Dear readers,

As you might have noticed, it has been embarrassingly long since I've published anything concerning this story. My first reason is the lack of time and opportunity (life has been a b*tch lately and I have a bit more to worry about than focus on writing stories). The second reason is much simpler; I completely lack motivation to keep on going with the Marvel-verse. The last movies, while pretty awesome, completely drained any interest I had in that universe (fine, I admit the Clint/Laura pairing completely butchered it with time).

Maybe I'll pick up where I left someday but it won't be until a really long time, and I am the first to be frustrated at an unfinished fic. The trouble is, I have the plot, I just don't have the words to put it down. If anyone is interested by continuing what I've started, feel free to PM me to let me know.

As a compromise, I figured might as well post a draft of what I had intended to write. Many thanks and apologies to those who have reviewed, followed and favorit-ed this story up till now; I'm sorry I couldn't go till the end.

And thanks to KatHarkness-Katara for beta-ing all along!

Summary – chapter 15 & forth

Hermione sighed heavily and read her page for the tenth time in a row. Yakov had skipped classes for a full week, due to being stuck in the infirmary. A week during which he had no visitors aside from Madam Pomfrey and the headmaster. Every day, she had gone there only to be denied the access. Perl hadn't been more successful and according to him, when Professor Snape had gone to visit, he had returned to tell him Yakov's recovery was mostly slow because he refused to be healed through potions. Something Madam Pomfrey had been fretting about.

It bothered her more than it should. They were in a school, Yakov had been harmed and he refused to comply with the nurse's instructions. Hermione knew he could be a bloody mule sometimes, but this was getting extreme. She was seriously considering sneaking inside and to hell with the consequences when Perl came to find her, eyes wide in excitement.

"C'mon, we can go see Romanov now."

Hermione hurriedly shut her current book close and followed him out of the library.

"He is allowed visitors?" she asked, hopeful.

The Slytherin winced, suddenly a little uncomfortable:

"Not really but I have a way in. And we need to go now."

Hermione decided she didn't want to know, at least not yet. They hurried down the corridors, walking determinedly, trying not to catch the attention of the other students. Ever since Yakov had been stuck in the hospital, rumors about his true identity had been running wild and she and Perl had been asked many times if their asocial friend was the Boy-Who-Lived. Thanks to the map, Hermione knew the truth. But she had learned her lesson with his escapade with the centaurs; she had kept quiet about it. Even though she wished she could confide to Perl, she wouldn't until Yakov gave his consent.

They were two corridors away from the infirmary when the third year Hufflepuff Yakov seemed to know suddenly appeared. Perl looked relieved.

"I don't think we were followed," Perl whispered, as if they were plotting some dangerous infiltration. In a way, Hermione thought they were. She suddenly wondered if Yakov hadn't caught a disease of some sort and was actually contagious. The headmaster had forbidden any kind of visit...perhaps there was a good reason for that?

She felt a hand land on her shoulder and nearly jumped, startled. The Hufflepuff was staring at her with compassion -and a little patronizing.

"He's injured, not sick, Granger. Don't let the spell get to you."

"The spell?" Hermione repeated, a little dazed.

"Basic repulsive spell," Perl explained. "Someone doesn't want Yakov to have company. It took me three days to realize why I couldn't make up my mind and knock at the door. Thanks Merlin Hill knows how to counter those."

"It's a matter of practice," the Hufflepuff replied, vaguely annoyed. "Nothing to brag about. No-one's there for the moment; shall we go in?"

Hermione nodded impatiently.

They meet with Jack Hill who smuggles them inside after distracting Pomfresh.

"What the-"

If Hermione was to use a muggle expression to describe his state, she'd say he 'looked like shit'. He had deep purple circles underneath his eyes from probably lack of sleep, his skin pale but not sickly white and he moved slowly, but in overall he didn't sound out of it. On the contrary, his eyes seemed sharp as always. And he seemed relieved to see them all, even though he did glare a little at Hill.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. Hermione decided to intervene:

"You aren't allowed visitors, but he showed us a way in." Yakov's glare lessened, but barely.

"I'm good at sneaking around Hogwarts," Hill confirmed smugly. "No need to thank me by the way."

"Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

"You are in far worst trouble than I am. Your dirty little secret was thrown in the open air."

"What dirty little secret?" Yakov asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"Are you really him?" Perl asked with wide eyes. "It's the mild rumor going around in the castle right now." Yakov directed his eyes back at her.

"You didn't tell him?"

"You told me to keep it a secret," Hermione replied, vexed. Perl had that mildly upset expression at leaning that she had hidden something from him. What did surprise her was Hill's amused smirk. The Hufflepuff seemed to know a lot more on Yakov that the Slytherin was ever willing to offer on his own.

"Do you need us to smuggle you out?" the older teenager offered. "Knowing your mother, you must keep a go-bag somewhere in your dorm." Yasha narrowed his eyes at him. Hill shrugged. "Chill man, I have one too. Part of the family is in the same sort of business. So?"

"Go-bag?" repeated Perl in curiosity.

"Clothes and accessories for emergency leave," Hermione explained before frowning at them both. "Why, are your parents in a dangerous job?"

"Peculiar kind, that's all," Yasha interrupted before Hill could speak. "Just…Perl, it's a grey backpack in my trunk. Would you mind getting it for me? I think the headmaster did something to keep me in here." Another thought crossed his mind and he cursed himself for not thinking of it earlier. "Where's my violin?"

Hill laughed heartily.

"That old bat really did a number on you." The Hufflepuff plunged his hand in his pocket and pulled out a dirty Slytherin coat. Hermione wondered if he had used an enlarging charm and made a mental note to ask him later. "I managed to get to you before the headmaster did. Figured you'd put everything in there so I just grabbed your coat before flying out."

"Oh really? And how did you find me?"

Hill's grin widened.

"That would be spoiling the fun; although I will admit a lot of guesswork was at play. Well, that, and the habit of keeping my ears and eyes open. You heard about the philosopher's stone by now?"

"Something Quirrell was after," agreed Yakov but didn't lose tract. "How did you get to Quirrell before Dumbledore?"

"Tracking charm," he replied with a wide grin before sobering. "I arrived just in time to see to see that smoky thing escape. Seems like rumors were right, old Voldie isn't quite dead."

Hermione stared at the two as they kept talking of things she didn't understand. The philosopher's stone? Professor Quirrel? Voldie?

"Long story short, Voldemort is still alive," Hill intervened, most likely catching the puzzled expression on her face. "And the Boy-Who-Lived is more interested in playing the violin than in magic. A scandalizing notion for any wizard in Britain."

"Are you allowed to even leave?" Perl wondered out loud. "I mean, some contract could make you lose your magic or something…"

"If I lose my magic, I can't care less," Yakov retorted hotly. "I've done well enough without it and sometimes would have been better without it anyway. Not to mention that would hinder the Headass's plans for me, whatever they are."

"So you are leaving?"

Yakov looked torn for a moment. Hill cleared his throat to get his attention:

"Staying here won't help you in the long run. Whatever you need to accomplish here, can you leave it to me? I don't care being expelled that much, my father might leave England next year."

The Slytherin grimaced and remained silent for a while. He finally came out with a decision and stared at his Gryffindor friend.

"Actually, Hermione would be more fitted, if she agrees."

All stares turned towards her. Hermione blinked.

"Me?" she asked, surprised.

"It might be dangerous and put you at odds with the rest of the Gryffindors if you fail," he started. "If you succeed you might even not have recognition." Yakov's tone softened. "You don't need to do it if you feel uncomfortable. I can take care of it."

Hill looked a whole lot more interested now.

Yasha explains his suspicions about Pettigrew being Ron's rat and Hermione agrees to help and report to Jack, who is older and has more contacts to deal with the matter. Hermione and Perl leave –Hermione returns to the library so no-one will suspect her absence and Perl goes to fetch Yasha's go-bag. Since they are alone Jack admits he gave a tracker considered as a Dark object to his cousin Daphne Greengrass so she could keep an eye on him in his stead. The 'Greengrass from the Hill' comment Yasha makes in earlier chapters is a sort of insult in the sense the Hill family is a lower branch of the Greengrass. Yasha ponders on how much Jack is aware of his situation before asking straight.

"I suppose your aunt told you everything?" he asked flatly. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Depends on what you mean by 'everything'."

"I dunno, stuff like where I come from? Who raised me?"

"Oh, that kind of stuff." Jack shrugged like he couldn't give a care. "She mentioned it."

Yasha inhaled deeply.

"Then you will understand that no-one ever learns the truth. Perl and Hermione –and you - knowing already is enough."

"Whatever makes you happy," the teenager replied. "I'm not Great-Britain's top celebrity. I'm not even fully British."

Yasha rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up."

Jack smirked and asked:

"So, what now? Do I inherit something from your departure?"


"You announce you're leaving Hogwarts. Then you sent Hermione and Perl on their way so we could have some time alone. What do you want with me?"

"If you promise to keep an eye out for Hermione and Perl, I will leave you with this."

He inhaled deeply and laid the Marauders' Map on the table. Jack's brows furrowed.

"A blank parchment?"

"It's the key to the Weasley twin's success. With the correct password, you unlock a complete plan of Hogwarts and can see whoever walks in the corridor."

"Why would I be interested?"

"You have a nasty habit of following people of interest around. This might help you keep track of them without you leaving your tree."

To reinforce his selling argument, Yasha brushed the paper with his fingertips and whispered the words too lowly to be heard. The properties of the map immediately appeared and Jack looked appealed.

"That's an interesting bargain. What makes you think I will hold onto my word?"

Yasha snorted.

"In spite of being a total sneak, I believe you hold onto your word. That's why you ended with the Puffs."

"Perlancott and Granger are good kids; don't worry I'll look after them."


Natasha and Clint get caught in a crossfire. Clint decides to distract their pursuers to give Natasha a chance to escape.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped. Barton grinned, checking his gun and settling in a high angle.

"You've got a son waiting back home. Go, I'll hold them back."

"Oh you are not pulling the self-sacrificing card on me." She growled and pulled him up. She threw his unwounded arm around her shoulders and dragged him along her. "Willing or not we're getting out of this hellhole together. Yasha will never forgive me if I abandoned someone behind."

After a few minutes combat, he is knocked out

Clint heard the beeping machines first. Then came the pain through his whole body.

Natasha was by his side, staring patiently at him.

"You're here in your uniform; this must be hell," he muttered.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Why's that?" her tone in between hurt and annoyed.

"You'd be waiting for me in a bikini if I was in heaven."

She raised both eyebrows. Clint winced.

"Don't –I –I hate drugs. They make me delirious. Don't have a filter when…" he waved pitifully.

"You are an idiot."

"Everyone says so."

"You could have died."

"I'm aware."


"I told you. You have a boy waiting for you to come home. I got nothing."

Her glare intensified

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Yes ma'am." He paused. "Thank you for saving my ass."


Dumbledore remembers his discussion with Yakov in a flashback.

"Where are Perl and Granger?" he demanded.

"Your friends and fine and worried about you," Dumbledore said soothingly. "I must ask, what happened down there?"

"Quirrell attacked me. I fought back." Pause. "I think he cracked his skull against a pillar, I'm not sure."

"You used magic without your wand?" Dumbledore asked with an odd expression on his face.

"Adrenaline makes you do crazy things I suppose," Romanov replied briskly, glaring at him but carefully avoiding his eyes. Dumbledore wondered whether he was trying to avoid Leginimens. "Are you an investigator? I thought the police would come swarming in. There has been an investigation opened, right?"

The headmaster smiled grandfatherly.

"I thought you would like to avoid being harassed for details."

"I guess it would be bad publicity to advertise that one of your teachers was possessed by Voldemort and you didn't lift a finger. But whatever, I'm not a headmaster." Dumbledore shifted uneasily. He hadn't been comfortable letting Quirrel run around freely, but he had Serverus to keep an eye on him and this was for the greater good. "What do you want from me?"

The old man's expression became solemn; now was the time to be honest and laid some cards. The boy was going no-where for the next few days.

"I think it's highly time that you admit the truth, Harry."

The boy raised an annoyed eyebrow.

"You must be even more senile that I thought. My name's Yakov. Not Harry. I'm not your dead friends' son. Get over it."

"Harry…" Dumbledore started with a patronizing tone. "I believe you haven't been told about your inheritance. Why professor Quirell tried to kill you."

Romanov bit back a groan and muttered an irritated: "God Almighty, spare me the sob story." Dumbledore ignored him and went on gently:

"You are a stolen child, Harry. After your parents' death, you were taken away by a man named Sirius Black, a man working for their murderer. You were separated from your community and given to someone. Many people have searched for you unsuccessfully. You were naturally called to join Hogwarts-"

"As Yakov Romanov," he pointed out irrelatively. Dumbledore ignored him; he still hadn't uncovered that mystery, but he would eventually find out what had happened for the name change.

"You are Harry Potter," the headmaster went on.

"Are you telling me that a madman captured me to retrieve a priceless stone you have hidden in a school full of children because you decided I was going to be the Savior of the British wizard community?" his tone was low and dangerous, and even Dumbledore seemed slightly taken aback.

"I haven't decided of anything, Harry."

"Get out."


"I believe I've been patient enough. Call me 'Harry' once more, and I swear I will stab you in the eye with that fork," he threatened, pointing at the cutlery on the night desk.

The headmaster nodded, conscious he wouldn't win the boy over in one day. With patience though, he was convinced he would understand.

"Take the time you need."

That had happened three days ago. Christmas Holidays was still a long time ahead. He had time to get Harry under control and make him accept his identity. Perhaps he could convince him to stay during the holidays and work him then. But when he entered the infirmary, he had the displeasure of facing an empty bed. Pomfresh didn't look surprised.

"Really Dumbledore, he was fine, he had no reason to stay longer."

"But he was not supposed to-"

"He asked me if he was in his full capacities to go to class, and I said yes. He showed no sign of physical discomfort, or even pain. He was well-rested. I had no viable reason to keep him lying in his bed. In fact," she added with a frown. "He suggested himself he should exercise before rotting on spot. And I cannot say I blame him for wanting to leave."

"He was hit by a dark spell," Dumbledore supplied, although he knew what the answer would be. Indeed, if Harry showed no signs of illness, he had no reason to stay longer than necessary in bed. Mrs Pomfresh shook her head.

"I won't keep a student here against his will, Albus. Even on your orders."

"Are you insinuating something?"

The nurse sighed.

"I am not an idiot, I know what you are trying to do. You mean the best, but I believe I am still allowed to disagree with you."

The headmaster left then, dismayed by his employee's lack of trust. Had he remained longer, he would have noted her relieved look, the bag she picked up and her heading to the nearest window. He would have seen her summon a broom from said bag, jump on it and fly away without looking back. And he would have seen the real Mrs Pomfresh blink awake in the back of her office wondering how long she had been sleeping.

Private Drive

Yasha goes to visit Petunia Dursley to get more acquainted with his biological mother's family, also because no-one would look for him there. The meeting goes as well as expected; Petunia allows him to make a phone call to SHIELD (Jack gave him a number) so they can pick him up. On the way out, she reluctantly wishes him well. Yasha returns her wishes and promises to never try to contact her or her family again. He embarks on Quinjet and reunites with Natasha who introduces him to Clint and Hill. Yasha comments Jack is an ass. Maria Hill retorts it's a family trait.

Train Station Christmas Time

Natasha is sent to get Sirius. News of Pettigrew being caught has been released so he is technically a free man, but Sirius won't show up yet. Natasha and Hill offer to supervise his trial and he asks to speak to Natasha alone.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"I'm doing this for Yakov. His godfather is a good man, he deserves to meet him properly." She paused. "But there will be a…compensation demanded."

"Oh goodie," he groaned. Of course there was.

"If you are cleared, SHIELD, the organization I work for, will want to recruit you." She paused. "Take on their offer. I signed in for Yakov's protection and my own. Once this is over, you will probably want to start anew."

"Why would I want to embarrass myself with a job when I will be free and loaded?"

"Why would you want to return to a country who abandoned you?" she shot back. "From what I've heard and seen, a lot of people could have stepped up and speak in your favor. And yet, they've done nothing. People won't want you there because seeing you will remind them of their mistake. As for Yasha, he won't set foot to Hogwarts because he hates it there. He has other plans for the future."

"Oh really? What's he going to do? Join your merry troupe?"

A faint, fond smile grew on Natasha's lips.

"Actually, he wants to be a violinist."

Sirius agrees to sign for SHIELD.

Two years later, Natasha and Yasha's apartment in New York (N&C development)

Yasha enrolls in a music school in New York. He keeps contact with Hermione, Perl and Jack (who stays in Hogwarts). During the holidays he and Jack meet up and he tells him Neville Longbottom is Dumbledore's new pet project to replace him (to give the wizarding world hope in case of Voldemort's return). When he returns to home, he hears odd noises.

Yasha frowned and, with a wave of his hand, thinned the wall so he could see into the room without opening the door. Once he caught sight of the scene, he turned around quickly and darted into the kitchen, cheeks red and hot. Through his thirteen years on earth and eleven-ish spent with his mother, he had never seen her naked and had never wanted to. Now he knew he would never, ever forget the picture of her underneath Barton, legs around his waist, arching her back, hands clenching at the sheets and mouth opened wide in a silent scream while Barton had his face buried in her breast and thrust into her frenetically.

Since when had they become lovers anyway? He certainly would not ask. And he would not stay a second more. Instead, he picked up his phone and dialed Jack's number. When the Ravenclaw picked up, he blurted:

"Hey, I know I said I'd be busy today, but I really wouldn't mind hanging out of the house right now."

Yasha thought himself wise when he asked Jack for a sleepover that night. He really didn't want to overhear the couple's enthusiasm in the next door bedroom. Especially since it was his mother. And he was cured from his thirteen-year old curiosity.

"So Clint popped the question?" Jack inquired curiously.

"No idea. I wonder how long it'll take for SHIELD to build a new pool."

"You mean how long it'll take my aunt to start a new pool?"

"That's what I said."

Clint takes Yasha out for coffee one day to talk to him about 'something important'.

"You're in love with my mother" Yasha said quietly, all humor gone. Clint didn't reply, but that alone was enough of an answer. "Does she know?"

"I think so. But I don't know if she does, she's smart enough to keep that card close to her chest." A heavy pause settled and Yasha decided to break it.

"You know, a few years ago I teased mom about you; said you were probably going to propose to her shortly. It wouldn't be just teasing now, would it?"

"I bought a ring last month."

That admission must have cost him a lot, so Yasha took upon himself not to gape in shock. In retrospect, he shouldn't have been surprised. Clint seemed to be the family kind of guy.

"You think she said the ring?"

Clint shrugged helplessly and stared at his drink.

"Would it bother you if, by some miracle, your mother agreed to marry me?"

Yasha reflected over the question, which in a way, didn't even need an answer. He had thought of it since Natasha had admitted having taken her partner to bed. He liked Clint; the archer was trustworthy and reliable and most importantly, made his mother smile. Could he accept him as a step-father? Hell yeah.

"Fingers crossed she says yes, man." He replied, tapping his maybe step-dad's shoulder. "You both deserve it."

Clint smiled one of his honest-to-God genuine, soft happy smile.

"I hope so too."

Sometime later

"So you freaked out and ran out of the room" Yasha summarized flatly, although the urge to roll on the carpet banging the ground laughing was really tempting. Natasha was pacing in the living room, her legendary coolness completely lost. He was sitting on the couch, hiding his grin behind a large opened book. This was so much better than soap opera.

"He proposed." Natasha repeated for the umpteenth time.

"I know." Yasha said patiently. "He asked me if I was okay with it beforehand." At his mother incredulous stare, he quickly added: "Where is Clint anyway?"

"Out on a mission." Aha, so Natasha wasn't the only coward in here. Yasha bet Clint had planned to leave to get over the embarrassment, because he probably had anticipated his mother's freak out. Not coward, Yasha corrected, wise man in fact. "He asked you for permission?" Yasha nodded. "And you gave it?" Another nod. "Why?"

"I like him. He loves you." Yasha paused and went for the kill: "And you love him. It's easy enough."

"That kind of love is for children" Natasha replied automatically. Yasha noted the fact she was trying to convince herself.

"But you love him nonetheless and it's scaring you shitless. Why don't you make everyone happy –including yourself –and just say 'yes'?"

"You think so?" her voice was still unsteady and uncertain.

"The choice is still up to you mom. I'm not the one who's gonna live with that eternal teenager."

The soft smile that had been on Clint's face the very morning appeared.

"I'll tell him when he returns."

2 years later, Yasha is 15.

Time passes. Yasha is stressed by upcoming exams. Dumbledore comes to visit to warn him about Voldemort resurrected after kidnapping and killing Neville and Peter Pettigrew on the loose. Yasha mocks the efficiency of the magical government. On a walk outside, he is attacked by invisible aggressor, who turns out to be Pettigrew. Yasha brings him to a secluded place, wards everything around him and wakes him up. Yasha thinks of using his violin on him as a test subject to practice the secret arts his old master told him about.

"Are you the one who betrayed my parents?" Yasha asked coldly. Peter squeaked and glanced right and left, searching for an escape. The teenager glared and the closest furniture moved to block the only exit his rat form could have allowed him to take.

"He wouldn't have killed me. James would have spared m-"

A golden light irrupted from nowhere and stunned the small man.

"Listen to me closely, scum" the boy whispered and leaned forwards. "I was raised by the world's best spy and assassin. I watched her kill for me and I already killed for her. And guess what?" he settled the instrument on his shoulder and tested the cords. "I won't kill you. But by the time I'm done with you, you will wish you were dead."

Now he would be able to test the extent of his violin associated with his powers without being bothered with a subject no-one will regret loosing. Mental manipulation with that violin was incredible. Each note and pitch would send Peter into obeying his any wish, not unlike the Impermendia. The rat would roll, jump, kick and the faster the rhythm, the faster the move.

It also turned out to be the most terrifying thing he had ever witnessed. As a consequence of that mental control, the man's body had started to fail him; nose bleed, tears, coughing and broken bones had followed and Yasha had known then that he would be sent straight to Hell. The moment the bow had left the violin's strings, Peter had crumbled upon himself, whimpering and whining, in a puddle of blood and broken parts. The sight had horrified him, and he had fled the house and puked behind a wall, disgusted with himself.

As Yasha watched a couple Aurors retrieve Peter, he swore to himself he would never, ever repeat this under any circumstances. His violin was not meant to cause harm and even though the traitor deserved every bit, Yasha regretted he had tainted the instrument he held so dear. The wood had darkened even slightly, the strings reddened and magic, dark magic was slowly elevating. The violin's essence was slowly shifting into a darker artifact, something no sane person would ever want to deal with.

He shrunk the violin to a needle's size and, with trembling hands, enclosed it in his necklace. No-one could know what happened tonight. He would bury the secret of his dark moment with that locker and carry its weight wherever he went. Natalia spoke of red in her ledger. Now he had his own.

Yasha acts troubled for some time before Clint confronts him.

"I –I did something terrible."

Clint looked up from his bow and glanced at Yasha. The boy was deadly pale and his hands shaking slightly, and his eyes wide in fear. The archer invited him to sit across him with a nod and waited.

"You remember that my parents were killed by a mass murderer, right?" Clint nodded. "They were betrayed first, by a man named Peter Pettigrew. They thought he was dead, but in fact when Voldemort fell, he transformed into a rat and lived that way for years." Yasha's voice tuned down. "I found him last night."

Again the archer stood silent, waiting, his gaze holding no judgment. Yasha took a deep breath and went on:

"I found out a while ago that I could use magic with my violin. Mater Pietro, my mentor, was a descendent of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Do you know the story?" Clint nodded. "His family was specialized in magical instruments and he gave me a violin before he left, as a parting gift. The violin has no dark or white magic in it, but it obeys to whoever holds it." Understanding was starting to dawn in Clint's eyes. "I tested it on Pettigrew and…"

Yasha turned pale white and reached for the garbage can. He emptied his stomach again and when he came back, breathing heavily, Clint was standing by his side, rubbing a hand over his back.

"It nearly killed him," Yasha babbled. "He was bleeding from everywhere, he was screaming, he was…" another hiccup. "And I couldn't stop. I wanted him to suffer. I wanted…" his voice trailed off and he shut his eyes closed. "I cleaned up the scene before I left, erased every trace of my passage and obliviated Pettigrew. But I'll never forget…his face was so…"

His whole body shuddered and he whimpered, wrapping his arms around his legs.

"I was stupid to believe I could be in control."

"Why tell me?"

Yasha sent him a pathetic glance.

"I can't tell mom. She did everything to keep me from becoming a murderer. I can't tell her she failed twice."

"If you're talking about Quirell –"

"No, not Quirell. Before him." He swallowed heavily. "Red Room operatives, eight years ago. She believed Master Pietor took care of them and I was just very upset she had nearly died. Truth is…I killed them. I was nine and I knew what I was doing."

"Tell me about it."

So Yasha told him everything.

When Yasha is younger and believes Natasha died by two former Red Room operatives' hands, he kills them using offensive magic. He is stopped by his old mentor Master Pietor, who gives him his violin in attempt to soothe his anger. Natasha is revived; the serum saves her.

"What are you two plotting?" Natasha asked with an intrigued smile. Yasha grinned sheepishly and Clint shrugged.

"Male bonding," the archer replied easily. "Little man here had a few questions a woman can't answer."

The redhead raised an eyebrow at Yasha. The teen flushed red.

"Shut up!" he glared at Clint. "Or I will tattle-tale about that time with the frog-"

"Which was totally untrue!" Clint protested. "Who is telling lies now?"

"Boys!" Natasha interrupted, clapping her hands in exasperation. "Downtime."

Somewhere on US soil

Sirius and Natasha are sent in the field to investigate a 0-8-4.

"So what's waiting for us?"

"That's not your first 0-8-4 Black," Natasha replied dryly, glancing around. "I have no-"

She lowered her voice, her instinct screaming danger, and most importantly wizards. And she plunged forwards.

"Duck!" she screamed at Black, who imitated her immediately as red and green flashes of light appeared out of nowhere. The first laser beam brushed Natasha's hair too close for comfort. She pulled out her gun and shot the first masked figure she spotted. In her estimation, they were five or six. Somehow, she preferred fighting wizards; their spells were unforgiving but at least they had little knowledge of muggle arsenal. She didn't see the masked man aparate behind her and aim.

'Adavra Kadevra!'

Natasha just had the time to turn around to catch the green flash of light from the corner of the eye and hear Sirius scream before everything went black.

Clint and Yasha hear about the attack on Natasha and visit the SHIELD hospital. Natasha is still alive, though unconscious, and won't wake up.

Sirius was watching her immobile body, guilty and ashamed.

"It was an ambush. Death Eaters were waiting for us." He said, his voice raw with guilt and shame. "They were here for her."

Yasha's vision blurred.

"What happened?" he asked again. "Why is she-"

"She was hit by an Unforgivable." The wizard whispered. "The deadliest."

Yasha's senses froze in horror.

"They used the AK on her?" Dread and relief and incomprehension swamp through him. "But…but she's still alive!"

"Maybe it's the serum?" Clint suggested, hopeful. "Maybe it counteracted the effects of the spell?"

They argue about possible explanations. Sirius shows a trace left by their attackers: a Death Eater's mask. Yasha storms out of the room

"Where are you going?"

"Back to England." Yasha replied harshly. "That sonovabitch did that to seek me out. Well he got what he wanted."

Clint observed him a moment, then picked up his bag and followed.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Coming with you."

"No. I'd rather you stay with mom."

"If I stay with your mom, I'll go crazy waiting." he replied. "And I'm not letting you alone to face that madman."

"You aren't magic, Clint. You can't go there."

"I'm sure there can be exceptions. In the small roads around Diagon Alley or even goblins, they could sell something that'll allow me to go through magical barriers."

"No you don't get it! I maybe lost my mom, I'm not losing you too!"

Clint held the teenager's face between his hands.

"I married your mom because I love her. She married me knowing I would take care of her son if anything happened to her." He started quietly. "And I legally adopted you. Whether you like it or not, I'm your step-father, and I am not letting you out there alone."

"I won't be alone," Yasha replied quietly. "I sent an owl to a few trustful contacts I have overseas."

Clint smirked, but humorlessly.

"And Natasha would kill me if I let you wander unattended. Sorry Yasha, but you're going nowhere without me."


Clint and Yasha return to England. Yasha is welcomed as a hero as he returns to Hogwarts, but his one-time encounter with the crowd of the magical population turns sour when he calls them names and blames them for laying their hope at vanquishing a madman on a fifteen year old kid. Clint is amused, Dumbledore less, and Yasha gets to meet Lupin for the first time. Lupin, after some discussion with Clint, realizes who exactly raised Yasha and tells Dumbledore.

Later that night, Clint walks around the castle walls and notices a couple of students outside. A werewolf emerges from the Forbidden Forest. He jumps from the wall and shoots the werewolf with his arrows to distract it from the students. He gets half bitten but manages to kill the werewolf by slicing its throat with a knife. The teachers finally arrive and carry him back inside the castle as Voldemort's army slowly shows up. Yasha is upset to see his stepfather near death and after concerting with Jack, Hermione and Perl, decides to create a massive bloodbath to end everything.

"I never thanked you, for keeping my secrets." he whispered guiltily. Clint didn't respond, his face pale and terrifyingly still. "And I'm sorry, but I have to use it again."


Yasha didn't look at the werewolf as he stood up and reached for the locket around his neck. He unclasped it and pulled out a miniature violin from it.

"Please keep an eye on Clint, professor Lupin." He said, returning the instrument to its original size. "I'll put an end to this."

He seeks Professor Snape –the only teacher he trusts, for the next part of his plan.

"I need you to follow my orders without questions." Yasha said. "If you have the slightest doubt, I might accidentally kill you and I don't want that to happen."

"What is your plan?" Dumbledore asked. The teenager shot him a glare.

"You step back and shut up." he snapped and returned to the potion Master. "I need to perform a spell that will enable me to control your body and soul. Then, I will magically infiltrate your Dark Mark with this one's power." He handed out the violin. "And I'll take the Death Eaters down all at once."

Snape cautiously took the instrument and stared at him with disbelief.

"How?" was Dumbledore more pressing question..

Yasha turned around and this time, his glower was so hard even McGonagal flinched.

"Get yourself useful and make sure every student and every wizard on your side stay safe inside the castle. I don't want to kill more people than I have to."

"Kill? But-"

"This is a war." Yasha snapped again. "You won't win if you keep praying for peace. I didn't return because you asked me. I returned because Voldemort is in a good way of making me an orphan again and I won't let him hurt me or my family."

The plan is the following: Yasha will use Snape's Mark as a conductor to infect the other Death Eaters. To do so, he needs to use the violin's Dark nature to infiltrate the mark and make it implode. Snape agrees that an arm's loss is worth escaping Voldemort's influence. Yasha starts playing.

The screams were, in contrast, clearly audible. Outside, the mass of Death Eaters were yowling in pain as their body contorted in the oddest positions

"You have to stop him!" Dumbledore said, horrified by the spectacle below his eyes.

But as the headmaster attempted to touch the teenager, Jack stepped in between and pulled his wand at him. The wizards in the room did the same, but focusing on Jack.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Headmaster." Jack warned, unconcerned by the clear outnumbering. "He's in the middle of his symphony, and he hates when anyone interrupts him."

"This is not even killing, this is torture! Even enemies don't deserve this."

"You wanted a Savior," Jack went on, unperturbed. "He wants revenge. Your two goals assemble at some point, but your objectives are different."

Hermione and Perl joined the former Hufflepuff, back to back, supervising all angles of eventual attack.

"It makes me sick to think of it," the muggleborn said, her skin pale but her eyes determined. "But it's a necessary evil."

"You kinda did worst by denying a trial for Black," Perl added. "And hiding a fare share of information to the outer world. Ginny Weasley nearly died because you failed to mention a Basilick was running free in the dungeons. You let Malfoy believe he was alone and stuck in his situation. And now you expect to have Yasha play by your rules?"

The 'battle' ends when every Dark Mark is gone. Snape's arm explodes into pieces and he is carried to the infirmary. Yasha doesn't stop playing and uses the link that Voldemort used to control his followers to backlash it against him. Voldemort dies too from brain implosion.

Yasha returns to the States under SHIELD care with Clint still unconscious. He and Nat are settled in the same hospital room. Yasha resumes school and prays for their awakening.

The Avengers

Fury calls Yasha at a school outing in Calcutta and asks him to pay a visit to Banner as he already came across him in the past (flashback: Yasha is playing music for Perl in the outskirts of town, comes face-to-face with the Hulk who seems to enjoy classical music. Hulk runs off when Yasha stops playing). Bruce returns to his house and stumbles on Yasha practicing:

"I've seen you before," Bruce said cautiously, watching the teenager put the violin back in its case. "You look familiar."

The black-haired teen shrugged.

"We might have met before. I like playing the violin in isolated places. And your…uh…violent all-raged green side enjoys Mozart a great deal more than a lot people do."

Bruce tensed, suddenly even more uneasy at the casual display. The stranger wasn't afraid of him. He knew his other identity, and yet he wasn't afraid.

"You are far from the top five of my worries, Dr Banner." He went on, closing the case and turning around to face him. "My name's Yakov Romanoff. Director Fury sent me."

"SHIELD, eh?" his tone felt bitter and cold. "Why? What do they want?"

Yasha reached for his pocket.

"We're facing a global catastrophe"

"I actively try to avoid those."

"Don't flatter yourself Doctor, not every catastrophe resolves around the Hulk."

"Really?" Banner asked sarcastically. Yasha ignored him and slammed a cell phone on the table.

"That's the Tesseract. Too much science tech wording involved for me but the shortcut is, used the right –or wrong way, it can wipe out the planet."

"What does Fury want me to do with it, swallow it?"

Yasha rolled his eyes.

"It emits low gamma radiation. You're the expert, he wants you to find it."

"And he's not after the beast?"

"We're speaking about the guy who runs one of the most powerful underground organizations in the name of peace and justice. If he wanted you killed, he'd kill you and you would never know."

Banner still looked at him distrustfully. The young man sighed harshly.

"Look, either you follow me to the quinjet that must have arrived half an hour ago somewhere over there, either you vanish in thin air. I killed the madman who's been trying to kill me since I'm born two months ago after he put my adoptive parents in a coma, letting me deal with the paperwork. Now, I have a spot in an orchestra in Stuttgart in like, three days or so and I still haven't practiced the piece. Why would you think Fury send me out of all people to try to reason with you? Cause he has no time and I was in the country. And I still need to fly back to New York to practice one last time with my class partner before rushing to Germany." He bent to pick up his violin and shouldered it. "I'm in a hurry, doctor Banner. Follow me or scam."

"You are weird," concluded the man. Yasha shrugged unapologetically.

"Mama might have dropped me as a baby once or twice."


Yasha is playing a small concerto in Stuttgart when Loki arrives to steal the piece he lacks. He boards on the Helicarrier and sneaks in Loki's cell and interrogates him with his violin's power. He infiltrates Loki's mind with Loki's help (under Thanos' mind control, Loki uses Yasha's magic to get rid of the intruding power inside his head). As a thank you for helping him break Thanos' influence, Loki agrees to check over Natasha and Clint and manages to accelerate Natasha's awakening.

What actually held Natasha alive was the last horcrux, originally planted in Yasha's head. The Goblins didn't destroy it, they just changed its location from Harry Potter's forehead to Natasha's hip (the scar that never heals, and the reason why she can tell if a person is a wizard or not, the scar would tingle. Maria Hill isn't a witch but a Squib). The combination Red Room serum + Horcrux held the AK spell at bay. Harry's spell and Voldemort's death didn't affect her, as the horcrux was mostly killed off by the AK. Her invulnerability is gone though, she will age normally from now on.

Clint wakes up simultaneously –instinct of mate protection rouse him (Natasha pained from Loki's intervention, Clint instinctively reacts). Lupin and Bill arrive for evaluation on dangerousness level: Clint is a little bit infected –stronger reflexes, high senses and red meat craving, but will live relatively normally.

Fury allows the couple to rest, they leave in the countryside. Yasha returns to school.

The Avengers Age of Ultron –delayed by 6 years due to Loki escaping earth before starting alien invasion.

Clint and Natasha alter shifts on team. First part of the movie more or less like canon except Clint 'replaces' Natasha as super-archer to get Loki's spare back (werewolf influence entrances abilities). When escape after Ultron's 'birth' (Natasha skips party for 'personal reasons') they reach the Barton-Romanoff household. Greeted by black hound (Sirius animagui). Led back to the house where Yasha is arguing with Jack Hill.

"I want to be a violinist for a reason," Yasha pointed out. "I'm not fit for that kind of job."

Hill rolled his eyes.

"Course you're not. You've been raised by one of the deadliest assassin in the world. You helped saving the British magical world by playing a tune with a magic violin. You have the rawest power I've seen yet, Yakov. And you've got the guts to use them to make things right. And unless I'm mistaking, you feel the urge to help when you can."

"Shut up!" the teen snapped. "I won't let you manipulate me into becoming your dirty man. I thought you knew better that trying that! Really your aunt must be proud, you two are the exact same-"

Stop when newcomers arrive. Clint warmly greeted by 5 year old daughter Katya (he and Natasha's) and introduces Yasha as his son. Natasha is out in town for supplies as Hermione and Perl arrive the next evening to celebrate Yasha's birthday and Hermione and Jack's engagement. Yasha leaves the house to the Avengers to go celebrate with his friends out of town. Upon return, Yasha and Perl invite themselves on the team while Natasha stays behind (she and Clint promised one of them would always be there for their daughter and since she's a lot more vulnerable they prefer her to watch over Katya).

Battle against Ultron. Yasha has to fight with other powers as violin doesn't work on machines.

Pietro Maximoff is saved by huge back wolf (Yasha animagus) who is shot instead. Survives but barely and Perl pulverizes Ultron in rage. Yasha recovers and gets smothered by an overly grateful Wanda. He asks her out. She agrees.

Epilogue (few years later)

Katya sings 'The Sun Is Rising' in a competition (the Voice). Yasha and his fiancée Wanda are watching from the backstage. Natasha and Clint and the other Avengers watch at home so they won't appear on screen. At the same time Perl (businessman in wizarding world) and Pietro go out on a first date. Jack and Hermione Hill have their first child. Sirius flirts with Maria but gets thrown out of her office. When other SHIELD agent asks about his perseverance, he says she stopped trying to shoot him, which he considers progress. It ends with Katya having all three seats turned and when choosing a popular rock star for coach, Yasha sighs in defeat. Wanda teases him about being a music snob, and he retorts kids these days have no taste.