick glance over to Hank who was trying to stand up on one leg, Harry threw himself back and dodged another blast of yellow light.

A white blur shot past between them, leaving a wall of ice in its wake to absorb another blast sent by the pissed mutant. Bobby seemed to be enjoying himself as he rode around on a wave of snow, creating protective shields to deflect the more offensive strikes against his teammates.

Harry took the opportunity to manipulate the wall and force it to grow and curve round quickly; creating a dome that trapped the other mutant inside. Harry kept his hands on it to strengthen the walls as the new prisoner tried to break his way out. His eyes found Hank's who settled back onto the ground, arm around his waist and injured leg stretched out.

The fighting seemed to be coming to an end as SHIELD agents flooded the area. Harry looked around and noted that the Hulk, surrounded by deep holes in the earth and singed plant life, had literally tied the mutant with the stretchy skin into knots and had a growing collection of unconscious bodies around him. Gambit was helping Karma to her feet, a wide grin on his face. Black Widow's team had appeared and the redhead was helping an injured Pixie make her way to Scott.

"You can let go now, Harry," Jean said, appearing by Harry's side. "I've tricked his mind into believing that his body is colder than it is and he's fallen unconscious."

Harry nodded and stepped back. "Colossus!" Harry called, turning and making his way back to Hank. There were a couple of agents already by his side, assessing the damage but Harry ignored them as the young Russian quickly joined his old professors.

"You'll need to carry him," Harry informed him and Piotr gently, if a little awkwardly, picked Hank up, wincing when Hank released a groan.

"He'll need to be taken to our medical facility," one of the agents said.

"We take care of our own," Harry refuted, red eyes flashing in warning. "We have the necessary equipment to deal with his injuries."

"Harry," Piotr interrupted, "Thor's heading this way."

"Gotta' go, fellas, but thank you for your… help," Harry gave them a quick grin before leading Piotr in the opposite direction to Thor.

"Scott," Harry called, hurrying over to his friend. "We need to get those injured back to the school."

"And avoid Thor who no doubt wants to steal away Harry," Logan said, joining them. "Thankfully Stark there is currently distracting him."

"Okay then, Jean will fly those injured back," Scott decided quickly and his girlfriend closed her eyes, doubtless to mentally speak to the rest of the X-Men, "the rest will stay here and make sure that the other mutants are safely secured."

Harry, Piotr and Hank made their way to where the jet was parked. They were soon joined by Barnell and Pixie, the latter sporting a nasty gash on her leg while Bird's wings seemed to be smoking and he seemed to be making a funny noise every time he breathed.

"What about the others?" Harry asked Jean as she joined them, helping the injured get onto the jet.

"No serious injuries," Jean reported, "they'll head back later."

"Is Bobby alright?"

"A couple of scratches and no doubt a sore back from where he crashed into a tree but otherwise fine," Jean grinned and sat down in the pilot seat, Harry sliding into the one next to her. "He's doing very well."

Harry looked back to make sure everyone was seated, his eyes lingering on Hank.

"Everyone's ready," Harry told her and the redhead started up the engine.

"That's one battle down," Jean said as the jet started to lift off the ground. "Now we just have to battle a God into keeping you here."

"It's not going to come to that," Harry promised, watching the trees pass by as they rose higher into the air. "After seeing us fight he'll try to take a more subtle approach. Unfortunately for him I am my father's son and I can talk just about anyone into doing what I want."

"No offence but hardly any plan you make works the way you want them to," Jean said as she headed for home.

"This one will," Harry told her seriously, "It has to."

-Early hours of Friday Morning-

Harry was sat in the plastic chair, feet propped up on the white blankets of the hospital bed. Book of poems in one hand as he sat reading while his partner lay there listening attentively, furry blue fingers intertwined with pale pink ones.

"…Here is no water but only rock, rock and no water and the sandy road, the road winding above among the mountains, which are[3]-" Harry cut himself off as the door slid open and a now semi-familiar frame cautiously entered the room.

Hank followed his gaze and his eyes naturally narrowed, his lips pulled back into a silent snarl with pointed teeth on full display. Harry gave Hank's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Peace, my friend," Thor held his hands up, "I mean no harm."

"That is yet to be determined, Sir," Hank said stiffly, moving to sit up properly. "Was it not you whose idea was to kidnap Harry after the battle?"

"Charles told us," Harry lazily added at Thor's wide-eyed look, "mind reader."

"I…" Thor shifted uncomfortably. "It was a passing fancy." He straightened himself up. "I have come to see how your… consort was doing," Thor explained haltingly.

Harry placed his book aside on the bedside table behind him while Hank gave Thor a sceptical look.

"I am healing well," was what Hank said, "my ribs are still slightly bruised but my leg and pelvis are on the mend."

"That is good news," Thor grinned and fell silent.

Hank and Harry exchanged an exasperated look when Thor continued to stare at them expectantly.

"Was there anything else?" Harry prodded.

"Indeed, nephew! (Harry twitched) I have come to talk about Asgard."

Harry was on his feet in an instant, skin bleeding blue and angry red eyes boring into Thor's own startled ones.

"You are not taking him!" Hank struggled to get out of bed. "A passing fancy you said!"

"I'm fine, Love," Harry turned and pushed him back against the pillows. "Don't you dare aggravate your wounds you stubborn man."

"There seems to have been a misunderstanding," Thor tried to placate.

"I'm not coming with you," Harry told him bluntly once Hank reluctantly settled. "You have made your intentions clear as much as I have. You can tell your father that I am obviously no threat and if he does decide to send more of you here to take me away he will be met with great resistance." Harry then smirked. "While you are stronger and more resistant we mutants have many different gifts, I'm sure you will also relay that to Odin. Take me and create a war between us, or you can leave me be in peace and nothing bad will happen."

"You take my words and spin them so," Thor sighed, "Much like your father."

"I have no father," Harry rebuked hotly.

"None-the-less, what I wish to say is that I have decided not to take you back with me."

Hank collapsed back against his pillows.

Harry's fists clenched. "Is this a trick? Why have you decided to change your mind so suddenly?"

"This is no trick, nephew," Thor insisted, "My father may not be happy with my decision but he will understand. He will see what I see. A good man who has found a home and is protecting the innocents from harm; my father will not threaten war over that. I will also tell him that you are in love with a mortal. He may see that as foolishness," bitterness entered his voice then, "and he will see it as a weakness. In your case this will help you. The son of Loki who fell in love with a mortal and has sworn to protect the very realm his father had tried to subjugate? It will amuse him if nothing else."

"Well at least I'll amuse him," Harry mocked.

"Why not use it as some form of punishment against Loki as well?" Hank offered. "I assume that Harry is a rather unique case anyway. An Asgardian born from a mortal," Hank tempted, omitting the fact that Harry's mother was a mutant, "and one that has no interest in immortality. That is certainly something of interest."

"How can young Harry's uniqueness be used against my brother?" Thor asked.

"By taking away my immortality," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "When you tell him about me, mention my lack of desire to never age, suggest perhaps that to punish Loki he could take away the one creation that he made that was so much like him. He is imprisoned. I highly doubt that Loki will get out before the turning of the next millennia if your father has any sense. By making me mortal I will die long before Loki could lay eyes on me."

Thor stared at them horrified.

"You would choose a mortal life," Thor struggled to continue and fell silent instead, trying to formulate a proper response.

"I choose to live a life with the man I love, to not continue to live on in this world for God-knows how long without him by my side."

"You would only live for a couple more decades."

"You have not seen some of the conflicts we have faced," Harry told him. "I should have been dead a long time ago."

"You are my nephew," Thor told him pleadingly, "family."

"That," Harry reluctantly agreed, "may be correct. And that is why I hope that my happiness and continued mental wellbeing is important to you."

Emotional blackmail; dirty but effective. Thor looked torn and the internal battle between his desire to try and connect with his brother's son and his genuine desire for Harry to be happy showed clearly on his face.

"I will not be a potential threat," Harry continued, "and I can live out the rest of my life happy."

"You may be his uncle," Hank chimed in, "but we are also his family. Don't take him away from us."

"I would rather remember you with fondness than resent you for making me abandon my home and the people I love." Harry cocked his head. "Tell me, uncle, would you want me to hate you so?" Thor vehemently shook his head. "Then give me a life here, as a mortal, and let me live my life."

Thor looked pained but Harry offered him a smile, changing back into his human form.

"Say that you will do it? That you will grant me my wish?"

"I will speak to father," Thor caved.

Harry's smile widened and turned genuine.

"You look so much like your father," Thor said sadly and reluctantly made his way back to the door. "I will get my father to give you what you wish."

"Thank you," Harry said, watching the God leave the room.

"You know, I feel a little sorry for him," Hank said, "I mean, discovering that you have a nephew and that said nephew wants nothing to do with you has to hurt."

"It's not that I don't want anything to do with him," Harry disagreed as he retook his seat, "It's what he was demanding I do that pissed me off. To give you and everyone else up to move to Asgard," Harry shook his head and picked up the book.

"You don't want to talk about it, anymore, do you?" Hank shuffled back down in his bed.

"Nope," Harry found the page they were on. "It's something that I wish greatly to forget."

"Some things are impossible," Hank said softly.

"End of conversation," Harry said sternly. Hank hummed. "Now, where was I? Ah… The road winding above among the mountains, which are mountains of rock without water, if there were water…[3]".

Harry quietly continued to read Hank the poem, the Beast lulled to a doze by Harry's soft tones and accent. Neither knew if their plan would work but hope was there, blossoming strong in their hearts. All they could do now was wait and see. See if Thor would come through, see if Odin would grant Harry's request, see if Harry would finally be able to age alongside the man he loved. The future, for the moment, was looking bright.

[1] = Danielle Moonstar. She was in the comic series apparently but in my fic her powers are limited to empathy and a little telepathy.

[2] = Coeur: French for 'Heart'.

[3] = 'What the Thunder Said' – A poem by T. S. Eliot

AN: So I went looking for HP/X-Men first class and HP/Days of Future past crossovers and couldn't seem to find any; and definitely not any Harry/Hank pairings. So I decided to write one myself. I do hope others start to write some soon, I'd love to read them.

Also this was only meant to be a few thousand words but it kind of spiralled out of control… massively. Hoped you liked it.