ripped at every edge (but you're a masterpiece) (Hp x Mcu) by Lissy

Chapter 16: it's a kind of magic

Summary:

Hari takes Tony to Diagon Alley.

Chapter title:
A Kind of Magic - Queen

Notes:

Timeline:
[x] (2012) The Avengers
[x] (2013) Iron Man 3
[x] (2013) We are here
[ ] (2013) Thor: The Dark World
[ ] (2014) Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Guardians of the Galaxy; Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
[ ] (2015) Avengers: Age of Ultron; Ant-Man
[ ] (2016) Captain America: Civil War; Spider-Man: Homecoming
[ ] (2017) Doctor Strange; Black Panther; Thor: Ragnarok
[ ] (2018) Avengers: Infinity War

Hari is a little nervous about bringing Tony to Diagon Alley. He's absorbed every book she's given him with the same frightening intensity as Hermione, and they've spent many nights with him asking her questions and her answering them to the best of her ability. Despite his past experience with mind control (and the Auror in her is still irked that he's had that experience at all), he seems overall fascinated with magic.

She supposes it's because he's learning how magic works. That takes out the unknown component, makes it less frightening. The only problem he's had was with the Portkey, but that's because Portkeys are awful overall.

Hari feels lighter after visiting her parents, and truthfully, she feels a little silly at having become so emotional over it to begin with. It's not like this is a fresh wound. She's had plenty of time to come to terms with the fact that she is an orphan.

The Wizarding world no longer celebrates Halloween as the day Voldemort was defeated, not after she stopped him for good May 2nd so many years ago.

No, Halloween is now known as Memoria de Potter.

In Memory of Potter.

She supposes they wanted some way to honor her parents, but, like that sign outside of their ruined cottage, it falls short.

Because Hari does not need a holiday to remember and commemorate her deceased parents.

She is constantly reminded every time she looks in the mirror, sees her mother's green eyes, her father's wild and untamable mane, her lightning bolt scar, carefully concealed with foundation, that's proof of her unprecedented survival.

The best way the Wizarding world could honor her parents is to let her have some fucking peace on today of all days.

But, of course, that won't happen. She's not sure if people are purposefully obtuse or if they don't give a hippogriff's turd, but she's constantly flocked with people who want to offer condolences (carefully angled so the cameras get a good shot, of course) or restaurant owners giving her free or heavily discounted prices goods.

Nothing says I'm so terribly sorry for your loss like free butterbeer and sixty percent off the Daily Prophet.

For a while, she avoided leaving her house altogether, refusing to give them the satisfaction of using her fame on one of the saddest days of her life. She would have kept doing it had Teddy not gotten sick. Draco was at work, wrapping up an important case, and she wasn't about to let her son suffer just because the world is full of dicks.

Stepping outside on Halloween became easier and easier over the years, and now it's nothing more than an annoyance that she deals with. A bland smile here, a flat stare there, and people have become accustomed to leaving her alone in relative peace. Ron and Hermione, bless them, had taken it upon themselves to shame people into giving her some peace, loudly declaring how awful and disrespectful it was to have her parents' death day so monetized.

It was a nice gesture, however fruitless it turned out to be.

Still, Hari doesn't feel that familiar burn of trepidation in the pit of her stomach.