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

Chapter 26: you got inside my head (i want you out)

Summary:

Hari gets the information from Loki that she needs.

Chapter title:
Holy Ground - Within Temptation
Notes:

Timeline:
[x] (2012) The Avengers
[x] (2013) Iron Man 3
[x] (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

Tony takes a few threatening steps forward, but Hari reaches out her arm to stop him. "No?" she asks softly. "No to which question?"

Loki reclines in his chair. "No, I was not working with Thanos," he spits out. He's looking at her, but the answer is for Odin, who is off to the side beside his wife. "To word it as such denotes a choice, and I can assure you," he says, leaning forward, "there was none."

There's a moment of silence, and then Odin says, "Why did you not say so earlier?"

Loki snarls. "Would you have believed me? I am the God of Mischief and Lies, after all. I have a silver tongue, do I not? How can you trust I'm being honest right now?"

Hari nods her head slowly. "I was going to use Veritaserum on you," she admits. "But we don't know how it works on gods."

"Lady Hari, I am still willing to test it," Thor offers, taking a cautious step forward.

"And if it doesn't work?" Loki questions. "If I refuse?"

"You said a deal is a deal!" Tony nearly snarls at Loki.

Hari can feel his muscles twitching underneath her hand, as if he's itching for an excuse to put on the suit and tear Loki a new one. As annoying as the God of Mischief is, it won't come to that. Not if Hari has any say.

"I answered her question," Loki points out slyly. "I have fulfilled my part of the bargain."

"Are you willing to bet your magic on that?" Hari smiles at him, nothing more than the slightest twitch of her lips.

If not for the Elder wand in her possession, she could not use magic to bind him to his word. But she does have that wand and, although verbally, they did agree to certain terms. This is why the Wizarding world prefers to have contracts written out and signed in blood; words can be twisted for someone's benefit at someone else's expense, and nobody wants to accidentally break a magical vow that could claim their lives or, worse, their magic.

Loki gives her a condescending smile. "Humans may have magic, but they apparently don't know much about it," he comments snidely. "Our deal was for you to show me how you became Death-Touched in exchange for me answering your question, which I've done. Magic would be satisfied."

Hari lets her smirk widen, lets him see how sharp her teeth are. "Oh, I think not," she says, taking a step towards his gilded cage. "In your own words, we would have a fair trade of information."

"I told you what you want to know; that seems to be more than fair." Loki cocks an eyebrow at her, but she sees the wariness in his eyes, the way his shoulders tense up in preparation.

"Is it?" She lays a hand on the golden magic keeping him locked away. Staring into his eyes, so similar a green to her own, she lets her magic fill the air, saturate it. He licks his lips as if he can taste it, and maybe he can. Maybe he can sense the promise of what's to come. "I suppose it depends on your definition of fairness."

"Information for information—"

"And I think," she cuts him off, "that putting my life on display wasn't a part of our deal. That's not very fair, is it?"