The War of Titans 23

“My, my, Harry Potter,” a regal, melodious voice echoed across the grounds around him as he took a step forward. He stopped for a moment, before he looked up at the castle ahead of him, the large, imposing towers and arching windows looking as beautiful as Hogwarts’ had looked to him on his first night as a wizard, “To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?”

“A question,” he answered, continuing his walk on the beaten trail as he felt the numerous magical animals around him stir awake. He let just a flicker of his power out for a moment, a warning to any who would want to throw it down with him in a show of might. Humming a little as he felt the ones trying to close in on him move away, he looked at the various fountains and benches scattered about the pristine meadows and gardens. Morgan’s estate was eerily similar to what the grounds and architecture in his own world had looked like, and once again, Harry wondered whether his kind of wizards existed in this world or not, “Are you aware of any other witches on this Earth, ones who could come close to your power and skill in the arcane?”

“And here I was thinking you were a charmer, Harry James Peverell,” her musical voice ghosted over his ears, as breathy and seductive as it had been when they had first met, “Asking a woman whether she has any equals? Not a great way to impress a Lady, dear Harry…especially one such as me.”

“Apologies for making such an impression, Lady le Fay,” he tilted his head and crossed his arms over his chest, looking up at the tallest spire as the light coming from it was blocked by a woman’s silhouette, “But I am in a hurry right now, and thus…I must ask for forgiveness for any lack of etiquette I may show. However, I need your knowledge about this witch currently residing in Great Britain.”

“...Great Britain you say?” Harry paused momentarily as he heard the change in Morgan’s tone, her seductive and playful air evaporating away to reveal the dangerous and powerful witch she was, “Come in.”

An instant later, he found himself standing in a great hall, the chandeliers above showering the room in a beautiful yellow-white glow as soft music seemed to echo between the walls. Amidst the haunting yet sad tunes of the violin, Harry hummed as he looked around himself, finding the design of the place to be much like the architecture of the Greco-Roman families of old Magical Britain. Suits of armor that held halberds and carried shields upon their arms stood at the corners and entrances, the polished armor and gleaming weapons looking as beautiful and deadly as the witch who owned them.

Paintings and drapes lined the walls, showing what looked to be events from ages past, druids and shamans standing together for various rituals and festivals. Some depicted scenes from the Greek and Roman ages, while some were artworks that were long lost to the world. Stuffed heads of beasts lost to myths and legends sat above them, and Harry whistled as he realized that one of them was a Nundu—or at least, a darker, otherworldly variant of it.

“I assume you approve of my collection?” Morgan’s voice echoed around him, and Harry looked as he felt her magical power flare for a moment, the walls around him moving and rearranging themselves, the spatial manipulation turning the large hall into a private lounge for the two of them. Paintings floated and disappeared amidst the shifting bricks, and he blinked as a simple table with two chairs floated upon the floor before him, candles and cloth appearing upon it a moment later, “It has been quite a while since anyone other than me has walked these walls.”

“Based on the way I felt the space and time fluctuate when I teleported through the wards here, I guess it must have been,” Harry raised an eyebrow, humming as he walked towards Morgan, raising his hand to capture hers delicately, brushing his lips just above the air on her knuckles, “It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Le Fay.”

“Believe me, Lord Potter, the pleasure is all mine,” she smiled, her crimson lips spreading into a smile that could charm the wits off any man, and even Harry felt his heart beat a little faster for a moment. Morgan was a dangerous woman, and when coupled with her beauty that was enough to make even the Veela self-conscious, Harry was kind of grateful she or her variant hadn’t been present in his own world. “Join me for dinner, Lord Potter, and I shall see if I can answer your questions about this witch in Britain.”

“And call me Morgan,” she smiled beautifully, her pearly teeth shining through her crimson, full lips as she turned around and sauntered over to the table, and Harry couldn’t help but shudder at the breathy tone, his eyes falling to her sashaying hips for a moment before he looked up at her, “Lady Le Fay sounds so…impersonal, no?”

“As you wish…Morgan,” Harry acquiesced with a nod, pulling out her chair for her as neared the table, his eyes widening for a moment as he saw the familiar crest upon one of the rings she was wearing. Deciding to inquire about it at a later date—and when Morgan was far more comfortable with him than now—Harry sat on the seat left for him, smiling pleasantly at his host as she snapped her fingers once. Running a finger along the cutlery that appeared in front of him, the emerald-eyed wizard hummed as he began “You already know the witch that I am asking about, don’t you?”

“And here I thought you would like to enjoy my company a little more,” Morgan pouted, leaning forward a little, the cut of her dress giving a view of her cleavage as she fingered the pendant resting right above the swell of her breasts. However, the mirth in her eyes lessened somewhat as she straightened in her seat, her hands crossing over her chest, “Before I tell you anything, Harry Potter, I want to know what circumstances have led you to even know about this woman, let alone seeking her out.”

“The mutants at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters were kidnapped by an unknown person or group when Magneto appeared in New York City,” he answered after a few moments, wondering about the reason for Morgan’s secrecy and condition. Could it be that he had unknowingly walked into the halls of that witch’s friend? After how devoid of magic this world was other than the Ancient One and her cult, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of Morgan and that woman being friends too. Deciding to tackle with that thought when it actually became a fact, Harry continued as covered platters appeared before them, “I used a tracking ritual, and with the help of Charles Xavier and another telepath, I was able to locate them to a dungeon in Britain. The probability of this witch and her hideout being in or around London is the highest, as even in this world, that city is right above a nexus.”

“She did what?” Morgan stilled momentarily, her smile disappearing in an eyeblink, “Tell me of the powers these children wield and possess. And don’t lie, for my help will solely depend on whether I deem it necessary or not.”

Harry nodded wordlessly at that. Honestly, it wasn’t even that of a shocker for him, for if it had been him on the other side of the table, then he too would have demanded to know whether the coming clash was going to be beneficial for him or not. Morgan had not remained alive for so long by just being powerful. She was a witch that legends spoke of as someone who could destroy whole nations in just a day, her magical power equal to a thousand wizards, and Merlin being the only one known to match her.

“Enhanced strength, Elemental Manipulation, Telepathy, Empathy, Regeneration, Teleportation,” Harry listed off on the top of his fingers as he remembered the faces that were missing from the X-Mansion, some of them barely more than twelve years old, “One of them can manipulate matter like transfiguration, and one of them has telekinesis.”

“Tis as I feared,” Morgan sighed, her eyes glowing a faint violet as a book appeared in the air between them, the dark brown leather on it opening up to reveal the crisp yellow pages within, the ancient runes on them fading into view as the pages turned, “Very well Harry Potter, you shall have my assistance.”

“I have heard this name before,” Charles muttered as Harry finished his explanation, his hands coming to rest beneath his chin as the bald telepath leaned forwards, an intense frown on his face, “But for the life of me, I can’t recall where and how I have heard it.”

“The Black Queen is no uncommon epithet,” Ororo shook her head, standing at the window with her eyes towards the cloudy sky, the weather reflecting the mutant’s mood perfectly as lightning flashed once in the heavens above, “Dozens of queens, rulers and mysterious entities have claimed this title in the thousands of years of documented history—and each one was for nothing more than a few years, from the Orient to the European Empires.”

“So Hank and the kids are in some ancient witch’s dungeon, and this dungeon is ‘cross the pond,” Logan grunted, lighting his cigar quietly as his eyes flicked from Ororo to Harry, the feral mutant looking ready to rip into the next thing he saw as his eyes flashed dangerously, “I am going to get the Bird ready.”

“We need to be careful this time Logan,” Charles shook his head as he leaned back, staring up at the ceiling, his eyes closing as the signs of his age the toll of being the caretaker, the parent to so many children seemed to come upon his features at once, “We can’t take flight right now. Due to Magneto’s attack, the agencies across the world are going to be on high alert for Mutant retribution, and civilian unrest. Airspaces are going to be monitored more closely than normal, and SHIELD will definitely catch the trail of the Blackbird if it takes flight right now.”

“I can teleport us there,” Harry proposed, tapping a finger on his shoulder as he crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, “I can teleport up to twenty people at once across the Atlantic, and return for more after a brief rest, but I don’t recommend taking everyone to Britain.”

“That’s a sound thought,” Ororo nodded, flicking her hand as she focused on the clouds above, sending a few of them away to let the moonlight stream in, “We don’t know the kind of place we are walking into, and I’d rather not have the kids go into a fatal combat zone right now. I suggest we leave Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, Scott and Jean behind with the rest…but I don’t want them unprotected here. We already have enough enemies and problems to worry about right now, leaving them alone and unsupervised will be foolish.”

“I can create some wards around here,” Harry said, humming as he sat down on the chair before him, “But I think we should take Jean with us. Telekinesis is a useful skill, and her empathy can be quite a good tool to use in uncharted territory.”

“I agree,” Charles nodded, “I’ll stay behind to supervise and recon with the help of Cerebro, and to keep an eye on Fury and the others who might be interested in what has happened here. It will be tough once you get to Britain, so I suggest you get whatever rest you can while you are here.”

“My my,” Hill blinked at the old, yet firm voice that echoed in the underground bunker, her eyes snapping towards the old sorceress sitting on the couch. Agatha Harkness gripped her cane and stood up slowly, the black feline on her lap jumping soundlessly to the floor as the aged woman looked at something only she could see, “What a turn of events!”

“Madam Harkness,” she called out, raising an eyebrow as she flicked away the holograms floating between them, deciding to focus upon the secretive yet definitely powerful entity that Fury had saddled her with, “Is there something you would like to share with the rest of us?”

“Nothing that is important yet dear child,” she replied, her dark eyes glimmering in the artificial lighting of the underground safehouse as she walked forwards, her gait slow and weak—and if it hadn’t been for the dull golden glyphs glowing across the walls, as well as Fury’s own words, she would have thought Agatha to be nothing more than another eighty-year-old grandma. She smiled widely, and the years seemed to melt off her face as her eyes shone for a moment, “Just an arrival that I was awaiting quite eagerly.”

“Agent Hill, unknowns sighted near the palace, suspicious mannerisms and possible metahuman activity” Clint’s voice spoke over the intercom right after that, and she looked away from the sorceress to focus upon the live feed the ‘Avenger’ was sending over to the station. Nearby the Buckingham, she could see the people Barton was talking about, the cameras and Barton’s own sniper scope transmitting the live feed before her, “Permission to tag?”

“Negative Agent,” she responded, eyeing the woman as she kneeled down, while the couple beside her seemed to take the position of guards, covering her and looking at everyone that passed by them, “Agent Black, and Agent Marshall, you are on recon and trail duty. Barton, find a higher, better vantage point to keep an eye on them and guide Marshall and Black through the crowd before they disappear. I’ll contact Fury and update him on the situation.”

“Be a dear and tell him to be ready to take away all these people from London will you?” Agatha’s scratchy but amused voice rang through the room, and Maria looked up sharply at the sorceress, staring at the dark eyes that glittered with laughter as the woman walked towards her room, “I’d hate for another culling to take place so soon for your kind.”

“What do you mean by that Ms.Harkness?!” she demanded, alarmed beyond measure at the rather ominous words the woman had spoken, and if the sounds of guns being cocked in her direction were any indication, then the agents currently in the safehouse with her also had the same reaction, “For Christ’s sake, don’t hide any information that can save London and its population from harm!”

“Worry not, Agent Hill,” she smirked back, tapping her cane solidly on the floor as her eyes glowed violet, and the symbols over the walls flashed a brilliant gold once, startling everyone in the bunker into pointing their weapons at the aged sorceress,” But I don’t really think you can do anything other than watch the dance that is going to take place. As for now, keep an eye on the woman your archer spotted, will you?”

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“Why have we not moved against the Black Queen?” Kaecilius asked her as they rounded around a corridor, his hand snapping up to stop an errant spectral chain of dimensional energy from hitting his ribs. His dark eyes snapped over to the girl who had done so, staring down the length of the sparking orange chain with annoyance as he saw the little Hispanic child wince and look down at the ground, “And I still don’t understand why the London Sanctum is not being evacuated. You stated her to be aware of the sorcerers and the three Sanctums. Would it not be logical of her to attack us once she completes whatever foul plan she has made for this place?”

“Oh my, Mikoto-Chan,” the Sorcerer Supreme tilted her head and smiled at the eleven-year-old, walking forwards to kneel before the young girl. A headpat later, the Celtic sorcerer raised her hand upto the young girl’s eyes, palm facing up and a small flower made of glowing purple energy rotating above her fingers, “Try to think of the flowers you like to wear in your hair, or the way you feel when Wong cooks dimsums. When you feel like you are calm and nothing else disturbs you, then create the chain. And if you do it by tomorrow, I will get you that new manga you want to read, okay?”

“Can I go see Naruto after that? The wifi stopped yesterday evening so I couldn’t see how Naruto and Killer Bee are going to escape Madara,” the girl replied, blushing a bit as she scuffed at the ground, looking up at her with wide, green eyes, “Please Oba-San?”

“Only if you complete your homework,” she smiled, patting her head as she stood, summoning a chain and whipping it across the compound to another flower’s stem, cutting it cleanly and bringing it back to her hand0151without even disturbing a single leaf on the plant, “See? If you master this chain, you can get cookies and flowers without anyone knowing!”

Sakura giggled at the head pat and smiled brightly at her teacher, turning around to weave her hand in the familiar shapes as she chanted the syllables for the chains, glowing wisps of dimensional energy enveloping her hands.

“She is learning fast,” Kaecilius commented as the Celtic woman rose to her feet, her eyes moving from the little Japanese orphan they had brought in to her best student, “But going back on topic, why have you prevented the Order from moving against the Black Queen and her band of psychopathic mutants?? Do you think we will lose?”

“It is not a matter of losing or winning Kaecilius,” the responded in her ever-present calm tone, a small smile on her face as they resumed their walk towards the Gates, “It is the matter of why the Order was established. We defend the Earth against threats that are not from this dimension. Agamotto never intended for us to interfere in the matters of humanity, and I believe her to not be a concern of ours.”

“And do you think she will not turn her eye on conquering the planet once she completes whatever foul ritual she has planned on Stonehenge?” Kaecilius bit back sharply, raising his voice for the first time against his Master as he stopped, glaring at the back of her head, “How comfortable have you grown in your seat of power that you think the Black Queen won’t move against the Order, the only group on this planet who can successfully remove her from existence? Or are you just a coward, scared and hiding in your hole?”

A pressure descended on hsi shoulder the very next moment, and Kaecilius gasped as he felt the sheer, raw power of his Mas-no, the Sorcerer Supreme force him to his knees. The dust and loose pebbles around them rose up in the air, and the ground beneath the yellow-clad woman shattered as she turned around, her irises glowing a deep golden color. “I am not a coward Kaecilius, and while I treat you all with respect and kindness, don’t forget that I have forgotten more lifetimes than what you have lived,” She spoke, each word soft and thrumming with the power she commanded, her hands clasped behind her back, “No action is to be taken against the Black Queen, and that is my final verdict. Regarding her plans in London and Stonehenge, they don’t concern us, and even if she decides to move against the Order, there are beings capable of stopping her outside the Sanctums. This is my final decision, and you shall obey it.”