Chapter 7: Dawn of Justice

[Harry Potter]

✶✶✶

Jeremy the Blue Melee Minion walked confidently through the streets of Costa Del Sol, deep in trance. The young warrior's footsteps were not clunky, his smile did not seem false, but behind his bright blue eyes Jeremy was a puppet. He walked tall and straight, despite the swollen knots on his that were a reminder of his last fist-fight with a Wookie. He wore his old chest-plate sloppily beneath a stained J-crew shirt. At his waist hung his longsword, a wide bladed weapon with a brilliant sapphire set in the crosspiece. Jeremy was no stranger to death and violence, having killed and survived warfare the likes of which no sane mind could comprehend.

A few steps behind Jeremy, controlling his every action, was Bellatrix Lestrange.

The darkly beautiful witch hummed sweetly to herself as she meandered behind Jeremy, her blackthorn wand in her pale hand, her black robes trailing slightly on the ground. Beneath her wild black hair Bellatrix's heavily lidded eyes pulsed with insanity. She grinned gleefully as she made Jeremy twist his ankle, and then made him keep walking. Through the Imperio curse, Jeremy was her ever-eager slave, unable and unwilling to to ever disobey her. It helped that the Blue Meele Minion was so close to a violent break as it was.

Bellatrix stopped as Jeremy bounded up a few steps to an apartment complex on Asimov Avenue and started buzzing a room. Over and over and over, for nearly twenty minutes. Bellatrix was not impatient. She used the time to wonder why she could not use the Alohamora charm.

The Alohamora charm was a simple spell that would unlock almost any lock. Bellatrix knew this spell well, and yet, in the Omniverse, she could not cast it. In fact, there were many simple spells that Bellatrix knew that simply did not work here. She could not summon or levitate objects, or heal wounds, or apparate, or even use 'Lumos' the light-giving spell. From Bellatrix's experiments, she had determined that only her darkest, most violent spells remained at her disposal.

She would make do.

Bellatrix giggled as the door to the apartment complex burst open and a blonde Wookie kicked Jeremy in the chest so hard he cleared the the six-foot porch and landed sprawled in the street.

"Get the fuck out of here, Jeremy," the Wookie snarled, cracking his knuckles loudly. "Marla doesn't want to talk to you, ever. Don't make me come down there and smash your face up again."

Jeremy pushed himself to his feet, and drew his sword.

For a long time, they combatants stared at each other. The massive blonde Wookie atop the porch, the battered soldier at the bottom.

Then Jeremy charged up the porch. The Wookie dodged a wild stab from the longsword, but did not dodge the longs swipe across his abdomen.

Bellatrix stepped over the crumpled form of the Wookie, the heels of her boots tracking blood, her slave leading the way.

Marla screamed when Jeremy kicked in the door to Apartment G.

✶✶✶

Harry Potter sped across the oceans of the Vasty Deeps on his Firebolt, the racing broom reducing Harry's surroundings to a blur, an he knew fear.

Fear of Bellatrix. Fear of Voldemort. Fear for Marla.

He passed over the shores of Costa Del Sol, seeing Lifeguard Tower Nine and Three Quarters for an instant, and he knew guilt.

Guilt for the monster her had unleashed on this world. Guilt for once again being the reason people die.

He flew over the city of Costa Del Sol, his Seeker's eyes spotting Marla's neighborhood, and he knew anger.

Not the righteous anger of a warrior, but the childish, vindictive anger of a killer.

✶✶✶

Bellatrix Lestrange, a manifestation of the darkest parts of the subconscious of Harry Potter, shuddered with power.

The shadows started to whisper.

✶✶✶

[Harry Potter]

✶✶✶

Marla the Blue Caster Minion huddled in a corner in her apartment. Looming above with his sword bloody and his expression vacantly pleasant was her ex-boyfriend Jeremy the Blue Melee Minion, saying nothing, doing nothing, just watching her. The pair stared at each other with their weirdly identical blue eyes.

Bellatrix Lestrange whistled as she worked, carefully mixing a complex potion in a cauldron on Marla's stove. She dipped a thin finger into the potion and licked it off. Then she started talking to herself.

"Yes my pets, you are so hungry, I know. My poor little things, is Mommy Bella just so mean?" the witch cooed insanely.

In her corner, Marla began to summon a thin blue mist around her hands. A moment later, Jeremy smacked her head with the flat side of his sword.

Marla started to cry.

The door to apartment G opened, and then closed. Jeremy and Bellatrix both turn to stare at the door.

"Ah," said Bellatrix in her breathy voice. "Little Harry wants to play."

✶✶✶

[Harry Potter]

✶✶✶

"Stupefy!"

A bolt of red light shot at Bellatrix from behind the coffee table.

She deflected it effortlessly with a shield charm.

"Confrigo!" the dark witch cried, raising her blackthorn wand and firing a bolt of orange light that caused Marla's T.V. to explode.

Then there was silence, punctuated only by Marla sobbing in the corner.

Bellatrix grinned as she strafed out from behind the kitchen counter.

"Poor wittle Harry," Bellatrix said sadly. "There's no Dumbledore around now, there's no Mummy and Daddy to-"

"Accio!" cried Harry beneath his invisibility cloak.

The rug Bellatrix was standing on flew out from under her feet and she lay sprawled on the hardwood floor.

"Stup-AH!" cried Harry as Jeremy rushed at Harry's approximate location. Harry spun and managed to avoid the Blue Melee Minion, following up with a stunning spell to the back of Jeremy's head, but with the distraction Bella rose to her feet, her lips parted in a feral smile and her dark eyes filled with rage.

There was silence.

"Wittle Potter better come play with his Aunty, or else his wittle girlfreind-" Bellatrix stopped, and realized Marla was gone.

In her place, with no cloak to hide him, stood Harry Potter, the man who lived, his holly and phoenix feather wand clutched in his hand.

"Hello Bellatrix," said Harry neutrally as Bellatrix cackled madly.

"Oh little Harry, it has been so long!" Bellatrix mocked. "The last time I saw you-"

"Stupefy!" roared Harry, and a bolt of red light shot toward Bellatrix.

"Protego," said Bellatrix lazilly, and the bolt was deflected harmlessly by the shield charm. She raised her wand above her head and brought it slashing down in an exotic motion.

"Perforo," she said, and an ugly, twisted knife appeared above Harry's head and slashed down towards him.

"Protego!" Harry cried desperately, pointing his wand above his head, and barely managing to deflect the blade. While Harry's hand was still above his head, Bellatrix struck.

"Perfora Maxima!" she called, with a hungry sound in her voice. This time she ended the spell with a poke forward instead of a slash downward.

Twelve glittering steel blades appeared in front of Bellatrix and rushed towards Harry. He rushed to cast a new charm in front of himself, flinching as the knives caught in his magical shield.

"Incendio!" Bellatrix screeched triumphantly, and a gout of flame erupted from her wand.

Harry was brought to one knee as Bellatrix's flames battered against his shield charm. The blades still hung, suspended in midair, turning white hot as Bellatrix sustained the spell even as the wallpaper in Marla's hallway began to catch fire. The shield charm began to tremble.

"Little Harry looses, again," taunts Bellatrix. She cackles triumphantly as the shield charm collapses.

"Oppungo!" roared Harry, and Bellatrix's white-hot knives streaked back towards her, forming the head of a lion with blades for teeth and snapping it's jaws.

"Protego!" she shouted in surprise, but the white hot knives ripped through the shield and through Bellatrix's arm. The scream she made when she saw her hand twitching on the floor was sickening.

She sank to her knees and dropped her wand. She started to giggle as Harry approached.

"This is your surrender, then?" asked Harry coldly, his wand aimed at Lestrange's neck. Bellatrix snorted in laughter.

"Flesh of the servant," she said, chuckling.

"I'm calling this a surrender, ok?" said Harry irritably. A sudden familiar shiver ran down his spine, and the room seemed just a little darker. A hysterical cackle rose in Bellatrix's throat.

The shadows started to whisper.

"Lily!" said the shadows.

"No," said Harry. His eyes began to roll into the back of his head. "Not here."

Bellatrix took advantage of Harry's distraction, and her wand flew into her reamining hand. Her manic smile split her face wide as she channeled her hate and rage into her wand. A tiny red synth-crystal buried inside the wand glowed, acting as a focus for her power, and a humming red lightsaber blade emerged from the tip of her wand. Harry screamed as the dark witch used the saber to slice his holly and phoenix feather wand cleanly in half.

"Lily! Take Harry, I'll hold him off!" whispered the voices.

"No, little Harry," Bellatrix cooed as Harry sunk to his knees beside her.

The Dementors closed in as Harry's consciousness fled.

"This is about YOUR surrender."

✶✶✶

[The Vision]

A red and white shield abruptly crashed in through a window, flying harmlessly through the Dementors. Captain America promptly followed the shield into the building. The shield rebounded from a wall into Bellatrix's face, then into Captain America's hand.

"What the bloody-" Harry exclaimed.

"Don't worry, son, I got you," Captain America smiled.

Harry could only think this definitely didn't happen on the night of his parents' death, so apparently this obnoxiously red, white and blue man wasn't a hallucination. Bellatrix swung the beam of light emanating from her wand at the man, who raised his shield. The clash spat sparks and bright lights, and Harry feared the room might burn.

"Vision?" Captain Rogers cried out.

Harry blinked. "I wear glasses, but I don't see how that's-"

Another man rose from the ground, this time obnoxiously green and red, arms latching onto Bellatrix's neck from behind. The figure suddenly dropped, pulling the witch down and phasing through the floor afterwards. As a result, the figure had effectively slammed Bellatrix on the floor, leaving her sprawled on her back. The witch grunted, her arm-stump twitching and spilling blood on the carpet.

The green-and-red man rose from the floor again, directly behind the blue-and-red man.

"Who are you?" Harry groaned.

"We're the Avengers, son," the shield-bearer said, "We're here to help."

Bellatrix had now recovered from the Vision's attack, waving her wand like a maniac.

"Accio!"

Captain Rogers felt his shield suddenly pulling on his arm, as if a huge magnet was pulling it in. His combat instincts from years of fighting telekinetic villains told him what to do next. He gripped the shield tighter, letting it carry his body to the summoner. He threw a spinning kick in the air, barely missing the crazed witch.

"Oh, for- Avada KedACK!"

The Vision unknowingly halted the Killing Curse, firing a laser at Bellatrix.

"Protego" the witch hollered, shielding herself from the incendiary attack.

Spitting blood, Bellatrix bellowed, "Avada Kedavra!"

Time slowed down. The familiar and dreaded green bolt fired from the wand, grasping to end the life of the next victim. Harry wanted to stop it somehow, but he was barely conscious. Captain Rogers knew something was going to happen, but unsure of what.

The Vision raised one eyebrow very slowly.

The green light washed over the Vision's body, doing absolutely nothing.

Bellatrix's eyes almost popped out in frustration. "WHAT?"

"Query: was that the Killing Curse?" Vision smirked, "Presumably only effective against living entities. Unfortunately for you, I am a highly advanced android designed to emulate the human body-"

"What he's trying to say," Captain Rogers said, swinging his shield upwards into Bellatrix's chin, "is he's a robot."

The Vision frowned. "That was quite rude, Captain Rogers."

"Was I? Sorry," the soldier grinned, "Just translating."

"Fine," the witch muttered, "Dementors!"

Captain Rogers grit his teeth and glanced around for whatever Bellatrix just called for. Suddenly, the super-soldier fell to his knee as a black ghost appeared out of nowhere and leaned in, as if to kiss him.

The Vision saw the Dementor drain the star-spangled soldier. Its hollow mouth was gulping as much of his soul as it could, and this time it was quite the feast.

Bellatrix saw the Vision being completely unaffected by the Dementors.

"You INSUFFERABLE- INCENDI-"

> open adaptoid.zip
> scan hostile_entity("Bellatrix")
Scanning...
(2) valid abilities found
wand.exe
darkmark.exe
> run "wand.exe"
Running...

In a split second, the Vision's right hand tessellated and pulsed, eventually spawning a wooden stick in his palm.

"-IO!"

"Run: Protego."

The wand emitted a faint force field, shielding the Vision from the incendiary attack.

Bellatrix snarled. "You know MAGIC!?"

"You're an excellent teacher," Vision replied, "Run: Accio."

Captain Rogers' shield flung towards him, and Vision super-densified his left fist. With one swift motion, the android smacked the shield at Bellatrix, who crumpled over the metal disc.

The Vision hovered towards the Dementor harassing Harry and tried to grab it in vain. This was to be expected.

"Run: Expecto Patronum."

Error: file not found.

The Vision turned to Harry, picked him up, and tried to pull him from the Dementor's grasp. Harry gasped and breathed shallow breaths, eyes wide in alarm.

"Show me," the android said simply.

Harry snatched the wand from the android's hand and pointed it at his assailant.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry bellowed.

An explosion of light threw the Dementor back, causing it to flee out the window. A stag chased it, galloping in the air out of the apartment. Harry, exhausted from the prolonged exposure to the Dementor, collapsed.

Vision grabbed the wand back and pointed it at the Dementor draining Cap.

"Run: Expecto Patronum."

Error: insufficient emote.114402

The Vision sighed. Of course. The Patronus Charm, according to the books, required intense happy memories. He opened his memory of being accepted into the Avengers.

"Run: Expecto Patronum."

Error: insufficient emote.114402

Captain Rogers barely had any life left, his arm wobbling under the weight of his body. Perhaps the moment when he met Captain America in the Omniverse? There was a significant amount of relief resulting from that event.

"Run: Expecto Patronum."

Error:insufficient emote.114402
Warning: power levels below 30%
Largest energy usage: AdaptoidCompensator.app
Close program?
> Decline

One more shot. Vision knew what memory he needed. Always did, perhaps, but too afraid to admit it.

***

"Then you were captured, even as I was!?"

Wanda avoided the android's gaze. Their arms were bound but this was so much less important. Her breath was shaky, and Vision registered it.

"Yes," she replied, "but it... it doesn't matter. Nothing does, as..."

Wanda raised her eyes to meet the Vision's.

"As long as you weren't harmed. I... I know that now."

The Vision felt his synthesized heart beat 2.34% faster. Programs closed to make way for a new one, which was burning through 34.56% of his CPU. Another strange and unwelcome root program caused his logic processors to crash.

"Wanda," the android struggled, "I-I-"

His proximity sensors detected a presence alarmingly close to his exoskeleton. Though the presence was that of an ally, the alarms in the android's head were blaring, leaving his ears ringing. There was... a... desire? A desire to be... be closer... the expected result? A preferable outcome? Error: unknown. Error... a good error.

In that moment, the Vision knew love.

***

Yes. His happiest memory, despite the circumstances and his initial rejection of those feelings. Wanda.

"EXPECTO!" a voice within him surged, as memories of Wanda flooded his mind.

"PATRONUM!"

With those words, the wand summoned a giant octopus, writhing in the air. It was being pushed forward by the Vision's will, pulsing as the tentacles reached forward to strangle the Dementor draining Captain Rogers. The Dementor smartly gave one glance and fled immediately.

Captain Rogers gasped for air, and Vision followed suit as he tried to repackage the memories. The soldier snatched his shield from Bellatrix's limp body and stumbled over to the android.

"So you do magic now, too?" he said amusedly.

"Negative. This was merely an emulation of-"

"I know, bud," Rogers chuckled, patting the android's shoulder, "But it was close enough."

"How?" a raspy voice growled.

The two Avengers glanced at Bellatrix, who was slowly pulling herself back up. The light-saber/wand was fizzling back into commission and the witch herself was still going.

"That much of the Kiss..." the witch gasped, "...should have KILLED you!"

"Lady..." Captain Rogers tucked his arm into the straps of his shield. "We can do this all day."

"Error: I am low on power. I cannot do this all day."

Captain Rogers gave the android an exasperated glance. "It was an expression."

The soldier stepped forward. "Alright. My turn."

[Centurion]

Captain America was no stranger to fighting on empty. Bellatrix seemed confident, albeit flabbergasted, likely brought on by the apparent wear and tear her wraiths had brought upon Cap's companion and the young boy. That was her mistake. Sure, it was an expression to most people. But to Cap, it was a promise. If he had to, he would do this all day.

Vision floated towards the fallen boy, kneeling lightly beside him and scanning his ital signs. The diagnostic told Vision the boy would live, assuming Bellatrix was no longer capable of attacking him. The android carefully assisted Harry into the recovery position for the boy's safety.

"Captain Rogers," The Vision said. "My power reserves are depleted. I am relying on you to handle Bellatrix Lestrange while I tend to Harry Potter and my own lacking energy supplies."

"Copy that, Vis. I'll cover you" Captain America steeled himself, his body just barely cooperating, and faced Bellatrix.

His soul felt almost empty, something he attributed to the wraith-like entities they had clashed with just moments before. However, knowing that Bellatrix was corporeal and vulnerable brought him a level of relief. Cap was a man of simple needs; being able to land a solid right hook on the bad guy's jaw was one of those needs. He shook off the Dementor's lingering effects, focusing on his objective.

"Lady, you and I need to talk."

The witch grinned widely, her crackling crimson blade underlining the mania burning in her eyes.

"Truly? Oh my, to think such a strapping man would take an interest in little old me."

Lestrange closed the gap between them quicker than Cap expected and he barely had time to dodge to the side. The witch's saber slashed downwards, the arc passing an inch away from the Captain's face, its harsh red glow clashing with his cobalt armor. Bellatrix followed up with an upward slash, pivoting on her heel to face Cap. The Avenger turned, putting his shoulder behind his shield and ramming into his adversary's chest.

The force of the push sent Bellatrix careening backwards. She recovered, giggling madly. Cap reestablished his footing and glanced back at Harry and The Vision. The soldier knew he was in over his head, he just had to trust that Vision could take care of the boy.

With a powerful swing, Cap launched his shield at the woman. The disc hummed through the air, moving fast enough to become a red white and blue blur. Bellatrix barely managed to choke out the word "Protego" before the shield ricocheted off of her charm. Knocked off course, it reflected from the shield and flipped around before freezing mid-air. Bellatrix smiled deviously and aimed her wand at Cap.

"Oppugno!"

The shield shot back towards Cap, level with his neck. He jumped up, lining up the edge with his chest, and caught the shield. The momentum knocked the wind out of him and catapulted him backwards. He slid on his back for a moment before rolling over his shoulder to his feet. He hacked out a few coughs, flexing his lungs to make sure none of his ribs were broken.

Bellatrix, undaunted by the Avenger's feat of strength, twirled her wand gracefully, the saber trailing an almost ethereal red energy.

"Captain, I find it vital to inform you that the blade currently in use by your adversary is a highly condensed plasma coil entombed within a electromagnetic field. I is known to cut through almost any and all materials."

"Is that so?" Cap adjusted the straps on his shield, considering what that might mean for his 'right arm'.

Bellatrix giggled, twirling her wand. "Nervous? You should be!"

Cap would have to rely on his reflexes from here on out. Dodges and counter-attacks were his best bet to avoid the witch's saber. All he had to do was-

"Incendio!"

A cone of searing flame burst towards Captain America. He ducked beneath his shield, the wave of fire slamming into his shield. he managed to stay standing, the sweltering heat splitting around his vibranium disc. As the flames stopped, he stood up, ready to attack, only to see Bellatrix flying through the air, bearing down on him with her light saber.

Bellatrix's confidence as she laughed, diving towards Cap, ready to slash through him, was daunting to be sure. However, a crazy lady with a glowing stick wasn't exactly the worst thing Cap had ever dealt with. He lifted his shield over his head, against his better judgement, fully trusting his Proto-Adamantium companion to protect him.

With a manic screech, Bellatrix slashed her saber, the blade hissing loudly. The burning tube of plasma smashed into the shield... and halted. A split second of the two combatants assessing this event passed before Cap smirked.

"Well, what do you know."

He pushed back, deflecting the saber off to the side and leaving the witch wide open. The Avenger followed through, bringing the edge of the shield up under Bellatrix's chin. Sprawled backwards, her wand skittered out of her hand and across the hall floor.

Cap stepped over her, stooping to retrieve her weapon before walking back to Vision and Harry. He helped the boy to his feet, woozy as he was, and held out the wand.

"I think someone who knows how these doodads work should hold onto it for now.

[The Vision]

Harry slowly came to on the wooden floor of Marla's apartment.

"Can you walk?" Vision asked.

"Erngh... later," the wizard replied. He almost crumpled back to the ground.

Vision nodded and set him down gently.

"Successful extraction probability at 12.09% until the hostile element is neutralized, Captain."

Captain Rogers gave Bellatrix one quick glance. She was still awake, but the (perhaps excessive?) beating rendered her unable to resist much more.

"Now?" the captain panted.

"87.56%."

Captain Rogers smirked. "Why is there always 10% missing?"

"Room for error, Captain," the android replied. He floated towards Bellatrix and placed her hands in handcuffs behind her back. Lifting her over his shoulder, he turned to the soldier, who was already gingerly lifting the barely conscious Harry in his arms.

"LET ME DOWN!" the witch screamed.

Ignoring her, Captain Rogers asked, "No chance you can float us down?"

"It would be difficult even at full power."

Captain Rogers shrugged. "Stairs, then. Those Dementor things aren't coming back, are they?"

"I can cast the Patronus charm now," the android replied, opening the broken door and picking up the Stunned figure by the door.

The Vision slowly made his way down the stairs until he saw the Quinjet hovering above the buildings. Onlookers were gathered around the window that Captain Rogers smashed through. The police were there, too, watching expectantly. Now that the star-spangled soldier and the android were downstairs, the crowd started murmuring.

"Situation's handled, folks," Captain Rogers shouted, "Nothing more to see here."

"Hold it right there," the policemen demanded, "What's going on? What was all that noise? Who are you? Who are they?"

The Vision gestured for Captain Rogers to enter the plane. The soldier attached Mr. Potter to a harness and cable, and the pair were lifted into the cargo bay. The Vision turned to the man in the uniform, smiled and opened his mouth to speak.

***

"What did you say to the poor man?" Captain Rogers said concernedly as the plane glided away from Costa del Sol.

"I simply clarified his position and ours," the android replied. He looked back to the victims.

Mr. Potter was sleeping in one of the seats, muttering something about his parents. The wounded Wookie they had discovered outside sat woozily. He had lost much blood, though Vision was unclear on the next course of action since the Wookie refused to speak with either himself or Captain Rogers.

The only helpful individual was Marla, the unnaturally purple hostage. She revealed that the Wookie was defending her from the man that was helping Bellatrix.

"Jeremy's an asshole," Marla shivered, "And this isn't the first time he's attacked me, but he'd... he'd never do that."

The Wookie (Marla called him Hnaaag) snorted angrily, coughing because of the stomach wound.

"You're suggesting Bellatrix was controlling him somehow," Captain Rogers nodded.

"Yes," Marla told herself, "She must have."

Vision lowered his head, thinking. He was still regenerating power, and as such his computer was frustratingly slow.

"Where is he, anyway?" Marla asked.

"Under arrest," Vision replied, "along with Ms. Lestrange."

"Good," Hnaaag muttered.

Vision turned to Captain Rogers as the Quinjet emitted three bleeps, notifying its passengers they had arrived.

"All in all, a successful mission, right?"

Vision shrugged. "There was room for improvement. If Mr. Potter had alerted us of the threat beforehand, perhaps we could have operated more efficiently and with less collateral damage. If I had used the Patronus charm more effectiv-"

"Vis," Captain Rogers interrupted.

Vision blinked, then smiled. "Very successful. All civilians protected and all hostile elements neutralized with no casualties. Possible new allies detected."

"That's better." Captain Rogers grinned as the plane slowed to a stop, descending gently onto the air strip.