Faultlines

Soldiers

Soldiers

There was a pounding, inescapable headache hammering away at Harry's patience. It had been there pretty much since he had made the rash decision of punching his big brother in the face. He was still very firm on his rejection of the very idea of the Accords, but now that he had calmed down, he realized that punching his brother and showing off his powers in front of a Muggle Government official MIGHT not have been the best idea of his life. Or the most level headed. Restraint had never been his strongest suit though. And now he was sitting in Grimmauld Place with half of the Avengers. All of which not looking too happy at the moment. He had just managed to send a message to Luna, who was currently travelling the US. She had promised to head toward the Barton Family Farm immediately. The government might not know about them right now, but Tony certainly did and Harry wasn't sure what exactly his brother might do to find Clint. He hated to even think that but Tony had become less and less... stable. Harry had hoped he might try and get help, but instead his big brother had found refuge in work and alcohol. Pepper leaving had been the final straw, Harry knew. Tony hoped the Accord would take some of the blame he had taken to heart so much... and that Pepper might return, if he could promise not to be absent so much. Harry had wanted to shake Tony and tell him that was never, ever going to happen. He had liked Pepper well enough, he had accepted her as Tony's girlfriend... had treated her as part of the family... but he had never thought they would last and he couldn't figure out how Tony might have thought otherwise. Maybe he himself had just been really lucky with the two women he had had the chance to love in his life. Supportive, understanding... and still very much capable and willing to take someone's head off.

Pepper, at least as far as Harry could see, had always tried to...change Tony and Harry would never understand how that was supposed to be helpful. Judging by Tony's recent behaviour, he'd say it wasn't.

He looked over at Steve, Clint, Sam and Wanda, who were playing exploding snap at the kitchen table. Scott had, after Harry had cleaned the bedrooms, claimed one of them and decided to nurse his jet lag and Bucky had... wandered off. Harry probably should have stopped him and checked ALL the rooms first, but despite the tough front he put on, he was just as tired and unsure as the rest of them. He assumed he had just learned to hide it better over the years of war and... well, five children. Sam threw his cards up in the air in shock, when Hermione's head appeared in the fireplace Harry had been staring at.

"Hello, Hermione.", Harry smiled in relief.

"Hi Harry, nice to meet everyone.", she told the gaping people. The look she gave Harry, though, was quite telling. Had he been by himself, she would have a lot of things to say right then. Instead she chose to go into business mode: "I talked to Kingsley. He says it's no problem."

"Seriously?", Harry felt the relief flooding through him.

"Yes. But he expects you to come and give some talks to the Auror recruits.", Hermione grinned and Harry groaned. He had been so... separate from the wizarding world for so long and now he had given Kingsley at least some leverage. 'Don't be so dramatic' he could almost hear his father tell him sternly and smiled at the thought. What would they say now, his parents? With him and Tony being... not on speaking terms. Harry would call it that now.

"He will have the spell prepared in two weeks. Until then you are probably safest here."

"Great. I love this place."

"I have shipped your kids off to the burrow. They'll be safe there and it's simply the biggest place. I hear they'll be joined soon by your friend's kids? You don't really think Tony would try to go after the kids, do you?"

"No. Of course not. But I like being on the safe side."

"I know.", she gave him a tired smile, "Kingsley also cleared everything with St. Mungo's. You have an appointment tomorrow at 9am."